Amusement Park Mom

Five Things that Surprise People about Hersheypark

ShawnMarie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:41:13 +0000

There isn’t free chocolate everywhere. Sorry folks, but the only free chocolate you will find is on the exit from the Chocolate Tour ride at Hershey’s Chocolate World. In fact chocolate isn’t cheaper at Hersheypark either. Candy is the same price you’d find at your local stores and actually somewhat higher in some cases. What you will find are products your local store may not carry. Chocolate World and Hersheypark often showcase new to the market items so if you find something you’ve never seen before and love it, buy a bunch.
Hersheypark is not flat and walking can be difficult. This is very true. The park covers 110 acres which is larger than Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and has high points and low points that challenge even fit walkers. The park entrance is in a high spot and you can continue along on the higher route by passing around Comet Hollow and going into the Music Box Way section. The low points of the park are Comet Hollow and sections of Minetown. Many years ago steep steps led out of these two areas but now they are steep paths that are wheelchair accessible. If you have problems with slopes, pay very close attention to the park maps which are marked with the word STEEP when the incline is harder to navigate.
You can’t see all of Hersheypark in a day. Some people may be able to visit all portions of the park, but not if they are going to be riding rides and certainly not if they want to visit the Boardwalk water park area. With over 60 rides (including 12 roller coasters in 2012) and 110 acres of sometimes tough walking, you just can’t see it all in one day. So what do you do if you only have one day? Visit www.hersheypark.com and take a look at the map, the ride descriptions and anything else you might like to see. Have everyone make a list of their top 5 choices and start there. Come to the park early and stay late (evenings offer the shortest lines for nearly all rides) to fit as much as you can in during your one day. Do not visit in August when crowds are at their peak.
Hersheypark is expensive. Yes, this should come as no surprise to anyone, but Hersheypark is expensive. Research all options on the website, with AAA, with Giant Food Stores, to get the best deal on your park tickets. Average ticket price without discounts is $64. Expect parking to be $10-12. Expect your average meal for an adult to run you $12. Expect drinks to be $3-5 a piece – unless you get the refillable mug for around $8 which you can refill free with water and ice all day. Games are $2. You are talking $100 per person for a day easily. Be prepared.
Hersheypark is HOT. Holy cow is this true. Black asphalt is the pathway of choice at Hersheypark and that means Hot! Hot! Hot! in the summer sun. Beware your children’s feet if they are in flip flops. They may end up with a burn on their toes. Hersheypark has very little shade left due to park modernization and new ride additions. They do try to offer shade cloths, misters and other things to help with heat and sun, but they are few and far between. ZooAmerica is one exception to this and it is a nice shady rest in the afternoon during the summer – well, if you don’t mind the “animal” smells. Best things to do are bring sunscreen, wear a floppy hat, lift an umbrella, drink lots of water and visit the shops and indoor cooled areas to keep the heat at bay.

Bonus 6^th thing:

Hersheypark is shoulder to shoulder crowded on Saturdays late June through mid-August. Yes, in good weather this happens. Waiting hours for a kiddie ride, no place to park your stroller, lines down the block for bathrooms, most attractions at the Boardwalk waterpark are at capacity and closed to new visitors. That is Hersheypark on a Saturday in late June through early August. Want to beat the crowds? Go during the week Tuesday – Thursday in the evenings. (Daytimes are full of summer camps and tour buses.) Or visit in May or early June before school lets out. Yes, some things may not be open but you will have a much more pleasant travel experience. If you must travel on a Saturday during the busy season? Stay late – and be prepared to wait in line for a very long time.

10 Ways to Save Money on Food and Drink at Hersheypark

ShawnMarie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:31:45 +0000

Macaroni and Cheese at Chocolate World

We all know that eating at an amusement park can take a huge chunk of change out of your pocket. Here are some tips for easing the pain while visiting Hersheypark:

