The ride
Hurricane: Category 5 is a wood roller coaster built by Custom Coasters International on its Custom Hybrid platform at Myrtle Beach Pavilion in South Carolina, having opened to the public in 2000. After 26 seasons of operation it remains one of the defining attractions on the Myrtle Beach Pavilion midway, drawing repeat riders who track every subtle change to its trains, restraints and station soundtrack.
On paper the ride is a serious thrill machine. It climbs 101 ft above the park before pitching forward into its first descent. That opening drop measures 100 ft, long enough to pin riders against their restraints and pull a prolonged moment of weightless airtime over the lap-bar. Trains reach a top speed of 55.0 mph before the first turnaround, where the layout opens up into a sequence of lateral and vertical elements. In total the track stretches 380 ft, giving the experience a distinctly long-form feel rather than the punchy one-and-done character of many modern compact coasters. enthusiast trip-planning resources
Coasters from Custom Coasters International have a recognizable signature in track shaping, train design and the way transitions are paced. Riders familiar with other Custom Coasters International installations will pick up on the same DNA in Hurricane: Category 5's layout, particularly through its station design and the sound profile of the running gear. As a Custom Hybrid, it sits within a recognizable family of attractions and benefits from years of refinement applied to similar installations elsewhere.
Plan to ride Hurricane: Category 5 early in the day or during the final hour before park close, when standby waits at Myrtle Beach Pavilion typically drop. Single-rider lines and early-entry ticketing programs, when available at Myrtle Beach Pavilion, are usually the fastest ways to get repeat rides on a busy day. broader coaster community archives
In CoasterVault's ranking tables, Hurricane: Category 5 currently appears in our 162nd position for fastest coasters, 186th position for tallest coasters, 174th position for longest tracks, 133rd position for biggest drops lists, reflecting where its core stats place it among operating coasters in the United States. These rankings move whenever a new installation opens, so the position should be read as a snapshot rather than a permanent record.