36-552: SooperDooperLooper (stylized as sooperdooperLooper ) is a steel roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania , United States. Designed and manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf , the roller coaster opened to the public on May 8, 1977. SooperDooperLooper is located in The Hollow section of the park and cost more than $ 3 million to construct and build. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 70 feet (21 meters), with
72-539: A drop then up another hill into a downward spiraling helix , before hitting the final brake run . This is followed by a right turn back to the station. One cycle of the SooperDooperLooper takes around a minute and forty-five seconds to complete. The SooperDooperLooper was designed and manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf in West Germany . The SooperDooperLooper is a Looping Racer model. Werner Stengel
108-643: A ground-breaking attraction, the Revolution roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. It was the first roller coaster in the modern era to feature a vertical loop . The vertical loop became a signature element used in many of Schwarzkopf's designs, including King Kobra at Kings Dominion in 1977, one of the first Shuttle Loop designs, and Shock Wave at Six Flags Over Texas in 1978, which featured consecutive vertical loops. Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH experienced rapid growth throughout
144-460: A maximum height of 70 feet (21 meters). The tunnel section used to contain an animatronic spider that would drop down towards the train and scare riders. The track reaches a total length of 2,614 feet (797 meters) and is considered a terrain roller coaster as it utilizes the landscape in its layout. Originally, the SooperDooperLooper operated with three trains that sat 24 riders a train, but now runs with only two. The two trains operate with six cars
180-556: A maximum speed of 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), and a total track length of 2,614 feet (797 meters). The SooperDooperLooper is a Schwarzkopf Looper Racer model, similar to The New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California . The roller coaster features a 57-foot (17-meter) vertical loop as its signature element. A 150-foot (46-meter) tunnel was added after two seasons of operation. The SooperDooperLooper has seen several variations in color schemes and trains. When
216-543: A short-lived version of the popular 'Monster' ride with looping cars. Werner Stengel got his start with the Schwarzkopf company, and later went on to become one of the most prestigious designers of roller coasters and amusement rides. He was still heavily involved with most of Schwarzkopf's attractions. Hubert Gerstlauer, founder and namesake of Gerstlauer Amuesment Rides GmbH , was an employee of Schwarzkopf, before starting his own company in 1982. Gerstlauer's manufacturing
252-457: A train, each car arranged two-seats across in two rows allowing for a maximum capacity of twenty four riders a train. Each train features a lap bar restraint. The original Schwarzkopf trains were replaced with trains manufactured by Giovanola in 1989. For the 2012 season, the Giovanola trains were replaced with trains manufactured by Gerstlauer , with an orange color scheme. The control system
288-560: Is still carried out at the former Schwarzkopf facility in Münsterhausen , Bavaria . Despite their age and shrinking numbers, Schwarzkopf rides remain popular. New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain , Whizzer at Six Flags Great America , and Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's Berry Farm have all received the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) Coaster Landmark award signifying their importance to
324-586: The Bayern Kurve , the Enterprise , and the Monster . Schwarzkopf retired from the industry in 1995 and died on 30 July 2001 (2001-07-30) (aged 77) after battling Parkinson's disease for several years. There are a number of notable people from the amusement industry who have either worked with, or have relations to Anton Schwarzkopf. His brother, Franz Schwarzkopf, was also a ride designer around
360-777: The 1970s, as its rides were well received and in high demand. In the 1980s, the company produced several transportable rides for travelling funfairs , particularly those in Western Europe , with a notable example being the Alpina Bahn in 1983. Dreier Looping (meaning triple loop in English) was built in 1984, and Thriller was built in 1986. Outside of Germany, the company partnered with Intamin , and many older rides credited to Intamin were actually designed and created by Schwarzkopf. Schwarzkopf suffered several business setbacks and suffered through several bankruptcies , with
396-542: The Düsenspirale, which was a roller coaster that traveled around Germany with funfair showman Löffelhardt. He took over his father's company in 1960 and created his first full-scale steel roller coaster , The Wildcat, in 1964. In 1970, the first Jet Star II model was built for German showman Rick. The model became popular for its electric spiral lift hill, and many of this type were built. In 1976, Schwarzkopf partnered with ride engineer Werner Stengel to create
