Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[TyRush]

^ from what I've heard it'll be open for sure. But as you said they tend to get antsy as the mercury drops so we shall see.

 

I am rather intrigued that you are so excited to ride Coal Cracker!

Edited October 11, 2016 by TyRush

[coasterbill]

I am rather intrigued that you are so excited to ride Coal Cracker!

 

LOL It's a log flume, this shouldn't be a shock to anyone. Plus this one is bouncy which makes it extra awesome.

[VegasBaby]

Might be going to the park for the first time in 8 years this Saturday! How are the crowds usually, on a Saturday in the middle of October? What's the best plan of action to avoid lines the most and being able to ride all the big coasters a few times each?

 

Ride Laff Track and Fahrenheit first, they tend to have the longest line. After that just use your own judgement. I wouldn't ride Skyrush until later in the day due to the fact that its usually empty around 5-6 o'clock.

 

This is a good strategy, hit Laff Track-Fahrenheit-Storm Runner and then you should be fine the rest of the day. Skyrush gets a flood of people early in the day because it is near the front and then dies down later in the day.

[boldikus]

I am rather intrigued that you are so excited to ride Coal Cracker!

 

He'll base entire trips around whether or not a flume and/or skyride is operating. True story.

[coasterbill]

Depending on the park this is actually true.

[michaellynn4]

Coal Cracker is one of the best flumes I've been on. Reminds me of the old Moon Flume from Great Adventure.

[coasterbill]

Agreed, it also doesn't really get you wet at all, but Boldikus (who may also be going next Sunday) is unlikely to believe me after Shenandoah Lumber Company tried to kill us immediately after I said the same thing.

[YoshiFan]

I like that it still has the little bump after the drop that gives you some air time when the bump on Great Adventure's 2nd flume (the one that was near Skull Mountain) was removed long before the ride was closed.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

It's the best log flume ever. The airtime bump and skipping is great, the drop is a decent size, the flume is swift and bumps around, and the location is amazing with so many interactions and possible near-misses and wonderful landscaping and lake makes it perfect. I could praise it all day!

[TyRush]

If you put more weight in the back the pop of air is really amplified

[Schrecken]

If you put more weight in the back the pop of air is really amplified

 

I found that out a couple of years ago when I rode Coal Cracker for the first time in ages (I might have been a teen the last time I had ridden it) just how much air you can get depending on who you ride with and where everyone sits. I rode with a couple of fellow coaster fans who were both heavier than me by at least (judging by looks alone) 30+ pounds. They sat behind me while I rode in the very front, and I could not believe how far off the seat my butt came after hitting that bump at the bottom! I certainly was not expecting much airtime (other than that which would normally be caused by the drop itself) on a log flume, but boy was I surprised!

 

If you have two other people who will ride with you that are heavier than you are and you sit in the very front you will likely be rewarded with a huge pop of air.

[KBrylczyk]

It's the best log flume ever. The airtime bump and skipping is great, the drop is a decent size, the flume is swift and bumps around, and the location is amazing with so many interactions and possible near-misses and wonderful landscaping and lake makes it perfect. I could praise it all day!

 

Oh, deary dear. You've not been around much, have you? I mean, don't get me wrong, Coal Cracker is fun and it's definitely better than many log flumes out there, but best ever or even close to being one of the best? Not even a little bit.

[coasterbill]

Eh I don't know. I mean I wouldn't put it at the top of my lift but it has some unique features like the bouncing and the cool interaction with coasters that allows you to dork out to your hearts content so I could understand why someone would say it's their favorite flume.

 

For me I like the feel of the old school flumes more than I like the ultra modern / highly themed ones like Splash Mountain and Ripsaw falls (and SM in Florida isn't really a log flume anyway since it has huge 8 passenger boats). I'd much prefer a ride like Shenandoah Lumber Company or Zoom Phloom at Morey's. I love the feeling of being in a tiny boat with like one other person just floating down an old a** trough in the woods or around a bunch of other rides.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

^^Which specific ones are better? Zoom Phloom, Shenandoah Lumber Company, Le Scoot and Thunder Creek Mountain are a few of the ones right behind Coal Cracker on my list.

[coasterbill]

^^Which specific ones are better? Zoom Phloom, Shenandoah Lumber Company, Le Scoot and Thunder Creek Mountain are a few of the ones right behind Coal Cracker on my list.

