Hersheypark's 100th

---

Rob Ascough said:
I don't think CP has a lot of intense rides. A lot of their coasters could best be described as dull, or average at best.

---

Clutching my chest and quoting Fred Sanford... "This is the big one, Elizabeth!"

Not that I disagree with that statement... just that I was shocked that someone would actually have the guts to say it!

---

...they would be served best by an actual waterpark and not another collection of water slides squeezed into available real estate inside the current park.

---

According to one post above, the park seems destined to remain in its current boundaries for a while. What I am wondering is... when (if?) expansion does come, will the eclectic collection of new water attractions prevent them from considering a full fledged water park? Or when that time comes, will it mean the demise of the soon to be built water attractions in favor of a proper water park?

I'm surprised my statement surprised you! I thought it was pretty obvious that I am far from being a CP fanboy. I don't hate the place but I'm not about to proclaim it to be THE BEST anytime soon. The only coasters I really enjoy are Raptor, Blue Streak, Wildcat, Millennium Force and Gemini.

I'm wondering the same thing- if Hershey builds water ATTRACTIONS now, are they going to build a full-fledged waterpark a few years down the road? To me, this sounds like a bad idea for two reasons:

1) It will take valuable space that will eventually be needed for new rides.

2) It will most likely affect the construction of a real waterpark.

Not surprised over your opinion... just that it was expressed in those terms... "A lot of their coasters could best be described as dull, or average at best" To imply that they are simply average would send many into shock... to use the word dull could acually drive some to doing bodily harm to themselves.

But anyway...

To me it just seems like Hershey is responding in a knee jerk manner.... they want a water park, and they want it now. It's not that I am questioning the fact that they are getting water attractions in stead of a new coaster... It's just the timing. Actually, it is more so the location than the timing. IF (and this is HYPOTHETICAL) they would have said that they are moving into one of their parking lots and building a state of the art water park, I would have been "eh... okay. So it's not a coaster... but okay." So its not so much a question of "Why?" but more of a "Why here?"

Anything that suggests something at CP isn't THE BEST usually sends a bunch of people around here into a frenzy. But it's the truth- while there are many things I love about the place, I can think of just as many things that I don't like about it. Somehow I always walk away from the place feeling it to be completely "average"...

I, too, am questioning the motive behind this move. It just seems to me that it makes sense to wait and do this right. Then again, I'm not sure if a new coaster is what the park absolutely needs. Since 1996 (which was a mere decade ago), the park has installed six coasters, and it would have been seven if that other coaster was installed last year. I think the darkride is a step in the right direction, although perhaps some more flats and maybe even some more shows are needed. I'm not saying that the park is lacking in any one particular area but I don't think that adding a coaster every two years is the ultimate solution to maintaining the park's wonderful balance.

Then again, if a nice B&M hyper were to show up, or even something like BGT's SheiKra, I don't think you'd hear me complaining...

Agreed. The flats situation is getting a little thin at Hershey. Some more in that area, perhaps some a little more thrilling than the current lot, would be good.

As for the new dark ride... I'm kind of "meh". I like my dark rides scary (the Haunted House type) or at the very least amusing in a dark humor sort of way (Rye's Old Mill, IB's Den of Lost Thieves). Florescent colored extreme sports characters (some of which look like 2D painted cut outs) isn't going to rank up there with me. But oh well.

There better be free chocolate to guests - that's all i gotta say :-)

- J

I find it interesting someone would comment on CP fanboys getting up in arms when someone doesn't necessarily like their favorite park's coasters, yet this same person has a conniption (sp?) when anyone says that old, wooden roller coasters aren't fun, shouldn't be preserved if there's no good business reason to do so, and are no more thrilling or exciting than some of today's wooden and steel coasters.

Pot call the kettle black much?

Back to your regularly scheduled Hershey thread ...

As for the free chocolate.....or at least peanut butter cups....the answer is yes.

Also, please stop calling it a "dark ride". While it is dark and it is a ride, it is NOT a "dark ride" in the true sense of the word. Perhaps "dueling interactive adventure" would be a better term.....(No offense Frank, if you're watching!)

As for the reasoning behind the water park, I can offer no explanation, other than the aforementioned "knee-jerk" and the fact that there is already a "water area" in place. *** Edited 5/26/2006 2:32:59 AM UTC by Comet Rider***

I don't necessarily see the water attractions HP is putting in for next year being unable to expand in the future.

Now I'm doing this off the top of my head (no map or aerial pics in front of me)*, but as you walk past the water slides toward Wildcat, that entire area is occupied by catering pavilions. Easily relocatable were a future expansion to take place. Beyond Wildcat is the whole Fun Slide/Fair Tent/Modular Restroom area. Again, all easily movable.

Should the park ever expand into the existing parking lot, I think the space between the arena and stadium would be the first used. That would give several acres for additional attractions, including more water features.

I also think any expansion might include relocating the main gate further frontward. If that where to happen, a path leading to Midway America could conceivably be built directly from the front gate. Or the walkway from the Arcade building could be re-routed to the other side of the water slides opening up more area around the existing water rides.

Not saying that this happens in the next 5 years, just one of many ways something could feasibly be done. I don't think HERCO makes big investments without a lot of planning and thinking a step or two ahead. I'm sure 10 years ago, a lot of people said "You're going to put an inverted coaster in Minetown?"

*so don't bite my head off if you have some sort of dimensional or logistical argument.

Comet Rider, I vote for them to be called an immersive video game :)

Good choice--that one hadn't come to mind!