Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[VegasBaby]

New clue.

 

We're adding some more water to the boardwalk?

 

Yep, it definitely looks like an addition to the water park. The park could really use another slide tower as there are currently only six slides and the lines get pretty long. I'd love to see them install a tower similar to what Cedar Fair has been putting in their parks with multiple drop capsule slides and a couple of tube slides.

This tower was installed at Knott's and Cedar Point this year

[prozach626]

I finally got on SkyRush this past weekend... I had relatively low expectations going into it, based on what friends who share similar views on most coasters had mentioned... Even with those low standards, it didn't even reach that point. I was excited to get on with no real wait and thought I would like it more than my friends... However...

 

I really did not like the ride at all.

 

The layout was fine, I suppose... Nothing spectacular. Also, the mad-ejector airtime doesn't do much for me, unlike most enthusiasts... Let alone the terrible vibration in two different seats tried (front and back) and the painful lapbar. The last airtime hill literally felt like my femur would be broken.

 

Even with the 5min wait, it wasn't worth more rides and have no desire to really ride it again. I am not trying to "stir the pot" with this review, just share my honest thoughts... I typically try to find the good in anything I ride, but this really is an exception. The view was nice, at least!

I really want to go to Hershey next year or so, but being a smoothness B&M hyper fan, I fear I won't enjoy Skyrush. Even Storm Chaser at KK was a little too intense for many rerides.

[boldikus]

^ You should absolutely still go to Hershey because even without Skyrush, the park is AWESOME and the rest of the coaster lineup is rock solid (save for Wildcat, which isn't a bad as whiney enthusiasts make it out to be). Not to mention, Skyrush is the polarizing type of experience that you really should try and decide for yourself. There is a 50/50 chance you will love it or hate it, but you should form your own opinion. Don't base your opinion off that one review because while he's not alone in hating the thing, you can see a lot of us defending it. I get why people hate it, but I love it for its intensity and unique experience of near-death-by-airtime.

 

But yeah if B&M hyper floater air is what you are looking for, that's not what Skyrush is gonna give you. Imagine riding a giant robotic steel bull that is actively trying to launch you off its back with enough power to send you 250 feet up (if of course, you didn't have that pesky lapbar holding you down). The POVs (and even offride footage) do not do it justice, they often make the ride look slow and meandering but when you're actually on its anything but.

 

Try to find a backseat POV on Youtube (they exist but I'm never certain whose videos its not ok to link to here). Those videos do a better job of showing off what the riders bodies are doing during the ride (hair flying up, upper bodies thrown around, etc).

 

Even if you ride Skyrush once and hate it, the rest of Hersheypark is awesome. Just go on a cloudy or autumn day because their fast pass is a joke.

[Canobie Coaster]

Skyrush is extremely intense, but it's still a smooth ride. If you don't want to jump right into the deep end, definitely try Skyrush towards the front in a non-wing seat. The back wing seats are easily the most intense seats on Skyrush and I can't think of a more intense coaster experience. It's still the only ride I can't keep my hands up for.

[CNYCoasterguy11]

If they are adding on to the waterpark which seems like a definite based on the hints they are dropping, then they should really consider a large family raft ride as well as some body slides. They theoretically could add all sorts of slides that they don't currently have. They are for the most part covered when it comes to tube slides.

 

But they could add a racing slide or a speed slide/body slides, but the raft slide would be a good fit since it is a family first type park and there are not many slides that smaller kids can ride outside of some in the big play structure. Unfortunately it also means they will probably remove Tidal Force unless they are expanding behind the wave pool area.

[boldikus]

Apparently Roller Soakers station is still standing and there are markers all around it. I wonder if the plan is to use that and remove Tidal Wave to open up that stretch of land since its directly adjacent to the RS station. I could see them getting a water coaster.

[blk_mamba]

Looking at google maps I can't picture where they could add a meaningful expansion with out getting rid of a roller coaster. The park just built Laff Trak, an indoor spinning wild mouse coaster, directly across from the more traditional Wild mouse. The Wild Mouse is also right next to a slide complex so it may be the most ideal spot for an expansion. Less likely, but an option, is to get rid of Sidewinder, the boomerang coaster. However, they just got new trains for that ride.

