Eastbound Trip Help - HW, SFKK, Hershey, Dorney, SFA

[ihauntu2]

I am heading to HW Saturday, SFKK Sunday, then making base in Hershey for Hersheypark on Tuesday, Dorney Thursday, and SFA on Friday.

Any advice from those of you that have been to these parks before?

I will do my best to hit all running coasters of course, but what rides other than coasters should not be missed?

My daughter is right at 48". How tough are these different parks when it comes to measuring height limits?

Any rough coasters I should avoid letting her on? Boss @ SFSTL banged her up a little earlier this season. Her favorites are Demon and Screaming Eagle @ SFSTL.

Is Knoebel's worth an evening visit during the week?

Any other tricks, traffic updates, discounts that might be helpful?

Thank you in advance. I will keep looking in over the course of the trip, and post TR's as soon as possible.

[EagleFan344]

Why are you going to SFA and not SFGAdv? I would definitely try to make it to SFGAdv since you are gonna be right near it. SFGAdv has a better coaster than voyage in my opinion, El Toro.

For Holiday World, I suggest going on Raven, Legend then Voyage. If you go on Voyage first the other ones will seem like kiddie rides. Raven often only operates with one train early in the day so keep that in mind.

Definitely ride Storm Runner in the front row at least once, its much better than the back rows. My first ride was in the back and when I went in the front it completely changed my opinion of the ride. 2nd row is also very good because of stadium seating, but im 6'2" so its probably different for me. Wildcat was very rough last year but the new trains should improve it.

For Dorney the only suggestions I have are to ride Steel Force in row 1:3 as well as the back rows.

Hope you have a fun trip!

[ihauntu2]

I am meeting a friend who lives in Maryland. Plus SFA is more geared toward the under 54" set.

[CoasterDave316]

Hershey Park is a great park.

When you arrive at Hershey Park, the parking lot is massive and the entrance is pretty far away. So instead of parking near where you think the entrance is, try and park near a tram stop and take the tram to the park entrance.

Make sure you ride Reese's X-treme Cup Challenge.

Rides that can potentially cause pain to kids: Boomerang, Wildcat (new trains this year so it might not anymore), and Storm Runner (very little padding on the restraints).

Dorney is a fun, scary clean park where everything looks new. If it's not crowded, or everyones in the water park you should have no problem doing everything in that park within a couple of hours.

If you have I-Pass, it works in Pennsylvania and you are able to go through the EZPass lanes.

That's all I can think of. Have Fun!

[FParker185]

well, been to all of the above so...

HW- of course hit all the coasters, nothing to notable in the flat ride department, though Paul Revere's Midnight Ride is an exeptional Monster ride. Not sure on discounts for HW, I think they may still have an ACE discount, but check rest stops and local stores around the park if you are staying there and have time, if not I believe HW charges a fairly reasonable rate to get in.

SFKK- ditto but I'd say also ride the breakdace that is across from the wild mouse, it's not run all that great, but Break Dances in the US are few and far between. If you dont have a season pass for Six Flags, get one here, they are the cheapest in the chain and using it at SFKK and SFA will basically pay off, though if thats not an option I'm sure there are market discounts, perhaps on coke cans.

Hershey is an awesome park but I havent been in about 6 years, so there is all sorts of new stuff, their boomerang is one of the rougher one's I've ridden, other than that everything is top notch and like Dave said, it has new GCII Millennium Flyer trains this year. And I like the Kissing Tower alot (their Sky Trek Tower), and if your daughter likes Screamin Eagle at SFSTL, she should really like the Comet and Lightning Racer. Also Giant Eagle stores (there are everywhere in PA) always have discount Hershey Tickets, havent heard anything this year about them, but pretty sure every year they sell significantly discounted tickets.

Dorney - All the coasters of course, but dont get caught taking pictures on the train or ferris wheel, they will kick you off the ride. If you like really extreme airtime ride in the front car of Thunderhawk, if not due to trims you should be safe in back, And if I remember right Detonator is a Mark I space shot (a good thing and def worth a ride), and most Cedar Fair parks have discounts on Pepsi or Mountain Dew cans.

SFA- I'd say ride the coasters and run, though I'm told SFA has a good break dance though it's an ASR (looks alot different from SFKK's breakdance), but the person who told me that knows very little about Breakdances and how they are supposed to run Your daughter will probably enjoy Wild One quite a bit, it's similar to Screamin Eagle, And for discounts, use your SFKK season pass or I believe coke cans offer discounts.

Hope this helps.

[CoasterDave316]

Thought of a few things for Holiday World and Kentucky Kingdom.

Holiday World, if it's a hot day. The coaster lines will get much shorter around mid-day, as alot of people do the waterpark.

If you have a Six Flags parking pass, it should be good at Six Flags America. But at Kentucky Kingdom you might have to pay the $5 at the toll booth since it's the fairgrounds parking. But if you go to guest relations and show them your parking pass you may be able to get your $5 parking back.

[ihauntu2]

Thanks for the help so far.

I have my SFSTL season pass and Parking Pass. They were only $52 combined since I live away from the park. It is the 1st year they put the parking on the Season Pass, and its great. Worked at SFGAM, and I hope it works at SFA as well. Previously I had bought the parking at SFGAM each season.

Using the Pepsi discount for HW tomorrow. Thanks for the warning about Dorney. Hopefully I will be able to check in tomorrow night.

[EagleFan344]

^How were they only $52 combined?? I paid $95.

[Danhockey04]

HW is a great park, do the dark ride shooter for sure.

Abouts SFKK, the waterpark was lacking when we went, but that new slide looks really entertaining. Some of their coasters only run in 1 train ops, so give yourself a little more time to hit some of the coasters.

[FParker185]

SFStL is the only SF park left that will sell you an "out of market pass", if you live a certain distance from the park you are eligible significant discounts. Sorta sucks as SFKK is more convenient for me and cheaper in the end except for the parking pass, I spent $39 on my pass this year then had to drop $60 for a parking pass at SFGAm on opening day.

[EagleFan344]

^You can get a parking pass on a non SFGAm pass at SFGAm?

[FParker185]

yep, same as always, just this year with it printed on the pass, they do have a reserve of stickers for passes bought at other parks. So far this year I haven't had a problem with it, though I haven't been to any other SF parks to see if there is chain wide acceptance without having to argue my case (I carry around the sales receipt at all times)

[Iggy ACE]

Also with a ticket to Hershey you can get in the last few hours the day before you go to Hershey. Preview hours are usually two to three hours before the park closes.

SFA-- go right to the back of the park with Superman/Joker's Jinks/ Batwing and knock those three out right away. JJ and BW have horrible capacity times. We just did SFA and had everything done by noon. Don't miss Skull Mountain if its open yet!

If you have the chance, DON'T PASS UP ON KNOEBELS!!!!!!