Dutch Wonderland

Dutch Wonderland is a 48-acre (19 ha) amusement park just east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, appealing primarily to families with small children. The park's theme is a "Kingdom for Kids." The entrance to the park has a stone imitation castle façade, which was built by Earl Clark, a potato farmer, before he opened the park in 1963. The Clark family sold Dutch Wonderland in 2001 to Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. They also operate Wonderland Mini-Golf, and Old Mill Stream Campground at the same location and the Gift Shop at Kitchen Kettle Village, in nearby Intercourse, Pennsylvania. On November 12, 2010, Hershey Entertainment announced that they sold Dutch Wonderland to Palace Entertainment. "Fernando Eiroa, Palace Entertainment President and CEO, commented, “We are very proud of the integration of a leading park like Dutch Wonderland within our group. We are fully aware of the unique position that Dutch Wonderland holds within its community and we will be doing everything to enhance the Dutch Wonderland brand, while keeping the special family appeal of the park." Today, the park has 34 rides, plus a tropical-themed interactive water play area called Duke's Lagoon. The park also has an extended season, open for "Happy Hauntings" and "Dutch Winter Wonderland" events for Halloween and Christmas. The park is part of a larger area in Lancaster zoned for entertainment, dining, lodging, and conferences.