Photo TR: Hershey Opening Weekend 5/7/06

[SilverBullet]

Part 1: Sleeping over and getting to the park

Well, since I was going with my aunt and uncle we decided one family would sleep over the family's house. I looked on MapQuest and it said Flemington was closer so my mom and I slept over their house. I had to sleep in a room with no t.v. so getting to sleep was hard. After what felt like 5 minutes, the baby of the house woke me up at 5 a.m. with screetching. At this point I was just too amped for the day ahead so I decided to get up and get breakfast a tad early.

Here's a pic of my crazy cousins getting ready:(Cute kids)


At 7 everyone was up and about getting ready but we didn't get into the car til 9. That was very dissapointing as I thought the park would have decent lines and didn't want to miss on any credits at the park. We get on our way, but stop for bagels for my uncle and then finally we're on 78 west heading to the park. I opted for the straight highway route as it seemed the shortest. About a half hour onto 78 and I notice a coaster that looked like Tatsu the way it ducked out of the trees with it's lift and it was orange. Then I thought about it and realized it was Talon and saw Dorney pretty clearly from the highway.

After about an hour and half on 78 we hit our exit and turned. Forgot how rural the area around Hershey is and how long the road leading to it is. After what felt like 20 minutes I saw Wildcat around the corner. I was already excited. I really didn't like how far down the parking lot entrance was from the park but hey, what ever works for them. We arrived in the parking lot around 10:45 and got ready. With 2 kids it took way too long for me and my inner enthusiast was jumping out his shoes. At 11 we start walking to the park....

[Bubba Z]

looking forward to reading the rest. I'm really curious how the extreme dark ride looks from the outside.

[SilverBullet]

^Ahhh, I forgot to take a picture of it. It's a beige building, not really that amazing from the outside.

Part 2: Entrance and the first few coasters

When we start walking to the park, we start getting closer to the park and the outside looks exactly like the inside and confused all of us because we thought we needed a ticket. After a couple minutes we were in the park and ready to go. We enter to a different sight than Great Adventure, that's for sure.


The group was lagging so I opted to go off by myself. I started with Comet. I've ridden a few classic woodies and they weren't good so I wasn't expecting much from this. I walk up the ramp, 2 train wait 2nd row. We start off the lift and I see it is crooked. I mean it zig-zagged. The first drop provided some good floater air and overall the ride was rough, but still very enjoyable. After this I see the SooperDooperLooper and queue for it. Walk on, front row, I've always ridden Schwarzkopfs in the front and I really enjoyed the ride even though it was trimmed alot.

Then I headed off to Great Bear to see how it was. I join the queue and walk on 2nd to last row. I really liked the station by the way.

I really think this is underrated. The first helix is pretty good, the drop was straight and fun. Although the ride died after the zero-g roll and just finished up with some turns, it was a fun ride, the worst invert I've been on because of the ending, but fun none-the-less.

Cool supports huh? Loved that part too. At this point waiting in the brake run, watching Storm Runner, I was jumping out of my shoes to ride this beast and I was off the ride and walking to Storm Runner...

Part 3 to come!

[SilverBullet]

Part 3: Storm Runner, Storm Runner, and oh yeah, Storm Runner!

After Great Bear I was all too ready to get on Storm Runner. I walked past Trailblazer but I just couldn't wait any longer to ride Storm Runner. I get to the line and walk right into the station with a one train wait.

But the only way, is the front. I opted to wait 3 trains and get the full effect. I load the car and notice the restraints are thicker than Kingda Ka's OTSR part. I get onto the launch track, wait about 30 seconds, the fins lower, roll back a few inches and hear the best recording ever. "Now get ready, Here we go" and bam. It felt like 0-72 in one shot. I thought the launch was better than Kingda Ka's, maybe because it was one pulse right to 72 instead of 40,80,128 or because the recording had my attention, either way it was great. After the launch we hit the top hat and after the twist, it was ejectorrrrrr. All the way until my car was cresting the hill. Then kinda stalled and waited for the rest of the train to catch up and staring down 180 ft at 90* was sick. Then we enter the cobra loop/immelman and it was alright, still prefer them on inverts.

Then we go into the heartline twists. I got a nice pop of airtime over the hill. Before I knew it, I was on my restraint upside down and twisting which flowed very nicely into the flying snake dive. Then the coolest part IMO, the twisted section.

Going what felt like 100 mph, the train trick-tracks from side to side in a cool effect and we hit the brakes and go flying foward. All to think about now is how that just Kingda Kicked Ka's ass.

[ChuckR]

Ugh, I need to go back to Hershey to go back on it.

[SilverBullet]

^Yeah it really kicks ass. My #2.

