Hersheypark Skyrush Construction and Offseason Update #103 (3-30-12)

One more week until the park opens! Let’s check out what’s happening.

Nothing new over here…

Never mind!

Posts have been added along the new path.

They will hold the new fencing. I hope it’s the same style that was used around Skyrush.

As you can see, a lot of the poles for it are up.

Not much left in the creek area.

Hmm…

Great Bear came out to say hello as well.

Here’s a HD video of it testing to get you in the mood for next week!

Good to hear that trademark roar again.

Looks like some of the queue has been poured.

Hmm…

The blacktop for the midway is in.

The switchbacks for Comet’s queue is going in as well.

Looks like the left row is the exit, middle is for the front row, and right row is for the other seats.

The intense part. Leviathan will more than likely have nothing similar to this!

Here’s a shot that looks like it was taken in January or February.

Take notice the lack of wheel covers.

Into the first helix!

…and down the first drop!

The first row looks almost exactly upside down in this shot!

The Hollow is really coming together!

Looks like they are working on the interior of the elevator.

Check out what was found in a shop window in Tudor Square!

Mugs and shot glasses…

drink glasses…

new hat design…

…and draw-string bags! Now I know what I’m getting next week!

Here’s a random picture of a robin who was sitting on the ledge in front of the shop.

The STITP sign is up.

Looks like the path where the preview center was is gone and now it connects directly to the new path.

Some new banners have been added around Tram Circle. While they may be the same as the ones lined around the hotels and through town, I kind of like the idea of using them everywhere.

Next weekend, we will have a chance to check out the new and improved Comet Hollow. See you next week for more Skyrush construction hi-jinks.

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #102 (3-28-12)

Photo by Harry Michelson

Ladies and Gentilemen, new for 2012, it looks like Comet Hollow will now be renamed The Hollow.  This was not the first time that this area’s name was changed becuase back in the 1980′s it was called Spring Creek Hollow.

Let’s check on construction of The Hollow’s signature ride, Skyrush.

Over by the dam, dirt was being evened out along the path.

Just about all of the construction equipment was out of the creek area.

Should be interesting to see this area covered with water.

Hmm…

More work is still being done to the tops of the footers.

Yummy.

Tilt-A-Whirl has a brand-new entrance sign!

Over at Skyrush’s station, prep-work is being done to it’s future queue area.

The back station was was painted white.

I still have to wonder what’s going on here.

A new tree has arrived.

Over at Comet, queue railings are starting to go up.

From the looks of Harry’s photos in the Project 2012 Facebook group, the queue is going to look completely different from last year and will have more landscaping.

Not to mention a new  entrance location as well.

The sheet-metal roofing has been added to the photo booth.

As for COmet’s station, railings have been added around the platform and the old ride signs have been reinstalled.

The clocktower works!

The Hollow’s new look is starting to grow on me.

Looks like there will be a path going over to the former Creekside Catering Area. I wonder if it will be re-used this year?

Here is the entrance to the new path in Rhineland. I’ll have a new update coming up tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #101 (3-26-12)

I’ll let the pictures do the talking on this update, but what was done from the looks of it are more station railings were added, station lighting, the creekwalls were finished, more elevator stuff, and lift hill wiring.

I’ll be doing another update tomorrow, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to get it posted since I have some college work to get done.

See ya.

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #100 (3/23/12) Trackwork Complete!

This is it! This is the 100th Skyrush update! So far we’ve seen a lot of dirt, creek re-routing, concrete, footers, and goldenrod track and now all that track has now been installed! Let’s check it out!

Comet was doing a few laps on Friday. Here’s a video… in HD!

Only less than two weeks!

Can’t wait until landscaping is added.

More capping has been going on with the footers.

More curbing has been added to the path entrance.

Here is the final piece that was added.

As with the turn after it, it’s steeply banked!

Imagine walking under this when a train goes by. It’s going to be incredible!

Another for the wacky support list.

With the first high-speed turn done, I really can’t wait to see how this section will be.

The oldest coaster and now newest coaster in the park.

The station is receiving railings.

Looks like the mechanics for the elevator are going in.

Comet Hollow is slowly starting to look less like a construction site.

See you Monday!

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #99 (3-21-12)

Ladies and gentlemen, we are one update away from our 100th Skyrush Update! After passing by the airfield, more pieces and track have been loaded on to flatbeds and ready to transport. Let’s check out the construction area.

The Tram Circle sign is back and looks fresh and ready for the 2012 season to begin!

The park side of the creek wall looks to be finished!

