Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[crazywolf88]

^^^ It also states that they dispute any nonassociation which means that they were always involved, it is rare to find two double negative typos in one paragraph. They most likely did it to mess with those who didn't notice that it was a double negative.

[A.J.]

Good observation.

 

That doesn't change my opinion of how much I HATE THIS GAME (!!!!!!!) though.

[QueerRudie]

Good observation.

 

That doesn't change my opinion of how much I HATE THIS GAME (!!!!!!!) though.

 

A.J.: that would have to be ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[ahecht]

Looks like Hersheypark is planning to expand into the Golf Course: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/06/derry_township_road_project_co.html

 

Few roller coasters feature more twists and turns than the story surrounding Hersheypark’s current top secret project, Attraction 2012.

 

And even as the first pieces of the new ride arrive, the park still won’t say much about its new roller coaster. But a few facts have leaked out. Among them is that the ride is being constructed in a section of the park called Comet Hollow and incorporates a section that will twist and turn over Spring Creek.

 

Zooming over the creek will add thrills to the ride, but it’s also a necessity — the park is simply running out of room. For all intents and purposes, Hersheypark is landlocked, bound on each side by township and state roadways.

 

That could change.

 

Because even as the park continues to drop hints about its new attraction — and a possible second project to begin in 2012 — in the background are talks among Derry Twp., local transportation planners and the Hershey entities regarding a potential $21.5 million road project.

 

That road project could allow for a 31-acre expansion of the park — roughly a quarter of Hersheypark's current size.

 

If completed, it would be the first major expansion of the park’s borders in more than a decade.

 

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts officials said the project has been talked about for years as a possible companion to the Route 743 realignment underway in Hershey.

 

Those discussions, between the township and the Hershey entities, have picked up in recent months, but any actual construction is still likely years away.

 

“It is an interesting project,” said Garrett Gallia, associate vice president of public affairs for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. “(But) there’s a lot of hurdles that need to be cleared before it could move forward.

 

Moving Park Boulevard

 

At the core of the project is a bridge on Park Boulevard that needs to be replaced.

 

Built in 1950, the 60-odd foot bridge crosses Spring Creek behind Hershey’s Chocolate World. In recent years, state inspections have determined it to be structurally deficient, meaning it’s outlived its intended lifespan.

 

Rather than replace the bridge at its current location, the Derry Twp. Board of Supervisors voted earlier this month to begin the preliminary engineering for the re-location of Park Boulevard itself, which bounds Hersheypark on its southwest side.

 

The concept is to bring Park Boulevard almost due south from its split near the Giant Center to the Norfolk Southern Railroad line. From there, it will parallel the railroad tracks east to the existing intersection with Ridge Road.

 

The project would replace the bridge, but would also partially remove a barrier — Park Boulevard — that exists between Hersheypark and the former Parkview Golf Course. The course is already owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and was closed in 2005.

 

Hersheypark would then be able to absorb a portion — roughly 31 acres — of the former golf course.

 

While the ball has started rolling, township and Hershey officials said they are still discussing how the project will be funded.

 

The federal government will likely pick up most of the tab using highway infrastructure dollars, but the township is looking for assistance with the locally funded portion, as well a donation of land from the Hershey entities for the new route.

 

Nothing has been set in stone. The project could take upwards of five years before the first shovel hits the dirt. Even if the project moves forward, an expansion could be more than a decade away.

 

More tangibly, last week the first structural components of the park’s new roller coaster started arriving in Hershey and work appears to be moving full-speed ahead in the Comet Hollow section of the park, where the new ride will be located.

 

Waiting for the details

 

In Lebanon, Walter White knows he’s being paranoid — he’s just not sure if he’s being paranoid enough.

 

For months he’s been following the latest developments on the park’s new roller coaster — fictitious Web pages, weird videos, hidden GPS coordinates, and a Facebook group he suspects is infiltrated by members of the park’s marketing team.

 

“You start to scratch your head and say; ‘Wow, that’s pretty ridiculous,’” he said.

 

Still, he admits it was enough to get him hooked.

 

“It’s a well-made propaganda tool,” he said. “I remember the days of ‘The Mole’ on television ... well, welcome to Hersheypark’s version of ‘The Mole.’”

 

While the park has continued to use its Ride Institute of Technology website to provide clues, last week the first structural components of the new roller coaster arrived.

 

Fans, including Matthew Meckley, one of the founders of http://www.keystonethrills.com, a local roller coaster news site, have been busy comparing the recently arrived parts to other roller coasters around the world.

 

Most bets are being set on a roller coaster designed by the Swiss firm Intamin, the same group that designed two of Hersheypark’s other steel coasters, Fahrenheit and Storm Runner.

 

Meckley said he’s expecting a ride similar to the Intimidator 305, a NASCAR-theme roller coaster in Kings Dominion, Va. that reaches speeds of 93 miles-per-hour.

 

No one will know for sure, however, until the park makes its official announcement, which is expected to come in early August.

 

A monorail extension?

 

At the same time that the park is using the Ride Institute of Technology, a second website has appeared, purportedly the property of the LaMarcus Brothers, a “mid-air excavation firm.”

 

It includes details of previous projects by the company, including the roller coasters Fahrenheit and Storm Runner. But what has Meckley and other fans interested is a reference to a “Kangaroo Bridge” project in New Zealand, scheduled to begin in 2012.

 

“We’re thinking this might be for a monorail expansion viral site,” Meckley said. “Like the Attraction 2012 campaigns just the beginning.”

 

Meckley points to the recent purchase of several additional monorail cars by the park, as well as the cryptic description of the Kangaroo project “to connect the north and south islands.”

 

Meckley and his friends at Keystone Thrills have been speculating where a monorail extension could be headed — possibly adding a line from the central area of the park toward the Boardwalk or Midway sections in the northern end.

 

What would be cool, he added, would be if they added a second stop along a way.

 

Of course, Hersheypark hasn’t let any concrete details slip regarding the LaMarcus Brother’s site, its intended purpose, or whether or not it’s even a separate project.

 

But Meckley doesn’t believe it’s part of the existing Attraction 2012 marketing campaign.

 

“I think they got more going on than just this coaster,” he said.

Edited June 17, 2011 by jedimaster1227

[coasterfreak101]

I never realized that the second page of that 2VBm PDF file led someone to find two tickets in an envelope somewhere at the park - how interesting! (See today's Screamscape post.)

[QueerRudie]

LaMarcus Bros has been busy...

 

LOOK AT THE SHIRTS THEY HAVE POSTED!

 

I want one. Bad. As in: YESTERDAY.

[FaithnotForgotten]

Stopped by yesterday still the same pile of supports

[Spideyfreak]

6/13/11 - Our Dir. of Biz. Dev. will be in Hersheypark this Saturday from 12-2PM. Ask him for a business card!

 

Confirmed: I will be at Herhseypark tomorrow. Any ideas on where this guy might be?

[coasterfreak101]

I'd imagine he'd be down in that corner of Comet Hollow where the bathrooms are. Just a thought.

[QueerRudie]

I'd look for a guy in a YELLOW SHIRT with the LaMarcus Bros' logo on it...

 

Just a hint.

[FaithnotForgotten]

Picture taken by Walter White

Edited June 19, 2011 by FaithnotForgotten

[Ccron10]

No clue where this came from to give credit :-\

Credit goes to Walter White on the Project 2012 Facebook page. Not long after he posted the pictures he mentioned "Track Color". Maybe we could be looking at a coaster with powder blue supports and goldenrod track? Here's an image photoshopped by Coaster BGW at Keystone Thrills on how that would possibly look:

[Gigalyte]

Those two colors together are not to appealing Imo, looks like someone put mustard baby poop on top of baby blue supports

[KDcoasterMAN]

I think the two colors will look great once erected... that photo shop was "okay," but doesn't capture what it will look like....

