There is a rich history of carousels at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. Two carousels operate at the Park today-the "Antique Carrousel" (1921 Dentzel Carousel) and the "Chance Carousel." But did you know that over the years Dorney Park has actually been home to six different carousels, including one that was pulled up from the bottom of the ocean, two that have burned in fires, and one that is believed to be haunted?

1901 Dentzel Carousel

JACOB PLARR on his original, 1901 hand-carved Dentzel Merry-Go-Round.

1916 Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel

In 1932, Dorney Park purchased a Philadelphia Toboggan Carousel from Shellpot Park in Wilmington, Delaware. The carvings and paintings of the carousel had a strong military influence, and two Wurlitzer band organs provided the music for the ride. The original building that housed that carousel was open-sided, then Dorney Park encased the house in glass. Within the first 30 minutes that the carousel operated at the Park, 28 windows were broken from brass rings. Dorney Park chose to remove the brass rings and arms from the ride due to the damage to the glass house. In October of 1983, this carousel was destroyed in a fire at the Park.

1880's Chanticleer Carousel

This unique carousel was designed in England in the 1880's. The ride featured 36 roosters and 12 ostriches and sank in the North Sea while in transit on a ship to America. After the ship was raised, the Chanticleer carousel was delivered to Coney Island. In 1964, Dorney Park purchased it from Steeple Chase Park in Coney Island. The carousel was in poor shape, but after a full restoration Dorney Park named it "Rooster Ride" and added it to its growing collection of attractions. The ride was financially unsuccessful and was dismantled and put in storage in 1968, where it burned in a fire in the early 1970's.

1915 Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel

Dorney Park purchased a 1915 Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel in the fall of 1984 from Royal American Shows, a mid-western carnival. However, the ride never operated at Dorney Park. Halfway through the renovations, the carousel was dismantled and sold.

1986 Chance Carousel

Chance Rides manufactured Dorney Park's Chance Carousel in 1986. The carousel features 30 fiberglass animals and two carriages. The B.A.B. band organ of Brooklyn, New York plays traditional carousel music. This ride currently operates at the Park and is located next to the Ferris Wheel.

1921 Dentzel Carousel

Dorney Park's 1921 Dentzel Carousel features a 66-piece menagerie, two chariots, elaborate art and scrollwork, and an antique Wurlitzer 153 organ that plays favorite American songs. The ride can hold up to 74 guests per cycle. The original site of the carousel was the Northern Illinois Fair Association, where it operated from 1921 through 1931. In 1932, the carousel was purchased by W.A. Sprague and his son, Ronald, from Exposition Amusement Park in Aurora, Illinois. In 1941, Sprague sold the carousel along with his park to Roger Haney. In 1958, the park was sold to Rolland M. Johnson of Haslett, Michigan, and his brother, Lawrence Johnson of Middletown, Ohio. Cedar Point purchased the carousel from the Johnson brothers in 1971, built a new structure to house it, and opened it to the public in the spring of 1972. In 1995, the carousel was transferred to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, where it continues to operate today on the Main Midway just inside the Park Entrance.

Legend states that while the ride operated at Cedar Point, the ghost of a woman would take nightly rides on this carousel after the Park closed on one particular military horse designed by Daniel Muller. This horse remained at Cedar Point after the carousel was moved and is not part of the Antique Carrousel at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.