I was sitting around the house a few days ago thinking I should put my Cedar Fair Platinum Pass to use. I had only used it only once this whole year, that being my birthday visit to Kings Dominion. So yeah, I needed some more visits not only to get my monies worth, but because I needed to get on some rides!
As much as I would have loved to toss some clothes in the car and head out to Cedar Point or Kings Island, that wasn’t in the cards on such short notice. A return trip to Kings Dominion would have been nice, but I decided to give Dorney Park a visit instead. Until Sunday, I hadn’t been to the park at all in 2022. And maybe, just maybe, Josh, the Cheapthusiast, and Aaron would be able to come and hang out for a bit.
Long story short, Josh and Aaron were able to join me for a few hours. We managed a few rides and I used the rest of my time to take photos and scour gift shops for magnets. I trade park merch with Steven from Thill Maxx. He finds me pins on his journeys and I find him magnets. It’s a fun little thing we have going.
On this visit I found two magnets for Steven – one showing all of the park’s coasters and one for Steel Force. I’ll be getting them out to him soon. And speaking of soon, any day now an Outlaw Run pin from one of his Silver Dollar City visits should be arriving in the mail. I’ll be sure to add it to my Pin Collection when that happens.
Fun with a Side of Photos
Since I arrived at the park about 30 minutes prior to Josh and Aaron, I only managed to get in one ride before meeting up with them. I was in no rush and specifically went to the park not looking to ride non-stop all day. I did want some rides on my favorites, but I was using this visit to add to the Dorney Park Photo Gallery too. The photos below are now on that park’s gallery along with those from prior visits throughout the years. Be sure to check out that page as well as the galleries from some of your other favorite parks.
Possessed
Possessed is the one coaster at Dorney I haven’t ridden much the last few years. It was sitting, but not operating (SBNO) for all of 2020. Talk of its demise was rampant, but honestly, I’m glad that never came true. While I would welcome a new coaster at Dorney Park, I’d like to see them add something without losing yet another. It lost Stinger not too long ago too, so I’d rather see something come before something else goes.
My first ride on Possessed came before Josh and Aaron arrived. I walked over to take some photos and saw it was a walk-on. I couldn’t pass up the chance to ride it while I was over there. I rode in Row 11 and man, the backward spike was just so much fun. I honestly wish the United States had one of the Impulse variants with no twisted spikes. That sensation of weightlessness and then dropping immediately after is great.
Once Josh and Aaron arrived, we made our way to the coaster to ride it together. It was still a walk-on and I nabbed a ride in the front. I know the coaster never comes close to the top of the twisted spike, but I swear it looked like we got pretty close – much closer than I ever recall seeing. Probably just in my head, but even Aaron said the same thing.
Steel Force
Steel Force is a must ride whenever I visit the park, but I am not one who ranks it as Dorney’s top coaster. I place both Talon and Hydra over it due to its hit or miss airtime. And for a coaster built mainly for airtime moments, that knocks it down a peg or two. By no means am I calling it a bad coaster, though.
Sitting in the back for our only ride, we did get some moments of airtime. Trying to describe those moments is where I struggle, however. I didn’t get a floaty feeling and I wasn’t launched out of my seat either. The only reason I know there was airtime moments was due to my backside slamming down into the seat several times. I can’t, for the life of me, describe how the airtime was preceding those moments. Weird, right?
Talon
Talon was the only coaster with any type of wait Sunday. We waited between 20-30 minutes, although some of that was due to slow operations, people taking forever to get situated, and then people line jumping. I didn’t let it bother me though. I wanted at least one ride on my favorite coaster at the park. I knew the wait would be worth it.
I was glad when Josh and Aaron made their way to the back row. I love the extra pull felt in the back of the train on inverts going over vertical loops. I never understand people who claim vertical loops are a “boring inversion.” Maybe it’s just because they’re a classic element, and are so prevalent. When done right though, the sensations are amazing. As for the rest of the ride, it was as smooth and graceful as I’ve come to expect. Such an underrated invert.
Final Ride Counts
Hydra: The Revenge (1)
Possessed (2: Patrick, 1: Josh, Aaron)
Steel Force (1)
Talon (1)
Thunderhawk (1: Josh, Patrick)
White Water Landing (1)
Zephyr (1)
I Might Go Back Again in 2022
In 2020, Halloween events at amusement parks were severely gimped due to the pandemic. In 2021 I visited some parks during haunt activities, but focused on rides instead. This year I want to visit a few parks and check out their Halloween offerings. It’s been too long since I got to partake in that fun. I’ve done Dorney’s ages ago and had a blast. Why not head back up and do it again? Maybe I’ll do both Dorney’s and Kings Dominion’s to give that pass a few more uses. Hope to see some of you there when I go.
Dorney Park Photo Gallery - August 28, 2022
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Aaron
Ensign
New Credit(s): n/a
Josh
Ensign
New Credit(s): n/a
