30 Coasters at 5 parks.

After a 13 hour car ride pulling a 22' camper we arive in Allentown PA. We set up camp and it's 7:00 pm and I talk my wife into letting me go over to Dorney to get the big rides out of the way. It's Friday night and to my surprise the park was empty. I got five rides in on Talon, hands down this is my favorite inverted. Got Thunder Hawk and Steel Force done twice. Laser threw me for a loop. I was not expecting it to be that forcefull in the turns. Also did a couple of their flats and left by 9:30.

We all returned on saturday and got every coaster and a couple of flats done by 12:30. I left to go get a tire changed for the camper which blew out on the way there friday. The wife and kids stayed to eat and went into the water park. BIG mistake since it was 92degrees and a saturday. It was packed!!! The kids had fun in the kids sections. We didn't even attempted any slides. We all went back into the ride section of the park and waited no more than 15 min for the coasters (except SF). We left early around 8pm.

Dorney Park Likes- Talon is Awesome- Best Log Flume I have ever ridden, I love how it built into the hill. Dislikes- The layout is kinda confusing.

After a 4 hour trip to The Crayola Factory we head to Hershey PA. We arrive on sunday and set up camp again. On monday we did the Chocolate Factory, Hershey Gardens, and used our tickets for preview of HP. For those of you that don't know you can use you admission ticket and get in the night before for 2 1/2 hours befor the park closes. They let us in at 7:10pm and we decided to try to get as many of the coasters done and out of the way. We got all done except Storm Runner, Roller Soaker, and the Lightning side of LR. All of this got done by 9:35 pm before the storm hit without warning.

We got up on tuesday and did Breakfast at the park. At 9:15am we get ERT in Midway America on Wild Mouse (not a good ride to ride right after breakfast) and a bunch of kids rides. Around 9:50 I leave the wife and kids to see how far I can get to Storm Runner. Only got to around Tidal Force and at 10 they let us go. I was the first to arrive at the station and it started up around 10:15. I sat in the front seat on the first dispatched train of the day. I got off and back in line for a 15 min wait for the back seat. The cobra rolls into the snake dive was the best element of this ride. I radio'd the wife to get their bathing suits on and meet me at Roller Soaker. Man was I glad that HP does not make you wear your shirt and shoes on this ride. What a fun ride on a hot day. Since our suits were on and we were already wet and we got all the coasters done the night before we decided to hit all the water rides. We were done by 1 just as those lines were getting full.

HP- not really impressed with it, could use some TLC in the older section and really could use a Kiddie coaster. I thought that Lightning racer is the best coaster in the park. Giant Wheel was great that the cages spin.

Since we did HP in a day and 2 hours we didn't need a second day there. So me and my son decided to make a trip to Knoebels instead of SFGAd that was origanally planned. I didn't want to drive that long. After getting lost by Mapquests directions we arrived at Knoebles 2 1/2 hours later. GRRRR!! Good thing I gave myself extra time in the morning. Besides Phoenix and the Flyers this place is a dump! (sorry) don't get me wrong but my local county fair looks better than this place. We still had a blast. I am glad I spent the money for the all day cause i would have walked away from the Phoenix wonder what the hype was all about. We first sat in the second to last seat but later sat in the second seat and WOW what a ride in the front. My thighs actually hit the lap bar, we rode it two more times. All in all we got three rides in on each of the other coasters and left by 7pm.

We packed up camp on friday and left Hershey around 1 and I talked my wife into stopping at Kennywood on the way home. We got there at 4pm and first ride was the Jack Rabbit. This ride scared the crap out of my 6yr old daughter who has 97 coasters under her belt. I don't think she was ready for the air over the camel hill drop. Phantom Revenge was nice in the begining but I didn't care for the new sections (to rough). Thunderbolt was great and now i know why smaller riders load first. My 65# son came crashing into me. What a Fun ride. Looking at Kennywood from the parking lot, It didn't look like much with the surrounding area but what a beautiful park. Six thumbs up from us.

Stayed the night at some campground near Butler PA and got on the road again around 9am. Drove through Ohio and stopped for lunch at Fun Spot amusement park in Angola IN. After paying $24.00 for three all day wristbands and one general admission, thanks to ACE membership cards, we get three rides on each coaster and many flats in 3 hrs. Also got a quick walk around their zoo. One side note: I have never been to a park where you have to check your own restraints. Afterburner is a fun ride but I question it's safety after the guy on the other side asks you to make sure your restraints are still locked before he sends you backwards. Also those restraints have the most play in them I have every seen.

Thank for reading,

IGGY *** Edited 7/25/2004 5:31:48 AM UTC by Iggy ACE*** *** Edited 7/25/2004 5:38:49 AM UTC by Iggy ACE***

Not impressed with Hershey...Knoebel's is a dump...?!?!?

Just exactly what are you smoking?

Yea IMO HP was just a OK park. Nothing realy stood out. It was nice and we had alot of fun but just OK. What would Knoebels be if it didn't have Pheonix and Twister? Just a big fair like my local county fair.

Atmosphere.. if you don't like it, don't go to Knoebel's. You might wanna also avoid Indiana Beach as well.

I was standing in line for a final ride on Stormrunner last Monday night, when that storm hit. And I mean that thing came out of nowhere. A flash of lightening, a clap of thunder, and then a downpour. All in the span of a minute, like something in the movies. It seemed like the park was caught off guard as well, as everything was still running right up until that lightening first hit. BTW, it's a good thing that you didn't hit Williams Grove while you were in the area. If you thought so little of Knoebel's, I'd be afraid to ask what you would have thought of it.

Ya know Iggy ACE, you aren't alone in thinking that Knoebel's isn't all that. I'll be happy to go back because of the Pheonix and Twister, but everything else... meh.

Many of the rides are cheap, temporary looking. They make the park look bad, imo. *** Edited 7/25/2004 8:45:06 PM UTC by Coaster File***

^That is what gives the park the old, classic, family owned park feel...

Maybe traditional amusement parks aren't for you. I sure love the park, and I know a lot of other people do too.

^That was what I thought, but I enjoyed SCBB. Part it is that I did more at SCBB then I did at Knoebel's. Part of it might have been the day. I went to Knoebel's on a dark and dreary day.

Indiana Beach doesn't even compare to Knoebels. It's not ment to be a old traditional amusement park. It's ment to be like the old boardwalks of yesteryear. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed the day.

Pale Rider,me and the kids were in line for the Lightning side when it hit (how appropriate).

I agree that HP needs a kiddie coaster (and I don't have kids), which is ironic seeing as how many kiddie rides they have. According to a sign I read, with the new restraints that were added on Trailblazer last year, kids who could have ridden before, can't now.

I think you're a little bit harsh on Knoebels. Had you read the Knoebels website, you would've known that they don't recommend using any of the mapping programs. I don't consider it a dump, just interesting and a throwback to the time before megaparks. Now their bathrooms, that's another story. If you're just a coaster rider, you may not have that great of a time, but if you like flats like I do, it's great!

You didn't look at the area around knoebels then either, did you. Most of central PA is a dump. ;)

^Spoken from someone who lives in central PA.

I'll second the area around Knoebels as being a dump.

Knoebels setting is how parks were at the turn of the century. I think most people who go to Knoebels are looking for a park such as Cedar Point, Six Flags or a Kings Island. It's basicly a nice sized park (not tiny but not huge) with a few perfectly run flat rides and 2 really good wooden coasters. They also have plenty of unique foods that are good and won't ruin your appeitite with the price. After all where else can you get an all you can eat fish dinner for around $10 at a park?