Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[Ccron10]

Maybe it is just me, but all of this talk about Mag-Levs, high-speed rails and propulsion has me think LIMs...

LSM lift hill similar to Maverick, but on a grander scale? Either way, it sounds like it may involve LSMs.

 

I find the letter to be interesting.

[ShannonSomerville]

This should be interesting to watch. Whatever it is,its sure to be good. BTW,my boyfriend & I went to the Springtime in the Park event. Liked the new Sidewinder train(the ride was having "issues"all day yesterday).

[Magnum PA]

Not all of the Vekoma boomerangs can be considered terrible (even without the new trains). The reason why can be because of the climate, the maintenance and other factors. I know I used to be able to survive two rides in a row on that thing, but it got worse over time.

Simply put, just because it was the worse ride at Hershey doesn't mean it would be the worst ride at Knott's or some other park if it was moved there.

 

True, and since the one at Knott's (as well as some of the others) are newer than Hershey's, which would mean newer trains and maybe better engineering with the track. I know the one at Worlds of Fun was installed not too long ago. I'm not sure how many were around prior to Hershey's, but I think theirs is one of the oldest out there. I could be wrong though.

 

Actually, according to RCDB.com, there have been 31 Vekoma Boomerang roller coasters (45 different installations, 14 of which changed locations, unless one was moved more than once.) Of those 31, Sidewinder was the 21st to be installed. The first were installed in 1984. Sidewinder came 7 years later. Actually, Knott's boomerang is one year older than Sidewinder.

 

If I remember correctly, Sidewinder was one of the first to use a Vekoma train. The earlier models used an Arrow train. I don't know if this is actually a 100% brand new train, or if they are just new coaches and restraints. The chassis look the same to me, but it's hard to tell by just looking at them in a photo.

 

I don't understand the comparison to Knott's. Not only do they already have a boomerang, (which is also my least favorite ride there) but they have Hershey beat in almost every comparable coaster category, in my opinion.

 

Xcelerator > Storm Runner

Silver Bullet > Great Bear

Montezuma's Revenge > sooperdooperLooper (though SDL is a nostalgic favorite of mine)

Jaguar! > Trailblazer

Ghostrider (2005)> any Hershey wooden ride (but it's wonderful having 3 (or 4) great wooden coasters at HP)

[Coaster Cow]

The new study is AWESOME. Things I picked up, some obvious and known-fact and some speculation:

-Great Bear constellation on first page- hint at location

-Mentioning creek beds-location

-2004- year Storm Runner opened

 

Weird stuff I couldn't figure out:

-possible mine theme? (Minetown, all this talk about clay)

-possible launch coaster? (might be a giant red herring, but its pretty straight forward)

-any idea about the "white dwarf particle" and "GWT" on the diagram?

 

All total speculation, but this is much better than the normal mindless guessing that happens with most new coasters, so I figured I'd chip in.

[beatle11]

Maybe it is just me, but all of this talk about Mag-Levs, high-speed rails and propulsion has me think LIMs...

 

I'm gonna say it... Aqua Trax!

[televisedconfession]

-any idea about the "white dwarf particle" and "GWT" on the diagram?

 

I was trying to figure that out too...

[Ccron10]

Mentioned in the letter are two words that stick out to me:

Nevado Mismi- A volcano in Peru where the Amazon River begins. Could there be a tie between the Amazon, Halley's Comet, ursla major, and the strange creature that they mention hearing while in the rainforest?

 

Terra incognita- a Latin term meaning "unknown land" and the plotting of it. According to Wikipedia, it mentions of an urban legend where cartographers would label these areas to possibly contain mythical creatures (given how a dragon could be involved).The phrase is now also used metaphorically by various researchers to describe any unexplored subject or field of research.

 

The second paragraph talks about some fly creature flying over the forest quieting the wildlife. I have to laugh at this (no offense) because some people are thinking now that "oh, they mention something flying! Must mean a flying coaster!"

Wrong. Just because something is saying that it's flying doesn't mean that it will be a flying coaster. Remember that we can use the term for any coaster.

Ex: "See Great Bear flying over the midway!" When it isn't a flying coaster.

 

Right now I'm picturing that the coaster will somehow involve LSMs for a lift hill. This could make sense given how fast Maverick's lift hill is. If so, then we could be looking at a 75 to 80 mph coaster.

Given all this talk about megnetic fields, propulsion, and white dwarf particles.

 

I do have one question however. On the sideview graph posted to the bottom of the study, what does GWT stand for?

[eddie200330]

Also he mentions something along the lines of "hundreds" of feet off the ground or above the forest floor, something like that, in the letter.

 

Just noticed, in the research thingy, 2 times it says 2004. Why are there dots in the 0's???

[RollerCoasterSmi]

I have gone through the whole site, and I think it is a Launched 4D Coaster made by Intamin and not a mega coaster! And yes I do know some of these things have been said before, but some of them are new...

 

 

Intamin:

 

Home:

RIT: Intamin’s full name: Intamin Amusement Rides Int. Corp. Est.

