Dr. M

Last night at Hershey I noticed that the huge wheel for Skyrush's lift cable on the far side of the creek makes a pretty creepy, awesome sound when you're near it on that new path (I assume it's the motor that's driving it). I also was pretty amazed how they had to string the cable back over the creek and then underground to get it back to the station, it's crazy what they had to do to squash that ride in there.

I just got back from Hershey where I rode the Comet, back row, immediately after a driving rain storm. I was shocked at the difference, the ride I got was almost Phoenix levels of awesomeness, airtime over every single hill. We were really flying! I didn't think it was possible.

I didn't think the experience on a pre-fab would be different enough from a steel to make it worth the effort. I think a launched but otherwise traditional wood coaster would be a really unique, probably terrifying experience.

Given the colors they chose for the track, take away the tombstones and they could've brought back the old name of Dutch Wonderland's wooden coaster and it would've fit just as well.

Her decision to get the tattoo, her decision not to cover up. There really is no discussion to be had here, the park was perfectly reasonable. I personally wouldn't be offended by seeing it, but the park isn't wrong to have the policy and enforce it.

Ok, I've never ridden it so I can't give an opinion, but about 1,000 people have mentioned the ending to Adventure Express, and after watching the POV I don't honestly see why it's *that* bad. Sure it's a lift hill, but it's got theming and animatronics that give the "adventure" the name promises. It seems like a nice surprise for kids (who the ride is aimed at), and sure is a heck of a lot better than just a plain lift hill like they could have left it. Is there anyone who's been on it who doesn't think it sucks so bad?

Technically though, haven't coasters like the Beast and the Ultimate shown that that's always been true? Although a second launch definitely breaks up the pacing much less than a second lift hill does. Of course, launches themselves are also more prone to break downs, so I'm not sure we'll ever see coasters with six or seven launches.

Here's a crazy idea for you. Maybe somebody's already suggested this, but oh well I'll put it out there again. How about a launched wooden coaster? And no Intamin pre-fab either, I mean a traditional wood coaster, followed by a shallow hill a la Maverick's second launch. By the time you reach full speed the whole thing feels like it's going to shake itself apart. That would be awesome.

^Yeah, I hate it when coaster elements are too forceful.

I don't mean to complain, the ride looks really cool for the most part, but... am I the only one disappointed in the new trains? I HATED Gatekeeper's restraints, they were terribly uncomfortable for me, and even if B&M solves the tightening problem, it's also the angle of the seats that bothers me. They're tilted upwards, like deep bucket seats, and that made me feel "swallowed up" by the trains and further removed from the experience. These trains appear to have the seats tilted the same way. No head banging is a plus, but has anyone ever complained about head banging on a B&M invert? I mean seriously, LOOK at how tilted those seats are... you're practically going to be staring up at the track the whole time.

^^Just so we're clear, B&M makes "wing coasters", Intamin makes "wing riders", yes? I know it's splitting hairs but there is a difference. And, it's not that Gatekeeper is a bad coaster exactly, but everybody is hoping for "old B&M", and a wing coaster guarantees "new B&M". Gatekeeper isn't quite good enough for anyone to get excited about another one being built right in the same state.

Gee, all this hatred for wing coasters. I have no idea why people would have such disdain for a type of coaster with big heavy trains that pretty much guarantee a sluggish ride with gentle, drawn-out transitions -OH WAIT.

^I get what you're saying, I do, but just because every park in a certain part of the country has a hyper coaster doesn't mean they aren't notable for their height, which is still taller than most other coasters. You can't just say something and then claim you didn't say it. Skyrush's lift hill is not small, and it does get very high off the ground. Relative to the four complete circuit coasters that break 300 feet? Maybe not. Relative to the rest of coasterdom? 200 feet is still very tall, and one of the defining features of the ride.

^Basically he's saying, the less time you spend in the park, the better.

^You certainly have, that line definitely fills up when it's busy, and it's one of the slowest moving lines (not as bad as Farenheit).

My home park is Dorney Park, about forty minutes away. I also consider Hershey my "other" home park and Knoebels my "other other" home park. I've logged more rides on Steel Force than any other coaster by far. But I haven't gone there yet this year and probably won't until they put something in I actually want to ride (can't help but get a little tired of riding the same four coasters year after year after year).

I think Comet typically has the most skewed ride-quality-versus-time-waiting-in-line ratio of any coaster I've ever seen. It's common during peak season to never have less than a half hour wait, and often more, when there are two woodies on the other side of the park that blow it out of the water and that rarely see lines over ten minutes. Baffling.

^You'd think 3D printing technology could solve that problem sometime in the future. Every park could have its own printer for quickly whipping up any custom part they need, and have the ride up and running within a few days. I know, random, just a thought.

^Dude, read your own post...

Here is a video of the entire ride cycle of that ride, in case anyone is curious: (Different park, same ride.)

^Ha. I'm now picturing them having to hang the track on wires suspended from helicopters. The footers were all part of the misdirection!

I honestly think Skyrush's small lift hill is its best part because it packs such a hard punch without getting very high off the ground. True It's the tallest coaster at Hershey but on a global scale its height is nothing significant. Sorry but this is ridiculous. Two coasters break 400 feet and suddenly 200 feet is "nothing significant". Do you realize just how relatively few hyper coasters there are in existence? There's less than fifty. Just shows how spoiled Americans are when it comes to coasters. 200 feet, a "small lift hill"... pffft...

Haha i live just about 1 hour away and i have yet to visit! I need to soon What are you waiting for? Go! Tomorrow! Do it! It's a tremendous gift to live so close to this awesome park, don't squander it. It doesn't even cost anything to get in!

What's the point? Wing Coaster trains are already suspended anyway. Don't fix it if it ain't broke. This. The whole point of a wing coaster is you have no track above or below you. What difference does it make where the track is in relation to the train itself? The rider experience would be the same.

Ha! I do wonder if at any point in the process anyone at Kia questioned the wisdom in having people staring at their logo while having their heads bashed around on an awful ride.