BGW or Hershey?

Alright well im going to be heading from Pittsburgh to New York in early July, and ive got the option of going to either Busch Gardens Williamsburg or Hershypark. Now ive actually been to both parks before, but both over 10 years ago when I was just a kid, I can hardly remember them. Now my first thinking was obviously Hershy because of Storm Runner. But to me it dosent look like Hershy has anything else all that amazing. BGW on the other hand has what looks to be a steller Invert, and Apollos chariot looks amazing as well. Not sure how good the other 2 are, I think I actually rode Big Bad Wolf as a kid but barely remember it. Now keep in mind both of these parks are basically entirely new to me. I think im still leaning twords Hershey, but Id like some input as to what the rest of you think.

Oh one other thing: Its not all about the coasters. Does either park stand out in terms of flats or atmosphere or anything like that? *** Edited 3/11/2004 4:15:13 AM UTC by stljason1***

Wow tough choice, but the best thing is you are bound to win either way. Hershey has Great Bear (unique invert) and Lightning Racers and Wildcat (GCI masterpieces) too. BGW has Alpie, considered by some to be the best invert ever made, BBW the best arrow suspended on this continent, Nessie the only surviving interlocking loop coaster and Apollos a good hyper.

BGW is my favorite park, all though it does not have as many rides as Hershey it has amazing themeing and great atmosphere (its really the perfect mix between Disney theming and Six Flags intensity). I say you go there, but be sure to do Water Country USA and Collonial Williamsburg while your down there too they are quality attractions.

Hershey has more coasters and has a great atmosphere in its own right, it just doesnt beat BGW. Skip this park this year but make sure you go to it sometime in the near future.

Do Hersheypark.

You do make a good point Chiller...

Can't go wrong with either.

Just a question though...

If you are travelling from Pittsburgh to NYC, why these two parks?

BGW is about 390 miles from both Pittsburgh and NYC. Assuming you will be travelling the PA turnpike, the closest point you would get to BGW when travelling between those two cities is Harrisburg PA, which is about 260 miles from BGW. On the other hand, you will be passing within about 15 miles of Hersheypark. HP is "right on the way" between those two cities, where as BGW is pretty far out of the way.

Both parks you will want to spend at least a day in, but HP will a few minutes (1 hr max) of travel time to your trip, BGW will add 6+ hours to your travel time.

Sounds like you are from Pittsburgh. So you could make a 4 hour drive to Hershey anytime. You've got the chance to go to BGW. GO!!! I love that place. Hershey is an amazing place and you can't go wrong. Good luck and have fun!

I guess I just don't see the connection between Pittsburgh, NYC and Williamsburg VA. IF you were going between say Pittsburgh and Norfolk VA and your choices were PKD and BGW, I could understand it... but Hershey and BGW are more than 250 miles apart with BGW being about that same distance "out of the way" between Pittsburgh and NYC.

By the profile, I do see that Stljason1 is from Illionois... So while BGW is deffinately closer to Pittsburgh and NYC than it is to IL... I would still contend that Hershey is right on the way... as is Kennywood, Dorney and, with a slight 1 hr detour, Knoebels... For that matter, SFGreat Adventure is even near by on the NJ Turnpike.

Can I assume you are flying to Pittsburgh and any future trip to either HP or BGW will be a flying trip as well? If that is the case, I say hit Hershey on this trip and then, in a future trip, fly into BWI or Dulles (or better yet Richmond) and hit BGW (and perhaps PKD) in the future.

Then again, what do I know. Two summers ago I somehow rationlized that SF Darien Lake is right "near by" to Kennywood and hit the two while on a trip to Johnstown PA. That 300 mile round trip day trip to Johnstown turned into a 1,000 mile, 5 day, 4 park trip.

That's a tough one since you are talking about my 2nd and 3rd most favorite parks. I'd go with Hershey. They are both well run and clean parks. Alpie and AC are great at BGW, but I'll got with the wood. Wildcat and LR are absolutely incredible. Great Bear is also very unique, if short and Comet is a definite sleeper. Take that along with the new ride and that pushes Hershey over the top. You won't be dissappointed with either however.

Both are great parks. You may want to look at their features in detail. You may also want to consider other surrounding attractions if you have any time to spare. (Amish Country vs. Colonial Williamsburg). If you have someone who really wants to see shows, BGW has the best shows of any park on the east coast north of Florida.

Why anyone would CHOOSE to fly into Dulles is beyond me. You'd be much better served flying into Reagan-National if you wanted to drive down I-95 south. You'd avoid the HUGE daily backup that occurs at the ramp to 95 south from 495> But I digress...

Anyway, I'd have to say Hershey. Hershey has everything BGW has and more. Truth be told, when you first walk into either park, it will look just like the other (Tudor styled buildings). But Hershey has a zoo included with admission and there is the Hershey Gardens just up the road if flowers are your thing. More importantly, being a "flatlander" from Illinois, you will *hate* the hills in BGW (I know I do =]). Also, there is no wood @ BGW while Lighting Racer is among the best in the nation. I'll give BGW the edge in food, but not by that much. If you go to Hershey, I'd suggest eating @ Chocolate World.

Alas, it is you choice, but in your shoes, especially when taking into account driving distances, HERSHEYPARK would be #1 on my list (though admittedly, I'm biased as HERSHEYPARK is #1 on my list anyway =]).

lata, jeremy

--yes, that's right Six Flags Great America has been supplanted...

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2Hostyl said:
Why anyone would CHOOSE to fly into Dulles is beyond me. You'd be much better served flying into Reagan-National if you wanted to drive down I-95 south.

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Never even thought of suggesting that. Being from this part of PA, the only two airports that we consider are Harrisburg and Baltimore Washington. While BWI is further away and not as easy of a drive (695, 'nuf said), you sometimes need to take a second mortgage to afford a flight from HIA.

But that has nothing at all to do with the original topic...

Back on topic... I forgot about it, but I will second the comment on wood at HP and the lack there of at BGW.

You guys have brought up some interesting this for me to think about. First to answer a question, NO, Im not flying into Pittsburgh, im going there just like I do every year to visit relatives, only this year after we stay there a week we are going to visit my uncle in Albany, NY. Ive been to KW MANY times and might skip it this year, not sure yet, but that dosent matter. I kinda forgot all about Dorney, Darien Lake, and Konebles. But the thing is it wouldnt be a big deal for us to drive 200 or whatever miles out of our way, my dad would enjoy williamsbugh I know because of all the History. Im still thinking Hershey would be the one to hit on this particular trip though, because now that I think about it that is quite a ways out of our way. Then again, we'll be staying overnight, maybe even 2 nights, at whichever park we end up going to. I wonder how much out of the way Darien Lake or Dorney would be...I know Allentown is more eastern PA, so that would probably be quite a trip as well, but maybe its not as much out of the way as I might think. Really I think Hershey has got me right now because of both location and rides. But im just thinking out loud, I really need to do a little more research and think this through better. But keep the thoughts coming anyways. *** Edited 3/12/2004 3:07:27 AM UTC by stljason1***

Does BGW have "The Claw" (Chance/Morgan Revolution)? Of course not! There's your answer. Go to Hershey. (As you can tell, I'm a "little" bit addicted to the KMG Afterburner). HP also has the rare for this area Huss Condor called Flying Falcon (yes, I know there's one in Wildwood, NJ also). I think it's a great family ride, with a slight fear factor when you're 100ft. off of the ground, spinning around like crazy, all while the G forces are trying to pull you through the bottom of the gondola on the way down.

You can't go wrong with three wood coasters to BGW's none. HP also has a wild mouse that rocks with little brakeage, and Roller Soaker (getting other people soaked is half the fun), the only coaster of its type in the northeast. I think if there is a weak link at HP, it's Trailblazer, but it's a good starter coaster for the kiddies.

Don't get me wrong, BGW is a great place too, but there isn't as much to do. The way the rides are spaced out creates for a longer day vs. if the rides where near each other. Otherwise, you could knock the park out in a matter of hours. The flat ride collection at BGW hasn't been updated in years, and they have the slowest moving Orbitor, when compared to fairs.

I think you could hit Hershey and either Dorney or SFGAdv (or SFA, if you wanted to go down that way) the next day without a problem. I'd choose SFGAdv personally, but that's a bit further than Dorney is.

I-Fan, have you ridden a traveling Afterburner? I'm just curious how Hershey's program compares to those on the fair circuit.

-Nate (also an Afterburner fan)

If I were you, I would go to Hersheypark. Here are some reasons:

1. It's much closer than BGW

2. It has more and better rides + Storm Runner

3. Chocolate! ;)

I would definately go with Hershey. *** Edited 3/12/2004 10:23:57 PM UTC by Coasterjosh***

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coasterdude318 said:
I-Fan, have you ridden a traveling Afterburner? I'm just curious how Hershey's program compares to those on the fair circuit.

-Nate (also an Afterburner fan)

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I rode the Afterburner owned by Reithoffer Shows at the York Fair in 2001. From my memory, the programs are identical. It seems that Knott's is the only one who runs a "weaker" program which doesn't give all riders the the top of the swing. While I haven't ridden "La Revolution", Elissa Alvey makes the comment that "Delerium" (not to be confused with "Delerium" at PKI) at PGA is much better on their latest video.

From what I could tell (from videos and from memory), PGA's Delirium doesn't swing to the top of its swing either. I'm not sure if any of these rides have varied speeds in spinning, but they certainly depend a lot more on swinging than spinning (unlike the Huss Frisbee, for instance). I've ridden Afterburners owned by Farrow Shows and Mike Demas and found they were about equally good. Regardless, I'm glad to hear that Hershey (and SCBB, it sounds like) is running their ride to its fullest potential.

-Nate

I would go to Hershey.If you two days, you should

go to either Dorney or Knoebels,both about hour and a half from HP.I love both HP and BGW,but I think your best bet is Hershey.Two great woodie LR and Wildcat and the new Storm Runner plus it's closer.BGW has not added a coaster in about 5 years and removed two (DF and WM).

I agree with everyone else about Hersheypark if you are driving to from Pittsburgh to NY. Plus as mentionsed the other parks that aren't too far off that path(Dorney, SFGr8 Adv, & Knoebels).

Busch Gardens is a beautiful park with 4 good coasters, and not many flat rides. Hershey is an equally beautiful park(with less theming) that has 9 good coasters (10 if you count LR as 2) and a Vekoma Boomerang. Plus a bigger and better variety of Flat rides. I think that makes Hersheypark the obvious choice. Even more of a choice because it is isn't out of the way like BGW.

Go to Hershey