BGW is HORRIBLE... - 6/17-6/19

.... just kidding :)

I really don't feel like writing a huge, detailed TR so I'll just sum up the trip:

Overall: BGW is my favorite park now. Sorry PKD and CP. Everything about BGW is great. The themeing, atmposphere, roller coasters, staff, everything! Even though it rained 3/4's of the time, I still had 3 awesome days. I rode nearly everything in the park. Wild Maus was down on the 17th for most of the day and the 18th, probably due to rain. The crowds were light, and all the coaster lines were less than 15 minutes for the front, and 5 minutes for any other seat. I got stuck on Pompeii right before the drop, which was kinda cool, but it wasn't for that long. The park was spotlessly clean, and the landscaping was wonderful.

You can easily spend 3 days there, and I recomend you do. I wish I actually spent 4 days. BGW proves that you don't have to have 16 roller coasters to be a great park, and quality is better than quantity.

Staff: Let me just say this about the staff: They were awesome! Not only did they move the trains quickly on the roller coasters, but they were also extremely friendly. A nice change from Hershey Park.

Favorite Countries: Italy, which had Apollo and had great landscaping as well as New France, because of the great themeing and food.

Rides:

Apollos Chariot: This coaster is AMAZING, my new #1. Air on every hill in every seat. The third drop makes you fell like your going to fall out, and the first is awesome. The trims were barely put on also. The way it follows the terraine is very cool too. 9.8/10

Aplengeist: My 50th coaster. Even though it's my #2 coaster and favorite invert now, I was expecting a lot more, mainly because I heard it was better than AC. It didn't turn out to be but it's still an awesome ride, especially at night in the back seat. The huge inversions, wicked cobra roll, spectacular first drop and good ending make this a great ride. 9.5/10

Big Bad Wolf: Ride this at night, in the back seat, and you'll know how awesome this ride is! With no lights on the course (expect for a few in the village), this ride is totally insane. The howl of the wolf on the first lift hill is a nice touch also. The only trim applied was on the final drop, and that wasn't even applied to heavily. 9/10

Loch Ness Monster: Extremely smooth for an Arrow, I received pops of air on every drop. I loved the tunnel, and with the little light peering through and being able to see the top layer of the helix, it provided a great headchopper. The loops are very cool also. The trims didn't spoil the ride either. 9/10

Wild Maus: Your average wild mouse. A little more comfortable than the one at Hershey. 7/10

Escape From Pompeii: The themeing and effects are great. We got stuck right before going out of the ruins. There was also an enthusiasts I sat next to on the ride before that in the front, but I don't know what his name was. EFP makes Tidal Force look bland. 9.5/10

Corkscrew Hill: The inside was very well themed and the storyline, while short, was good. The ending was good (almost hitting the water) and the while it didn't have as many effects as the Lightouse, it was still good. 9/10

R.L. Stine's Lighthouse: This was a little cheesey and not to scary, but it really made the little kids pee their pants. The effects were cool, and the theater was also. 8/10

Sky Ride: This provided an excellent view of the park, and was very relaxing. 8/10

Water Country USA: Better than WWK at Dorney in my opinion, this waterpark was nicely spread out with some nice themeing. My favorite rides were Big Daddy Falls, Nitro Racer, Hubba Hubba Highway, and Adventure Isles. Peppermint Twist is extremely intense for a slide also.

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"If we knew how safe roller coasters were, we'd lose their thrill" - Daniel Keller

I also love BGW. CP is my #1 because of all the coasters but BGW is the nicest park I've been to. The landscaping and preserved forest is so amazing. Is is just me or does it seem like its never crouded? It seems like theres no crouded midways like CP because its so spread out.

BGW is my favorite park as well, just above Disneyland and PKI. If BGW gets a great woodie, there will probably be no question what my favorite park is since I can't find another problem with it at all. But maybe Hershey will change that this weekend and I wouldn't mind that for a second! :)

-Danny
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Coaster Insomniacs

BGW is my favorite park too (even over CP). Also Alpie is my favorite steel coaster (but unlike most coasters Ive been on I enjoy the front more then the back).

Water Country is one of the nations best waterparks (my favorite if you dont count Schiltterbahn, which I believe trandsends waterparks and is in its own catagory much like Disney World). Aquazoid is the best!

On

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Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.

You attract alot of people with your tittle...I probably wouldnt of read it if you said a good day...Awsome I would but you pulled me in with the Horrible...Because I always hear good about BGW.

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#1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!! My top 7 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Montu 3. Yankee Cannonball 4. Kumba 5. Gwazi 6. Cyclone (SFNE) 7. B:DK

BGW is a really great park especially because of the layout of the park. The sky ride and the train make it easy to get around most of the park without walking to far and the coasters are all in seperate areas minimizing the crowding of multiple attractions in a confined area. All the theming areas are awesome because it is like stepping into a different country every time you get off a ride with all the theming and food.

I still have to prefer Cedar Point thought because of the immense amount of attractions at the super park. 16 coasters give a larger variety for all different types of thrills.

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Riding on top of the world with Cedar Point

I think you've really put your finger on the real essence of BGW, 3r1c. I spent three solid days at BGW in the rain about four years ago (or whenever they opened AC) and I can say that park is just as much fun trapsing around in rain ponchos than any other park on a sunny day. The lines were super short and I got about fifteen consecutive rides on BBW after dark. It was a little slice of heaven.

There's something about the atmosphere at BGW - I don't know if its just the excellent theming, the cleanliness, or the natural beauty, but it seems just as fun (if not more so) than parks with four times the coasters.

I loved BGW too - especially because I was with my entire class on a field trip to W-burg. The overall feel of the park is like no other park I've ever been to. Even Disney can't top the concrete hills and overgrown feeling BGW offers. Not to mention the coasters that are tangled among the trees and hills. I love that park and would absolutely love to go back there. I went to BGW before I was an enthusiast so it was amazing for me to see "hidden" coasters nestled in the trees, like BBW. Anyways, what's Corkscrew Hill? I've always wondered, because when I was there, Ireland was under construction and DF was SBNO. Good trip report! :)

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Tales for the L33t

Man, your title scared me:) I'm glad you liked BGW. It is tied for my number one park as well.

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-Sean Newman

What else can I add to what everyone else has said? They've all hit the nail on the head in describing BGW.

I fell in love with it back in '94 when my family made a trip out there, and wanted desperately to go back every year after that.

My chance finally came last year as part of my first anniversary trip out to Williamsburg, and I loved it even more (although I miss DF :( ).

While CP is still #1 because of the overall coaster count, and I've gone there preacticaly my whole life, BGW is the most beautiful park IMO. And their coasters are all top notch as well.

I also agree that Water Country USA is the top Water Park I've ever been to, and well worth a trip.

I'm glad you had a great time at BGW. You had me a little shocked with that title there! ;)

Take care and God bless!

Glad you enjoyed the park so much. Even thought it's my true homepark, I can only visit 2 times a year at the most. I get bored with BGW really quick. I buy a season pass to PKD because there is so much more to do there. Sure BGW beats it on cleanliness and themeing, but they don't got nothing on PKD's rides.

Coreo81 - I would have to say the oposite. I have PKD for my homepark, and while the rides are OK (hypersonic being the only one thats really different), i would much rather have the ones at BGW. AC and Alpie both are great on capacity, and are fun nomatter how many times you ride them. Although some of PKD's are also fairly re-rideable, they are no where near as good on capacity.

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1. Millennium Force
2. HypersonicXLC
3. Alpengeist

BGW is my number 1 theme park. IB is my number 1 amusement park. BGW blew me absolutely away. Especially Apollo's Chariot, I was expecting a boring, uneventful ride like on Raging Bull (sorry all you bull lovers) and I was VERY pleasantly surprised with my ride on Apollo's Chariot, it also stands as my number 1 steel coaster, it's just unbelievable. I, on the other hand, contrary to MANY people, thought Alpengiest was a sleeper. I set my expectations too high though, I thought for sure it would be my new number 1 but it was incredibly boring and nearly forceless, a real disappointment IMO.

However, Lochness Monster was really much better than I expected, there was a jolt at the turn after the first drop, but after that it was smooth sailing (literally.) And I also thought the helix was incredible. Big Bad Wolf was very unfortunately closed the whole 5 hours (I know, let me tell you, it wasn't NEARLY enough time) I was there. Wilde Maus was my first Wild Mouse coaster and it was great, the guide wheels on that coaster must really be sturdy!

Escape from Pompeii was amazing, although the statue fell about 10 seconds too soon, and we didn't have time for the reride. I also found the staff to be overwhelmingly friendly and the scenery was just unbelievable, walking in, you can not spot a single coaster, which sounds strange, but it was great because there was a surprise around every corner.

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Warning: I do not think like the average person. My remarks have plenty of thought behind them. Take it for what it's worth, if you disagree, please, feel free to express it, but don't put me down because of it.

Sorry about scaring everyone with my title. ;) Thanks for all the feedback though.

Koaster King, Hershey being my home park, I didn't find it even close to the same level as BGW. The themeing and staff just can't compare to BGW. I'm not saying HP is a bad park, but BGW is much better IMHO.

RollerJunkie, Corkscrew Hill is a 4-D simulator, like the one in RCT2, except in a building.

SFGAMDie HARD, I totally agree with you about Apollo. I was expecting another Steel Forceless, but it didn't turn out to be. Alpie was a dissapointment at first, the rain really spoiled my ride (getting pelted is not fun) but I took a backseat ride at night... it was unbelievable. I agree with everything about LNM, it's very underrated. That sucks about BBW being down, it's definately one of the best rides at BGW.

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"If we knew how safe roller coasters were, we'd lose their thrill" - Daniel Keller
*** This post was edited by 3r1c 6/22/2003 11:44:48 PM ***

Comparisons between Hersheypark and BGW:

Staff: Can't really comment on. It has been a year since we visited BGW. The staff was competent and friendly. I can only assume that is the same. HP staff this year has been hit or miss. Some have been great (the crew on Wildcat, Comet, looper and Great Bear fall into this category), most have been average, some have been a little sub par (the Classic Cars on the twin turnpikes of all places, and the Coal Cracker... not bad... but not enthusiastic either). Last time they were there they were strictly enforcing a "NO reride policy... even if the station and queue are completely and totally empty". Can't comment on BGW's staff this year.

BGW vs HP in the theming department: No contest... hands down BGW is the winner. HOWEVER... BGW is a theme park and was built as a theme park. Hersheypark, while having some themed areas, falls more into the more traditional amusment park category. I truely do not think the two can be comared in this manner. For most of its history, this is what it was, and what you see today has evolved over nearly a century. The oddest thing is... the most themed area of HP looks like the least themed... Midway America themed to be reminicent of the amusement parks of years ago... Therefore, you will see very little "theming" but rather a hodgepodge of rides with stations that are reflect architecture of years ago (Lightning Racer, Wild Mouse and Wildcat are prime examples of this).

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"