Find out if Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park is good for your kids based on their age.
Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park in Lancaster, PA
Anytime I mention that my family has visited Dutch Wonderland, I get such excited responses, like:
“I haven’t been there in years, but I went often as a kid!”
or “Our kids love it there! We’ve gone there quite a few times!”
Dutch Wonderland can really be such a magical place for kids, but is it good for your child’s age? I’m going to break down the age groups to explain how Dutch Wonderland can be fun for kids, plus I’m going to tell you about some new attractions!
I was provided complimentary tickets for my family to enjoy the park. Scroll down to get a Dutch Wonderland Coupon Code.
Ages that Enjoy Dutch Wonderland
While there isn’t a specific age range for Dutch Wonderland, based on my experience, I’d say the age range is from ages 1-14.
There are a lot of factors in this, including the size of the child and maturity level.
We have been to Dutch Wonderland several times now, and each time my kids were in different age groups. During one visit, my youngest was about 7 months old, and on another visit, I brought my youngest brother who was 14 at the time, so I have experience in knowing which rides are best for every age group.
Below I break down each age group and what they’ll enjoy the most.
Is Dutch Wonderland Good for Babies?
The sites and sounds of Dutch Wonderland would be so much fun for babies, but what about the rides?
This age range is from infants to one year olds, and would usually be in the Under 30″ height requirement. This age group can actually get into Dutch Wonderland for free (adults still need to pay admission).
For handheld infants, such as babies who cannot sit up on their own and would need help from an adult, there are about 8 rides and attractions that they can enjoy, including Duke’s Lagoon, Dino Dig, and more.
The shows in the Amphitheater, Celebration Theater, and Aqua Stadium would be fun for babies as well.
For babies who are able to sit unassisted and would sit nicely on a ride, there are about 17 rides and attractions to enjoy. Many of these require a responsible rider to be with the baby.
Taking little kids to an amusement park for the first time? READ THIS!
Is Dutch Wonderland Good for Toddlers?
Yes! Dutch Wonderland is the perfect amusement park for toddlers, especially those ages 2-4. Most of the rides and attractions are geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. Kids in this age range might be in the Under 30″, 30″-36″, and 36″-42″ height requirements.
In fact, this is one of the few amusement parks where on most of the rides, an older rider isn’t necessary. Most of the rides at Dutch Wonderland are designed to be smaller and a tad slower than rides for older kids.
There are also dinosaurs in Exploration Island and a water park with splash pads in Duke’s Lagoon. Toddlers will also love the shows in the Amphitheater, Celebration Theater, and Aqua Stadium.
Depending on the height of the child, there are about 16-30 rides and attractions for this age group to enjoy.
Toddlers will have an absolute blast!
At the time of this visit, my youngest was around 3 and a half years old, and she had so much fun. She’s used to being told that she can’t ride some of the rides at other amusement parks, but at Dutch Wonderland, she could go on almost every one!
Note: There are a few rides that toddlers may not be able to ride on their own or at all, such as Kite Flight, Bumper Cars, Kingdom Coaster, and a few more. Be sure to read the height requirements posted at each ride.
Is Dutch Wonderland Good for Ages 5-8?
Kids ages 5-8 may be able to ride most of the rides at Dutch Wonderland by themselves, which is like a dream come true for some of the older ones in this age group! Of course, it depends on the size of the child, both height and weight, for some of the bigger and faster rides.
This group would most likely be in the 36″-42″, 42″-48″, and 48″-54″ height requirements.
At the time of this visit, I had two kids in this age group. One was 6 and the other 8. There were a few that my my 6 year old needed a riding companion on, such as the larger roller coasters and Bumper Cars, but my 8 year old was tall enough that she didn’t need a riding companion.
There were a few rides that my 8 year old was too tall for, so she had to sit out while her younger siblings enjoyed those rides. But there was a few things, like Exploration Island, that she could enjoy with her younger siblings.
Would My 9-12 Year Old Enjoy Dutch Wonderland?
I actually have two responses to this question of whether or not a 9-12 year old would enjoy Dutch Wonderland, and it’s based on the size of the child and whether or not he or she has younger siblings.
Children in this age group might be in the 42″-48″, 48″-54″, and 54″ and above height requirements.
