coasterf42
Posts: 626
Registered: 10/3/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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 9/23/2006 12:58:26 PM
I was wondering which one of these two trips some of you guys would recomend for me. I'm thinking about going on one more trip this year:
Trip 1-Hershey Park
Trip 2-Dorney and Knoebels
Sadly, I've never been to a Pennslyvania park, and I've lived in MD all my life. I think I'm leaning on Trip 2, because I'm a huge wooden fan, and really want to ride Phoenix. Plus, a season pass prosseser told me that my Cedar Fair Maxx Pass would be O.K. this year for Dorney as well. Also I know Hershey is open around Christmas time, and is an hour closer to my house.
Message updated 9/23/2006 12:59:59 PM by coasterf42
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Timberman
Posts: 845
Registered: 9/21/2004
Rank: Gold Critic
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9/23/2006 6:35:24 PM
They're all good parks as far as I'm concerned, but as someone who's partial to wood coasters myself, I'd go for Trip 2. Pheonix is far and away the best wooden coaster to be found among the three parks, about as well-designed, fun, and rideable as they come, and Knoebel's Twister is probably tied with Hershey Park's Wildcat. I also think that Steel Force at Dorney (obviously not a wooden coaster) is a fun ride and somewhat under-appreciated. You won't find anything like it at Hershey Park. I've had some great rides on Dorney's Skyhawk, but I understand that this punchy little wooden coaster hasn't been running up to its potential in recent years, which is a pity. Still, I've always enjoyed my trips to Dorney, and the lines tend to be shorter than at Hershey in my experience.
Message updated 9/23/2006 10:43:13 PM by Timberman
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hrrytraver
Posts: 1270
Registered: 7/16/2005
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/23/2006 7:58:08 PM
it's about an hour and fifteen minutes from hershey to knoebel's. you could string them together as i have done in the past. though i don't know what hershey's autumn opening time is. hershey's wood coasters are all good, and storm runner is wild little steely.
you are obviously getting wood lover's opinions here (i agree totally w/ timberman regarding phoenix), but if you haven't been you gotta go to knoebel's. even if you are like hercules, and feel slightly uncomfortable around plentiful "mountain folk" , you gotta go anyway. just do it.
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"in vegas, i got into a long argument with a man at the roulette wheel over what i considered to be an odd number." steven wright
Message updated 9/23/2006 8:00:56 PM by hrrytraver
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adriahna
Posts: 4692
Registered: 6/4/2003
Rank: Site Moderator
Skooter Junkie
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9/23/2006 9:20:23 PM
I dunno about Hercules, but I love me some mountain folk. And I agree - coasterf42, you MUST make it out to Knoebels, if only for Phoenix. It is a truly manna-from-heaven wooden coaster experience. Whatever you decide upon, have a great time.
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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9/23/2006 9:37:39 PM
Quote:
Plus, a season pass prosseser told me that my Cedar Fair Maxx Pass would be O.K. this year for Dorney as well. |
If true, but it will also be good next year as well. However we were told at Carowinds last week that only the [former] Paramount Parks would be honoring their longtime end-of-year policy regarding using next year's pass this year.
Quote:
Also I know Hershey is open around Christmas time, and is an hour closer to my house. |
Yea, but the rides don't operate at Christmas.
I recommend Hershey, its by far the best park that you have the option to visit, and there is just soooo much to do. Storm Runner and the three (or four?)-some of Hershey wood is respectable as well.
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bumprnugit
Posts: 282
Registered: 10/7/2003
Rank: Silver Critic
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9/23/2006 10:44:46 PM
Parks to visit in order:
Knoebel's - should not be missed by anyone serious about their fun.
Hershey - Great collection of rides in a well-maintained park
Dorney - SFGAdv lite (in regard to patrons)
...
I recommend doing Knoebel's and Hershey; in between parks, stop at Centralia for a lesson in how government abandons their people (a great study in social sciences.)
Message updated 9/23/2006 11:02:32 PM by bumprnugit
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RCGenius
Posts: 1180
Registered: 12/23/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/24/2006 7:12:53 AM
I say that you should be able to make a trip to all of PA's top amusement parks (except for Kennywood since it's 3 1/2 hours away from the other parks mentioned) since they're not that far away from one another, but if you're a huge wooden coaster fan, I would've rather combined Hersheypark with Lightning Racer, Comet, & Wildcat together with Knoebel's Pheonix & Twister instead of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom since they only have Thunderhawk as their only wooden coaster. Knoebel's family-fun atmosphere & landscaping will completely take your breath away as well as Hersheypark having a lot of rides, including coasters like the three coasters I've mentioned earlier, Storm Runner, Great Bear, & many more. Also, the chocolate aroma there will also lure your chances of going there for Chocolate World (it doesn't really do it for me because I hate chocolate). I'm not saying that you should exclude Dorney Park at all because Talon: Grip of Fear, Steel Force, & Hydra: the Revenge makes the trip of going to Dorney Park alone valuable, but you should go to Hersheypark first to experience three amazing woodies, Knoebels next for Pheonix & Twister, & Dorney Park last for the triple threat steelies & Thunderhawk.
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/24/2006 9:14:00 AM
I love Knoebels, but there is no way I would choose it over a day at Hershey.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/25/2006 9:53:37 PM
^ but the choice is Knoebels "and Dorney" or HersheyPark.
I guarantee that whichever choice you make will cause you to change your Top 10 rankings.
Honestly, you can't go wrong with either option.
I would say Knoebels/Dorney just because you can experience so many unique rides at Knoebels (Auto Scooters, Flyer, Looper, Haunted Mansion), then you get 5 quality coasters between the two parks. However, you also get quality coasters at HP - so like I said you can't go wrong.
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Message updated 9/25/2006 10:00:37 PM by larrygator
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coasterf42
Posts: 626
Registered: 10/3/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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9/26/2006 10:56:58 PM
Quote:
I guarantee that whichever choice you make will cause you to change your Top 10 rankings |
Yea, seriously, I'm glad that they will probably change.
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Yea, I thought that since Dorney and Knoebels are relatively close, that they were the two that I could do on the same weekend.
But now that I know that my CF Maxx Pass won't work for Dorney until next year, it would seem pretty stupid to go there this year. So, I am leaning on Hershey for this year now.
And thanks for all the help everyone. There are a lot of experienced and helpful members on this site. 
And I'm still not sure I will even be going, but I am sure I'll get around to it sometime in October, or early 2007.
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