Dorney or SFA? - CoasterBuzz

For next summer I wanted to visit one of these parks. Which is the better choice?
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"Oncoming riders, please stand behind the red safety line and wait for the train to come to a complete stop."
-Phantom's Revenge Laps:12-

Definatly SFA. SFA has great coasters and none are painful. Even Jokers Jinx is great because it has really soft padding on the OTHR. Its still a very rough ride though but maybe next year it will have lap bars.

DORNEY DORNEY DORNEY!

I recently visited these two parks and was greatly impressed with Dorney. Talon and Steel Force are great coasters. Thunderhawk is a good wood coaster. Hercules, while rough, has a goood coaster hiding in there someplace.

They also have a good variety of flat rides including Dominator (S&S tower).

The staff seems efficient, lines were nill, and the park was clean.

SFA on the other hand... They may have more coasters, but I like Quality over Quanity. From first hand experience (and reading these boards), their rides suffer breakdowns quite frequently with some hardly ever being open. Even though lines may look short, the waits can be very long because of a less than enthusiastic ride staff. Also, while Dorney makes no great attempt at "Theming", at least they do basic landscaping. With Talon being brand new, the area around it is land scapped (shurbs, mulch, etc etc etc) and looks nice. S:ROS at SFA looks like it was plopped down in an open field and forgotten about.

When I went to Dorney, I was expecting a good park, but not necessiarly a "great" park... and I was pleasantly surprised... it is a VERY good park. When I went to SFA, I was not expecting very much and it lived up to those low expections quite nicely.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/27/2001. ***

*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/27/2001. ***

I'd personally give the nod to Dorney.

Both parks have good coaster collections. If you're aiming strictly for the coasters, and don't care about the overall experience, then SFA (with Roar, Wild One, Superman, and Batwing) could arguably win out over Dorney (Thunderhawk, Steel Force, and Talon).

However, I find Dorney to be a more pleasant experience overall. This is a subjective opinion, of course, but I find Dorney to be cleaner, better operations, better food, and still has good coasters.

Do both if you can, of course ;)

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--Greg
My page My other page And my coaster page

*** This post was edited by GregLeg on 8/27/2001. ***

Is SFA as clean or cleaner than SFWoA? Is Dorney as clean or cleaner than Cedar Point?
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"Oncoming riders, please stand behind the red safety line and wait for the train to come to a complete stop."
-Phantom's Revenge Laps:12-

raptorfan00 said:
"Is SFA as clean or cleaner than SFWoA? Is Dorney as clean or cleaner than Cedar Point?
"

I can't make the comparrisons between SFA and SFWoA... but I do know that in rants about SFWoA people complained about over flowing trash cans, lack of trash cans, and just alot of litter. I can say that all of these things were seen at SFA.
Of all the parks I have been too (including even little and run down Williasgrove), I have found SFA to be by far the worst as far as litter and trash (and grafitti).

As for Dorney and CP... again, I can not compare, except to say that of the parks that I have been too (including the Florida themers), Dorney ranks very high in the "nice, neat, and tidy" list.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

I have the same dilemma. Which park has better flat rides and kid rides, I have a 6 year old that will be going along. My other choice is Hershey and I need a second park trip to go with it and the choice is between these two.
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Any resemblance to living or
dead people is purely coincidental.

SFA and Dornery are both reasonably clean and I like both parks. Coaster comparisons:
Woodies: SFA has Wild One, a 1919 classic out and back that still gives a good ride, and Roar, an excellent twister from GCI. Dorney has Hercules noted for it's painful ride, and Thunderhawk loaded with brakes to the point that there is not air time at all.
Hypers: A lot of people like Steel Force, but IMO SROS is much better, expecially at night.
Inverts: Dorney gets the nod here. Talon is a terrific ride especially in the front row. Mind Eraser is just another SLC.
Flying Dutchman: SFA has a terrific ride in Batwing. Dorney has no equivalent.
Flat rides: Give the nod to Dorney for it's ancient whip.
Drop tower: Dorney wins again.
Also in the same general area consider Hershey which is a fine park and Knobel's.

*** This post was edited by Jim Fisher on 8/27/2001. ***

skysox said:
"I have the same dilemma. Which park has better flat rides and kid rides, I have a 6 year old that will be going along. My other choice is Hershey and I need a second park trip to go with it and the choice is between these two.
"

I can't say much for SFA as I was not really looking for kid rides. However, I did notice a few scattered around some sections of Dorney and also the Camp Snoopy section of Dorney is just for kids.

You already said you were going to Hershey (which has a great collection of kid rides). If you are going soley for your kid and not yoruself, you may also want to consider Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster (about 40 minutes to an hour from Hershey). This is a park just for kids. Our niece is 2 1/2 and while still a bit young for many of their attractions, she had a ball... a 6 year old should have even more fun. In all honesty, speaking as an adult, I even enjoyed D.Wonderland over SFA.

But your choices are SFA and Dorney... again, go with Dorney. Read what GregLeg said... no better explanation that that.

In response to Jim Fisher comments...

Both parks being relatively clean... Perhaps SFA has good days or Dorney has bad days... but Dorney was very clean and SFA was very dirty on the days I were there.

Breaking on wooden coasters: While Thunderhawk does have some breaks, I hardly would call it loaded. Next to Knoebels Phoenix, I have not experienced qutie as much air as in Thunderhawk's 3rd seat.

Steel Force and S:ROS: I loved Steel Force... and I can't comment on S:ROS. S:ROS might be a better ride, if you are there when it is up and running. Unfortunately, from first hand experience and from hearing others, it isn't in that condition very often here late.

While we may disagree on points about SFA, I will agree that while in the area consider Hershey and Knoebels.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/27/2001. ***

*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/27/2001. ***

Plain and simple, Thunderhawk isn't in the same class as Phoenix. For that matter very few coasters are in the same class with Phoenix.

SROS was operating all of the time until the incident at SFNE. Since then it has been down repeatedly for safety upgrades. I expect that this will end soon.

If you are interested in kiddie rides, Dorney has a better selection that SFA. Dorney is especially outstanding in the area of kiddie coasters with 3. I agree that Dutch Wonderland is another excellent choice for the kids, and Dad can ride CCI's first coaster there.

SFA may have more rides but Dorney is better taken care of ,has no lines and is just so much more fun.

The only acceptable answer is Dorney. Walter and Claude deserve a Nobel Prize for Talon. No, seriously, if I had the ability to build the perfect steel coaster, I'd build it like Talon. If this thing doesn't crack the top 25 in the Golden Tickets next year, then not enough people got a chance to ride it.

And I might add that Steel Force, Laser and Wild Mouse are great fun as well.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
Watch the grass grow: http://www.sillynonsense.com/subdivision/

I was at Dorney on Sunday and I rode Thunderhawk for the first time and I must have gotten lucky because I don't think the brakes were used at all. At the crest of every hill I got major ejector air. One of the hills slammed my legs into the lap bar (which was pretty far away and hurt for a while, too). Maybe it was because the train was empty...only 4 riders in the front and 4 in the back.
Talon and Steel Force are both awesome!
I'd choose Dorney, unless of course you are just dying to ride Batwing!

I've never been to Dorney, but go to Dorney. SFA is ok if only things actually worked. You figure that if a park advertised out the wazoo all these "fantastic" rides that some would actually be working right when you go. Its too iffy. Go to Dorney and have a good time.

Hmmm..I would pick Dorney. Dont get me wrong, SFA was some great rides...but an overall feel of the park is nothing compared to Dorney. Yes, it doesnt help to have Talon there either.
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Dayuum, Your HOT!

Go to SFA. All you people who have all these bad experiences have these experiences because you all go on the weekends. (WHich is obviously NOT a good time to go).. SFA is SOOOOO much BETTER during the week. Ther staff is nicer.....lines are short and they do move fast......the only rides that are usually closed are just a few flat rides......They have great coasters (Batwing and Superman being the best).....so go to SFA and have an even better time.
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Number 1 Batwing Fan!

*** This post was edited by scoaster on 8/28/2001. ***

scoaster said:
"Go to SFA. All you people who have all these bad experiences have these experiences because you all go on the weekends. (WHich is obviously NOT a good time to go).. SFA is SOOOOO much BETTER during the week. Ther staff is nicer.....lines are short and they do move fast......the only rides that are usually closed are just a few flat rides......They have great coasters (Batwing and Superman being the best).....so go to SFA and have an even better time.
"

Went not on a weekend but on a Friday (unless you consider Friday a weekend) to both parks...

Dorney: clean, efficient staff (Operators, security, maintenance, sweeps, etc) 100% of rides and attractions open, well behaved patrons, moderate lenght lines that moved quickly.

SFA: Dirty (litter on paths, over flowing trash cans, filthy floor at the place we ate), slow to uncaring staff (with the exception of the woman who took our parking money and the one ride op on Batwing, both of whom were good), 1 major coaster down all day, 2 that were "up and down" all day, and at least 5 flat rides closed along with many concessions closed, and some of the rudest and unruly patrons I have ever experienced, short to moderate lines (except for a long ling on Batwing) that moved SLOOOOOOOWWWWWLY (thanks to the lack luster ride ops).

Also... you say that the only rides USUALLY closed at SFA on a weekday are a few flat rides. Why are any closed at all? An occasional break down is understood... but a park should have no rides that are USUALLY closed.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/28/2001. ***

*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 8/28/2001. ***

The only big rides at SFA that I am interested in are Batwing and Roar, I have been on S:ROS at SFNE already, and Mind Eraser, well do I have to even go there?

I am not going just for my kid, but I have to keep her happy, while her mother and I ride the big coasters. I just wanted to know which one had the best kids area. Six Flags kid areas are usually not bad, and of good variety, but perhaps Camp Snoppy would be even better.

But thanks for the info and honest opinions. I am currently leaning towards Dorney. Of course I have to wait till next year!! Damnnit!!

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Any resemblance to living or
dead people is purely coincidental.

i would have to say sixflags america. I have been to both parks and for kiddy rides the movie town has a good bit of rides for little ones. also for the coasters SFA has much more and much better coasters. Also Superman is so much better than steel force and the drop on superman is so much steeper. well this is just what i think,but i really think it would be better for you to go to SFA!

*** This post was edited by coaster8888777 on 8/30/2001. ***