HersheyPark this Friday (1 Viewer)

[TheIronSheik]

Each year, the family heads to an amusement park. Two years ago we did Dorney Park. Last year was Great Adventure. This year it's HersheyPark. Last time I was there, I think I was about 15. I'm sure a lot has changed.

Anyone from this area been recently? What are the go to rides? Any insight to making the day better would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
TIS

 

[Jaysus]

Troegs

 

[Jaysus]

P.S. wave when you drive by!

 

[E-Z Glider]

My kids have been 3 times in the past 10 days.

It will be packed, you will wait a long time in lines, and you will see things in the water park that will haunt you in your sleep.

Make sure to hit Troegs afterwards to eat. The beer is excellent, of course, but the food is the real star here. Its unbelievably good. There's no other restaurant on earth Id rather eat at right now.

 

[spOOfy]

best of the local parks, imo

 

[E-Z Glider]

Troegs

 

[Jaysus]

Also: go to Chocolate World, find the bakery, get a Reese's Peanut Butter Blossom, loathe yourself for eating the whole thing (and wanting another you pig)

 

[spOOfy]

Also: go to Chocolate World, find the bakery, get a Reese's Peanut Butter Blossom, loathe yourself for eating the whole thing (and wanting another you pig)

lol

 

[TheIronSheik]

My kids have been 3 times in the past 10 days.

It will be packed, you will wait a long time in lines, and you will see things in the water park that will haunt you in your sleep.

Make sure to hit Troegs afterwards to eat. The beer is excellent, of course, but the food is the real star here. Its unbelievably good. There's no other restaurant on earth Id rather eat at right now.

We skip the water parks. Strictly amusement park.

For Dorney, the lines were non existent. Literally, no lines. It was awesome. It was supposed to rain but didn't. For Great Adventure, the lines were long, but not bad. I think we were waiting about 20 to 30 minutes for each coaster.

We go around the same time every year. Are you saying that HP will be worse than the others?

 

[spOOfy]

• Cocoa Cruiser - New For 2014!
• 36" to 42"
• Moderate Thrill Ride

haven't been on it

• Comet
• 42" to 48"
• High Thrill Ride

standard wooden coaster. good ride, probably wait in a long line though.

• Fahrenheit
• 54" to 60"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

huge drop. decent ride

• Great Bear
• 54" to 60"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

smooth hanging coaster. good one and the line is almost always short

• Lightning Racer
• 48" to 54"
• High Thrill Ride

decent "racing" coasters.

• Sidewinder
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

up and back. if you don't like going backwards, avoid this one. i think it's pretty fun and another shorter line.

• Skyrush
• 54" to 60"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

damn scary ride. you sit 4 in a row. if you want the ultimate in scary, sit on outside seat.

• sooperdooperLooper
• 42" to 48"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

wimpy ride, but a good warm-up for a smaller kid to try out doing a loop

• Storm Runner
• 54" to 60"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

launched out of the gate, fast ride. fun one and another that usually has a shorter line.

• Trailblazer
• 36" to 42"
• Moderate Thrill Ride

very simple coaster. good for young kids.

• Wild Mouse
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

the typical "wild mouse" ride with small cars that whip around. not a big fan of these as i feel like i'm getting whiplash.

• Wildcat
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

a really rough coaster. i avoid this one since i feel like i got beat up after it finishes. bumps you all over the places.

 

[Jaysus]

• Lightning Racer
• 48" to 54"
• High Thrill Ride

decent "racing" coasters.

I took my daughter on that one last summer, she was 6 at the time, and it was her first roller coaster. She is still pissed at me about that.

 

[spOOfy]

this isn't exactly part of the "waterpark" as it is log flume-ish, but if you want to get soaked, take a ride on Tidal Force. large log flume type ride where you get drenched. hot days mean long lines of course.

 

[The_Man]

The lines there always seem huge to me. Also, the layout was not constructed along the genius lines of Disney's hub and spokes. It's more like a stretched out rubber band - very long and thin that can generate some traffic jams when you're trying to squeeze through the middle.

I would get there early, head for the far reaches of the park and then work your way backward toward the front. Go to Chocolate World later in the day when you're hot and could use an air-conditioned sitdown.

Then, since you're close to the parking lot, send the kids back into the park to hit rides they liked a second time while you go to Troeg's. It's probably closer to where you'll park than the outer reaches of the park are.

 

[E-Z Glider]

My kids have been 3 times in the past 10 days.

It will be packed, you will wait a long time in lines, and you will see things in the water park that will haunt you in your sleep.

Make sure to hit Troegs afterwards to eat. The beer is excellent, of course, but the food is the real star here. Its unbelievably good. There's no other restaurant on earth Id rather eat at right now.

We skip the water parks. Strictly amusement park.

