Wildcat (Hersheypark)

Wildcat is a wooden roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The coaster opened on May 26, 1996, as the anchor attraction of the Midway America section of the park. Wildcat was the first coaster built by Great Coasters International, and initially ran with trains built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company until 2007 when they were replaced with GCI's Millennium Flyer trains.

Wildcat
Wildcat's first drop
Hersheypark
Location	Hersheypark
Park section	Midway America
Coordinates	40°17′33″N 76°39′21″W
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 26, 1996
Cost	US$5,000,000
General statistics
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	Great Coasters International
Designer	Clair Hain Mike Boodley
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	106 ft (32 m)
Drop	85.2 ft (26.0 m)
Length	3,183 ft (970 m)
Speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:15
Capacity	1310 riders per hour
G-force	3.5
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Website	Official website
Wildcat at RCDB Pictures of Wildcat at RCDB

History

The ride, opened in 1996, was named after The Wild Cat, Hersheypark's first roller coaster, which operated from 1923–1945.

Ride experience

Like many other GCI coasters, Wildcat contains a curved first drop to reduce chances of nausea. There is an on-ride camera located towards the end of the ride prior to the final brake run.

Characteristics

The ride was known for being extremely rough and painful while operating with the original trains. After the ride was retrofitted with Millennium Flyer trains, guests and enthusiasts alike noticed that the ride was less painful but retained its original roughness.

The Wildcat is located on a relatively large hill, causing it to appear much higher than it is in reality.[1]

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters

Year	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Ranking	11[2]	12[3]	17[4]	22[5]	25[6]	28[7]	28[8]	32[9]	43[10]	38[11]	45[12]	45[13]

Images

• 
  Wildcat's lift, drop,and large twister segment
• 
  Wildcat from the Kissing Tower

References

1. Randy Kraft (August 11, 1996). "Test Drive Hershey's New Coaster". Allentown Morning Call / Indiana, PA Gazette. p. E-5.
2. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
3. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
4. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
5. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
6. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
7. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
8. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
9. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
10. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
11. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
12. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
13. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.