Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

I doubt they'll relocate it.

[TyRush]

If I had to guess where it would go, I would say where the character quiz show amphitheater is. That has long been rumored to be removed, and it would be a cool location and sorta bring it back to life along the creek on the opposite side of Great Bear

[TyRush]

Double post, but Hershey just released their first clue for next years new attraction on Instagram, it's just a bunch of candy and then at the end 3 kisses seem to "stack up"

[boldikus]

This might be a stretch, but all of the candy unwraps itself and seems to head into the light blue area.

 

Undressing and heading into water?

 

Water park expansion?

 

edit: Also, on their FB page they're doing a contest to be the first rider so maybe not a waterpark thing, who knows. lol

[deguy123]

This might be a stretch, but all of the candy unwraps itself and seems to head into the light blue area.

 

Undressing and heading into water?

 

Water park expansion?

 

edit: Also, on their FB page they're doing a contest to be the first rider so maybe not a waterpark thing, who knows. lol

 

It also looks like the Ferris Wheel is shaded in the background of the dark blue? Then the light blue is moving into the dark blue area? Maybe expanding the waterpark and moving the Ferris Wheel?

 

*Also a few days ago they posted a sunglasses pic at the waterpark and the Ferris Wheel is in one the lenses*

[shadox17]

*Also a few days ago they posted a sunglasses pic at the waterpark and the Ferris Wheel is in one the lenses*

 

Sunglasses... Ferris Wheels... they're adding VR to the ferris wheel!

[amy_mel]

Here is the clue

[amy_mel]

Sorry for the double post!

[blk_mamba]

First, I am happy that they are adding something big in 2017 period. I was starting to worry when I visited the park a few weeks ago and could not spot any projects in the works or any potential space. I think a drop tower is the best fit for the space, and bang for its buck.

 

I have never been on the Flying Eagles and I believe it would be a major upgrade to get a Falcon Fury like drop ride. It may be an added bonus theming wise since it is close to ZooAmerica. However where would the queue go? That is tight squeeze!

[SteelForceless]

FHowever where would the queue go? That is tight squeeze!

They managed to get Skyrush into that tight spot. They can do it.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

The clue seems to hint towards an enclosed ride.

Since "chocolate" covers every side.

An enclosed drop tower would make a lot of sense.

But the cost to build it would make you crap your pants.

[thrillseeker4552]

An enclosed drop tower doesn't appeal to me much. One of my favorite things about a drop tower, besides the drop of course, is the views it gives. But I guess it could work if executed/themed well.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

"We're Unwrapping Our Newest Ride - Chocolate Covers Every Side" I might as well be the first to answer this simple riddle:

 

A Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! Chocolate covers every side! Next clue please! LOL!

[I305forever]

^^ You need to go to Phantasialand

^Chocolate covers every side of chocolate

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

^^ You need to go to Phantasialand

^Chocolate covers every side of chocolate

 

LOL. True.

[Voyager6442]

2016 Trip Report

 

Day 1, Saturday, June 18, 2016

Drove from Little Rock, Arkansas to Wytheville, VA.

I haven’t listed every ride I rode, just the ones I wanted to comment about.

This is my first trip report. If anyone has any suggestions, I would be glad to hear them.

It seems that most trip reports posted in the main forum have pictures. Since I don’t know much about photography and have not included any in this trip report, I decided to post the report here.

 

Day 2, Sunday, June 19, 2016 Kings Dominion

I love Cedar Fair parks. This one was clean and well-maintained. There was, however, a trash can in Planet Snoopy that was full to overflowing. Imagine a Cedar Fair park that could do with another trash can!

 

Grizzly (4x) Walk on. I liked this better than I did the 2 previous times I was at KD, probably because I rode it as soon as I got there instead of near the end of the day when I was tired. Thanks go to the TPR website that told me to go through the gift shop to get to the coaster. I would say this is a fairly good coaster. If the whole ride had the intensity of the tunnel section, it would be a great one. The ride slowed down at the top of the hill leading to the first turnaround, and it sounded like there were anti-rollbacks there. Could someone confirm this? I can understand having the anti-rollbacks there, but I don’t see why they have to slow the train down so much.

 

Rebel Yell (4x). Walk on. This was my favorite ride at the park. It’s a good classic wooden coaster. They were running 2 trains on each side. Hill after hill is just so much fun.

 

Woodstock Express (3x). Walk on. I had never ridden this before because I thought it was a kids’ coaster. I rode it because in an old post, someone described it as an airtime machine. It is not a kids’ coaster; in fact, it was my 2nd favorite ride in the park. The forces are a lot of fun, and I love the way it maintains its speed through the turnarounds.

 

Back Lot Stunt Coaster (1x). A one train wait. This is a fun coaster with surprisingly strong forces, especially in the helix that serves as the lift hill. The dark section was my favorite part.

 

Anaconda (1x). A 2 train wait. I almost didn’t ride this because I thought the compact layout might be too intense to be enjoyable. It turned out to be fine, and I was glad I rode it.

