Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Photo TR: Hersheypark opening weekend


Recommended Posts

Friday saw the official opening of Hersheypark for it's 100th Anniversary season. While the new Boardwalk area won't be opening until Memorial Day weekend, I decided to go check out the park on Friday after work, since my last visit there it was cold, snowing, and most of the better coasters were closed. With Heath now working in nearby Harrisburg, it didn't take too much coaxing to get him to accompany me. Our main goal was to try the Wildcat with it's new Millennium Flyer trains. Unfortunately, the ride broke down for the evening just as we approached the station. Luckily the crowds weren't too bad in the park, so we managed to ride lots of other rides. Onto the pics from Friday.

hersheyopen10045.jpg.578b1ff0d102c8950d9353dc2743a0b0.jpg

and multiply! Ahhhhh!

hersheyopen10043.jpg.bcf683075d46b550372a13b85f737503.jpg

But beware! They can grow!!

hersheyopen10042.jpg.d35429bca8b3c682c9e4e01f3c3aa563.jpg

Wait, he doesn't look that big close up

hersheyopen10041.jpg.8ebebfea08fd81cc47c05d31754fd103.jpg

Oh no! It's the giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, ready to kick me if I stop

hersheyopen10038.jpg.5e2e92f438d9a61c5d8cf630c42b4f68.jpg

Hershey lets you know it's their 100th Anniversary; it's on every trashcan (although they don't have nearly as many trashcans throughout the park as any Cedar Fair park has in it's entrance midway)

hersheyopen10037.jpg.e4227030ddf8826c9d3468e80466eb9b.jpg

An Immelmann at dusk, so pretty

hersheyopen10036.jpg.cdfeee0b19e5e3a4f96bd5275183bb7a.jpg

Even Great Bear didn't have that bad of a wait, even less during the last 30 minutes the park was opened

hersheyopen10024.jpg.8d64d3f02b32df004e573bb5517d4ccc.jpg

Heath does his best Nicole impression of demonstrating what ride motions we'll be experiencing on the Flying Falcon, a Huss Condor

hersheyopen10020.jpg.6b531d6d79970a48d3f7c53bd4c6103d.jpg

The kiddiest coaster in Hersheypark, Trailblazer

hersheyopen10029.jpg.357997253a53ff2d18415a4f90acd719.jpg

Even thru the trees!

hersheyopen10026.jpg.c6744ffa4fd320cf44ba41b7d0432a9e.jpg

Storm Runner is a very photogenic coaster...

hersheyopen10021.jpg.d393d5c5a14517dccd019ae770faa254.jpg

Such a great element. All coasters should have a tophat

hersheyopen10018.jpg.f1af2a93f5f2a82f4ab2ba24d723a18d.jpg

Unlike last time, Storm Runner is running today. Not a bad wait either, considering it was only running 1 train on Friday

hersheyopen10016.jpg.fb2960b48cf9bb6af8731d0bb8deb29b.jpg

The Boardwalk is even themed with sand. Hopefully it won't get too windy and blow the sand into people's eyes like on El Toro

hersheyopen10015.jpg.3b89ea4084b302120d8d68627ae23367.jpg

Hooray for funnel slides!

hersheyopen10013.jpg.695434bc168ac9b50a97896500909dcd.jpg

A pretty cool looking slide in the play area

hersheyopen10012.jpg.c3d410e79eadc7ded097f35148c84b0e.jpg

The world's largest water play area will be ready to soak in a few more weeks (when it'll be warmer in PA)

hersheyopen10010.jpg.371da3c249b9ba3d9fecacd963522d5b.jpg

It would be in this position for most of the remainder of the evening

hersheyopen10008.jpg.b458027b9908acd8ff70c7df0dbe8daf.jpg

The new trains look sweet. Too bad we can't ride it yet, as it broke down just as we arrived

hersheyopen10007.jpg.a3fc60ef750fe74cd503ca21689b213b.jpg

As nice as PTCs may be, Wildcat was brutally rough anywhere but the front row with them. Bring on the GCI Millennium Flyers!

