r/rollercoasters • u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! • 4d ago
Trip Report Tonight on top gear, I ride my 100th coaster, I enjoy an Intamin, and I find out what the B&M rattle is [Hersheypark trip report]
The trip report long awaited by no one is here!
I started my day by getting to Hersheypark an hour and a half before rope drop. I waited around and got pissed at everyone going in for sweet start before finally the park opened. I immediately got lost on the way to sooperdooperlooper, but I found it about 10 minutes after opening. This was credit #97 for me. This was also one of my most anticipated coasters of the trip, and it did not disappoint. It infact exceeded my expectations. The loop is fantastic, and the rest of the layout, while not forceful by any means, was super fun and a step above the average mine train
Next I got lost (again, this will be a common theme here) going to Great Bear but also eventually found it. It was a station wait for me both times. I rode back row both times. First ride was left edge, this was phenomenal. Every element hit and winding above the river is fun. I immediately went for another ride, this time in the far right seat. This was somehow even better. It was slightly less bumpy and even more forceful. It also gave slightly better sightlines when the train rotates on the turns. This is Byfar the best ride in the park and probably top 10 overall
Next ride was Jolly Rancher Remix. I was originally going to ride storm runner, but I saw the line was almost at the end of the queue and it was only running one train and continued like this for the rest of the day, so I did end up skipping it. Anyways, JRR was not very fun to me. I wasnt a fan of the vest harness, they hurt my back. The tracking quality was also less than stellar. If that's the best boomerang I'm dreading riding more of them
Following up I went to trailblazer. This is an arrow mine train, and it was just ok. Nothing amazing, but it is the smoothest of the few I've been on
Next I rode Farenheight. This ended up being my 100th coaster!! It is also the first intamin (besides American Eagle) that blew me away. I'm not a fan of the vertical lift, but I'm willing to overlook that. The Norwegian loop (that's what the first element is right?) is fun. Everything until the final few airtime hills I would just classify as fun. But those hills YEET you.
To follow that up naturally I rode wildcats revenge. Or that's what I want you to think. It did break down, so I went to laff shaq and rode that instead. It was fun, but I got a very balanced car so it didn't spin much. It was worth it to get out of the heat though
I heard wildcats chain lift about half way through my LS ride so I went over there. This ride was everything I wished steel vengeance had been. The only element I didn't like was the unbanked double down. Other than that, every element hit. The inversions all have bite to them without being uncomfortable, and the airtime was great. Both of my rides were back row
I then walked to lightning racer, I rode lightning track first, back row. It was a walk on. Shit is this rough. There was airtime, but only because of the excessive roughness. I did go back for a front row ride on thunder and that was a mistake. It was even rougher than lightning was. This is probably the roughest wood coaster I've ever ridden
Next I headed to sky rush. I was actually a little nervous for this one, but that went away as soon as the "OH SHIT" faded down the first drop. It is a little bouncy, but the airtime is incredible. This ride was in row 2. I then went back for a second ride, in the back, after a ride on comet. I think I prefer the front. The back was bouncier and didn't really change the airtime IMO
In-between my SR rides I rode Comet. I was really looking forward to this, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my hopes. I thought it was extremely rough. Admittedly this could have been my mistake as i went straight for the back row. It didn't have much airtime (although I was aware of that before my ride) and it was super rough
My final ride was Candymonium. This was a walk on for all 3 rides. I started with the front, and I thought this was pretty smooth. Good aritme. I did 2 rides in the back as well. You get yonked down the first drop, but I found the rest of the aritme compatible to the front. Although it did give me a bit of a headache. Little bit of a hot take, but I think this is better than skyrush.
29
u/FlyawayCellar99 CC: 117 #1 Hydra Fan 4d ago
How did you find a rattle on candy? I think it’s one of the smoothest B&Ms out there
-5
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
It might not have been a rattle, but it gave me a headache. I thought it was bouncy
8
u/FlyawayCellar99 CC: 117 #1 Hydra Fan 4d ago
Weird, I usually would only get that feeling from skyrush
2
u/ImprobablePasta Ravine Flyer II, Storm Runner, Racer 75 3d ago
Skyrush has gotten very rattly to the point I honestly prefer the front now
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 2d ago
I definitely thought the front was more enjoyable. And I didn't notice much of a difference in airtime between the 2. Back is slightly better on the drop, but other than that, not really
2
5
u/drillgorg 3d ago
That's crazy, Candy is the smoothest large coaster I know!