Part 4: Trailblazing, Sidewinding and getting around the park

After riding Storm Runner, I just had to ride it again, it was just too good. I re-rode towards the back, 2nd to last row and the airtime on the top hat transferred to the second half of the top hat, still ejector and amazing. Then I went down the hill to get my Trailblazer credit and see if RMT was any better. I get on, walk on, somewhere in the middle. This one didn't have the last bunny hop/cool lake turn that RMT has and rattled more than RMT. Good for the kiddies, but not very good overall.

Then I went up to get a credit I was not looking foward to, Sidewinder. A typical boomerang, but wasn't that rough, a couple head bangs but overall fine. Then I re-rode Storm Runner again in the back. I then debated whether to ride Roller Soaker as I still had my camera and my cell phone with me. I decided to leave them off to the side and go. I followed the yellow path into the queue so I avoided getting hit. I walk on, facing backwards. This was nice because I have two levers to pull. We start up and it's a very exposed feeling going backwards with just a lap bar. I release and just missed! Ah! The second one missed also. There wasn't many people in the area to hit anyway and I didn't get wet either. I get my stuff and head to the woodies of the park.

[CoasterPete]

Thanks for sharing your report and photos with us.  I haven't been to Hershey in 5 years and am really enjoying hearing about and seeing the park in your reports.  Thanks!

Pete

[PcMan]

I need to get out to Hershey also.  It's been a few years since I was there, but will be there this year.

[Fjask]

Loving the pictures. 
If you got the one single tug launch on KK, it is very very close to the intensity on SR.  Glad to know I'm not the only one who prefers Storm Runner over KK 

[SilverBullet]

^I think I have had a single tug, just have become numb to it since I've ridden it 22 times and know when the launch is coming, but with SR, the recording had my attention. Also, Hershey is just such a photogenic park that is was a pleasure taking pics.

Part 5: Woodie time!

Now to what I most anticipated when planning this trip other than Storm Runner, the woodies. Gotta love two GCI's so close to each other. First on the list and closest was Wildcat. This thing's queue is HUGE, took me a while to trek the whole thing. Finally I get there and I've got the scouting report that this thing will kill in the back, so I take the next train, 2nd row. While I was getting adjusted in the seat, the restraint comes way too far down for comfort. It was on my lap, almost pushing in. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but I was wrong. I liked the trains on Lightning Racer alot more as these were the CCI trains but still good. We get up the lift and take that huge swooping drop and into the tangled, twisted mess that is Wildcat. Along the ride, I hit this bumps that would eject me into the restraint and kill my "manly parts". Not fun for that but an intense woodie that takes a high spot on my woodie top 10.
(Sorry for the quality, I took it on the way out from the car)

Next up, the Lightning Racers which appeared to be racing, but when I got to the station only Lightning was open (Thunder was running without passengers). I run to the station just in time to jump on the next train out. All I can think about is how damn nice these millennium flyer trains are. So comfortable, great restraint and rather open for a woodie train. I didn't realize the drop was curved from afar, but it caught me by surprise when we started twisting and it made the drop seem steeper than it was. I loved the not smooth, but not rough GCI has with Lightning Racer and the tunnel was a great aspect to see what train is winning (of course we were winning without passengers in Thunder). We hit the small airtime hill and the coolest turn in the track and race into first. Easily my #1 woodie, great ride. 8.5/10

[SilverBullet]

Part 6: Credit whoring and picking up my Uncle

Now time to get the credits and never ride these coasters again. First up was Wild Mouse. I've heard this thing is nuts so I couldn't wait. I get to the station and notice the cars never stop moving, you have to jump in while their moving. I get in and head up the lift into the turn section and this thing whips around the corners even with all the trims. Then the drops where there was one complete airtime hill which did give some air. Overall kicked Dorney's Wild Mouse and Morey's Piers'.

After that I figured I would get the other side of Lightning Racer for that credit since I saw people on both sides and I go up to the station with both sides pulling in and while Lightning (red) keeps pulling in, Thunder (green) stops in the brake run and the dreaded announcement is made. "Lightning Racer is now closed, you may wait in the station but if you exit you must leave the same way you came." Arrrrggghhhhhh. Walking to Lightning Racer is not a fun thing to do so this was annoying. After that I had ridden every coaster so I went to get a bite to eat and pick up my uncle to ride with me. I walked to where they were in the kiddie section and see my cousin riding a mini-ship.

I eat some fries and head over to Storm Runner with my uncle. We get into the station and wait for back row. We get into the train, strapped in, and watching the other train launch, and nothing. About 5 minutes later the train launches and they make the same announcement as Lightning Racer. "Storm Runner is now closed, you may wait in the station but if you exit you must leave the same way you came." Alright we're already sitting down so this is fine, but then they make us get up and wait in the queue.

