Preface: I wrote the story I posted today about four months ago...but never posted it until today. It got lost among several other stories and I just came across it today. I liked the story so posted it anyway. You will have to forgive me for posting a story that should have been posted a few months ago.
It was an ordinary day. Reading the morning paper when I opened it to page 2 and there it was. A very large color photograph of Hershey Park's "Wildcat" rollercoaster. The headline above the photograph read "WILDCAT'S LAST RIDE APPROCHES." Ah, it can't be true...can it? I opened a page on Hershey's website and sure enough...the ride was set to close permanently at the end of Sunday, July. 21, 2022. The Wildcat opened in 1996 in the Midway America expansion of the park. The coaster was the first to be built by a Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer. The coaster was named after the 1923 coaster named "Wild Cat" which was removed sometime in the 1940s. But there are plenty of other coasters to help thrill the riders who flock into Hershey Park during the summer months. There are 15 coasters to be exact with my favorite being the "Comet." The Comet is the park's oldest, opening May of 1946. It was the last to be purchased by Mr. Milton Hershey, the guy they named the park and city after years before. The "Comet" was a fan favorite and the one coaster that I enjoyed the most. Other coasters that line the walks of Hersheypark are "The Trailblazer," the "SooperDooperLooper," the "Jolly Rancher," The Wildcat," the "Great Bear," the "Wild Mouse," the "Lightning Racer," the "Storm Runner," the "Fahrenheit," the "Skyrush," the "Cocoa Cruiser," the "Laff Trakk," the "Breakers Edge Water Coaster," and the "Candymonium."
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| The "Wildcat at Hershey Park in 1923. |
The last one listed here is the tallest, longest and sweetest coaster at the park which opened in 2020. Now, I haven't ridden on many of them, but it would be hard to beat the "Comet" which I have ridden on for years. If you have been reading my stories for any length of time you may have also read the story about the rollercoaster also known as "The Wildcat" which no longer exists at the amusement park known one time as Rocky Springs which was located at the Southern end of Lancaster City. Well, after 26 years, Hershey Park's second oldest wooden coaster is set to close on Sunday July 31. It was the first to be built by Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer Great Coasters International. It was named after the 1923 coaster named "Wild Cat" that was removed sometime in the 1940s. If you have never been to Hershey Park, it is a 121 acre park with rides from mild to wild, a waterpark and a zoo. Packed into those 121 acres are 70 attractions, which include 15 roller coasters. The coasters cater to anyone's thrill level. Some are rather tame while others will make you scream no matter how old you may be. I know, because I have been on most of them over my lifetime of close to 80 years. I must say that my all-time favorite was the park's oldest coaster, The Comet, which opened in May of 1946 and was considered the largest coaster in the United States. It was painted green when it first opened since Mr. Hershey liked that color. He wanted them to blend in with the surrounding scenery of the park. It was eventually painted white and in 2021 received a new coat of white paint. I have not been on the coaster for some time since my back surgeon suggested I no longer ride any roller coasters when I questioned him about it. Oh well, I had plenty of rides on it over the years and I have many happy memories of riding on it. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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