PTR: The Rafferty family goes to Hershey Park 6/30/07-7/3/07

Hey folks, we just arrived at the Hershey Lodge. We are here for the Arthritis Foundation Conference. (my sister Savannah has arthritis) After leaving late we finally arrived here, and are not leaving to the park until 7:15, because after 7:30, we get into the park for free. And we go in an hour early every day!

Here's the list of the family:

Dainan (Yours truelly)

Anthony (My twin brother)

Savannah (My little sister)

Samantha (She'll be reffered to as mom!)

We are meeting up with:

Walter (My friend, he posts here but wants to remain annonyous, he used to be Stargazer)

Jackie (Walter's girl friend)

Trip Reports:

Day: 1

Day: 2

Day: 3

Day: 4

-Dainan "Stay tuned" Rafferty

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On-Ride Photos

Videos

Hershey's Chocolate World Tour POV

Trailblazer POV

HersheyPark 2007 Music Video

Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge with a Loop Hole

A Little Update (not good)

Day: 1

After my initial post, my sister and mother decided they weren't going to go to the park, so Anthony and I gave Walter and Jackie a call and told them we were heading over! We took the shuttle over and met up outside Hershey World. We did the Chocolate Tour, and this will turn out to be one of the funniest POV's ever made by us! We hung aqround until 7:30 and headed in.

We went over and did Sooperdooperlooper first! I was very happy to add an other Shwartzcopf credit. The trimming half way through the ride was annoying. And the Gs in the verticle loop weren't as strong as I thought they'd be, but it was still one of the best verticle loops I've been through.

Next we queued up for the Great Bear. I'm going to smack who ever said this ride was forceless. This is by far my favorite Invert. It was comfortable as usual, but flying over the midway and the Gs were great! After that we headed over to Sidewinder. We should of did Storm Runner first. We waited way too damn long for this. The staff was uber slow, and really dumb. They couldn't figure out that car 3 wasn't unlocking and my friends were telling me to press the lever (I was the only one who's restraint came up). The restraints also had te SLC padding...which was a bit strange. It was rough, but not the worst!

We lined up for Storm Runner and realized it was too long so headed over to Lightning Racers...which was getting evaced so we rode The Whip. Which to me was weird, it was a modern day version of the classic Whip, and I thought it was actually better! After that we ended the night with Wildcat. This ride was awesome! I loved it. It was so much better than Roar (yes I like Roar!). I never rode this with PTC's, but this is deffinately a top ten. It was really good!

Well...after that, the park closed, so we headed over to Applebees for dinner where tipped our very rude waitress $.22!

Quote of The Day:

Jackie: "Did your boobs pop out of your bra?"

Ride List:

Sooperdooperlooper 1x

Great Bear 1x

Sidewinder 1x

The Whip 1x

Wildcat 1x

Photos: (NOTE: My camera battery was low, so pictures are limited)

Getting on to the shuttle at the Hershey Lodge

Anthony and I on the shuttle bus!

Walter and Jackie

Group shot while waiting for the Chocolate Tour thingy mebober!

These singing cows confused us!

This is how chocolate is made...I think...

I put Anthony in charge of taking pictures while I filmed. (Just watch the video when I post it)

Great Bear...only picture, sorry!

Coaster humpers...humping a coaster!

Adding an other Boomerang to my count! (Yes Walter is putting his finger up my nose)

This is actually the train flying through the station from the top of the spike!

Walter doesn't look too happy about his first ever ride on a Vekoma Boomerang. Anthony (behind) looks like the ride is in motion!

One of many failed attempts to get pictures of the Fireworks!

We'll end with me goofing around in Jackie's car!

-Dainan "1st day was a great success" Rafferty

Haha, that last picture is hilarious!!

I'm back at the hotel for dinner. Just a few notes:

My mom hates Storm Runner

Savannah passed up Sidewinder

I got a threatend by staff!

My camera broke!

