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Wildcat's Revenge

Coordinates: 40°17′33″N 76°39′21″W / 40.29250°N 76.65583°W / 40.29250; -76.65583
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This article is about the roller coaster at Hersheypark that closed in 2022. For the roller coaster at Hersheypark that closed in 1945, see Wild Cat (Hersheypark).
Wildcat
Wildcat's first drop
Hersheypark
LocationHersheypark
Park sectionMidway America
Coordinates40°17′33″N 76°39′21″W / 40.29250°N 76.65583°W / 40.29250; -76.65583
StatusClosed
Opening dateMay 26, 1996 (1996-05-26)
Closing dateJuly 31, 2022 (2022-07-31)
CostUS$5,000,000
Replaced byWildcat’s Revenge
General statistics
TypeWood
ManufacturerGreat Coasters International
DesignerClair Hain
Mike Boodley
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height106 ft (32 m)
Drop85.2 ft (26.0 m)
Length3,183 ft (970 m)
Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration1:15
Capacity1310 riders per hour
G-force3.5
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Wildcat at RCDB
Video

Wildcat was a wooden roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The first roller coaster produced by Great Coasters International (GCI), it opened to the public on May 26, 1996, as the anchor attraction of the Midway America section of the park. Wildcat initially ran with trains built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, which were replaced with GCI's Millennium Flyer trains in 2007. The ride closed permanently in 2022.

The coaster cost $5.6 million to construct and was built on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) plot that had previously been used for parking. The ride's station was shaped like a "Victorian station house". The coaster itself traversed a 90-foot lift hill and twelve banked turns, subjecting riders to forces of up to 3.5 Gs. From 1998 to 2009, Wildcat was voted one of the world's 50 best wooden roller coasters at the Golden Ticket Awards, which are presented annually by Amusement Today magazine.

History

Construction and opening

In June 1995, the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company announced that it would build "The Wildcat", a wooden roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, over the following year.[1][2] The ride would be named after The Wild Cat, Hersheypark's first roller coaster, which operated from 1923 to 1945.[3][4] The coaster was intended as the main attraction in Midway America, an area in Hersheypark themed to classic American attractions;[1][5] construction of the themed area had begun the prior month.[2] Wildcat was the first coaster constructed by Pennsylvania firm Great Coasters International (GCI).[3][5] The 2-acre (0.81 ha) plot on which the ride was built had previously been used for parking.[6]

GCI started constructing Wildcat in August 1995.[4] It was originally expected to open on May 11, 1996, along with an "inauguration celebration".[4][6] Wildcat was planned to be part of "Physics Day" on May 17, where it would be used to demonstrate gravitational pulls.[6] Work on the ride was complicated by the North American blizzard of 1996,[4] during which workers reportedly "had to dig out wood from snow".[6] Wildcat cost $5.6 million to construct.[7] The ride was constructed with around 500,000 board foot of Southern yellow pine.[8]

Wildcat ultimately opened to the media on May 23, 1996,[9] and to the public on May 26, 1996.[10] The ride's opening was accompanied by a one-hour-long television special entitled Wild Rides, which aired on the Discovery Channel on May 26, 1996.[9][10] Erik Arneson of the Lebanon Daily News wrote of the ride: "I'm a fan of multiple loops ... but the Wildcat is the fastest roller coaster I've ever been on, and it's exciting from start to finish."[9]

