fergusonat
Posts: 813
Registered: 5/2/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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 7/24/2005 12:12:49 AM
Dorney Park
Tuesday July 12th, 2005
4:30 AM
Yes, that’s right…4:30 in the morning, a time that I barely knew even existed until this fateful day. But even at this horrific hour, I was wide-awake. The day that I had been waiting upon ever since the announcement of Hydra the Revenge had finally dawned. While my dad got the stuff in the car, I got dressed, throwing on my Hydra shirt I already had from Christmas. Then the time came for the long-awaited departure. I packed my camera and batteries in my pack, snagged the Dorney Park coupons, and shoved a bottle of sunscreen in my pocket, and we were off. Five very long hours passed, and finally I spotted the park amidst the early morning haze, Steel Force’s elegant structure standing hard against the sky and Talon’s graceful layout visible even from that extreme distance.
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6113/p10110224hg.jpg
Then I caught a faint glimmer or green amidst the trees. IT WAS HYDRA…I WAS SEEING IT WITH MY OWN EYES. How long did I stare at it through the webcam each day, watching each piece of track be bolted in place, and yet there it was, in real life. I could hardly believe it. We got into the park right after opening at around 10:15 AM. I instantly noticed how very barren the park seemed…both in crowds and vegetation. Unfortunately the only problem with Dorney Park is the sparse shade available. You are indeed at the mercy of the Sun-god. But we weren’t riding Apollo’s Chariot today. Talon was calling me.
http://img319.imageshack.us/img319/1889/p10110309yr.jpg
I leaped up the steps and amidst my extreme joy I saw an empty seat open in the front row. I bounded through the gates, plopped into the seat with a thud, and pulled down the restraint all in one motion. The ride turned out to be absolutely amazing…definitely very intense and even some moments of airtime, something very unexpected from an invert. Talon has landed at #5 in my Top 10.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/7679/talononride8ze.jpg
I decided I had to ride Talon again, so I jumped back in line, still pretty much a walk-on. Such a thrill…Talon is definitely a B&M masterpiece. Then it was on to Hydra, a ride that has been classified as a disappointment by pretty much everybody, unfortunately. I went in with an open mind, though. It certainly looked beautiful, and the line was virtually non-existent. I hopped in line for the front row, a one-train wait…a one-train wait that turned into a 15-minute wait. Somebody got blood on one of the seats and apparently they have to test for 10 minutes for that sort of thing. Later on in the day, there would be a delay due to somebody soiling themselves on Hydra. I don’t know why, but bodily substances were plentiful on this ride. When I asked the ride op which seat the “soiling” had occurred in so that I could avoid it, he only shook his head and laughed. I was serious, but oh well…Anyway, I was on the ride soon enough, face to face with the infamous jojo roll. The floor gave way and we were off. GREAT RIDE.
http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/2563/hydra6qk.jpg
I was shocked that it had received such horrendous ratings. I rode Hydra 2 more times after my first ride, getting an on-ride video during one of these.
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/7025/p10110660nx.jpg
Then it was on to the other side of the park, with Steel Force, Laser, and Thunderhawk. First I hit Thunderhawk. I opted for the back seat, which I soon found out to be a horrible mistake. I was absolutely brutalized on the banked turns. It was a very rough ride, and the trim brakes ruined it entirely. Coming off battered and bruised, I jumped in line for Steel Force, also a walk-on. Now in my opinion, the only point to a hyper coaster is the airtime and the speed. Steel Force had a nice first drop, but at the bottom of all the hills, there was a very sudden and jolting movement that crunched my spine. And another thing: NO AIRTIME.
Message updated 7/24/2005 12:15:42 AM by fergusonat
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