The Flying Dutchman: Dorney Park’s Legendary Coaster

The Flying Dutchman was a unique steel roller coaster that operated at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, from 1977 to 1988. As part of a major park expansion in 1977, Dorney Park developed a new midway carved out of a neighboring cornfield and installed The Flying Dutchman as its star attraction. Manufactured by Pinfari, an Italian ride company, and built as a Zyklon model, it was one of only two coasters of its kind in the world at the time. The Flying Dutchman stood about 70 feet tall, featured 3,240 feet of track, and gave riders a thrilling experience filled with sharp turns and sudden drops, reminiscent of a Wild Mouse coaster. With its four-passenger cars and tight, compact layout, the ride was designed to deliver an intense and personal thrill, lasting approximately two minutes and 40 seconds from start to finish.

Named as a nod to the Pennsylvania Dutch heritage of the surrounding Lehigh Valley, The Flying Dutchman quickly became one of the most popular rides in the park. It was also part of a broader effort to modernize the park, including a new Route 222 entrance, an updated midway, and improved landscaping that gave Dorney Park a fresh, more polished look. However, despite its initial success, The Flying Dutchman was plagued by mechanical issues throughout its ten years of operation. The ride suffered frequent breakdowns that made maintenance challenging, and ultimately, these problems led to its removal at the end of the 1988 season.

Following its removal, The Flying Dutchman was sold to Coney Park in Jamaica, and although unconfirmed, there were later reports that it may have been relocated to either the Philippines or Singapore. Today, the spot once occupied by the coaster is home to Dorney Park’s 90-foot Ferris wheel, but for many longtime guests and coaster enthusiasts, The Flying Dutchman remains a nostalgic memory of a daring ride that helped usher in a new era at the park. Its place in Dorney Park’s history as the first modern steel coaster and a centerpiece of the 1977 expansion makes it a notable part of the park’s legacy.