Photo TR: Hersheypark Christmas Candylane 12/4/08

[Ccron10]

I know it's a little late, but since I'm a little bored right now, I think I might post my TR for my Hersheypark trip from a week or two ago. This is my last trip to Hersheypark for the 2008 season, so I'll also use this report as a review of my season as well.

 

The main goals for this trip was find out what's going on with the Boardwalk Seaquel construction, get photos for the HPCrazy site, and ride some of the rides I missed in October.

 

After a 45 minute drive with my school club in a van, we finally reached Hershey and to get to the park, we luckily took the back way into the park past Storm Runner and the Boardwalk Seaquel construction. I didn't get any pics, but the foundation for the wave pool building was finished and a small crane was on-site lifting a steel beam onto the foundation. It looked like work was finally starting to go vertical.

A few minutes later we entered the parking lot and Chocolate World. The lot had to be the emptiest I have ever seen it. Only SIX cars were in the lot! The CW lot was 3/4 of the way full though. Once in CW, I got out my camera and started my photo-taking journey and ride journey.

 

If you can look closely, that was all the cars in the parking lot.

 

 

Chocolate Tour Ride

I think I can lip sync. the narration by now. I've rode this ride 4 times so far this year and just about 10 to 15 since the updated the ride. I now must know what it feels like to ride through It's a Small World right? lol

The wait was only to the top of the stairs.

5/10 Because the ride get's old... fast, but the chocolate was worth it I guess.

*sigh* here we go again.

 

I prefer the robotic 1988 version even if I only saw a 1 minute video of it.

 

Favorite section of the ride. The smell never gets old.

 

Here's one for Elissa. lol

 

 

Right after the tour ride we were all free to split up and go wherever we wanted. Last year we had to go in groups and I got paired up with a group of girls and only ended up looking at reindeer for 1/2 the time I was there and finally leaving them and getting sick on the Claw.

Not this year! Just me and my camera! So right after CW, I rushed down to Tudor Square and started my photo journey.

After paying my admission and waving at the Chocolate Bar at the Character Place, I decided to start riding.

Welcome to HP.

 

And also Tudor Square.

 

Rhineland Shops.

 

Case Closed. I posted photos that the park gave me of the inside the station in the Sky Ride thread.

 

Scrambler

I haven't ridden this ride for over a year, but it still is thrilling. I was the only one on it at the time.

7/10

 

Even though I had the time, I decided against riding the Carousel (it would've looked weird with only me riding it) and Starship (same thing) so I headed to the back of the park to Pioneer Frontier. On the way back, RXCC was still closed, The Claw said it was open but the entrance was blocked off, and it was the same for several other rides.

 

Frontier Flyers

After waking up the ride op. for this, I hopped on. No wait.

5/10 This would've scored higher on a warmer day though.

 

By the time I was done with the Frontier Flyers, the Claw had opened up. The last time I rode this was when I got sick on it. Hopefully this wouldn't happen this year.

 

The Claw

The ride really depends on where you sit. I re-rode this later with a friend and found that the seats near the exit to the right are the least intense where the ones to the left of the entrance are the most intense. Even though the two rides were spaced by 10 minutes, I did feel mildly sick after my second ride, but got over it in a few minutes.

Word of Advice: Never ride this twice in a row.

8/10

 

After my first ride on the Claw, I decided to go down and take a peek at the reindeer and Fahrenheit. The station was very dark, but amist the shadows was a train that was still in the station. The park could've just opened up the ride (if the construction fence wasn't there).

Curses.

 

The train without the nighttime settings...

 

and here's a better one.

 

The backside of the station was lit up really well.

 

 

 

It was at this point when I realized that I need a new digital camera. I've had this one for more than 6 years, the nighttime photos turn out blurry, the video I take has no sound, and I would like something more high-def.

Alright, done with my rant. Back to the TR.

 

The reindeer was all sleeping, so I went back and rode the Claw again and then hopped on the Pirate.

All sleeping with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads.....bad caption. Moving on.

