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 Review of Lightning Racer @ Hersheypark
4 Rating Posted by: Timberman on 1/16/2005 2:26:00 PM
Lightning Racer taught me a difficult lesson about myself: Im a snob.

Let me take a step back. From the first time I laid eyes on a picture of this thing, I was enthralled. The intricate layout, the return of the true wooden racer, the Millennium Flyer trains...I thought I was looking at the future of wooden roller coasters, one that would reinvigorate the forms popularity and introduce a whole new generation to the incomparable experience that only a wooden coaster can deliver. Judging by the reviews on this board and the reactions Ive heard in the station during the numerous times Ive ridden the coaster, it may have done just that. I should be happy. I should be writing, "See guys, didnt I tell you woooden coasters were the best." I should, and do, congratulate Hershey Park for making this sort of investment in a monumental wooden roller coaster at a time when other parks of its stature were rushing to join the hypercoaster arms race.

So why does this ride leave me feeling so empty? After much soul searching, I have to admit to myself that its because the kid who once prided himself on liking underappreciated, dated, or non-mainstream music has grown up into the guy who likes underappreciated, dated, or non-mainstream roller coasters. If the Cyclone is The Clash, then Lightening Racer is Greenday, a bland pop sellout of an infinitely superior form. While all of you are raising your daggers, understand that criticizing any wooden roller coaster, especially one of this scale and grandeur, is painful for me. I want to be philosophical about Lightening Racer. I want to believe that its a gateway coaster, one that will introduce the uninitiated to the wooden coaster experience and perhaps encourage them to seek out the true classics on their own. And it may do just that. But I fear that instead people will ride Lightening Racer, decide that wooden coasters are great, seek out the biggest one they can find, ride Son of Beast, and then (when they recover from their trauma) call for its head and go back to their B&Ms.

Okay, maybe Im not being fair. Lightening Racer is in no way as bad or insidious as Greenday. Considered on its own merits, Lightening Racer is a tremendous feat of design, engineering, and construction that will provide clean, wholesome entertaintment for those age 6 to 66. The trains negotiate the intricate track flawlessly. The transitions are smooth but often unexpected, and the ride maintains a pleasing (but never demanding, mind you) sensation of speed all the way to the break run. Take your most roller coaster resistant friend or relative on the Lightening Racer, and they will likely come off a fan.

As for me, I rode it over and over again trying to find something to love, but to no avail. The Millennium Flyers, equipped with the latest in modern, lawyer-sanctioned restraints, are still comfy, open, and mildy nostalgic. Racing the other train is fun, especially since the two only come together side-by-side for the final, always close sprint to the finish. The beauty of the ride makes for incomperable postcard shots. But for all that, the strongest feelings the ride invoked in me were disappointment and indifference. Honestly, I tried to pay attention, knowing that I would someday have to defend a review that would make a lot of people mad, but nothing about the course sticks out in my mind as particularly noteworthy. Oh thats right, it was smooth...very smooth. If this is the future of the wooden roller coaster, then this critic will continue to dwell in the past, happily listening to "Among the Living" by Anthrax as I drive to Kennywood for a ride on the Thunderbolt.<script src
 

