A wild ride: What makes Waldameer Park's Ravine Flyer II wooden roller coaster unique
It's the largest wooden roller coaster in Pennsylvania, according to Waldameer president Steve Gorman. It's also the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the state.
The Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer Park at 220 Peninsula Drive is considered the park's signature attraction by employees.
About the Ravine Flyer II
First opened in 2008, the 3,061-foot long wooden roller coaster gives guests a 60 mph ride, with a steep drop of 120 feet. The coaster has roughly 300,000 riders on it per year.
“What is unique about it is when you are in the amusement park, you cannot easily see where the ride will run because it goes down the ravine,” Gorman said. “It’s an unknown until you ride it, so it’s a big surprise and it looks like it’s an 80-foot hill but really it’s 120 feet because it goes under ground.”
The coaster also spans across Peninsula Drive over to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at 301 Peninsula Drive.
“I believe it’s the only roller coaster that goes over a public road in the country,” Gorman said. “It’s the only coaster that goes over a four-lane public road.”
Ravine Flyer II gets national recognition
When it first opened, the coaster won the Golden Ticket Award for the best new ride in the amusement park industry. The vote was conducted by Amusement Today publication.
Every year Amusement Today also votes on the best coaster. The Ravine Flyer II ranks at No. 8 in the world in the latest ranking from 2023.
Ride the Ravine Flyer II this season
Waldameer is set to open on May 4 from noon to 8 p.m.
Attendees can find the Ravine Flyer II in the northeast corner near Rainbow Gardens and the flying swings.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Waldameer's Ravine Flyer II among top-rated US wooden roller coasters