hersheyopen10006.jpg.b60a24ec938a34f95dc7279eac38c510.jpg

One of the best additions for 2007 was new trains for the Wildcat

hersheyopen10027.jpg.1493ded350ba181a225069dfd0c7fa07.jpg

Cute little Hershey Kiss dude flies the plane

hersheyopen10004.jpg.dc8ff954c9e8d6702bc083302d52ecc8.jpg

One of the entrances to the Boardwalk is located right next to the Canyon River Rapids

hersheyopen10003.jpg.8a0e2244fe4efa9282b4a75c95b2ff53.jpg

The weather is way different this time. Sunny and 70, that's like 40 degrees warmer than the last time I was here a month ago!

hersheyopen10002.jpg.a2b7108533537ee69f8e14a99a942865.jpg

Heath has his map and is all ready to celebrate the 100th

hersheyopen10044.jpg.aa5780e82502852bc9c03c1ba7ffd01e.jpg

and the first rocket coaster on the East Coast (and still the best one on this side of the country)

hersheyopen10046.jpg.adb4f8135bf752f38505de04a760fb04.jpg

Pennsylvania's first B&M invert

hersheyopen10001.jpg.3040aac6e4c1bf929848ae75ba5bb6f7.jpg

A Joe friendly ride, the first on the East Coast

hersheyopen10049.jpg.4ef29c83cf0fa1a1353ffcc31c1a095e.jpg

The first roller coaster, Joyride (later renamed Wildcat)

hersheyopen10050.jpg.b9b2fffe7b56778945b3df99369e1b22.jpg

Lots of banners line the park entrance plaza with significant events in Hersheypark's history, like the opening of the park

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 49
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Saturday would see us returning to the park after seeing Spiderman 3 in IMAX and taking in some tasty beers at Selins Grove. Heath was celebrating 5 years of riding coasters, and seeing how he's ridden over 500 in 5 years, we figured stopping off to ride wouldn't be a bad thing. The park was a more typical crowd for a Spring Saturday evening, but even then the crowds weren't unbearable, and the waits were hardly bad. Best of all, we finally got to ride Wildcat. It's definitely rideable now in more than just the front row thanks to the Millennium Flyer trains. Still some rough spots, but nothing coma inducing. The trains make the ride feel more classic too!

hersheyopen10071.jpg.00a8d9a4b7f280ea14d02b7091e31639.jpg

Even the Kissing Tower advertises the 100th anniversary

hersheyopen10069.jpg.f1b8fb80688f28f2f09cb3bf3ca77e96.jpg

Heath and Kim enjoy a ride on Pennsylvania's best mine train, the Trailblazer on Heath's 5th year anniversary as a coaster enthusiast

hersheyopen10068.jpg.fa85ba36f4cc2b985541e42a8091ee45.jpg

Hello Snake Drive Stout Dive, or whatever you're called

hersheyopen10067.jpg.fd7953ebaeb16ba02fc8df6e91f6f716.jpg

time for some more Storm Runner goodness

hersheyopen10063.jpg.805b71fa90c16e4fe357621f9fddf2bd.jpg

the Millennium Flyer trains articulate very well and can really handle the GCI curves

hersheyopen10062.jpg.e9cc68a8570249900f0dfaab5f3e6d56.jpg

Still a really good wood coaster, but now you don't have to ride just in the front to save yourself from a headache

hersheyopen10060.jpg.2e859b4155054d6ff9c062419bda2ad5.jpg

but hooray! Wildcat was running!

hersheyopen10059.jpg.f5309c07676826ae89081c76581299cc.jpg

Today would see the other GCI broke, Lightning Racer went down shortly before our arrival, and would be down for the rest of the night. They even had to walk people off! (CRISIS!!)

hersheyopen10058.jpg.210b03a81f7c9e3ced3ab3a7c8e762a9.jpg

Old boring wet/dry slides. Hershey, please replace these with a Balder. Thank you!

hersheyopen10057.jpg.cfc97b53296305309f691945ca4204f9.jpg

Ahhhh! These things just keep getting bigger and bigger!!

hersheyopen10056.jpg.65a4a99f99064b6b2902c9e5485655b0.jpg

First stop was for Smores, a fairly new thing at Hershey that is a fantastic idea!

hersheyopen10055.jpg.f291c02567df99bedf2752c8b3468ac6.jpg

Back at the park again on Saturday, this time bringing Kim with to share our fun

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice pics...

