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Photo TR: Hersheypark & Knoebels w/ lots of pics


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August 20-22, 2012

 

This was pretty much our first coaster trip as a whole family since Abby was now 44in. and able to ride much more at certain parks so I specifically choose HP and Knoebels due to low height requirements on some good rides (Comet,looper,Phoenix etc.).

After a nice drive up from Richmond, VA to Harrisburg, PA on Monday we checked into the hotel, went swimming and had dinner before our preview night a Hershey started. it had poured rain from about 4pm to 7:30 so we were hopeful that the crowds would be light from 8-10 and they were for the most part but brought many coasters down to one train ops. First up was Abby's first looping coaster, Sooper Dooper Looper, she was kinda scared and intimidated by going upside down but one ride cured all that and she said it was the best ride ever. We hit everything at the front of the park with little to no wait with the exception of the Comet.

 

 

Day 2 at Hershey was a full one, got there at opening and took Aidan to the back of the park first thing (Sadly he is only 52in. so he could not ride the big 4 yet) We did Sidewinder (he loves boomerangs) I got a quick front seat ride on Storm runner (still a great ride) then onto some GCI goodness. Wildcat was running pretty good but really needs some new track at the bottom of the first drop and last curve but still a fun ride and layout, but I still miss the PTC's on this, IMO much more airtime and seemed much faster with the PTC's. Did the Wild Mouse which Aidan scoffed at first and said this is just like Ricochet but quickly changed his tune after one ride. Still one of the best mice in the country. Next was Lightning Racer which Aidan was all about the racing aspect, he thought it was really cool.

 

Met back up with the wife and daughter and had lunch and did some of the family stuff that I usually never do like the Zoo, kissing tower,Monorail, Speedway,skyride and the Sea lion/diving show which was really good. and another round on the family coasters together and before you know it a full day had passed but both kids loved the place and are already bugging us to go back.

Here are some pics from day 2, Part 2 will be dedicated to skyrush and is coming soon

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After our first win together on Lightning Racer

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on the Kissing tower

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Hersheypark's newest coaster will be covered much more in depth in the next post

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However HP's first Intamin is still kicking Ass as well

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Abby Finally getting to drive a car from the drivers seat!

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Aidan appreciated the fact that the sports cars are faster than the antique cars

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Everyone agrees that this drop is awesome

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Storm Runner

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The Awesome Sea Lion

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Very Smart Animal

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What do you think "Splash zone" means?

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After the dynamite went off in the water =)

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Boom

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Gorgeous eagle at the Zoo

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the Polar bear is 9 feet tall

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Me and my wife in the Zoo

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Earlier we had a duck face now we have a duck butt!

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Abby with her new #1 coaster (she now has 18 credits)

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My kids

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Great bear doing its thing over the midway

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Creek flyby

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Abby loved the Comet and held her hands up the whole time!

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hey!, I know you two

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Last time me and my wife were here together was 2 weeks after this ride opened.

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Vertical loop love

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IMO the best part of the Bear.

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love the themeing

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good timing

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HP has the most Beautiful wooden coasters at night!

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wish more parks put lights on their coasters

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Onto Skyrush. Me and a buddy came up 2 weeks after it opened in case they decided to slow it down after the numerous complaints about the harness and it was a very good ride but very painful as was reported. I had faith that HP would make the ride more comfortable and they did. The Harness is much more foamy than the hard rubber material that was originally used and makes for a much better and less painful ride.

The ride is a loose articles eater though, stuff flying everywhere, amazing nobody has been seriously hurt yet. The ride is a serious top ten contender and will have you speaking french before the ride is over. here are some of my pics

 

JEFF

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great first drop

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don't know why but I like this pic

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love the huge gap of supports across the creek

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the new path is awesome

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love having a new coaster roar overhead

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twisty!

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my new background

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Airtime hill from hell!

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See that speck above the 7th row? that is a dudes wallet that ended up landing right at my feet. (I turned it in)

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The Station- although impractical is nice looking.