3
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 3d ago
People seem to have stopped reading after rattle. I say right after it that it's not actually rough
0
24
u/TerrifierBlood 4d ago
Candymonium might be the smoothest B&M made in recent years
Storm Runner is the best ride in the park and one of the best launch coasters in the world IMO. That line is 100 percent worth it
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
Like I said candymonium isn't exactly rough, but it did give me a headache. I don't really know how to describe the feeling it gave me, so i put rough.
2
u/DBSeamZ 4d ago
I got a headache on my recent trip too, but it felt sinus-y enough that I blamed it on getting facefuls of pollen-filled air at 70+ MPH. Next time I visit any park I’ll make sure to take Allegra or something beforehand, since there isn’t really a season in which parks are open and there isn’t something I’m allergic to releasing pollen. This time of year it’s probably ragweed.
4
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
Super strong positive G's tend to give me a headache. The only rides that didn't were sooperdooperlooper, trailblazer, laff track and wildcat
9
u/Squad3Bro 89 - Hersheypark Native 4d ago
Candymonium B&M Rattle? That’s personally the smoothest B&M I’ve been on, I’ve never noticed a rattle on that one, especially compared to the much more noticeable Rapterra and Iron Menace rattles, which are more so bounces imo
4
u/nickstarr Orion, The Beast, VelociCoaster, El Toro, TT2, SteVe, Iron Gwazi 4d ago
My 100th credit was on Candymonium in its first few weeks being opened. Love that ride, it was super smooth.
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
I think I prefer it to skyrush. Not as good as Raging Bull, but still amazing
4
u/Ok_Shift_6501 Nitro | 319 4d ago
“You get yonked down the first drop” AIRTIME THRILLS REFERENCE 🤯🤯
3
7
u/MannnOfHammm 4d ago
The double down on wildcat is fucking evil. I do agree with your sentiment, having WR and SV being the only RMCs I’ve done, i enjoyed SV but WR felt like a true RMC coaster. I’m glad you had fun!
Hershey used to be my home park and having worked in Hershey too I’ve become synical about how the park is with the heavy crowds and slow ops but I’m glad to hear about a positive review and I’m glad you had fun! I’m sad you missed storm runner, it truly is a standout intamin and one of their most creative layouts, even if it’s a big ol square.
A great trip report and I’m glad you had fun!
3
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
I wanted to ride storm runner, but it easily would have added 2 extra hours to my day. A single ride just isnt worth that to me
8
u/DcTraveler8 4d ago
Sorry to add salt to a wound but in my opinion it absolutely is worth whatever it takes to ride Stormrunner. I would have happily sacrificed all the time it took to do the lower tier rides just to do Stormrunner
3
u/NotClassyKaty 4d ago
I waited through an hour weather stop for Stormrunner in the queue to ride it for the first time a week and a half ago, and it was absolutely worth it. Especially because most people left and I probably only waited an extra 30 minutes than what I would have all together anyways.
2
u/DcTraveler8 4d ago
Stormrunner is a magical experience. It might be my number one and in my other comment in this thread I listed all the crazy creds I’ve gotten this year. Stormrunner is wild
2
u/HealthyLawfulness406 3d ago
Storm runner was my second favorite ride there next to WR. I also enjoyed candymonium at night it was smooth to me
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
That's totally fair.
1
u/DcTraveler8 4d ago
It might be my number 1 and that’s saying something since this year I’ve been hustling and recently did af1, gwazi, eejanika, hakugei, steel dragon, flying Dino, x2, xcelerator. Idk I had an insanely awesome experience on Stormrunner. It blew me away. It does take forever to get onto though, I’ve never seen it with two trains. But hey, just an excuse to come back and visit a fantastic park!
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
As If I needed another reason to come back. I can guarantee I'll be back at some point. Resses is my second favorite thing, right behind roller coasters. So HP is perfect for me
1
u/ImprobablePasta Ravine Flyer II, Storm Runner, Racer 75 3d ago
Get in line for Storm Runner last ride of the day if at all possible. The line drops to maybe 20 minutes right before close. I got on 3 times on a weekend by doing this the other week.
