Photo TR: Boldikus' Annual Hersheypark Spectacular!

My first ride on Skyrush was in the back outside seat. I was absolutely blown away. I had just ended the previous night marathoning El Toro, so I thought I was prepared for anything. The back left seat on Skyrush made El Toro feel like a mine train.

 

My rankings of 2-10 are a tossup between multiple RMC's, other Intamin's and a few other coasters like Phantom's Revenge or Kumba. But I know for sure Skyrush is #1.

Skyrush is IMHO the closest thing we have today to the Crystal Beach cyclone and its two twins. Most coasters can inspire fear in people who have never ridden one, but once you have hundreds of laps under your belt you start knowing what to expect when you get in line. This coaster on the other hand can legit terrify even the most jaded rider, and that is something that I will gladly drive 500 miles each way to experience.

I was one of the winners in Project 2012 and was lucky enough to score the outside left seat on the back row. As always, I raised my arms going over the crest and about halfway down the drop thought for a second I was thrown out of the train. It scared the living hell out of me for that moment, and the rest of the course had easily the most violent airtime I have ever experienced. I am a 230lb guy with pretty large thighs from weightlifting and on a few of those hills I thought the bar was going to snap my legs like twigs. I got back to the station and told my wife ( who was about to board because they were gracious enough to allow me to have her for the ceremony) that this was by far the scariest and best thrill ride I had ever experienced. She came off saying the same thing, and that it was almost too intense to be real.

I have ridden a few hundred coasters and consider I305, El Toro, and Skyrush to be my favorites due to the intensity and Skyrush is another level above the two other Intamins. I can't get enough of it and wish every major park would install something similar. One coaster that will make anyone soil themselves, hardcore rider or not. The fact that the rest of Hershey's lineup is excellent is the icing on the cake.

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Nothing comes close to the sheer intensity and fear-of-death experience than Skyrush. It's a masterpiece that America does not deserve.

Truer words were never spoken!

Basically.

My first ride on Skyrush was in the back outside seat. I was absolutely blown away. I had just ended the previous night marathoning El Toro, so I thought I was prepared for anything. The back left seat on Skyrush made El Toro feel like a mine train.

 

My rankings of 2-10 are a tossup between multiple RMC's, other Intamin's and a few other coasters like Phantom's Revenge or Kumba. But I know for sure Skyrush is #1.

I come off of it wondering if it is indeed my favorite but then remember how El Toro is a similar thrill but much more comfortable and also how I felt after each of my rides on Maverick, and how nothing can top that.

If you follow the link @ the beginning of the report of my first trip to Hershey 3 years ago, my first ride on Skyrush I hopped on anywhere and came off like "really good, but eh?" and then walked around to do the back left, hearing of how insane it was. Totally blew my brains out, and the ride became an instant favorite. Last year we did the front a bunch and I quickly came around to feel that the back is a bit too intense and I enjoy the coaster more the further up I am. The front of that thing is really the best - the airtime is a bit different and not as choppy, you can feel the push of the train instead of being violently yanked through each element in the back. I wish I would've wait a few extra minutes for the front this time around. Oh well.

Hersheypark is so great, and I already miss it. If I lived as close to it as you do, I'd absolutely have season passes every year.

At two hours its just a little too far away to bother with a season pass. The sh*tty fast track doesn't help. All I ever hear is how busy the place is all summer. When I win the lottery I'll retire to Hershey, PA. I'll work part time at Troegs and spend my evenings at the park lol. For now I'm content to make a trip up once a year in the fall, just have to remind myself to avoid Saturdays next year. I'd heard that even during HPITD the crowds were out in force on Saturdays, but now I've seen for myself. Its too great of a park to experience it when busy when I can simply go on a Friday/Sunday in October and have the run of the place. Already looking forward to next fall!

I come off of it wondering if it is indeed my favorite but then remember how El Toro is a similar thrill but much more comfortable and also how I felt after each of my rides on Maverick, and how nothing can top that. Last year we did the front a bunch and I quickly came around to feel that the back is a bit too intense and I enjoy the coaster more the further up I am.

Totally agree. Usually I'm a backseat kinda person but there are a few rides I prefer towards the front and Skyrush is one of them. Yes it's an absolutely amazing ride and it reminds me of Lightning Rod in that in order to enjoy it without really being thrown around like a rag doll, you kind of need to learn the layout and may have to sit in the first half of the train. That's totally OK of course so I do just that and have a great time. My favorite rides are ones with comfy seats and that I can hop on again and again without needing a break (or ice - LR's seatbelt left some nice bruises on my left thigh this summer from all those overbanks which was a new one!)

