PhantomNik
Posts: 515
Registered: 6/6/2002
Rank: Gold Critic
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 6/22/2004 5:34:00 PM
Well, trip reports usually take me a little while to post, so here is my overdue TR from Coaster Madness 2004 at Dorney Park, which happened to be my first ever ACE event! I got out to Allentown, PA after the 5.5 hour drive from Natrona Heights, PA (a small town 20 miles NE of Pittsburgh) at about 4 pm on Thursday, 6/3. Went straight to Dorney, since they were only open until 7:30 that day. I figured I’d get an idea where everything was for the event on Friday, and maybe get in a few coaster rides for good measure.
Upon pulling in to the parking lot, I noticed that it was a good 80% empty!! I was surprised, but also very happy. I knew that a practically empty lot meant short lines to be had!!  Got my season pass photo in no time (figured I’d just get a pass for Dorney since it’s also valid at Cedar Point), so it was now time to enter the park! I love going through the gates of a park that I’ve never been to before. It’s very exciting to go in and see all of the cool new things that await you! Entered Dorney at about 4:30, and dad wanted to go look around, so I said I’d meet up in an hour because there was an orange and blue creature calling my name - TALON!! I must say that Dorney Park is very nice. Everything seems like it just got a fresh coat of paint, and the colors on rides and such are bright and vibrant. The park is immaculately clean and there are ample trees and plenty of shady places to sit. I’ll tell you what, when Cedar Fair has control of a park, things are done first class!! 
Anyway, Thursday the park was just deserted. Everything, and I mean everything, was a walk-on! (Wahoooo!!) In that first hour before meeting dad for dinner, I got 4 straight Talon rides (including a front seat ride!), 2 rides on Wave Swinger, a ride on Hang Time, and I took about 15 pictures (mostly of Talon)!! Simply great! After dinner, got some more rides in and finished off the first roll of film. Coaster wise, I hit Steel Force and Thunderhawk. Then I did some souvenir shopping and it was time to go for the day. For 3 hours, I had some impressive ride totals:
Steel Force = 6, Talon = 4, Thunderhawk = 2, Wave Swinger = 3, plus Hang Time, Whip, Revolution, Scrambler, and Joker. Three hours, 20 rides, dinner, souvenirs, and 1 roll of pictures taken. Not bad at all!!
The actual event itself on Friday was outstanding!! I am extremely impressed with how these ACE/coaster club park events are done! Morning ERT was on SF, T’Hawk, and Laser. Multiple trains running on the coasters – well done, Dorney! Park was then open to the public from 10-10. Definitely a better crowd on Friday, but still not by any means extensive. Longest wait was for the freakin’ Wild Mouse because of its dreadfully low capacity. The lunch was great, and they gave away a ton of stuff (though I was not a winner), including pieces from Hercules. A guy talked about Hydra for 2005 and said that “everything we heard was rumor” and that all they have announced is the name. Gee, maybe it really won’t be a coaster after all.....ya right!  Met up with a fellow ACE member, Margaret, and we hung out and rode for a while, which was really cool! Great gal, and I hope to meet up again sometime and ride with her!! Evening ERT was from 10-11 on Wild Mouse & Talon. So for me, it was an hour on Talon! Actually, I started riding at about 9:45 and was able to close out my night with 10 laps on Talon!! 
Overall, this was a fabulous trip!! Dorney Park is a first-rate amusement park and I know that this trip will certainly not be my last to Dorney!!! Now on to some of my views of the coasters and the park:
Dorney Park
Coasters – 8.5/10
Ride Selection – 9/10
Ride Quality – 9/10
Food – 8/10
Cleanliness – 10/10
Staff – 9/10
Landscaping – 8/10
Atmosphere – 9/10
Overall = 9/10
The Coasters:
Wild Mouse – A d
Message updated 6/22/2004 5:43:00 PM by PhantomNik
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