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#1732797627624432-568: The SooperDooperLooper received generally positive reviews from critics and guests. Dean R. Wise, a reporter for the York Daily Record , recorded guests’ reactions to the roller coaster, with most riders exclaiming various praise. Wise personally commented that the roller coaster was quick, and ended his commentary stating it was "positively insane". Charles Shaw, a staff member for the Intelligencer Journal , highlighted
468-479: The accident, and would reopen on September 1, with the park claiming the 16-year-old's actions caused the train to set in motion. An initial investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) differed from the park's investigation. The park would later reverse course, stating the accident victim was not at fault and placed fault with the media for the divergence of facts regarding
504-466: The accident. OSHA fined Hersheypark the maximum penalty of $ 2,000 in September for two violations in safety protocol regarding the possibility of hazards. The family of the 16-year-old later sued Schwarzkopf and Intamin for damages. A 22-year-old park visitor was seriously injured after falling from the roller coaster while riding on May 1, 1988. The roller coaster was closed pending investigations from
540-577: The area where Hershey, Pennsylvania , was located. However, the latter was ultimately chosen when the executive was outvoted by his wife and children. The roller coaster was bought in Zürich , Switzerland , in February 1976. Hersheypark announced its intentions to add a new looping roller coaster for the 1977 season in April 1976. The new roller coaster would include a vertical loop and would be located near
576-449: The early weeks of December. The attraction was said to be the park's "most structurally involved" project to date, at the time. Construction of the SooperDooperLooper continued into the winter months, causing minor problems when mechanical equipment broke down. Preparation on the roller coaster's vertical loop and station were conducted in February 1977. In the same month, 80 percent of the 8,300,000 pounds (3,800,000 kg) of concrete for
612-494: The first occurring in late 1983, leading to the abandonment of several upcoming designs and installations. While dormant during the mid-1980s, Peißenberg and Zierer stepped in to construct several of Schwarzkopf's designs, including Bavarian Mountain Railroad in 1987. The company continued to produce flat rides and assist with roller coaster design for a number of years, and some popular releases during this time included
648-463: The foundation work was complete. The roller coaster's vertical loop was finished in March. Construction on the roller coaster was completed in early May. A preview ceremony for the roller coaster was hosted by the park on May 6, where 250 visitors were in attendance. The SooperDooperLooper was officially opened to the public alongside the park's season on May 8. The park touted the looping roller coaster as
684-434: The industry. As of 2019, Schwarzkopf has built 149 roller coasters around the world. The Sound Factory, a portable fair ride created sometime between 1998 and 1999, was retired in the early 2000s with hardly any video or photos of it. It returned sometime between 2017-2018 as The Parkour. The ride was modified with modern seats and no longer flips upsidown, making it not as thrilling or intense. As of September 2024 it
720-460: The longest to open in the East Coast region. A 150-foot (46-meter) tunnel featuring lights and sounds was added to the roller coaster for the 1979 season. The train leaves the station and makes a slight right turn before proceeding up the 28-degree incline lift hill . At the top of the lift hill, the train makes a left turn with a small dip and descends a long 75-foot (23-meter) drop, where
756-715: The opening of Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959. Older steel-tracked coasters existed previously in a simpler form, such as Little Dipper at Memphis Kiddie Park in Brooklyn, Ohio , which is the oldest operating steel coaster in North America. The oldest in the world is Montaña Suiza at Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo (Spain), which has been operating since 1928. There are various types of steel coaster models and designs, including flying , inverted , floorless , and suspended . Anton Schwarzkopf Anton Schwarzkopf (8 July 1924 – 30 July 2001)
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#1732797627624792-399: The park and Pennsylvania's Bureau of Amusement Rides and Attractions. Mechanical fault was ruled out, with preliminary reports stating the visitor had stood up while the roller coaster was in motion. State investigators cleared the park of wrongdoing on May 6, faulting the rider for their conduct in opening their lap bar restraint. The roller coaster reopened the next day, May 7. Upon opening,
828-592: The park's amphitheater and log flume . The attraction would be similar to the Great American Revolution at Magic Mountain , an amusement park in Valencia, California . Work began on the project site on October 29, 1976. The name of the roller coaster was presented in December 1976 to the media as the "SooperDooperLooper" along with illustrations. Parts of the roller coaster arrived from its European manufacturer, with foundation work beginning in
864-472: The roller coaster opened it received generally positive reviews from critics and guests. Planning for the roller coaster, to be known as the SooperDooperLooper, began in 1975. During the roller coaster's planning stages, Hershey shortlisted a group of names to "merry Derry dip" and "sooperdooperLooper". An executive of Hershey preferred the former "merry Derry dip" as it referenced the Derry Township ,
