Last Saturday, my brother and I made our first visit to Hersheypark together in a long time. It was my fifth visit to the park this year, which you can read about in the blog, “Hersheypark – Day Out with My Brother.” Yesterday, however, I was back at the park again, for my sixth visit, albeit for just a few hours.
I was coming from Dutch Wonderland, where I had just landed my 364th credit in Merlin’s Mayhem. Read about that busy park visit in the blog, “Dutch Wonderland – My 1 Hour Wait for Merlin’s Mayhem.” Spoiler, I only rode two rides at Dutch Wonderland, but once I got to Hershey, I only rode three more – only two of which were coasters. Certainly one of my less eventful park visits since I didn’t even shoot much footage either.
Strong Winds Shut Down Candymonium
Upon entering the park, I went straight for Candymonium. I was hungry and was wanting to put my meal plan to use, but the 2020 Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) is right at the front of the park. Why not get in a ride first? As I approached, however, I could tell the ride was down. There were no trains being dispatched and three employees were out by the sign. One walked up to me and told me the ride was down due to heavy winds. As he’s telling me this, Skyrush, the park’s other hyper coaster, is making its rounds. Hopefully Candymonium isn’t going to be plagued by winds on a regular basis. Oh well, time to eat.
Pizza Time
Since I was so hungry, I went right to the Pizza Dispatch towards the front of the park. I got myself a personal pepperoni pizza and a pink lemonade. I sat under the old carousel covering to get some shade. I fed my face and before I knew it, I was feeling bloated. Too bloated to even ride. There was no way I was just going to turn around and go home, however. I figured that I could shoot some footage and let my food settle. With that in mind, I eventually got up and headed toward the Dry Gulch Railroad.
Letting My Food Settle While Riding the Train
WIth my stomach full, I walked to the Dry Gulch Railroad for some extra downtime. I have been wanting to ride the train all season to see if I could get any good views for footage of Trailblazer, Storm Runner, and Sidewinder. This plan did lead to some unique views of the rides, although nothing terribly close up.
Once the ride was over, I decided to head to Great Bear. If I rode anything that wouldn’t be too intense with a full stomach, the park’s B&M invert would be a safe bet.
Great Bear, a Great First Ride on a Full Stomach
During all my visits to Hersheypark this year, I’ve gotten in my fair share of rides on Great Bear. It’s an amazing ride and one I can’t skip when I’m at the park. Yesterday’s ride was one of the smoothest this season, riding in the second row.
The ride was a walk on and they were running two trains. I thought about riding it again, but didn’t feel like going back around. Instead, I walked down the hill to Skyrush.
Skyrush, Not Down for Wind
From a ride I’ve always said is one of the smoothest in the park to one that used to hurt my legs like no other, Skyrush has certainly grown on me this year. It hasn’t left my thighs sore after any rides in 2020. I’ve found that if I hold my legs up just a little bit, I’m not stapled in those thigh crushing restraints when they do their checks. Plus, they’ve been popping up the restraints if you’re left out on the final brake run. Running only one train today, we wouldn’t be left out on that brake run, so that wouldn’t even factor in. Still, something I’ve noticed this year.
I’ve ridden this just as much as I have Great Bear this year, maybe even a time or two more. Yesterday was another pleasant lap on this Intamin hyper. Well, as “pleasant” as this ejector airtime filled machine can be, that is. It was the standard, flung from side to side, whipped over this hill and that hill, sort of experience we’ve all come to know and either love or hate. While I’m still not sold 100 percent on those restraints, I am really starting to like this ride the more I experience it.
Candymonium Still Down & I Ain't Walking Back to the Other Coasters
Once I walked down the stairs to leave Skyrush, I thought about riding it again too, but did not. Instead, I walked over toward Comet to see what the line looked like. It was so-so, but after cooking all day out in the hot sun, I didn’t feel like baking anymore. With all the rides I’ve had on it so far in 2020, and all the ones I’m sure to get before the end of the year, it didn’t bother me to skip it.
It was at that point I had a choice to make. Do I walk all the way back to Fahrenheit, Wildcat, or Lightning Racer, or do I see if Candymonium is up? The wind didn’t seem intense, but I didn’t think it was earlier when I arrived either. Having recent rides on all the coasters in the back end of the park, I just decided to call it a day and hopefully get in a Candymonium ride before leaving. Or if it was up, maybe a few.
As I made my way back to the park entrance, I could plainly see that Candymonium was still down. Oh well! There was no way I was walking back into the park now. Instead I decided to go ahead and leave, hitting up the park’s new shop on the way out. I had a buy one, get one free t-shirt deal on my season pass perks list. Of course, however, the shirts eligible weren’t in this store. They were back by where I sat down to eat. I wasn’t going back. I grabbed to Hersheypark logo shirts, one for me and one for Sam, and headed out to the car.
It was a long day and even though I rode only four coaster between the two parks, I was done. Maybe if I had someone to ride with, who would have pushed me to do some more rides, I would have. Alas, that was not the case, but had you been there, I could have used a wingman!
You can be my wingman anytime! (Top Gun, 1986)
Patrick
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
