On Wednesday, July 21, 2021, Sam was supposed to visit Hersheypark with one of her friends, but those plans fell through. She reached out to me at 12:30 p.m. to see what if I was free and had any interested to go back to Hershey. Sadly, I was not available, but told her if she wanted to go on Thursday, my day was free and that we could also go up early for Sweet Start. Sam said okay and our plans were set.
Just like last week’s visit, “Hersheypark – Storm Runner Eases Sam’s Skyrush Sadness,” this visit was just another go with the flow type of day. We didn’t even focus entirely on rides, spending some time eating at The Chocolatier for the first time, and getting back to Zoo America for a bit.
Missing Out on Sweet Start
After hitting traffic three separate times during our drive, we arrived at the park with only 15 minutes left before the standard opening time of 11 a.m. We missed out on Sweet Start. Oh well, the only reason wanted to go up so early was to try to catch a couple of extra rides on things like Fahrenheit and/or Laff Trakk. It’s been a while since either of us have gotten rides on either coaster. We weren’t even sure if Fahrenheit or Laff Trakk were available for Sweet Start, but we figured that we’d at least be able to be one of the first ones in line if not.
Fahrenheit
Since we arrived late, we still thought it best to head to Fahrenheit first. The ride has been getting some long lines recently, only running two of its three trains. That was also the case for this visit, but since we were only three turns deep in the bullpen region of the queue, the wait wasn’t long.
I feel like this ride is vastly underrated by many enthusiasts. It’s easily my favorite vertical lift coaster and it isn’t even close. The rest of my vertical lifts include Impulse at Knoebels, Mystery Mine at Dollywood, TMNT Shellraiser at Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream Mall, Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia (SFOG), Tantrum at Six Flags Darien Lake (SFDL), and Hydrus at Casino Pier. I have some very mixed feelings about all those coasters which hold them back in my ratings. I really thought Shellraiser would be my new favorite vertical lift when I rode it was Sam and Greg in October 2020, but it was just too rough and the pacing holds it back.
As for yesterday’s ride, it actually might have been the worst ride I’ve gotten on Fahrenheit over the last two years. It rode slow, which I attribute to it being in the upper 70’s to low 80’s when the park opened. It was also one of the first few rides of the day, which always rides slower. The airtime pop was lessened, and the pull through the inversions wasn’t as intense. What was crazy, though, was just how much more of a rattle Sam and I noticed throughout the ride. Usually we feel it in the cobra roll and its done. Not yesterday. We felt it prior, during, and after the cobra roll. Not sure if that had to do with the decreased speed or not.
Lightning Racer
For the longest time, whenever I rode Lightning Racer, I’d always do one ride on each side. The lines are never long, so for years I always rode both Lightning and Thunder. The last few visits, however, I’ve been just riding one side. One of those times Lightning was closed, which was my first-ever time seeing the park run only one side since the ride’s opening. The other visits used the time for an extra ride on other coasters instead.
Yesterday’s first ride came on Lightning. We got absolutely crushed by Thunder too. Thunder finished so far ahead of us that there was open space between the back of Thunder and the front of Lightning hitting the finish line. I’ve never seen either train win by such a vast margin. Both Sam and I figured something was off with the ride’s timing.
When we walked back up for a ride on Thunder, we saw the trains after us do exactly the same. For our second ride, we picked Thunder and steam rolled Lightning as well. It all but confirmed our feelings. The ride operators weren’t even announcing the winners and the flashing lights weren’t showing the winners inside station. The only lights signaling the winner was the ones coming into the service stations after the finish lines.
Candymonium
I told Sam that I really wanted to ride Candymonium a time or two this visit. We’ve skipped it, or had it unavailable numerous times over the last two years. You all know that I feel Candymoium it is one of the weakest Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) hyper coasters I’ve experienced. That still doesn’t mean that I hate it. As a matter of fact, my early review, “I Like Candy(monium),” still holds true. I like it, I just don’t love it.
Although Hersheypark’s app showed a 120 minute wait time, the digital counter above the entrance read, “15” minutes. Had we not elected to wait for a ride in the front seat, it was honestly a walk on. We waited for Row 1 since Sam had yet to ride in the front since the ride’s opening. I’ve managed to do it a few times.
One thing we noticed sitting up front was how much less we felt the first trim brake. The second one still hit hard, but you don’t feel it as badly in the front. The trims have been one of my biggest complaints about this ride, especially entering that helix. I’d love to experience just once in my life with both of them turned off. It wouldn’t make up for the lacking ending as far as the layout is concerned, but the pacing would certainly be better.
After having an enjoyable front row ride, we walked right back up for a second lap. The back row queue was empty, so we boarded right away. Both times we rode the orange Reese’s train. I have no idea where the app was getting that 120 minute wait time. I’ve long learned to ignore app wait times.
The back row did give the better airtime, with some pull going over the crest of the initial drop and airtime hills. While I did feel the first trims, they seem to be turned down from how hard they hit in 2020. The second set, however, still kills the speed of the ride and you certainly feel that slow down more in the back rows.
Final Ride Counts
Candymonium (2)
Coal Cracker (1)
Comet (1)
Fahrenheit (1)
Great Bear (1)
Lighting Racer: Lightning (1)
Lighting Racer: Thunder (1)
SooperDooperLooper (1)
Storm Runner (1)
Trailblazer (1)
Checking Out the Chocolatier & A Walk Through Zoo America
While Sam and I were able to hop on a bunch of other rides including Coal Cracker, Comet, Great Bear, SooperDooperLooper, and Trailblazer, we used the rest of our time to visit two other portions of the park that we’ve been neglecting. The first of those was Zoo America and the second, the new Chocolatier restaurant.
Now, Sam and I have visited Zoo America a couple of times in 2020 and 2021, but due to social distancing, the indoor portions of the zoo were not open to the public. We wanted to see if that changed, especially since we were dripping wet from a ride on Coal Cracker. Thankfully the whole zoo was open and we were able to check out some exhibits we’ve missed out on the last two years.
As for The Chocolatier, Sam and I have been wanting to visit Hersheypark’s new signature restaurant since it opened. From what we’ve seen in reviews and pictures, the interior is amazing – paying homage to the park’s past. The menu looks to have something for everyone, although prices on some items might cause some to have second thoughts. As for me, I’ve always faced the same hurdle since the restaurant’s opening. That hurdle, the park’s meal plan. Having two meals per day at the park always has me questioning why I’d want to go pay for food during a visit. I knew I’d eventually give in, however, and yesterday was that day.
Ultimately, the food was yummy, the service was the same great service you get inside the park, and I atmosphere and theming should be commended. I will be doing a small blog talking about those experiences with photos of our food and the inside portion and patio region of The Chocolatier soon.
Hersheypark Photo Gallery - July 22, 2021
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
Sam
Admiral
New Credit(s): n/a