1911: Intamin’s phone number: +41 1 786 91 11

Remapped boundaries of engineering (Think of all of world firsts Intamin made)

 

About RIT:

Compare it to Intamin’s about us… extremely similar

Fabricated: Intamin Woodies

Third person comes from Switzerland, home of Intamin

 

Research:

Patented stress-strain curve equations: Revolution @ SFMM (the world’s first safe looping coaster) was made by Schwarzkopf and Intamin

 

Studies:

2004: Storm Runner was built by Intamin

 

 

Launch:

 

About RIT:

1997: Tower Of Terror and Superman, launched coasters

2007: Maverick, Furious Bacco and Mick Doohan, launched coasters

Third person comes from Geneva, home of CERN, a particle accelerator

Fourth person believes in acceleration

 

Research:

Propulsion: Launch is a form of propulsion

Gravity Manipulation: Have speed without height with launch

Irregularities in The Relationship between Weight and Mass: Change in weight without change in mass is acceleration…GO NERDS!

Human Excitement: Launches are fun

 

Studies:

2004: Storm Runner

Newtonian: All to do with changes in force, which means acceleration.

Not Bound By Traditional Equations: Acceleration not due to gravity, which means launch.

High Speed Propulsion: Obviously Launch

 

 

LSM/LIM:

 

About RIT:

13 Years Old: Volcano, (opened 13 years ago 1998) an LIM launched coaster

15 Years Old: Superman/Tower Of Terror (1997 opened 15 years ago) LIM launched coasters

2007: Maverick, an LIM coaster

 

Studies:

Propulsive Forces When Magnetically Charged: LIM launch

Mag Lev: Magnets: System Of Magnetic Transportation

 

 

New Type (Vertical Launch/ 4D Launch):

 

Home:

Remapped Boundaries Of Engineering: this hints at something new.

 

Research:

Four Dimensional Analysis: 4D coaster hinted at.

 

Throughout there are references to space, space is up, a vertical launch is possible, constellations, Russia etc.

Also the things about defying gravity may suggest vertical launch.

 

 

Not Mega Coaster:

 

Everything about launches, and the hints at maybe 4D or vertical launch, probably disproves the mega coaster.

 

About RIT:

Fourth person believes in airtime, acceleration and barrel rolls. You can’t have launches or inversions on mega coasters by definition.

 

 

Other Things:

 

212 feet max height: 212 = boiling point of water in Fahrenheit, so probably not actual height.

 

About RIT:

American Cinema Editors: ACE

 

Studies:

In RIT logo there are 11 white stars and one big yellow star, Hershey currently has 11 coasters and is getting a nice big new shiny one.

The Constellation Is Of Great Bear

800 Skydives: Hersheypark’s telephone is: 800-HERSHEY

12 Flawless Night Jumps: Hershey will have 12 coasters.

[RollerCoasterSmi]

-any idea about the "white dwarf particle" and "GWT" on the diagram?

 

I was trying to figure that out too...

 

It looks like a height indicator, I think it refers to Comet as Great Wooden Twister maybe...

[coasterfreak101]

^^Wow.

 

What about a wing-rider that has an LSM lift (like Maverick) and follows the general layout of a mega coaster? That twisty-looking thing after the second far turnaround could easily be a barrel roll like Furius Baco's. That'd offer a different experience than a typical sit-down mega coaster.

 

Also, is there a reason people are questioning the 212ft height? Isn't that what they filed for with the county?

[SharkTums]

I haven't really posted much in this thread, but it's safe to assume as long as it's Intamin it will be awesome fun! I don't care if it's a Megalite, Giga, AQUATRAX, Launch, ZacSpin, Wingrider, whatever! Those all sound like awesome rides to me!

[Ccron10]

^^Wow.

I second that. I checked your facts and you've made some good discoveries that seem to make sense.

 

About the mention of a vertical launch. I'm not positive, but I remember seeing somewhere something about a vertical launch or inclined launch mention for a new coaster at a park. But then again, in aencroachment recently found last week, it states this:

E22-570: Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, 300 Park Boulevard, Hershey, PA 17033, Derry Township, Dauphin County, ACOE Baltimore District

 

 To remove and restore an existing 74.0-foot long by 24.0-foot wide low flow channel crossing, a 116.0-foot long by 63.0-foot wide staging area in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF), and an existing 535.0-foot long cofferdam. To construct and maintain: (1) thirty-two 42.0-inch concrete support columns in Spring Creek (WWF); (2) fifty-seven 42.0-inch concrete support columns in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF); (3) a 37.3-foot long by 21.7-foot wide by 12.0-foot high lift motor and MCC enclosure in Spring Creek (WWF) and its floodway; (4) an 18.0-foot long by 8.0-foot wide by 12.0-foot high GTP building in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF); (5) a 3.0-foot high by 72.0-foot long masonry retaining wall in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF); (6) a 33.0-foot long by 7.4-foot wide by 7.3-foot high open stairway in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF); (7) a 74.0-foot long by 24.0-wide stone ramp in Spring Creek (WWF); ( 8 ) a 451.0-foot long by 20.0-foot wide AASHTO No. 1 rock maintenance path; and (9) a 507.0-foot long by 8.0-foot wide on-grade asphalt walkway in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF). Also to place and maintain 234.0 cubic yards of fill in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF) and repair and maintain 1115.0 feet of an existing stone retaining wall in the floodway of Spring Creek (WWF). All for the purpose of constructing a proposed amusement park attraction. The project is located 0.25 miles West of the intersection of Park Boulevard and S.R. 743 (Hershey, PA quadrangle, N: 6.72 inches, W: 4.49 inches; Latitude 40° 17` 10.25 N, Longitude 76° 39` 24.15 W) in Derry Township, Dauphin County.

