Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[boldikus]

I'm saying its not impossible for a big corporate park to run a classic woodie trimmed to death. I don't understand the confusion. You know what... forget it. I'm not made to post here today.

[neil009]

^I believe you missed the word "without" in my original post.

[Arthur_Seaton]

Wildcat, to me, looks pretty but the ride was pretty terrible. The roughness is definitely a problem, but unless swooping drops are your thing, the layout's not that impressive either. I don't mind woodie roughness (I actually liked Colossus and Psyclone at SFMM and the Blackpool Wild Mouse is a personal favorite), but when a ride jackhammers its way around the track, much of the fun is stripped away by what it does to your body.

[rcjp]

I may have only ridden wildcat once but it was the roughest ride ever apart from coaster express at warner (the worst coaster I've ever ridden). It gave me a reasonable headache while riding which made me wish it was over asap. It's a shame as the layout is fairly interesting with plenty of twists and a good pacing. And no, I don't consider myself a pussy as I've ridden plenty of coasters considered pretty rough with no major problems (only this one and coaster express gave me such unpleasant rides)

[I Like Theme Parks.]

Last night we stopped at Hershey after visiting Lakemont Park and Delgrosso's. I think this is a great short day trip idea, except next time I'll stop at Hershey first, then Delgrosso's (really great atmosphere and Larson tower there), and Lakemont Park (Leap the Dips was closed, but it's worth going back for Skyliner alone). We went for the last three hours of the day to get season passes, then we went into the park. But wow, what a fantastic three hours! I was especially impressed by how clean everything including the bathrooms were. The weather was okay, it was raining on and off slightly. The park was pretty crowded, but not many people were riding anything at the time. Even on the rides with no lines, the operations were fantastic! They were moving very quickly, and running all of their trains. Here's the ride list:

 

Lightning Racer x 2 Lightning middle row, Thunder back row - I forgot how awesome this ride was! The dueling was fun, and the winners were very unpredictable. There's some good airtime, but the laterals and twists are the real point of it. Both rides were in the rain, and that made it even better!

Whip - Probably my least favorite whip, but still a lot of fun. I love the loud noises!

Wildcat front row - The rain made the ride a little more intense. It's not NEARLY as bad as when I first rode it, but it still doesn't have the intensity to justify riding it because of the still extremely rough ride. It used to be one of the worst rides I've been on, but now I think it's just mediocre.

Laff Trakk - This was the only Hershey coaster I haven't been on, and it's my 100TH COASTER CREDIT!!! It was going to be Leap the Dips, but it's not ready for the season yet since Lakemont Park doesn't have any money. But this was definitely a suitable 100th, because I haven't been on many rides like it. The black light things are cool, and I was surprised at how impressive the actual layout was. It's tons of fun, and one of the better rides at Hershey. I don't really mind that you see the other cars and track, I kind of like that.

Fahrenheit middle row - This is one of the more intense rides I've had on it, and it felt a little more forceful than previous rides. The soft restraints, while not necessary, were really comfortable.

Frontier Flyers - One of the better Larson flyers out there, probably second to Kong. Still can't touch even the tamest Bisch-Rocco flyers, though.

Storm Runner front row - This is one of the best night rides I've ever had. The trees and interaction with other rides makes for a perfect ride at night. It's forceful and epic as always. The soft restraints were comfortable here, too, and they did make a slight difference, since the rapid turns at the end are a bit more enjoyable.

[thrillseeker4552]

^Great report! I will likely be heading to Hersheypark this summer, so it's nice to read your opinions on the rides.

 

Edit: Also, in what order should I hit the rides? Do some of the lines get insanely long quickly? How is the capacity on the 3 major Intamins?

[I Like Theme Parks.]

^Great report! I will likely be heading to Hersheypark this summer, so it's nice to read your opinions on the rides.

 

Edit: Also, in what order should I hit the rides? Do some of the lines get insanely long quickly? How is the capacity on the 3 major Intamins?

You should start with Laff Trakk and Fahrenheit, since those are the most popular low-capacity rides. Then I usually do the rest of the western area. After that, you should get to the area where Great Bear is and do the stuff there. I would have an early lunch, then head to the front of the park. Then when the water park starts to get packed, that's the best time to go to the very back of the park. The first part of the day will have non-existent lines, and the rest of the lines are manageable. And I would recommend staying until the park closes, since the lines tend to be pretty short in the last 2-3 hours, and that's how I had such an awesome night. I hope you have fun, it's one of my favorite parks!

[ul9601]

early season pass vs 2 day pass, it's $110 vs $80+$15 parking, so there is not much in it.

I'm going be there for a day and a half, so it's gonna be minimum two days.

i see one of the benefits of season pass is discounted merch & food, but it doesn't say how much - is it worth it for a day and a half visitor?

cheers,

sam

[snapfordakids]

Visited the park last Thursday for the first time by myself. Rented a car, ending up getting a ticket in NYC on the way out to the park. bummer lol. But I was determined not to let that ruin my day. Arrived at the park around 11:30am, notice the parking lot was empty, figured I was a pick a great day to go. The weather was a cloudy overcast but the no rain in sight!

