Yoshi Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 I went to Dorney for a few hours today. Since it was a Friday the main parking lot was full and the first overflow lot was being used. I entered around 5:30 and the security guard at the bag check was really looking through every compartment of backpacks and getting annoyed with people who hadn't opened their bags up before getting to the bag check table. Wildwater Kingdom was open until 8:00 which was good since after 6:30 it was really empty. In around 2 hours I got 16 slides in and rode Thunder Canyon and only used Fast Lane on 5 of the 16 slides. Operations were faster than past trips this season other than again being asked if I had read the slide rules at Snake Pit, Patriot's Plunge and Wildwater Rapids. I went to Jumpin' Jack Splash for the first time this year and I really miss the slides going into a pool rather than the run outs that were added in 2014. The ride side was slightly crowded but for Dorney that just means full stations except Wild Mouse that looked like it was a 30 minute wait. 5 cars were running compared to the 4 that normally run. I got my 300th Talon ride and also rode Steel Force, Cedar Creek Flyers and The Whip. At The Whip the ride operator was checking restraints like past years where they just looked at each seatbelt and didn't tighten them or wrap the seatbelt around the side of the lap bar. At Chickie's & Pete's, credit card transactions, All Day Dining and Season Pass Dining can now only be used at the kiosks. Besides the first kiosk I went to not able to scan my pass, this now means you have to wait in 2 lines if you get a drink or want a cup for water. First a line for the kiosk and going to the regular register where you could end up waiting behind people ordering food and paying with cash. The kiosks are ok but I feel like they should be optional. Weekend pricing was in effect for the lockers. The small locker was still $5 after 5:00 like it is Monday - Thursday but the regular prices are higher. The largest locker is $50 to rent! You can see how they put the sign over the other prices to cover up the lower prices during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Mansion House Hotel is not coming back for 2017. Cedar Creek Flyers has become one of my favorite rides in the park even though it's the worst of the 3 Flying Scooter rides I have tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 Sounds like that extra hour makes a difference. Wish WWK was open to 8 on weekdays like in the past. Were slide dispatches still slow on Friday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 They were faster. At Wildwater Rapids it was taking 40 - 45 seconds for each group of riders to be let onto the slide platform. Snake Pit was fast at both Python Plummet and the tube slides except when someone lost something and the lifeguards had to look for it. Patriot's Plunge had no one in line so I didn't see if it was faster there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 On Wednesday, it seemed the Lightning Falls slides had the slowest moving lines of the park. On my trip, the line was down to the former split between the single and double tubes, about halfway down the stairs. In past years such a line would just take 5 min, that day it took 25 min because of the slow dispatching. Cascade had a line down to the bottom all the way to closing time. In the past, Cascade would rarely have any line and I never saw it having a long line up to closing before, it too was dispatching slowly. The other week, a lifeguard remarked that the Lightning Falls/Cascade landing pool was the deepest in the park now. Perhaps that is part of the reason for being slower? Makes me wonder if they will rip out the Lightning Falls complex for a new slide complex with a shallow landing pool in the near future like with Snakepit replacing Riptide. Glad you had a better trip than me. Maybe they save their better lifeguards for the weekend? The new facade looks like it belongs in San Fran with all those baywindows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrummer Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 I think I would have a coronary if I had to pay $50 for a locker. It better be air conditioned and the size of one of those places where you store your home furniture. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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