Wild Thing (Valleyfair) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wild Thing |
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Wild Thing above the trees
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| Valleyfair | |
| Location | Valleyfair |
| Park section | South Midway |
| Coordinates | 44°47′54.81″N 93°27′31.43″W / 44.7985583°N 93.4587306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 11, 1996 |
| Cost | $9,500,000 USD |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing |
| Designer | Steve Okamoto |
| Model | Hypercoaster |
| Track layout | Out and Back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain-lift |
| Height | 207 ft (63 m) |
| Drop | 196 ft (60 m) |
| Length | 5,460 ft (1,660 m) |
| Speed | 75 mph (121 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:00 |
| Max vertical angle | 60° |
| Capacity | 1,700 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.1 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 36 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane available |
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| Wild Thing at RCDB | |
Wild Thing is a super-fast roller coaster at Valleyfair amusement park. It's known as a "hypercoaster" because it's really tall and fast! This ride has a long track, stretching over one mile (about 1.6 kilometers).
When you ride Wild Thing, you'll climb a huge hill that's 207 feet (63 meters) tall. Then, you'll zoom down a steep 60-degree drop, reaching speeds of up to 74 miles per hour (119 km/h)! The height of Wild Thing was even checked by the FAA because of a nearby airport.
Wild Thing was the first "hypercoaster" made by a company called D. H. Morgan Manufacturing. It opened in 1996. When it first opened, it was the fifth tallest roller coaster in the whole world! Because Wild Thing was so popular, two similar rides were built later. These were Steel Force at Dorney Park in 1997 and Mamba at Worlds of Fun in 1998.
Riding Wild Thing
Your adventure on Wild Thing begins with a slow climb up the 207-foot (63-meter) lift hill. Once you reach the very top, get ready! The train plunges down a thrilling 196-foot (59.7-meter) drop. This is where you hit the top speed of 74 miles per hour (119 km/h).
After the big drop, the train goes over a 103-foot (31.4-meter) "parabolic hill." This hill gives you a long feeling of floating, almost like you're weightless! Next, the train climbs another large hill, 130 feet (39.6 meters tall), and makes a left turn.
You then go through a big figure-eight turn. After that, the train twists through an S-shaped turn and slows down a bit on a mid-course brake run. The ride isn't over yet! You'll then go over several more "airtime hills." Two of these hills are inside a cool tunnel. This is where a camera takes your picture! Finally, the train enters the last brake run and turns right, bringing you back to the station.
