Karen Duquette danced with Candy characters at Hershey Park

KISSING TOWER

Description
An enclosed cabin climbed 250 feet and rotated in a clockwise direction, and provided the two RV Gypsies with a panoramic view of the City of Hershey through windows shaped like HERSHEY'S KISSES chocolates.

Ride Rating
Mild Thrill Ride - This was a low to medium speed ride with expected changes in elevation and speed. This ride may require some rider body control and is not intended for unaccompanied toddlers or very young children.

Ride Facts
Riders per cabin: 55
Number of rotations: 3
Tower height: 330 feet
Weight of base: 33 tons
Flag size: 20 feet by 30 feet
Capacity: 560 riders per hour
Designers: Intamin, Zurich, Switzerland
Year installed: 1975

Below: Karen Duquette RODE 7 OF THE 11 ROLLER COASTERS (one was closed)

Fahrenheit Roller Coaster

Description:
Located adjacent to the Boardwalk, this hot vertical lift inverted loop coaster ascended 121 feet before plummeting down a 97-degree drop.

Ride Rating 5
Aggressive Thrill Ride - This was a high-speed experience. Riders experienced many unexpected, rapid changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation and requires rider full body control.

Ride Facts
Number of Trains: 3 - Featuring stadium style seating
Capacity per Train: 12
Approx. Ride Time: 85 Seconds
Theoretical Capacity: 850 riders per hour
Elements: : - 90 degree ascent (121ft) - 97 degree negative drop (the deepest in the United States - inverted loop (107 feet) - inverted corkscrew roll, cobra element, airborne inverted s-roll
Max Speed: 58 mph
Designers: Intamin AG, Switzerland
Year installed: 2008

Karen Duquette always keeps her hands up high in the air while riding roller coasters. But as she did so on Fahrenheit, her arms hit the side of the bars as her body slightly lifted a touch off her seat during certain turns. Therefore Karen got black and blue marks on both her arms. Even so, Karen rode this coaster 4 times. This is her souvenir of the ride!

LIGHTNING RACER
ROLLER COASTER

Description:
The first wooden racing/dueling coaster in the United States, LIGHTNING RACER is a double-track wooden roller coaster with two staggered lifts approximately 90 feet for each lift. The ride is constructed with Southern Yellow Pine wood.

Ride Rating
High Thrill Ride - This is a fast-paced ride experience with unexpected changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation. This ride may contain significant twists, turns, bumps, spins, and loops, and requires rider full body control.

KAREN DUQUETTE ONLY RODE THIS TWICE - She is not that fond of wooden roller coasters.

Ride Facts
Height of Lift: 90 feet
Top Speed: 50 mph
Ride Length: 1 minute 20 seconds
Track Length: 6,800 feet (3400 feet each side)
Ride Capacity: 1300 riders per hour
Designer: Great Coasters, International
Year Installed: 2000

Comet Roller Coaster

Description
A wooden roller coaster featuring quick turns and drops.

Ride Rating 4
High Thrill Ride - This is a fast-paced ride experience with unexpected changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation. This ride may contain significant twists, turns, bumps, spins, and loops, and requires rider full body control.

Ride Facts
Number of cars per train : 4
Track length: 3360 feet
Maximum speed: 50 mph
Maximum drop: 96 feet
Ride duration: 1 minute, 45 seconds
Capacity: 830 riders per hour
Designers: Philadelphia Toboggan Co., PA
Year installed: 1946; remodeled in 1978

Karen rode this only once and Lee did not take a photo.

GREAT BEAR
ROLLER COASTER

Description
GREAT BEAR is an exhilarating, looping, inverted steel coaster. You ride below the track, not above it. The ride starts by lifting you 90 feet off the ground. It will then speed up to 61 miles per hour (nearly a mile a minute) as it rips down the tracks, through a loop then into what is called an immelman - a loop that turns you out at the top and then drops you like a falling star! Then you will cross the SOOPERDOOPERLOOPER, make an S turn before returning to earth.

Ride Rating 5
Aggressive Thrill Ride - This is a high-speed experience. Riders will experience many unexpected, rapid changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation and requires rider full body control. This ride is not recommended for guests with physical, cognitive, and/or medical limitations.

Ride Facts
Number of Trains: 2
Capacity: 1025 riders per hour
Ride Length: 2 minutes, 15 seconds
Maximum Speed: 61 miles per hour
Maximum Drop: 124 '
Designer: Bolliger and Mabillard
Year Installed: 1998

SOOPERDOOPERLOOPER ROLLER COASTER

Description
The first looping roller coaster on the East Coast, this thrilling steel roller coaster really sends riders for a loop!

Ride Rating 5
Aggressive Thrill Ride - This is a high-speed experience. Riders will experience many unexpected, rapid changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation and requires rider full body control.

Ride Facts
Number of cars per train: 6
Track length: 2614 feet
Loop height: 57 feet
Maximum speed : 45 mph
Ride duration: 1 minute, 45 seconds
Capacity: 1,175 riders per hour
Designers: Anton Schwarzkopf, West Germany
Year installed: 1977

Karen rode this only once and Lee did not take a photo.

STORM RUNNER
ROLLER COASTER

Description
This one-of-a-kind coaster will launch you from 0-72 mph in 2 seconds flat. 18 stories straight up, straight down. And that's just the beginning. You'll fly through a 135 foot cobra loop, barrel rolls, and a dramatic flying snake dive so fast, you won't know which way is west. Experience STORM RUNNER, the MUST-RIDE of 2004 ... only at HERSHEYPARK, the first hydraulic launch coaster to feature inversions.

Ride Rating 5
Aggressive Thrill Ride - This is a high-speed experience. Riders will experience many unexpected, rapid changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation and requires rider full body control.

Ride Facts
Number of Trains: 2
Capacity: 1200 riders per hour
Ride Length: 58 seconds
Maximum Speed: Launch speed 72mph /
Drop speed 75mph
Elements: Top Hat (150 feet), Cobra Loop (135 feet), Barrel Rolls, Snake Dive
Vertical Ascent / Vertical Drop: 150 feet / 180 Feet
Designer: Intamin AG, Switzerland
Year Installed : 2004

Sidewinder Roller Coaster

Description
This steel roller coaster completes its spectacular flight, only to return to its starting point in an exciting boomerang style.

Ride Rating 5
Aggressive Thrill Ride - This is a high-speed experience. Riders will experience many unexpected, rapid changes in speed, direction, and/or elevation and requires rider full body control.

Ride Facts
Number of cars per train: 7
Track length: 875 feet
Maximum speed: 47 mph
Ride height: 105 feet (two drops)
Number of loops: 6 (3 forward and 3 backward)
Ride duration: 1 minute, 45 seconds
Capacity: 540 riders per hour
Designers: Vekoma Int'l., Holland
Year installed: 1991

After you have seen all of the above, continue on to enjoy Karen Duquette's trip to visit friends in Stockholm, Sweden.

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