michaellynn4

A few years ago, back before SFGAdv replaced the restraints on the Runaway Mine Train, I rode in the last row and my lap bar popped open mid-ride. I was a bit heavier then and could only get the lap bar to click one notch. While going down the drop after the mid-course break, it popped open, so I had to push it back down again. I didn't panic much (knowing the ride and its forces very well, I was confident that I wouldn't fall out), but it was still a weird experience that shook me up. It took dropping 20lbs and the replacement restraints to get me to ride again. Chalk this one up in the "totally-safe-but-feels-unsafe" file: my fiance and I just had our first visit to Hersheypark, and I gotta say, Skyrush and its restraints are like nothing I've ever experienced. I know it's 100% safe, but the forces that ride generates, when combined with the openness of the seat/restraint, had me feeling like I was going to go flying out the side of the train on several occasions. It got to a point that on all of my re-rides I gave up trying to keep my hands up and just clung on for dear life, lol.

Rolling Tnunder (at least the left side) has reopened to the public. I rode it last night and it rode AWESOME.

During my search for ticket discounts to Hersheypark for our previously-mentioned upcoming trip, I found a great deal sponsored by the Pennsylvania Dutch Council on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America. I did a search of this topic to see it it was mentioned and couldn't find it, so I figured I'd share my findings. If you purchase a ticket through their website, park admission costs just $38.10 (compared to the regular price of $57.95). Almost $20 cheaper! Additionally, already included in that price is a $5 contribution to the Boy Scouts of America. Win-win! Prices jump an additional $5 after 7/31 ($43.10), but it'd still be a great deal. Here's the website: http://padutchbsa.org/discounted-hersheypark-tickets/

Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions, but not when said opinions precede facts. That would be like me saying it's my opinion that the Sun orbits the Earth, human beings are immortal creatures, and TOGO has a long-established track record of building smooth, well-received roller coasters in America.

Between 7/18 and 7/28, I'll be visiting seven parks for the first time: Hersheypark, Kennywood, Kings Island, Holiday World, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags Great America, and Cedar Point. Time hasn't seemed to move so slowly since waiting for the last day of school! Almost 75 roller coasters to add to my count, I'm so excited!!

Hi guys! My fiance and I are going on a long coaster-filled vacation soon, and our first stop will be at Hersheypark. I'm working on Wednesday, 7/17 until around 4:30/5 and then driving straight to the park with her. We were planning on staying somewhere around the park, buying tickets for Thursday, then using them to get into the park Wednesday night to help make sure we can have enough time to do everything without needing to stay until closing Thursday (want to drive to Pittsburgh, Kennywood is the next stop, and want enough time to sleep before doing that park Friday). Are there any recommendations that wouldn't be too expensive? Money isn't tight, but we'd like to stretch it enough so we can spend it where it matters, like park tickets and "cut-the-line Flash-Pass" style purchases. I have very little experience in this regard, and my head is spinning with trying to find something reasonable through Hershey Resorts (everything I find is $250 and up).

I thought I’d piggyback off of the above trip report and discuss my visit towards the end of day yesterday. I got home from work around 7:30PM, figured there wouldn’t be many people at the park, so I changed quickly and drove over. I ended up getting there around 7:45PM and found that none of the entrance turnstiles were open! I was confused for a second but then realized that the re-entry station by the exit was doubling as a regular entrance. I’ve never seen that before, but it made sense given the amount of people at the park. It seemed there were just enough people in the park to encourage management to keep the park open until 10:00PM. A good portion of the shops on side paths were closed, and all coasters were only running one train (except for Kingda Ka, it ran two). Despite only one-train operations, I still managed to pack a LOT of riding into two hours! I followed this path, mostly jogging between rides: • Green Lantern • Superman: UF • Kingda Ka x2 • El Toro x2 • Bizarro • Sky Ride • Nitro • Batman x2 • SkyScreamer • Green Lantern (I needed to get my stuff out of the locker by Green Lantern, so I managed to be the last person on the ride before shutting it down) For only two hours, I’d say that was a success! On a personal note, last night was extra special as it was the first time in close to a year I was able to close each coaster’s restraints on my own with no ride-op assistance!! (I’m down about 12lbs in four weeks) Bizarro was the last one I couldn’t do on my own, and once I heard the seat belt click, I let out a loud “YES!” that startled the other people around me. Once I explained what happened, they smiled and laughed with me. Overall a good way to spend two hours! If the rain or wind is strong enough and creates a hazardous environment, I'm sure they'd close many, if not all of the outdoor coasters / rides. Lightning pretty much is a guarantee to only have indoor rides / attractions open. However, I did have an experience last week where I similarly went to the park after work. A storm was approaching the park, to the point where you could clearly see lightining out in the distance. I'm assuming that the storm was far enough away from the park that it didn't pose a threat, coupled with the fact that the park was about to close (9PM). It was a very unique experience, however, climbing up Bizarro's lift hill and seeing lightning flash in the distance. It definitely made me nervous, to the point where I legitimately thought for a split second that the flash from the on-ride photo was a lightning strike. I felt foolish, lol.

