TR: Hersheypark 10/25/09

[Jim S.]

I haven't seen any TRs from Hersheypark in the Dark yet. This could possibly be because it's been cold and rainy every night it's been scheduled this year! Since yesterday was the first good day, I went for part of the day. It was after 3 til I got in, partly due to endless road work.

 

I had checked the closed-rides list on http://mobile.hersheypark.com as late as noon and they had everything listed as open. But when I got to the park, I saw that they had Stormrunner posted as closed. So instead of making that my first stop, I went to Great Bear. The line wasn't even out to the switchbacks in front of the station, and proved to be only about 15 minutes long for anything but the front seat. (The front seat queue, as usual, had about 10 cycles worth of people in it.) They weren't stacking trains as bad as usual, so the line stayed the same size and I took a second ride. I just don't get why people say this ride is boring. It's not tightly-wound like other B&Ms, but the openness works so well with the terrain.

 

Since Stormrunner was closed, the next stop, after a quick bumper-car ride (wait time 1 cycle) was Fahrenheit, which I had planned on skipping because it always has a huge line. This time the front switchbacks were only about half filled. I didn't time it, but I heard someone say they thought it was about 45 minutes. It didn't seem quite that bad, but maybe it was because it was the first time I've been in Fahrenheit's line when it wasn't unbearably hot and humid. Someone was smoking in line though, and nobody said anything. It was also the first time that I didn't notice any long pauses between dispatches. They were only running two trains though, in fact the third train wasn't even in the station. Is it out for maintenance already? The ride itself was typical. It still rattles like crazy, but since for once my brain wasn't dehydrated I didn't mind the rattling this time.

 

Next was Wildcat. The line was only down the final ramp into the station, so the wait wasn't too bad. The track had obviously just been greased, and the ride was the fastest I've had in a long time. Even the roll-around into the lift was flying, and took the train a long way up before it caught the chain in a way I normally only see on Twister. The shaking was tolerable for a wood fan, so I had to take a second ride.

 

While I was in the station waiting for my first ride, someone shot a front-seat video in full view of the operators. They weren't really paying attention, but I don't know how they could've missed it.

 

On to the mouse next. Again a shorter line than normal. A little more braking than normal too though.

 

From the mouse I went to Lightning Racer. The line was down about two ramps because they were only using one train per side, but it still moved decently. At first Lightning was winning as usual, but then Thunder got into a winning streak the likes of which I've never seen before.

 

After a few rides on LR, it was time to decide how to close out not just the night, but my year. Stormrunner never opened, so maybe Great Bear? But I didn't really want to walk up the hill. But what's this? There's half an hour left, but people are leaving in droves. Hmmm, maybe check Fahrenheit's line?

 

It turned out to be only through the tapered switchbacks at the bottom of the stairs. So not only was it my shortest Fahrenheit wait ever, but also my first night ride. Going up the lift into a starry sky was a very cool experience!

[TYTL]

Sounds like a great time, but you didn't go on Comet. Comet or LR would have been my last ride of the year, but I only got to Hershey once this year. I wish I'd been there.

[tatertot3710]

Cool! I was there the same day and was pretty disappointed about Storm Runner, too. I rode Fahrenheit twice and the line was 25 Mins. both times (timed). Wildcat was actually running 1 train until about 3:30 when they transfered a train onto the track while I was in line. Great day to go.

 

^Comet was my last ride of the year.

[Jim S.]

Sounds like a great time, but you didn't go on Comet. Comet or LR would have been my last ride of the year, but I only got to Hershey once this year. I wish I'd been there.

 

I only got there twice (I never pay full price, it's too crowded for that) and since the first time was in the spring I didn't get any Stormrunner rides at all this year

 

I didn't even check Comet's line, but I thought I saw from GB's lift that the queue was fairly full, and I've not ever seen them check the train in anything resembling an efficient manner. To get me on Comet more than once every few years, they'd have to guarantee me that the trim brakes would be off and that they'd greased the hell out of the track. I've had one ride with no noticeable braking, and although it didn't suck it still didn't seem to fly like it should.

[Speeddeamon128]

Nice TR! I'll be going on Sunday for my last trip of the year. Did they only run one train for all of the coasters except two for Fahrenheit & the mouse? I also plan on making Comet my last ride of the year

[tatertot3710]

^ All rides ran 2 trains for most of the day (Lightning Racer only ran 1 train on each trach all day). You should have an awesome time. I got on all 9 coasters with second rides on 4 and a few spins on some flats. The crews were actually the fastest I've seen at the park. Have fun!

[TYTL]

I only got there twice (I never pay full price, it's too crowded for that) and since the first time was in the spring I didn't get any Stormrunner rides at all this year

 

I went in April, the 27th to be exact, because my dad's company gets a half price day on the last Sunday of April, partly because it's (supposedly) cooler (In April, it was topping out at 90 degrees.), and because the place isn't packed.