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Photo TR: Knoebels, DP & El Toro land


pkdcoaster

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Last Blast of the year and it was a really good time. We got a bad weather report for the weekend but hoped for the best.

 

We left Richmond at 7am to get to Knoebels at opening (Noon). 2 of us had never been before, so it is always fun to have new people see the park.

 

Weather said few showers all day but once we steped out of the car it never rained at all and it was even sunny from 2pm on.

 

Flying Turns is coming long nicely and should be finished in time for next years opening day.

I was very surprised at the crowds considering the weather report. Longest line we waited in all day was Phoenix (30min-1 train-front)

We did both woodies twice and Haunted house and High speed thrill coaster.

we left about 4pm to go to Dorney.

 

I am gonna have to put this up in parts, I do not have enough time to sort through 352 pics (I pick the best ones) and resize them now but they will be up before the end of the week.

 

Edit: I just saw were Erin posted her pics She took a great picture of Steel Force.

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29562

 

JEFF

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I love this pic (Power Surge)

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Who doesn't love this place?

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I love this ride

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Not 1 ass left in the seat

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Phoenix is still the star of the park

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more Twister

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Twister through the handrail

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Erin's first Twister ride

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Twister

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according to the drawing this is not the lift ???

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The Flying turns "test track" makes a great hammock

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We arrived at Dorney Park at about 6pm (park open till 11pm) and it was DEAD. I could not believe that Nothing had any wait except for Steel Force at about 8pm (10min)

 

This was my first trip to DP since 2001 so Hydra was a new credit to me.

 

Hydra review (13 rides)- I do not know if it was just cause the trains were never more than half full but there was a ton of vibration on this ride and some uncomfortable jolts in the Cobra roll. I got one ride when the train was about 80% full and it was the best ride of the day, so I hope it runs better with a full train.

 

I loved the jojo roll, 1st drop and the 2 inversions following it after that it was kind of meh. I think the Cobra roll looks cool but it was just unnatural and had bad jolts in it throughout and the ending was less than stellar. But I did like the fact that it was VERY unique. so points for that.

 

Talon (5 rides) was kicking ass, I do not understand why people do not like this ride or think it is "forceless" I was feeling a ton of forces in a practically empty train. It felt much more powerful than it did in 2001. A great ride

 

Steel Force- (6 rides)The first half is better than I remember and the last half was worse due to heavier braking but still a fantastic ride and still seems to be the star at the park.

 

Lazer- (2 rides)Still a Awesome high G machine.

 

Thunderhawk was closed =( due to halloween crap, but White water landing was open!!!!!!!!!

 

Lots of fog in the park made for very cool rides especially on Steel force.

 

These pics are not the greatest, The Hydra ones are blurry cause my camera was kinda confused due to poor lighting. so sorry

 

Enjoy, JEFF

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Nice pictures, I agree about the forces on Talon. Usually after 6 rides on Talon, I have had enough even though I want to keep riding.

 

I was surprised about the wait on Steel Force that night as well since like you said, the park was dead yet Steel Force's line was down the stairs. I think it's because the entrance is right near the exit to the Fright Zone so a lot of people going through that end up right at Steel Force and decide to ride. I'm hoping the crowds are like that for the rest of the season since I plan to be at the park every weekend until the end of the season.

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Who doesn't love this place?

I didn't, though I'm willing to give it a second chance.

 

Nice pics, especially the Knoebel's ones. Too bad about the blur factor at Dorney!

 

I really liked Talon, I thought it was very underrated. I think it may have been because my expectations were fairly low, as I had kept hearing about how mediocre the coaster was. It turned out to be a great amount of fun, and by far my favourite at the park. I remember liking Hydra, but not too much. It's probably a solid seven, at best. Dorney is a park with a bunch of rides/coasters that are okay -> good, but not worthy of going out of your way for. However, I do look forward to one day returning - maybe next year with our Maxx Passes!

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Part 3.1 Kingda Ka pics and review

 

We got into the parking lot at 10:30am and much to my amazement Kingda Ka was running so needless to say that was gonna be our first ride since it was running. Only running 2 trains (1 side) line was to the end of the first switchback past the lockers and it took a little under an hour. Waiting in line for this thing is like holding a time bomb in your hand. you know it is gonna go down for the day sometime.........but when? Surprisingly it ran all day till storms and rain closed it down at 4pm. We left about 5:30 so I do not know if it re-opened.

 

I rode TTD in 2003 and thought it was Awesome although short. So I was very interested to see how different these 2 really were.

 

Me and Erin rode in the Back car, Brakes drop, We launch and not even halfway down the runway and I have had the crap kicked out of me! WE ARE GOING STRAIGHT! The runway seemed to go on forever but the launch was in like 3 seperate pulses, very odd to me.

 

Brake up top sucked! no Airtime, then you get a karate chop to the neck going through the spiral, then the most pointless hill ever!

 

I would have much rather gone through a straightaway at 120mph into brakes.

