Great Bear (roller coaster)

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Great Bear
Location	Hersheypark
Type	Steel - Inverted
Status	Open
Opened	May 23, 1998
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Inverted roller coaster
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	90 ft (27.4 m)
Drop	124 ft (37.8 m)
Length	2800 ft (853.4 m)
Max speed	64 mph (103 km/h)
Inversions	4
Duration	2:55
Capacity	1300 riders per hour
Cost	$13,000,000 USD
Great Bear at RCDB
Pictures of Great Bear at RCDB

Great Bear is a roller coaster located at Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard during the winter of 1997 and opened for the 1998 season. Because of the coaster's unique custom design, as well as other factors including the terrain, Spring Creek, and proximity of noted attractions such as the SooperDooperLooper, the coaster was one of B&M's most difficult installations.

Going up the lift hill

Helix (from outside park)

First drop and inversions

[edit] Ride Experience

Riders exit the station and climb a 90 foot hill. There is a helix immediately off the lift, swinging you around into the 124 foot drop into Comet Hollow. After the drop, you go into a tear-shaped loop. After the loop, you swing through an Immelman half loop, and then going into a barrel roll. You continue through Comet Hollow over midway areas, making a sharp turn over Spring Creek. At this point, you've reached high speed, which can get up to (and possibly over depending on weight of the train with riders) 64 mph. After a short straight away, you go into a corkscrew roll, and then up a hill with slight curves. You then go through the cameras at the end of the ride where you slide into the brakes.

Roller coasters at Hersheypark
Current:   Comet - Great Bear - Lightning Racer - Roller Soaker - SooperDooperLooper Sidewinder - Storm Runner - Trailblazer - Wild Mouse - Wildcat
Past:   Mini Comet/Little Comet - Twin Toboggans - Wild Cat
Cancelled:   Turbulence