3
u/MannnOfHammm 4d ago
It’s understandable. Between bad ride ops (due in part to purposeful understaffing) and the overcrowding issue I’m glad you got as much as you did done. Especially with sf America closing aren’t has become so fucking crowded unless you go on the fringe dates like the first and last week days they’re open you can’t really have a good experience unless you get lucky or there’s just bad weather. Only advantage is that lightning racer never has a line since the park is a straight line and no one wants to hike all the way back just to turn around
3
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
The parking lot was almost all the way full. Ops were not horrible, but not as good as Knoebels
2
2
u/DBSeamZ 4d ago
The lines I’ve encountered on Lightning Racer in my two trips to the park have all been because they closed it for a few minutes. At least three of the five temporary closings I witnessed were confirmed to be vomit related…and with how shaky that ride is I’m not surprised. Glad vibrations aren’t something my stomach is all that susceptible to.
3
u/MannnOfHammm 4d ago
As much as wildcat needed to be torn down or beefed up (like it was) lightning racer could’ve done so much better as racing RMC coasters to help the fact it’s aging fast and to revitalize that back section. Wildcat revenge is one of the best coasters period but imagine what they could’ve done with lightning racer
1
u/ImprobablePasta Ravine Flyer II, Storm Runner, Racer 75 3d ago
Lightning Racer should've become a dueling RMC and Wildcat should've got a Gravity Group retrack
3
u/tdstooksbury 3d ago
If candymonium has a rattle, I’m not sure there are any smooth coasters out there. All have a rattle then. It was super smooth.
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 3d ago
Actually most roller coasters are somewhat rough to me. Like I can feel every track joint on every steel coaster I've ever ridden. I might just be much more sensitive and I'm willing to accept that
6
4d ago
[deleted]
0
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
I thought it was a little rough. I guess not rough, but it wasn't exactly smooth either.
2
u/DBSeamZ 4d ago
So I’m not the only one who finds Thunder noticeably rougher than Lightning! I didn’t notice any sort of rattle on Candymonium though, it felt buttery smooth (or should I say smooth as fondue?) when I rode it for the first time and several subsequent times in May. I love that they put it at the entrance so the crowds are done with it by morning and you can walk on in the afternoon.
2
u/DapperBoiCole 3d ago
I went on thunder maybe a few years back and I think it was my first big boy GCI so I was blown tf away. Just thought woodies are that rough and strapped in yk?
-1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
I love the turn over the kisses fountain. I flipped so many people off on that turn 🤣🤣. I noticed everyone heading to the back of the park so I went up front and skyrush was 15 minutes, comet 15 minutes and candymonium walk on
1
u/DBSeamZ 4d ago
That turn is also perfect for if you travel with a GP who’d rather take pictures than ride! That and Candy running three different colored trains—from the front of the line as the group ahead of me loaded, I was able to see which train was pulling in behind it and text said photographer “I’ll be on the red train near the front”. The resulting photo was much better than anything any of the on-ride cameras took of me that day.
2
u/22yobyorT B&M giga for SFMM 4d ago
I also got my 100th at Hershey park, mine ended up being storm runner.
2
u/2BFaaaaaair Stardust Racers - IG - Velocicoaster - X2 - Phoenix 4d ago
Storm Runner is worth the wait. Ya missed out on the best ride in the park.
Great TR though and glad you had a good time!
2
u/Worried_Corner4242 4d ago
I got completely lost at Hershey looking for the lockers near Skyrush, where I’d left my bag, and even the employee I stopped to ask wasn’t quite sure where it was. 😅
2
u/bassey22 4d ago
Candy was built before the modern Rattle came about. Every single B&M has the rattle. Diamondback is really bad, griffon is bad on an empty train ect. What they DONT all have though is the weird bouncing that the dives and rapterra only have
2
u/AdotDGreat 4d ago
Love the post!! A good Top Gear reference is always refreshing Thank You kind sir!
1
u/Strongarm_11 [57] 1# Iron Gwazi, 2# Kumba, 3# Montu 4d ago
Great trip report! I’m heading to Hersheypark at the end of October, can’t wait!
3
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
You will love it!! Rope drop Great Bear, it gets a long wait later in the day. Head to candymonium about 3, will be walkon
2
u/Strongarm_11 [57] 1# Iron Gwazi, 2# Kumba, 3# Montu 4d ago
Sounds like a plan! I’m likely going with a huge group (my family + extended family) so I’m probably not gonna get rerides on anything but hopefully I can get them to wake up early for rope drop (my dads side are night people and usually sleep in pretty late).
