Dorney Park, 7/18/10

I was up in Allentown tonight and decided to run over to the park a little after 9:00. I saw Voodoo had a line at least past the spike so it had to be more than 20 minutes if not more.

I went to Talon first, the line was past the stairs, and maybe 15 feet past that. I saw people leaving the line when they saw how long it was but I figured it would be 10 minutes. 3 minutes later I was boarding the train, that was the fastest I ever saw the line move. I walked around and had a 1 train wait and walked around again with another 1 train wait.

I decided to see if Demon Drop was running, it was and the wait was just over 10 minutes. The first thing I noticed was the cars seemed really cramped. If you get an end seat, you are pushed up against the side of the car. I had the left seat and my left arm didn't have a lot of room to hold the restraint. I was with 2 other riders and the seat next tome was empty I felt if another person was in that seat, it would have been really uncomfortable. Waiting to climb up the tower seemed to take forever. Once we got to the top and dropped, the freefall feeling was great but seemed very short. When you get to the bottom of the drop and change from sitting upright to lying on your back, it hurt my neck. At the end of the run out area when you transfer backwards to the lower level, that area was very rough. I decided to try the ride again to get a better opinion of it since it is difficult to take in everything the first time on a ride. This time it was just over a 5 minute wait (they shut down the line while I was waiting for the 2nd ride).

I didn't feel differently about the 2nd ride. Overall I thought it was an ok ride and will ride it on most trips to the park if the wait is under10 minutes but would have preferred they left Krazy Kars over it. I also like both sides of Dominator and AtmosFEAR at Morey's more than Demon Drop.

Hopefully next time I go to the park it will be for a longer visit.

I rode Demon Drop a lot while it was a Cedar Point. When they put in the Power Tower, the Demon Drop seemed like a dinosaur. It was still fun, if it had a short line, but, as it aged, it just stopped being fun.

My major complaint is exactly what you describe, pain in the back as you are turned onto your back into the brakes. It's not a smooth stop. You feel like like you are laying on a rock that is being skipped across a pond. It's very jerky, and you can feel it in your teeth.

From what you describe, it sounds as if there was little done to improve the ride for it's new home. I remember riding it the first year it opened, and the transistion was smooth, almost like an elevator sensation going into the brakes as you slowed. No banging or slamming as it did before it was relocated.

I'm wondering, after my Shivering Timbers experience today, if Cedar Fair is spending any money on Keeping their rides in top notch shape. They sure spend enough on adding stupid games, Merchandise, and, food stalls.

I'll hope everones future experiences on CF rides are better in the future. Mean Streak is another example of neglected rides. Very sad.

You have to wonder why they sent Demon Drop to Dorney when they already had Dominator. Will it maintain ridership? Or will it be a one time ride that people will ride out of curiosity, but not re-ride if they feel it's an inferior ride to Dominator?

I know when I was there wasn't the greatest indication of which ride is more popular but the Turbo Drop side of Dominator looked to be at least 20 minutes when I walked by the ride right before going to Demon Drop. The Space Shot side looked to be around 5 minutes.

If both had the same wait time, I'd rather wait for Dominator.