Hersheypark: Coaster removal?

Found this interesting piece of information over at Screamscape today:

http://www.screamscape.com/html/hersheypark.htm

Resort News - (10/2/09) Remember back when Fahrenheit was being installed and Herseheypark kept promoting it as their 11th coaster? Well if you take a look at their home page this week you’ll find this graphic, promoting the park’s “10 Coasters!”. Somehow I don’t think they would make an error like that so easily, so I can only assume that one of the park’s coasters may be on the way out. If I had to guess… I’d say that perhaps Roller Soaker’s time has come. Anyone know more?

I'm wondering if this is indeed a mistake or could we be seeing the demise of Roller Soaker, as the site mentioned. It wouldn't surprise me considering that Carowinds removed Super Saturator for Carolina Cobra. Any ideas?

I highly doubt it even though Roller Soaker is the weakest link coaster in the park (next to Sidewinder). The park actually changed this just after Labor Day weekend for the closing of the Boardwalk (which Roller Soaker is now included in). This is why the count is now down to 10.
This does bring up a good discussion though. The only major coaster that Hersheypark did remove was the Joy Ride/Wild Cat and that was in 1945. No coaster was removed since then (except for the Twin Toboggans and Mini-Comet). If the park does remove a coaster in the future, what do you think it would be?

I never really took it that way, but good observation there.

I'd really love to see Sidewinder go out, even over Roller Soaker. I've just heard too many complaints about that thing.

I really hope they dont take out sidewinder. It takes up a very small footprint unlike Roller Soaker. It has a terrible capacity and is taking up valuable space in the Boarkwalk.

I would like to see Wild Mouse removed out of the 3 options. All coasters are currently listed in the ride section, and I doubt they will be removing one.

Fanatic wrote:I would like to see Wild Mouse removed out of the 3 options. All coasters are currently listed in the ride section, and I doubt they will be removing one.

I doubt it because according to other enthusiests, it's one of the best Mack Wild Mouses out there because of the lack of trims that are on. Usually when a coaster or major ride is removed, it usually is because of maintenance costs, popularity, or something that would top the former ride. From what I see, Mack mouses are still being constructed (Dark Knight) and probably don't cost much with up-keep, the ride sometimes has a decent wait of 15 to 20 minutes, and I don't see the site as a place to add something more thrilling or major anytime soon.

Roller Soaker and Sidewinder do fit some of these categories. I still need to get my Roller Soaker credit too.

I guess I just want it to be removed because it is one of my least fav orite coasters in the park. But, Roller Soaker is not the best around. The wait is crazy even when the line is only in the station, and not worth the wait, either. I doubt that will be removed considering it is a unique coaster to HP. And Wild Mouse is one of the better ones that I've been on, though to me I won't be as saddened if it was to be removed.

I'm sure it just has to do with the fact that Roller Soaker is not open right now.

Because of the type of ride it is, I could, however, see them moving the Wild Mouse, either to the Midway Tent area or to the country club expansion area, to make room for another Boardwalk attraction.

I'm backing up that Wild Mouse is one of the best of its kind. Ive been on a Dark Knight(SFGAd), Cheetah Chase(BGA) and, Ricochet(KD). It takes up an incredably small footprint and is the best one iv'e been on. And I highly doubt HP would remove a coaster any way.

I still need to get my Roller Soaker credit too.

I thought you were supposed to get that credit in this summer? I'm guessing you were pretty busy to do that.

I also agree about Wild Mouse. It's probably the best one at there because of the continuation of the trains in the station which makes the line move quicker, and the lack of trims used which provides the serious airtime and thrills. Dorney could learn a lesson off of Hershey on how to operate their Wild Mouse. There, when there is a line, the wait can be horrible. Plus the trims are too heavily used, it's not even funny.

Sidewinder should be taken out, no exceptions. Remember they closed down that path, that once led over to the former Canyon Pass, to make room for the SEA-qual. By utilizing that area as well as Sidewinder's footprint, they can squeeze a nice compact coaster in there. I know we have the Wild Mouse, but a spinning one would also be nice. Primeval Whirl at Disney's Animal Kingdom rocks all the way!