There was a little incident on Great bear which ended up with Walter getting a foot injury and us going to GR because staff didn't help!

I have never been so happy to leave a theme park, and I'm going back!

-Dainan "Off to the arthritis dinner!" Rafferty

We went over and did Sooperdooperlooper first! I was very happy to add an other Shwartzcopf credit. The trimming half way through the ride was annoying. And the Gs in the verticle loop weren't as strong as I thought they'd be, but it was still one of the best verticle loops I've been through.

The first time I rode Sooperdooperlooper, I thought there was no way it was going to even do the loop going as slow as it was. The trimming is more than annoying, it transforms the ride into nothing more than a mine train. You might as well ride Trailblazer. (No, don't bother riding Trailblazer.) On the other hand, if you ever do get a SDL ride with no trimming, the helix at the end is actually pretty strong for an old coaster. (But then the main brake will remind you of Sidewinder.)

We lined up for Storm Runner and realized it was too long so headed over to Lightning Racers...which was getting evaced

Any idea what was wrong with LR or how long it was down? Earlier this year there seemed to be a lot of trip reports mentioning breakdowns on their GCI coasters, but then it seemed to settle down.

Sounds like you had a terrible time today. I hope your day tomorrow is a lot better and I'm sure it will be. Can you go into detail on what happened the second day, I'm curious because that doesn't sound like typical Hershey to me. Also, why does you mom hate Storm Runner?

Day: 2

We wake up and we got to Hershey at around 9:45am. Savannah, Anthony and I hit up Comet first. It was good, but it would of been great with out the triming. There was some good floater, and that's about it. But the seats were very comfortable. After that, the four of us went on Sooperdooperlooper. We sat in the last two rows. We got some very goog airtime on the drop. The loop was great and the ride was still great!

We then all went over to the Greag Bear. Waited two trains for the second row. Savannah and Mom fell in love with this ride! They both say it was there favorite Invert ever! So after that we headed over to Storm Runner. We used our VIP stamps and got right on to Storm Runner. Anthony and I got the first row, while Savannah and Mom got the second.

We leaved the station and my mom now realizes it launches! So she says, "WHAT!?!? This launches!?!?" Umm...yea, you watched it launch. So we launch! Wow, great launch, then up the tower with ejector air and then it slowed down so much, that it felt like it stopped! Anthony and I look at each other and I here my sister say, "Are we rolling back?" But then we went over and straight down! Into the first inversion, and down. Then the major ejector and the Heartline roll. I found it to be a little rough here, and that's when my mother started to hate it. Then come down the Sidewinder Dive...thing, and into the S-Turn, which banged my head around a lot, and into the break run...and oh my god, that was so cool! My mom...doesn't like head banging!

After that we grabbed lunch, and I took a solo ride on Sidewinder. My mom and sister wanted to do the Monorail, so we rode that. After that, we split up. Mom and Savannah went to Zoo America, while Anthony and I went and to Lightning Racers. We rode Thunder first in the last row! We thought this ride was terrific! Great air, and a lot of fun, but felt that it looked better than it actually rode! We did the other side, Lightning, to get the credit, and then headed over to Wildcat. We waited about 10 minutes for the front row! It was great as yesterday! After that we got on the Wild Mouse...meh, it's a credit!

So Anthony and I went on Sidewinder to pass the time. We rode it, it hurt, so we didn't ride again. Though something about Vekoma Boomerangs attract me so much! So we waited for Jackie and Walter so the four of us would go on Storm Runner/ The line was at the bottom of the stairs, and we waited no longer than 15 minutes for 2nd and 3rd row! Yes, we loved it!