 

You know those S'mores were there last October right? Not really that new, but good none the less.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sunday would have me returning to Hershey yet again, but this time to show Justin, Sandi, and the kids around the park. They've never been to the East Coast before, and chose Hershey as the first park they'd hit; mainly because of the 11 coasters they have, their 7 year old son can actually ride 9 of them! I don't know why, but this was one of the best day's I've ever had at the park, perfect weather (after the wind died down), no clouds, and yet, no people...meaning no waits! Throughout the day everything from Great Bear to Lightning Racer to Storm Runner had pretty much a 1 train wait, or like 3-4 trains if you wanted the front row. Even being their first time here, the 5 of us devoured the park, and I think they really enjoyed themselves at Hershey.

hersheyopen10095.jpg.cf697dd7c6e2ee94d485030bf5cbda0d.jpg

The only wait for Great Bear was the front row, and even that wasn't bad

hersheyopen10094.jpg.5ce6753bf6f8379f66f6c9443a87db37.jpg

This PTR has gone too long without a pure unadulterated vertical loop shot

hersheyopen10093.jpg.3b81bbb0152e2df7de2292caa95198b8.jpg

The Great Beer's final inversion. mmmm, great beer.

hersheyopen10091.jpg.f2a5bba94090793b81cbfa0e392c7182.jpg

Great Bear may have an odd ending, but its setting is pretty nice

hersheyopen10090.jpg.eeb746c1d2066bce3151c42438527ad5.jpg

Comet may not be the most thrilling wooden coaster in this era, but it's still fun and smooth

hersheyopen10088.jpg.c219f52faf93dd98869b91c873c076bd.jpg

and off in the distance, Lightning Racer and the new Boardwalk

hersheyopen10087.jpg.a04f0edb67d4a2891d3a355afa5b8aa8.jpg

Comet Hallow, from above

hersheyopen10086.jpg.c5e4c18821f4215d0ab31463c37e0a4a.jpg

From the Kissing Tower you can get a great view of most of the park, like the entire layout of Storm Runner

hersheyopen10082.jpg.83044d0588e4131ffd452403b9b3a3c0.jpg

Even Sandi rode the Flying Falcon, as much as she hates spinning rides

hersheyopen10080.jpg.5500a46c6a7bbd03c8c61291f2d2bf79.jpg

ah! That Reese's Cup keeps haunting me!

hersheyopen10081.jpg.2a6937323f205b589954dbd585d3ad99.jpg

I'd say they enjoyed their ride

hersheyopen10079.jpg.e8d0812dcffd4691fa0e4c375ccd0107.jpg

finally tall enough, Ellie enjoys her first inverted coaster with her mom, in the only place to experience an invert for the first time, the front row

hersheyopen10078.jpg.f27fbcda0fc5c6ec6cca8e8652e945ea.jpg

Great Bear, between the trees!

hersheyopen10077.jpg.d2beef09d3f15989f46debf6ee12f6c7.jpg

with lots of coasters to add to his memory, Chad is pretty happy with Hersheypark

hersheyopen10076.jpg.816e222db3312dd1ae8602ca91cb5536.jpg

They all were pretty shocked by a barely braked Wild Mouse

hersheyopen10075.jpg.8cd8d69b688b1607d23df121e0fb5cc4.jpg

Wildcat was really rideable everywhere, but Ellie didn't seem to like it too much, although she loves Tremors

hersheyopen10074.jpg.04e9edcc4d752a7b44adea598219573d.jpg

The Oregoners enjoy their ride on the Trailblazer, not just for the cha-ching, but also because it has no line

hersheyopen10011.jpg.c74fad0c2f3a766fcc42931bca084555.jpg

Always fun for the whole family, Lightning Racer does what racing coasters are supposed to do, run both sides, and actually RACE!

hersheyopen10009.jpg.d77ac4fb99b4f238857a27f84d20736f.jpg

Justin is a big GCI fan. Of course he loved Lightning Racer, who doesn't!?

hersheyopen100138.jpg.73f72d9aacf4f7da12d689a927d373f6.jpg

One final day for the opening weekend at Hershey, this time with Justin, Sandi, and the kids

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To end our day at Hersheypark, we decided to ride some stuff again, and take in the neighboring zoo, free with park admission!

hersheyopen100137.jpg.4c6255cf787b3eff5e9618e3183d1da6.jpg

and you thought the 5lb Hershey bar was big!

