(HERSHEY, PA) -- Hersheypark hosted a record-breaking Centennial season in 2007 as guests were introduced to The Boardwalk at Hersheypark, the perfect spot to cool off. Now the heat is on as construction begins on the Park's 11th roller coaster, "Fahrenheit," which is scheduled to open next May. The new ride will cost approximately $12.1 million.
Known in the industry as a "vertical lift inverted loop coaster," Fahrenheit will position riders on their backs as the coaster train begins a 90-degree ascent to the summit of a 121- foot lift. As the cars crest the hill, riders will lean forward and see no track visible below— only open space— before plummeting down a staggering 97-degree first drop, the deepest drop of any coaster in the United States.
The coaster cars will feature stadium seating, which will elevate riders who sit in the cars behind the front row and offer them an unobstructed view of the steep descent.
At the bottom of the first hill, the coaster will be traveling at 58 mph as it begins an ascent that will then drop riders into a 107-foot inverted loop. Coming out of the inverted loop, the track will twist though an inverted corkscrew roll, a cobra, an airborne inverted S roll and a second inverted corkscrew roll. Just as riders think they are slowing down, they will experience an airtime hill, a high-speed/banked curve, a second airtime hill and a final high-speed/banked curve before arriving back in the station.
Traveling over more than 2,700 feet of steel track in 85 seconds, Fahrenheit will feature three four-person vehicles per train and a capacity of about 850 people per hour.
The ride was designed and is being built by IntaRide LLC , the company that brought the famous Storm Runner roller coaster to Hersheypark in 2004. It will be located adjacent to The Boardwalk at Hersheypark.
In keeping with the Park's philosophy of offering something for every member of the family, a second new ride also is set to debut for the 101st season of Hersheypark.
"Howler" is a "tornado" ride that allows riders to spin their cars to create their own ride experience. It has eight four-passenger, sphere-shaped cars that rotate counter-clockwise from a center base. As the rotation reaches 10 rpm, the ride lifts 7 ½ feet into the air at a 20-degree angle. The ride, manufactured by Wisdom Industries, Ltd., has a capacity of about 750 people per hour and will be located adjacent to the Rodeo ride in the Park's Pioneer Frontier area.
For more information or to take a "virtual" ride on Fahrenheit, please visit Hersheypark.com. Hersheypark will open for its 101st season on May 2, 2008. Fahrenheit is expected to open on Saturday, May 24.