Well, I wouldn't mind removing Sidewinder as long as it is replaced with another coaster.

There will be no coaster removal. Roller Soaker is closed for the season, so they will only be operating 10. I think they had this on the site last fall. It is nothng to worry about.

HP won't be removing a coaster for awhile unless its strictly nessisary. Of course a nice spinning coaster would be fun, I think something like the Tony Hawk coasters would be better. It would be a good family investment and I think they deffenatly look fun. Not to mention it would fit nice there where Canyon Pass was and where Sidewinder is, though the train would be a slight speedbump.

^^ I'm taking your word for it. Seems like the more logical way to put the situation, and most likely the answer to it, too.

(10/5/09) Numerous people have written in over the weekend to confirm that Hersheypark’s sudden switch to promoting only 10 coasters instead of 11 is not because they are removing anything at all. Instead they have simply shut down Roller Soaker for the winter, along with the rest of the Boardwalk area, and are only running 10 coasters for the rest of the season.

^ I was one of them.

Good to hear about the situation. Got a lot of people worried for a bit.

I believe it is safe to say that Roller Soaker is not leaving the park. I just drove by it today and nothing looks different about it (even though the cars are sitting in the station waiting to be worked on).

Soaker isn't being pulled. Hershey's not going to reduce the number of coasters without putting in a new one, to begin with.

Secondly, and more importantly, you have to take into consideration rides that aren't doing well or haven't been doing well, in the maintenance sense.

Three rides come to mind: Roller Soaker, Sidewinder (I was at the park it's last day and it was closed for hours ... and it never reopened) and SooperDooperLooper. Remember there was a time not that long ago that the SooperDooperLooper ride ran three trains. Now it's only running two, which means they took the third train for parts. Now, they can buy new trains if they wanted, but they also need to buy new brakes for the ride. Essentially - a total overhaul to the ride. They can sink the millions into it, or they can bring in the second B&M that's been rumored since Great Bear came in.

So, I think the SooperDooperLooper has the best chance of getting taken out and replaced. It makes a lot of sense to have both B&M coasters near each other; it would look great, I think. It could go down the creek and through the current SooperDooperLooper ride area. Granted, the ride is a good ride for smaller kids, but ridership is low on that ride after 12pm. Why not bring in one that would bring in more money a few years down the road...say for the 2011 season?

Actually, HP posted this on their official Facebook about a month and a half ago:

Just got the report with the end of summer season listing of our top three rides! You guys were on the mark with your guesses! #1 - Lightning Racer #2 - sooperDooperLooper #3 - Great Bear

tatertot3710 wrote:Actually, HP posted this on their official Facebook about a month and a half ago:

Just got the report with the end of summer season listing of our top three rides! You guys were on the mark with your guesses! #1 - Lightning Racer #2 - sooperDooperLooper #3 - Great Bear

Oh I know SooperDooperLooper is #2 on ridership lists, but that's because it gets large numbers between 10am and 2pm. You never have to worry about a line after 5pm unless it is very, very busy at the park.

Either way, ridership isn't going to save the ride. From what I've heard, it's slowly making its way towards "Roller coaster heaven." It's still two years away at least, but SooperDooperLooper is in serious need of maintenance.

That does not make any sence at all because I think that the top 3 most popular roller coasters are Fahrenheit, Storm Runner and Comet

Well, maybe those are the most talked about, but they are not the most ridden, which I should have clarified that they were talking about ridership. Fahrenheit has TERRIBLE capacity, Comet's dispatch times usually aren't very consistant, LR Has TWO trains on TWO tracks, and GB's trains carry 32 people each.

Secondly, and more importantly, you have to take into consideration rides that aren't doing well or haven't been doing well, in the maintenance sense.

Exactly! When the park took out Canyon River Rapids, this was the main reason. The park just got tired of putting money into a gigantic attraction such as replacing motors and parts (chlorine really does ruin parts pretty quickly). While ridership does factor into a removal, it's not the main thing. Looking at it at a logic standpoint, Roller Soaker technically doesn't come in contact with the water too much. It's not soaked in it like Tidal Force and Coal Cracker. Sidewinder has a bigger impact with this becuase guests could complain about headaches and other minor injuries.