HERSHEY, Pa. – Laff Trakk, the 13th roller coaster at Hersheypark, offers a soaring ride through a neon-accented, indoor fun house.
The coaster is similar to Kennywood’s The Exterminator, but the Kennywood ride has more sharp turns; Laff Trakk smoothly banks around its curves. It is technically a spinning steel coaster — the amount of spin depends on the difference in weight of each ride vehicle’s four riders who are seated in two rows back-to-back — although the spinning is generally mild (i.e.: unlikely to induce vomiting).
Location: 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pa., about 3½ east of Pittsburgh (215 miles).
Admission cost: One-day park admission is $61.95 for ages 9-54; $38.95 for children 3-8 (free for kids 2 and under); $38.95 for ages 55-69; and $24.95 for ages 70 and up. (Discount tickets available for purchase at select Central and Eastern Pennsylvania Giant grocery stores.)
Details: www.hersheypark.com or 1-800-437-7439.
New ride’s location: At the farthest end of the park from the entrance, beyond The Boardwalk waterpark section in an area called Midway America.
Height restriction: Riders on Laff Trakk must be at least 42-inches tall and children must be accompanied by an adult until they are more than 48-inches tall.
Pro tip: Download the Hersheypark app to a smart phone to look up wait times on the park’s most popular rides.
What’s billed as a “glow-coaster” was designed for two primary purposes: To add another family-friendly coaster, and to give the park its first indoor coaster that can operate during Halloween, Christmas and early spring park seasons when the weather might be too chilly to run outdoor coasters.
Inspired by fun houses of the vaudeville era, this dark ride’s line queue begins with a giant glass-encased Laffin’ Sal, similar to the one that’s on display at Kennywood, and continues inside to a themed queue area complete with fun house mirrors and era-appropriate music.
The ride’s loading area brings the notion of a fun house into the present with black lights and glowing neon paintings that carry through to the scenery during the ride. Guests travel through the gaping maw of Laffin’ Sal, through rings of fire (not real fire, just painted scenery) and past fortune tellers, snake charmers and a tower of playing cards.
The theming is not up to a Disney level of detail – Laff Trakk is housed in a nondescript rectangular building that could be any warehouse — but it’s adequate. The primary focus is on the feel of the ride, which glides around high curves at speeds up to 40 mph.
“It was a winner,” said Carol Filchner of Bath, Northampton County, who visited the park earlier this month. “It was short but worth it.”
The estimated $14 million ride lasts about 70 seconds but lines were 45 minutes on a weekday in early June when the park’s other coasters were either walk-on or had 5- to 10-minute waits.
“It felt like you were falling off the track and you could barely see the track,” said Laura Filchner, 12.
Teens were predictably less impressed.
“I liked it,” said Allie Pribula, 17, of York. “It was a little short. It was good at the beginning, and then at the end it was, like, whatever.”
“I liked the environment on the inside,” said Shawn Johnston, 17, of York. “I could understand why it wasn’t as thrilling because it was more of a family ride.”
Of course, a ride’s intensity is all a matter of perspective. Jen Rohrback of Salem, Va., said she enjoyed Laff Trakk because she started the ride facing forward, but her husband and 4-year-old daughter, Emily, did not enjoy it as much facing backward.
“I like the fact that it turned you around halfway through, and that they could face forward and then I would be backward, but I think after the initial shock of figuring out what’s going on while riding backward, it was enough for them to not like it as much as me,” she said. “Other than the Trailblazer at Hershey Park, that was Emily’s first big roller coaster ride. She just fit the height requirement, and it was a little too intense for her.”
Roller coaster aficionado Al Moore of Pottstown gave Laff Trakk a positive evaluation.
“I thought the ride was great,” said Mr. Moore, 66. “I Iike the amount of detail they went into. The mirrors in the queue were a great idea. It makes the wait go by a lot faster. As for the ride, it was fun. The glow effect was a great addition to the nice spin coaster. I'll definitely do it again.”
TV writer Rob Owen: rowen@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2582.
First Published: July 19, 2015, 4:00 a.m.