Wildcat was built in 1996 by Great Coasters International as their first coaster as their own firm
When you visit Hersheypark, and go back into Midway America, where Wildcat is located you will be blown away in 2 ways. The first is from a purely visual standpoint, it seems to look like the old Prior and Church coasters from the 20's with it's swooping, curving drops. It crosses over or under itself 21 times during it's 3000 ft. long ride. Even though Wild cat it isn't the longest (3000 ft.), tallest (85 ft.), or fastest (45-50mph), this coaster is one of the best in the world.
Michael Boodley did a great job designing the ride, each curve seems to complement the next as it criss-crosses over and over and it gets ever tighter. Clair Hain did a great job building it, too, since no where on the ride did I see a brake, or feel and hint of a shuffle. It was smooth as a dream.
The ride itself is one of the best around, the first drop is fun, but not as good as I was hoping it to be. But the rest of the ride more than makes up for it. There are many "fake-outs" on Wildcat, there will be a curve leading you to believe you are going to go right, but at the last second it pulls left. My stomach was in my head at one moment, and in my feet in another. There is some nice airtime, nothing amazing, and no "launched" variety. The curves is what makes the ride, though. They seem to go together as they weave past each other. The speed is amazing too, your top speed on the ride is 50 mph, and at the end of the ride, when you hit the final brake run, you're going 40 mph! The coasterer uses the small hill at the end to it's benefit. Overall I give it a +4.25 from the Giszwold scale -3 to +5 with 0 being a slightly positive review.
Pics of Wildcat
The entire ride
Inside the coaster
First drop
pic of Wildcat by lamp post
another pic from inside Wildcat
