Dorney Park, 4/30/17

[Yoshi]

I decided to go to Dorney today for opening weekend.

 

Instead of putting your keys and phone in a bin at the metal detectors like at Great Adventure, you hold them and carry them over your head while walking through the metal detectors.

 

Rather than mention wait times, I'll just say everything was a 0 - 5 minute wait except Wild Mouse and Road Rally that looked like they were about 15 minutes each.

 

First was lunch at Chickie's & Pete's near Sea Dragon. There is a new queue set up because lines can get long and there are some touch screen kiosks to order. It only took a couple of minutes to order but 25 minutes to get the food at the pick up window.

 

Thunderhawk was the first coaster of the day. It was running ok in a non wheel seat, not too rough. 1 ride was enough.

 

Steel Force had 2 trains running. It's fun but feels a little tame at times and makes me just want to be riding Nitro instead.

 

Cedar Creek Flyers were still running slow and with a short cycle.

 

Stinger was closed with some mechanics working on the ride and then they left and the ride was closed the rest of the time I was at the park. I know I have been really frustrated with this ride, I can imagine the park is probably even more frustrated with it since the coaster has been one problem after another since being installed.

 

I went for the last row of Possessed since I prefer the ride without as much twisting up the spike.

 

The Whip got new seatbelts this year and the cycle is still somewhat short.

 

Thunder Creek Mountain wasn't too soaking sitting in the front of the log. There were a few riders but not many with it being around 65 and cloudy. Thunder Canyon was also running with no riders and White Water Landing was running with a couple of riders every few boats.

 

Hydra still rattles a little but not as bad as a few years ago.

 

Talon was running great, nice and smooth and the layout is great.

 

Dodgems were popular with about a 1/3 full queue. The lap bars are better than seat belts since they are faster for the ride operator to check. The cycle is shorter than Hershey's bumper cars and a little shorter than Great Adventure's bumper cars. The driving area is too small for the 20 cars that are running and there is also a metal island in the middle that makes the driving area more congested. There were always a lot of cars stuck because they had no where to go. I think it would be better to maybe only have 15 cars running. It was still fun but not something I plan to go to more than a few times a season.

 

Kaleidoscope looked like it was almost fully assembled. I wanted to try the Troika rides at Kings Island and Cedar Point but didn't want to take a chance on getting dizzy on a road trip so will have to try this version for a last ride of the day on a future trip to the park.

 

I got pizza for dinner and they changed it from an individual pizza with 2 breadsticks to 2 slices without anything else.

 

There are a bunch of new soda fountains at the food locations and a soda fountain area in the games area near Talon. With all these new machines I don't understand why Cedar Fair didn't add Freestyle machines especially when other parks in the chain have them.

 

It was a fun trip and I look forward to visiting more starting next month after the water park is open.

 

 

I like the ride sign

 

 

I'm not really surprised to see this.

 

 

I still can't believe there used to be a street running through the middle of the park.

 

It looks like someone forgot to check the year on one of these shirts.

 

 

There is a boat somewhere under all that water.

[The Master]

Was the park crowded? When I was there Friday, the new bumper car queue was completely filled and the line sticking way out. Even the Whip had a full queue line.

[29yrswithaGApass]

What good does holding your keys or phone over your head do? If the metal detector sounds what happens? Do they just assume it is your keys that set it off and wave you through?

[Yoshi]

They let people through without checking anything even if there was a beep. I heard the sounds when the person in front of me walked through and when I walked through as well but they didn't say anything or stop anyone.

Was the park crowded? When I was there Friday, the new bumper car queue was completely filled and the line sticking way out. Even the Whip had a full queue line.

It was the typical Dorney crowds, walk ons to 2 train waits for the coasters except Wild Mouse and no lines for almost anything else. Dodgems had a 1 to 2 cycle wait.

 

I also forgot to mention in my first post Wild Mouse now has a rule of having to be 6 years old (years ago it was 8 years old and they took the rule away) to ride even if a kid meets the height requirement. So that leaves Woodstock's Express as the only coaster someone under 48" and under 6 years old can ride. That is just another example of why I prefer Great Adventure, they don't have ridiculous policies like that even though this particular change doesn't effect me.

[dougdrummer]

those pics of the park make it look clean and fresh!

[Mrpq]

I was disappointed with the Cedar creek Flyers last year when I was there with the short ride and slowness,

 

Stinger I will never ride again

[GAcoaster]

What good does holding your keys or phone over your head do? If the metal detector sounds what happens? Do they just assume it is your keys that set it off and wave you through?

SeaWorld and Busch Gardens do the same thing. The metal detectors have targeted zones and LEDs light up if there is metal at different levels. As long as only the top ones light up (where your keys and phone are) they wave you through. If the lower ones light up they wand you trying to figure out what metal items you still have down below. It save a LOT of time screening people.

