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Hershey park and Dorney info please!!!

Hersheypark: Lines, food, any info.

From Christy Shuman
Posted May 23, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Hey guys, Im headed to Hershey and Dorney. Going to Hershey on Monday June 1st and Dorney Wednesday June3rd. Just wanting a general idea of what you guys have to say about these parks, and what the crowds might possibly be like. Food, cleanliness, park employees. How strict are they on rain policies? Are the parks easy/hard to navigate? Thanks for any info. Christy


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Robert Miller
Posted May 24, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Christy, the Boardwalk section opened this weekend, wave pool, lazy river ,etc, so that area might be crowded more so than the other sections. I've gone to Hershey many times since it's only about 50 miles away. The park itself is built on hills, so you'll be going up and down them a lot.

I've been a season passholder for a number of those years, and have always found the park to be clean and the employees' friendly. There is a wide veriety of food to choose from and although I have never eaten there, there is a nice restaurant just by the ticket booths but I can not remember the name. As far as rain, the coasters shut down, but the crowd stays.

One last thing, remember to take the free tour of Chocolate World. And if your a chocolate lover like I am, you'll love the candy store at the end of the tour. Have FUN next Monday. Also, I've been to Dorney many times,and I like Hershey better. Dorney starts on a hill and goes down, tough going up at the end of a day. I haven't been there in three years, so I do not know what it's like now :)

From Eli Katzman
Posted May 25, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Christy, I'm actually going to Hershey Fri. June 5th (1 or 2 times later that year, too), and dorney sometime late june, i hope.

Anyway, I'm going to adress my info like you have no idea what rides are at the parks. Oh, both parks have cubbies on all rides. So bring a bag if you want, not like crap SF... anyway: Ok, here we go, brace yourself:

Hershey: Great park, self owned (of course) by the Hershey corporation, and no chain. Has a nice chocolate factory tour, too (alternate pay)! Great employees, well kept.
Coasters: Well, if you are going by yourself, this is what you need to ride: Fahrenheit, Stormrunner, Great Bear, Lightning Racer, and Wildcat; others are not urgent. Get to them if you wish...
Fahrenheit: Never been on it, can't wait for this year, and I assume it's amazing! It was new for '08, so it's not rough after years.
Stormrunner: Great coaster, but this one has been aged by Intamin... not as bad as I just described, though. Good launch coaster, the only one by Intamin that has inversions in it in the U.S... Since you didn't like Kingda Ka, you probably won't like this, because it's 34 seconds from launch to brakes. The station is cool, and dub loading. *Try to get front and back for best experiance.*
Great Bear: Somewhat of a let down for a B&M invert, but it's still pretty good. Yup, nothing like Alpengeist... I know, I know... Hershey had a disadvantage because they couldn't get permission to put anything in the lake going through their park... so the supports are all mixed, up, same with the first drop. Ride in the front! Christy, you know that for B&M inverts!
Lightning Racer: The best woodie I've been on. But, I assume that will change after riding El Toro, which you have ridden. This is an amazing duel wooden coaster, 100% GCI! It's GCI's only coaster that's dueling and racing, so at one time, you're going side to side, but at other times, you're going at each other! Ride this in the back!
Wildcat: Basically Roar, but better. Wait, I don't think you've been to SFA... anyway, It's pretty good as a woodie, but a little rough. Nothing extreme, though.
I don't know that much about food, because I'm always hyper at theme parks, so I don't necessarily need food... ehheheeh... Ok, NEXT!

Dorney: Owned by Cedar Fair, and in same condition as Hershey: great! Still, I don't know about food. Look for my tr, if you want, or you can just ask James (Rio) to find it for you.

Okay, coasters (only 5): Steel Force, Talon, Hydra: the revenge, Thunderhawk, and Possessed.

Steel Force: No where near you expect... basically terrible... no lines, though. Okay, it hurts, and the restraint might LITERALLY lift someone out of their seat! If you're young and small, the lowest the lap bar will go to is like you're chest! VERY unsafe... because of the lap bar + air time, it's just dangerous...
Talon: Great B&M Invert, 5x better than Great Bear. Ride in the front, as you know! It's right next to the entrance, so I would recommend riding it first. After the helix that was after the Immelman, it starts to pick up A LOT of speed... so get ready for that.
Hydra: the Revenge: AMAZING B&M floorless. Best in the park, I say. *THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO RIDE IN THE FRONT!* But, don't miss the back; you get way more air time than you think. What's also cool about Hydra-- It has 2 cameras. Oh, and the opening is AMAZING!!! This is a MUST RIDE ALL THE WWWWAAAAYYYYY..... I went a little over the top, didn't I...
Thunderhawk. An old classic woodie; it's been there for a long time, so respect the roughness. Not the biggest deal, but still Ok. My friends don't appreciate it...
Possessed: Used to be named Voodoo. Anyway, it's an Intamin blast coaster, but it's an impulse, so it has to ends! I love being held at the strait up end... i have to go, so I can't finish. Have a good trip!

