Candymonium Explained
Candymonium |
Imagedimensions: | 250px |
Location: | Hersheypark |
Section: | Chocolatetown |
Type: | Steel |
Status: | operating |
Manufacturer: | Bolliger & Mabillard |
Model: | Hyper Coaster |
Track: | Out and Back |
Lift: | Chain Lift Hill |
Height Ft: | 210 |
Drop Ft: | 216 |
Length Ft: | 4,636 |
Speed Mph: | 76 |
Inversions: | 0 |
Duration: | 2:26 |
Angle: | 77.3 |
Restriction In: | 54 |
Trains: | 3 |
Carspertrain: | 7 |
Rowspercar: | 1 |
Ridersperrow: | 4 |
Transfer Accessible: | available |
Rcdb Number: | 16682 |
Candymonium is a steel roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride was announced in 2018 and opened on July 3, 2020. It is the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster at Hersheypark.[1] It was introduced with a newly-themed section of the park called Hershey's Chocolatetown, adjacent to Hershey's Chocolate World.
History
On October 3, 2018, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts revealed their "biggest announcement ever": a new 23abbr=NaNabbr= section of the park named Chocolatetown, as well as a new entrance plaza, both of which would open in 2020. The anchor attractions were scheduled to include a roller coaster, as well as a new shopping area and a fountain, built at a cost of $150 million.[2] [3] The new coaster was planned to be a hypercoaster, over 200feet tall, which required approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.[3] [4] According to the filing with the FAA, the coaster was to be, at most, 220feet above ground level.[5] The FAA approved the ride.
In July 2019, Hersheypark officials announced that the new roller coaster would be called Candymonium, marketed as the "world’s sweetest coaster".[6] According to Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company CEO John Lawn, "the coaster was a key ingredient to the entire Hershey’s Chocolatetown". By that time, the first few track pieces and part of the station had been built.[7] [8]
In an Instagram post in October 2019, Hersheypark posted an image showing that construction on the lift hill was partially complete.[9] In November 2019, Candymonium topped out when its lift hill was installed.[10] [11] The final track piece was installed in February 2020, though an opening date had not been announced at that time.[12] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania, construction on Chocolatetown was delayed in April 2020,[13] though construction resumed the next month[14] and the first test train on Candymonium ran on May 6, 2020.[15] Candymonium officially opened on July 3, 2020.[16] [17] Because of COVID-19 restrictions, only a limited number of guests were initially allowed in the park, and riders had to wear face masks while waiting for the ride (although they could take off their masks on the coaster).[18]
Ride experience
After leaving the station, the train immediately ascends the 210feet lift hill. After reaching the top, it enters a 210feet drop, in which the train reaches at a top speed of 76mph. Then, the train ascends and descends a 169feet airtime hill over Spring Creek. After the hill, the track reverses direction via a 123-degree Hammerhead turn. Traveling over another camelback hill, there is a series of airtime hills as the track travels back above Spring Creek before making an upward helix to the right and a leftward bank. The train then travels over another airtime hill and down onto a 270-degree left turn. The train then dips slightly and then rises into trim brakes before curving to the right, downward and up into the final brake run.[19] [20]
Characteristics
The ride is 4636feet long with an initial drop of 210feet.[21] The track is colored chocolate brown with light gray supports and contains seven camelback hills.[22] [23] The track covers around of land.[3] Trains reach a maximum speed of 76mph.[3]
The three trains represent three Hershey's candies: Reese’s, Kisses, and Twizzlers.[3] Each car seats four riders in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Critical reception
When Candymonium opened, Attractions Magazine wrote: "Candymonium is a hyper-coaster that lives up to that name, packing in thrills without leaving riders rattled."[24] A reporter for LNP (newspaper) wrote: "In many ways, Candymonium is the more refined cousin to Skyrush. [...] But whereas Skyrush is a ride I would not recommend to people who are skittish about roller coasters, Candymonium could be just what people hoping to overcome those fears are looking for due to a lack of loops and truly death-defying spins."[18] The ride won a Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today magazine in 2021, in which Candymonium was ranked as the 5th best steel roller coaster in the world.[25]
Notes and References
- Web site: Candymonium . 2022-09-08 . www.hersheypark.com .
- News: Hersheypark's 'biggest announcement ever': $150 million expansion will include biggest coaster yet. PennLive.com. October 3, 2018. en-US. October 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181003195812/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/10/hersheypark_expansion_new_ride.html. live.
- News: 2019-07-25. Hersheypark reveals new ride. Kevin. Stairiker. A5. LNP Always Lancaster. 2022-09-05. September 5, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220905145643/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84412236/hersheypark-announces-candymonium/. live.
- Web site: A new roller coaster might be coming to Hersheypark in 2020 -- and it might be the biggest one yet. Adams. Sean. September 13, 2018. pennlive. en. December 2, 2019. January 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200101091620/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/09/hersheypark_new_roller_coaster.html. live.
