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Waldameer and Water World in Erie, Pennsylvania, recently announced the addition of a new coaster that will represent the largest investment in the park’s history. But first, some history on previous investments that led to this.
Founded as a trolley park, Waldameer opened in 1896. Between 1902 and 1938, some combination of three roller coasters existed at the park: the original Ravine Flyer terrain coaster and the eponymously named Figure Eight and Scenic Railway. From 1939 until 1951, when the modestly sized, Herb Schmeck-designed Comet opened, the park was coasterless.
Following that addition, changes at the park were relatively insignificant for a few decades, sans two Bill Tracy-designed dark attractions in the early 1970s that continue to operate in meticulous condition today. Paul Nelson, who started working at the park in 1945 at the age of 11, took ownership in 1978 and eight years later, after taking a leap of faith, opened a waterpark.
Water World was wildly successful and ushered in a new era of carefully calculated growth for the park. The Thunder River log flume arrived in 1996 and a year later, plans for the Ravine Flyer II wooden terrain coaster were revealed, with an anticipated opening in 2000. The ride’s construction faced myriad challenges, and two other coasters would ultimately precede it: Ravine Flyer 3 (E&F Miler Industries kiddie coaster) in 2000 and Steel Dragon (Maurer Rides spinning coaster) in 2004. After much perseverance by Nelson, Ravine Flyer II, from The Gravity Group, finally came on the scene in 2008. In between and since then, new flat rides and water attractions were routinely added to the park’s landscape. Whirlwind (SBF Visa family spinning coaster) was a surprise addition in 2020.
Nelson passed away unexpectedly in 2023. The family, however, maintains his legacy and vision as they continue to invest in the historic park.
Attendees at the Ravine Flyer Frenzy event could see evidence of new construction over the hill.
For the 2026 season, a duo of impressive new five-person family raft slides just opened, while a new lazy river remains under construction and is expected to debut later this summer. Curiously, at the very same time, across the park, next to Ravine Flyer II, there’s yet more construction underway. The station from the original Ravine Flyer, which had been serving as a picnic pavilion, has been removed. Beyond it, some of the hillside — with a spectacular view of Lake Erie — has been cleared. A crane and other construction equipment are on site. Some new concrete footings that look ready to anchor steel supports for a coaster are already in place.
On Saturday, June 6, ACE Western Pennsylvania hosted its annual Ravine Flyer Frenzy event at Waldameer. That construction site was the elephant in the room, and during the event’s picnic, Nelson’s son-in-law, Steve Gorman, president of Waldameer, and Nelson’s grandson, Brian Gorman, the park’s COO, addressed it. After requesting cameras to be put down, the reveal began — certainly 211 ACEers could keep a secret until the official announcement two days later, right?
Eagle’s Pursuit, a dual launch family coaster from Vekoma, is scheduled to open at the park in the spring of 2027, and as the attendees could see just beyond the pavilion they were sitting in, construction was already underway!
The ride is full of fun stats and stunts that are sure to provide a thrill to both seasoned coaster enthusiasts and the intended target audience: a top speed of 46 mph, 1,885 feet of track, a 60-foot drop, 16 different track elements, 18 direction changes, 10 floating airtime moments and perhaps most significant — a 38-inch minimum height requirement.
The first launch on Eagle’s Pursuit will be a horizontal LIM launch from 1 to 23 mph from the station.
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Riders will experience a right-hand twisted airtime hill into a 60-foot dive drop.
Image: courtesy Vekoma. View full-sized image.
Most notable though — Eagle’s Pursuit follows in the tradition of some of western Pennsylvania’s finest coasters – it’s a terrain coaster and will use the region’s hills to its advantage.
Rising S hill.
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Terrain-following turnaround.
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Like any good terrain coaster, Eagle’s Pursuit will deliver the unexpected. For starters, the ride will begin with a quick boost over a cliff! It will continuously build momentum through its circuit. Top speed is reached not after the first drop, but after the second, and it’s not the result of a launch, either. In a coaster plot twist, the main launch comes at the end of the ride, to take the ride’s single 20-passenger train back up the hillside.
An 81-degree side-banked wave turn.
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Triple-up terrain-following airtime hills.
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“Not only will Eagle's Pursuit feel faster as it flies close to the ground, but it will also be our second coaster that disappears over the hillside, leaving spectators and riders in suspense,” remarked Brian Gorman. Hopefully, it won’t be too fast to enjoy the incredible view of Lake Erie that it will afford. Sunset rides should be blissful.
For decades, the park has been discussing how to best use this property. As Brian Gorman noted, “It’s a beautiful piece of land, but accessing it was always a question. With such a unique landscape to work with, the lakefront property begged for a coaster. And without a solid plan to get people down the hill, it made sense to have a coaster utilize the terrain.”
Upon visiting Dollywood for Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards in 2023 and riding Big Bear Mountain, Steve Gorman said, “I want one of these!” That ride sold them on Vekoma. It seemed a perfect fit for their family park. According to Brian Gorman, “When watching Guests at Dollywood ride Big Bear, we saw grandparents push strollers up to the ride entrance, the child got out of the stroller, and both grandparent and grandchild rode the ride together. Vekoma's family coaster has been a success in almost all other installations, and we wanted to be a part of that family of attractions.”
A 180-degree wild-mouse break turn returns riders back to the station.
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The park presented Vekoma with a particular site for the station, as well as a few property restrictions, but they give Vekoma’s designers most of the credit for the ride path and features. “The terrain provides such a great backdrop for this coaster, the designers continue to tell us that this was one of their favorites to design,” added Brian Gorman. And with terrain like that, it’s no surprise.
As for the ride’s name, Brian Gorman provided some insight: “The shores of Lake Erie are home to many bald eagles, and we often see them flying above the shores. With the unique layout of the coaster, diving and swooping low along the ground, it seemed fitting to name the coaster after a flight of an eagle in pursuit of prey.”
This is one coaster that ACE members are sure to be in pursuit of in 2027.
— Bill Linkenheimer III, ACE Western Pennsylvania Regional Representative
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