 

I305 (1x). A 1 train wait after a breakdown. The first drop and the turn following it have improved a lot since the last time I rode. The quick transitions from track banked to the right to track banked to the left were a little too extreme for me.

 

Dominator (1x). A 2 train wait around 5:30. This is a good ride that I enjoyed tremendously the last time I was here. By the time I rode it, I was “g forced out” for the day, so I didn’t enjoy it as much this time.

 

Flight of Fear (1x). About a 20 minute wait. Good ride with a fun layout, with some forces that were enjoyable and some that were a little too much. There was enough light to be able to see the track.

 

Avalanche. (1x) A 1 train wait. It picks up a whole lot of speed as the ride progresses. The G forces were a lot stronger than I remembered, especially in the helixes. They were too strong for me to enjoy this ride.

 

Volcano. I’ve ridden this before and didn’t want to stand in a long line to ride it again.

I spent a fair amount of time on Bench the Ride and Water Fountain the Ride. I got a burger and fries at the restaurant between Hurler and Windseeker, and they were actually pretty good. I wore one of my TPR shirts hoping to find someone to ride with, but it didn’t happen.

 

Day 3, Monday, June 20, 2016 Six Flags America

Since wooden coasters are my favorites, I made SFA the 2nd stop of the road trip. I wanted to make sure to ride Roar before anything is done to change it. Reading almost the whole thread on TPR was very interesting. The first 2/3 or so was pretty discouraging, but the tone changed about the time the park got Apocalypse. I was delighted to read all the praise of Wild One as it helped cement my decision to visit this park.

 

Wild One (2x) About a 10 minute wait for both rides. What a great classic wooden coaster that has been well taken care of. It’s hard to believe it’s 99 years old.

 

Roar (3x) Walk on. The compact twisted tangle of track is a joy both to behold and to ride. It has just the right amount of intensity for me, and there was no bad roughness. I have a hard time understanding why some people think it needs the RMC treatment.

 

Joker’s Jinx (1x) Walk on. This was the surprise ride at this park for me. I had ridden Flight of Fear at KD the day before, and some of the forces were a little too much for me. I expected more of the same from Joker’s Jinx, but was I wrong! This ride was smooth, fast, and a ton of fun.

 

Day 4, Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Hersheypark

 

Lightning Racer (22x) Walk on. I was reminded why Lightning Racer rests firmly in my top 5 wooden coasters. Even after 16 years of operation, there aren’t any rough spots. The fun factor is off the chart. The glorious tangle of track as seen from the lift hill is a sight to behold. I like Thunder a little more than Lightning because you can see the other train while you’re going up the lift hill. I like coasters that make a lot of noise going up the lift hill, and Lightning Racer excels in that department. Would anyone be able to tell me why it is so loud? The ride ops on Lightning were letting me ride twice without getting off, but the ones on the Thunder side weren’t. I have a hard time understanding why this coaster is always a walk on, but I’m glad it is.

 

Wildcat (2x) Walk on. I want to love Wildcat, but I just can’t. Both my rides were in non-wheel seats. The first ride wasn’t too rough, but the second was. After having ridden Lightning Racer, the layout wasn’t too interesting to me. Two rides were enough. I wish something could be done to improve this coaster (while leaving it a wooden coaster).

 

Comet (1x) Walk on. The fun factor on this ride is high. It was worth several re-rides, but I rode it at the end of the day when I was tired. I really enjoy seeing the track of 4 coasters so close together in the Hollow and Minetown.

 

Storm Runner (2x) 1 train wait. Lots of fun elements here. The launch is a little scary. If it were longer, it would be one of the best steel coasters around.

 

Fahrenheit (2x) Walk on. I rode Fahrenheit as soon as I got in the park and was assigned the back row for both rides. The elements are fun, the forces are in a comfortable range, and the transitions are smooth. The 2 rides are the best ones I’ve ever had on this coaster.

By the way, the Hersheypark app is excellent. I tried the “find my car” menu item, and it worked great.

 

Day 5, Wednesday, June 22, 2016 Knoebels

 

I had a great time at Knoebels. Even the drive to the park through the rural Pennsylvania countryside was cool. I liked the relaxed feel to the park, and it was fun to see so many dogs there.

 

Flying Turns (2x) I got in line about 20 minutes before the park opened, so the wait was short. I waited about 20 minutes for my second ride. I thought this would be kind of fun, but it was better than I expected. I enjoyed the speed and forces in the second half of the ride especially. It felt like the top speed was more than 24 MPH. I’m glad Knoebels has a solid ride on their hands after all they went through during the construction period.

 

Phoenix (5x) Phoenix was a lot of fun. The tunnel leading to the lift hill was a nice touch. I had read about how much airtime there is, and Phoenix did not disappoint. I thought the airtime on the final inbound section of track was especially good. The dispatch times were consistently fast. With the line down to the bottom of the ramp, the wait time was only 15 minutes. Would anyone be able to tell me why there are no seatbelts on this coaster?