 

https://www.grainger.com/product/GARRETT-METAL-DETECTORS-Walk-Through-Metal-Detector-1ZRZ9

[Yoshi]

Thanks for posting that, now it makes sense why Dorney was using them differently compared to a Great Adventure and I'm going to edit one of my earlier posts. It sounds like maybe the beeping I heard was just for it detecting the metal in that 1 area.

[The Master]

They let people through without checking anything even if there was a beep. I heard the sounds when the person in front of me walked through and when I walked through as well but they didn't say anything or stop anyone.

 

It was the typical Dorney crowds, walk ons to 2 train waits for the coasters except Wild Mouse and no lines for almost anything else. Dodgems had a 1 to 2 cycle wait.

 

I also forgot to mention in my first post Wild Mouse now has a rule of having to be 6 years old (years ago it was 8 years old and they took the rule away) to ride even if a kid meets the height requirement. So that leaves Woodstock's Express as the only coaster someone under 48" and under 6 years old can ride. That is just another example of why I prefer Great Adventure, they don't have ridiculous policies like that even though this particular change doesn't effect me.

GADV has ridiculous rules too such as not allowing car keys at all at two of their major coasters and must use pay lockers, that is really bad. Glad to hear Dorney was not so crowded for your trip. Hopefully my trip was a fluke.

 

I was going to state what GAcoaster said about metal detectors, but he beat me to it. I think the detectors at GADV also have the indicator lights on the side. Some shoes have steel shanks in the soles or steel toes (which are handy at Disney parks with all those strollers and wheelchairs). Lights are a good way to rule out shoes and belt buckles.

Edited May 2, 2017 by The Master

[Mrpq]

GADV rule is crazy in my opinion. Whats the difference with Toro and Ka vs an other coaster. If you have that rule on those two coaster, put it on all of them. Even more so they don't have that rule on Drop of doom. I don't know about any of you guys but I never even cam close to my keys or phone falling out of my pocket on any ride. Also how are they enforcing this new rule at the coasters? Do they have metal detectors at the entrances or is it more if they see something they say something?

 

Sorry for the side track.

[Matt Kaiser]

Whats the difference with Toro and Ka vs an other coaster.

 

Roughly a difference of 60-70mph and 200-300 vertical feet combined with huge G-forces. Is that a serious question?

[Mr.Six]

I plan to go to Dorney in June and I'm sure later in the Summer. Last time I went was haunt of 2015. These photos show park improvement to me.

[Mrpq]

 

Roughly a difference of 60-70mph and 200-300 vertical feet combined with huge G-forces. Is that a serious question?

I'm talking about as far as cell phones being allowed man..... My point is if you are gonna ban them on those two coaster, do it on ever coaster. A cell phone falling off Bizaro is going to hurt someone just as much as falling off Toro. So yes it was a serious question. I can google and find out the technical differences

[Matt Kaiser]

I'm talking about as far as cell phones being allowed man..... My point is if you are gonna ban them on those two coaster, do it on ever coaster. A cell phone falling off Bizaro is going to hurt someone just as much as falling off Toro. So yes it was a serious question. I can google and find out the technical differences

 

Technically, there's a higher chance it's going to hurt more and cause more physical damage on Ka and Toro.

And the reason for selecting those two rides is because there's a much higher chance of something flying off on those rides.

[The Master]

Nitro is faster than El Toro, so going by that logic, it too should have bans on all carry on items and require mandatory pay lockers. A de facto pay as you ride system which is the main purpose for these silly rules. Having to lock up car keys is beyond the pail.

Edited May 7, 2017 by The Master

[GAcoaster]

I would guess it's probably because El Toro and KK both have had guests injured by flying loose objects, but Nitro (and other coasters) have not. Probably more to do with the forces generated by the ride than the speed.

[IBOK]

Makes sense. Those are the only two rides I've ever lost things on. Lost our fast pass twice on Ka(not on the same day). At the time, lady at the desk said it's pretty common. Also said "yesterday there were over 100 articles recovered from ka's grounds." That's crazy.

[Matt Kaiser]

Nitro is faster than El Toro, so going by that logic, it too should have bans on all carry on items and require mandatory pay lockers.

 

My logic didn't mention the speed. Just the likelihood of objects being ejected, which is more connected to G forces, not necessarily speed.

[The Master]

My concern with this is that it could spread to other rides and end up as a pay as you ride setup for many of the main rides. Can't put it past SF on any park company anymore.

[Mrpq]

I ahvent looked for a locker at the park in years... they don't have a locker you can rent for the entire day? IF I HAD to use a locker I rather rent one all day, be able to go back to it when ever I want. Having to rent a locker per ride and ever time you go back to the ride is crazy.

 

 

Also have we confirmed how they are enforcing this? How are they going to know if car keys are in my pocket? Not like I reach for my keys like I would a phone. Even at that point, who is dumb enough to walk into a line with the phone in their hand. Keep it in your pocket. out of sight out of mind.