After that we went over to Trailblazer to get our credit! I liked it...thankfully it was a walk on for the front row! We then did the Monorail all together! It was nice and relaxing! After we went and did Resses Extreme Cup Challenge. We waited about 20 minutes for it. Now, before any of you start flaming me or yelling at me for this! I did take a POV of this (and Trailblazer). But with permission. We checked online and in the park, and we didn't find a single rule about no cameras (if there are, I'm sorry, but I seriously had no idea). We ride the ride. I'm filming. and we come back into the station and as we are approching, the ride stops, the music turns off and the lights go on! We were allready at the station so the just unlocked us and made us leave. While I'm leaving I'm putting my camera away (the ops and attendents ALL knew) and an attendent looks at me while running into the attraction, "You better put that camera away NOW! Before I call security on you!"...we all stood there dumbfounded. I just said "I'm sorry, I seriously had no idea, and I asked first" and then she started lecturing me, and I just said the same thing. I'll be honest guys, I seriously had no idea! We never found a rule about cameras, and we asked! But after this I didn't even bother asking or anything!

In other terms of the ride...it was okay, but we are confused.Does this count as a credit? It had hills, and it was on coaster track...just powered, but not entirely! Anthony says yes, I say...I'm not sure! What do you guys think?

Back to the rest of the report. We went on Coal Cracker. It felt so goog to be on these types of log flumes again (Riptide at SFGAv). We got really wet and airtime on the little bunny hill (that SF got rid of on theres) and they were using both drops! WHOOT! So here's are other mistake, we decided to ride the Great Bear. We sat in the 7th row and Walter sat all the way on the right side, yet an other mistake at the Great Bear! Walter was bare foot on the ride (an other mistake!). Well, during the course of the ride Walter's foot hit a tree! It was right before the corkscrew. His foot is okay, just scratched up and red. We got back into the station and told them what happened. They looked at us dumb founded and they brought a Manager over...who had no intentions for helping us once or ever! So we left and I took video of his foot, and him explaining what happened, and then I went over by Sooperdooperlooper and filmed the train going past the tree! And showing it near missing (Walter is tall BTW).

We went over to Guest Relations, where they took our storied and kept us there for a little while. They brought over a Manager, and we told him what happened, he went through the files and watched the footage! After a little while, Anthony and I had to leave so we left Walter and Jackie there.

Anthony and I went back to the Hershey Lodge for the Arthritis Foundation dinner! (They had us devided by state, I had to sit with New Yorkers!) While I was there, Walter called me to let me know they shut down the Great Bear. At around 7, Anthony and I took the shuttle over to the park. As we got there, the Great Bear reopened! I don't if they quickly trimmed the tree or something, we didn't even bother to go back on!

We met up with Walter and Jackie and went over to Storm Runner. We sat in the back this time, which was amazing air! Jackie, Anthony and I then did Sidewinder, while Walter watched. It broke so we waited it out and the station cleared out to just us and 5 other people! Anthony sat up front while Jackie I sat in the back! WOW! Brutal backwards, but yet. I love it!

We then went back on Lightning Racers, but this time Anthony and I got front row Lightning, while Jackie and Walter got front row Thunder. The station was wilding up, and the ride was hella fun, and Anthony and I won! With out a doubt, one of the best experiences on a coaster!

We then got Walter his Wild Mouse credit. We flew through the course so fast, that we didn't stop on the break, we just kept going until we got to the final block! We then did front of Wildcat. Jackie and I were then both forced to watch Anthony and Walter battle in DDR...ugh! We called it a night and went to a diner and hung out! Now I'm typing this and have to be up at 6:30am. Good night! Here's the stuff you guys really want!

Quote Of The Day:

My Mom: "WHAT!?!? This launches!?!?"

Photos:

We be at Hershey Park! What now?

We are VIP, because we are so cool!

First up Comet!

Us on the lift...yea...

Sooperdooperlooper next! And still awesome!

Great Bear time!

Mom and Savannah ready for the Great Bear!

Aproved!

Oh my, what can this be?

It launches!

Pretty fast indead!

Tis the power of Storm Runner!

Nice shot yo!

Say what you want, I don't care!

Vekoma loops are sexy!

Doing what I do best!

Anthony, Mom and me!

