primogen18
Posts: 2983
Registered: 2/19/2001
Rank: Mansion Welcomer
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 8/29/2004 2:01:27 PM
hey, decided around 1 PM Saturday, why not swing by Dorney Park for a while and check out Hydra progress? I checked prices and found I could wait for Starlight Admission after 5 PM ($15) which was a great deal, so I ended up leaving for the park at around 4:15 and got there at about 5.
The weather was warm and humid which continued al night, and somewhat overcast (it thundered and rained a few drops later, but blew over quickly). The crowds were pretty heavy, but the waits were not bad as they are very efficient. It was me and my parents, so we went through the gates and my dad and I went straight to Talon for the first ride (my mom doesnt do coasters, so we alternated between coasters and rides she wanted to ride). After about a 45 min. wait we boarded. First ride, and I found Talon to be fast and alot of fun, but not nearly as forcefull or intense as so many say. While the inversions especially the Zero G were a blast, I was expecting more forces from them and the helixes. Ah well, not a dissapointment, just not what I expected. It was also my dad's first B&M, and he loved it. I have an onride pic I will try to scan hehe. After Talon, my mom and dad rode Enterprise. She loves them, I don't think I could stomach it and flats arent my thing. After that we grabbed something to drink and walked the downhill hike towards Steel Force. On the way we saw that Thunderhawk had a short line so my dad and I waited about 10 mins and got on. I was in the second-to-last seat, and we got a nice amount of airtime, more then I thought! if they only removed some of the trims (the one on the first turn to the left) it could be better. It was somewhat rough, and the worst parts were the last turn to the right before the station and the brakes. The first slammed my head to the left into the seat and my dad, while the later slammed everyone forward, need better brakes. Overall it was fun though. This was also where we heard Thunder lol, and the rain lasted from the dispatch of the train to us walking off, which was odd lol. Next we walked that midway that goes through Thunderhawk, REALLY nice walk with the mature trees and the coaster on either side, one of the better walkways in the park! We decided just to go straight to Steel Force from there, and waited about 45 mins again. We were in the second to front seat, so the hangtime on the drop was very nice, plus it was already getting dark by then so it was a nice view of the park! I loved steel force, for me personally, I liked it better then Magnum, just a little. while I think Magnum has a better "layout" with the turn on the secon hill, SF had more airtime and was overall a smoother and comfortable ride. I was in the front and was out of my seat alot, especially on that little "hump" before the final brakes. Great ride even managed to swallow a bug. After SF we all went on Zephyr, nice peaceful ride, but they need to grease the brakes or something lol. It was completely dark by then, and very humid. Next up was Laser. This was a first for me, a shwarzkopf dopple looper, and it blew me away as well as my dad! Once it got started, it never let up until the final brakes, and was intense! The loops were incredible as were the helixes, alot of Gs and this was one one of the more intense of the coasters there. I loved every minute (second) of it! It was about 9 after we got off Laser and the park closed at 10, so we made the steady up-hill hike across the park to get another ride on Talon. Waited about 20 mins and got on, still a whole lot of fun, just not nearly as intense as thuought. After Talon we grabbed a last minute ride on Wild Mouse, which was pretty well neutered in some parts, but ok. Overall it was a nice 5 hour trip to the park and we did pretty good squeezing all of the coasters in there with the crowds. The progress on Hydra continues, its just funny since it looks so short haha, from the midway, since you dont notice the hill the first drop will go
Message updated 8/29/2004 2:05:56 PM by primogen18
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skierman
Posts: 2328
Registered: 4/8/2004
Rank: Snow Rider
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 8/29/2004 3:40:40 PM
Wow, that was great, very detailed. Ha, It just isnt a great hyperocaster ride without swallowing a bug... Sorry about the crowds, that sucks, i know...SFNE. But thats great overall! And...haha, no, i dont think i saw you...
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Chet
Posts: 2922
Registered: 8/14/2003
Rank: Chilla Dude
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8/29/2004 4:05:12 PM
wait a sec, were you at Dorney on wednesday? because the person you described reminds me of a person i saw in the line for thunderhawk. he was waiting for the front seat and was talking to my sister.
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/29/2004 5:20:49 PM
Nice TR. I really want to go to Dorney. If I'm REALLY lucky I'll get there next summer, but Im not holding my breath.
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3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/29/2004 5:36:55 PM
Where did you sit on Talon? Great TR by the way. 
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primogen18
Posts: 2983
Registered: 2/19/2001
Rank: Mansion Welcomer
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8/30/2004 12:58:13 AM
Thanks, I hope you make it next summer as well and let me know when. Its a great park, so clean and the staff was nice and efficient. Only bad thing is that hill, haha, theres some steep inclines in some of those paths/midways, quite a workout if you are going from Laser to the very front of the park. I was not there weds. I might make it there more this season, and Halloweekends since I never realized its so close to me lol, I knew it was close but also its so easy to get there, straight, then one turn heh, So Im getting a season pass next year. On Talon, first I rode 3rd row far left. Second, it was row 6 far left. Maybe its more intense on the other side or direct front/back?
Oh, in line Thunderhalk, I overheard some people talking about how high Steel Force was, and comparing it to Nitro, and they didnt know how tall either was, and I remember saying Nitro was 215 SF was 205 (drop), but later I heard the guy say to his kids Nitro was 50 feet taller then SF, so he must have heard me wrong lol (250 not 215)
Message updated 8/30/2004 1:17:54 AM by primogen18
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3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/30/2004 8:57:53 PM
The thing I found funny about Talon is that it is EXTREMELY intense in the front - far more so than the back.
And Steel Force doesn't seem that tall while you're on it because of it being in the lower part of the park.
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Chet
Posts: 2922
Registered: 8/14/2003
Rank: Chilla Dude
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8/31/2004 1:34:47 PM
I agree with you on both points, especailly talon. Jeez, that was a rush in the front!
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/31/2004 8:20:22 PM
Inverts are always better in the front. Primogen, how did you not know how close you lived to Dorney?
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