Thanks for the comments everyone!

 

Hersheypark is so great, and I already miss it. If I lived as close to it as you do, I'd absolutely have season passes every year.

At two hours its just a little too far away to bother with a season pass. The sh*tty fast track doesn't help. All I ever hear is how busy the place is all summer. When I win the lottery I'll retire to Hershey, PA. I'll work part time at Troegs and spend my evenings at the park lol. For now I'm content to make a trip up once a year in the fall, just have to remind myself to avoid Saturdays next year. I'd heard that even during HPITD the crowds were out in force on Saturdays, but now I've seen for myself. Its too great of a park to experience it when busy when I can simply go on a Friday/Sunday in October and have the run of the place. Already looking forward to next fall!

Yeah, well, considering we have SDC passes every year considering the, er, okay, fastpass system, and the proximity, yeah, we really would.

What is Troeg's? Did I miss something really cool in PA?

Yes, you totally did.

http://www.troegs.com/

Hersheypark is so great, and I already miss it. If I lived as close to it as you do, I'd absolutely have season passes every year.

At two hours its just a little too far away to bother with a season pass. The sh*tty fast track doesn't help. All I ever hear is how busy the place is all summer.

Agreed with all of the above. I nearly came close to pulling the trigger on season passes for the family this year after we visited for the kiddo's birthday, but was turned off by the frankly insane pricing. I don't remember the exact amount, but it was close to Cedar Fair Platinum levels, and at least with them you get access to all of their parks nationwide. Hersheypark season passes get you... Hersheypark. Which isn't bad, but it's really hard to justify when you live around 3 hours away on a good day, or closer to 6 if you get routed through the Bronx on a Friday afternoon (yeah, I'm looking at you, Waze, you jackass... what were you thinking?!).

I still haven't been out there for In the Dark, every time we've gone recently has either been for the kiddo's birthday in early September or during Christmas Candylane. Surprised to see it as busy as it was, I was under the impression that they didn't draw as much of a crowd as other parks during the Halloween season due to the lack of haunts. Glad you managed to make the most of it though! Great reporting as always.

Yeah with Great Adv 45 minutes away (on a good day), Dorney just over an hour, and Moreys a 10 minute walk from my folks house, two+ hours is a "faraway park" to me lol. I can't see myself getting all the way out to Hershey more than once or twice a year. Not to mention if I went to Hershey all the time it would likely lose a bit of its luster. And totally agreed that for one park, their season passes are seriously steep. The HPTID tickets I've gotten the past 3 years I've gotten at a seriously steep discount. To be fair Moreys SP are really expensive too, but I'm there a lot throughout the season so its worth it. I feel like I sound cheap, but keep in mind I'm a GreatAdv passholder which costs next to nothing in comparison to Hershey/Moreys.

Yea, I'm with Boldikus about Hersheypark. As much as I love it, it's too far away (2+ hours) for me to consider season passes, especially with the price ($153 is the most basic version of the plan). If I was a lot closer, totally, but it's just not cost-effective for me. To me, Hersheypark is more of a three-day weekend park while staying at the Hershey Lodge.

Great pictures and report

I used to feel the same way about a season pass. It was almost a 2 hour drive for me so I was ok visiting once a year when I could get to Dorney in 45 minutes or Great Adventure in 55 minutes (with most of the park trips being to Great Adventure). Now that Dorney is 70 minutes, Great Adventure is 2 1/2 hours away and Hershey is still less than 2 hours away, I got the season pass last year and have been going more compared to Great Adventure (7 Hersheypark trips vs 4 to Great Adventure). The 40 minutes less each way of driving adds up, it also helps that there are no tolls and it's an easier drive for me (100 miles on I-81 and a few miles to get to the park from there).

Smh, you East Coasters have no idea what distances are. 100 miles is nothing. Nothing at all. You can drive that without even a bathroom break. So as we say out here in the Midwest, quitcherbitchin.

Smh, you East Coasters have no idea what distances are. 100 miles is nothing. Nothing at all. You can drive that without even a bathroom break. So as we say out here in the Midwest, quitcherbitchin.

Hah while I see your point there is also the reality for me where living 12 miles from NYC means I live an hour and a half away from NYC. So it’s not all bright and rosy!

That is true in urban areas, but we're talking about Hershey here. 12 miles in central PA is like 15 minutes tops.

Unfortunately there’s no tunnel that goes underneath NYC and pops up in rural PA

Don't worry. Elon Musk is on it.

Great report, I love reading your Hershey Park trip reports. The coaster line up is unreal. Good to see you can have a great time even on a shitpacked Saturday.