Hersheypark is a world-famous amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The park is home to a variety of rides, from family-friendly attractions to heart-pounding roller coasters. If you’re in the mood for a good adrenaline rush, here are the 11 best thrill rides at Hersheypark.
The 11 Best Thrill Rides at Hersheypark
I love visiting theme parks, especially when there are intense rides that can’t be found at other parks. Having written that, when it comes to thrill rides at Hersheypark, there are plenty to choose from – and that’s not counting the Boardwalk Waterpark area! Here’s my list of the best ones in the park so you can plan for your next visit.
Skyrush: The Most Intense Roller Coaster at Hersheypark
Skyrush is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the park, and it is considered to be one of the most intense coasters in the world. The ride starts with a 200-foot lift hill that takes you up to the top of the coaster. From there, you drop down 212 feet at an 85-degree angle, reaching speeds of up to 75 mph. The coaster then curves through four banked turns and five airtime hills, giving you plenty of opportunities to experience the feeling of weightlessness.
The seats on Skyrush are arranged in a “winged” configuration, which means that your legs are suspended in the air on either side of the track. This gives you a unique perspective of the ride, and it also makes the experience even more intense.
If you’re looking for a truly thrilling roller coaster experience, then Skyrush is definitely the ride for you. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s sure to give you an adrenaline rush that you’ll never forget.
Candymonium: The Sweetest Coaster in Hersheypark
Candymonium is the tallest, fastest, longest, and sweetest roller coaster in Hersheypark. It opened in 2020 as part of the all-new Hershey’s Chocolatetown region of the park. Candymonium is a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster, which means it is a large, high-speed coaster with a long, out-and-back layout.
The ride experience on Candymonium is one of pure adrenaline. The coaster starts with a 210-foot-tall, 77.3-degree drop that immediately launches you into a series of camelback hills. The hills provide plenty of airtime, which is the feeling of weightlessness that riders experience when they are lifted out of their seats. Candymonium also features a number of other elements, including a 123-degree turn, a hammerhead turn, and a panoramic banked curve around the iconic Kisses Fountain.
The ride is themed to Hershey’s candy, and the theming is evident throughout the ride experience. The trains are decorated with Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Twizzlers. The coaster station is also themed to candy, and there is even a Candymonium shop where guests can purchase candy and merchandise.
Candymonium is a truly amazing roller coaster that is sure to please thrill-seekers of all ages. The ride is fast, smooth, and exhilarating, and the theming is top-notch. If you are looking for a truly sweet experience, then Candymonium is the coaster for you.
Storm Runner: The Launch Coaster that Will Take Your Breath Away
Storm Runner is a hydraulic launch coaster built by Intamin and opened to the public in 2006. Storm Runner is one of only a handful of launch coasters in the world that can launch riders from 0 to 72 mph in just 2 seconds.
The ride starts with a 135-foot vertical lift hill. Once riders reach the top, they are launched forward at 72 mph. The coaster then goes through a cobra loop, two barrel rolls, and a flying snake dive. The ride ends with a screeching halt before slowly gliding back into the station.
Storm Runner is a thrilling ride that is sure to get your heart racing. The launch is incredibly fast and forceful, and the inversions are some of the most intense you’ll find on any coaster. If you’re looking for a coaster that will take your breath away, then Storm Runner is the ride for you.
Storm Runner is a launched steel roller coaster that opened in 2004. It is the first launched roller coaster in Hersheypark. Storm Runner launches riders from 0 to 72 mph in 2.3 seconds.
Wildcat’s Revenge: A New Kind of Thrill
The original Wildcat roller coaster at Hersheypark was a beloved classic, but it had become increasingly rough over the years. In 2022, the park announced that it would be closing the ride and replacing it with a new, steel hybrid coaster called Wildcat’s Revenge.
Wildcat’s Revenge opened to the public on June 2, 2023, and it has been met with rave reviews. The ride features a 140-foot hill, four inversions, and a top speed of 62 miles per hour. It is the first steel hybrid coaster in Pennsylvania, and it is one of the most unique and thrilling rides in the state.
The ride starts with a 140-foot drop that sends riders plummeting into an 82-degree turn. The coaster then twists and turns through a series of hills and inversions, including a zero-g roll, a heartline roll, and an underflip. The underflip is the world’s largest, and it is a truly unique experience.
Wildcat’s Revenge is a high-thrill coaster, but it is also a smooth and comfortable ride. The steel track helps to absorb the bumps and vibrations, and the trains are designed to provide a smooth ride. The coaster is also very well-paced, and it never feels too intense or too long.
Fahrenheit: A Thrilling Ride for the Brave
Fahrenheit is a steel roller coaster. It was opened in 2008 and was designed by Intamin. The coaster features a 97-degree drop, which is the steepest drop in the park. It also has a number of other inversions, including a Norwegian Loop, a vertical loop, and a corkscrew.
It’s a very intense coaster, and it’s not for the faint of heart. The first drop is particularly jarring, and the inversions are sure to get your heart racing. However, if you’re looking for a thrilling ride, Fahrenheit is definitely worth checking out.