hersheyopen100136.jpg.2c1386bd19db12dc00d9f7c039e65a7d.jpg

And I shall leave you with one final shot of Great Bear's looping goodness

hersheyopen100135.jpg.cea5d7bd20590a019490e7b35f264ab6.jpg

OMG, it's Bucky Covington and his brother!! He was playing at the ampitheater inside the park, and wanted to ride the rollie coasters during his break

hersheyopen100133.jpg.a5c51c849101263733eb2078b6b04967.jpg

This porcupine was all "um, please call the fire department, I seem to be stuck!"

hersheyopen100132.jpg.1440c0051c70dbb6a0178e08a22c07b6.jpg

Hey Nicole, how's it going

hersheyopen100130.jpg.d4973646292630369427578b31453a1e.jpg

awwww, even the baby prairie dog came out to see what was going on

hersheyopen100125.jpg.8b8091bed89cacfd2668af0244ae947a.jpg

It was pretty cool to arrive when all the prairie dogs were out getting some grub, usually they're sleeping, or at least in their burrows

hersheyopen100124.jpg.5abe7807725ac8a9e59037a065fc274d.jpg

This guy was all like "yo, wuz happenin!"

hersheyopen100120.jpg.4afeed43f87a722345c2b23186ec99b9.jpg

and some Elissa friendly Prairie Dogs

hersheyopen100113.jpg.841458818cbc35ef58dc11f590a6d36a.jpg

and Road Runners beating up dead mice!

hersheyopen100111.jpg.6d2e5cf9d34bd02602dd5f6a583b80a2.jpg

Where we can see tortoises

hersheyopen100134.jpg.b183024bf968b99fc8c72a74354b2a92.jpg

Onward to Zoo America!

hersheyopen100109.jpg.20ab34218f13b147083d26b55e0990fc.jpg

Um, it looks like a crucial piece of Storm Runner fell off

hersheyopen100108.jpg.c3f088e9df4d1ee5982bff6323b0c8d6.jpg

Everyone but Ellie got their Sidewinder credit, and now I've ridden it twice this year, ouch

hersheyopen100105.jpg.c41b832a8e216ff8950c4a8815d8d293.jpg

Still not warm enough for us to want to ride Tidal Force, but some people were dumb enough!

hersheyopen100104.jpg.733295b5db6317d6feb5b002227d4167.jpg

Everyone loves seeing if they'll be the winners in a Lightning Racer race

hersheyopen10099.jpg.f8e7a9f9b4508a3c50e9b7a0b7bddbd8.jpg

Hooray for Intamin Immelmanns

hersheyopen100101.jpg.eee4f7b542a8de56e192a382d96eda00.jpg

Way better than Kingda Ka, proving that size doesn't matter

hersheyopen10098.jpg.4f7d3cbe01d7cca9f9c1f26148f1c5c4.jpg

Can't get enough pics of Storm Runner, can we?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't wait to get out to Hershey this year! The park looks fantastic, although I still think Great Bear and Storm Runner need some new paint. Pretty soon Storm Runner will be pure pink! Anyways, great photos Derek, looks like you guys had an awesome time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome pictures Derek! It was great hanging out with you on Sunday. We had a blast! No lines, awesome weather, lots of chocolate, and some serious GCI goodness. I still give a slight edge to Thunderhead, but Lightning Racer was very close and Wildcat was great too. Storm Runner was fantastic (although not quite as good as Xcelerator) Great Bear was a solid B&M invert, and Sooperdooperlooper was very fun also.

 

All in all, a very fun park that we will definately be visiting again, along with all the other great parks in PA. Hopefully I'll have my pics up in the next day or two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

looked like you had a great first weekend up there! I've got a question for you, do you think big people can fit onto Storm Runner? I ask this because I'm planning on going there sometime in the next little while and i want to know if I'd have any problems getting onto that ride, please message me back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

looked like you had a great first weekend up there! I've got a question for you, do you think big people can fit onto Storm Runner? I ask this because I'm planning on going there sometime in the next little while and i want to know if I'd have any problems getting onto that ride, please message me back.

Yeah, it's "big people friendly."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool Photo TR I was up there saturday also didnt get the chance to get on wildcat lol didnt even realize they changed the trains and i go there all the time. I might post my pics later cuase i took some nice ones. Did you guys see that funky wave pool it was so tiny or is it just me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/