Great Bear is Hersheypark’s original inverted thrill machine, the coaster that dangles your feet in midair and throws you through four inversions at speeds pushing 60 mph. More than 25 years after it opened in 1998, it’s still one of the fastest, most re-rideable coasters in the park’s lineup.
This guide covers exactly how fast Great Bear goes, its full stats sheet, what the ride actually feels like from the first drop to the final brake run, and the history behind Pennsylvania’s first inverted looping coaster.
Quick Answer
Great Bear’s top speed is about 58 to 61 mph, reached on its 124-foot first drop right out of the station. Hersheypark’s own ride page lists a maximum speed of 61 mph, while other measurements put it closer to 58-60 mph, either way it’s one of the quicker coasters in the park. The ride packs a 90-foot lift hill, four inversions, and 2,800 feet of track into Hersheypark’s Kissing Tower Hill area.
How Fast Does Great Bear Go?
Great Bear’s speed comes almost entirely from its first drop. Because the station sits atop a hill, the visible 90-foot lift hill is misleading, the actual drop that follows plunges about 124 feet, which is where the coaster builds most of its momentum and hits its top speed of roughly 58 to 61 mph.
That speed doesn’t let up right away. Riders carry it straight into a tall vertical loop and then an Immelmann, before the layout tightens up for a zero-g roll and corkscrew closer to the brake run. On paper, newer coasters like Skyrush and Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark are faster, but Great Bear’s low-to-the-ground, terrain-hugging track makes its speed feel more intense than the number alone suggests.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Hersheypark. Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard, with track design by Werner Stengel’s engineering firm. Opened: May 23, 1998. Lift hill height: 90 ft. First drop: about 124 ft. Top speed: about 58-61 mph. Length: 2,800 ft. Inversions: 4 (vertical loop, Immelmann, zero-g roll, corkscrew). Trains: 2 trains, 8 rows of 4 across, feet hanging free.
The Ride Experience
From the station, the inverted trains climb the 90-foot lift before dropping into that deceptive 124-foot first plunge, which is where Great Bear hits its top speed. From there, riders race through a vertical loop, an Immelmann, a zero-g roll, and a corkscrew across roughly 2,800 feet of track, all with legs dangling free below the train.
The layout is famous among enthusiasts for its tight, terrain-hugging footprint, weaving between and over several other park attractions and Spring Creek before returning to the station. A full circuit runs through all four inversions in quick succession, giving Great Bear an intensity that belies its modest height compared to Hersheypark’s tallest coasters.
Where Great Bear Sits in Hersheypark
Great Bear is located in Hersheypark’s Kissing Tower Hill area, the section long associated with the park’s original Minetown grounds. The layout threads past the SooperDooperLooper, over Spring Creek, and around the Coal Cracker log flume, making it one of the more visually layered coasters in the park since so much of the track is visible from nearby paths and rides.
History and Legacy
Great Bear debuted on May 23, 1998, as a $13 million investment, the largest capital project Hersheypark had undertaken up to that point. It became Pennsylvania’s first inverted looping coaster and joined the wave of B&M inverted coasters that defined amusement park thrill rides throughout the 1990s.
The ride’s name pays tribute to the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear, whose seven prominent stars are echoed by the coaster’s seven distinct thrill elements. Now in its third decade of operation, Great Bear remains a mainstay of the Hersheypark lineup, valued by enthusiasts for its smooth B&M trains and compact, high-intensity layout even as the park has added taller, faster coasters like Skyrush and Wildcat’s Revenge around it.
How Great Bear Compares to Other Hersheypark Coasters
At roughly 58-61 mph, Great Bear is faster than family-friendly options like Trailblazer or Lightning Racer, but it trails Hersheypark’s biggest hypercoasters, Skyrush tops 75 mph and Wildcat’s Revenge and Storm Runner both post higher top speeds. What sets Great Bear apart isn’t raw speed, though; it’s the combination of speed, inversions, and a tight footprint that keeps the pacing relentless from the first drop to the final brake run.
Great Bear roller coaster speed and stats FAQs
How fast does Great Bear go at Hersheypark?
Great Bear reaches a top speed of about 58 to 61 mph, hit during the ride’s 124-foot first drop. Hersheypark’s own ride page cites a maximum of 61 mph.
Where is Great Bear located in Hersheypark?
Great Bear is in the Kissing Tower Hill area of Hersheypark, near the SooperDooperLooper, Spring Creek, and the Coal Cracker log flume.
Who manufactured Great Bear at Hersheypark?
Great Bear was built by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the Swiss firm known for inverted coasters, with additional track design work from Werner Stengel’s engineering office.
How many inversions does Great Bear have?
Great Bear has four inversions: a vertical loop, an Immelmann loop, a zero-g roll, and a corkscrew.
What is the height requirement for Great Bear?
Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall to ride Great Bear.
How long is the Great Bear ride?
The ride covers about 2,800 feet of track and runs roughly 2 to 3 minutes from launch out of the station to the final brake run.
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