For kids in this age range who are on the smaller side, Dutch Wonderland would be very enjoyable. They would be able to ride many of the rides, including the bigger ones.
If the child has younger siblings, he or she would have a lot of fun riding the rides, splashing in the Duke’s Lagoon, and visiting the dinos together on Exploration Island. There would be about 35 rides and attractions they can enjoy, some with a responsible rider.
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For kids who may be above average height in this age range, there may not be as many rides that they could ride, but there’s still plenty to do. They would still be able to ride the larger rides like the coasters, Bumper Cars, etc., enjoy the water park, and walk among the dinos on Exploration Island, but the list of rides they can go on gets a tad shorter because of height.
My oldest has been too tall for some of the rides starting when he was 9, when we visited a few years ago. This time that we visited, he was about 5’2 and while he had fun, there were a few times that he was bored waiting for his younger siblings to rides some of the rides.
Do Older Kids Like Dutch Wonderland?
Tweens and teens might not be able to ride too many of the smaller rides at Dutch Wonderland (again, depending on height), but there are still about 30 rides and attractions they can enjoy.
Of the rides and attractions, I would say that tweens and teens would like the coasters, waterslides, and diving shows at The Aqua Theater the most. If they have younger siblings, they may like to ride some other rides with them as well.
Note: While it seems that some older kids can roam freely on their own, it isn’t recommended by Dutch Wonderland. They recommend that minors under 18 years old be accompanied by adults while in the park. You can read more about this in their Policies under Children- Notice to Parents and Guardians.
Dutch Wonderland’s New Coaster
The ride that I know older kids would enjoy the most would be Dutch Wonderland’s new roller coaster, Merlin’s Mayhem. In fact, my kids wanted to ride this coaster before we did anything else in the park!
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Merlin’s Mayhem is Dutch Wonderland’s first suspended family roller coaster. Riders will fly high as they help Merlin the Magician find his friend Mayhem, a mischievous young dragon who flies away.
This roller coaster has plenty of twists and turns, but it doesn’t have a loop or go upside down, which may be a plus for younger riders.
It is super fun to have your feet dangling while flying through the air!
My three oldest kids loved the coaster and went back on three more times in a row!
Note: If a parent has a younger rider who would like to ride, but the parent may be plus size, he/she may not be able to fit on this ride. I suggest that parents try the seat located in the entrance of Merlin’s Mayhem to see if they’ll be able to ride. If not, the ride operator may be able to pair up the child with a responsible rider.
Is Dutch Wonderland Open in the Winter?
Believe it or not, you can enjoy Dutch Wonderland in the fall and winter too! You can enjoy DW during Happy Hauntings in the Fall and Dutch Winterwonderland in the winter months.
Dutch Wonderland Promo Code
Click here and use PROMO CODE summerblog19 to get $5 OFF when you order your tickets online.
Be social with Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram ! They often post deals and contests for tickets! If you share photos of your visits on social media, be sure to tag them with #DutchWonderland !
Many thanks to Dutch Wonderland for giving my family tickets to enjoy the park once again!
Erica says
That place looks awesome! I have to admit that I’ve never heard of it, I’m over in Minnesota and we don’t often get over that way, but it definitely looks fun. I have a bit of crowd anxiety, but the kids love to go to Magic Mountain, Busch Gardens, etc. I love the sign with the dino 🙂 It looks like your family had a great time. Thank you for sharing. I’ll have to remember this place if we are ever thinking of a road trip. Take care!
Christiana Kayode says
Oh wow, the photos are amazing. Everybody looks like they had such an amazing day. I don’t believe there’s a place like Dutch Wonderland in the UK, there should be!
Katie says
This looks like such a fun place! Bucket list for sure! Thanks for sharing!
may palacpac says
Oh, I wonder why they discourage the older kids to roam around freely. Anyway, why is it called Dutch Wonderland?
Marissa says
It’s called Dutch Wonderland because it’s in the middle of Lancaster County where many of the Amish, or “Pennsylvania Dutch” live.
Marcela Alcaine says
Wow thanks for sharing the experience and also details with pictures. I am the kind of person who always research first. I’ll wait until my son is 2 to go and visit. The rides look amazing!