Penn State-Summer Trip

[U2Rox]

Hey everybody! Hope everyone's doing great in TPR Land!!

 

So here's the situation. This summer I'll be traveling to see U2 from Miami to Philly to NJ. The Philly show is on July 12 and the Jersey show is July 19. So I have all this time in between and what's a Coaster Enthusiast to do with all this time. Well..... Go RIDE.

 

So here's my thinking, I'll be hanging with a friend and we'll probably need some down time after the show on July 12. I'm thinking, get a rental out of Philly sometime noon and head out July 13. We'll have to be back on July 18 to get ready for U2 on the 19.

 

Here's where I'm looking for the best possible way to go about this. I'd like to visit Dorney, Knoebels, and Hershey!! With the lay out of distances between parks, from Philly, which park should I hit first, second, third?? Any suggestions for the best hotels in rates and location? Would any of the parks need a two day pass?

I'm curious as to how these parks were hit on the East Coast Trip.

 

I've been trying to figure out how I can go about this madness. Any help is appreciated, because as the months go by I feel I need a plan. Thanks guys!

 

Roxanne

[larrygator]

My suggestion.

 

Since you have already decided not to get on the road early, take your time on the 13th after you check out of the hotel and get a good cheesesteak. Then plan to arrive at Hersheypark in order to use their preview plan. You can get into the park that night for free if you buy an admission ticket for the next day. So get to Hersheypark 3 hours before it closes on the 13th and visit the Chocolate World Ride (which is free and located right outside the front gate) first.

 

The next morning (show your parking pass from the 13th and parking is free) spend the whole day at Hersheypark.

 

Even though it is a little bit of back tracking on driving I would go the Dorney on the 15th (Thursday) instead of Friday. And go to Knoebels on the 16th.

 

For hotels the only recommendation is to use hotwire.com (or similar) site for someplace near Hershey as the area is not the cheaper place to find a good hotel. I ended up in a very nice Doubletree about 15-20 miles away a couple of years ago for only $60.

[robbalvey]

^ I think this is a solid plan and those three parks are also the ones I'd reccomend as well.

[Groteslurf]

Hi Roxy,

 

2 years ago we stayed in in 'Comfort Inn at the Park', which was a mile or 2 from Hersheypark. This was a good place to stay and from there it was only a 45 minutes drive to Knoebels if I'm not mistaken.

 

 

p.s. give my regard to Adam when you see him

[U2Rox]

Hey Thanks guys!! This is why I love TPR!!

 

^I would have never known about Hershey. And Definitely I'm up for a Cheesteak. Last time I was in Philly for the Behemoth trip I ate at Pat's now it's time for Geno's!! I've been looking on Expedia for rates, we'll see what I can find. Thanks Larry!!!

 

^^Thanks Robb!! I would have loved to hit up Kennywood or maybe even Ravine Flyer but just doesn't seem feasible with time and money. Gotta have limits.

 

^^^ Hey Benny!! How are you friend?? Thanks for the tip I'll be looking into pricing and distance. Been wishing we could share another Fat Tire!! I'll tell Adam you said Hi. When I meet him, I'll say "I have a friend and he looks just like you!!" HAha!

 

This sounds like the plan. Hershey, Dorney then Knoebels!!

Just a thought.... Think Flying Turns will be ready?? Ha!

Thanks again guys!!!

[Chris Benvenuto]

^ I was at Knoebels' this past summer and they were no where close to done with Flying Turns. But, I agree with the other's on what parks to hit that's pretty much Pennsylvania at it's best. Come back and hit whatever you missed when you have the time, it'll be there when you return.

[tatertot3710]

I'd say FT should open sometime this summer; they got the new trains and since Black Diamond is opening in 2011, it looks like this might finally be the year.

[U2Rox]

HEY, hey, Hey!!!

 

Well, as the months have gone by my summer trip is shaping up nicely.

However,... It seems I'll have less days in PA than I thought. A friend of mine is an Opera singer, he has a lead role, and will be performing on July 17. Soo... that cuts my time.

