| Great Bear | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Great_Bear_(Hersheypark)_05.JPG) A train next to Spring Creek | |
| Hersheypark | |
| Location | Hersheypark |
| Park section | Kissing Tower Hill |
| Coordinates | 40°17′13″N 76°39′11″W / 40.28694°N 76.65306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 23, 1998 |
| Cost | US$13,000,000 ($24.3 million in 2023 dollars) |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Inverted |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Inverted Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 90 ft (27 m) |
| Drop | 124 ft (38 m) |
| Length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Speed | 58 mph (93 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 2:55 |
| Restraint style | Over-the-shoulder |
| Trains | 2 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. |
| Great Bear at RCDB | |
Great Bear is an inverted roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed and manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, with additional design from Werner Stengel, the roller coaster opened on May 23, 1998, in the Minetown section of the park. Great Bear was the first inverted looping coaster in Pennsylvania and cost $13 million, the largest project Hersheypark undertook at the time. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 90 feet (27 m), a maximum speed of 58 miles per hour (93 km/h) to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), and has a total track length of 2,800 feet (850 m).
When Great Bear opened, it was the sixth roller coaster in operation at Hersheypark, as well as the fourth steel roller coaster at the park. The layout of the roller coaster was designed to weave through several attractions, including a steel roller coaster named SooperDooperLooper; a log flume named Coal Cracker; and Spring Creek. The ride is named after the constellation Ursa Major, and its major elements represent the number of stars within the constellation. Upon opening to the public, the roller coaster received positive reviews from critics and guests.