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I'm looking forward to whatever comes of this project! As much as I enjoy FITH, I'd rather they replace it with something new and high quality than just keep it running in its dilapidated, worn out state just for the sake of nostalgia. As long as the new version or replacement has immersive theming and a fun storyline, then I feel it's a worthy replacement. I don't understand the "SDC is turning into six flags" cries because of the removal of old attractions. Sure it's sad to see them go, however SDC puts a lot of thought into whatever replaces them so it doesn't feel like the park has lost anything, rather they gain something. Take Mystic River Falls for example. Much like FITH, Lost River was in a terrible state. I imagine they'd have to spend almost as much as a new attraction to get it back into a good state. But they chose to replace it and improve the experience that it provided. Aside from reliability, Mystic River Falls improves upon Lost River in almost all categories. Better theming, more creative storyline, more exciting ride experience etc. I imagine the same will be for whatever replaces FITH. It'll stick to the principles the parks has had for attractions since the beginning. The park still cares about making an immersive experience for guests. It's far from becoming Six Flags over Branson like some are saying. I'm yet to see SDC just slap a generic flat ride on a pad of concrete and call it a day. Change is hard for some, but I have faith in SDC to create an attraction that provides memories for future visitors just like FITH has for all who have visited by now.

Lighting has always been one of my favorite parts of Fright Fest. But I do believe they've upped their game to at least some degree this season. Figured I'd get a shot of the concrete pad Moon Cars' loading platform turned into. Wonder what they're planning for this. Edit: Nice to see Mine Train get some love for Fright Fest.

Recently posted on YouTube. Watch for the right side drop in use for Jet Stream.

can't wait to hear. we were booked there in May 2020. . .needless to say, that trip never happened. but loved the location of the hotel.

Have fun Zach!

LOL, I love how so many people on FB are like, FITH is SACRED!!!!!!!!!!!! How DARE they change anything about the park. I'm never going again. This is the last straw!" , Yada, yada, yada...... My God. Why don't they at least wait and see for sure what they are doing before they lose their shit. We will be at ACE Coaster Christmas event in Nov. I'll see if we get any info from the powers that be.

I’d love to think they’ll do something unique and contemporary, like a dark forest green, teal, or even a burnt orange to go with the bright green, but you know it’s gonna be another standard color right off the ROYGBV color wheel Prove me wrong, Six Flags!

ooo. .just found some footage from 1959 as part of a documentary about the Pacific Coast really cool:

To be fair, how many times have people assumed Marineland will be closing down in the near future? Eventually somebody will post it at the right time for it to randomly end up being true.

Bring back Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. I have my reasons!

That's the main issue, outdoor transmission is proven to be close to zero. Since everyone in the park has been vaccinated or has a negative test, wearing masks is pretty much pointless.

@bert425^^^ "I spent an entire day at SFOG wearing a mask. it's NOT that big a deal, folks. either wear a mask if you go those days that require it? or don't go those days." Bert I hear what you're saying. It was your choice to wear the mask. It's not required. I did that (mask wearing) last year. This is just insane now! Nobody but LA county requires this when you're outdoors. Does covid know to stay away Monday -- Thursday??? Just kidding.

I don't see the big deal. Wear the mask or don't go.

I spent an entire day at SFOG wearing a mask. it's NOT that big a deal, folks. either wear a mask if you go those days that require it? or don't go those days.

Photo TR: Friday, October 1st Eager to get as much value out of my CF Platinum Pass with All-Park Fast Lane add-on, and also eager to get as much Halloweeny amusement park stuff as possible after last year's complete blank, I headed up to Dorney Park this past Friday. First things first, as mentioned, Fast Lane and Fright Lane are one in the same at this park. So if you have it on your pass, you automatically get the Fright Lane included! This park also does not do the typical CF lanyard card for Fright Lane; it's just the standard Fast Lane wristband, meaning you can do the mazes as many times as you want...if you wanted to....which you probably don't. So, park opening was 6:00, and I'll be damnned if they didn't wait until the clock struck exactly 5:45 for them to open the gates. No early entry here haha. Made my way inside, saw this nice decoration right after the gate. Nicer than most CF parks Haunt-intro things, but I guess this makes up for doing nothing to the entrance plaza. Hard to tell with the lighting, but the eyes glowed red. After grabbing my Fast/Fright Land wristband from a gift shop (and a quick visit to Guest Services for a refund on my pre-purchased Fright Lane), I did a quick lap on Wild Mouse (walk-on), then it was time for Dorney Park's #1 coaster - Talon. Here was the standby line, only 30 minutes after opening. Yowch. With FL, two train wait for the back row, left side. Awesome as always. I will say that the supports could use some paint though. I then took in the "Overlord's Incantation" show, which passes the mantle from the Overlord to some new witch character as the new "Queen" of Haunt. Predictable, about 10 minutes long, but the costumes were nice. I stuck around a little bit for the "IllumiNightmares" show, which I expected to be cool, but was only some drummers playing over an EDM backing track. They had talent, sure, but not really my scene. I did grab this cool sunset shot covering most of their taller rides before moving on. I then grabbed a quick lap on Hyrda (one-train wait for back row, left side), for the smoothest ride I've had on this since opening year. Very nice. Still, in my dream Dorney Park if I won the lottery and buy it, it would be torn down and replaced with a RMC I-Box named after one of Hercules' kids that follows roughly the old layout. I then took on my first Haunt maze of the night, Blood on the Bayou. It was decently long, lots of great gags and places for people to jump out of, and I guess CF got a group rate on the animatronic snake prop since it was used here as well. Next up was a half-cycle wait for Wave Swinger, which was looking nice in red lighting. Grabbed a ride on Kalediescope with a one-cycle wait that took about 5 minutes longer than it had to due to the lone ride op continually letting more people in once he had started the spiel and checking restraints. But damn if this ride isn't pretty. Next up was Tourist Trap. Decent enough I guess....not particularly entertaining or great artistry. You'll notice I haven't been mentioning waits for the Haunt mazes - because I didn't have any. Even the standby queues were quite minimal, making it even better that I didn't have to actually pay for the Fright Lane. They had some jugglers performing in the middle of the Steamworx scare zone. And a really cool haunted tree at the entrance to The Hollow scare zone. Next up was a ride on Possessed (three train wait for the front row). As with most other rides here, no sense of urgency from ride ops, who stopped in the middle of checking restraints to have a personal conversation more than once. Skeleton Crew show was back, with some fire twirlers and other acrobatics in addition to the standard "fall off the wall" act. Next up was a walk through Enigma. I thought this was a great concept (mirror maze, strobe lighting, and other optical illusions), but not really all that well executed. Not a lot of actors, but I guess it doesn't really need them. Still nothing on the Laser/Stinger site. Next walk through was Necropolis, an outdoor "maze" in the dirt field to the left of the old Dinosaurs Alive site. This was basically a grave yard, with all of the headstones with fake names and prior rides strewn about, and actors moving through it. VERY open layout, to the point that I at first thought you could wander anywhere, but sadly that was not the case. Next up was Trick or Treat. I remember this one being better. Artistry was just okay, and there were several rooms with no actors at all. Next up was a quick lap on Steel Force (two-train wait for front row), which is always awesome in the dark. Black train is back on site at least, sitting off to the side of the parking track under tarps. Walked down the path in the infield of Thunderhawk, and experienced The Lair, something they call a scare zone but should probably be called a maze since you could only walk through it in one direction. Very well done, great props and actually got spooked by one of the actors, which almost never happens. Next up was a two-train wait for front row of Thunderhawk. Amusingly, only the left side of the lights along the track were on, and they were just steady-burn. Don't these normally run in a chaser pattern? Either way, was a smooth enough ride. Trim brake on the final bunny hills didn't grab as hard as it normally does, which was a super-nice surprise. Cornstalkers was up next. If you've read my Cedar Point report, I'm completely over this concept, but Dorney does it right: You start in some redneck-themed house area, then do the corn maze, then end up in a slaughter house type building with a few rooms there. Ingenious! Each of these themes are overly played out by themselves, but in combination, it works. Obligatory picture of the Dorney Haunt monster truck. Then, on my way back to the front of the park, I grabbed a night-close out ride on Talon (back row right side, walk-on). All in all not a bad trip. Definitely glad I didn't have to spend any money for the Fright Lane, because it would have been a complete waste - none of the mazes had any sort of substantial standby queue all night. The Fast Lane, on the other hand, was incredibly useful - these were perhaps some of the biggest dry-park ride crowds I've ever seen at this park (Talon was posting a 60 minute wait time in the app for much of the night). And that about wraps up might night at Dorney. I headed home, needing to work the next morning, which should have taken me about an hour and half but actually took close to three because PA road construction is never ending. Stay tuned for my next report!

Layout without theming: