Dorney Park, 6/14/09

I had originally planned to try to get to the park on a weekday this upcoming week. That wasn't going to work so I decided to take a chance and go to the park on a Sunday. I made the mistake of going on a Sunday in August in 2006 and it was horrible. 40 minute wait for Talon, the overflow lot was being used and the place was jammed.

I thought that since the park closes at 10 and since it is still a school night for some kids, if I got to the park around 5, people would be starting to leave, especially in the waterpark.

I went to WWK first, I won't list all the slides but in a little over 2 hours I got 27 slides and spent around 10 minutes in Island Water Works. It was my first time there and all the cool water gadgets they had were great. Especially the funnels you could fill with water and empty on people on lower levels. Nothing was more than 2 - 3 minute wait, even Aquablast.

I got to the ride side of the park a little after 7:30. First stop was Talon. 2 rides with a wait of about 2 trains each time. Hydra was a 1 train wait. I was going to go to Posessed next but when I got near the entrance I saw they were emptying the line since it broke down.

As great as the ride operations are at Dorney, food service has always been slow in past seasons and that still seems to be the case. I went to Just Tacos to get nachos which is probably the best value in the park. For $5, it is a huge serving of nachos with cheese, beef and sour cream and enough for a meal. There was only 1 person ahead of me in line and from when I got in line and had my food it was around 10 minutes.

I stopped at Dominator, rode both the Space Shot and Turbo Drop. Space Shot was a walk on, Turbo Drop was a 2 cycle wait. Thunderhawk had 1 train running but was a walk on unless you wanted the front or back rows. Steel Force was also running 2 trains and was a station wait. I saw Scrambler was allowing single riders. I am only bringing that up because I remember in another TR, someone said they weren't allowed to ride as a single rider so either it depends on the OP, they don't allow single riders when there is a long line or it was a policy they tried but got rid of.

I saw Posessed had opened back up and got a walk on there and then went back to Hydra to get my 100th ride on Hydra. I liked it a lot more when I got my first rides in since at the time I hadn't ridden Medusa/Bizarro and didn't know how much of a better coaster that is. I hadn't ridden the Wild Mouse all season since it usually has a crazy line but since it was a walk on, I stopped tonight to grab a ride. I almost wish I hadn't. There is hardly any leg room in the front seat, the lap bar is uncomfortable, the brakes are on too hard and it is not even close to being as much fun as The Dark Knight is. Even with it still being a walk on, 1 ride was more than enough.

It was 9:50 and with 10 minutes left I went back to Talon and got 2 more rides in.

Even if the park wasn't closed, I had enough since I walked up around 1500 stairs today mostly in WWK (Patriot's Plunge alone is 82 stairs and I rode those slides 9 times, not to mention Aquablast has over 100 stairs) and my legs were really starting to get tired. Overall it was a great trip to the park especially since WWK was so empty.

Ride Count:
WWK - 27
Talon - 4
Hydra - 2
Steel Force - 2
Thunderhawk - 1
Wild Mouse – 1
Posessed - 1
Dominator - 2

I have noticed that crowds at Dorney are hit or miss. Each time I have been there in the past few years it seems that I have been lucky enough to have the same experience you had. I am always surprised by how dead the park can get, but I am sure they must be turning a profit... otherwise we might get a waterpark only transition.

Friday's in May (school events), Saturday and Sunday's in July and August and Saturday night Haunt days are the days they really pack in the crowds. There were a few Saturday's last summer where the parking lots including the overflow lot were completely full and they were parking cars on the grass. I'd never be anywhere near the park on those days but those kind of days I guess help make up for the slower days.