 

I do not understand how the ride could be so rough unless SFGA does not take care of the chasis or something. Storm Runner does so much more and it is not this bad.

 

At least I got to ride it and got the elusive credit.

 

It is a gorgeous structure though and the whole area was themed Very well.

 

Oh yeah, aparently it is Illeagal to take pictures of Ka in the rain from the parking lot. I had a security guy Yell at me (dead serious)

The last picture is posted as a big FU

 

Here are the pics

 

Enjoy, JEFF

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F U rent a cop

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Some things I want to say.

1. When I went to Dorney in August Steel Force's Line was so short that I only had to wait at least 2 or 3 minutes (possibily because they shut the ride down for 5 minutes for, I think a the train not coming back on time).

 

2. I rode Talon 2 or 3 times in a row and I have to admit that I did kind of gotten worn out, but that's because maybe I was walking around the park all day.

 

By the way great TR!

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After Ka we headed straight to El Toro. The wait was about an Hour and gave us plenty of time to drool. We rode the backseat and it was just one of the most amazing rides ever. glass smooth, Monster Airtime, lightning quick turns, huge hills. The ending was pure insanity and this ride never let up. It just leaves you speechless.

 

I don't know what else to say except ride it!

 

The whole theme area around El Toro was excellent as well as the music BUT why would you have authentic hispanic music in the whole area but LOUD Club Dance music in the Que line?????

 

Here is the video

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29602

 

And here are the pics

 

Enjoy, JEFF

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I love this pic, I just wish the weather was better!

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Kingda Ka anywhere near the back is the biggest no-no. I'm sure you know that now though Jeff. It is much, much smoother in the front. And yes, you felt the three pulses for the launch correctly. That was one of the "improvements" made to the ride. Instead of one big launch out of the gate, Kingda Ka was made to have those pulses as you described them.

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Well as for the rest of the park we did not get to do that much due to the long lines and our day cut really short by Rain/storms.

 

There were many rude employees as well (I asked for a plastic bag from a gift shop to keep my camera dry and was denied-I had to buy something)

 

We got on KK, El Toro, Medusa, GASM, Nitro, Skull mtn. I still did not get my Superman credit cause they were only running one train

We were in line for Batman when it started raining and heard numerous warnings about your clothes might get soiled blah blah for about 4 cycles then they CLOSE Batman because of this!!! (it didnt happen to anyone) it is just their policy Nitro was running in the rain!!! and we were stuck next in line for the front. after about a half hour we left.

 

It was alot of little things like that, that just kind of ruin your day, especially after paying a ton of money for 6 rides. It wasn't so bad for me cause I have been on all these coasters before but 2 in our group had not been on these coasters and they were really looking forward to them.

 

Hopefully our next visit will be better but I really left the park not to thrilled especially at how the staff was acting and most of the major coasters not running at capacity or slow/not enough ops.

 

Chris has some things to add I'm sure

 

JEFF

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any buyers?

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The "SF Smile" Chris does not like this park

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this is how close I was to a new credit

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That close to a new credit

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Nitro still kicks ass!

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Rolling Thunder......owned

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day started good

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That sucks you ran into so many problems. I can't believe they wouldn't give you a bag!

 

That issue with Batman and the rain runing clothes happened to someone twice so far this year (their clothes got ruined), so maybe after they got some complaints they now close the ride becuase of that. If someone wants to take the chance and ride, I think they should be able to though and they should have kept it open.

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Glad you enjoyed El Toro, I rode it at the end of August and I thought it was awesome. Love your videos, I've downloaded them all.

 

Kingda Ka blows, I rode it at the front and it wasn't nearly as shaky but it still wasn't very good, it was very shaky everywhere else I rode (I think 3rd and 4th row), and it really took away the sensation of speed. Top Thrill Dragster owns Kingda Ka big time.

 

I usually leave Great Adventure with a bad taste in my mouth, good coasters but such a bad park, it took a Gold Flash Pass to save my last visit (30 aug) from being awful.

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Jeff rode Krapda Ka before me and got off of the back row informing us that it was rough. I moved up to the 2nd row b/c I wasn't going to chance waiting for the front, and honestly I thought it rode like a wooden coaster. The trains were obviously in bad shape. To prove they were in bad shape, consider this: The ride has four loading stations and only 3 trains on the site, with the 3rd train alread being taken apart in the transfer area. Something ain't right about that.

 

I think Jeff mentioned most of the crappy policies and such that gave us a bad experience, but the thing I can't stand the most about this park (and it actually has nothing to do with the Six Flags brand) is the people. The general population of guests in this park have very ugly attitudes, and it sucks that it's so crowded all the time. Again, nobody's fault, and I'm not trying to offend. It's just my obeservation, and one of the many small reasons I don't plan on going back to a Six Flags park any time soon.

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It does run pretty rough, but you have to remember the accident from last year also. The train that got eatten up was never the same after. I believe they fixed it the best they could, but it only operated for a very short period of time.

 

So have they only had 3 trains since the accident last year?

 

Which train was it? We were in the Orange train.

 

JEFF

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