Review Comments

coaster05 on 1/16/2005 2:49:02 PM said:
As always well written review, but for me my view was almost opposite. I was extremely dissapointed in thunderbolt and find this ride to be fantastic. Although I love older coasters and do not mind some roughness I will never say that a ride was too smooth. P.S. I also like greenday and could care less about the clash.
Cyclonic on 1/16/2005 4:21:45 PM said:
I think you may get slammed more for your disdain of Greenday then your dislike of this coaster. I agree in that this coaster is smooth as silk, appealing to a public that has become so week kneed that they seem to not want to kind of thrill that rides like the Cyclone and Thunderbolt provide. Does this make this a bad coaster, far from it. It is still fun. I think you spent so much effort looking for "the moment" that you missed the ride. This coaster is about the ride. It is a fast and furious romp within itself, and that is what makes this an above average ride (though, I wish it did have at least a little bit of airtime in there).
Timberman on 1/16/2005 4:57:06 PM said:
Your point is well taken, Cyclonic. I admit that disappointment probably tainted my opinion of this ride; it seemed to me to have all the makings of a classic and that its not may have made me judge it more harshly. But upon further reflection, I still rate the overall ride as, if not exactly boring, certainly lacking that ineffable quality I can only describe as "guts." I understand what you mean about the appeal of a good overall ride, however, which I think is perfectly embodied by the Pheonix. As for Greendays popularity (even among those who should know better) I guess I have to accept it as evidence Im getting old because that is something I will never understand.
coaster05 on 1/16/2005 11:20:47 PM said:
So timberman exactly how old I am 32 and like I said I enjoy their music. I am also curious do you guys find Phoenix to be a rough coaster, because I dont. I have also rode the georgia cyclone which seems to have the reputation as rough. I have two definitions of rough. Rough like the ride is out of control like the GA Cyclone and rough for no reason like the first half of Raging Wolf Bobs. Just wanted your opinion on that idea.
Timberman on 1/17/2005 12:36:01 AM said:
coaster05, being 32 doesnt make you old, just one of the Greenday fans who should know better. I havent ridden the GA Cyclone or the Raging Wolf Bobs, so I cant comment on those. I definitely would NOT categorize Phoenix as rough, although it certainly has guts. That said, its still a coaster young kids can enjoy. I hear what youre saying about the two kinds of rough. I tend to associate that out-of-control feeling (e.g., Son of Beast) with intensity rather than roughness. The other kind of roughness you mention, the gratituous sort that doesnt add anything to the ride, was exemplified for me by the late Hercules, which had an unholy amount of rattle and vibration. I would also mention a third category of roughness, the torquey roughness you get on a steel coaster like a Vekoma SLC or the original Steel Phantom. This kind of roughness doesnt pound you like the wooden coaster variety but it will twist your neck and spine into any variety of unnatural configurations. Getting tossed around by a wooden coaster is something I usually enjoy, but having my spine adjusted by an amusement device is just scary. But getting back to Greenday, Ive already admitted in another review that I like the song "MMM Bop," so who am I to point fingers?
coaster05 on 1/17/2005 12:42:27 AM said:
I agree that steel roughness is a whole different animal. I find SOB to be rough for almost no reason because the roughness comes from the vibration not from the curves or hills. I just had a very uncomfortable ride on SOB, but I agree no roughness on phoenix.
Timberman on 1/17/2005 12:50:12 AM said:
You can also get roughness from neglect, as on Rolling Thunder. That was a totally respectable ride before Great Adventure decided to let it rot.
larrygator on 1/17/2005 12:52:13 AM said:
Another excellent review

for the record I have only found 3 woodies to be too rough Psyclone, Twisted Twins and Hercules. I dont even put Mean Streak, Rattler or SOB in the too rough category.

I agree with Cyclonic, when I rode LR (and kept riding) I was looking for the one defining moment and it wasnt there but found the ride to but utterly enjoyable. Its not the fastest, wildest, doesnt have crazy air but I felt it was a great all around ride.

For the ride I like The Clash (one of the greatest bands of all time) and I also like Green Day. There are a lot of other bands who dont make good music. I hate when the the whiner bands who couldnt make it try to cut down a breakout band like Green Day.
coaster05 on 1/17/2005 8:16:17 AM said:
Larry, out of the three you thought were too rough I had no problem with twisted twins. I also put mean streak in my not too rough catergory but my why is this rough catergory since the brakes take away most of the fun anyway.
BobFunland on 1/17/2005 7:22:35 PM said:
Larry, what about Predator @ SFDL? I thought it was borderline Psyclone brutality...

Timberman, excellent review with thought-provoking detail and a nice critique of a coaster that I look forward to riding, but hopefully, my experience will be better than yours.
larrygator on 1/18/2005 11:01:46 AM said:
Predator tossed me around but I didnt come off it looking for a doctor or a lawyer. Those inverted u-shaped restraints on Twisted Twins created pain and havoc on my legs.
MagnumMan on 4/19/2005 4:32:28 PM said:
Ive been on Predator dozens of times and it was NEVER that rough when Darien Lake was owned by Premier Parks. I think neglect for the park itself and the rides in it has caused Predator to become a less than enjoyable experience for myself and others. Plus, since S:ROS is the only reason people who dont live in surrounding areas would even consider visiting the park, its common sense to focus all the attention on the ride bearing the most interest (at least when talking about Six Flags). Sad but true. I have a question for people that have ridden Lightning Racer: Im confused. Some of you say that Lightning Racer doesnt have a defining moment (my definition of "mediocre") but then you say its far from a bad ride. Thats almost a contradiction, in my eyes. Could you explain what you mean...
coaster05 on 4/19/2005 8:35:07 PM said:
For me even though I rated it higher then Timberman I would guess it doesnt have that thing. For example The fourth hill on Shivering Timbers is just plan crazy, and the rest of the ride is awesome also. Lightning is just a good ride all the way through, but it just doesnt have that "4th hill" moment.
larrygator on 4/19/2005 11:31:54 PM said:
Its just a solid and fun ride. You really get into the racing aspect with all the interaction/crossovers with the other train. I guess you could consider that the defining characteristic.
Hercules on 4/20/2005 1:15:43 AM said:
Lightning Racer is just a very consistant coaster. It is good all the way through, and does not have a noticable "defining moment." There is nothing at one point in the ride that absolutely knocks your socks off, but the whole thing is a lot of run. I also agree with larrygator in the fact that the racing really gets you hooked. It is a big competitive thing and you really get into who is going to win.
coaster05 on 4/20/2005 8:26:22 AM said:
Bottom line it is a very good, very fun coaster for all ages IMO
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