Hersheypark Projects

Fahrenheit

The Great Bear

The Lightning Racer station building

The Roller Soaker

The Wild Mouse

• Location: Hershey, PA
• Client: Hershey Entertainment & Resorts

Fahrenheit, Hersheypark’s eleventh roller coaster, features 12 elements within 2,700 feet of track. A truly vertical, 121 foot ascent hill is followed by a 97 degree negative drop, the steepest in the United States. SMB&R provided structural engineering services for the ride’s foundations, comprised of reinforced concrete footings and pedestals to support the 145 steel columns of the ride superstructure. Avoiding existing park features, including buildings and storm water runoff piping, complicated the design process. A custom design spreadsheet and CAD application developed by SMB&R’s engineers and designers enabled the team to meet a very aggressive fast track design and construction schedule.

Great Bear, an inverted steel coaster, travels at a speed of 61 mph and features a 124 foot drop. SMB&R was responsible for the design of concrete foundations engineered with the use of a custom-designed spreadsheet that synthesized input from the coaster designers, multiple load calculations, and data on existing site features. The firm also provided structural engineering services for a two-story, 12,000 sf station building and maintenance area; a 1,500 sf photo tower;a 3,400 sf roof structure over the queue area; and entrance and exit ramps. This project was a recipient of an Award of Excellence from the Keystone Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

Storm Runner features a hydraulic launch system that accelerates riders from 0 to 73 mph in two seconds as they travel its 2,600 foot track, ascend 150 feet vertically, and drop 180 feet at 75 mph-- all in a ride lasting about 60 seconds. Due to the geology of the area, both spread footings and drilled pin pile foundations were utilized for the ride foundations. SMB&R also provided the structural design for Storm Runner's station and maintenance building, as well as the hydraulic building that houses the launch equipment.

Lightning Racer is a wooden, dual track racing coaster. The trains pass through a 2,850 sf tunnel and zip past an artificial waterfall structure featuring a concealed water distribution and recovery system; both were engineered by SMB&R. In addition, SMB&R was responsible for structural design of the 8,800 sf station roof and 7,200 sf of ancillary structures, including the entry building, queue area, photo op building, retail facilities, storage, and an ice cream parlor.

Roller Soaker features water squirt guns, water sprayers, and spurting geysers, all soaking riders as they travel along 1,300 feet of track. The thrilling ride lifts passengers to a height of 70 feet as it races along at 30 feet per second. SMB&R provided structural design services for the concrete foundations for this inverted steel coaster, and also designed the structure of the two-story, 5,600 sf station and mechanical and electrical buildings.

Wild Mouse is 1,214 feet in length, has a maximum lift height of 50 feet, and a speed of 30 MPH. It provides riders with the illusion that they will fall off the edge of the track. SMB&R provided structural engineering services for the ride foundation and the 1,300 sf station building, as well as entrance and exit ramps.

Decades is a 1,850 sf counter service restaurant themed to match the surrounding area of the park. The facility includes cue lines, service counters, food service and preparation areas, and storage. SMB&R provided both architectural and structural engineering design for this project.

The Boardwalk at Hersheypark offers guests a full waterpark experience that includes one of the largest water-play structures in the world. The original waterpark was doubled in size in 2009 with construction of The Boardwalk: The SEAquel. SMB&R was involved with several of the attractions and ancillary structures that make up Hersheypark’s waterpark area.

At The Boardwalk, SMB&R provided architectural and structural engineering services associated with the design of a 2,200 sf, two-story building that houses the pumps, filters, and surge tanks used in the operation of Waverider, an attraction that allows guests of Hersheypark to catch a wave on a boogie board without getting anywhere near the ocean. SMB&R also engineered the site retaining walls that integrate the Coastline Plunge waterslides and access walks into the existing topography.

The SEAquel consists of the Shore, a 22,620 sf wave pool, and Intercoastal Waterway, a 1,360 foot long lazy river that covers a surface area of over 24,000 sf. SMB&R provided complete structural engineering services for the three new building structures included with The SEAquel. Immediately adjacent to the Shore is a three-story, 12,000 sf structure that overlooks the wave pool. Mechanical equipment and surge tanks for the wave pool and lazy river are located on the first floor; changing rooms, bathrooms, and a first aid station are located on the second floor; and the upper floor houses offices, additional mechanical and electrical rooms, and an observation deck that overlooks the wave pool. The complex also includes the Shoreline Grill, a single story, 3,000 sf walk-up restaurant located just beyond the shallow end of the wave pool that caters to pool users. The 1,800 sf guest services building provides information to guests as well as additional shower and restroom facilities.