Dorney Park submits plan for 138-foot-high amusement ride

Not that I'm in any way complaining, but does Dorney really need another coaster at this point? I mean, all I hear is how dead the rides side is, and that's what I experienced in my one visit. I know people that have went into the park and ridden every coaster and then some in 2 hours or less. Heck, I've been tempted during trips thru the area.

Still, I like the Invertigos, and I'm glad that this one is coming closer to me. Sad for Great America, though.

I'm with you there. This doesn't seem like a ride that any of the parks need. It doesn't feel like they achieve anything other than the expense of moving it and the added maintenance budget.

Interesting that the submission is for a 138-foot structure, and not 132 or some figure closer to Invertigo's height. The 138 stat makes me want to predict that it's another (better) type of shuttle, although unlikely.

Makes me think they might be raising it up a bit to ensure proper clearance (since it's a feet-dangly ride)...given the timing of the GAm removal anouncement, I'd be pretty shocked if the Dorney ride turned out to be ANYTHING else.

If Dorney was my park (clearly it isn't)...I'd be expanding that waterpark like no tomorrow...

Looking at it another way, adding rides to the ride side may entice more people to visit the ride side, making it busier. Spreading out the crowd may be Dorney's reason for adding another coaster.

Perhaps Dorney had too many "We Recycle" shirts left over and CF didn't want them going to waste.

Jeff said:
This doesn't seem like a ride that any of the parks need. It doesn't feel like they achieve anything other than the expense of moving it and the added maintenance budget.

It serves a very big purpose when the company is not exactly cash-flush, as is the case with CF these days. Under no circumstances can the chain permit Dorney to languish without continuing investment -- not if they intend to keep competing with the Hersheyparks and Great Adventures in the region.

The costs of relocating a steel coaster, it's been asserted regularly, are half the costs of a new installation. That means that, since Dorney isn't expected to install a new coaster every year, or even every two to three years, this relocation will serve as the major park investment there for a substantial period of time. That, coupled with the fact that CGA is a Dead Park Standing, waiting to be stripped of its goods, makes this the classic two birds with one stone scenario.

Of course, flying in the face of this argument is that customers are a lot more educated than they used to be. As soon as the word gets out that this is a hand-me-down the bitching will commence.

IMO - the complaining about hand-me-downs really is limited to the very small online community. The vast majority of Dorney's customers wouldn't have known the DD was "recycled" if Dorney hadn't made it a selling point, and I doubt Dorney will go forward with that marketing push AGAIN (or would they?) In any case, I'd file the Used Ride aspect under "don't know, and if I do, don't care"....at least as far as 99% of Dorney patrons are concerned.

Competing with GAdv and HP....that does sound like a good rationale for continuing investment...as long as the turnstile clicks warrant.

Ensign Smith said:
As soon as the word gets out that this is a hand-me-down the bitching will commence.

Oh, it commenced when it was just a wee rumor.

Ensign Smith said:
Under no circumstances can the chain permit Dorney to languish without continuing investment -- not if they intend to keep competing with the Hersheyparks and Great Adventures in the region.

Wait... when did they open another Hersheypark and Great Adventure? And why would they open them in the same region?

Perhaps it's the beginning of the stripping of Great America of assets that they can claim title to. I'll wager that nothing will take it's place.

Ensign Smith said:
It serves a very big purpose when the company is not exactly cash-flush, as is the case with CF these days. Under no circumstances can the chain permit Dorney to languish without continuing investment -- not if they intend to keep competing with the Hersheyparks and Great Adventures in the region.

I agree, and I think that the Planet Snoopy (or whatever) addition to the park was a good move, I just don't see the reason for them adding it for 2012. I mean, the rides side of the park is just dead, looks like they should have taken a butt-load of money (how much exactly is a butt load anywho?) and just double the size of the waterpark. That was where everyone was when I was there.

Tekwardo said:
(how much exactly is a butt load anywho?)

126 gallons

Wow. I actually learned something today, and it's useful.

My point is that I'm not convinced that this does anything to sustain or improve Dorney's attendance, but it does add to its maintenance expense.

Lord Gonchar said:

126 gallons

I think it's important to note this...

a UK butt is apparently slightly bigger than a US one

Vater said:

Lord Gonchar said:

126 gallons

I think it's important to note this...

a UK butt is apparently slightly bigger than a US one

Funny, I would have thought it would have been the other way around..

I don't think it will help attendance either. Voodoo/Possessed rarely has a line when it is running except on those peak days like Haunt nights or summer weekends and I agree with the other posts suggesting they expand the water park and that's with 3 seasons of being the newest coaster. It was the same with Hydra when that was the newest coaster. The last addition to WWK was Aqua Racer in 2007 (and Torpedo Tubes were removed then). Even on slow days, like a September weekday last year, were coaster trains going out with half a dozen riders at the most while WWK slides had 20 - 30 minute waits. Other than the mistake of going to Haunt on Halloween weekend in 2009 and a Sunday in August 2006, I can't remember ever waiting in a coaster line longer than 20 minutes and this past season over around 12 trips, I don't think I waited more than 5 - 10 minutes for a coaster.

I don't know if they still have the Flying Super Saturator for sale or they scrapped it but I always felt that would be a great addition for Dorney if they put it next to or in the waterpark since Rollersoaker at Hershey is so popular and it would give Dorney a coaster that would regularly have a line (besides Wild Mouse because of the horrible way they run it).

I visited Dorney on an August Saturday this past summer, and the only time I saw ride lines longer than 10 minutes was after the water park had closed for the night. Based only on that one experience, I'd agree they don't really need any more dry rides right now.

As a side note- I can't remember the last time I rode an Invertigo. I almost rode the one at KI on their opening day last year, but the train before mine valleyed at the base of the loop. I guess I remember it being a fun ride, but I usually skip it due to long lines.