This is normal!

Monorail! Monorail! Monorail!!!!!!!!!!!

No caption needed!

Chillaxin!

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Showing off the Storm Runner On-Ride Photo!

Savannah and an Intamin!

Lightning Racers doing it's thang!

Wildcat is still better!

I think this is how the camera broke!

Every shot after looks like this!

Jackie and Walter's first ride on Storm Runner!

It's aproved!

I'll end with this shot of Comet Hollow! Shortly after this, Walter's bare foot was struck by the side of a tree on the Great Bear...and we weren't happy with the out come by the park!

Scary Note of Doom

So old guy in a Nitro shirt saw us on our way to Storm Runner...he stopped and stared at us, and mumbled something and kept going....um...WTF!?!?

-Dainan "1/2 way done!" Rafferty

Cool Tr

I wanna ride SR now!

Sounds like the crowds were minimal which is great. How could Hershey let a tree branch come that close to a ride? That is just asking for a lawsuit. Hope the rest of your trip is fun.

Day: 3

We weoke up at 6:30 for the Arthritis Foundation breakfast...which sucked, but it was better than nothing! Anthony and I went to meet up (and spend the whole entire day) with Walter and Jackie! We met them outside Chocolate World at around 9:45am, and we went in to do the Chocolate Tour again! Just for the free chocolate at the end!

We went into the park and rode the Tilt-A-Whirl first. Then we rode Sooperdooperlooper! Anthony and I sat in the front row, while Jackie and Walter got second! Oh the Gs are so good! I just love this ride! After that we went on Coalcracker. We then got a locker across from Tidal Force, which we went on first. I'm so happy I was only in a bathing suit. Because this looked like we jumped in a pool! After that we went on Canyon River Rapids. This was one of the best rapids rides ever! I've ridden it before, but it was 11 years ago! We then rode Roller Soaker...which was pretty bad, I'm happy it was a walk on! It's just...meh! It probably would of been better foward!

We then went into the Boardwalk and went on Whirlwind, which is a smaller Proslide Tornado! It was fun, just not as good as the one in Six Flags America! After that we did Vortex, which was way too cool! It was the toilet bowl slide...that you sat in the tube! It was great! After this we got dried up and went to eat some food, down by Trailblazer. I got some really good shots of Storm Runner there! After that we did the Kissing Tower, which was a nice relaxing view!

We then headed over to Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge. It was broken, but when we got there, it reopened! We waited no more than 5 minutes! The ride was good and a lot of fun! When we came down the hill at the end, something sort of weird happened, we didn't spin. We stopped, and just sat there. The anomotronics were done, and just sat there qietly, and it got sort of quite, but the lights never came on, so it obiviously didn't break! We are still confused about why we sat there for so long, before finally being brought into the station!

After, we decided to ride again! But this time we had an encounter with "The stupidly angry line cutter!" There was a group of four, about 10-15 feet away from us. The guy goes to them (we don't think anything of it). Then we notice he's bringing four kids with him, while he had two more lingering behind (count that, 7)! Um...NO! So we said, "Hey man, you can't do that!" He gets angry and said, "But those are my kids!", "Yes, and you're bringing 7 people with you!" He gets pissed of while we are telling him can get kicked out, etc, and he just says, "Those are my kids!" And storms off, and drags the rest of them with him! When we got into the station we told the attendant what happened, and she called security! When we got off we saw security chatting with them, and then sending them on there very merry way!

Anthony split up and went to Sooperdooperlooper, while Jackie, Walter, and I got on Skyview. It was a nice cable car, where your feet hang! We met up with Anthony and cought an other ride on Sooperdooperlooper. We did the Great Bear agaon, but this time with no problems! We then went over and did the Flying Falcons. The program it was running was great. Single handedly the best Condor ever! We then went into ZooAmerica, where after 10 minutes everyone wanted to leave(except for me). So we left an went to Storm Runner. The S-Turn at the end we found to be very rough!