 

Farenheight: (20 min wait) Decided to hit this first based off the recommendations on this site about how the capacity is shit. Luckily I was assigned to back seat. First drop was great, ejector air! The little fake twist into the Norwegian Loop was so fun! The rest of the ride was a blur with lil pops of air but the ride is so short, it ended so quickly!

 

SkyRush: Decided to hit this next because you know Intamin, you never know when it'll go down for the rest of the day lol. One word: Insanity. I literally thought I was going to die on this coaster. I ended up getting backseat on my first run but it was not a Wing seat like I wanted. So much ejector air that it was kindof uncomfortable to me. I ended up getting 3 rides total, enjoyed my second ride in the Wing seat much better. By the later half of the day, the ride was a complete walk on. I did my 3rd ride, and realized that this coaster is the devil and I can't ride it again. I'm all for intense rides but SKyRush takes the damn cake. It's definitely not a coaster that I could re-ride all day. Maybe back in my 20's. I dislike how the forces whip your body around, especially your back. And those restraints are very tight but after finally riding this coaster..It's clear why they are that tight.

 

SuperDooperLooper 1(X)- Thank god for Anton. What a great coaster, but it would be even better without that trim break. Anton loops are still unbeatable. Regretting as I type this that I didn't take more spins on it.

 

Great Bear 4(x) I loved this coaster! The setting, the funky supports, the pre-drop helix. The first (second) drop. Love the twist right before the corkscrew. The ending was a little lackluster but clearly they didn't have room to do much more.

Although I think a nice in-twist would of been perfect finale.

I generally love B&M coasters cause they are so comfortable, not sure why enthusiast feel the needs to drag the company all the time when they have played such a vital role in the industry but that's another topic. Any who, this was my favorite coaster In the park. Very Underrated

 

Storm Runner 4(x) - My Fav Intamin in the park, ending up riding with this girl and was asking her if she had been on the ride before cause she was clearly nervous. Here we are siting on the launch track, and we take off. For some reason I was thinking this was a LIM launch and was totally caught off guard. haha. The snake dive is so amazing, why hasn't that element being use more frequently? I'm not sure but wow! Great coaster, tad short but understandable.

 

Comet (1x) - Yes for old-school woodies. Lot of airtime in the back seat, reminded of Judge Roy Scream at my old home park SFot.

 

Lightning Racer (Both Sides 1x) - Great coasters, loved the swooping turns and it was my first dueling woodie. So fun to watch the guest reactions while they fly by.

 

Wildcat (1x)- Never again.

 

Skipped:

Sidewinder (The Vekoma vest did look inviting but still skipped because I mean it's a boom-meh-rang)

Laff Track (the line was outside the funhouse and I just didn't think it would be worth it. I mean it's a spinning coaster in the dark How groundbreaking )

Trailblazzer (just didn't feel like it)

 

 

Negative: I had lunch at Decades on the boardwalk, I was in the mood for a good juicy burger. The attendant, I think her name was Brianna. I swear I think she was high af. She was moving incredibly slow and talking even slower. I ended up getting this BBQ burger with a bunch of condiments on it, BBQ sauce, onion rings etc and it was so disgusting. I ended up only eating the fries. I think the burger might have been a day or two old.

 

 

All in all, I had a great time at the park. The park was beautiful, clean, and the staff was friendly. The lines were very short and even shorter once the water park started to get busy. Lots of opportunity to marathon. I was able to get park tickets during the online sale so I spent about 45$ for entry, 15$ to park and I bought a 15$ locker for my bag. It was definitely cheaper than a day at a Six Flags park imo. I had a great time and I'm glad I got to knock the park off my bucket list. I took some photos. I'll try to post them tonight.

Edited June 9, 2016 by snapfordakids

[snapfordakids]

This is my first time taking coasters photos with my new Nikon Coolpix L840. Still getting the hang of the camera but some shots came out pretty decent.

[njcoasterguy34]

I honestly don't know why Wildcat gets so much hate. I have a very low tolerance for pain and I didn't find Wildcat to be painful at all. Sure it was rough, but woodies are supposed to shake you around.

[Philrad71]

^ I like pleasure spiked with pain?

[CPKI]

I honestly don't know why Wildcat gets so much hate. I have a very low tolerance for pain and I didn't find Wildcat to be painful at all. Sure it was rough, but woodies are supposed to shake you around.

Even though I've never been to Hersheypark, I agree that wooden coasters being shaky is alright. Other than Racer at KI, every woodie I've been on has been perfectly fine, and I've ridden Hurler and Mean Streak.

[bert425]

^ I like pleasure spiked with pain?

 

[Philrad71]

^ That MFer's always spiked with pain.

[njcoasterguy34]

I honestly don't know why Wildcat gets so much hate. I have a very low tolerance for pain and I didn't find Wildcat to be painful at all. Sure it was rough, but woodies are supposed to shake you around.