Great Bear: An Inverted Thrill
Great Bear was built by Bolliger & Mabillard during the winter of 1997 and opened for the 1998 season. The coaster is 90 feet tall and features a top speed of 55 mph. It has seven inversions, including a zero-g roll, two corkscrews, and a vertical loop.
The thrill ride is named after the constellation Ursa Major, and its major elements represent the number of stars within the constellation. The coaster’s layout was designed to weave through several attractions, including a steel roller coaster, SooperDooperLooper; a log flume, Coal Cracker; and Spring Creek.
Great Bear is a smooth and graceful coaster that offers a unique riding experience. The inverted position gives riders a bird’s-eye view of the park, and the inversions provide plenty of thrills. The coaster is a popular attraction at Hersheypark, and it is sure to provide a memorable experience for any thrill-seeker.
Lightning Racer: A Sky-High Wooden Duel
Lightning Racer is a dueling wooden roller coaster located in the Midway America section of Hersheypark. The ride was built by Great Coasters International (GCI) and designed by Mike Boodley of GCI. It was completed in 2000 and was the first wooden racing coaster in the United States.
Lightning Racer features two staggered lifts, which allow the trains to race each other from the start. The trains reach a top speed of 50 mph and have a height of 90 feet. The ride length is 6,800 feet (3,400 feet each side) and the ride time is 1 minute and 20 seconds.
Lightning Racer is a thrilling ride that offers riders a unique racing experience. The trains are close together throughout the ride, which allows riders to feel the wind from the other train as they pass by. The ride also features a number of airtime hills, which provide riders with a feeling of weightlessness.
Additionally, it’s often ranked as one of the best wooden roller coasters in the world. The ride is a must-do for any thrill-seeker who visits Hersheypark.
Comet: The Wooden Coaster with a Long History
Comet is the oldest roller coaster at Hersheypark, and it has been delighting guests for over 75 years. This classic wooden coaster is known for its smooth ride, its several airtime-producing bunny hills, and its beautiful setting in the Hollow section of the park.
It was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and opened to the public in May 1946. It was originally painted green, but it was repainted white in the 1970s. The coaster has a modified double out-and-back layout, which means that it goes out and comes back in a figure-eight pattern. The track is 3,360 feet long, and the coaster reaches a top speed of 50 miles per hour.
Comet is a family-friendly coaster, but it still offers a good amount of thrills. The bunny hills provide some nice airtime, and the ride is overall very smooth. The coaster is located in a beautiful setting in the Hollow section of the park, which adds to the overall experience.
Trailblazer: The Classic Family Coaster
Trailblazer is a classic family roller coaster located in the Pioneer Frontier section of Hersheypark. It was built by Arrow Dynamics and opened on May 18, 1974, making it the second to last Arrow Mine Train to be opened.
The coaster is 1,600 feet long and reaches speeds of 35 mph. It features a helix that circles a total of 4 times, as well as a few small drops and turns. Trailblazer is a great coaster for all ages, and it’s a lot of fun to ride with friends or family.
Laff Trakk: The First Indoor, Spinning, Glow-Coaster in the United States
Hersheypark is known for its world-class roller coasters, but one of the most unique and popular rides in the park is Laff Trakk. It was the first indoor, spinning, glow-coaster in the United States. It opened in 2015 and quickly became a favorite among families and thrill-seekers alike.
Laff Trakk is a steel roller coaster that is 1,312 feet long and reaches a height of 45 feet. The ride features a series of twists, turns, and drops, as well as a number of spinning elements. The spinning is what makes Laff Trakk so unique. As the coaster cars go around the track, they spin on their own axis, which gives riders a different experience each time.
In addition to the spinning, Laff Trakk is also a glow-coaster. This means that the ride is lit up with colorful lights, which creates a really cool atmosphere. The lights are especially vibrant at night, when Laff Trakk is transformed into a dazzling spectacle.
Laff Trakk is located in the Boardwalk area of Hersheypark. The ride is themed to a fun house, and the queue line features a number of interactive elements, such as a mirror maze and a ball pit.
Triple Drop Tower: A Sweet Treat for Thrill Seekers
If you’re looking for a thrilling ride that’s also a sweet treat, then you need to check out theTriple Drop Tower. This 189-foot-tall tower rockets riders to the top before dropping them back down at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. The experience is sure to get your heart racing and your adrenaline pumping.
But the Triple Drop Tower isn’t just about the thrills. It’s also a celebration of all things chocolate. The tower is designed to look like a giant chocolate bar, and the ride cars are even shaped like Hershey’s Kisses. So as you’re plummeting towards the ground, you can enjoy the sweet smell of chocolate and the feeling of being surrounded by chocolate goodness.
The Triple Drop Tower is a great ride for thrill seekers of all ages. The height requirement is 48 inches, so even younger kids can enjoy the experience. And if you’re not quite ready for the full drop, there’s also a Space Shot option that takes riders to the top of the tower but doesn’t drop them back down.