Since Wildcat’s Revenge opened, I’ve been talking about it to all my coworkers. With our workplace closed last week for the Fourth of July, a few of my friends at work asked me if I’d be up for going to Hersheypark on Thursday, July 6, 2023. It took me all of a second to say yes. Five of us made the trip, including Flight Crew member Jason, who I haven’t been to a park with since 2020. That 2020 trip was also to Hersheypark and was one I arranged for our workplace. Everyone wanted to ride the all-new ride that year, Candymonium. Now here we were with people wanting to experience Wildcat’s Revenge.
12 Coasters, 14 Rides, & Only 1 Wait
Since we were visiting two days after July 4, we expected the park to be crowded. That wasn’t the case at all. There was only one coaster we waited more than 30 minutes for and that was Fahrenheit. That ride always has a wait though, so we expected as much. What we didn’t expect was to have little to no wait for Wildcat’s Revenge, Storm Runner, Candymonium, or Comet. Next to Fahrenheit, our next longest wait was probably Jolly Rancher Remix at around 20 minutes. With its one train ops and its bump in popularity since the retheme, 20 minutes actually isn’t terrible for this ride in 2023.
All in all, we managed to squeeze in a lot of rides Thursday. Here are some highlights from our day:
Wildcat's Revenge
I wanted a back row ride on Wildcat’s Revenge this visit. In my prior visits Sam and I both agreed that this brand new Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) coaster rides better in the front for all but the pre-lift and first drop portions. I have seen a lot of people agree with us online, but I also see people swear that the back is superior. I had to see if a back row ride would change my mind, or if maybe I just had lackluster rides in the back.
Well, after a back row and then a front row ride again on Thursday, I’m still standing by my claim that Wildcat’s Revenge is a front of the train ride. While I still do like the first drop and pre-lift better in the back, everything else was hitting better up front once again. I don’t hate the back, but I just find the front to be a much wilder ride. Even Jason, and our friend Stephen, said the same thing.
Skyrush
After walking into the park I asked my friends if they had ever taken the path along the river, under Skyrush before. None of them even knew the path existed. Down we went. Everyone liked being so close to the ride and Jason was taking some photos as the coaster flew right overhead.
With the pathway dumping you off right at the entrance to the ride, we made Skyrush our first ride of the day. We grabbed the two back rows since there were five of us. Other than Wildcat’s Revenge Media Day, I feel like Skyrush is always the ride I head to first thing and usually after walking that same path.
Our friend Eric had never ridden Skyrush before. He always backed off it in the past due to its reputation for being intense. Well, he decided to go ahead and give it a go this day. And no, this is not the same Eric who rode with Sam and I on the King-Sized Passholder Preview Day. Nor is he the Eric who visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) with me on June 5 and Knoebels on June 26 either. Nope, a different Eric. There are so many! This Eric ended up loving the ride though, which I was glad to see. I know it’s a polarizing coaster for many, especially for non-enthusiasts who tend to like the wilder rides.
Before leaving the park we would get in a second ride on Skyrush, also in the back. Jason was surprised to see the ride be a walk-on/station wait both times. I told him how the ride rarely has much of a line, with my longest wait being a few years ago, three rows deep in the bullpen area before the staircase. Still, nothing like what you see for some of the park’s other coasters.
The Classics: Comet, Sooperdooperlooper, & Trailblazer
Since so many in our group grew up going to Hersheypark as kids, we made sure to hit up some of the classics we enjoyed growing up. Like so many people in this region, coasters like Comet, Sooperdooperlooper, and Trailblazer were some of our first coasters. The light crowds made it easy to get them all in with little to no wait.
We also managed to squeeze in rides on Coal Cracker and the Kissing Tower. They are undoubtedly also among the park’s most iconic rides. Had we not spent time at Zoo America, Chocolate World, and left a couple of hours before close, I’m sure we could have grabbed rides on a few other park classics as well. Sometimes I get in the mood to ride flats, or transportation rides like the Monorail. It’s a nice change of pace and let’s me remind myself that I’m not only a coaster enthusiast, but an amusement park enthusiast as well.
Final Ride Counts
Candymonium (1)
Coal Cracker (1)
Comet (1)
Fahrenheit (1: Eric, Jason, Patrick, Stephen)
Great Bear (1)
Jolly Rancher Remix (1: Eric, Jason, Patrick, Stephen)
Kissing Tower (1: Eric, Jason, Patrick, Stephen)
Skyrush (2: Brian, Jason, Stephen, Patrick, 1: Eric)
SooperDooperLooper (1)
Storm Runner (1)
Trailblazer (1)
Wildcat’s Revenge (2: Jason, Patrick, Stephen, 1: Brian, Eric)
Zoo America (1)
A "Sooper Sweet" Day, Puns Intended
This trip marked the 40th time I’ve visited Hersheypark since picking up my season pass in 2020. Some people might find going to the same park over and over again to be tiring, especially since it’s a 1.5 hour drive each way, each visit. Not me, though. I grew up going to this park with family and friends. The schools I attended would also take us to Hersheypark for things such as placing on the honor roll all four semesters. Every single time I was presented with a chance to visit the park, I was excited. That still holds true to this day.
Thursday was a “sooper sweet” day and I’m looking forward to getting back up there again for my next visit. A few members of the group on this day have said the same thing. I’ll be ready if they come asking to go back.
Hersheypark Photo Gallery - July 6, 2023
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Jason
Lieutenant
New Credit(s): Wildcat's Revenge
