Storm Runner Review, Hersheypark Intamin Hydraulic Launch Coaster | USA's Best Accelerator Coaster
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- Storm Runner is the Intamin accelerator coaster at Hersheypark. This hydraulic launch coaster opened in 2004 with the fastest acceleration in America, going from 0 to 72 mph (116 kph) in just 2 seconds. Along with the impressive launch, the coaster also features some awesome airtime and 3 inversions. All of this makes it the best accelerator coaster in America in my opinion!
Video Credits
Formula Rossa Off-Ride (Soltau Cruiser)- • Formula Rossa (World's...
Storm Runner POV (East Coasters)- • Storm Runner POV 4K Fr...
Background Music
Inspirational Epic Drone by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Landscape- • Inspirational Epic Dro...
One of the most underrated coasters I've ridden. This is easily my favorite accelerator, and that's with Kingda Ka in my top 10. For me, it's because of the layout. You have the launch and top hat, just like Ka and Dragster, but then you have an intense loop, whippy turns, and my favorite element of all time, the flying snake dive
I love the full layout after that launch too.
Stormrunner having a layout is why I just can't get excited about TTD or Kingda Ka, tbh. I'm more of a "full package" coaster enjoyer, so while the 400+ foot drops are nuts, the fact they don't have anything else to offer (which I understand, due to space and cost) for me always will make me pick stormrunner over a strata.
That's just me though, and I totally get why people hype the stratas.
This is easily a top ten coaster for me. It's very underrated
It's awesome.
Although Wildcat's Revenge has dethroned Storm Runner as my favorite Hershey coaster, I still love this ride so much. It features just about every kind of element you can think of in only thirty seconds.
This park's coaster lineup is stacked.
Riding this roller coaster at night was amazing, it definitely is my favorite ride of all time. With all the lights lit up at night it is great. In my opinion it is like a combination of rides from the park which makes it so unique!!!
I don't think I've ridden this at night. Most of my night rides go to Skyrush.
I feel like Storm Runner is what gave Intamin the practice they needed for their incomparable Blitz model a few years down the line. It was different from the other accelerators with its inversions, which is what really makes it feel like a proto-Blitz, especially given the amount of ground it covers. If you combine Storm Runner's intensity with California Screamin / Incredicoaster's length, add an LSM launch and you have Maverick. I'm no coaster historian, but I think this excellent ride paved the way for even crazier things to come.
It did some interesting elements for them.
I like the small history recap you have been doing in your more recent videos.
You're welcome!
Skyrush was closed my first several visits to HP, so Storm Runner was my default #1 there. Then I went back, Skyrush was fixed and Candymonium was built, and Storm Runner was still my favorite ride there. Not because Skyrush/Candy underwhelmed me. Storm Runner is just that good. Top 20 for me, it’s an incredible ride.
I love this park's top 3.
One thing I've noticed about storm runner is that it actually does have theming in the station which looks like a horse stable. Which I thought was a pretty cool touch
I missed that growing up closer to a city.
I definitely agree with your review. It's hard to believe this coaster is 18 years old this year! It's been my very favorite in the park since it opened. That launch, as you said, just takes your breath away yet makes me scream like a little kid at the same time. I also love the flying snake dive as it's such a cool element. While Storm Runner isn't the longest ride, it really delivers throughout the entire layout without giving you a break. I visited Hersheypark about 4 years ago during their Springtime hours and it was a very chilly and overcast day, probably only about 40 degrees TOPS. Many of their rides weren't running, including all of the wooden coasters and Farenheit. Storm Runner was one of the few coasters that was operating that day so I took a number of walk on rides on it. It was cold, but so much fun! The ride attendant even warned a family of 4 on a train in front of me that it may roll back since they were the only ones on the train and they started freaking out even though he assured them it was perfectly safe. The train still cleared the top hat though.
Can't wait to ride again this year!
I've never seen this one rollback, but I wouldn't mind.
Not only is this ride amazing, but the whole park is my favorite. I try to go every year despite the 4 and a half hour drive
It's an amazing park.
GREAT COASTER! Definitely the best Xcelerator and my favorite coaster of all time!!!
Nice!
Uh oooh! He's heerrrrre!
Absolutely my favorite steel coaster. This thing is just so underrated! Action packed and perfect in every aspect.
It’s like an Intamin blitz that’s short but has an insane launch.
I think it's overshadowed by the two hypers at this park.
yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!