 

Honestly you just named the ones I put ahead of it, so to each his own. Like I said I could totally understand why someone would put Coal Cracker #1. It's great.

 

I haven't yet ridden Timber Mountain Log Ride but that might give them a run for their money when I do. Knoebels also has a good flume, as does Seabreeze.

[KBrylczyk]

^^Which specific ones are better? Zoom Phloom, Shenandoah Lumber Company, Le Scoot and Thunder Creek Mountain are a few of the ones right behind Coal Cracker on my list.

 

Twin Mercury Adventure Cruise is goddamn incredible. Timber Mountain is also one of my faves. Pretty much anything in Japan and Europe. As for American parks (aside from Timber Mountain) I'd put the Splash Mountains over it, Great Adventure's Saw Mill Log Flume, all of the ones you mentioned, and a few others. I can't think of names off the top of my head but Coal Cracker isn't near the top of the top for me.

[ViperGTS500]

How are the lines/crowds on the first Saturday for Hershey in the dark?

[boldikus]

How are the lines/crowds on the first Saturday for Hershey in the dark?

[coasterbill]

That gif

[TyRush]

HPITD lines are never usually long. Only problem you might run into is if they decide to run one train operations due to light crowds

[boldikus]

Sup yall! Finally heading back up to one of my favorite parks this weekend. Curious if the locals can recommend good food in the park that is not dessert. I have only been once at night two years ago and basically just rode as much as I could and didn't eat a single thing that visit. Not even any chocolate!

 

Anyways, we'll be there all day, and I absolutely am making it a point to get hot chocolate, a whoopie pie and one of those incredibly insane looking milkshake things they've been posting on their FB page/Instagram BUTTTTT where do you locals eat at the park? We're having brunch and beer @ Troegs before we head to the park but we'll need real food later at some point.

 

Like sit-down places. I see they have two Chickies, can you seriously not get beer at either of them? So weird. Is the Spring Creek Smokehouse worth it? Looks good but seems really pricey ($15 for a sandwich and extra for a side?!! Come on!) but I've heard its decent. Hersheypark Place seems to have beer but the menu looks very generic, and the entrees again are astronomically priced. Anywhere else that has GOOD food and doesn't try to rape your wallet? And its the Overlook Food Court that has beer inside the park?

 

Thanks in advance!

[coasterbill]

Spring Creek Smokehouse is pretty good (it's no Trappers)... we usually end up there by default. It totally rapes your wallet though... I second this question, are there any better options?

[boldikus]

I really don't understand how you can have two Chickies locations without any beer. Chickies is a bar. A Chickies with no beer to go with my crab fries is like a hole ripped in the space/time continuum. What is that even about? I don't even know what's real anymore.

[VegasBaby]

Sup yall! Finally heading back up to one of my favorite parks this weekend. Curious if the locals can recommend good food in the park that is not dessert. I have only been once at night two years ago and basically just rode as much as I could and didn't eat a single thing that visit. Not even any chocolate!

 

Anyways, we'll be there all day, and I absolutely am making it a point to get hot chocolate, a whoopie pie and one of those incredibly insane looking milkshake things they've been posting on their FB page/Instagram BUTTTTT where do you locals eat at the park? We're having brunch and beer @ Troegs before we head to the park but we'll need real food later at some point.

 

Like sit-down places. I see they have two Chickies, can you seriously not get beer at either of them? So weird. Is the Spring Creek Smokehouse worth it? Looks good but seems really pricey ($15 for a sandwich and extra for a side?!! Come on!) but I've heard its decent. Hersheypark Place seems to have beer but the menu looks very generic, and the entrees again are astronomically priced. Anywhere else that has GOOD food and doesn't try to rape your wallet? And its the Overlook Food Court that has beer inside the park?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Spring Creek Smokehouse is very good and it has large portions, but it is on the pricey side. If you want to leave the park, Chocolate World right outside the front gate has a large foodcourt and we found the prices to be very reasonable. On our last trip, we ate at least one meal a day at the Chocolate World foodcourt.

[michaellynn4]

Spring Creek Smokehouse is what Rikki and I had for lunch last year. It was very good, but a bit pricey.

 

Sit-down food choices in Hersheypark aren't exactly on the level of a Dollywood or Knoebels, so I don't think you're going to do much better than that. If you want, there are several chains you can choose from whose consistency you should be familiar with, including Subway, Moe's Southwest Grill, and the aforementioned Chickie's and Pete's.