Hercules, the Curtis Summers wooden roller coaster which operated at Dorney Park, Allentown, Pensylvania filmed on and off ride during the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain 1997 USA Tour. Also features Steel Force.
Did you know that Hydra: The Revenge is now in the same place that Hercules was? In Greek mythology, Hercules battled the multi-headed monster Hydra, and cut off all of it's heads. One head was immortal, so he buried it under a lake. But now in Dorney Park, Hydra took revenge over Hercules.
Wow that cool!! In Greek Mythology Hercules Battled the multi headed monster hydra then buried under a lake!! Now it took it’s revenge by getting Hercules out of the way then Hydra came!! WOW
You were smart back then to think ahead and to film and upload years later at a place called RU-vid...now the footage is immortal and the memory will always be a lot more vibrant. Summer and Fall at Dorney Park in the 90's will always be iconic.
Yes, they are. I just watched a video which leads with showing those footers sticking-up out of the water. My memories beginning in childhood straddle the eras of Dorney Park c.1966-2001. I've resolved to get my brothers and their families to take another run at the park for old times' sake and see what we can spot from when we were young. I'm prepared to be startled/shocked/awed by what is or isn't there any longer. I was ten years-old in '66 so a lot of my memories were forged in a time when I was aware of things. My youngest brother was just five when he joined up with the family to go to Dorney too. By the time he was my age I'd been married for a couple of years. It wasn't until the mid-'80s that we got the extended family in-sync for the annual trip to Dorney Park from suburban Philadelphia some 60 miles away.
Those trim brakes ruined this ride... Before the trims this coaster was worth the beating your body took, after CF bought the park and trimmed it they had to reprofile 2nd drop as the damn thing couldn't make it back up the hill at its original angle. I curse CF for this
I recall riding it with my brother as a kid and he was more than twice my size and I was really tiny and sat on the outside! During one turn I felt like I nearly was going to be catapulted out of it- and left my seat for some air time! LOL Funny how old school they were with nothing but a lap bar to hold you!
I rode this a year or so before it closed, only got on it one time. It was rough yes but man was it fun and FAST! That drop was huge and then that turn was very intense. With some work, it could have been smoother, it wasn't that old. I wish they would have kept it, it was a better ride than Thunderhawk is if you ask me! I know Thunderhawk is much older but that coaster has really suffered a life of neglect.
mhtube01 OK, yeah, Hercules was fast ... very rough and gave out some serious bruises but I don't remember Thunderhawk being rough .... It's a shame if they have neglected it as you say ! :-(
***** Yeah they have, it's sad. I love classic woodies but every year that coaster seems to get worse. It looks like it's been retracked in some areas but they've done a pretty poor job. It's very bumpy and really throws you around on the banked turns. It could really use a paint job too, the paint is chipping terribly and makes the coaster look terrible. If you ride it in the front, it's more tolerable than the back is IMO.
Cedar Fair is cheap and trim the hell out of their coasters. Had they did the proper maintenance on the banked curve like Dorney did when it was fmaily owned this coaster woul dhave been one for the ages. I rode this opening year and it was smooth, went back in 92 rode it again, still smooth, by 95 Cedar fair trimmed it and slowed it down and the banked curve was so brutal if the line wasn't long you could only ride the front... Which is fine by me as the first seat was the smoothest part, anything beyond the 1st car was at your own risk
I wonder if Hercules was as rough as Wild beast at Canada's Wonderland or was Hercules rougher? It looked like fun by just looking at it but it doesn't look fun riding it! I find it hilarious how it reset the camera. That's film for you! Thanks for posting!
Shorter length, slightly taller, smoother, bunch of little slow hills that seem like a waste of time, a wicked first drop, a few barrel rolls, and then a noticeable loss of momentum before returning to the station.
Dorney Park really needs a new long coaster. They haven't had one since 2005 (Hydra, Hercules' replacement!). Possessed (2008) and Stinger (2012) are alright, but aren't big enough like Steel Force or Hydra. Maybe a launch coaster like Storm Runner or Xcelerator? *UPDATE* : Stinger was removed after the 2017 season. *UPDATE 2* A brand new coaster has been confirmed for 2024.
This wooden coaster wasn't as rough in it's last five years of operation as most of the coasters now have gotten chosen to get rmced and or plently of others still standing and running, including the park's own Thunderhawk. Heck Grizzly at KD (not CGA) is/was way rougher than this coaster.
