Merlin's Mayhem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merlin's Mayhem |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Dutch Wonderland | |
| Location | Dutch Wonderland |
| Coordinates | 40°01′43″N 76°13′07″W / 40.028651°N 76.218628°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 28, 2018 |
| Cost | $7,500,000 |
| Replaced | Turnpike |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Family – Inverted |
| Manufacturer | S&S – Sansei Technologies |
| Designer | Joe Draves |
| Model | Family Inverted Coaster |
| Track layout | Twister |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Length | 1,300 ft (400 m) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:00 |
| Height restriction | 39 in (99 cm) |
| Trains | Single train with 10 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train. |
| Merlin's Mayhem at RCDB | |
Merlin's Mayhem is an exciting family inverted coaster at Dutch Wonderland park in Pennsylvania. An "inverted" coaster means your feet dangle freely below the track! This fun ride was built by S&S – Sansei Technologies. It opened in 2018 on the spot where an older ride, the Turnpike, used to be. The park planned to open it in 2017, but due to some building challenges and needing more time for safety checks, it opened a year later.
Contents
How Merlin's Mayhem Was Built
Planning a New Ride
In 2014, Dutch Wonderland opened a new area called Exploration Island. This part of the park had 15 moving dinosaur figures and fun activities. The park's old Turnpike ride, built in 1963, was rebuilt around Exploration Island. This made the old Turnpike area free for new attractions.
Announcing Merlin's Mayhem
On October 24, 2016, Dutch Wonderland started giving hints about a new ride. Then, on November 1, 2016, they officially announced Merlin's Mayhem. It was going to be a high-flying family inverted coaster. The ride's story is about helping the wizard Merlin find his playful pet dragon, Mayhem.
This new coaster was built where the old Turnpike ride used to be. It was the first new roller coaster at the park in almost 20 years! It also became the biggest and tallest ride in the park.
Building the Coaster
Just two weeks later, on November 16, 2016, the company that made the ride, S&S – Sansei Technologies, showed off the ride's vehicle. This happened at a big expo in Orlando, Florida.
The pieces of the coaster track started to arrive in April 2017. The ride quickly began to take shape. Even though construction was fast, Merlin's Mayhem missed its planned summer opening. On December 20, 2017, the park announced the ride would open in 2018 instead. This delay happened because of building problems and extra time needed for safety checks. The coaster's path was close to other rides, like the park's Sky Ride, which meant more careful planning. Finally, Merlin's Mayhem officially opened to the public on April 28, 2018.
About the Ride
What the Ride is Like
When your train leaves the station, it immediately goes up a 60-foot (18 m) tall lift hill. At the top, the ride turns left over the Sky Ride before dropping down. You then go through a turn over a pond and speed through a gentle S-shaped curve. Next, the train enters a twisting section called a helix. The ride then dives into a tunnel under the Wonderland Special train tracks. After a final right-hand turn, the train slows down on the brake run and returns to the station.
The Story of Merlin and Mayhem
The coaster has a fun story, which you can find on the park's website:
Merlin the Magician found an egg. When it hatched, a dragon popped out! Merlin and the dragon quickly became best friends. Merlin couldn’t think of a name for him. Over the next few weeks, the dragon played with Merlin’s magic wand, used his fire-breathing skills in funny ways, and caused all sorts of mischief. Because of all these playful accidents, Merlin knew just what to name him… Mayhem!
Mayhem grew up to be a very friendly dragon, but he always seemed to get into trouble. Merlin taught his dragon many tricks, how to control his fire, and even how to fly. One day, Merlin was showing off a magic trick when Mayhem suddenly flew off into the sky! Merlin tried to catch him, but he disappeared far away. Now, Merlin needs everyone’s help to find his best friend, Mayhem!
Fun Facts and Numbers
Merlin's Mayhem is 1,300 feet (400 m) long and stands 60 feet (18 m) tall. It was the very first Inverted roller coaster made by S&S – Sansei Technologies from Logan, Utah. The ride was designed by Joe Draves, who also worked on other big coasters like Steel Curtain and Lightning Run.
The coaster uses one open-air train that can hold 20 riders. Each seat has a lap bar to keep you safe, and there's even audio on board! Merlin's Mayhem also goes over and around the park's Sky Ride and Wonderland Special train, making it even more exciting.
External Links
- Merlin's Mayhem at the Roller Coaster DataBase