 

I'm thinking I'll have to return the rental in Philly on the 16 and from there I'll can catch a train to NYC.

So my question is: Is it possible to do all three parks in this amount of time, which would be July 13 through the 16? Considering travel time ect...?? My issue is that I would prefer to spend a good amount of time at Hershey. And if I had to choose between Dorney or Knoebls.... what is best?? Can't decide... Help!!!! Thanks guys!!

[downunder]

^Roxy, look up the park index and see what types of rides you prefer.

 

I personally would choose Knoebels because it is so much fun, Phoenix is the most amazing wood coaster I have been on, the airtime is amazing. They have a lot of really fun traditional rides, the stand outs for me were the Dodgems (the GCI guys got them semi airborne in collisions) and the haunted house. To me Knoebels, was like finding a magical little place hidden in the middle of the forest.

 

Dorney is more stuff you would have been on before - an OK hyper, floorless, invert, impulse, a mouse, an average woodie and kiddie coasters. For atmosphere - all concrete and trashcans. Though the water park is supposed to be good.

[larrygator]

Overall Great Experience = Knoebels

Coaster Whore = Dorney

[U2Rox]

Hey Thanks for helping me out guys!!

 

I've decided to hit up Knoebels and if I can manage Dorney I will make every effort to. I'd really not like to be in the area and not go to one or the other.

 

[Noah4040]

Knoebels is definatly your best bet, Dorney is pretty much like anyother theme park in the northeast. Hershey is good park that retained a little bit of it's heritage. But Knoebels is a unique experience that you can not find anywhere. 2 Awesome world class woodies, the best food you could hope to find the middle of no-where, and classic rides that other parks have just "thrown away". So if you only have time to visit one park, Knoebels will not disapoint. I live about 30 min from the park, so if you have any questions about the area or the park feel free to ask.

[U2Rox]

Thank You Noah!!

I'm really excited to be in the area and go to these parks.

I'm still trying to figure out hotels and driving from each park.

Also I think I'm gonna TRY and go to Knoebels and Dorney in one day. Is it possible to do both and still get all the credits??

I really wish I had more time to enjoy the parks for a day, but I'm just not sure.

 

I am very happy to be planning this though!! I've been wanting to visit these parks for many years!!

[Noah4040]

That depends how many days you want to spend in each park, I would give at least 2days for Knoebels. It's not a huge park, but it's bigger than it looks and you won't want to rush thru it. And you could probably use 2 days for Dorney, depending on whether or not you go into the water park part of it. Knoebels has their 2010 brochure and map for download at their website. Not sure about Dorney thou. As far as hotels are concerned, I would start with what park you plan to visit first and look at hotels in that area. A lot of hotels in central PA have very reasonable rates, just keep in mind that if you plan to stay in a hotel when visiting Knoebels, the nearest hotels are about 15-30 min from the park, and Dorney has some very close, but they charge more and the rates most likely go up on weekends. You might want to hit-up the visitors bureaus for each of the areas you are visiting and they can give you a good idea of what lodging to expect.

 

Here is the link for the area around Knoebels:

 

http://www.itourcolumbiamontour.com/visitorInfo/accommodations.aspx

 

http://knoebels.com/index.asp

 

And here is the link for the area around Dorney:

 

http://www.lehighvalleypa.org/visitors/specialoffers/travelpackages/dorney_deals

 

http://www.dorneypark.com/

 

Hope that's of some help to you.

[larrygator]

Roxanne - you will not need 2 days at Knoebels, nor 2 days at Dorney.

 

I still think your best plan is heading the Hershey the night of the 13th when you get, doing the Preview Plan and returning the next day 14th.

 

15th - Be at Knoebels at opening, some people love Knoebels and can easily spend the day there, but you will not need 2 days

 

16th - Be at Dorney for the opening and you should have no trouble getting everything in, 2 days would only be necessary if you want to spend some time at Whitewater Kingdom.

 

Although I reversed the order of Knoebels and Dorney since my first post, either way works.

Edited May 18, 2010 by larrygator

[U2Rox]

Hey Guys!

 

Thanks again Noah!! Those are some good links for hotels and the surrounding areas. I can tell you Love Knoebels, I'm really excited to get this Park!! (all of them)!!

 

Hey Larry you gave me some ideas! I didn't think about hitting up Dorney in the morn of the 16. I was thinking that day for travel only, but I think it's totally possible to hit up the park in the morning and be in NYC by nightfall!!

 

Thanks guys! It's becoming more and more clear as time draws near!!

[sugart]

Just some things to consider. Dorney is only hour and a half from NYC, why not rent the car in Philly and return it it NYC. No point in driving back to Philly and then hopping a train. Its a pretty easy drive as well, I 80 east and it will run you right into NY.

 

As for cheesesteaks, skip Pats or Genos, you'll find better at either Tony Lukes or Johns Roast Pork. Id personally reccomend Johns. Not only are the cheesesteaks some of the best, but as you can tell by the name, they have the best roast pork sandwiches. Google them as they tend to run weird hours.

[YoshiFan]

If all you care about is the coasters at Dorney, you should be able to ride all of them in less than 2 hours easily unless it is for some reason unusually crowded. Get the Wild Mouse out of the way first, that is the only coaster that almost always has a wait because of it's horrible capacity thanks to CF being strict with adding seatbelts and only allowing 2 adults per car.

[larrygator]

If all you care about is the coasters at Dorney, you should be able to ride all of them in less than 2 hours easily unless it is for some reason unusually crowded. Get the Wild Mouse out of the way first, that is the only coaster that almost always has a wait because of it's horrible capacity thanks to CF being strict with adding seatbelts and only allowing 2 adults per car.

 

Is CF at fault for every other Wild Mouse that gets a long line such as Cheetah Chase at BGA and Wild Mouse at Hersheypark, also.

[tatertot3710]

Hershey's line moves pretty fast as the cars continuously move through the station and there are more cars in use than on Dorney's. I would say the line at Hershey moves at double the speed, if not faster, than the line at Dorney. I like the operations, and the overall ride of Hershey's mouse over Dorney's.

 

On topic of the thread, neither Dorney nor Knoebels are parks that you need a long time at (Unless you want to visit Wildwater kingdom as stated before). The Roller Soaker credit at Hershey will be hit or miss. The wait was 2.5 hours on a Tuesday last year. It looks likr you have a good plan set up. Have a great time!

[U2Rox]

So the Big Buzz in U2 World is that the US leg of the Tour is now postponed because Bono had to have emergency back surgery! It's been a big deal all weekend for us. Many people planned their summer vacations around U2 shows, Like Me....

If your a fan or just curious check out U2.com for more official info.

Here's an article posted today about Bono's physical state:

 

"Bono has now been discharged from Ludwig Maximilians-University (LMU) Hospital in Munich where he underwent emergency surgery on Friday, following a back injury. In order to fully recover, he is under doctor's orders to start a rehabilitation program and to recuperate for at least eight weeks.

 

Dr Muller Wohlfahrt confirmed, 'Bono suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve. On review of his MRI scan, I realized there was a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc, and that conservative treatment would not suffice. I recommended Bono have emergency spine surgery with Professor Tonn at Munich's LMU University Hospital on Friday.'

 

Professor Tonn, who carried out the operation, added, 'Bono was referred to me by Dr Muller Wohlfahrt late last week with a sudden onset disease. He was already in severe pain with partial paralysis in the lower leg. The ligament surrounding the disc had an 8mm tear and during surgery we discovered fragments of the disc had traveled into the spinal canal. This surgery was the only course of treatment for full recovery and to avoid further paralysis. Bono is now much better, with complete recovery of his motor deficit. The prognosis is excellent but to obtain a sustainable result, he must now enter a period of rehabilitation'.

 

Dr Muller Wohlfahrt continued, 'We are treating Bono as we would treat any of our athletes and while the surgery has gone very well, the coming weeks are crucial for a return to full health. In the next days, he will start a light rehabilitation program, with increasing intensity over the next 8 weeks. In our experience, this is the minimum time.'