Could it mean a building to house the computers that power the launch instead? Or could the vertical launching concept be a trick clue?

[QueerRudie]

so, in the PDF, I found clay... that is, the four letters of the PDF that were 'grey'-

 

c l a y

 

Any signifigance?

[HPCrazy]

Wow, you definitely pointed out some great stuff there, RollerCoasterSmi! I'd say that this will either be a duel-chain lift (similar to Fahrenheit) or a cable lift. It would be cool to have something similar to Maverick, but I agree that that Motor Control Center enclosure points out the chain-lift style, lift hill.

 

I don't know if there is clay in the soil down there where they're building. That's one thing that had me thinking.

[Magnum PA]

^^Wow.

 

What about a wing-rider that has an LSM lift (like Maverick) and follows the general layout of a mega coaster? That twisty-looking thing after the second far turnaround could easily be a barrel roll like Furius Baco's. That'd offer a different experience than a typical sit-down mega coaster.

 

Also, is there a reason people are questioning the 212ft height? Isn't that what they filed for with the county?

 

^^My thoughts excactly.

 

I suppose it could be a 212 ft wing rider, given the layout, and I'd be game for either B&M or Intamin if that was the case. It would offer a totally different experience than a sit-down megacoaster. The problem is, Hersheypark really needs a sit-down megacoaster.

 

I'd totally be down with a wing-rider. The thing is, there is nothing 4-D about them. Reading over what people have posted here, there seems to be some 4-D talk. The only true 4-D coasters out there are the Ball Coasters, or S&S/Arrow's. So, either it's not the case with Attraction 2012, or the park's marketing team is a little off base.

 

The only downside I can see for a wing-rider would be that, given the rate at which Hershey is building coasters, I'd have to wait another 4 years for a possibility of a megacoaster.

 

And yes, 212 feet was the submitted height to the township.

[B&MIntaminGCI]

What if all this stuff with Intamin is throwing us off, and it's a B&M 4D? I mean, it could be the premiere of the wingrider/4-d in the States and they could be doing that "fake" layout and web pages to have us all thinking Intamin and they slam us with a B&M. I don't know, I just feel like everything they released is so obvious that and pretty much giving away the ride.

[Ccron10]

Jan Van Der Velde has his own facebook page according to the Project 2012 group. I was wondering when one of the characters was going to make their own account. This marketing game is starting to get very detailed-oriented.

[ahecht]

-any idea about the "white dwarf particle" and "GWT" on the diagram?

 

GWT on these sorts of drawings stand for Groundwater Table. It refers to the water level.

 

I think "white dwarf" is a reference to The Comet, which will be a white dwarf compared to the new 200ft+ coaster rising above it.

[coasterfreak101]

^I knew I should have said that when I thought of it, I was actually right for once!

[BaMiTsPaT]

Although I too would love a B&M wingrider or Intamin "4D," but I think a chainlift mega-coaster would be so cool over near Comet Hollow! I don't really care, but that's what I picture in that spot in my imagination.

[RollerCoasterSmi]

Is no-one listening to me the 212 feet is not true, 212 is the max is the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit

 

It is too much of a coincidence to be true...

 

Also when I say 4D, I mean like X2 not Kirnu...

 

I just had a thought, all the defying gravity and space could be referring to airtime and zero g...

[Ccron10]

Is no-one listening to me the 212 feet is not true, 212 is the max is the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit

 

It is too much of a coincidence to be true...

 

Also when I say 4D, I mean like X2 not Kirnu...

 

I just had a thought, all the defying gravity and space could be referring to airtime and zero g...

Now thinking about it, I think I may have jumped the gun on crediting you. The biggest problem at this point with the game is assuming which is fact and which is pure coincidence. Some of the things you pointed out such as the phone number is part of that.

 

What you're failing to see is that the coaster WILL be 212ft tall because when the park went to Township, they specifically said this. Also if you look at the permit posted above, it mentions a lift motor building to be built inside Spring Creek. This doesn't mean that it won't feature some type of propulsion system, but the structure on where the lift would be built is so similar to I-305's making it not possible to launch vertically.

[HPCrazy]

I agree, I really think we're looking at either a duel-chainlift or cable lift system. They're my main thoughts, although I'd love to have a launched lift hill. According to the blueprints and seeing how the lift will be similar to I-305, I think we're looking at one of what I posted, minus the launched lift. The enclosed Motor Control Center pretty much gives that away.

[Joe Cool]

^Agreed. As long as it is a Intamin it will be awesome fun.