The new entrance to the path has evolved quite a bit since the last update.

 

Curbing has gone in.

Probably won’t be long now!

More footers are going in along the path.

As well as decorative rock-work!

Looks like they might be starting to add more over here.

Here is the set of footers that they were working on Monday.

This side of the creekwall is progressing.

Hmm… it’s directly under the lift hill, it’s in line with those concrete boxes over in front of the station, I wonder what this could be for??

And what’s this?

Railings have been added to the lift motor catwalk as well as….

The entrance and exit stairs to the station!

The left side is the exit and the center one is to the main queue.

The station!

 

Can’t wait until more railings are added.

More digging is happening in the future queue area.

The planters in front of Comet’s queue are showing up.

The photo booth.

I really like the railing design!

Comet’s station is starting to change color.

The control booth, from what it looks like.

It is really hard to tell how Comet’s queue is going to look. From here, it looks like it’s going to be mostly in front of Skyrush’s footers.

The station building really brightens up Comet Hollow!

Finished footers.

The crane looks ready to go.

The reflecting pool in Tudor Square is being refilled. Opening day must be near!

the entrance to the path as of now.

I’m going to be busy Friday evening, but I’ll try to squeeze in the 100th update before then. Thanks for reading!

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #98 (3/19/12)

It’s a new week. Let’s check out what was done over the weekend to Skyrush!

The smell of freshly laid-down mulch fills the air in Tram Circle… a sign of Spring!

Something was done to the creekwall, from the looks of it.

…and to the dam as well.

Something seems to be going on with the footers again.

The creek seems to flowing on both sides. More of the creekwall still needs to be done.

This should give you an idea on how big the track is compared to the size of a person.

I believe I see Tilt-A-Whirl’s ride booth.

It’s getting there.

Looks like more work was done to the lift motor.

Loving the look of the station!

Especially the back wall.

Just need railings and it looks like a loading station!

I think this might be the best-looking station inside the park.

Some blacktop was laid down outside the transfer area.

Curbing for the new path!

The transfer track has received a garage door.

More station photos…

Hollow’s new midway is starting to take shape!

*Drool*

Comet’s queue.

The station is now blue and brown!

I see a train.

Control Booth?

Still no supports… yet.

See you Wednesday!

Hersheypark Offseason/Skyrush Construction Update #97 (3/16/12)

Three weeks till Springtime in the Park  and work still seems to be steaming along.

The footers are now done!

The park-side of the creekwall is on its final section to be finished.

Now for the last pieces of track and supports!

The Comet fence looks more complete.

I wonder what the wide spots are going to be used for?

This section of the creekwall still needs to be installed.

I like this section of the path for some reason.

The photo booth now has a roof.

The framework for the stairs are in.

The queue and station area is slowly starting to look more like part of the park.

Some decorative rockwork is going in behind the future queue area, from the looks of it.

Whack-A-Mole’s new roof is going to be a bright red color.

The curbing outside Comet’s queue is going in.

The curbing in front of the new restrooms is in.

The bricks on the booth are now up, which didn’t take long.

Looper dohickys.

The new roof side has now gone around the front part of the station. On a sidenote, looks like there’s a Comet train on the transfer track (middle right).

I see brake run wiring!

 

So much yellow track!

It’s hard to tell if this will be the path connection or not. The August rendering showed that the path would connect a little closer to the Hospitality Services building.

But this way could work as well.

On to the ZooAmerica and offseason update.

The Tudor Square pond was repainted.

Must be Prairie Dog Day… Three more weeks of the offseason!

Here’s a panorama of the Prairie Dog/ Mountain Lion area.

Aww, Stanley is trying to look cute…

Aww…

 

SFMM Metro fans would love this photo.

See you Monday for the next update! Happy St. patrick’s Day!

Hersheypark Offseason and Skyrush Construction Update #96 (3-14-12)

Spring is in the air and it is not just because of the warm temperatures. Hersheypark is starting to get itself ready for the season, which begins in only three weeks. Skyrush and Comet Hollow are now starting to look less like a construction site as well.

A new concrete wall has gone in at the entrance to the new path.

Skyrush was looking great on this sunny, 70-degree day.

I was perfect for coaster-riding!

Hmm… something’s new…

The fence behind Comet’s far turnaround has gone back up.

I see a utility hole and some gravel down on the path as well.

This photo makes me excited and want to reflect back on how much this view has changed in the past year.

Now it’s getting even more exciting.

Quite a bit of the new path now has gravel and a few of those concrete bases.

It is going to be amazing either walking on that path and looking up to see the train only feet away from you or riding it and diving over the crowd!

