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.HistoryThe ride was named after Wild Cat (Hersheypark), Hersheypark's first roller coaster, which operated from 1923-1945.Ride experienceLike 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.CharacteristicsThe 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.In October, when Hersheypark is decorated in a Halloween theme (Hersheypark in the Dark), the Wildcat is dubbed the Scaredycat.Images