 

Twister (6x) Walk on. Twister was the big surprise of the whole trip, and I have a new top 5 wooden coaster. The intensity is Voyage-like, which is the ultimate compliment from me. The split lift hill was way cool, and the turnaround between the 2 parts was intense and fun. It was interesting to experience head choppers going up the first part of the lift hill. Twister is another coaster that makes a lot of noise on the lift hill. The helix was fast and wild. The turnarounds are banked so that you don’t lose any speed on them. Weaving through the structure was just so much fun. I didn’t get nearly enough rides, so I want to get back to Knoebels soon. I got some great views of the coaster from the train ride.

 

Day 6, Thursday, June 23 Waldameer

 

Ravine Flyer II (17x) Walk on or 1 train wait. This is one of my top 5 wooden coasters. Both of the sections that cross the road feel wildly out of control and have some Voyage-like moments. The 90 degree banked section is so much fun not just to experience, but also to look at as you approach it. I had a great time talking about coasters with one of the ride ops. I wish Waldameer wasn’t a 17 hour drive away.

 

Day 7, Friday, June 24

Drove from Erie, PA to Little Rock, AR.

[bert425]

The clue seems to hint towards an enclosed ride.

Since "chocolate" covers every side.

An enclosed drop tower would make a lot of sense.

But the cost to build it would make you crap your pants.

 

hmm. . to me, it makes me think of a Chute the Chutes -- where everyone in the boat is gonna get wet (ie: covered).

 

HersheyPark doesn't have one of those, do they? (tho they do have that awesome flume ride).

[Sythe]

The clue seems to hint towards an enclosed ride.

Since "chocolate" covers every side.

An enclosed drop tower would make a lot of sense.

But the cost to build it would make you crap your pants.

 

hmm. . to me, it makes me think of a Chute the Chutes -- where everyone in the boat is gonna get wet (ie: covered).

 

HersheyPark doesn't have one of those, do they? (tho they do have that awesome flume ride).

They definitely have a chute the chute. (Tidal Force) it's one of the best chute the chutes ever! The splash is GIGANTIC!

[bert425]

The clue seems to hint towards an enclosed ride.

Since "chocolate" covers every side.

An enclosed drop tower would make a lot of sense.

But the cost to build it would make you crap your pants.

 

hmm. . to me, it makes me think of a Chute the Chutes -- where everyone in the boat is gonna get wet (ie: covered).

 

HersheyPark doesn't have one of those, do they? (tho they do have that awesome flume ride).

They definitely have a chute the chute. (Tidal Force) it's one of the best chute the chutes ever! The splash is GIGANTIC!

 

I guess we didn't ride it, as I'm not remembering it at all.

 

maybe they will "enclose" it. . LOL, and call it something new?

[Foltzy]

Hey everybody,

I'll be heading to the park on Tuesday for my first visit. For all of the regulars out there, what rides should we get on first?

We're planning to be there at park opening, and we'll be getting in an hour early from staying at the resort. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

[VegasBaby]

Hey everybody,

I'll be heading to the park on Tuesday for my first visit. For all of the regulars out there, what rides should we get on first?

We're planning to be there at park opening, and we'll be getting in an hour early from staying at the resort. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

The Hollow is the only area open for the early entry, but it has 3 coasters (Comet, SDL, and Skyrush) and they should all be walk-ons for that first hour. Last year, I was able to get multiple rides on each of those coasters during the early entry hour (sometimes without getting off). At the 10am rope drop, I would head to either Fahrenheit or Laff Track as they seem to have the longest lines. If you do go straight to Laff Track, then ride Lightning Racer while in the back of the park. It will be a complete walk-on in the morning and it's a killer racing woodie. Storm Runner also gets a line, but the dual loading platform keeps it from getting too bad.

[jarmor]

Decided to take a trip here next Saturday and I just had a humbling experience looking at admission prices lol. Being a pass holder to virtually every major corporate park chain minus Disney, seeing the one day price is definitely sticker shock! How can I get it cheaper? I've notice the last you hours are included on the next day ticket, would you have to pay for parking twice? Looks like I need to do laff and ferenheit first correct? Any other tid bits and tips? Anyone else going to be there?

[FSUFanChris]

We just returned from our trip there. Hit me up on fb if you have any questions. You will only have to pay for parking the first day if you do their preview day. Also, message me about a discount ticket.

[bert425]

Decided to take a trip here next Saturday and I just had a humbling experience looking at admission prices lol. Being a pass holder to virtually every major corporate park chain minus Disney, seeing the one day price is definitely sticker shock! How can I get it cheaper? I've notice the last you hours are included on the next day ticket, would you have to pay for parking twice? Looks like I need to do laff and ferenheit first correct? Any other tid bits and tips? Anyone else going to be there?

 

are you by chance, staying overnight?

 

if yes, book 1 night at Hershey Lodge -- you'll get not only early admission on Sat, but the parking is free and they offer shuttle to park for Friday Night and Sat ( you have to show your room key tho to get on).

 

they also sell discounted tix in the lobby

[defrocker]

He expressed concern over price so you recommend the lodge?

 

If I recall correctly, there is a website a few pages back that had a link to a website where the boy scouts were selling fundraiser tickets. They were reasonably priced.