 

Edit: They could get rid of Tidal force too, lol.

[boldikus]

There are videos on youtube that show the markings around Roller Soakers station. I'd be surprised if Tidal Force wasn't going, it opens up a ton of room.

[Canobie Coaster]

I didn't realize they already threw something in Roller Soaker's old spot. Unless they had a water coaster run over that area, I agree Tidal Force is likely gone. Tidal Force is fun, but I hardly ride it because of how soaked it gets me.

 

As for the Wild Mouse, could they possibly relocate that to another area of the park to free up space for another slide in the future? I still think Hershey kind of shot themselves in the foot with the placement of the water park.

[CNYCoasterguy11]

As for the Wild Mouse, could they possibly relocate that to another area of the park to free up space for another slide in the future? I still think Hershey kind of shot themselves in the foot with the placement of the water park.

 

Not sure where they could re-locate it, as much as I hate to see coasters leave, it may be time to retire the Wild Mouse. And I agree about the bad placement of the water park. Hershey should have really just built a stand alone water park as a second gate type park. It is so popular now that it could easily have supported one. It also would have given them more room for expansion in both parks.

[boldikus]

Not saying they would move the Wild Mouse, but let's not forget that now that Park Blvd has been rerouted, the park has a good amount of expansion space.

[Canobie Coaster]

I agree the ride park has plenty of expansion, but the water park seems bounded by Midway America.

[blk_mamba]

It probably is going to go. It is such a fun ride though, but it would be a lateral move essentially. Also it will add to more water park cohesion.

[YoshiFan]

I hope Wild Mouse stays since it is one of the few coasters open for Christmas Candylane, unless they added another coaster open for the event in its place.

[ArgoZ]

I finally got on SkyRush this past weekend... I had relatively low expectations going into it, based on what friends who share similar views on most coasters had mentioned... Even with those low standards, it didn't even reach that point. I was excited to get on with no real wait and thought I would like it more than my friends... However...

 

I really did not like the ride at all.

 

The layout was fine, I suppose... Nothing spectacular. Also, the mad-ejector airtime doesn't do much for me, unlike most enthusiasts... Let alone the terrible vibration in two different seats tried (front and back) and the painful lapbar. The last airtime hill literally felt like my femur would be broken.

 

Even with the 5min wait, it wasn't worth more rides and have no desire to really ride it again. I am not trying to "stir the pot" with this review, just share my honest thoughts... I typically try to find the good in anything I ride, but this really is an exception. The view was nice, at least!

I really want to go to Hershey next year or so, but being a smoothness B&M hyper fan, I fear I won't enjoy Skyrush. Even Storm Chaser at KK was a little too intense for many rerides.

 

Hmmm. You know the feeling,, the huge smile you get,, when your boost meter reads 1, you hit the gas and your STi throws you back into the seat? That's SkyRush, as it pulls you over the hills. I love a nice floater experience too (Diamondback is my favorite for this), but it's a more "weeeeee" experience than the "whoaaaaaa" that SkyRush gives you. Whatever your opinion ends up being, you gotta experience it and let us know!

[Arthur_Seaton]

I really want to go to Hershey next year or so, but being a smoothness B&M hyper fan, I fear I won't enjoy Skyrush. Even Storm Chaser at KK was a little too intense for many rerides.