900-477: The roller coaster was "a little scary and a lot thrilling", emphasizing the vertical loop. Lorrie Brown, a reporter for the Public Opinion , remarked that though the physical appearance of the loop was smaller than first anticipated, she concluded "the sooperdooperLooper delivers". Brown additionally stated the roller coaster produced "a whirlwind of motion", and was similarly scared by the end helix as with
936-623: The roller coaster was situated between the Comet wooden roller coaster and Coal Cracker log flume. The SooperDooperLooper is located in "The Hollow" section of the park along with roller coasters Skyrush and the Comet. The roller coaster replaced the Giant Wheel as well as the Alpine Flyer attraction. The station platform is located on the second-story of its queue building. The station
972-472: The same time as Anton, and designed many staples of both amusement parks and carnivals alike, such as the Wave Swinger . Anton's son Wieland Schwarzkopf also became involved with the industry, starting out at Schwarzkopf, and later starting his own business in 1984. Wieland's company mostly provided parts and services for his father's rides, but had a few of its own attractions, such as the 'Sound Factory',
1008-403: The slogan "I survived the sooperdooperLooper" were sold, prompting the park to celebrate the roller coaster with a t-shirt day for the end of the 1981 season. Steel roller coaster A steel roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel track , which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along
1044-404: The steep incline of the lift hill as well as the excitement of the vertical loop, calling it "rather fun" after fully grasping the experience. Shaw further described the remainder of the ride as "a little anti-climatic" as it contained elements seen on other roller coasters. Sue Smith, an editor for Lancaster New Era , commented that though she had her eyes closed during the ride, the sensation of
1080-401: The track typically rely on wheels made of polyurethane or nylon to keep each train car anchored to the track. The introduction of tubular steel drastically changed roller coaster innovation, allowing for greater speeds, higher drops, and more intense elements such as inversions . Arrow Dynamics is credited with inventing tubular steel track and introducing the first modern steel coaster with
1116-408: The train reaches its maximum speed of 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), then enters the 57-foot (17-meter) vertical loop. Exiting the loop, the train makes a long, ascending sweeping left turn that travels through the middle of the loop. The train traverses a gentle right curve which includes a short tunnel. Out of the tunnel, the track travels along the terrain through various turns. The train goes down
SooperDooperLooper - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-405: The vertical loop. Attendance at Hersheypark increased from 1.4 million to 1.7 million visitors during the 1977 season, ranking among the top three United States amusement parks. The increase in visitors was partially attributed to the opening of the SooperDooperLooper. The SooperDooperLooper was the first inverting roller coaster at the park. After five years of operation, over 200,000 t-shirts with
1188-625: Was a German engineer who founded Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH , a German manufacturer of roller coasters and other amusement rides that were sold to amusement parks and travelling funfairs around the world. Anton Schwarzkopf, born ( 1924-07-08 ) 8 July 1924 in Bahlingen , Germany , began as an apprentice in his father's business, which focused on the design of specialised trailers used to transport circus equipment. By 1954, his father's company had transitioned into creating amusement rides. In 1957, Schwarzkopf built his first attraction,
1224-520: Was also updated with magnetic brakes . One Giovanola train was donated to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives . A 16-year-old worker from Lebanon, Pennsylvania , died after being hit by a moving train in the station's loading area while performing maintenance on August 25, 1977. A second maintenance worker was reportedly slightly injured in the accident. The roller coaster remained closed during an investigation of
1260-442: Was one of the architects to assist in designing the roller coaster. The design of the roller coaster was also assisted by R. Duell Associates, with General Manufacturer and Equipment Company implementing sensor equipment. Intamin acted on behalf of Schwarzkopf as the business facilitator for the attraction and aided in various roles during its construction. The roller coaster cost more than $ 3 million to plan and build. Upon opening,
1296-407: Was refurbished during the 2012 season. The roller coaster needed around 500 tons of steel for its construction. The SooperDooperLooper debuted with white track and orange trains. The roller coaster was repainted in 1989 to feature a black track and blue supports. During the 2021 season, the track retained the black and blue color scheme, with the vertical loop painted white. The roller coaster reaches
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