When it opens for the season this spring, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township will have several new attractions, including a pavilion geared for hosting corporate groups and large events, as well as an outdoor bar and family friendly rides.
Now under construction, the Parkside Pavilion is expected to open when the park opens April 29, said Caitlin Stibitz, public relations manager for Dorney Park.
“We have a very busy group-sales business; we recognized we had the need to accommodate more groups,” Stibitz said.
The new space also will have a chef’s kitchen, a first for the park, which traditionally serves picnic-style food at its pavilions, such as fried chicken, hamburgers, and hot dogs, she said.
Those options still will be available, but the revised menu at the Parkside Pavilion will include customized options and themes such as a Hawaiian luau with roast pork and a pig roast on display, a fajita bar where people can build their own meals and a taste of Italy themed meal.
“The pavilion will have a full chef’s kitchen inside,” Stibitz said. The park hired an executive chef for the new pavilion, which serves as a catering facility.
The park’s group sales department sells space to many corporate groups, in addition to schools and church groups, which the pavilion also will serve. It can accommodate up to 2,500 guests, she said.
Other new features are self-service lines to reduce wait times and digital signage so a business can display its corporate message, she said.
While she declined to disclose the cost, she said it was a multimillion dollar investment. The general contractor for the project is Miller, Miller & McLachlan of Northampton.
When it opens this spring, the park also will debut two new family friendly rides, 17 new cabanas, an outdoor bar and a live show.
The Sunset Beach Bar will offer new food and beverage options with outdoor seating and a full-service bar for adults.
Bumper cars, which have been popular with visitors for years, will return in the form of Dodgem, a new attraction.
Kaleidoscope, a new circular ride, will feature three arms with gondolas.
The park also will debut Cirque Imagine, a 30-minute live performance that occurs throughout the day and features acrobatic performers.
The 17 cabanas offer private lounge chairs with wait staff to serve food and beverages to guests, plus other amenities.
