Construction is underway at Allentown’s Dorney Park on a new roller coaster featuring drops described as “beyond vertical,” and a series of flips and loops that will leave riders wondering which way is up.
Hold on to your hats, and your stomachs, thrill seekers. There’s a new roller coaster coming to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown next year called the Iron Menace. It’s the northeast’s first-ever dive-style roller coaster, and it looks absolutely terrifying—in the best possible way.
Riders will start their journey in the remains of an old steel mill, climbing 160 feet where they’ll hang over a drop Dorney Park describes as “beyond vertical.” From there it’s a rapid dive at a 95 degree angle, followed by a series of flips at speeds of more than 60 mph, a 360 degree inversion, and a tilted loop that will leave riders wondering which way is up.
You can check out all the gravity-defying twists and turns that await riders in this POV video.
In announcing the Iron Menace on Thursday, Dorney Park said the new roller coaster is about more than just providing riders with a white-knuckle experience. The creators of the Iron Menace took inspiration from the Lehigh Valley’s steel industry history.
“We took a lot of our leads, our inspiration, from the ruins in Bethlehem,” said Dorney Park Public Relations Manager Ryan Eldredge. “It’s going to look and feel more like a steel mill. As you get onto the ride, you’re going to have all those dips and dives and inversions that will make you feel like you’re in a car maneuvering your way through a steel mill.”
The Iron Menace is the first new roller coaster to be built at Dorney Park since Hydra in 2005. And to celebrate, Dorney Park is offering a deal on its 2024 Gold Pass. Guests who purchase the $99 pass now not only gain unlimited visits for the entire 2024 season, but will also enjoy unlimited visits for the remainder of 2023.
Construction on the Iron Menace started this week.
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Patrick Berkery Pat Berkery is the senior community editor of The Keystone
Ashley Adams In her 16 years in the communications industry, Ashley Adams has worn many hats, including news reporter, public relations writer, marketing specialist, copy editor and technical writer. Ashley grew up in Berks County and has since returned to her roots to raise her three children.