I took a solo ride on Sidwinder and then ate dinner! After a ridiculously long dinner, we rode Rodeo. It's a foward and backwards traban. We then went over at rode the Wildcat and then over to Lightining Racer for an other match! Anthony and I got Thunder, while Walter and Jackie got Lightning. We sat in the last row, and had an other great race!

After this, we walked Jackie and Walter back to the enterance, and Anthony and I went back to Comet Hollow. Originally going to ride Storm Runner again, but it broke! So Anthony and I rode Sooperdooperlooper over and over again before we got tired and left. The amazing part was, the trims were on very light. One ride, we believe they were completely off. Either way, there was more airtime, and flying like crazy through the helix! Well...now I'm dead tired, so enjouy. Good night!

Quote Of The Day:

Walter: "Sooperdooperpooperscooper!"

Photos:

Self explanitory!

It looks cool...but smell it!

"Dainan! will you be my Shwartz to my Kopf!"

Great Bear didn't hit any trees today!

JESUS!!!!!!

The Boardwalkers!

Hey Six Flags! What's this?

Sexy aint it?

Storm Runner, cresting the top! or rolling back? You decide!

Giid shot, eh?

Awesomeness!

They will power my safety bar?

Skyview!

Great Bear flyby!

Walter and Jackie!

These ducks were rude line cutter GP! All the said was "quack qauck quack!"

Anthony is in the fourth row!

I don't understand, why am I doing this so late. I've fallen asleep twice, WHILE TYPING!

ZooAmerica!

Jackie didn't like it!

This is for you Rennee!

I like this queue for Storm Runner!

MOSH PIT!

80mph! And such!

This was the only part of Storm Runner that hurt us!

Wildcat at sunset!

Walter and Jackie say good-bye!

And thank you for not smoking!

-Dainan "3 days is too much Hershey!" Rafferty

Lmao! Mosh Pit.

Great Tr. Hershey Park is a nice park. I haven't been there ever since storm runnner was there. Hopefully I get to visit HP sometime this year.

Heehee good trip report One day i'll make it out to the USA again ... one day.

Does your camera happen to be a Cannon? My cannon did exactly the same thing with that strange purple fuzzy photo thing. I fixed it by hitting it against a wall (Seriously) when i was drunk. works fine now ... odd...

We then headed over to Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge. It was broken, but when we got there, it reopened! We waited no more than 5 minutes! The ride was good and a lot of fun! When we came down the hill at the end, something sort of weird happened, we didn't spin. We stopped, and just sat there. The anomotronics were done, and just sat there qietly, and it got sort of quite, but the lights never came on, so it obiviously didn't break! We are still confused about why we sat there for so long, before finally being brought into the station!

 

After, we decided to ride again! But this time we had an encounter with "The stupidly angry line cutter!" There was a group of four, about 10-15 feet away from us. The guy goes to them (we don't think anything of it). Then we notice he's bringing four kids with him, while he had two more lingering behind (count that, 7)! Um...NO! So we said, "Hey man, you can't do that!" He gets angry and said, "But those are my kids!", "Yes, and you're bringing 7 people with you!" He gets pissed of while we are telling him can get kicked out, etc, and he just says, "Those are my kids!" And storms off, and drags the rest of them with him! When we got into the station we told the attendant what happened, and she called security! When we got off we saw security chatting with them, and then sending them on there very merry way!

This is the difference between HP and Walt Disney World, THEY KICK THE RULE-BREAKING PEEPS OUT!

I went on RXCC on it's opening day and the ride broke down earlier in the day, but later it opened up and when my car came into the unloading station, the car was facing nearly perpendicular to the station platform.

Also in December, the ride stopped at a block brake section and managed to shoot some extra points, 40,000. I guess the ride has a few hiccups here and there.