The park itself is really great, and I agree with what others have said: you have to try it for yourself. I've also ridden Storm Chaser and didn't really enjoy that ride either, and there are some parallels between them. Whereas I found Storm Chaser's second half to be mainly just a sequence of unpleasant jolts into the restraints, Skyrush is really just two intense extended ejection moments with a violent ejection hill toward the end. The rest of it is mainly speed and twists. I personally didn't find that the first drop had much impact as the curve is so pronounced, and most of the drop is taken curving in or out of it. It was also rattly and turbulent when I rode it (May-ish a couple of years ago), but I found that you can mitigate much of the shaking by sitting in the middle seats. For as rough as it is, I did find it to be fairly re-rideable without it producing nausea (although it bruised me up pretty bad). The park was dead when I visited, so I actually rode it about 15 times as the station was empty for most of the day. But, as noted, the park itself is absolutely worth a visit though, and Fahrenheit and Lightning Racer were the park's two standouts for me. Comet's also great if you're into classic coaster designs. I personally didn't like Storm Runner that much (spoiled by having Xcelerator here in SoCal), but it's another popular choice.

[bert425]

^ You should absolutely still go to Hershey because even without Skyrush, the park is AWESOME and the rest of the coaster lineup is rock solid (save for Wildcat, which isn't a bad as whiney enthusiasts make it out to be). Not to mention, Skyrush is the polarizing type of experience that you really should try and decide for yourself. There is a 50/50 chance you will love it or hate it, but you should form your own opinion. Don't base your opinion off that one review because while he's not alone in hating the thing, you can see a lot of us defending it. I get why people hate it, but I love it for its intensity and unique experience of near-death-by-airtime.

 

But yeah if B&M hyper floater air is what you are looking for, that's not what Skyrush is gonna give you. Imagine riding a giant robotic steel bull that is actively trying to launch you off its back with enough power to send you 250 feet up (if of course, you didn't have that pesky lapbar holding you down). The POVs (and even offride footage) do not do it justice, they often make the ride look slow and meandering but when you're actually on its anything but.

 

Try to find a backseat POV on Youtube (they exist but I'm never certain whose videos its not ok to link to here). Those videos do a better job of showing off what the riders bodies are doing during the ride (hair flying up, upper bodies thrown around, etc).

 

Even if you ride Skyrush once and hate it, the rest of Hersheypark is awesome. Just go on a cloudy or autumn day because their fast pass is a joke.

 

 

I got off the one ride I took on it, terrified.

 

it really felt like it was trying to kill me, and I do not ride rollercoasters to "hope I don't die".. . did not enjoy it for more than 1 moment (and that moment was going up the lift hill) HATED it.

 

that said, Loved, Loved, LOVED StormRunner, Lightning Racer, SuperDooperLooper, Great Bear, and liked Comet, Trailblazer, and the mouse (didn't ride Fahrenheit, Laff Track wasn't open yet, and i hated Wildcat too).

 

the line up of flats is great at Hershey too, as is the attached zoo. absolutely worth a trip

[CoasterFEV]

it really felt like it was trying to kill me, and I do not ride rollercoasters to "hope I don't die".. . did not enjoy it for more than 1 moment (and that moment was going up the lift hill) HATED it.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Reminds me of most of the coasters we rode with TPR in China!

[Jcoaster]

A water coaster (perhaps by Mack) would be an awesome addition for Hershey. It would check of many boxes for a water ride, family ride and thrill ride.

 

As for the Wild Mouse being retired, I truly hope not. Everyone that has ridden Hershey's Wild Mouse knows that it is by far one of the best Wild Mouse coasters out there.

[Philrad71]

^ As would a splash battle...and it would take up much less space than a water coaster.

[JordyC]

Clue 2 of 6.

There's A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

[djackson]

Clue 2 of 6.

 

Removal of their Tornado Slide?

[michaellynn4]

^ I don't think so, that's pretty tightly wrapped onto that one tower. "There is light at the end of the tunnel" most likely refers to the sudden burst of sunlight once you emerge from an enclosed water slide tube. My bet is on a new slide complex over by Roller Soaker's old station.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Clearly the Smiths will play a concert next year.

 

[Philrad71]

^ I don't think so, that's pretty tightly wrapped onto that one tower. "There is light at the end of the tunnel" most likely refers to the sudden burst of sunlight once you emerge from an enclosed water slide tube. My bet is on a new slide complex over by Roller Soaker's old station.

 

Hopefully a water coaster or something like Mammoth!