So many awesome photo and video opportunities await on that path this summer.

This creekwall section is done.

Much of the catwalks in the maintenance area has been added.

The framework for the station entrance and exit is up.

The walls in the storage area look like they have been painted.

The Looper Sandwich Shop has been painted a nice red color.

Curbing is starting to go back in Comet Hollow.

A roof and door has been installed to the photo booth.

You can also see the framework for the stairs off to the left.

Work on Whack-A-Mole is progressing.

Right now the only machinery left in the creek are those concrete containers.

It’s only time until this section of the wall is closed up.

Storm Runner and Skyrush are going to be a great one-two punch at the park this Summer.

The last footer is up and looks like it has concrete in it.

Now we wait for it to cure.

Remember these?

I love the angle of this turn. Let’s check out what else is happening around the park.

Something is missing.

Looper is starting to look brighter.

She now almost blends in with the sky.

Thanks for reading!

Hersheypark Skyrush Construction Update #95 (3-12-12)

Let’s get back to the updates! A lot has happened over the past week not just in the construction site, but around the park as well, so let’s get started!

Spring is in the air! Hershey Gardens is busy getting ready for their late-March opening, the flowers are blooming and the trees are starting to bud.

The Claw looks like it’s getting warmed up for the coming season!

Between Sky, the cat and this hawk, they seem to get into my updates for some reason.

Five track pieces to go!

I spy a Lightning Racer train!

Let’s check out the Skyrush ride area.

Last footer to go!

Just this section of tracks need to be installed and the circuit’s complete!

More work seems to be going on over at the beginning of the new path.

I wonder what this circular thing is for?

The stengel dive turn has been installed!

Also, if you haven’t noticed from the last few photos, half of the creek is now flowing through the construction site again, but this time it looks to be on purpose.

Tilt-A-Whirl has made some progress since the last update.

The second-to-last creekwall section has been installed.

After this section, just the smaller section down near the curved airtime hill needs to be added.

Comet’s bridge has received some new catwalks stretching alongside its first drop.

I see a roof going up…

More specifically, the roof for the ride photo booth.

The station looks much different since the last update.

The framework for the entrance and exit stairs are starting to go up.

The roof has been added to the station and more brickwork has been added to the first floor.

The windows for the restrooms have been installed as well.

Some serious digging going on in the queue line.

Concrete has been poured for Comet’s queue line.

Here’s a better view of the photo booth.

Off to the left you can see the framework for one of the landings for the entrance and exit stairs.

Whack-A-Mole is starting to have its roof reinstalled.

…and here is Comet’s new facade.

It still needs a little more work, from the looks of it.

Some catwalks are being installed to the foundation holding the lift motor as well.

Only two months till Memorial Day weekend. Won’t be long until we see the winged-seated train go flying around this turn!

Here is something new that I am trying. Here are some panoramas!

Here is where I usually get the airfield photos.

This is Tram Circle. You can see the Arena off to the left and the Lighthouse off to the right.

Just that corner section of the coaster needs to be installed on the left.

Here’s the view from the path near the first drop.

Hope you enjoyed this update! I’ll be back with another on Wednesday!

A Look into the Past: Hersheypark Postcards from the 1970′s and 1980′s

Because of Spring Break, I won’t be able to get another Skyrush construction update until next Monday. In the mean time, let’s have a little fun and take a look at what once was.

Last fall, I managed to stop at Knoebels’s Phall Phun Phest, which is a big coaster enthusiast gathering that is a LOT of fun! I seriously reccomend this. While I was there, they had an awesome buy/sell tent set up in front of the Phoenix that sold just about every coaster book or souvenir imaginable. I ended up buying a retro Sooperdooperlooper pin, several brochures, a block of wood from the Raven at Holiday World, and more. Several of the items were these.

The Twin Turnpike Antique Cars. Interesting fact: the car that they have on display during CCL still has the old logo and canopy on it.

The Kissing Tower. I found that you can still take this photo in front of the fountain.

This might be a flashback. Cyclops was where The Claw is today. When it first opened it’s color was blue.

Back in the late 1970s and 1980′s, Comet used to have red trains. You can also see the Sky Ride in the background as well.

Here’s what Hersheypark used to look like back in the mid-1970′s. Comet was repainted to it’s current color towards the end of the decade. you can also see that the Sooperdooperlooper wasn’t built yet.

Hope you enjoyed this brief trip back through memory-lane. There might be another one in the next few days. Like I said above, I’ll be back with another Skyrush update on Monday!