This thing is so nuts, it has some awesome airtime in addition to the launch, and the flying snake dive is crazy. The only way this ride would be better if with lap bars, but I don’t mind the over the shoulder restraints
It does a little of everything.
I love Hersheypark’s color palette, and with Knoebels’ well maintained old rides and Dorney Park’s amazing color palette as well leaves PA with very photogenic rides
I do love the park's look.
It's A Solid Intamin! Great Video! 😁👍
Thanks!
It was so worth the wait and the expense of having to extend my season pass to finally get on this in July. I have it just barely behind Dragster & Kingda Ka, just because of their speed and surreal feeling/visuals of climbing over 400 ft so fast, but I love the more complete layout of Storm Runner. It's my 2nd favorite in the park behind Skyrush.
I prefer it to Dragster and Ka for the added layout.
My # 1!!!! Best ride in the park, and best launch coaster i’ve been on! (Slightly better than pantheon IMO)
I prefer Skyrush and Candy, but this is a great third.
The flying snake dive is awesome
Sure is!
It's been a long, long time since I've been to HP, but I remember going on Storm Runner so many years ago. Pure awesome.
I hope to get back in 2022.
It's amazing.
If I ever visit Hersheypark I'll definitely have to check this one out. That double barrel roll looks absolutely amazing!!!
It is.
I rode Storm Runner two weeks ago and it was excellent. The only negative was operational being that only one train was being loaded from the left station and the two center cars were in good operating condition, but roped off. The ride crew was working hard, but these conditions led to Storm Runner having the longest line in the park that day.
I'm guessing the first issue was due to staffing. With how the ride is programmed, it has to use the dual load platform to run both trains. I know they block rows off early in the day while it warms up so it has a consistent load for the launch, but that's odd they would stay closed.
@@CanobieCoaster I think I figured it out. As ETR explained, launch speed parameters are calibrated In the morning to be able to launch an empty car over the top hat. Cold empty cars require the most speed to complete the circuit. More rows are progressively opened and the computer automatically lowers the launch speed as weight is increased based on data from the previous launches. My guess is that If the computer is allowed to tune itself for sending only full trains, a sudden lighter train may rollback. On a cold windy day, sending occasional groups of 1/2-3/4 trains will keep the speed tuning in the faster range which may help deal with conditions.
I've been to two theme parks in my life, and Hersey is one of them. Storm Runner is nice smooth coaster that didn't hurt me in anyway, no head bashing, no being thrown from side to side. In fact the launch was smooth as well. I went this year, first time ever to that park and rode Wildcat which was the one coaster I went to Hersey for, but absolutely loved storm Runner. All the coasters there were excellent. Wildcat my Fav, Storm Runner, Fahrenheit, Skyrush, and Big bear, and Candyouim are my top 6. Next year planning on going to either Cedar point or Six flags Great Adventure.
Storm Runner is fantastic. I recommend Cedar Point over Great Adventure.
@@CanobieCoaster I hope Top Thrill Dragster is open next year, with the new spike I heard their putting in. Want to ride their RMC Steel vengeance and compare theirs to Hersey's. I know it's bigger, but Hersey really did a real nice job with how much room they had to put that RMC in. All they elements hit for me on that ride. Do you have any tips on how I should try to hit all the coasters at Cedar point? I heard going to the back and making my way towards the main entrance is a really good strategy. Planning on doing a two day trip.
The pacing on this looks fantastic. Tbh this looks better than some of the weaker RMCs and B&M hypers.
Edit: I got the opportunity to actually ride it this past August, and this is easily the most underrated coaster ive ridden. I have no problem with Skyrush's lapbars, but Stormrunner has the slightly better layout, and I prefer it over Candymonium as well. In the front row, this thing has 3 skyrush level sustained ejector airtime moments, and its easily up there with coasters like Ghostrider, Twisted Colossus, Skyrush, etc. Also, the Flying Snake dive is the best element I have experienced.
I'd take it over a lot of the B&M hypers and then the weaker RMCs for sure.
It literally blows any B&M hyper out of the water………
I still love that some of these parks rides you can find on Roller Coaster Tycoon 3
Me too.
We need more of these
I agree.
0% jackhammering
1% awesome launch
99% NOW GET READY HERE WE GO
Iconic words
The seat belts on the restraints were shortened when I visited this year. If you are a tall guy, it won’t be too easy for you. Same with Fahrenheit.
