Best Rides at Hersheypark: Ranked by Wait Time Data

Star-Spangled Laff Trakk is the #1 must-ride at Hersheypark by pure demand: it averages 49.9 minutes across 7,589 wait samples, the highest in the park, and it has hit a wild 240-minute peak. It is not the biggest thrill machine here, but the indoor spinning coaster format, 42-inch minimum height, weather-proof queue pressure, and family appeal make it the ride that punishes bad timing the most.

Best Rides at Hersheypark, Ranked

• 1. Star-Spangled Laff Trakk: Thrill 3/5, 42-inch minimum with supervising adult (48-inch to ride unaccompanied). The data says this is the hardest line to beat, with a 49.9-minute average and 240-minute peak. Ride first or late.
• 2. Reese's Cupfusion: Family interactive dark ride, commonly accessible to younger riders with an adult. It averages 49.7 minutes from 6,793 samples, which is basically tied for the park’s top wait. The slow-loading, re-rideable shooter format keeps it packed.
• 3. Fahrenheit: Thrill 5/5, 54-inch minimum. A vertical-lift, beyond-vertical-drop coaster with a 43.1-minute average and 120-minute peak. Capacity is not forgiving, so this is a major early target.
• 4. Storm Runner: Thrill 5/5, 54-inch minimum. The hydraulic launch, top hat, and inversions still hit hard. At 42.2 minutes average, it is a front-half-of-day priority.
• 5. Breakers Edge Water Coaster: Water ride, generally best family guide comfortable with water-park timing. It averages 41.6 minutes and peaks at 150, so get it done before the afternoon peak.
• 6. Candymonium: Thrill 5/5, 54-inch minimum. Hersheypark’s big B&M hyper has the best front-gate wow factor, a 39.3-minute average, and a 180-minute peak. Great ride, but rope drop crowds often overrate it because it is right there.
• 7. Great Bear: Thrill 5/5, 54-inch minimum. The inverted coaster averages 37.1 minutes, with strong demand because it is intense but still smooth enough for repeat rides.
• 8. Wildcat's Revenge: Thrill 5/5, 48-inch minimum. This RMC hybrid is arguably the best coaster in the park for enthusiasts. The 29.6-minute average hides its 180-minute peak on crowd guide.
• 9. Comet: Thrill 3/5, 42-inch minimum. A classic wood coaster with 8,217 samples and a 29.2-minute average. Families and nostalgia riders keep it relevant all day.
• 10. Skyrush: Thrill 5/5, 54-inch minimum. Only 28.6 minutes average, but do not mistake that for weakness. It is one of the most aggressive coasters in the park and often easier to fit in after the first wave.

Best for Families and Shorter Riders

For kids below the 54-inch thrill coaster cutoff, Hersheypark still has excellent choices.

• 42-inch riders: Star-Spangled Laff Trakk, Comet, Jolly Rancher Remix, and Music Express are the key step-up rides. Laff Trakk has the worst line, so prioritize it.
• 48-inch riders: Wildcat's Revenge, sooperdooperLooper, Lightning Racer, Wild Mouse, Sidewinder, The Claw, Wave Swinger, Fender Bender, and the smaller Hershey Triple Tower options open up a huge middle tier.
• 54-inch thrill riders: Candymonium, Fahrenheit, Great Bear, Skyrush, and Storm Runner are the big coaster set.

The best family strategy is to split the day by height. Let 42-inch riders get Laff Trakk and Comet early, while 54-inch riders chase Fahrenheit and Storm Runner before lines settle in.

Rope-Drop Priority Order

• 1. Star-Spangled Laff Trakk: Highest average wait in the park at 49.9 minutes and the worst peak at 240. Its indoor, family-friendly profile makes it a line trap.
• 2. Fahrenheit: 43.1-minute average, 54-inch thrill level, and lower capacity than the big B&M coasters.
• 3. Storm Runner: 42.2-minute average and a short, high-demand launch coaster cycle.
• 4. Reese's Cupfusion: If your group cares about dark rides, put this before Storm Runner. Its 49.7-minute average is no joke.
• 5. Great Bear: Knock it out before the central park crowd fills in.
• 6. Wildcat's Revenge: Better coaster than its average wait suggests, and the 48-inch minimum makes it more broadly rideable than the 54-inch giants.
• 7. Candymonium: Save it unless you are entering before the main crowd. It is right near the front, so the opening rush hits it hard.
• 8. Breakers Edge Water Coaster: Do this before lunch on a hot day, not at 2:00 p.m. when every water-park guest has the same idea.

With 10 AM a.m. to 11 AM p.m. hours, the smartest play is aggressive from 10 AM to noon, relaxed during the hot middle, then coaster-heavy again after dinner. Skyrush, Comet, Great Bear, and Candymonium are all much better night rides than midday waits.