18
June
2019
|
16:00 PM
America/New_York

Hersheypark Coaster Guide: Family Fun From Mild To Wild

This article was written by one of our Sweetest Families brand ambassadors. Follow Jenn on social media and through her blog here:

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Hersheypark is open for another season of thrills and chills in the Sweetest Place on Earth

                                                    Jenn

Offering a whopping 70 attractions from kiddie rides to water slides, Hersheypark is also home to 14 amazing coasters. Did you know that Hersheypark has the MOST coasters in Pennsylvania? Let’s take a closer look at the coasters that thrill visitors each season.

This guide will help you find the best coaster thrills for your family. If your kids are like mine, and cannot wait to roar across the skies of Hersheypark, this will help you navigate what they are tall enough to ride, or have enough courage to face before your visit.

Sweetest Families Tip: Make sure when you enter the park you have your children measured at the official height station in Founders Way, they will get a wristband with their verified measurement. This way they won't be denied entry to their favorite coaster, or other attractions.

I have broken down the 14 coasters by Hersheypark minimum height requirements. Anyone that meets the minimum requirements may ride, some may require an adult with them. Be sure to check the ride entry for full details.

Hershey Kisses

The height requirement for the following coasters requires a minimum 36” height. These are the most mild of all the coasters in the park, great for beginners or those who don’t want to brave the larger rides.

  • Cocoa Cruiser- For the little thrill seeker in the family this is the perfect first coaster. This steel coaster with a small 14 foot curved drop, is just enough excitement for your little ones. There is even an on-ride photo opportunity, so you can take home their first coaster experience.

  • Trailblazer- Another great first coaster for your little thrill seeker can be found in the Pioneer Frontier section of the park. This fun runaway train reaches speeds of up to 45mph, and has a great helix that circles four times. This coaster is great for the whole family!

Sweetest Families Tip: You cannot take any loose articles on many rides (hats, glasses, phones, bags). There are lockers free of charge nearby to hold your items.

Reese’s Cup

The height requirement for the following coasters is 42” minimum height. While these have a little more power behind them, they are not the scariest in the park. A perfect coaster collection for those who want to graduate to the next level of thrills.

  • Comet- A classic wooden coaster located in The Hollow, may fool you from the ground. While its big drop is only 96 feet, the bunny hills are sure to give you serious air time! Comet comes alive at night with 6500 lights illuminating the track. No matter your height, don’t skip Comet as it’s a park classic.

  • superdooperLooper- If you live anywhere in the vicinity of Hershey, PA it is likely that this classic coaster was your first “real” upside down experience. This was my first experience over 30 years ago and was both of my daughters as well. It’s almost a rite of passage on the East Coast. Reaching speeds up to 45 mph, it may not be the fastest in the park, but everyone will remember their first inverted coaster. Don’t forget your keepsake t-shirt, “I survived the superdopperLooper”.

  • Laff Trakk- This indoor spinning glow coaster is the first of its kind! The house of laughs will take you on a 360 degree spin the entire ride, even while you go downhills and bank steep turns!

Sweetest Families Tip: If you get dizzy easily you may want to sit this one out, it can do a number on you.

  • Breakers Edge Water Coaster- This brand new attraction (opened summer 2018) is sure to not only thrill you but cool you off on a hot summer day. Located in The Boardwalk at Hershey, Breakers Edge is a three person coaster. You will zoom through soaking hills, high turns and a flying saucer spin.

Hershey’s

The height requirement for the following coasters is 48”. We are starting to get into the more thrilling coasters at Hersheypark with steeper drops and faster speeds!

  • Sidewinder- This boomerang style coaster will take you not only forward through inversions but backwards. This is not the fastest by any means, but if it’s hang-time you want this is for you, as you will go upside down six times!

  • Wildcat- This wooden classic will have you catching air as you fly above the park. While many may not appreciate a good wooden coaster, I think they are under rated and the rough ride is the signature of a great classic coaster.

  • Wild Mouse- Unexpected twists, turns and hills await you on this fun family coaster. You may wonder if the ride even has brakes at some point! Believe me you want to hold on and don’t mistake its mild appearance for the wild ride that it is.

  • Lightning Racer- Go head to head against family and friends on this classic wooden coaster. This dueling coaster is always a family favorite, we are Team Thunder (green coaster). I have been told by team members there is no rhyme or reason as to which side wins, but it seems the heavier train always comes in first. Because this coaster runs two trains at a time, wait times are always low even on crowded days.

Twizzler’s

The height requirement for the following coasters is 54” and above. These are the real deal, high speed, heart pounding, adrenaline rush inducing coasters. My youngest daughter just graduated to Twizzler height this year, she wasted no time riding the biggest rides in the park.

  • Skyrush- I do love a good coaster, but I have yet to conquer this park favorite. This steel coaster will take you 200 ft up and drop you down at 75 mph, making this the highest drop in the park. While Skyrush may not go upside down, you won’t miss the hang time when hitting the zero-G airtime hills.

  • Fahrenheit- Reach for the sun as you head straight up the 121ft lift, and then hold on as you drop down 97 degrees! Hitting speeds up to 58mph you will fly through a series of loops, corkscrews and get some killer airtime.

  • Great Bear- This was my daughter's first choice when she hit the coveted 54” height requirement, this classic steel inverted coaster did not disappoint her. Your feet dangle below and you are lifted 90 feet off the ground before gliding across the skies hitting inversions and a zero-g roll. Hands down this is the smoothest coaster in the park!

                                                                          

  • Storm Runner- Get ready to launch from 0-72 mph in 2 seconds! This coaster takes you high above Hershey with a 135-foot loop and then glides you into barrel rolls and dives before getting back to the station in a dramatic fashion.

Sweetest Families Tip: Due to the popularity of these four coasters lines can get really long on peak days. Purchase Fast Track once you enter the park, and get to the thrills faster by skipping the lines. Prices and availability vary.

If you will be visiting Hersheypark this summer, be sure not to miss any of these world class coasters. From the classic wooden style to the heart pounding steel launch coasters, there is something for everyone in the family.