Day: 4

I woke up at around 10:30, when my mom woke me up to tell me I had to pack! My sister was at some workshop, and Anthony was using my laptop. We packed up and left, and checked out. My mom went to some Parents of Arthritic Kids class...thingy. So Anthony and I hung aound the lodge for a while! I had a Coco Chino at the Lodge!

At 12, we left and went over to Chocolate World. For the first time, we all did the Chocolate Tour together! Like before, we all made fun of it, and had a great time with Gabby, Harmony, and Olympia! After that, we shopped around Chocolate World and then headed over to Hershey Gardens!

From the gardens, there was an awesome view of the park! (I did get shots of Storm Runner, Lightning Racer, etc), the gardens were very beautiful! And big! We enjoyed it! But Anthony and Savannah kept fighting so we got in the car and left! On the way home we stopped at Roadside America, which I haven't been to in 11 years, and nothing has changed! I love it there, it's so old, and has a classic feel to it. And I don't think the place has had a refurb since opening! We then stopped at Cracker Barrel, and went home!

Quote of the Day:

Dainan: "It's all about the milk!"

Photos:

CHOCOLATE WORLD! Can we go home now?

Coco Plantation...sounds racist!

I LOVE THE RAINFOREST!

I'm all excited, because "It's all about the milk!"

Subliminal messaging cows!

This part reminds me of EPCOT.

"This is for daddy"

I love central Pennsylvania!

Mom, Anthony, Savannah and I with Hershey park in the background!

Hershey Gardens was very pretty!

Savannah enjoying the Butterfly Garden!

"ai yayi yai I'm your little butterfly..."

I'm used to hitchhiking ghosts!

Anthony and I

Mom

Savannah spent too much time in the tree, so we decided to attack her!

There she is, at it again!

I see you!

Anthony misses Japan!

Roadside America is the r0x0rz!

Check out the detail!

Savannah seems to enjoy it!

Anthony is all, jkhagyucinfhdOJ

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Retro stairs!

This was so cool! And so old! And so cool!

Like every trip, we end with a Cracker Barrel!

-Dainan "Stay tuned for videos and on-ride photos!" Rafferty

First video! Chocolate World Tour POV

-Dainan "More to come" Rafferty

Ah, I see you've visited Roadside America AND my neighborhood Cracker Barrel (gotta love the cornbread). Even though I live nearly a half an hour from Roadside, I haven't been there for the past 10 years! Great TR and just to note; amish don't like getting their picture taken.

Well Dainan, looks like you and your friends and family had an awesome time at Hersheypark.

Great TR!

My mom took it, and they weren't Amish, they were "Meninites" (sp). We used to work in a Historic Museum attraction, and we dressed in Victorian clothing, so my mom wants to live like them .

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On-Ride photos in the order they were bought.

Walter, Jackie, Anthony and I on the Wildcat!

The Rafferty family at Hershey Park!

Mom and Savannah on the Great Bear!

Me and Anthony on the Great Bear!

Me and Anthony in the front row. Savannah and Mom in the second row on Storm Runner!

Mom and Savannah enjoying the Hershey's Great American Chocolate Tour!

This will end out series of On-Ride photos!

-Dainan "More videos to come" Rafferty

Trailblazer POV

-Dainan "Stay tuned for more" Rafferty

^ Great video! You were so lucky with the timing of Storm runner.

Yeah, awesome video, the Stormrunner part was cool.

Nice TR, I've gotta make it to Hersheypark someday, it looks like a cool place.

Very nice Photo TR. The videos are awesome! I love Hershey. I wanna get back there soon.

HersheyPark 2007 Music Video

I've been working on this for 3 days, because I've actually been busy every day, so this is it. I hope you guys enjoy it, and feedback would be great!

-Dainan "I want candy!" Rafferty

Nice video, looks like Great Bear has one hell of a footchopper!

Wow, that video was awesome! Even though I went to Hershey, I never knew Coal Cracker had that insane buny hop after the main drop! (Even though I went on it only once, back in 2000, I never noticed it)