CoasterEricHP Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Last night my girlfriend Jackie and I met up with my friend Carrie from Philly and did the whole sunset plan at Dorney Park. I'll keep my rambling as short as possible! Dorney Park is probably my third favorite park that I've been to in PA behind Knoebels and Kennywood! (sorry Hershey). I never understand why Dorney gets bashed occasionally! It's a beautiful park with a great assortment of rides! Plus $19.50 is a really good price for the sunset plan. The weather was PERFECT and the parks wasnt crowded at all. Our longest wait would've been 30 mins for Voodoo. Ok picture time! And so ends an awesome night at Dorney! Stay tuned for Kennywood and Pittsburgh! Now to end the night with some Steel Force! Once in the back.. and once in the front! It rocked! Oops.. missed a Voodoo Ferris Wheel shot! Better late than never.. they have a stupid way to load the Wild Mouse.. plus the ride's brakes were like being in a car crash! ..yay.. 25 minute wait.. yay.. Carrie and Jackie needed the Wild Mouse credit.. ugh.. Look out!!! Talon.. not like you guys didnt know that.. Time for the Ferris Wheel portion of the TR.. Here's an overview of the lower part of the park. It's so romantic.. Here is the concrete wasteland known at Dorney Park.. ?! It's a really nice park! Thought this looked cool.. We rode twice in the backrow, and once in the front. Both were awesome! Look at that beast!! Magnum has nothing on Steel Force.. On to the best steel in PA! ( I haven't been on Fahrenheit yet.. sadly ) There was a little wait for Dominator. Here I am being blinded and balancing my $3.30 camoflaged drink. Hey Carrie.. last year this girl rode a drop tower... Next up.. Dominator! I'd love to have one of these closer to York!.. Hersheyyyyyyyy....?!? Boo for the Holding Brake!! When it stops you it makes this... "SCREEEEEECHHHHH" you can hear on the train. It's almost deathly sounding! I think they should not use the brakes. Voodoo was great! It did have some weirddd noises going on though. Very reminiscent of S:UE at Geauga Lake.. which is kind of scary if you think about it! We see you Voodoo! We hit Hydra first. It was a walk on.. I just want to hug this thing for replacing Hercules! Talon looms over the entrance area. Amazingly we didnt ride it this year. Woohoo! Dorney Park! Hi Carrie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterEricHP Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ok time for Kennywood. In June my girlfriend and my friend Mike and I went to Pittsburgh to see the closest person to a living god ever.. Tom Petty. So of course we had to hit up Kennywood.. and do some other running around in the beautifullll city I used to live in. We did the four hour drive into Monroeville and headed to Kennywood for the night. Again.. Kennywood has a great deal from 5-10pm! Plus.. free parking and really good food! I wouldn't recommend using Mapquest to get from Monroeville to Kennywood though. But then again, you also want to avoid I-376 from 4-7pm! Kennywood was awesome as always! On to the pics: and one last shot of the Racer before heading out. Great chicken. The original Carousel was housed here.. now its just a food court which makes ACE'rs happy. The Potato Patch! ... and the Thunderbolt. The really unique setting of Kennywood.. can anyone see the train? Ok time for some night shots while in line for Phantoms Revenge.. this one's kinda shaky.. but you can see how PR plummets into the ravine! some random guy, Molly, me, and Jackie ready to flyyyy. Our friend Molly met up with us.. we were always the "cut off group"! Thunderbolt picture! T-bolt was a little rougher than I remember.. but still great. Jackie has an abnormal love for fountains.. I wouldnt know anything about things like that. Lost Kennywood is awesome looking. Also.. the Exterminator is amazing! Six Flags should've rode that a few times before '08.. Every park should be required to have a screamin' swing! I hate losing classic rides.. but Ghostwood Estates is an INSTANT classic IMO.. Great theming and great job by the park! Jackrabbit has to be in your top 5 for coolest logos! gotta start with the classics! Hey Mike! Finally! Sometimes I hate Mapquest.. we did get to drive through some really interesting areas though! Norad.. or just a tunnel on the Turnpike. Some good ol' PA mountains! You Colorado people are probably so jealous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterEricHP Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 And here are some non park related pictures. But Pittsburgh's too nice to not add them! You'll be ok! Ending with.. TOM PETTY! He rocked.. everyone should go see him! Ok done. Ok.. that's actually the best view.. Best view in baseball! Makes up for the team.. one more urban bathtub! Heading over to PNC Park for the Pirate's game... but first.. How would you like to be a window washer? This fountain can sneak up on you. Jackie has found complete happiness. Meanwhile at PPG Plaza.. The Fort Pitt Bridge. One of the many bridges in the "city of bridges" Gateway Center is really.. Orson Welles.. "Big Brother" 1950's retro future looking. But the one in Gateway Center wasn't. I took Jackie on a fountain tour of downtown so she'd be happy! Point Park is under construction tho Pittsburgh is easily the prettiest city I've been in. In the Natural History museum checking out the rock candy. Very Night at the Museum'ish. Robocoaster!! Ok maybe not but close.. a basket shooting robot is cool too! Church. We're pretty hot.. We hit up the Art Museum in Oakland. Here's the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. I swear every road in Pittsburgh is under construction.. it means lots of traffic! :[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJazzDDS Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 You seriously made me miss my alma mater by showing a picture of the Cathedral of Learning. Did you get a chance to go in? I used to spend many nights in there studying. It is truly breathtaking. I'm glad you enjoyed Pittsburgh as much as I did when I was an undergraduate student there. Dr Jazz DDS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superman06 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Nice TR! I also was at Dorney yesterday but earlier...10am-5:30pm. The Park was empty all day. Longest wait like you said was for Voodoo 30 minutes. Everything else was 10 minute wait or less. Good to see Voodoo was running again. It was down all day. I got 1 brief ride on it around 3 before it was shut down again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankees15 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Great trip report! You have got to love how there are almost never any lines at Dorney. I really want to get out to Kennywood next summer. Any suggestions on what rides to hit, order to ride them, best seats, and average lines? I would probably go on a Sunday night in late June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Excellent report and pics Eric! I agree about Dorney. It really is a nice park and I've yet to have a bad time there... but Steel Force #1 steel in PA!??! I'm guessing you don't think to highly of Phantom's Revenge? Don't get me wrong, I like Steel Force, more this year than any other, but I'd put at least 3 or 4 coaster above it (Phantom, High Speed Thrill Coaster, Talon and Storm Runner). