Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread

[CoasterTony]

They're beautiful

[Iby coaster]

They're beautiful

I can't believe they will make a test run soon! So excited to ride on season pass preview night and opening day.

[RideofSteel]

Wow, those trains look great!

[coasterbill]

I don't really see how more PTC trains with most likely the same amount of annual track maintenance will improve anything. Is it just me? Someone enlighten me... maybe I missed something.

[michaellynn4]

They'd look more beautiful with buzz bars.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

I don't really see how more PTC trains with most likely the same amount of annual track maintenance will improve anything. Is it just me? Someone enlighten me... maybe I missed something.

I haven't been on this ride yet, but a lot of people said the headrests were bad and made the roughness more noticeable. And these trains will be slightly lighter, and the fact that these new trains haven't been used and beat up probably has something to do with it. The ride will probably be smoother for a few seasons, but the park will eventually have to do a complete re-tracking the near future if it is as bad as people say it is.

[GCI Wooden]

They'd look more beautiful with buzz bars.

Any train would look better with buzz bars.

[Johnlloyd]

I don't really see how more PTC trains with most likely the same amount of annual track maintenance will improve anything. Is it just me? Someone enlighten me... maybe I missed something.

I haven't been on this ride yet, but a lot of people said the headrests were bad and made the roughness more noticeable. And these trains will be slightly lighter, and the fact that these new trains haven't been used and beat up probably has something to do with it. The ride will probably be smoother for a few seasons, but the park will eventually have to do a complete re-tracking the near future if it is as bad as people say it is.

 

When I had visited Dorney Park for the first time last June, I found Thunderhawk to be relatively smooth and greatly enjoyable! The headrests weren't an issue when I had rode it. But, before I had gone to the park in June, the park had done some support restructuring during the 2014/15 off season, so maybe that made the coaster smoother. Hopefully the refurbishments that have been done during this off season make Thunderhawk even more smoother. But, for some reason, I don't think the replacement of the trains was necessarily a great idea as the buzz bar trains gave some amazing airtime. Hopefully the new trains make Thunderhawk amazing and not ruin this great coaster!

[I Like Theme Parks.]

^That's pretty good news that it was somewhat smooth before. So it will be even better. The PTC lap bars are certainly no buzz bars, but they do give you a good amount of room to come out of your seat a little bit. Thunderhawk is probably my most anticipated ride at the park, since I LOVE old-school PTC woodies, even the rough ones!

[Johnlloyd]

^That's pretty good news that it was somewhat smooth before. So it will be even better. The PTC lap bars are certainly no buzz bars, but they do give you a good amount of room to come out of your seat a little bit. Thunderhawk is probably my most anticipated ride at the park, since I LOVE old-school PTC woodies, even the rough ones!

 

You won't be disappointed when you ride Thunderhawk! I rode it twice with no problems last June! I wish Wild Beast at my home park, Canada's Wonderland was replaced with a coaster similar to Thunderhawk because Thunderhawk's layout is amazing, mostly because it's kind of an out-and-back coaster! I prefer out-and-back wooden coasters like Thunderhawk, Mighty Canadian Minebuster at Canada's Wonderland and The Racer at Kings Island compared to twisted, rough wooden coasters. Hopefully these amazing wooden coaster stick around for many more years to come!

[boldikus]

They'd look more beautiful with buzz bars.

 

 

Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again, we some good rides on Thunderhawk last year (in June and again in the cold in October) both times in the front car only. It gives a good ride up there, good airtime, not any more rough than an old woodie should be. I'll miss the buzzbars, as its a shame to see another classic woodie lose them, hopefully the new trains will take a little bit of the bite out of the roughness.

[Johnlloyd]

Thunderhawk's new trains are now headed off to the park today! Below are a couple of photos showing off Thunderhawk's new trains, along with the wonderful PTCI team who helped manufacture them!

 

Photo Credit: Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Inc. via Facebook

 

Photo Credit: Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Inc. via Facebook

[DorneyKid14]

the trains have officially arrived!!!!

[drummermattk]

^Beat me to it! Here's some more pics from the parks twitter and Mike Fehnel's twitter!

[cdcruizer05]

So is Mike Fehnel no longer at Carowinds?

[TyRush]

So is Mike Fehnel no longer at Carowinds?

Right. I believe he swapped positions between Carowinds and Dorney

[DorneyKid14]

So is Mike Fehnel no longer at Carowinds?

 

No. He is still at Carowinds. He just post stuff about Dorney all the time.

 

a little there. He's been back since November.

[Password121]

So is Mike Fehnel no longer at Carowinds?

 

No. He is still at Carowinds. He just post stuff about Dorney all the time.

 

a little there. He's been back since November.

Mike Fehnel is Dorney's GM right now.

[DorneyKid14]

So is Mike Fehnel no longer at Carowinds?

 

No. He is still at Carowinds. He just post stuff about Dorney all the time.

 

a little there. He's been back since November.

Mike Fehnel is Dorney's GM right now.

 

I know. Read everything I put.

[Iby coaster]

Thunder Hawk's trains arrived!

Can't wait to ride!

[ImNotOneOfYou]

Guys I think the new trains for Thunderhawk arrived.

[RollerManic]

Guys I think the new trains for Thunderhawk arrived.

I'm not sure if I believe you. I'll take it with a grain of salt until...

[Johnlloyd]

Here is a video of Thunderhawk testing with one of its new trains!

[SkyToro]

Here is a video of Thunderhawk testing with one of its new trains!

And it made it back.

 

Also, look at that paint. Looks great.

[CoasterTony]

Great video! Here is also a couple of photos from the first test run.