While waiting the lead op comes to talk to us for some reason and he says "Well, it's not broken down, there were just things on the moniter I didn't like so I called maintenance to check it out." We wait about 5 minutes and we're out on the station. Same great ride in the back, just keep your head back entering the barrel rolls and the twisted part, I have a couple bruises from this ride alone.

[sir clinksalot]

Nice TR.

I also agree that Great Bear is underrated. It's one of my favorite Inverts.

Glad you had a good trip, can't wait to get back to Hershey.

[overlord]

Thanks dude for the TR. It helps me out alot of what coasters I need to hit up this summer. I cannot wait to get on SR. Lightning Racer also seems amazing.

[WadeJ]

Very nice job on the TR.  I really enjoyed it!

I almost did a double take when I saw the first picture lol.  He looks a lot like my oldest did at that age.  The kids are adorable

[SilverBullet]

^I was actually thinking that lol. This isn't over yet, I still have a few more coasters and the chocolate factory.

Part 7: Getting that last pesky credit

After Storm Runner we decided to go for the woodies and on the way we passed by the Roller Soaker area so we joined the queue. Walk on, facing backwards again. I hit this ghetto kid in the queue that started cursing but my uncle missed. After that we went to Wildcat. They roped off rows 4-8 for some reason so we went to second row but it was only one more train wait for front row so we waited. The ride was better with out the crotch slamming and seeing where the little jolts in the track were.

Then we were off to Lightning Racer to get that last credit, Thunder. We get in the second to last row and into the comfy millenium flyer trains. Although the layouts are basically mirror images, I preferred Thunder to Lightning for some reason. We Lost the race so we had to go again. This time Lightning. I knew our train was doomed since we only had 6 people and they had a whole full train. We lost that one too. Then I tried finding the rest of my party which took a while since they are terrible at giving directions. Along the way we rode The Claw, the after-burner of the park and finally found them.

[Metsman.]

Great TR!

When I went to Hershey last year I went on a Saturday (the day after a Toby Kieth concert  ), so it was pretty crowded, and I wasn't able to experience the park to the fullest. I liked Storm Runner, but I didn't find it to be as kick ass as most do. It's sitting at #9 in my top 10 list. This was probably because of the fact that I had rode Dragster 7 times just two days before, and was "immune" to SR's launch. I hated Great Bear (my least favorite B&M), but I really enjoyed the woodies. Wildcat is my #1 wood, and LIghtning Racer is #3.

I'll try to get back there next summer when I have my license (which is two months from now  ), and hopefully I will have a better experience.

Anyways, I'm glad you had a good time!

[Dubya91]

Storm Runner is just a great ride! Im happy to see now that I am not the only one who puts it over KK! When i rode last year I got alot of ejector air, it was just awsome and had a more intense launch, people also looked at me weird (Like I looked like this> ) for saying it's better then KK! LR is just a great ride, but I lost most of the time I rode, I won maybe 1 of the 4 times I rode? Sidewinder is great boomerang, i've never ridden any prior so I cant compare but I enjoyed it, Great Bear should be renamed Great Bore!! That ride was awful except the zero-g and the helix was OK!! SDL is a great classic and is one you shouldnt miss just cause it looks crappy! I wish GADV would of put in a SR type ride of KK but hey, both are great in their own ways!

[SilverBullet]

Only one issue with putting a new Schwarzkopf, the company is dead.

Part 8: A Milestone

Well my cousin(blonde hair) is pretty crazy and wanted to ride every coaster there but obviously couldn't. Finally we found that she can ride Trailblazer. So we get in line and we (my aunt, uncle and I) thought she would want to ride with my aunt or uncle but she jumped in the car with me. Now talk about scary, taking a 3 year old on her first roller coaster with basically no restraints to protect her and an open section of car. All I did that ride was hold her for dear life. She LOVED it. While my uncle and I went to ride Storm Runner a few more times, she re-rode Trailblazer like 6 times. Now, it's time to ride. We walk up to Storm Runner and I snagged this pic:

We re-rode 5 times since there was no line. We even snagged this nifty ORP:(I'm back left, my uncle is back right)

and started to head to the chocolate factory. On our way out we bought a t-shirt for each of my sisters, one for me, a hat for my uncle and outfits for my cousins and made our way to the chocolate factory.

[rjholla2003]

Looks like you had lots of fun on that launch, lol.

[SilverBullet]

^Yeah, it was my like 7th or 8th ride, nothing I could do about my hair though.

On a concluding note, this was probably my best park trip I've ever had, great weather (90% of the day), no lines, friendly people and just overall a great day.