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterEricHP Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Excellent report and pics Eric! I agree about Dorney. It really is a nice park and I've yet to have a bad time there... but Steel Force #1 steel in PA!??! I'm guessing you don't think to highly of Phantom's Revenge? I love the Phantom's Revenge! But I guess I'm a sucker for traditional out and backs with airtime. If Phatoms Revenge had a straight section with some airtime hills then Steel Force would be dethroned easily. You seriously made me miss my alma mater by showing a picture of the Cathedral of Learning. Did you get a chance to go in? I used to spend many nights in there studying. It is truly breathtaking. I actually used to live right by PNC Park in the North Shore to go to school a few years ago. My girlfriend at the time lived on Bouquet St/Dawson St so I've been around Pitt! We didn't have time to hit up Hemmingways, Peter's Pub, or Bootleggers this time.. I love the gothic architecture though.. I wish I could've seen some of the nationality rooms.. Also some other notes.. Voodoo ran pretty consistantly from 5-10. I didn't notice any downtime. Thunderhawk was AMAZING last year.. but this year it was pretty weak! I don't know if the brake was on too hard but it was pretty disappointing. Sigh.. anyone else have a comparison? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffon Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Nice pictures, especially at Dorney. I really love a couple of the sunset ones. And yea, I feel the same way about Dorney - very fun and nice little park - I've never had a bad time there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_e219 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Great pics, the Pirates lost, what else is new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa1861 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Dude, That is soo awsome, that you have a Bulbasaur in your Toyota Corolla.. 2003? And those are some really nice pics of Pittsburgh, I'm looking to go sometime soon. Also, seriously, how could you skip Talon: The Grip of Fear... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
printersdevil78 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I swear every road in Pittsburgh is under construction.. it means lots of traffic! Don't you know the official state motto? "Pennsylvania: Expect Delays" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Awesome shots of the city! I also dig fountains, waterfalls, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterEricHP Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Don't you know the official state motto? "Pennsylvania: Expect Delays" LOL.. that is so true... sadly.. My parents live right by the Maryland/Pennsylvania border and it's really easy to tell where the state line is! Just watch that nicely paved highway turn into some gray patchwork half assed pave job. Dude, That is soo awsome, that you have a Bulbasaur in your Toyota Corolla.. 2003? And those are some really nice pics of Pittsburgh, I'm looking to go sometime soon. Also, seriously, how could you skip Talon: The Grip of Fear... Yeah.. Bulbasaur was in my glovebox for a few years and Jackie found him.. upset over his treatment. Its a 2002 Celica by the way! And.... I'm not really sure why we skipped Talon. We only had a few hours and we spent pretty much all of it on the other side of the park. Talon's kind of in its own little world up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa1861 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I was close with the car. only a year off, and i forgot the the Celica has similar interior. I'm kinda disappointed in myself that i didn't get that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnusername Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I thought Pittsburgh would be dumpier looking. Maybe just the downtown is nice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speeddeamon128 Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Great Pics! My top 5 PA steel coasters (Haven't been on Voodoo yet) 1. Storm Runner 2. Fahrenheit 3. Phantom's Revenge 4. Steel Force 5. Great Bear Top 5 PA woodies 1. Lightning Racers (Lightning) 2. Comet 3. Jack Rabbit 4. Phoenix 5. Twister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Dragon 1988 Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I've been to the Burgh twice and Kennywood once, and I really liked both! I only got to see Kennywood during the Halloween event, so I've never seen it in day time. Hope to get back this September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikifire Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Cool pics. I've gotta get to Pittsburgh and get to Kennywood sometime. I noticed in that one car shot you had a sign for the Monroeville Mall right in front of you. That's where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed way back when and I guess I've gotta go check that out sometime too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersNSich Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Wow, beautiful pics all over! Having seen photos of Pittsburgh's past, they seem to have taken the opportunities to take a dirty steel town into an amazing modern city. If they gave championships and rated teams based upon ballparks and views, the Pirates would be near the top. At least the Steelers realize that winning matters. Oh and thumbs up for the Tom Petty ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cool report with nice park pics. Really enjoyed the Pittsburgh photos though, some beautiful shots in there. I like the architecture of the buildings in the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts