Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread

[DILinator]

i guess were not getting anything for 2016 with dorney being the only park with no rumors or park teasing something (not really that shocked because its dorney but disappointed). hopefully im wrong tho

 

Sometime in September they are making an "announcement"

 

Waiting until then gives Shockwave enough time on the market to gauge whether or not it's going to sell, before they just decide to keep it in chain. Watch out though... Maybe Dorney is in competition with MiA to see which park is going to be "blessed" with its addition! (Loser gets KBF's old Screamin' Swing - at an upcharge cost! )

[ImNotOneOfYou]

i guess were not getting anything for 2016 with dorney being the only park with no rumors or park teasing something (not really that shocked because its dorney but disappointed). hopefully im wrong tho

 

Sometime in September they are making an "announcement"

 

Waiting until then gives Shockwave enough time on the market to gauge whether or not it's going to sell, before they just decide to keep it in chain. Watch out though... Maybe Dorney is in competition with MiA to see which park is going to be "blessed" with its addition! (Loser gets KBF's old Screamin' Swing - at an upcharge cost! )

 

We already have a Screamin' Swing. I guess we're stuck with Shockwave.

[njcoasterguy34]

On a different note, when I renewed my Dorney Park season pass today I noticed that they are now offering souvenir bottles for next season that come with free refills all season long.

[talon2017]

i would love to see something like what skyhawk that cw is getting

[Physical]

Park was super dead as it rained most of the day today, snapped this pic as the storm was rolling in. I won't embed it as it's massive but you guys might appreciate this.

[ImNotOneOfYou]

Park had a normal crowd and it rained most of the day today, snapped this pic as the storm was rolling in. I won't embed it as it's massive but you guys might appreciate this.

 

There we go

[CedarFair1]

omg what a troll I love it lol lol

[PhantomPoster32]

I guess the real question is "what does Dorney need?"

 

Is it time for another slide? Your flat collection is pretty good.

The ride side isn't ever really busy enough to warrant a new coaster.

Do you need more capacity in Planet Snoopy?

[blk_mamba]

Shockwave should go to Michigan's Adventure, they need something even more than Dorney Park! It is a shame that Dorney Park doesn't get much love. I went there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my visit. I have to agree that the water park was WAY more crowded than the park side. Everything coaster and major thrill ride was a walk on. I guess the question Cedar Fair is battling with is if you build it, will they come?

[coasterbill]

Park had a normal crowd and it rained most of the day today, snapped this pic as the storm was rolling in. I won't embed it as it's massive but you guys might appreciate this.

 

There we go

 

[ImNotOneOfYou]

Shockwave should go to Michigan's Adventure, they need something even more than Dorney Park! It is a shame that Dorney Park doesn't get much love. I went there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my visit. I have to agree that the water park was WAY more crowded than the park side. Everything coaster and major thrill ride was a walk on. I guess the question Cedar Fair is battling with is if you build it, will they come?

 

Would that make their best steel coaster the used Vekoma SLC or the used TOGO stand-up?

[DILinator]

Shockwave should go to Michigan's Adventure, they need something even more than Dorney Park! It is a shame that Dorney Park doesn't get much love. I went there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my visit. I have to agree that the water park was WAY more crowded than the park side. Everything coaster and major thrill ride was a walk on. I guess the question Cedar Fair is battling with is if you build it, will they come?

 

Would that make their best steel coaster the used Vekoma SLC or the used TOGO stand-up?

 

You forgot to mention an old, Arrow looper is also in the conversation!

 

Wow... Thinking about it now, it all seems like a fitting, if not slightly horrific, possibility!

[Physical]

Shockwave should go to Michigan's Adventure, they need something even more than Dorney Park! It is a shame that Dorney Park doesn't get much love. I went there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my visit. I have to agree that the water park was WAY more crowded than the park side. Everything coaster and major thrill ride was a walk on. I guess the question Cedar Fair is battling with is if you build it, will they come?

 

Would that make their best steel coaster the used Vekoma SLC or the used TOGO stand-up?

 

Speaking of Stinger, if you ride it in car 4 (and only car 4, not 5, not 3) on either side, it's a /fantastic/ ride.

 

If you haven't ridden it in 4 you're going to call BS on the next part, just hear me out. It's pretty smooth, no headbanging, and extremely forceful. On the return trip, coming into the cobra, I started to grey out. Completely changed my opinion of Stinger from "Tear this hunk of scrap out" to "This is the most comfortable torture device I've ever been on."

 

I've never ridden a Vekoma that felt that smooth. Give it a shot if you're in the park. If you want to compare, ride it in car 1 or 7, it's a night and day difference.

[Nitro1118]

Mini PTR for 8/21:

 

Today, I hit Dorney Park for the first time in 5 years. From 02-08 I used to visit the park annually, but adult life has made it difficult to find time for CF's ugly step-child the last couple of years. This time around, I went with my girlfriend (aspiring theme park junkie) and 6 year-old step son. Since he is only 46 inches tall, it was the first time I've visited this park through the "family guy" lens, which was interesting. Due to our heavy work schedules, we couldn't deal with waking up at 7 to make the 2 hour drive from NJ for opening, so we arrived at 1pm with plans on hitting WWK first. I won't do a step-by-step breakdown, but here are some notes from the visit:

 

-The crowd at Dorney has changed pretty drastically over the last decade. The park is definitely attracting the type of rougher crowd SF gets. Personally, I have no issues with this, but it is noticeable.

 

-I had a number of issues with operations today. First off, at most parks, my girlfriend and I are able to switch off with my step son on the platform of coasters...i.e one rides the coaster, then when the first person gets back my stepson walks across the train to the exit while the second person gets to ride. At SF this is no issue, but Dorney refuses to let underage children on the playform AT ALL...most of the time. On some rides they absolutely refused. On other rides, it was completely ok. There was no consistency, rhyme or reason, or explanation at all. With that said, the op at Steel Force was amazing and stood by him while my girlfriend and I got to ride together. Major kudos for that.

 

Also, food operations was horrible. I ordered mozzarella sticks near Talon that were so old that the cheese inside was crunchy. The employee there moved so incredibly slow and unenthusiastically that it was painful.

 

-As a step-parent, the selection of family rides and attractions at this park is amazing. We could have easily spent an entire day here with the array of family rides the park offers, which is something I could never have dreamed under the enthusiast pre-tense. The Whip in particular was a ton of fun.

 

-Despite the rougher clientelle and occasionally iffy operations, the park looked great. Very clean, rides looked (and felt) fresh and well-maintained, and everything looked very well lit for my first time at night at Dorney.

 

-The park is still very underrated, and one elite coaster away from breaking into my favorites list. The Shockwave relocation should definitely fill that void

 

 

Ride count:

 

Talon 3x

Steel Force 1x

Possessed 1x

Stinger 1x

Thunderhawk 1x

The Whip 1x

Demon Drop 1x

Lionel's Something or another 1x

 

Talon: Still my number 2 invert behind Alpengeist, and ahead of other high-profile inverts like Montu, Raptor, Dragon Challenge, etc... Very well-paced with some moments of high G's, 2 pops of airtime, tight ground-hugging, and no MCBR. Also, one of the best color schemes ever. Normally my favorite coaster at Dorney, but...

 

Steel Force: WOW. I have never been a huge fan of this ride, but my ride tonight was by far my best ride on it ever. We got a 3rd row ride during the late evening and got sustained floater on the big camelbacks, positive G's and no slugishness in the helix, and legit ejector on the return bunny hops. I don't knoe what it was...maybe it was the fact that I finally stayed at the park after 1pm and the ride was warmed up? Maybe since I finally got in a ride with a full train? I don't know, but it was a genuinely terrific ride.

 

Stinger: New credit for me. After my horrific ride on SFNE's Goliath in June, I was curious to see how its distant cousin would ride. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly smooth and forceful. A very nice fit in Dorney's lineup.

 

Possessed: Nothing new here. Been on this in 2003 at the former SFWoA, and again in 2010 here. Impulses are always fun, but nothing too special.

 

Thunderhawk: Thunderhawk always tends to be a mixed bag as far as ride experience goes. I've had horribly rough and trimmed rides on it, as well as fast and airtime-filled rides on it. Today was in the middle. No trims until the end, had a lot of airtime, but it was also rougher than I remember. Fun ride nontheless.

 

Overall, we had a great time! Some pics:

Steel Force...ful?!?

One of the better shots I've taken this year.

Still alive and kickin'.

Possessed.

Little man posing with a dinosaur.

Steel Forceful again.

Pleasant surprise of the evening.

Tried over the course of 3 cycles to get a pic with the train this high up the spike. Success!

Talon: Gripping at the fear of a Shockwave relocation.

[anonymouscactus]

Great report from a different prospective. I'll be going for the first time since they built Hydra in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to it more and more. Not sure why the park gets such a bad rap, but whatever.

[ImNotOneOfYou]

What are crowds expected to be like during Labor Day? I've been to Dorney Park many, many times, but never around Labor Day.

[Jcoaster]

Great report from a different prospective. I'll be going for the first time since they built Hydra in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to it more and more. Not sure why the park gets such a bad rap, but whatever.

 

It isn't that the park has a bad rep. Its just that the park seems sort of neglected in comparison to other Cedar Fair parks. I enjoy Dorney, I just wish they would add a large new attraction.

[talon2017]

can someone fill me in with info and pics from the haunt preview tonight since dorney doesnt know what sending out a tweet is and informing people

[YoshiFan]

What are crowds expected to be like during Labor Day? I've been to Dorney Park many, many times, but never around Labor Day.

 

I went to the park on Labor Day a few years ago. It wasn't very crowded, the ride side was walk ons and the waterpark had short waits.

[talon2017]

love the new maze for this year. trick or treat!!!!

[DorneyKid14]

can someone fill me in with info and pics from the haunt preview tonight since dorney doesnt know what sending out a tweet is and informing people

 

https://m.facebook.com/dorneypark?ref=bookmarks

They have an album for all the preview stuff.

[Vonni]

So, KI, KD, partially KBF, and WOF have announced their 2016 additions so far. So we are just waiting on CGA, VF, MiA, CP (the announcement anyway), and DP. Should all of these be done by the end of the month?

[coastercrazi]

I don't think that CP's announcement will be this month

[baileybrucem]

So, KI, KD, partially KBF, and WOF have announced their 2016 additions so far. So we are just waiting on CGA, VF, MiA, CP (the announcement anyway), and DP. Should all of these be done by the end of the month?

 

MiA made their announcement: A shiny new replacement bar for part of Thunderhawk's que line that rusted.

[coasterbill]

What are crowds expected to be like during Labor Day?

 

There won't be any.