 

Pirate

The ride seemed a little less forceful this year, but the ride was still good and the operators were trying to trick me into thinking that i was going to ride it again.

6/10

 

From here, it was time to get something to eat and with Minetown Restaurant being the best place, I headed over there.

The Kissing Tower

 

Skaters in the fountain in Tower Plaza.

 

Minetown Restaurant

I ate here back in October and didn't like what I got. This time I could say that the food was better. The grilled chicken sandwich was great, but the french fries could've had a little bit more flavor. I didn't have to wait to get my dinner and I ate while looking at old HP pictures on my iPod and listened to some X-mas music they were playing.

8/10

After eating, I explored Minetown a little more and decided to ride the Kissing Tower and try to get some pics even though the camera is crap during the night.

 

Kissing Tower

This has to be the best ride in the park during CCL. It really sets a great atmosphere with the music and lights in the town and park at night.

 

Here's what happened. The cabin was coming down, and instead of it stopping in line and level with the exit path, the cabin stopped 2 or so feet above the platform and only half of the doorway was in line with the exit. It was only me and two other people on the ride along with the ride operator. The op. first called maintenance and I think I heard the guy say it was a operator fault. About 5 minutes later, the area supervisor came over and another 4 or 5 minutes after that, 2 maintenance guys came. One of them went into the pit under the ride and brought the cabin down manually; the other physically pushed the car around so we could easily exit the ride. I think this was the highlight of the trip.

 

 

After getting stuck on the Kissing Tower, I took the path next to SDL down to Comet Hollow. That way had to be the least emptiest areas in the park and it seemed really peaceful with 2 massive but silent coasters around you and nothing but the path lights. my next ride was Wave Swinger which had (you guessed it!) no wait.

Settled down for a long winter's nap...

 

...or is it? Who knows what may be lurking behind the glowing wall in the Photo building.

 

 

 

Wave Swinger

The ride was a little colder since when I rode it in October, but still fun.

6/10

 

Next I headed up the hill and rode Skyview.

 

Skyview

I was the only one riding it and the ride ops. purposely stopped me over the creek for a minute or two ( I guess they were trying to scare me. lol).

5/10

 

After Skyview, I then hopped on RXCC which was a walk-on. I went in the Single-Rider line since it would've been a waste of time going in the normal queue maze.

 

RXCC

Ever since April, I've been trying to see how well I can score. It started at 36,000, then went to 46,000 in October, but how well did I do this time? First, I was competing against myself which added to the fun. Towards the end of the ride I scored 56,500. My team got 60,000. So how did I get the extra 4,500?

8/10

 

Since I saw 2 people get on Fender Bender, I guess I'd give it a try.

 

Fender Bender

Me versus 2 other people and no one else; there are 30 other cars in the building that are parked. It turned out more like a Nascar race instead of a demolition derby, but it still was fun.

5/10

 

After this, I faced the same two people at RXCC and lost (no suprise). Since I needed to meet my group back at CW to go home, I headed out. On the way I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for a hot chocolate remembering that I wanted to get one before I left. Hershey's is better.

 

 

It turned out to be a plesant 2008 season...

 

While in CW, I got a sweatshirt, waited for the rest of my group and then headed home anticipating what will be in store for my 2009 park season....

Merry Christmas to all and good night...

 

Some important notes from my visit:

-FH's train is still in the station.

-The park added winter (HPITD-style) ride labels to the height signs.

-More lighting displays and scenery were added.

-Santa's Castle has moved and it looks like the tolley display from the Museum was placed in Minetown.

-Seaquel Construction is going vertical.

-No lines and only about 50 people at the park (there were more workers than guests).

-The employees were really friendly, but a few looked exhausted and bored (no suprise there).

 

Details for my 2008 park season:

-# of parks: 2

Knoebels (3 times)

Hersheypark (Springtime, Halloween, Christmas)

-New Credits: 2

Sooperdooperlooper

Fahrenheit

 

Possible Parks for 2009:

Cedar Point

King's Island

Hersheypark