If there's a silver lining to your experience, you helped save me from heading over to the park thinking there might be a smaller crowd today.

I was at the park on Friday after work and saw the Log Flume up and running! It brought a to my face.

I've been noticing that decline in the Nitro crew this season. I've been to the park several times so far this year and have seen much slower operations as a whole, including frequent three-train stacking. Has anyone else noticed this? It's very disheartening when you consider this coaster's ride capacity potential and it's reputation from prior seasons.

I have well over 500 eggs and am in desparate need of more snakes. I'm still 200 shy of Duff Stadium. Any trade offers out there?

I was in the single-rider line for Green Lantern at SFGAdv on Saturday where a woman was arguing vehemently for about a minute with a ride op about how it wasn't fair that she couldn't ride together with boyfriend and didn't understand why they had to be split up in separate rows. This was after they got busted by another ride op for jumping over to the main queue and walking over to the line for the front row. Is a single-rider line really that alien of a concept for people?

I have about 250 eggs that I've been accumulating. Anyone want to trade for some?

Fortunately I haven't lost any snakes when visiting other towns yet. However, I'm in serious need of new friends (I'm down to under 15). Please feel free to add me: michaellynn4. I swear that I shall only steal snakes from Other Springfield and lay eggs generously in other people's towns, and if I don't, may I go straight to hell, where I will eat not but burning hot coal and drink naught but burning hot cola, where fiery demons will punch me in the back, where my soul will be chopped into confetti and strewn upon a parade of murders and single mothers, where my tongue will be torn out by ravenous birds. ...please? I'll leave eggs in the shape of smiley faces.

I'd venture to say it's permanent; the speakers have been removed from the trains, the audio systems have been removed from the back rows, and the old seats have been put back in place. I personally didn't mind the audio, but I'm not losing any sleep now that it's gone. If they start removing some of the other theming, such as the fire blasters or the lights around the first drop, I'd be disappointed. At that point, just start from scratch, paint it green again and slap the "Medusa" name back on it. I still have trouble referring to it as Bizarro, anyway; it's still Medusa in my mind.

I'm currently in line for Kingda Ka. It just had two consecutive rollbacks. Those lucky riders!

Has anyone else tried out these new Golden Scratch-Rs yet? $.99 for a chance to win up to 100 donuts. I got curious and wanted to see what winning options were available and ended up getting 20 donuts out of the deal! Mmmmm.. premium currency! ::drool:: Here are the various winning options. Huzzah! 20 donuts for $.99 ain't too shabby!

I've been playing for a couple months now, but desperately need some neighbors! My ID is michaellynn4, feel free to add me!

Viper at Six Flags Great Adventure, in 1995. Was ten at the time. Retrospectively, what a horrible way to start off a coaster addict. It could've ruined coasters for me before I even got started!

HI all! I'm Michael, 27, from Southern New Jersey. I'm a financial investigator for TD Bank (anti-money laundering, anti--terrorist financing, fraud, etc). I'm also a musician in a rock band, James Arlowe & the Ruffian Circus. We have a full-length album out, Insignificant Fire, that can be found on iTunes, Amazon, and most other online music sites. I'm BIG into coasters and amusement parks. I look forward to making plenty of friends here on Theme Park Review!