LANCASTER, Pa. — As a new season nears for Dutch Wonderland, the award-winning children’s park welcomes a new general manager to the Kingdom for Kids!
James Paulding takes over Dutch Wonderland and its two sister properties in Lancaster County, the Cartoon Network Hotel and Old Mill Stream Campground, as all three properties prepare for a promising summer season. Paulding began at Dutch Wonderland on Monday, April 12 after an impressive career within the amusement industry, primarily spent with Merlin Entertainments. He last worked as a multi-attraction general manager overseeing SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and Madame Tussauds, and those diversified duties prepare him well for his new role. Paulding leads the teams operating three unique locations:
- The world’s first Cartoon Network Hotel, a 159-room property themed to Cartoon Network’s many hit popular shows, including Adventure Time, PowerPuff Girls, Ben 10, We Bare Bears and Steven Universe.
- Dutch Wonderland, the amusement park voted Best Family Park in 2019’s Golden Ticket Awards
- Old Mill Stream Campground, an outdoors lodging venue next to Dutch Wonderland able to accommodate more than 150 sites for tent camping, RV stops, and rustic cabin stays
Raised in Sheffield, England, Paulding brings more than 30 years of industry experience to Dutch Wonderland and the Cartoon Network Hotel. After a stint as Operations and Entertainment Director at Alton Towers, he relocated to the United States to serve as Merlin Entertainments’ Head of New Openings, bringing 15 major attractions online throughout North America. He then shifted directly to managing some of those attractions, first as Regional General Manager for the Southeast U.S. before transitioning to leading key Orlando properties SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and Madame Tussauds, along with opening and managing the Orlando Eye until 2018.
“I can’t wait to get started and learn more about Dutch Wonderland and the Cartoon Network Hotel, great locations that bring smiles to so many in the local community and beyond,” James says. “There is so much potential within the unique attractions, and I look forward to working with the teams and having a great season in 2021.”
The first priority for James and the rest of the teams is continuing the key health and safety steps that best prevent the spread of COVID-19. While Cartoon Network Hotel and Old Mill Stream Campground are currently open and accepting bookings with numerous safety restrictions in place, , May 15, providing some vital time to prepare before guests arrive! Additionally, the teams at all three properties continue to seek new recruits to join James in providing safe, fun and family-friendly experiences. Those interested can learn more and apply online at DutchWonderland.com/jobs or CartoonNetworkHotel.com/jobs.