From James Rao
Posted May 25, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Ask and ye shall receive. I am Eli's gopher!

Katzman's Dorney Trip Report

By the way, not only are Talon and Patriot (at Worlds of Fun) twins, but Steel Force and Mamba (also at WOF) are very similar as well. However, Mamba is an extremely smooth and fun hyper coaster, not sure what went wrong with the Dorney version of the ride.

From Eli Katzman
Posted May 26, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Thanks, James. Sorry I spelled your name wrong though!

From James Rao
Posted May 26, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Not a problem, Ely Cats-man. ;)

From Greg Bark
Posted May 26, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Contrary to what has been previously said, I really like Steel Force. It was smooth for me and provided massive airtime while still being safe. As for Hydra, I wasn't impressed. I really wanted to like this ride, but I couldn't because it felt too slow and the inversions were just downright repetative. That's excluding the pre-lift roll, of course.

From Eli Katzman
Posted May 27, 2009 at 1:16 PM
James- EHEHEHEHE (that's the Peter Griffin laugh from the show family guy... I love it!)

Greg- have you ridden any other hyper coasters? For example, I ride superman at SFA all the time. That seems much better than Steel Force. It's kinda like how I rode flight of fear before I rode joker's jinx. They are the exact same ride, but FoF is 10x better because it seems faster and it's in pitch black indoors. So, I couldn't really enjoy JJ because I rode something really similar and better before the "worse" coaster, in my opinion. As for Hydra, I know what you mean, but I try to take in the greatness, which makes it better, if that makes any sense.

From christian giovannini
Posted May 29, 2009 at 6:07 PM
You are going to LOVE your trip. Il start with dorney bc i live 25 minutes from there.

its a fun park rides are great. but only 6 coasters there. The food is good at the BURGER BARN. (but of course a little pricey)BRING bathing suit. There is a whole seperate water park thats amazing. some hills so be ready to walk. clean and friendly employees.

Now HERSHEYPARK(my fav amusement park)
Rides
Over 62 rides
including 11 amazing coasters
about 10 soaking water rides(the boardwalk probably crowded)but still bring a bathing suit.
staff very friendly and helpful. Very hilly but youll manage. I didnt ever eat in the park but i can imagine its pricey just like n e other park. In my opinion Hershey park is 10x better. trust me i have been coming to hersheypark for 5 years now every summer. Overall its perfect

From Greg Bark
Posted May 29, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Really? Friendly service at Hershey? The last time I went, employees treated guests like crap.

From christian giovannini
Posted May 29, 2009 at 6:57 PM
oh i have been going every summer for at least 5 years now and we never had a problem.

From Eli Katzman
Posted May 30, 2009 at 6:50 AM
Christian, when I went in '07, they were pretty good. Was that a year when they were nice? Anyway, there are only 5 coasters at Dorney, remember? Possessed, Hydra, Steel Force, Talon, and Thunderhawk. Were you thinking of Wild Mouse? I don't really classify them as coasters. (Not as an example) When I went to dorney last year, people were waiting for over an hour just to ride it... no way...

From Robert Miller
Posted May 30, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Christy, the weather forecast for the Hershey area on Monday is mostly sunny with temp about 80. Unfortunately, the extended forecast for the Dorney area on Wednesday, is mostly cloudy with possible rain, temp 74. Have fun at both parks. :)

From christian giovannini
Posted May 30, 2009 at 8:12 AM
i was thinking of LASER

From Eli Katzman
Posted May 30, 2009 at 12:00 PM
I thought they took that out. Have you gone yet this year?

From christian giovannini
Posted May 30, 2009 at 8:44 PM
omg it was so weird when i was talking to u today at like 11 my friend texted me and said do youwanna go to dorney with me so yes i just went today and it was so fun. The perfect day. No lines for anything. We walked right on everyride including coasters.

From christian giovannini
Posted May 30, 2009 at 8:46 PM
oh yea...and LASER is gone it looks so weird. it a big open lot. Do you no why they tok it down??? Do you know if there putting a new ride for next summer?

From Eli Katzman
Posted June 1, 2009 at 6:53 AM
Well, I actually know as much as you, now. The only reasons I can think of is because it needed a lot of maintenance and that it had a slow line, and not very many people went on it... so i guess it was just using energy that was needed, and used for a bad purpose. What do you think?

Oh, and I REALLY hope they put something there! COME ON CEDAR FAIR!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!! I might go this year, and I'm definitely going next year, so we just have to see!

From christian giovannini
Posted June 1, 2009 at 1:55 PM
yup hopefully a new BIG coaster

From Eli Katzman
Posted June 1, 2009 at 6:05 PM
What are you hoping for? I am going for a smaller B&M flying or a new GCI... what about you?

From christian giovannini
Posted June 2, 2009 at 1:40 PM
something like farenheight at hp bc its such a small area and i think something ike that would fit

From Eli Katzman
Posted June 2, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Yeah, I guess. Like maybe the Superman Ultimate Flight layout

From christian giovannini
Posted June 2, 2009 at 4:01 PM
yea

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