 

Also, I got bored today.

212 ft. tall, 200 ft. drop, 10 moments of airtime will many I305 and Bizarro-like elements.

[alpengeist04]

That's not a bad color combo at all, though the blue could have been a bit darker. That yellow is actually the color I thought Cheetah Hunt's track was going to be at first.

 

 

^Nice drawing. I'll be more than satisfied with that.

[FaithnotForgotten]

Credit goes to Walter White on the Project 2012 Facebook page. Not long after he posted the pictures he mentioned "Track Color". Maybe we could be ]

Thanks for fixing that I hate not giving credit for pictures.

 

Stupid idea I know, the color code #858500 is a gold which is odd

 

And this would look nice #201285.

 

Haha this is #FFFF85:

 

I am just thinking crazy here xD

[odene497]

If the colors turn out like the photoshop on the last page, I kind of like that. At least it's different. Also looking forward to a good ol' Intamin Hyper. Something I'd like to see more of.

[RollerCoasterSmi]

I think the track track colour might be red:

 

- The colours of the RIT website are blue (supports) and red (track???)

- Golden rod is too obvious and I highly doubt the track would be this colour.

- Colours can be represented in many different ways. Golden rod in fractions is R = 0.85, G = 0.65 and B = 0.13. The clue was goldenRod85. R is in capitals meaning red and I don't think the 85 and 0.85 are a coincidence!

 

 

 

I can imagine the colour scheme being something like Superman Escape at Warner Bros. Movie World:

 

[Across_the_Universe]

I'm really excited for this new addition to HP next year. I really need to get back there to pick up some of my missing credits...maybe next year I'll be able to go. I actually might be able to go to ECB, but I haven't asked my mother yet.

Anyway, this Intamin hyper is shaping up to be GREAT! I really love that PhotoShop mock up using goldenrod track and light blue supports. I think they go together well.

[Cyber.Fiber]

Its a Split Complimentary Colour Scheme. Its bold, yet isn't harsh on the eye because "Goldenrod" falls within 2 shades of red-orange, baby blues complimentary colour. I like it... a lot actually... There is your art lesson of the day.

Have the smaller side of the selection tool on the baby blue: Goldenrod is within 2 shades of red-orange, its complimentary colour.

[Intimidator305]

I cannot wait for this coaster! I figured I wouldn't ever get back to Hershey, but as soon as I heard an Intamin hyper and that it is basically going to be a mini Intimidator 305, I told my family that we must check it out next year! I can't wait to see the layout!

[alpengeistfan1]

I really like how much this is going to interact with Comet. It reminds me how Great Bear was put over Sooper Dooper Looper, and I think I wouldn't have enjoyed SDL as much if there was no Great Bear there. Weird, but just my personal preference.

[A.J.]

I cannot wait for this coaster! I figured I wouldn't ever get back to Hershey, but as soon as I heard an Intamin hyper and that it is basically going to be a mini Intimidator 305, I told my family that we must check it out next year! I can't wait to see the layout!

Your argument is invalid. I see no whipping laterals in that layout I re-posted - I see large separations between supports, and large sweeping turns. If you go to Hersheypark next year, and you're looking for a "me too" Intimidator305, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this won't even be comparable to Intimidator305, and it will be unique on its own merits.

 

And, of course, I could also eat my words. But, I'm not going to "starve" myself.

[Intimidator305]

Well I was talking about the look of the ride, the amount of ground turns, and the airtime hills... I should have made that more clear, I apologize. Intimidator 305 only has 3 actual extreme "s" transitions. There is a lot more to the ride than those 3 transitions and besides those I feel like this ride will be the closest ride to Intimidator 305 in the US once it is built...

[Thom25]

I think the ride will "look" like I305 because of the lift, but if you remember the very first RoS at DL, it has a large swooping turn after the first drop. My bottom line - This will be another EPIC Intamin airtime coaster based on what I've seen, with lots of ground hugging turns and hopefully some surprises !

 

My $.02