Closure

Hersheypark announced in July 2022 that Wildcat was scheduled to close permanently on July 31, 2022.[11][12] Family members of Nicholas Pantalone, who had been one of the ride's operators before his death in 2013, were present on Wildcat's final ride.[13] Following the announcement, the park posted on Twitter, "Any suggestions on what we could do with 3,100 feet of wooden track?"[14][15] Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) replied on Twitter stating, "We have a few ideas...".[14] This led to speculation that RMC would rebuild the retired ride. Typically, when working with an existing defunct wooden coaster, RMC would replace the old tracks with their patented I-Box (or Iron Horse) steel tracks, in addition to adding some newer elements (such as inversions, near-90° drops, banked turns). RMC has previously refurbished several wooden coasters, such as Twisted Colossus (at Six Flags Magic Mountain), Twisted Timbers (at Kings Dominion), Iron Gwazi (at Busch Gardens Tampa), New Texas Giant (at Six Flags Over Texas), Wicked Cyclone at Six Flags New England, plus several more. The public and critical response to these repurposed coasters has been overwhelmingly positive for RMC, with the new rides being praised on everything from visual appeal, to the smoothness, intensity, and transitions between elements. According to The York Dispatch, these rebuilds "might be a model for the closing Wildcat".[14] At the time, a spokesperson for Hersheypark refused to confirm rumors of Wildcat's future, saying: "We will share details on what's next before the end of" 2022.[16] On November 2, 2022 the park anounced "Wildcats Revenge" a steel I-Box roller coaster by RMC. The Coaster will be 140 ft. tall, feature 4 inversions, and a 82 degree drop.

Characteristics

The station was shaped like a "Victorian station house" with a red, white, and blue paint scheme.[5][7] Riders left the station and took a small drop before going up the 90-foot lift hill. The track then descended down a curved first drop of 45 miles per hour.[17][7] Riders then went on many more similar drops before returning to the station.[12][18] The track contained twelve banked turns, subjecting riders to forces of up to 3.5 Gs.[7] The Wildcat was located on a relatively large hill, giving it the appearance of being taller than it actually is.[5][7]

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Ranking 11[19] 12[20] 17[21] 22[22] 25[23] 28[24] 28[25] 32[26] 43[27] 38[28] 45[29] 45[30]
  • Wildcat's lift, drop, and large twister segment
    Wildcat's lift, drop, and large twister segment
  • Wildcat from the Kissing Tower
    Wildcat from the Kissing Tower
  • The entrance to Wildcat, taken in 2013
    The entrance to Wildcat, taken in 2013

References

  1. ^ a b Kolus, Howard (July 1, 1995). "Cat is back". The Daily News. p. 5. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Murse, Thomas A. (July 7, 1995). "New coaster, midway for Hersheypark". Lancaster New Era. pp. 11, 12. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Wesser, James (July 29, 2022). "Hersheypark's Wildcat giving final rides this weekend". ABC27. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Wiseman, Lisa (May 24, 1996). "New ride recalls yesteryear". York Daily Record. p. 44. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d "Hersheypark unleashes a new thriller in Wildcat". The Morning Call. June 2, 1996. pp. 77, 82. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d "Past and future twist together". The Sentinel. February 1, 1996. p. 34. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kraft, Randy (July 7, 1996). "Hersheypark coaster unleases $6.5M wild ride". Press Enterprise. p. 22. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "A new wildcat races into Hersheypark". The Gettysburg Times. May 23, 1996. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c Arneson, Erik (May 24, 1996). "Untamed". The Daily News. pp. 1, 3. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Ride the Wildcat in your living room". York Sunday News. May 26, 1996. p. 51. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  11. ^ York Daily Record (July 8, 2022). "Last ride, as Hersheypark wooden roller coaster to close soon: What you need to know". York Daily Record. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Hearst Television Inc. (July 11, 2022). "Hersheypark to close Wildcat roller coaster". WGAL. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  13. ^ Mautner, Chris (August 18, 2022). "Hersheypark lets family of teen who died of cancer have last ride on Wildcat roller coaster". Staten Island Advance. Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Enright, Matt (July 8, 2022). "Wildcat, Hersheypark's wooden roller coaster, is retiring: How to ride". York Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Adams, Sean (July 13, 2022). "Hersheypark is retiring a roller coaster, giving fans one last chance to ride". lehighvalleylive. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  16. ^ Boeckel, Teresa (July 8, 2022). "Last ride, as Hersheypark wooden roller coaster to close soon: What you need to know". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  17. ^ "Calhoun Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  18. ^ 2019 Wildcat POV Hersheypark, archived from the original on May 12, 2022, retrieved May 12, 2022
  19. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  20. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  21. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  22. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  23. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ "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.
  28. ^ "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.
  29. ^ "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.
  30. ^ "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.
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