Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[Philrad71]

^ No offense, but I think we got your point about ten pages ago.

 

Anywho...I am really excited for this coaster. It has been neat to watch it being built from the time I was there during Christmas when there was very little track down to as it stands now. Can't wait till we go down in August!

[Magnum PA]

^ No offense, but I think we got your point about ten pages ago.

 

I'm glad you did. Obviously others did not...

[imagineerz]

But perhaps no one but Intamin can answer the greater question as to "WHY" a new ride is designed is such a fashion that trims are necessary before it even opens to the public. Yes, every ride is different, but the process to design them is very similar.

 

Firstly, some rides need trims because the park wants the ride to be designed a certain way, meaning that they might want an ejector hill into an overbank, but they want it in a certain space. At the same time, they might want the coaster to be 200+ feet. The only way to fill al of these requirements at times is to trim the ride so that the forces are not overbearing. Also, you have to remember that one of the largest problems that coasters have is air resistance, which is EVIL to calculate, as it depends on hundreds of factors. As was stated a couple of pages back, huge engineering companies are bragging about 10% error in their design. Because of this error, companies have to make assumptions, because the theoretical world doesn't exist.

 

In case you didn't want to read that, the short answer is that:

a) The park wants something in a set space

b) Theoretical vs Actual. Maths are a cruel beast, and cows are NOT spheres.

[Manic Monte]

But perhaps no one but Intamin can answer the greater question as to "WHY" a new ride is designed is such a fashion that trims are necessary before it even opens to the public. Yes, every ride is different, but the process to design them is very similar.

 

Firstly, some rides need trims because the park wants the ride to be designed a certain way, meaning that they might want an ejector hill into an overbank, but they want it in a certain space. At the same time, they might want the coaster to be 200+ feet. The only way to fill al of these requirements at times is to trim the ride so that the forces are not overbearing. Also, you have to remember that one of the largest problems that coasters have is air resistance, which is EVIL to calculate, as it depends on hundreds of factors. As was stated a couple of pages back, huge engineering companies are bragging about 10% error in their design. Because of this error, companies have to make assumptions, because the theoretical world doesn't exist.

 

In case you didn't want to read that, the short answer is that:

a) The park wants something in a set space

b) Theoretical vs Actual. Maths are a cruel beast, and cows are NOT spheres.

 

 

Thank you! Now Good Lord can we move on?

[chickenbowl]

I mean, we're talking about Intamin's two most recent mega-coasters here, and both have been trimmed prior to opening. Once I ride Skyrush, I will have ridden them all (in the U.S.). They are my favorite type of ride - both style and manufacturer. But do any of the predecessors need/use trim brakes on the course? No!

 

Actually, yes. Expedition GeForce, Both "Ride of Steel"s, and Bizarro all have trims.

 

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this Saturday so I can finally hear some reviews of this monster!

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Millennium Force has trim brackets? Where?

 

Anyways only one more week left.

Yes, there are trim brackets on the straight stretch right before the final turn. I believe there are a couple other ones elsewhere, but I'm not remembering where they are right now. Someone else should know.

 

And every Intamin coaster over 200 (except for MF) has trims somewhere on the course. Every B&M hyper also has trims (and were designed with the trims in mind). It's because designing a roller coaster doesn't happen in a vacuum, and they are prepared for unexpected results during testing.

[coasterfreak101]

And every Intamin coaster over 200 (except for MF) has trims somewhere on the course. Every B&M hyper also has trims (and were designed with the trims in mind). It's because designing a roller coaster doesn't happen in a vacuum, and they are prepared for unexpected results during testing.

 

This is my favorite part of this entire discussion, right here. Expedition GeForce, many people's favorite coaster in the entire world, is trimmed at two points along its course. Each version of Superman is trimmed once. Every single B&M hyper (and the majority of every one of their other types of coasters) is trimmed once, if not two or three times. You can argue that the B&M trims are able to be turned off due to discrepancies in speed, but that's the exact reason that these trims are being placed - because heavy trains are moving just a tad faster than is desirable.

 

You don't seem to think we're getting your point, but you don't seem to realize that you aren't getting ours. These trims are no different from the trims on dozens of rides today. Would you have preferred a mid-course thrown in to kill the ride's momentum? No. There are three little tiny boxes on this ride that were determined to be needed in the testing phase (the phase which occurs for these exact reasons) to shave off less than a mile per hour. Come on.

