Storm Runner — Attraction in Hershey

The best way I can describe Storm Runner is that it's like riding a Sonic the Hedgehog level. You take off like a rocket into a short burst of adrenaline, with only about four individual elements until the ride is over, and it's fantastic. Each element has something to offer.

For one, the launch is very fast and accelerates you to top speed faster than most coasters, a signature of hydraulic launched coasters.

Then the top hat that you go into is tall, but short enough that you go over it with speed. Front row riders will get airtime on the crest, and back row riders will get whipped down the drop. Then the cobra loop has strong positive G forces as you pull up 180 degrees, and then you twist out.

The third element, the flying snake dive, is my favorite. You soar upwards (you get airtime in the front here), and then do one barrel roll, which goes immediately into another barrel roll which corkscrew dives back to the ground mid roll.

When you get back down to the ground, the last element is like a twisted double-up, with two hard banks right and left as you rise back up into the air, whipping you from side to side, and you hit the final brakes at the top.

Storm Runner is fast paced and will get your blood pumping without fail every time, and the ride being short is a non issue. It's just long enough to be satisfying, especially because of how unique the elements are, and soaring over and near rides like Sidewinder and Trailblazer is also very cool, as well as darting through the trees at blitz speed. This is my second favorite coaster at...

I wouldn't call myself a coaster enthusiast, but I know what I like. Storm Runner hit all the right buttons for me. It's a launched coaster, starting from 0 to 60 in something like 2 seconds. The hang time on the first hill (top hat?) is amazing. You have what seems like several seconds to check out the view, which is so great at night. After that, it's more ups and downs, twists and dives. There is one rolling section toward the end where I had so much airtime, I felt like I was out of my seat forever. By the time I got off the ride, I felt like I was drunk. In a good way.

I will say this ride is short. I think if there was more ride, it would almost be too much. Maybe that's just me. Also, if I had waited for two hours in line in the hot summer, I might be disappointed. I was there in the late fall and didn't wait more than a few minutes each ride, so that helped.

Lastly, we went during Hersheypark in the Dark. For the last hour the park is open (8-9pm), they turned the lights off on all the rides. We did that for our last ride of this coaster and it was eerie not being able to see most of the track. Worth trying if you are there...

Wow!!! Intamin hit it out of the park with this hydraulic launch coaster. It has a HELLA forceful launch, fantastic ejector airtime on the top hat, unique inversions, great hangtime, fast transitions, great pacing, and basically everything you could possibly ask for. It is a pretty short ride, but again, all Intamin Accelerator are. One major thing it does have over the others are the inversions. They’re some of the best you’ll ever experience! They are so wonky and fun! The launch took my breath away, the inversions will have you laughing your head off, and the airtime on the top hat will throw you at the sky. Better than thighcrush. Maybe even Fahrenheit. If there’s any complaints I have, it’s that there’s no theming, the operations take a while, and the station is confusing as hell. Hershey usually has pretty fast ride ops, but storm runner’s operations are generally slow. It’s not the ride ops fault, it’s just confusing. Plus there’s a switch track and stuff, so that makes it longer. Also experiences often periods of downtime (it’s an intamin, after all). Overall, would recommend to all enthusiasts and whatever GP is brave enough to...