This blog is going to mainly be about comparing and contrasting Hersheypark, Knoebels and Dorney Park. However, I also want this blog to be about what new rides and attractions may arrive in the future. As a reader of this blog, I want you to be informed of what may happen at the parks before the average amusement park guest. Therefore, I bring you The Rumor Mill, which will pop up whenever I encounter a juicy tidbit of information. Remember that anything in The Rumor Mill is just that, a rumor, and SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS FACT. Hopefully, I will get to add a new section called The Fact Mill when any rumors officially get confirmed or denied.
Hersheypark's New Coaster?
I started hearing rumors about a month ago that Hersheypark was planning on building a new roller coaster. Apparently, there are some construction markings on the ground in several places of Comet Hollow, an area near the front of the park that holds some of Hershey's oldest and most classic rides--namely roller coasters the Comet and the Sooperdooperlooper, which was the first looping coaster on the East Coast back in 1977. Of course, any news of a new Hershey coaster makes me very, very excited, but then some unpleasant rumors began to surface.
Swirling around the rumor mill of the Internet is the possibility that Hershey may remove either the Sooperdooperlooper or the Comet to make room for a new hyper coaster (a metal behemoth that rests in the 200-foot drop range). While a hyper coaster would make a great addition to Hersheypark, removing the Looper and the Comet--or both coasters--would NOT sit well with me or many other classic coaster lovers out there. These two coasters are landmark rides that paved the way for the coasters of today. The Sooperdooperlooper and the Comet are fond favorites in the hearts of many riders, and I know that getting rid of them would cause an outcry in the amusement park community.
However, don't put too much into these claims. After doing some research, I realized that the Sooperdooperlooper was Hersheypark's most popular ride last summer. Hershey would be very silly to take down their most-ridden ride in the entire park to take a gamble on a brand new coaster that may never be as beloved. As for the Comet, it is a classic old wooden coaster that usually has a nice, healthy queue, and I highly doubt they will take this ride down anytime soon. But then, what rides can come down without causing too much stir?
Hersheypark took down two water slides to make room for their record-breaking newest coaster Fahrenheit two years ago, and very few people cared. Last year, they got rid of Canyon River Rapids to make room for the lazy river and wave pool, which caused more of a stir in the community of Hershey fans, since this ride was a favorite of many (myself included). There are two other rides that I have heard rumors about the park getting rid of over the past few years. One is the Flying Falcon, which is a 100-foot tower that takes your falcon-themed cars rotating and flying through the air--and usually has no line. The other is the Sidewinder, a Boomerang coaster that shoots you through a series of loops first frontwards, then backwards--which is a cookie-cutter coaster and can be found at many parks around the country (and world--I actually saw one during a trip to Vienna, Austria!). In my personal opinion, neither of these rides would be much missed. But the fact is, the removal of one, or even both, of these rides wouldn't make enough room for a new roller coaster, much less a huge hyper one. So where would Hersheypark put a new coaster?
If the construction markings in Comet Hollow are any indication, right at the front of the park, which hasn't seen any major expansion since the thrilling Great Bear coaster smoothly fit into the area in 1998. I have not seen these markings for myself yet, but I plan on taking a trip to Hersheypark next month, and I will investigate then. Expect another edition of The Rumor Mill after my trip, complete with pictures--unless, of course, we learn enough information before then for me to write an entry entitled "The Fact Mill"!
No comments:
Post a Comment