Good to know, thanks!
My favorite tophat on the planet. Love this coaster so much. Just wish it were longer.
It's one of the best top hats for sure. I think I prefer Velocicoaster's since you have just the lap bar.
Its a really short ride but it is 1 of the 3 intimin legends in the Hershey Park collection. I think out of the 3, I think this is the worst but that doesn't mean its bad at all. As short of a ride it is, it is intense, a very strong launch, top hat, and 2, really 3 unique elements on no other coaster. (Besides Ride to Happiness I guess). A very strong ride indeed, the only downsides are its length, restraints, and downtime which is on every Intamin Accelerator. But its so intense it doesn't even matter, its fantastic.
I have it second of the Intamins.
When I first rode this, I had no idea that it was a launch coaster. In fact, I didn't even know what they were, and had never watched the launch! I was not ready for what was to happen!
That must have been a fun surprise.
Lol. 👍
While the now defunct Greeezed Lightnin' @ AstroWorld used a flywheel clutch. God! I miss the sound of it's launch. Montezuma's Revenge @ Knott's is the only one left in America. It used air like the new launches use hydraulics. A LOT of it. Hershey is a great "old park" turned themed park with a great zoo as well. BTW I just ate 3 Hershey's kisses while watching video. LOL! Also BTW the clutches were made in Canada and were changed twice a year! I also know the guy that did cable work on that ride & AstroWay. Snapped a cable only once in it's 27 yr. operation!
Impressive! I wish I could have made it to Astroworld.
Just renewed my season pass today! I can't wait to get back on this park's elite top 5😭
Nice!
If you love fast accelerations, try and get over here in the UK for Stealth at Thorpe Park. It has the quickest acceleration of any of Intamins Accelerator model, and its the 3rd quickest acceleration in the world, at a whopping 0-80mph in 1.9 seconds.
It's just Top Thrill Dragster, but 205ft tall. What a ride it is!!!
I do love Stealth.
As a coaster enthusiast, I find Storm Runner as the best coaster at Hersheypark. It is just so fun!
I prefer the hypers, but it's a fantastic ride.
My No. 4 coaster! But No. 3 at the park behind the hypers for me too. I'm biased, Hershey is like a second home for me.
Also wanted to say I appreciate your content. You talk about the coasters really positively and informatively rather than being critical about trivial things.
Thank you!
The launch on this always gets me
It has great power.
Love it! First time upside down on a coaster lol
That's a big one to to invert on.
@Canobie Coaster lol go big and you know the rest are cake then 😉
4:46 I thought this was interesting because I actually rode Storm Runner in the rain in 2018. love the ride though and I agree with the review
Hershey also closes Skyrush and Candymonium in precipitation. But it depends if the operators realize it. I rode Skyrush in light snow last year and Candymonium in light rain this year. The latter closed after one of my rides.
On my two days at Hershey in 2018, storm runner never broke down once, and it was a walk on the entirety of both days, so I marathoned it.
If storm runner was at any other park but Hershey, I would spend all day riding it, because Hershey has skyrush lol
It's shockingly reliable if it opens for the day.
Note about wait times: This year, storm runner has been running 1 train only due to lack of staffing for the other side of the station, leading to very long waits. On a particularly crowded day you could be waiting 2-3 hours if they only run one train
Oh wow. It ran two the times I was there this year and the visits it was open were weekdays.
@@CanobieCoaster I visited on an October Saturday for reference, and waited around 3 hours. I didn’t want to wait that long, but by the time I realized it would be in that range sunken cost fallacy had kicked in, plus I really wanted to ride it after not getting on for a few years
This is probably the most polarizing coaster at Hersheypark it kinda seems like everyone (except Chris likes skyrush)
Did you mean for this comment to be on Skyrush?
This ride is so god damn powerful and epic, I love it to death. Its definitely in my top 20. If they could only fix the audio sync on the first launch, it might break into my top 10. I love this ride. This, Fahrenheit and Candymonium are a top three that rivals Cedar Point's top three for me.
I kind of like the audio being out of synch slightly to make the launch more suspenseful.
where do you think the billions of dollars they have goes
i miss storm runner……. first coaster i ever properly loved, scared the shit out of me in seventh grade but got me hooked
It's fantastic.
Due to storm runner's shorter height it won't shut down in slower winds versus kingda ka or dragster that will shutdown if 35mph at the top of the tophat is recorded
The one ride at Hershey most impacted by wind is Candymonium. That one closes when the ground wind speed is in the mid-teens (since the gusts on the wind meter atop the tower register higher).
