If you keep your head against the headrest, you will not bang your head. If not, you might smack it on the second leg of the cobra roll, and that's mainly because it is a very oddly shaped element.
Another element that hasn't gotten much recognition is the zero-g roll. It might be one of the best ones out there with a feeling of weightlessness through the whole element.
It is a little rough too, but not a headbanging bad kind of rough, just some minor jackhammering in places. Indeed, if it were a Vekoma, it would be the smoothest one you would ever encounter.
Mantis2 said:
people didn't react afterwards with the excitement and "wow" effect .
As I waited in que, I noticed the same thing on every train after the ride finished. The people riding were for the most part, emotionless. Where to date you will still hear people cheer when steel force or even talon is over. Nothing on hydra, Just blank faces.
While i am admittedly probably a little bit biased, living in allentown and watching hydra be built from the ground up, i must say that i thought it was a great ride. yeah, it doesn't go the fastest through some of the elements, but in some ways i think that's almost better, getting to feel the "hang" a little more than on most coasters.
The jojo roll was really cool - a feeling that i've personally never felt on any other coaster. it's so smooth and slow and just plain fun. the first drop isn't bad, and in the back it's actually pretty awesome! the rest of the ride is pretty cool, doing inversions that we're all pretty accustomed to by now, but nonetheless enjoyable. i think the "new" cobra roll is much improved, as it was the first time my head wasn't snapped entering and/or exiting an inversion of that type. finally, i don't know about you guys, but i did feel some good positive g's in that last helix. nothing crazy, but definitely noticeable and fun.
Throughout my visit i rode hydra 7 times, riding in almost every row. in the morning the ride was a little rough like some of you have mentioned, but certainly nothing horrible (a lot better than hercules was!). and actually when i rode it later in the afternoon when it was warmer it was running a bit faster (or so it seemed, at least), and wasn't as bumpy.
I realize that for all of us coaster fanatics, it may not be anything envelope-pushing or mind blowing, but i think dorney got exactly what they wanted, and what they should get. it's a coaster that looks absolutely great from the midway, especially the cobra roll, and is a ride that may intimidate children or non-seasoned coaster riders a bit but not scare the pants off of them. for us die hards, it is a fun ride that can easily be ridden and enjoyed multiple times without giving us bruises or headaches. as i was leaving the platform i did hear a couple people make some negative comments, but all in all i think most people found it to be fun and were happy it is there and that they rode it. just to add some contrast, i heard a group of middle-aged people saying how it wasn't as bad as they thought it would be, and that because of that they wanted to go on it again.
Overall I think dorney has a winner. i know i had fun and i'll definitely ride it every time i'm at dorney. i know this post was long, but since i've been waiting for this coaster for a while and think it's a great ride, i just wanted to add my two cents. thanks!
-danny
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