Dorney Park August 11th 2018 Update

Despite another day of sudden torrential downpours, I wanted to stop by Dorney Park to see what was new with the park.  Here is what I was able to take note of between the passing thunderstorms!

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First, while we all knew this was coming, the park has put up signs confirming that Dinosaurs Alive! will be retired at the end of 2018 season.  For those who want to take one last trip through the exhibit to say goodbye, the park is offering buy one, get one tickets until the end of the year.

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Dinosaurs Alive! opened at the park in 2012, the same year that Stinger made its debut.  In that sense it's the full closing of an era as Stinger already made a trip to the recycling center, and now the dinosaurs are headed for extinction once again.  Personally, I would not expect to see any large attraction built on the Dinosaurs Alive! land in the future, but we can hope for a great wooded Haunt maze to happen again some day!

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Earlier in the season the park added a seating area in front of Meteor, as the general area was lacking enough space for people to eat.  As the summer as gone on the planters the park lined the area with have really filled out, making the space work even better aesthetically.  A small change, but a good one for guest comfort.

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August is always when the park looks its best in terms of landscaping, as all the plants have really grown in during the summer.  This is one example of the nice garden areas that the park has created.

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Despite all the rain we've had this summer, Cedar Creek wasn't nearly as high as I expected it to be.  The ducks seemed pretty happy with the shower that had just ended when I took this photo.

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With Cedar Point recently announcing the removal of their Huss Enterprise, one has to wonder if these rides are coming to the end of their lives.  Dorney has had their since the early 1980s, I believe, making it over 30 years of age.  It's always got a line when I see it though, so hopefully it sticks around a while longer.

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For those keeping tabs, there has been zero activity o the Stinger Field.  Healthy looking grass is all that is to be found here.

Moving on to Halloween Haunt preparations, the park recently made some updates to their Haunt website, showing what changes are in store this year.  It looks Cut Throat Island has been given the axe, and Trick or Treat is getting a new "Lights Out" overlay.  Grave Walkers has been renamed Necropolis, with some changes and improvements expected.  The Skeleton Crew show will not return this year, with Overlord's Resurrection moving into Hydra Plaza.

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After those changes, the rest of the existing haunts and scare zones will be back again this year for the 11th year of Halloween Haunt.  That includes Age of Darkness, which is currently being set up at the park on the Thunderhawk midway.

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The layout looks similar as in past years, with giant castle facades going up on the buildings in the area.  The 'torture chamber' area is also being set up, where we can find...

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This cool looking dragon, which if you remember was one of the creatures from Dinosaurs Alive! that was fatally injured in a storm, and the repurpose for Haunt.  So in at least one way the attraction will live on at the park even after it closes this fall.

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Both Steel Force and the path to Dinosaurs Alive! were closed due to the storms, so this is the best photo I could get of a new facade going up inside Necropolis. 

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Apologies for this photo, but it's the only other one I got of the new Necropolis facade going up and it's focused on Revolution's queue rails, and not the facade.  Still, it gives a bit more detail on the structure.

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Finally, before heading out just as another storm rolled in, I noticed two small structures being built behind Tourist Trap - perhaps these are more of the small stand-alone Skeleton Key rooms for this year?

That's all for now, plenty more to come as the park moves out of the summer season and into the fall!