Yes, Mike! I surely agree with the question of this vid! And compared to the entire world, Formula Rossa is DEFINITELY one of two I think are better(The other would be Superman Escape at Australia's Warner Bros Movie World)! And believe you a certain person who loves the ride more than any other person in the world... Anyways, very glad with this review. It was worth the wait. But I have something else to say: If I were trying to discover the Top 200 roller coasters in the world(which I did), Xcelerator would actually be ONE SPOT BEHIND IT! Like, no joke! So when you comment on this, please tell me everything you can about it.(Smiles in content)
I prefer Xcelerator's launch, but Storm Runner has a far superior layout.
@@CanobieCoaster So, Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster are spots away from each other on normal spots on your list while Storm Runner and Xcelerator are FAR more up there in your Top 100?
Even though Kingda Ka has the faster launch I think this is more special because the push just seems more sudden and this is obviously smoother
This is the far more complete ride.
I was blown away the first time I rode this
Me too.
Did not get to ride it yet, was down in April 2021 for it's fixing, then Skyrush went down in June.... Have to get this and Lightning Racer (replaced control panel) the next time I get out there
Storm Runner opened later than I expected this year.
@@CanobieCoaster I think in May I believe, they were still waiting on the launch cable to arrive
This ride is my number 3 at Hersheypark
Same
I like this coaster a lot but I would have to put Xcelerator over it because of its better launch. Even though Storm Runner has a bigger layout, that launch on Xcelerator for me more than makes up for not as complete of a layout. Wasn't as impressed by Storm Runner's launch as I thought I would be. Still fun though!
Xcelerator has a better launch, but Storm Runner's isn't far behind for me.
now get ready, here we go.
Iconic
One regret I have. Not riding Storm Runner when I was at Hersheypark. I was still afraid of some coasters when I last went and it was one of them.
I regret not riding.
Next time!
Superman escape in Movieworld australia is an intamin accelerator and it runs in the rain. It only doesn’t when it is pouring cuz it hurts
Good to know! When I saw European parks close them in sprinkles, I thought it was mandatory since they're a lot more resistant to rain closures than America.
@@CanobieCoaster I think it’s mainly just because it’s a painful experience. Especially ones with top hats, however it is super fun still
I think some people considered Wildcat's Revenge or Candymonium to be their favorite coasters at the park, as they found the restraints on the intense coaster too tight. And you?
I don't have an issue with Skyrush's restraints.
It was pretty frustrating in 2022 only one train was operating the day I went and it was really slow
It had one train for the second half of the year.
Do youlike the now get ready here we go announcement?
Yes
I wish I could've ridden it when I was there last, but it wasn't open.
I'm glad it's open again after the year plus closure.
@@CanobieCoaster I went during the bonus weekend, it wasn't the only thing closed.
I despise over the head restraints on launch coasters or anything in general that isn't something like a B&M invert or flyer where this would be required.
I wish the restraints were more free, but I don't find them painful.
Why can’t this coaster run in the rain does it have to do with water getting on the launch cable or something
Hershey doesn't run this, Candymonium, or Skyrush in the rain due to guest comfort. But all the hydrualic launch coasters close in rain.
@@CanobieCoaster ok
7:52 voicecrack xD
Whoops
You get airtime pretty much this whole coaster
Some very good spots.
What's your favorite ride at the park? Great Bear?
No, Skyrush.
I’m annoyed it was closed last year when I went I only got on it in 2016
It was a bummer it was closed so long.
now they have room to work with
With the old golf course?
Xecalerator or stormrunner pls reply back
Easily Storm Runner. I have an Xcelerator review too.
"Accelator coasters don't run in the rain"...genuinely don't understand why. Rita at Alton Towers does. Is it just American rain is so much bigger than UK rain?!
Stealth at Thorpe and Desert Race at Heide closed for me in a light rain, so it's not just a US thing.
Was Storm Runner your favorite ride at the park?
No
Named “storm runner” and can’t run in the rain. Lmao
Ironic.
I have seen this ride with 1 train ops it ain't pretty
I only saw that once on an opening day.
“And the end result is great.”
No, you’re great, Canobie bud. I enjoy your videos so very much. So much depth; so much top shelf detailed measured analysis. Thank you, good sir.
I appreciate that!