WORLD’S LARGEST RIDE ENTHUSIAST ORGANIZATION HONORS DORNEY PARK ROLLER COASTER WITH HISTORIC DESIGNATION

Thunderhawk to be recognized as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark this week

ALLENTOWN, PA – June 20, 2021 – The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), the world’s largest enthusiast organization, will recognize Dorney Park’s Thunderhawk as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark at its upcoming national convention. The designation is reserved for rides of historic significance.

“We congratulate and honor both Dorney Park and its parent company, Cedar Fair, for its commitment to ensuring Thunderhawk continues to thrill riders for generations to come,” said ACE President Robert Ulrich. “Our hope is that this plaque makes riders aware of how special and rare a coaster like this is in today’s modern world.”

First opened in March of 1924, Coaster – as it was called back then – was designed by legendary coaster engineer Herbert P. Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC).

Six years later, Park Owner Robert Plarr rehired PTC to redesign the ride into a more thrilling layout. Affectionately called “the yellow coaster” in the 1950s, it changed its name to Thunderhawk in 1989. In 2016, the coaster received new trains, courtesy of PTC. To date, it is the oldest roller coaster designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by PTC that still stands.

The ceremony will coincide with Coaster Con, the largest annual gathering of ACE members. The ceremony was delayed a year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Jay Jacobs. View full-sized image.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Photo: Jeffrey Seifert. View full-sized image.

Photo: Jonathan Hymes. View full-sized image.