For Dorney, the lines were non existent. Literally, no lines. It was awesome. It was supposed to rain but didn't. For Great Adventure, the lines were long, but not bad. I think we were waiting about 20 to 30 minutes for each coaster.

We go around the same time every year. Are you saying that HP will be worse than the others?

Too bad. The water park is pretty new and very nice (sans the scenery).

Hour plus waits on the popular coasters if its crowded (which it will be on a Friday if the weather is nice). They have some sort of roller coaster speed pass you can look into, but I dont know much about it.

I dont know much about other parks, but from what you are describing, yes.

 

[spOOfy]

• Lightning Racer
• 48" to 54"
• High Thrill Ride

decent "racing" coasters.

I took my daughter on that one last summer, she was 6 at the time, and it was her first roller coaster. She is still pissed at me about that.

same with my then 9 year old daughter. she's not really into coasters, but my 6-year-old is (he was 5 at the time and too short to ride).

i go to this park at least once per year.

 

[Aerial Assault]

I'm not a big CoasterGuy but I really enjoyed HP and liked Comet, Wild Mouse, and Wildcat. I should have done the racing coaster, Lightning, but had to take a phone call. Fun atmosphere there, lines weren't too bad. This was several Augusts ago.

 

[spOOfy]

i agree about the layout though. you do a bunch of walking and it's built on several hills.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Oh, one more pro-tip... wear extra high shoes if your kids are close to the height cutoffs so they can get on more rides.

 

[AcerFC]

My daughters first upside down coaster was the super dooper looper

 

[spOOfy]

we've gone in the fall months a few times too. shorter lines, cooler weather.

 

[avoiding injuries]

I went 3 weeks ago. Love Hershey Park. Skyrush is the best roller coaster I've ever been on. My 4yo daughter did super duper looper which was really cool to do with her.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Awesome! I figured you guys would be on here with good advice!

As always, much appreciated.

My daughter rode her first roller coaster last year (10 yo) and is still undecided on if she likes them. We tricked her on one last year and she cried the whole way up until getting on. As we went up the hill, she said that she hated us and wanted to go home after the ride. When the ride ended I asked what she thought and she said with tears in her eyes, "Not as bad as I thought." It was very similar to how my mom got me on my first roller coaster as a kid.

She rode it a couple more times that day but refused to ride any other ones. I asked if she was going to go on any this year and she said, "Probably. Maybe. But not any upside down ones."

I'm trying my hardest to convince her to do the superdooperlooper. I remember it when I was young. I think it would be the perfect next step. The biggest issue with her is just taking that first step. If we can help push her a little, she ends up liking new things. But it's that first step that's the hardest.

 

[Jaysus]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

 

[TheIronSheik]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

 

[TheIronSheik]

What is this whole Troegs thing?

As someone who enjoys the rides probably the most out of all four of us going, my time will be spent on rides.

 

[spOOfy]

the looper is the best way to ease her into an upside down ride. very, very easy. have her close her eyes the 1st time if it helps. i have used this ride to get both kids good with going upside down.

 

[GroveDiesel]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

You should leave some graffiti in one of the bathrooms for him.

 

[spOOfy]

What is this whole Troegs thing?

As someone who enjoys the rides probably the most out of all four of us going, my time will be spent on rides.

http://www.troegs.com/

beer

 

[NCCommish]

I have seen this park on PBS a few times. Looks like a nice throwback park, I would love to visit.

 

[Amused to Death]

i agree about the layout though. you do a bunch of walking and it's built on several hills.

We go once every July so we'll be there in a few weeks. Yes, the hills. Everything is up hill or so it seems. We go mid-week and have no problems with lines. Sure you wait for some, but nothing too bad. There tends to be a lot of summer camps till about 4:00. Then it empties out some. Definitely hit Chocolate World sometime in the afternoon - its a nice "air conditioner" break

FWIW, I live about 20 minutes from Six Flags Great Adventure (NJ) and haven't been there in years. HP once a year is a nice trip though.

 

[TheIronSheik]

the looper is the best way to ease her into an upside down ride. very, very easy. have her close her eyes the 1st time if it helps. i have used this ride to get both kids good with going upside down.

This is my hope. :fingerscrossed:

 

[Long Ball Larry]

What is this whole Troegs thing?

oh my

 

[TheIronSheik]

What is this whole Troegs thing?

oh my

:(

 

[belljr]

We go every year for about 8 years now.

great family park

 

[belljr]

Btw my 8 year old did looper when she was 7. Last summer she bumped up to the sidewinder.

At at Universal did the rock it this summer.

she is hoping to be tall enough for the skyrush.

skyrush is worth waiting for the front once

she will do one of them then want to do a kiddie ride

 

[MindCrime]

Grew up about 1/2 hour from Hershey park, used to go a few times each summer. Granted, it's been about 25 years since I've been there, and it's expanded a lot from what I can see. Used to have basically 3 coasters ( Comet- old wooden coaster, Trailblazer- I think that was it, don't remember it much, and Sooper Dooper Looper). I still remember my "first time" as a kid conquering my fear and riding the looper. Then proceeded to ride it about 5 times that same day. Love coasters ever since.

