Dorney Park planning tall new attraction to replace Stinger
A new Dorney Park attraction, measuring over 160 feet in height, will have its merits tested at a South Whitehall Planning Commission meeting on Thursday.
The ride will be located on the site of the former Stinger roller coaster, just north of the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Dorney Park Road, according to plans on the South Whitehall website.
Ryan Eldredge, the public relations manager for the park, said it was too early in the approval process to discuss details such as when construction would potentially begin, who would build the attraction, what exactly the attraction would be and how much construction would cost.
He said Dorney Park would work to make sure any construction disrupts its day-to-day operations as little as possible.
“We’re exploring all avenues on how to improve the guest experience,” Eldredge said. “As we move into our 140th operating season, we remain excited for the future of the park and our community.”
Stinger, an inverted shuttle coaster previously called Invertigo, came to the park in 2012 from Great America in California, and was removed in 2018. It had a history of malfunctioning; in 2009, a mechanical failure left two dozen people trapped 80 feet in the air for at least three hours at Great America, and in June 2012, the coaster stalled and left riders dangling for about 90 minutes on its 138-foot peak at Dorney Park. No riders were hurt in either incident.
Eldredge said the issues with Stinger would have no effect on the new attraction or its future.
In related news, Dorney Park intends to hire 2,000 employees for when the 2023 season begins in May, according to a news release. From Saturday through Feb. 24, the park will hold daily virtual interviews and an in-person hiring event at the Associate Services Center located at 3700 Dorney Park Road.
Wages of up to $20 per hour will be available for specialized entry-level positions, the release stated.