 

 

 

I'm still going east. I'm just not gonna get to see U2 this summer, but I will get to Ride. With or Without U2, plans are still as is.

 

Just some things to consider. Dorney is only hour and a half from NYC, why not rent the car in Philly and return it it NYC. No point in driving back to Philly and then hopping a train. Its a pretty easy drive as well, I 80 east and it will run you right into NY.

 

As for cheesesteaks, skip Pats or Genos, you'll find better at either Tony Lukes or Johns Roast Pork. Id personally reccomend Johns. Not only are the cheesesteaks some of the best, but as you can tell by the name, they have the best roast pork sandwiches. Google them as they tend to run weird hours.

 

Hey Thanks sugart!!

I have thought about driving into NYC, but that idea went out quick because of cost. I'll look into it again and see if it's a better option for me. Also Thank You for the suggestions on Cheesesteaks. I'm up for trying something new so I'll definitely look up Tony Lukes or Johns Roast Pork.

 

Hey Yoshifan, I don't just care about the credits/coasters, I love parks. It's just that's all I might have time for. Thanks for the suggestion on the Wild Mouse. I'll plan to hit it up first.

 

I do remember Cheetah Chase did take forever it seemed at BG.

 

Thanks tatertot!!! I plan to have an Amazing Time!

 

BTW: Has anyone stayed at this place?? Granny's Motel Frackville, PA-----http://book.pahotels.com/hotel/?refid=1089&rs_hid=17816604&view=o

Thinking about chancing it since it's cheap and seems a good distance from Knoebels. Let me know guys!!

[Groteslurf]

I've been thinking about you Roxanne, when I read it in the newspapers.

But good for you, you're still going to do the trip.

 

And I hope, you will have the chance to do the concerts afterwards.

[HPCrazy]

Hershey's line moves pretty fast as the cars continuously move through the station and there are more cars in use than on Dorney's. I would say the line at Hershey moves at double the speed, if not faster, than the line at Dorney. I like the operations, and the overall ride of Hershey's mouse over Dorney's.

 

I never have a problem with Hershey's Wild Mouse either. I agree that Dorney's is horrible and the line barely moves. At Hershey, the line continuously moves because the train doesn't stop and no seat belts.

[Speeddeamon128]

What you could do is get to Dorney early & get that out of the way & then head over to Hershey the same day. It is do able since Hershey is according to mapquest it is only about a 1 hour 15 minute drive http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1pn=Dorney+Park+%26+Wildwater+Kngdm&1c=Allentown&1s=PA&1a=3830+Dorney+Park+Rd&1z=18104&1y=US&1l=40.57757&1g=-75.53169&1v=ADDRESS&1id=2180543&2pn=Hershey+Park+Security&2c=Hershey&2s=PA&2a=100+W+Hershey+Park+Dr&2z=17033&2y=US&2l=40.294314&2g=-76.654155&2v=ADDRESS&2id=261533115#initPgSt Then from Hershey you can head over to Knoebels the next day. Or you could do Knoebels first since it is the farthest park & do Hershey most of the day followed by Dorney at night since Dorney is the closest to Philly. Dorney Park shouldn't take more than 2 hours to get knocked out if your going just for coasters as Yoshifan stated in an earlier post but Knoebels is definitely worth hitting as Phoenix is one of the best coasters I've ever ridden & I'm looking forward to my first trip there this year which will hopefully be soon. You probably won't need all day at Knoebels but I can ride Phoenix all day long & not get tired of it! I hope this helps!

 

~Matt

[Jim S.]

I wouldn't recommend spending less than a day at Hershey. In fact, if it's the only trip she plans on making to Hershey in the foreseeable future, she may want more than one day. Sure it's possible to ride all the coasters there in one day, but if it's a busy day she may only get one ride each, and a lot of them are worth re-riding.

 

And oh yeah, standard spiel since nobody else has done it yet: don't forget the Flyers at Knoebels! If you've never flown these, or more accurately, never flown a GOOD set of these, watch what everyone else is doing and try to imitate the most interesting ones