In the past, I did an article on rides to go on at Walt Disney World. Now, I figured I'd share five of my favorite rides from Hersheypark. I may or may not be doing this article because I want it to be summer and because I miss Hershey right now. (OK, I'm totally doing it for those reasons!)
Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge
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One of the coolest rides at Hersheypark has got to be the Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge. This ride is very similar to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, except that it is Hershey themed! The plot for this ride (which is awesome since Disney seems to be one of the only places that has plots for their rides) is that two fictional sport stars, Sonny and Kip, who are peanut butter and chocolate lovers respectively, hold an Olympic-esque sports competition that you're invited to.
Once visitors get on the ride, they are put on either Team Chocolate or Team Peanut Butter and must shoot at all the moving targets that appear throughout the ride and the points of each team are tallied at the end, and a winning team crowned. This ride is cool because it is actually challenging to shoot the targets, unlike Space Ranger Spin, and players cannot control the direction that their car is going. Whether you do well or badly, the Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge is fun for all ages and is a ride you'll definitely want to go on over and over again.
Scrambler
Another awesome ride is the Scrambler. Each ride machine holds up to three people, with the shortest person going in first and then the tallest person. Once the ride starts, riders are spun in all different directions super fast (don't worry, not throw-up-fast!). What I like about the ride other than the spinning is that it is unlike other rides I've been on.
It might be simple in nature, but spinning rides always bring out the dopiness in me (especially since I purposefully make stupid faces with my sister on the ride whenever it spins in the direction of the people waiting on line) and it is one of the first rides visitors will see when they enter the park. If you're looking for a fun ride that will hype you up for the rest of the rides to come, the Scrambler is your ride.
Lightning Racer
Next we have Lightning Racer. This is an amazing, thrilling roller coaster ride that's super steep and super fast. You might be asking, why is it called Lightning Racer? Well, not only is the ride fast like I mentioned, but it races another roller coaster on a similar track. Thats right, it's Lightning Racer versus Thunder Racer on two adjacent tracks.
Not only is it cool because it is a racing roller coaster, but the fact that both coasters have different drops and turns, meaning that the other coaster's big drop might be before you're big drop, makes the race more interesting. Typically, Lightning Racer always wins (which makes sense since lightning comes before thunder) but there are times that the operators make Thunder win despite the scientific inaccuracy. This is way more intense than other roller coasters, so prepare yourself!
Comet
Keeping on the roller coaster theme, there is also the Comet. The Comet is a pretty steep, pretty wild roller coaster, but by no means is it as intense as something like Storm Runner or Fahrenheit. This isn't to say that this roller coaster can't be scary for some. The best way I can describe this ride is by saying that it is that one roller coaster that scared you as a kid, but turns into one of your favorites as you get older. If you don't want to go on a "kid" roller coaster, but also don't want to go on an insane one, the Comet is your best bet.
Skyview
My fifth recommendation is Skyview. Skyview is basically how it sounds; it is a slow-moving chairlift ride that takes you above a portion of the park, basically a leisure-style ride. For those of you afraid of heights, no need to fear--the ride isn't as high as the name implies, but it does take visitors over a lake and over the crazy fast upside-down roller coaster, the Great Bear. This ride continues to remain popular due to its breathtaking view and its uniqueness.
The next time you go to Hersheypark, or if you've never gone before, consider going on these awesome rides in addition to all the other great rides. I know--summer can't come quickly enough!