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Amazing how all these coasters are crammed into a small space and it still looks good

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some night/blur pics

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fountain/first drop love

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Airtime with the Cresent moon behind it

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we need more lights on this

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Stunning ride! both physically and visually

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Day 3 had us at Knoebels which is my wifes favorite park and home to 2 new credits for me. The park is still full of great atmosphere and stuff for the whole family to do. Black Diamond is a nice dark ride but I expected more "coaster" parts to it, but still fun. The kids loved the coasters and Phoenix is running better and smoother than ever full of Airtime and good laterals. Twister did get some new track too and sadly was reprofiled a little going into the double helix. there used to be a good pop of air entering the helix but was smoothed out recently with more banking in the track entering the helix eliminating the airtime from that spot but still a fun fast ride.

 

onto the pics

 

JEFF

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Phoenix is Phlying!

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Aidan patiently awaiting his first ride on a classic!

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Everybody is excited to ride

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My hair did look good before Phoenix & Twister!

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a classic ride my kids had never been on, they loved it

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me and my brave girl

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I love this ride!!

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Abby does not like scary rides but she said she wanted to go on =)

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when it isn't flooded the park is very pretty

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Yay new credit! that is Abby in the front with her hands up as usual!

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Aidan thought it was good for a baby coaster =) this was his 47th credit (my 335th)

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Never did the skyride here before, here we go

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amazing view...well worth the $3

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Twister from high up

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Phoenix from high up!

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The awesome train ride deep into the woods to visit the morbidly obese squirrels.

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Twister upskirt

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Abby in her usual pose

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we had to make her hold on =)

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she loves big wooden coasters

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We will certainly be back

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Nice trip reports.

 

You made me laugh with the people in the "splash zone". I was at Hershey this past weekend and went into the water park. People in line for the lazy river were running from the people on Roller Soaker. Did they not realize they are in a water park and about to go into a river.

 

Didn't make it to Sky Rush. The line was way too long.

 

Knoebels is our favorite park. The whole place is great and Phoenix is my #1 coaster.

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Great to see family's having a good time Knoebels is great, my grandparents used to take the family up there every summer. Let me say that Phoenix is my number three because of the shear amount of airtime that ride produces. Overall, Great report and I hope to see more of these in the future!

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Great pictures, thanks! Every time I see a PA trip report I can't help but wish I lived closer! If things go well, I'll be back to coaster country in October.

 

It's great when kids want to go on coasters, isn't it!? I have 3 little cousins and they have ridden a couple coasters at our home park, six flags Great America, but only the middle one shows mild signs of coaster geekness. Always hoping! He just wants to ride Demon Demon Demon... not tall enough for the 48" rides yet. He's already well trained in asking single riders if he can ride with them to get double, triple, etc, rides.

 

I wonder how Knoebel's has a lower height requirement for those PTC coaster trains... People in PA seem to be much more comfortable with rides and rules on rides than the average American; it's almost a cultural thing there.

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Great trip report! Really nice pictures of the parks.

I have passes to Hp and have been there about 11 times this year, getting 27 [And more coming up next monday]rides on Skyrush has convinced me that it is really a top 5 coaster for me. I've been on all the other big ones[i-305, MF, Appolo, Nitro] and i really think this is just as good if not better than all mentioned. Since speaking of I-305 i am highly dissapointed about it not being atleast top 10, such an insane ride.

Back to Hershey now, your right about Wildcat but it was more rough with PTC trains than it is with the Flyers. And Wild Mouse is great, no breaks throughout entire ride for the most part.

*Lastley, i lost my sunglasses on Skyrush...... But the ride was worth it

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Thanks for posting your trip report, those are some awesome pictures. I went to Hershey yesterday for the first time. I found it to be an awesome park, and i really loved how all the rides are built on top of each other. For me, the stand out rides are storm runner, tidal force (had a blast gettig soaked), great bear, and of course SKYRUSH. Man! Along with maverick these are definetly the two most intense coasters i've ridden (my coaster count is somewhere around 200). My legs have multple bruises from Skyrush, and the restraints are extremely painful. With that said it is one awesome ride, and ive never felt airtime like that before. It would most likely be my number one coaster if I had to rank them.

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