HERSHEY, Pa. — The Wildcat is coming back to Hersheypark...kind of.
The park announced Tuesday that Wildcat's Revenge, a new, wood and steel hybrid roller coaster, will open in the Midway area of the park next summer.
It will replace the all-wood Wildcat, which was closed in July.
"One of 15 coasters at Hersheypark, Wildcat's Revenge will join one of the largest and most iconic coaster collections in the United States --100 years after the first Wild Cat ride debuted at the park," Hersheypark said in a press release.
Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, Wildcat’s Revenge adds an all-new steel track with unique elements to the existing wooden framework for a "one-of-a-kind thrilling ride experience found only at Hersheypark," the park said.
The hybrid coaster features a 140-foot hill, maximum speeds of 62 miles per hour and four inversions, including the World’s Largest Underflip.
The 2-minute and 36-second ride will begin with a 140-foot climb. The coaster then plunges into an 82-degree drop, hitting a maximum speed of 62 mph along 3,510 feet of red track on a black steel and wood structure.
Riders will experience four inversions, including the World's Largest Underflip -- an inversion that begins with an upward climb, followed by a counterclockwise 270-degree roll and a dive down toward the side.
Wildcat's Revenge features a fully renovated coaster station with a design that harkens back to the iconic 1923 Wild Cat station with low-pitched gables around the perimeter of the roof, Hersheypark said.
Guests of Hershey’s height requirement and taller (48 inches and above) will sit in one of three custom trains, showcasing fully-dimensional black, charcoal and silver wild cats exacting revenge on their wooden predecessor.
This new coaster joins an impressive lineup of 15 coasters at Hersheypark. The more than 115-year-old amusement park has added significant experiences in the past decade - from the transformational expansion of Hershey’s Chocolatetown region to six coasters since 2012.
Guests can enjoy three parks in one at Hersheypark with more than 70 rides, a water park and a zoo included with admission.