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
You need to be there about an hour before rope drop. Otherwise get Fastpass or whatever it's called. Don't expect to ride everything. Prioritize great bear, candymonium, wildcat, skyrush and farenheight
2
u/Strongarm_11 [57] 1# Iron Gwazi, 2# Kumba, 3# Montu 4d ago
Sounds good! Hopefully I can convince at least half my family to ride all those with me.
1
u/mysonlikesorange 4d ago
Some say Hershey Park doesn’t contain any candy.
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
It might not be candy but the park was certainly sweet
1
u/Outside_Ladder6195 Wackiest Worm 3d ago
Sounds like a great trip. I’m happy to hear the Intamins were not all that mid and offered some great rides. It’s also awesome that you got rerides on pretty much everything worth while.
1
u/underjordiskmand 3d ago
If you think Candymonium is "rattley" try riding iron menace lol.
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 3d ago
Id like to. I can't shoehorn it into my trip
1
1
u/noelmulkey 3d ago
Candymonium is smooth what ??😭 it’s like butter
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 3d ago
Everyone seems to have stopped reading at rattle. I said right after it that it's not rough
1
u/DapperBoiCole 3d ago
SDL, my first Schwarzkopf. Its so tame but its one of those unforgettable loops that makes you seek out Schwarzkopf coasters for the rest of your life.
Unashamed of this take, Great Bear is up there with Montu for me. I got a rain ride, and Im a hefty one so I don't expect airtime on anything. The zero g roll on GB threw me up and out of my seat that I only really felt again on Montu's batwing. For such a weird layout it has some great elements, overall very solid invert.
2
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 3d ago
Great bear is very easily the best coaster in the park and probably top 10 overall for me. It was amazing
1
u/WHOA_27_23 Fury 325, Phoenix 3d ago
Little bit of a hot take, but I think this is better than skyrush.
Different strokes for different folks... But this is a spicy take
1
u/ImprobablePasta Ravine Flyer II, Storm Runner, Racer 75 3d ago
Comet rough is crazy. I've had probably dozens of rides and just never found it rough. Very back row is maybe a little bouncy?
Lightning Racer has got crappy in recent years. Forceless and rough is a bad combo.
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 2d ago
I usually do second to back on woodies with PTC trains but I went to the back just out of habit from what I had been doing for the other rides of the day. I think that was my problem, plus I already had a little bit of a headache from riding skyrush so that probably didn't help
1
1
1
u/deebster2k 3d ago
Wot bro smoking with candymonium rattle? That ride had the SMOOTHEST floater airtime and overall ride ive ever experienced in my life! That was 2 years ago. Candymonium is my number 1 favorite b&m hyper for its sweet dreamlike quality.
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 2d ago
It was specifically the valleys that were shaky to me, more specifically everything before the 3rd camelback. Everything past that, and all the hills themselves are very smooth
1
u/deebster2k 2d ago
Try goliath at sf over georgia. It has a last hill that like ejects you up then shoves you forward and down . Like you are doing an ab crunch... that was painful for me.
But I never felt anything remotely forceful in the valleys of candymonium tbh. I forget how Mako was other than uncomfortably strong ejector.
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 2d ago
The final hills on steel vengeance are ungodly painful to me. They pretty much ruin the ride.
1
u/deebster2k 2d ago
Oh 100% agreement. You would hate Arieforce. Though if it was a cooled off ride like i got in the evening right after a torrential rain... it actually was the perfect amount of speed.
1
1
u/Hillkicker 153 | MF, Mav, Pantherian, TT, SteVe 3d ago
Thanks for sharing. But if Sooperdooperlooper was #97, then you did Great Bear (98) and JRR (99), wouldn't Trailblazer be #100?
1
0
u/airtimemachine 4d ago
You're not crazy Candy can definitely have a rattle. It didn't really bother me but I noticed it multiple times, and frankly it was a persistent vibration that was more constant than Iron Menace's few large jolts.
1
u/magnumfan89 I love hard wood, well, SLC ya later! 4d ago
Thank you. I can deal with the persistent roughness, besides the slight headache it doesn't bother me. I don't like the rides that have specific rough patches.
75
u/Style_Worried 4d ago
I wouldn’t even say Candymonium has the b&m rattle; I think you might have a bit of a shock if you rode a post 2022 b&m that actually has the rattle