[UrbanLegend]

 

I don't really have anything to add to this discussion, because pretty much every logical complaint or viewpoint has already been made.

So, is SDL expected to open back up by Memorial Day weekend? I'll be going the week after that, and it'd be fun to have all three coasters open in The Hollow.

[A.J.]

So, is SDL expected to open back up by Memorial Day weekend? I'll be going the week after that, and it'd be fun to have all three coasters open in The Hollow.

Yeah, that's another thing! Is Sooperdooperlooper subjected to the same 100 hours of testing that Skyrush is subjected to?

[Magnum PA]

I mean, we're talking about Intamin's two most recent mega-coasters here, and both have been trimmed prior to opening. Once I ride Skyrush, I will have ridden them all (in the U.S.). They are my favorite type of ride - both style and manufacturer. But do any of the predecessors need/use trim brakes on the course? No!

 

Actually, yes. Expedition GeForce, Both "Ride of Steel"s, and Bizarro all have trims.

 

This thought has seemed to be a hit, so I should probably clarify.

 

Ride of Steel and Bizarro have a small trim at the tail end of the course. Neither has any affect on the ride, and if I remember correctly, were added years after the rides opened. Superman at SFA has no trim on the course from what I remember, and from what I see on POV's online.

 

GeForce has two small trims on throughout the course. Whether they were there from the beginning or were added later, I don't know.

 

Re: Looper

 

I'm looking forward to riding it, with its new trains, almost as much as I'm Skyrush. Should be soon.

 

Checking out now...

[Skycoastin Steve]

^SFA's has a trim before the final bunny hills.

[Tmcdllr]

ENOUGH...ABOUT...THE...TRIMS...ALREADY!!!

 

They need to be there and it won't ruin the ride so MOVE ON ALREADY!!!

 

 

Anyway, regarding SDL and the new trains, I'm curious to know how they are. It would be cool to have someone report on that, that rode the old trains last year and these this year... how are they different, are they better, more comfortable...etc.

[chickenbowl]

Neither has any affect on the ride, and if I remember correctly, were added years after the rides opened.

 

Nope, all the trims were added before the rides opened (including the trim on SFAs), just like Skyrush. And you're correct that they hardly have any effect. This IS what roller coaster companies do, Intamin is doing nothing different with Skyrush than what it's done in the past. Your questions are answered about why trims were added. Stop being so negative, let's drop this and move on.

[ernierocker]

let's drop this and move on.

 

Agreed.

[PAL]

Here's a post from my friend Kirk on the Project 2012 Facebook group:

 

•And this surprising one… and I specifically asked to make sure I heard correctly: If you are over 6’5” tall, you will NOT be permitted to ride. There will be a guide stick for the ops that has the minimum 54” and the maximum 77”. It has nothing to do with arm reach, but rather the average length of the lower leg from knee to (pointed) toes, which I guess due to the train/seat configuration, could catch on something. That’ll upset some folks, but not as much as if they had half their foot hacked off.

 

Crap. My 15-year old coaster enabling kid was bounced from Green Lantern last year, also a 77-inch maximum height ride. Is this reliable? It isn't on the official website yet.

 

If it bears out, I'll have to take Hershey off our east coast schedule. There's no way I'm going to subject Stretch to watching me ride (tempting... nah!). On the bright side, that means a visit to my overall #1, El Toro.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Just curious, how tall is he?

[PAL]

^Steve, he's close to 6-6 now. A year ago he was right at 77 inches barefoot, but Magic Mt insisted on measuring him in shoes.

 

Now he's also too tall the for SROS / Bizarro hypers and some Impulses (but he was fine at SGAM). Of course the kid hit the magic 42-inch limit years earlier than most (he loved coasters from the start, couldn't get enough). He'd trade those early rides - most coasters with maximum heights seem to be high thrill hotness.

 

Do you have much trouble getting on rides?

