Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread

[jconsolmagno]

Thinking of going next Saturday (7/28) - is Fast Lane basically a must?

Man, I needed a good laugh. Thanks for that.

 

Seriously though, absolutely not. The dry side of the park will be a ghost town, like it is every day.

 

Disagree - was there in mid-May. Day after Liam Gallagher concert in Philly if you need exacts. 45 minute wait for Steel Force (did it) & Hydra (skipped it, left park and came back next day at entry on Plat Pass).

 

Would I ever get Fast Lane there? No - but is the dry side always dead. No it isn't.

[coasterbill]

Once or twice a millennium the park has a fluke Friday (and it looks like that was a Friday) where tons of school groups show up for like half the day and you might have to wait a few minutes for the rides for a few hours but that’s a super rare and even more rare on a weekend. There’s not going to be anybody there.

[gp1086]

Ok haha. No fast lane I guess.

[CoasterAuditor]

I have I believe a very solid plan of action for fast lane at Dorney Park and that is if I’m going to Dorney Park I don’t buy fast lane ever because I’m at Dorney Park.

[coasterbill]

I have I believe a very solid plan of action for fast lane at Dorney Park and that is if I’m going to Dorney Park I don’t buy fast lane ever because I’m at Dorney Park.

 

 

[YoshiFan]

When I see people with the regular Fast Lane wristbands, I always wonder if they had never been to the park before and pre-purchased it or actually bought it once there and how much they regret it. Even if they pay $10 extra for Fast Lane Plus where it actually is helpful for skipping lines in Wildwater Kingdom, it still doesn't seem worth paying around $60 total for the day.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Yeah I went on a Thursday when there were several school groups or summer camps or something, and I still managed to walk on nearly everything. Talon and Hydra had like 5 minute waits. Odd thing is, those 5 minute waits were jarring just because I got used to the Cartman treatment.

 

[DorneyKid14]

Dorney park: the only park in the world where you can go at opening, get on all the rides, and drive an hour and a half to a far better park and still make it there by noon.

[Genx24]

Anyone familiar with the park's rain policy? Most likely going today, but would like to save myself the 90 min drive if they close everything at the first drop of rain.

[DorneyKid14]

Anyone familiar with the park's rain policy? Most likely going today, but would like to save myself the 90 min drive if they close everything at the first drop of rain.

 

Unless there is lightning within a 10 mile radius of the park, all rides stay open.

 

Check out their blog post about weather protocol

[Genx24]

Thank you. I was digging around their website but didn't come across that.

[Mr.Peabody]

I was at the park yesterday (instead of Knoebels, where we're going today) and walked on just about everything. Does anyone have any idea why they asked us to take off our fanny packs on Thunderhawk? We wore them on every other ride, including Talon and Hydra.

[thesman]

I was at the park yesterday (instead of Knoebels, where we're going today) and walked on just about everything. Does anyone have any idea why they asked us to take off our fanny packs on Thunderhawk? We wore them on every other ride, including Talon and Hydra.

 

Pretty sure thats what PTC recommends

[SkyToro]

It looks like all the details for Haunt are live. Necropolis is a retheme/replacement for Grave Walkers, Cut Throat Island is no more (thankfully), and it looks like Trick or Treat will have dimmer or no lights this year. Also, Blood Drums returns for another year as the major show, with no more Skeleton Crew. https://www.dorneypark.com/play/haunt/attractions

[Steel Farce]

It's going to be a disappointing 2019 for the dry side from what I heard last night. Capex is being reduced largely due to bad weather/slow attendance.

[AmyUD06]

How long has it been since any year hasn't been "disappointing" for the dry side? 2008 with Possessed? Dorney is what it is, and I enjoy it for that, but expecting large-scale investment in this park is a pipe dream.

[grsupercity]

How long has it been since any year hasn't been "disappointing" for the dry side? 2008 with Possessed? Dorney is what it is, and I enjoy it for that, but expecting large-scale investment in this park is a pipe dream.

 

 

We all miss Richard. Back in the day when the pre paramount parks received investments larger then they should of

[coasterbill]

How long has it been since any year hasn't been "disappointing" for the dry side? 2008 with Possessed? Dorney is what it is, and I enjoy it for that, but expecting large-scale investment in this park is a pipe dream.

 

Disappointing shouldn't really be the word since people should have reasonable expectations by now, but we got Demon Drop in 2010 so by your metric it's probably that (unless anyone liked Stinger). I'm still confused as to why they seriously moved Demon Drop and thought it was a good idea but I'm SO glad they did it.

[Canobie Coaster]

Snake Pit was a pretty good addition too, especially considering the water side is usually busier. But since then haven't they only gotten some bumper cars and flyers?

[boldikus]

Snake Pit was a pretty good addition too, especially considering the water side is usually busier. But since then haven't they only gotten some bumper cars and flyers?

 

And a troika and a chicken tender stand.

[DorneyKid14]

From what I have been told, they next few years will be nice for not just dorney, but a lot of the smaller parks. The new CEO loves the smaller parks in the chain, and will be investing a lot of money in those parks.

[Phant0mF1re]

So I always read about how Dorney has really small crowds and is never busy...is that still the case during their Halloween event? Instead of fighting the crowds at Cedar Point...i'm kinda thinking it might be a good time to hit up Dorney since I've never been there and have a Platinum Pass this year.

[AmyUD06]

There will be crowds during the Haunt on Saturdays. Major coasters will be about 30 minutes, mazes over an hour.

[coasterbill]

We always go to Dorney for haunt because it's dead. There are like two mazes that might get lines and Steel Force and Talon might max out at 30 minutes for a few hours in the evening but it's basically same old, same old. For most of the day and late at night, all coasters are walk-ons and the mazes clear out fast.

 

Pro tip: The earlier you go in the year, the more of a ghost town the place will be. Also, there's a decent chance they'll run their log flume during the day those first few weekends and it's probably the best ride in the park. If you go on a Friday night early on the place is hilariously dead.

[coneyislandchris]

Also, there's a decent chance they'll run their log flume during the day those first few weekends and it's probably the best ride in the park.

We all love the log flume. For some reason though this year rather than the standard "light, refreshing mist" we've usually gotten, it's been turned up to "Whitewater Landing-light" mode.