- Web site: Form 7460-1 for ASN 2018-AEA-8203-OE. oeaaa.faa.gov. December 2, 2019. January 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200106222752/https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=367781204&row=0. live.
- Web site: July 24, 2019. Hersheypark unveils its newest roller coaster — and it's a big one. December 2, 2019. WPMT FOX43. en. October 14, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191014151710/https://fox43.com/2019/07/24/hersheypark-unveils-its-newest-roller-coaster-and-its-a-big-one/. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark unveils its tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster, Candymonium. Gleiter. Sue. July 24, 2019. pennlive. en. December 2, 2019. September 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190930091305/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/07/hersheyparks-unveils-its-tallest-roller-coaster-candymonium.html. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark announces Candymonium hypercoaster for 2020. July 25, 2019. Attractions Magazine. en-US. December 2, 2019. July 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200706015351/https://attractionsmagazine.com/hersheypark-candymonium-coaste/. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark shares photo of new Candymonium roller coaster construction. Adams. Sean. October 9, 2019. pennlive. en. December 2, 2019. September 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929092716/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/10/hersheypark-shares-photo-of-new-candymonium-roller-coaster-construction.html. live.
- Web site: Video: Hersheypark tops off newest roller coaster. November 6, 2019. WGAL. en. December 2, 2019. September 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220906164652/https://www.wgal.com/article/interstate-83-crash-injuries-york-county-pennsylvania/mraid.js. live.
- Web site: GALLERY: Construction continues on Hersheypark's newest roller coaster, Candymonium. November 5, 2019. WPMT FOX43. en. December 2, 2019. November 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191106134758/https://fox43.com/2019/11/05/gallery-construction-continues-on-hersheyparks-newest-roller-coaster-candymonium/. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark places final track piece for Candymonium. Theme Park Insider. 2020-02-17. February 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200217035549/https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/202002/7274/. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark's new roller coaster construction is on hold: here's what we know about the park's opening. 2020-04-07. pennlive. en. 2020-05-09. April 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200415070222/https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/2020/04/hersheyparks-new-roller-coaster-construction-is-on-hold-heres-what-we-know-about-the-parks-opening.html. live.
- Web site: Construction on Hersheypark's Chocolatetown expansion resumes. 2020-05-04. pennlive. en. 2020-05-09. May 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200511050110/https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/2020/05/hersheyparks-chocolateworld-and-expansion-construction-has-resumed.html. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark test runs new Candymonium roller coaster for first time. 2020-05-06. pennlive. en. 2020-05-09. May 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514021630/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/05/hersheypark-shows-off-test-run-of-new-candymonium-roller-coaster.html. live.
- Web site: Adams . Sean . Candymonium POV: Here's what it looks like to ride Hersheypark's biggest, fastest roller coaster . pennlive . July 2, 2020 . July 3, 2020 . July 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200703235620/https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/2020/07/candymonium-pov-heres-what-it-looks-like-to-ride-hersheyparks-biggest-fastest-roller-coaster.html . live .
- Web site: 2020-07-02. The brand new hyper-coaster Candymonium has opened at Hersheypark. 2020-07-03. ABC27. en-US. July 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200703213357/https://www.abc27.com/news/local/the-brand-new-hyper-coaster-candymonium-has-opened-at-hersheypark/. live.
- News: 2020-07-02. Hersheypark Candymonium. A1, A8. LNP Always Lancaster. 2022-09-05. September 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220906164648/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63372679/hersheypark-candymonium/. live.
- https://rcdb.com/16682.htm. Candymonium – Hersheypark. Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. July 9, 2017.
- Web site: Hersheypark Candymonium Roller Coaster Front Seat POV. Alvey. Robb. Robb Alvey. July 2, 2020. Theme Park Review. YouTube. July 3, 2020. July 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200729130826/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nifHwJsl0H4. live.
- Web site: Hersheypark 'unwraps' new Candymonium coaster set for 2020. CBS21 News. July 24, 2019. WHP. December 2, 2019. August 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200806071835/https://local21news.com/news/local/hersheypark-unwraps-new-candymonium-coaster-set-for-2020. live.
- Web site: Chocolatetown 2020 Hersheypark. www.hersheypark.com. en. October 3, 2018. September 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220906164649/https://www.hersheypark.com/chocolatetown/. live.
- Web site: July 24, 2019. Hershey Park introduces its new roller coaster, Candymonium. December 2, 2019. WTAE. en. July 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190725164054/https://www.wtae.com/article/hershey-park-introduces-its-new-roller-coaster-candymonium/28495277. live.
- Web site: Ricky . Brigante . Candymonium debuts as the tallest, most fun coaster at Hersheypark . Attractions Magazine . July 3, 2020 . September 5, 2022 . September 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220905145648/https://attractionsmagazine.com/trip-report-candymonium-roller-coaster-in-hershey-park/ . live .
- Web site: 2021-09-10 . The Golden Ticket Awards Presented by Amusement Today . 2022-08-27 . The Golden Ticket Awards Presented by Amusement Today . en-US . September 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220901172656/https://goldenticketawards.com/ . live .