Photo TR: PPP 05 & DP

So I'm finally back in Bangor, Maine so that means I am able to write up this TR.

Saturday

I left really early in the morning (5:15am) to get down to Knoebels. While driving down is was pouring and stuff, but when I got towards Elysburg, the rain tapered to a sprinkle so I was happy. I got to the park around 11 and then met up with Ted (CoasterFanatic) at noon at the ticket booth. The event went really well, due to the light rain we had virtually no crowds and it was an awesome night. Oh yeah, I also tried that Looper ride, and I will never try it again. I swore soo much at Ted on that ride.

Now onto the Photos

Thanks for visiting...Kbel's!!!

Hand Slapage on Phoenix!

John and a vampire having a stare down contest while Ted watches in horror!

Brent and gang try their driving skills against my Connecticut driving skills.

Ted is oblivious to his hat that is smoking

I stopped by Camp RRC with Ted, Darrin, Steve, and John later that evening before the PPP evening began

I had soupy pizza while at PPP . Made me sick to my stomich just by looking at it

Never a Knoebels TR without me licking the north pole....or what looks like the north pole......

Ted praises to the heavens that the rain stopped for a bit

Brent, Josh, and two of their friends waiting in line for Fandango, which I like to call, FanF**kIt. I don't do anything that spins.

See Robb, I kept my word and wore the TPR T-Shirt to Knoebels.

The Looper, an interesting but sickly ride. It made me get a little woozy

Ted's all like, "I love the flyers!"

$5 bucks to the first person who does a cannonball into that pool

This is part of the Coveraged Bridge Festival where you can buy/sell crafts.

Greatest Ride ever! High Speed Thrill Coaster

Driving down the main road into the park

Sunday

On Sunday I drove up to Dorney park since I was going to meet Brent, Josh, and their friends (whoses names have slipped my mind, sorry!). I got to the park around 11 and the park was open since the day before they closed due to a little flooding, but the waters did go back to normal and everything was open. Now this was the first time to DP and overall I was very impressed. The rain kept away even though it was really cloudy, and on top of it, virtually no crowds so every ride was a walk on. Except for the Wild Mouse which had a little wait. I was also able to get all the credits except the little laser one. Now here are my quick opinions of the coasters

Hydra: eh, it was ok. I didn't hate it, but it isn't in my top 5. I dunno, the ride at some points seemed a bit slow and it shuffled a bit throughout the entire circuit.

Talon: Amazing, this ride was much smoother than Hydra and a whole lot faster with great inversions. I enjoyed it very much

Steel Force: Fun ride, has some good airtime

Laser: This ride packs a punch with the G's.

Woodstock Express: yeah, we got on it and it was a fun kiddie coaster.

Thunderhawk: Shakes a good amount, but has some abusive ejection airtime. The kind that shoots you up into the restraints making you get injured.

Wild Mouse: I enjoy wild mouses, they're fun little coasters.

Dragon Coaster: I have never been on a kiddie coaster where it had some serious G's in the helix!

I also tried the Screamin' Swing and I gotta admit, that was a fun ride. Plus tickets were buy 1 get 1 free (tickets costed $5 bucks).

So yeah, 8 new credits which brings me up to 54. Now onto the photos.

On Monday I went home and got to play with my dog Xandra.

ASS BATMAN!

Everyone sexing it up on Laser

The guys on Hydra

Josh, Me, Brent, and their friend on Screamin' Swing

Josh and Brent on Screamin' Swing

Josh looks sooo innocent in that picture.

Steel Force and Thunderhawk in the lower part of the park

Hydra

Talon from the ferris wheel

Steel Force picture

Trash can pic. Guess how many trash cans are in this picture alone!

Nice work on the signage. Three brownie points for them.

Hydra, looks like an interesting ride. But it was ok.

Past the gates

Nice park entrance, weather didn't look to happy, but the rain stayed away

$5 bucks to the first person who does a cannonball into that pool

Toss in some of those Victory's Ted brought, and I would of so done it.

Sweet TR Craig. We froze our asses off at Cedar Point as well. The weather just sucked this weekend.

I might do PPP next year. I'm just not so sure anymore.

Great TR McCraiggers. I enjoy a good photo TR. Now I'm going to get back up. Wish me luck. 8)

That trash can picture is hilarious. It seriously looks like Photoshop.

Great times, good finally meeting you after all this time.

Tim is the big redheaded goofy looking guy in the photos, Rob is the other. We all had a great time even in the pouring rain.

The Bumper Cars are just so incredible, Twister was better then ever and it is always amzing, Phoeniz was running really really badly, way to rough for my liking. If ai m gonna get slammed all over it need to be intentionally, hence I enjoy the huge rib crucshing laterals on Twister.

