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Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread

p. 201 - Iron Menace announced for 2024!

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I was at the park two days ago, and while I was waiting for Possessed to end its cycle not waiting in line, I noticed that the launch was noticeably slower than usual. When I was on the ride, the launch started out normally, but at one point acceleration stopped for a second.

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I was at the park two days ago, and while I was waiting for Possessed to end its cycle not waiting in line, I noticed that the launch was noticeably slower than usual. When I was on the ride, the launch started out normally, but at one point acceleration stopped for a second.

That's weird, I was at the park Sunday and that thing was absolutely FLYING, much more so than my other visit in May.

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I was at the park two days ago, and while I was waiting for Possessed to end its cycle not waiting in line, I noticed that the launch was noticeably slower than usual. When I was on the ride, the launch started out normally, but at one point acceleration stopped for a second.

This happens occasionally. I think they call it a "false launch." From what I understand, it happens when there isn't enough pressure in the system. It's also known to cause the ride to unlock gates and fail to dispatch. After a couple tries, it'll launch slowly and rough and during this ride the holding break doesn't engage. Usually the ride runs normally after this happens once.

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I was at the park two days ago, and while I was waiting for Possessed to end its cycle not waiting in line, I noticed that the launch was noticeably slower than usual. When I was on the ride, the launch started out normally, but at one point acceleration stopped for a second.

This happens occasionally. I think they call it a "false launch." From what I understand, it happens when there isn't enough pressure in the system. It's also known to cause the ride to unlock gates and fail to dispatch. After a couple tries, it'll launch slowly and rough and during this ride the holding break doesn't engage. Usually the ride runs normally after this happens once.

 

It's not caused by pressure, seeing as it's an LIM launch and uses alternating magnetic fields to boost the train. I know what you're talking about regarding the false launch though, I've had a few rides on it where the initial boost out of the station was normal, but then it felt like we slammed on the brakes for about .2 seconds, slowing down the train dramatically.

 

No clue what the cause is, but I've experienced it before.

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I'm probably one in a million here, but Hydra is my favorite ride at Dorney. Sue me.

 

Hydra is a good coaster. I was among the first to ride the coaster on Opening Day 2005. The inversion before the lift hill is a coaster moment I'll never forget. You come out of the station and you are in a barrel roll. I rode Hercules, the coaster prior to Hydra, and it was one of the worst coasters ever. The headache sucked.

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they ended up with the most forceless inverting coaster ever conceived. They tried, they got themselves all psyched up, they tried something crazy and it just failed miserably to do anything interesting.

 

From the parking lot, Hydra looks wicked. You have to admit that. Looks like the monster itself.

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Steel Force, on the other hand is one of my least favourite coasters ever. Just a glorified mine train that has nothing of note besides a decent helix and some mild air on the return hills.

 

Steel Force is pretty much a mini Magnum XL-200. Dorney Park is a mini Cedar Point.

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Speaking of Steel Force, when I was there last month, I rode in the back and was shockingly underwhelmed. Rode again in the front on boldikus' recommendation and it completely changed my opinion, as apparently that's where all the force gravitated to. Can someone explain to me the science behind this? I was always under the impression that the back of a train is the place to be for more intense airtime and G-forces, yet for some reason on Steel Force it's been flipped turned upside-down. What the hell is the deal with that?

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I agree that the front seat is the only good seat on Steel Force. In my opinion the ride is still forceless as hell in that seat but at least you can appreciate the feeling of speed and feel like you're actually on a roller coaster which prevents you from falling asleep during the world's longest and most uninspired "helix" which is of course followed by a mid course that kicks on like crazy because holy sh*t... let's not over-do it with the intensity.

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I agree that the front seat is the only good seat on Steel Force. In my opinion the ride is still forceless as hell in that seat but at least you can appreciate the feeling of speed and feel like you're actually on a roller coaster which prevents you from falling asleep during the world's longest and most uninspired "helix" which is of course followed by a mid course that kicks on like crazy because holy sh*t... let's not over-do it with the intensity.

 

Steel Force, or as I like to call it "Steel Forceless" is actually the worlds largest mine train.

 

Thats my fun fact for the day.

 

But seriously, this ride aged immensely since it has opened. Time has simply passed it by.

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^ Yet people still flock to it, it always seems to have the longest line anytime I've been there at any time of day (which is about 5-15 minutes since none of them really ever have any lines).

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But seriously, this ride aged immensely since it has opened. Time has simply passed it by.

 

Which is interesting because the world's oldest Hyper is absolutely crushing it in Ohio. Once I learned the seatbelt trick it may have become my favorite hyper. I go back and fourth between that and Superman in New England.

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^ Yet people still flock to it, it always seems to have the longest line anytime I've been there at any time of day (which is about 5-15 minutes since none of them really ever have any lines).

 

The people don't know any better. Especially locals, anything that is 200 feet in tbe air is likely to draw crowds no matter how mundane it is.

 

Edit: Yes I find it interesting how Mangnum has managed to become timeless. Too bad they can't all be great.

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Steel Force stinks. There's really nothing else to say about it. People flock to it because it is the tallest ride in the park and think the ride will be good because of that. The park could use something new and actually thrilling to make people realize the error of their ways. Hopefully they clear out the silly dinosaur exhibit, and put that land to better use in the near future.

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^ Yet people still flock to it, it always seems to have the longest line anytime I've been there at any time of day (which is about 5-15 minutes since none of them really ever have any lines).

 

That's just because the magnetic air gates are so damned hard to open - Takes a while to muscle your way onto the train.

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Yeah, Steel Force is quite forceless. I want to take it down and replace it with something better, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Once they take down the rubber dinosaurs then they will have the space to hopefully put in something that is forceful and gives good airtime.

 

How did the Morgan hypers hold up at Valleyfair and Worlds of Fun? Have they suffered the same fate?

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I've always been lost in this Steel Force thing... I rode the front and back several times, and I think it has more air in the back, mainly on the return hills. Of course, it's not strong air, and left me with wanting more, but I definitely got some decent floater. I still have yet to ride a B&M Hyper, but that time will hopefully come in August as I prepare to ride the infamous "Intrimidator."

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My how times and thoughts have changed... When it opened in 1997, Steel Force was the premier ride in the country and it was raved all around the then (new) internet.

 

I rode Wild Thing at Valleyfair last year for the first time and had an absolute blast. A couple bumpy parts, but a pretty darn good ride. It didn't have Magnum's personality, though, but that's okay... still a fun, satisfying ride.

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^ I remember Steel Force being "all the rage" as a young kid. Seeing it in person was very, very intimidating. This was of course pre Nitro so there was nothing else like it in the region.

 

I can't really see them ever removing it. When the park is crowded (rarely, usually every leap year) Steel Force still pulls one of the longest lines in the park. Depending on what they would put in its footprints they could possibly lose more then they gain.

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I don't think anyone is calling for it's removal. Personally I hate it when parks remove their mine train coasters. Sure Steel Force isn't quite as intense as the one at Great Adventure (this is actually true) but it gives Trailblazer at Hershey a run for it's money so it may be the second best mine train in the region.

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