[Skycoastin Steve]

^I'm right at 6'5", so I'm not sure what to expect with Skyrush. It doesn't surprise me at all that SFMM insisted on measuring him with shoes on (if you ride with no shoes on, you should be measured with no shoes on). Last year at SFNE was a real pain in the ass trying to get on Bizarro. I rode it 6 times (mostly during ERT), and about every other ride they would pull me off the train and measure me. The final time they kicked me off was after I had ridden in the front seat during ERT (and it was pretty damn obvious they saw me ride that time). And there was also another TPR member who was taller than me who was never denied a ride or measured like I was. I just expect that kind of idiocy out of Six Flags, but not out of Hershey, so I'm hoping for the best next Saturday. I planned this entire vacation around this ride opening, so to say that I would be upset about being denied would be a gross understatement.

 

As for other rides with max height restrictions, the only time I've been denied flat out was the Zyklon (Rollie's Coaster) at Morey's Piers. I've ridden several rides that I was over the max height for (Superman at SFA, a variety of wild mouse coasters, the impulse at Dorney, some SLC's and all the SFC's). Really all I do is walk onto the ride like I've ridden it before and don't act like I'm trying to get away with anything. Usually works.

 

Anyway, sounds like your son has a good future in athletics, so roller coasters are the least of his worries.

[adavis]

^I'm right at 6'5", so I'm not sure what to expect with Skyrush. It doesn't surprise me at all that SFMM insisted on measuring him with shoes on (if you ride with no shoes on, you should be measured with no shoes on). Last year at SFNE was a real pain in the A$$ trying to get on Bizarro. I rode it 6 times (mostly during ERT), and about every other ride they would pull me off the train and measure me. The final time they kicked me off was after I had ridden in the front seat during ERT (and it was pretty damn obvious they saw me ride that time). And there was also another TPR member who was taller than me who was never denied a ride or measured like I was. I just expect that kind of idiocy out of Six Flags, but not out of Hershey, so I'm hoping for the best next Saturday. I planned this entire vacation around this ride opening, so to say that I would be upset about being denied would be a gross understatement.

 

As for other rides with max height restrictions, the only time I've been denied flat out was the Zyklon (Rollie's Coaster) at Morey's Piers. I've ridden several rides that I was over the max height for (Superman at SFA, a variety of wild mouse coasters, the impulse at Dorney, some SLC's and all the SFC's). Really all I do is walk onto the ride like I've ridden it before and don't act like I'm trying to get away with anything. Usually works.

 

Anyway, sounds like your son has a good future in athletics, so roller coasters are the least of his worries.

 

So I'm not the only person stressing this! Granted I'm worried in a different way, but same idea. I'm 5'8" and 210, and I had a nightmare last night that I was too fat to ride, pretty horrible. I've never been too big for anything before, but it's a new coaster, new restraints...I'm just really nervy.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Judging by what these lap bars look like, I think you should be ok. The newer "over the shoulder" lap bar type restraints that Intamin has come out with have been much more forgiving than their previous designs.

[adavis]

^Judging by what these lap bars look like, I think you should be ok. The newer "over the shoulder" lap bar type restraints that Intamin has come out with have been much more forgiving than their previous designs.

 

Thanks, and good to hear. It's one of those things where I think I'll be ok, but I can't quite shake the paranoia. Like I said, I've always fit before, but what if this is the time...

 

Oh well, we hit Cedar Point first and I think as long as I fit on everything there-no reason why I shouldn't-I'll feel a bit better.

[amy_mel]

^ you sound like you're built about like my husband. He's 5'8" and 205 and he doesn't have any issues with any types of restraints. I'd bet you'll be just fine.

[IanKgtr]

Hershey just updated their page with a photo of Skyrush looking gorgeous from the Kissing Tower. And the caption reads,

 

We’d like to thank you (and our other 399,999 fans) for joining us on Facebook! In celebration, we think that we should let you see EXACTLY what it’s going to look like to ride Skyrush this year. We were able to get Point of View footage from the ride and we’d like to share it with you tomorrow if you’re interested in seeing it. Who’s ready to ride?

 

POV!!!

 

Link to the photo:

[TXman308]

Woo Hoo!!!

 

Hopefully they will use one that doesn't provoke a lot of bit**ing, I'm tired of hearing all these complaints.

[coasterfreak101]

I hope they took video after the mini-brakes were added so we can see how the ride is still bat-poo insane.