Sorry, not much insight, but good memories.

 

[Parrothead]

My company had a day a HP last weekend.. free passes, big lunch buffet- with all kinds of food, drinks, snacks- you name it. You had access to all parks, from open to close.

I didn't go.. sorry. Troegs is good, though!

 

[Zow]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

Hey, I grew up pretty much in the backyard of Dorney Park. FBGs are everywhere!

 

[TheIronSheik]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

Hey, I grew up pretty much in the backyard of Dorney Park. FBGs are everywhere!

DP was our go to park when I was younger. When we went 2 years ago, I didn't even recognize it. Although, the yellow roller coaster is still standing. Barely. Love that place.

 

[jamny]

• Wildcat
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

a really rough coaster. i avoid this one since i feel like i got beat up after it finishes. bumps you all over the places.

Yeah, avoid or save for the end. This one rattled my brain and pretty much put an end to the day. I was glad we didn't do it earlier. Not worth the abuse.

Loved Storm Runner

 

[NCCommish]

• Wildcat
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

a really rough coaster. i avoid this one since i feel like i got beat up after it finishes. bumps you all over the places.

Yeah, avoid or save for the end. This one rattled my brain and pretty much put an end to the day. I was glad we didn't do it earlier. Not worth the abuse.

Loved Storm Runner

I thought for coaster guys the wooden ones were a big deal.

 

[jamny]

• Wildcat
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

a really rough coaster. i avoid this one since i feel like i got beat up after it finishes. bumps you all over the places.

Yeah, avoid or save for the end. This one rattled my brain and pretty much put an end to the day. I was glad we didn't do it earlier. Not worth the abuse.

Loved Storm Runner

I thought for coaster guys the wooden ones were a big deal.

Maybe. This one wasn't great to begin with and even more so with the rattling around. There's another wooden one right next to it that's better, imo

I'm more into the newer rides although it's been a few years and don't have any desire to go on them anymore. Or at least not to deal with the crowds to go on them.

 

[TheIronSheik]

• Wildcat
• 48" to 54"
• Aggressive Thrill Ride

a really rough coaster. i avoid this one since i feel like i got beat up after it finishes. bumps you all over the places.

Yeah, avoid or save for the end. This one rattled my brain and pretty much put an end to the day. I was glad we didn't do it earlier. Not worth the abuse.

Loved Storm Runner

I thought for coaster guys the wooden ones were a big deal.

I enjoy them both. But I do love the feel of the wooden coaster smacking you all over the place. El Toro at Great Adventure was the best wooden coaster I've ever ridden only behind The Beast.

 

[Zow]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

Hey, I grew up pretty much in the backyard of Dorney Park. FBGs are everywhere!

DP was our go to park when I was younger. When we went 2 years ago, I didn't even recognize it. Although, the yellow roller coaster is still standing. Barely. Love that place.

Hercules?

 

[NCCommish]

For the record I am not a roller coaster guy. Just never comfortable with the whole thing. Then again I want to fly the plane when I am onboard or at least sit in the cockpit and keep an eye on the pilots. I guess it's a control thing.

 

[TheIronSheik]

UPDATE: I am going to be at Hershey Park (and Troegs) next Saturday!

ETA:

Damn. Missed it by that much.

Hey, I grew up pretty much in the backyard of Dorney Park. FBGs are everywhere!

DP was our go to park when I was younger. When we went 2 years ago, I didn't even recognize it. Although, the yellow roller coaster is still standing. Barely. Love that place.

Hercules?

Gone. I rode that one time. Apparently that was only up for a couple of years.

The yellow roller coaster (not sure the real name, but everyone I knew called it the yellow one) was the one that started under the bumper cars. It's got to be about 60 years old. It's probably been there since the park opened.

 

[johnnycakes]

I toured the Hershey's factory while one could still tour the factory... not some dumb-### museum nearby. I can still remember the chocolate smell and the vision of rolling laundry-baskets full of broken chocolate bars. MMMMmmmmmm.....

 

[Spanky267]

I'll be at Hersehy Park in two weeks with my family. Will it be ridiculously busy on the Thrusday before the 4th of July? Is there a better day of the week to go? We could go on Monday instead. Driving up from DC while we are on vacation to visit the park.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

P.S. wave when you drive by!

Hi Sheik!

ETA: I wonder if they'd let me in for free if I told them, "I'm just here to meet a guy off the internet for a cornhole."

 

[belljr]

I toured the Hershey's factory while one could still tour the factory... not some dumb-### museum nearby. I can still remember the chocolate smell and the vision of rolling laundry-baskets full of broken chocolate bars. MMMMmmmmmm.....

yep was cool