Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread

[DorneyKid14]

I guess dorney will stick with the new trains for thunderhawk

[talon2017]

i know i said how i hate six flags but one thing that six flags has over cedar fair is that they show love to EVERY park. it seems like even the small parks get big attractions each year no matter the size of the park. imo i dont see one six flags park neglected or not cared for (not talking about the appearance because it is six flags).

[neil009]

i know i said how i hate six flags but one thing that six flags has over cedar fair is that they show love to EVERY park. it seems like even the small parks get big attractions each year no matter the size of the park. imo i dont see one six flags park neglected or not cared for (not talking about the appearance because it is six flags).

 

Great Escape is in approximately the same boat as Dorney if not worse. Six Flags in no way shape or form takes better care of their parks than Cedar Point.

[jmillzy]

How are Prowler and Renegade holding up? Has Cedar Fair been maintaining them well? I know for awhile a lot of people were complaining about Renegade but I also don't usually trust enthusiasts because they complain about every coaster ever built being rough.

 

I wouldn't try to go to Valleyfair to ride Renegade because an enthusiast told me the sidewalk has a rattle.

 

Valleyfair's renegade is holding up really well. Don't know what you've heard,

[jmillzy]

I think that Cedar Fair will have a bigger year in 2017 for additions. I'm guessing 2 dark rides, and a action theater replacement (either the Mass effect simulator, or plants v zombies shooter: whichever is better). I think that Cedar Fair will give Dorney Park a GCI coaster about the size of the one at FunSpot Orlando. I think Valleyfair will be getting their first B&M coaster: either an invert or wing, but maybe a dive if people really like ValRavn - this would almost never happen tho.

[Password121]

^Those Dorney and Valleyfair "rumors" have been enthusiast pipe dreams for what seems like an eternity. I don't want to be a negative Nancy for you but I don't see either of those parks getting *new* coasters in 2017 at all. Also, B&M coasters are not designed based on the popularity of the most recent one the chain opened. If Cedar Fair is installing a B&M coaster in 2017 it's been in planning since at least when Banshee was built.

 

As for 2017, while I do think it could be a bigger year than 2016, I don't see a GCI anywhere (although maybe a GCI refurb like Ghostrider) and if there's a B&M I'd bet on either Canada's Wonderland or Kings Dominion.

[jmillzy]

I personally can't see Canada's Wonderland getting another coaster after Leviathan and its heavy strong additions in the past couple of years. Kings Dominion is on the border line of cedar fair parks that either get good or bad additions. I think that the non-Paramount parks will be treated well in this offseason. KD is not in as an appealing market as people think.

[boldikus]

Hey anyone know Dorney's 2016 opening date? Just curious.

[coasterbill]

My guess would be the first weekend in May. I just hope they get their big new ride ready for opening day, it's crazy to think they haven't even started construction yet.

 

 

 

[WOFanatic]

^Those Dorney and Valleyfair "rumors" have been enthusiast pipe dreams for what seems like an eternity. I don't want to be a negative Nancy for you but I don't see either of those parks getting *new* coasters in 2017 at all. Also, B&M coasters are not designed based on the popularity of the most recent one the chain opened. If Cedar Fair is installing a B&M coaster in 2017 it's been in planning since at least when Banshee was built.

 

As for 2017, while I do think it could be a bigger year than 2016, I don't see a GCI anywhere (although maybe a GCI refurb like Ghostrider) and if there's a B&M I'd bet on either Canada's Wonderland or Kings Dominion.

 

I think people have their hopes set too high for new stuff. If I am being brutally honest here, I will put money on the fact that Valleyfair, CGA, VF, WoF, and Dorney will not get a new roller coaster til at least 2020. That is how Cedar Fair spends it´s money now. But that does not mean some awesome park improvements could be coming their way, GCI being most likely. Knott´s will finish their GCI retrack of Ghost Rider in 2016, Worlds of Fun will finish TimberWolf in 2017, and I could see Valleyfair of Dorney being next. Also, dark rides are a clear possibility of all the parks listed as well.

[boldikus]

My guess would be the first weekend in May. I just hope they get their big new ride ready for opening day, it's crazy to think they haven't even started construction yet.

 

 

 

 

[talon2017]

all i ask from cedar fair is to give dorney a gci similar to gold striker. is that too much to ask? with cedar fair, yes. lol

[DorneyKid14]

When i talked to Brad before he left he said either the last weekend in april or first weekend in may.

[jmillzy]

I would consider dark rides to be "considerable" additions, and I could see them popping up at the smaller parks when the larger ones are getting coasters. I think at these regional amusement parks, the interactive dark ride is one of very few rides that can be more impactful (on marketing, sales, and customer happiness) than a major roller coaster. Dorney Park is definitely getting either a thrill ride, water park addition, dark ride, or GCI. I just also doubt that Cedar Fair would purchase a singular GCI coaster when a) the older ones are getting RMCed, b) they couldn't get a deal because they would only buy 1, and c) in the competitive PA theme park market, one could say that a GCI coaster wouldn't make any difference, as the racing GCI at Hersheypark is much more impressive. My Prediction: Dorney gets a Delirium thrill ride made by Mondial.

Sadly and truthly, Dorney Park is in the bottom-2 theme parks for Cedar Fair. It is a bad park in a heavy market, and MI adventure, is just in the middle of nowhere. Cedar Fair values sales much more than what would make a park better, and trust me: my home parks could use some additions too.

[talon2017]

i wouldnt sat dorney is in the bottom 2 for cedar fair. i consider it better than ma, wof, vf, and cga. just my opinion tho.

[Password121]

^Can you try to capitalize and use proper grammar/avoid shorthand? I'm not trying to backseat moderate but it takes some more effort to decipher your posts. Thanks.

[coasterbill]

Dorney's 2016 Schedule is released. Opening day is April 30th.

[DorneyKid14]

Let the countdown to work begin!!!

[DJeXeL]

Does anyone know why Hydra has these wheels on the lift?

[Physical]

Does anyone know why Hydra has these wheels on the lift?

 

Huh, I never noticed those before, and I worked Hydra a number of times last season. If I had to guess it's some kind of jog to keep the train at (roughly) the same pace as the chain. So when the chain engages it doesn't murder everyones back.

[DJeXeL]

If I had to guess it's some kind of jog to keep the train at (roughly) the same pace as the chain. So when the chain engages it doesn't murder everyones back.

 

B&M feeder motors (If equipped) are located at lift approach just prior to the train reaching the chain.

 

 

Also, The wheels I'm referring to on Hydra are only making contact with 1 side of the train where as feeders (as shown in image above) would need to be on both sides to grip train.

[Password121]

Does the chain engage in front or middle of the train? Maybe it's just a backup system to push the front end forward if it doesn't have the momentum to engage if the train is held back coming out of the station if the sensors trip.

[DorneyKid14]

So my friend told me that his uncle works for a traffic company and that he has a meeting at dorney about the parking lot. I wonder if they plan on paving the overflow lots?

[Physical]

Hmm... Could probably pave over it without too many issues.

 

Honestly this is a more exciting news break than new trains on Thunderhawk. Lets hear about the parking lot!

[YoshiFan]

I didn't know the overflow lot wasn't paved. I have never had to park there and probably wouldn't want to be there on a day it was so crowded that they were using that lot.