Even though I've never been to Hersheypark, I agree that wooden coasters being shaky is alright. Other than Racer at KI, every woodie I've been on has been perfectly fine, and I've ridden Hurler and Mean Streak.

 

I even enjoyed Racer at Kings Island. The only woodie I haven't really enjoyed is Thunderhawk at Dorney, even with the new trains.

[CPKI]

I honestly don't know why Wildcat gets so much hate. I have a very low tolerance for pain and I didn't find Wildcat to be painful at all. Sure it was rough, but woodies are supposed to shake you around.

Even though I've never been to Hersheypark, I agree that wooden coasters being shaky is alright. Other than Racer at KI, every woodie I've been on has been perfectly fine, and I've ridden Hurler and Mean Streak.

 

I even enjoyed Racer at Kings Island. The only woodie I haven't really enjoyed is Thunderhawk at Dorney, even with the new trains.

I didn't think Thunderhawk was too bad, and I was shocked at the airtime I got early in the ride. I understand why people like Racer, but I can just never enjoy it no matter how hard I try.

[rcjp]

I honestly don't know why Wildcat gets so much hate. I have a very low tolerance for pain and I didn't find Wildcat to be painful at all. Sure it was rough, but woodies are supposed to shake you around.

Even though I've never been to Hersheypark, I agree that wooden coasters being shaky is alright. Other than Racer at KI, every woodie I've been on has been perfectly fine, and I've ridden Hurler and Mean Streak.

 

I even enjoyed Racer at Kings Island. The only woodie I haven't really enjoyed is Thunderhawk at Dorney, even with the new trains.

Interesting. I thought thunderhawk was waayyy smoother than wildcat (and I rode both in two consecutive days)

[TBpony414]

Snapfordakids - You had a great day at the park and got on a ton of rides! I agree 100% with almost every comment. Storm Runner's launch, especially in the front row, is unbeatable and its flying snake dive is da bomb. Great Bear's pre-drop helix is fantastical and Skyrush will try to kill you in a not-so rerideable way. My favorite flat at HP is Flying Falcon and I wish more parks had condors because they're fun, look great, and who doesn't like a scrambler in the air? Great pics. Those little Nikon cameras do a great job.

[Nitro1118]

My girlfriend and I began our 2 day stay at Hershey tonight, replacing the original/more expensive CP trip plan. I've been to the park in 2004, 2007 and 2012 (a week after Skyrush opened). In 2012, I only went for 4 hours, with 3 of those hours waiting for the rides to reopen as a storm a couple miles away kept everything closed. Only got 1 ride on Skyrush that day, and came away disappointed. Found it painful and overrated on that trip. I've been itching to get back to give it a second chance as I knew the 3 hours of waiting killed my mood that day. Anyway, we got the park at 7:30 tonight, made a quick dash to Skyrush, and...

 

Holy crap! Now, it is still quite painful and cuts off blood circulation to the legs to the point where they are numb by the time the train hits the brakes, but it definitely cracked my top 5 steel. The ride was absolutely hauling ass the entire circuit on each of my 3 rides, and especially for my 2 night rides. Maybe my memory is just fuzzy, but I do NOT remember it ripping through the circuit like that during my 2012 ride or any POV's. It was also nice knowing now when to keep the hands up (airtime moments), and when to grab the restraints (lateral moments). I'd put it comfortably below El Toro, Wicked Cyclone, Voyage and Boulder Dash, but it has a case against any of the other 150 coasters I've been on.

 

In those 2.5 hours, I got on Skyrush 3x, Lightning Racer 1x, SDL 1x, Storm Runner 1x, Reese's Cup Challenge 1x, and the Skyway 1x. Pretty much everything was either a walkon or 5min wait. If I wanted to, I could have done twice as much, but it was nice taking things easy and re-acclimating myself with Hershey's confusing layout. Got 12 hours tomorrow to cover all bases.

[jynx242]

^ I'll just go ahead and let you know how jealous I am

 

I LOVED SkyRush and even though it is confusing and you walk up hill for 352 miles every visit - I absolutely love Hershey Park.

 

Have a great time!!!

[Satans Hockey]

For any of you season pass holders does it give you early entry for the Halloween and Xmas times? Cause I'm debating getting a pass but it looks like early entry stops on September 5th. Do they not do early entry at all during those times, even if you stay at one of the resorts?

Edited June 14, 2016 by Satans Hockey

[boldikus]

I LOVED SkyRush and even though it is confusing and you walk up hill for 352 miles every visit - I absolutely love Hershey Park.

 

 

Just quoting because I agree with all of this. I need to get back to Hershey this year, dammit.

[Looty]

Does anyone know where to get the best discount on tickets for the park? My group of 3 will be visiting in July.

[njcoasterguy34]

Dunkin' Donuts has a coupon code available to give you $12 off if you purchase online for a July visit. The coupon code is 20076.