The Looper is way more intense then I imagined, what a great ride and the perfe3ct addition to the park. Fandango is a total POS with the worst restraints ever. Setting tents up at 3:00 AM in the rain sucks, the Fliers are the greatest flatride ever, alcohol is the devil, and smoking pipes is the most relaxing thing ever.

As for Sunday, you really need to no your route before you start driving with Josh in the car, he won't navigate for you. I am really excited about getting a Screamin Swing at CP now, so much better then I expected. I was REALLY impressed with Hydra and I have ridden a lot of coasters. I don't get what all the hate is for, I found it far from forceless, the layout was so unique and cool, it had really great airtime and was downright really fun. Steel Force was delivering Airtime that I didn't think was ever possible. The double up at the end was just slamming you with pile driver. I found it better then nitro which I NEVER thought was possible. Really really good. Thunderhawk has some killer ejector, except at the end where trims almost bring it to a halt. Finally Talon was so much better thenI remebered it, Easily my favorite invert, airtime, mega intense G's awesome layout, beautiful landscaping. If WoF's is liek this it will be great.

^ Yeah, it was good to finally meet up with you. Plus, thanks for reminding me of Tim and Rob's names.

This was a fun trip and I really enjoyed myself. We should see if it's possible to do get a group of Theme Park Review members next year and all go camping at Knoebels for PPP. It save on gas for me

Good times, TYG! Dorney park really doesn't look all that bad. Maybe it was just because of the weather, or do people usually keep the place pretty nice?

After this trip it is the nicest Cedar Fair park as far as I am concerned.

I mean look at teh pic of us on Hydra, note there is only us on the train, and they were still running two trains. The same was true for Talon and Steel Force.

One train would have easily done it, but still would have made for less rides, and they weren't stacking at all.

I was quite impressed and I have been there before.

LMAO at the trashcan picture! Here was ours from 2004:

Everytime I try to count them, I get a different number.

Great photos and TR, Craig. And you wore your shirt! Yay! I guess I owe you a night with Elissa or something now.

Glad to hear Dorney's operations were top notch. They used to be back in '96 - '00, but I haven't had a really GOOD day at Dorney in a while.

--Robb "The waterpark still rules, though!" Alvey

I forgot to mention that the Carousel, incidently Cedar Points old Frontier Town carousel was actually using it's band organ. Something Cedar Point has not done in 15 years at least. The same goes for Character signs at every ride and cubbies at every ride to keep articles safe. The only exception was Laser which required Craig to take his backpack.

Meh, it looks like Jack Falfas knows how to ruin more then one park.

Cedar Point has been the most dissapointing of the 4 CF parks I have been to this summer, including MIA. Sad to watch your home park go to hell.

I've never been to Dorney but it looks like the trash cans out number the people 10 to 1.

^ More like 20 to 1, hehe..

Great photos and TR, Craig. And you wore your shirt! Yay! I guess I owe you a night with Elissa or something now.

Ok, now I don't think any of the pictures showed, but I did wear my black TPR shirt to Dorney Park, the guys can vouch for me for wearing it since Josh commented how I had a second one. So, what do I get since I wore both shirts to both parks?

^ A Night with Robb.

Great photo TR, Craig. It looks like you had a good time on the two days. I really like the trash can picture! I have never seen that at a park before.

To sad you can not come to the UK next year, I think we could have a lot of fun at the parks.

--Sören

^^ Hmmmm, A night with Elissa...or a night with Robb, which would do more damage to me?

^ Soren, thanks for the comment, yeah, I wish I could afford to make it out to the UK next year but I won't be able to. Which means you'll have to come out to the North East soon.

^ Hey Craig, let me see who want to meet me in the US:

- Robb and Elissa (I miss you guys)

- Dan, Joey, Dave and Mary (Dane = roommate for 2006)

- Wally and Karen (be sure I want to taste the Dortmunder)

- Craig + ??? (mmhh, like your chocolate)

anyone else? That would be a big US trip. :shock: However, it looks like I really have to come to america! To meet you all!

--Sören

Don't worry Craig, I'll take your night with Elissa. Since, you know, according to the handprint guy at City Walk we ARE a couple.

Oh, and those of you guys who know me know how much i used to hate Dorney - well this time it was kick ass.

Oh and the Screamin Swing was really cool, to my surprise.

-Josh

^Yeah baby!

^^Josh, you needlessly shut down the hopes and dreams of thousands of fanboys with that post. Way to go.

Don't worry Craig, I'll take your night with Elissa. Since, you know, according to the handprint guy at City Walk we ARE a couple.

Woah, what's this about the handprint guy? So I guess since you guys are a couple, that forces me to get Robb. Now it doesn't make it interesting since it doesn't feel naughty since Robb and Elissa aren't together...

....Wow, even I disturb myself sometimes...

^^Josh, you needlessly shut down the hopes and dreams of thousands of fanboys with that post. Way to go.

who says its "needless"??

somebody had to put those kids in their place!

-Josh