Hydrus (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hydrus |
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Hydrus at night
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| Casino Pier | |
| Location | Casino Pier |
| Coordinates | 39°56′34″N 74°04′19″W / 39.942784°N 74.072083°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | May 6, 2017 |
| Opening date | May 26, 2017 |
| Replaced | Star Jet |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Euro-Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | 320 |
| Height | 72 ft (22 m) |
| Drop | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Length | 1,050 ft (320 m) |
| Speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Max vertical angle | 97° |
| Trains | 2 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train. |
| Hydrus at RCDB | |
Hydrus is an exciting steel roller coaster located at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. It opened in 2017 and was the first of its kind, a "Euro-Fighter 320" model, to be built anywhere in the world. This awesome ride took the place of the old Star Jet roller coaster, which was sadly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Hydrus: A Thrilling Roller Coaster
Hydrus is a special type of roller coaster called a Euro-Fighter. It was the sixth Euro-Fighter coaster to open in the United States. This ride is known for its unique design and exciting features.
Its Story: From Storm to Scream
The area where Hydrus now stands has a history with roller coasters. The previous ride, called Star Jet, was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm destroyed a big part of Casino Pier too.
It took about three years to get permission to rebuild the pier and add a new roller coaster. Instead of building the new ride over the water, like the old ones, it was decided to build Hydrus over the beach. This was done to help prevent damage if another big storm happened.
In late 2016, everyone learned that the new roller coaster would be a Euro-Fighter made by Gerstlauer. The ride was named Hydrus and officially opened in May 2017. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie even attended a special ceremony on May 26, a few weeks after the ride had a "soft opening" for some early riders.
What's the Ride Like?
Hydrus is famous for its super steep first drop. It's actually steeper than vertical, at a thrilling 97 degrees! This is a signature feature of all Euro-Fighter coasters.
The ride is a "Euro-Fighter 320" model. It includes three exciting inversions, which means you go upside down! These elements are a loop, a cutback, and a heartline roll.
The coaster has two cars, and each car can hold eight people. Riders are kept safe with special lap-bar restraints. The owners of Casino Pier named the ride Hydrus after the constellation (a group of stars). This name also connects to the previous "Jet Star" and "Star Jet" coasters at the pier.