Purchase a meal voucher to get a discounted meal and a refillable mug.
Use your refillable mug to get water and ice refills for FREE during your whole trip.
Use your season pass to get a 15% discount on most food and drink.
Visit Chocolate World as soon as it opens for day old cookie bargains for a delicious snack before you enter the park.
Share meals. Many meals at Hersheypark are too large for one person, this includes kid’s meals. Not sure how much food you will get? Watch what others order before you buy and see what the portion sizes are. Nothing worse than paying top dollar for food and wasting half of it.
The best healthy beverage bargain is at the milk vending machines. A 16oz bottle of milk is $2.00, compared to a tiny box of milk for nearly a dollar more.. Be warned though, the chocolate milk is full of sugar but still better than soda since it at least contains some protein and calcium. White milk is a healthier choice.
Leave Hersheypark (get your hand stamped) and use the free shuttle at Chocolate World to go to downtown Hershey to eat lunch at a local restaurant. Hershey offers everything from pizza and subs to high end dining. Shuttles run during the summer season only.
Eat at Chocolate World (get your hand stamped to return to the park) – try the macaroni and cheese side dish or the soup in a bread bowl. Filling food at slightly less than park prices.
Pack your own food and leave it in a cooler in your car. (No outside food is allowed in Hersheypark.) Use the pavilions and picnic tables in the parking area and around Hersheypark Arena for your feast. To save time, send one member of the family out to find a spot and set up the feast and then text/call the rest of the family when it is ready. Finding a spot is usually the hardest part.
In the mood for ice cream? Soft serve ice cream at the Turkey Hill outlets is much cheaper than hard ice cream anyplace else in the park. Small soft serve cones are generally enough for most people and you can split one serving between two people if you ask for a spoon and an extra cone. Though if you must have hard ice cream, Cold Stone Creamery dishes up large portions of amazing ice cream for not much more than the other ice cream places. Ask for more spoons.

Dutch Winter Wonderland closed December 27, 2011 due to rain.

ShawnMarie — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:44:00 +0000

As posted on their website.

Pennsylvania Amusement Park 2012 Season Passes now available

ShawnMarie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:42:03 +0000

Many of the amusement parks in Pennsylvania offer season passes for their guests. In most cases these passes can be a considerable savings over purchases single day tickets if you visit the park three or more times. Check out each park’s website below for details on their 2012 Season Pass offerings.

Conneaut Lake Park – Season passes are not available to Conneaut Lake Park. Check the park’s website here for ticket information.

Delgrosso’s Amusement Park – Delgrosso’s is a free admission amusement park that offers season passes for rides and the waterpark. Pass holders can bring a buddy for free on Tuesdays. A discount is being offered on the passes but no end date is listed. Visit the park’s website for information here.

Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom – Dorney has a buy now don’t pay until March plan in place for their season passes until 12/31/11. The regular season pass includes admission to all Dorney Park and Wild Water events plus free parking. A platinum pass is available that gives you access to all Cedar Fair parks (with a few exceptions) in the US. Platinum passes do not include seasonal events at some parks. See the Dorney Park website here for details.

Dutch Wonderland – Dutch Wonderland has discount prices prior to 1/1/12. Dutch Wonderland season passes include entry to all Dutch Wonderland events. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. See website here for complete season pass details.

Hersheypark – Hersheypark has discount pass prices prior to 1/1/12. Hersheypark Season passes include entry to all Hersheypark events and free parking. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. A Discovery Pass upgrade is also available that includes other Hershey attractions. See website here for complete details.

Idlewild – Idlewild & Soakzone has discount pass prices if you buy 4 or more. They also offer a bring-a-buddy free day for season pass holders. See website for details here.

Kennywood – Season passes to Kennywood are available at a discounted price through 12-31-11 and are further discounted if you buy 4 or more. Season passes to Kennywood include regular season events but do NOT include Phantom Fright Nights. They do include buddy discount events. Visit their website here for details.

Knoebels – Knoebels is a free entry park and they do not offer season passes. They do offer discounts on ride tickets and wristbands at certain times. Visit their website here for details.

Lakemont Park – No information is available at this time.

Sesame Place – Sesame Place is offering a discount on their season passes through 12/31/11. They have different types of passes which include free admission or discounts to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other parks or just to Sesame Place. The passes include free parking and regular season admission only. Choose carefully from their website here.

Waldameer – Though Waldameer is a free admission park, they do offer season passes to cover the cost of rides. Waldameer is the only park in Pennsylvania to limit the number of season passes it sells, so make sure you get one early if you want one since they sold out last year. Visit the website here for details.

Watch Hersheypark Skyrush construction with on-site camera

ShawnMarie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:31:20 +0000

It’s a lot less than 275 days now until Skyrush opens in May and the construction crews are hard at work. Hersheypark has added an on-site camera feed to their website so fans can keep up to date on the development of the parks 12th coaster, Skyrush. View the latest progress on the Hersheypark website here.

Dutch Wonderland Breyer’s Ice Cream Shop printable coupon expires 12-31-11

ShawnMarie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:22:39 +0000

Love ice cream? Want to save some money when you visit Dutch Wonderland? Visit the Dutch Wonderland here to print a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream with the purchase of another scoop. Good only at the Breyer’s Ice Cream shop through 12-31-11.

Delgrosso’s Amusement Park puts Super Spiral up for sale

ShawnMarie — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:25:53 +0000

Here is a ride that didn’t have a single rider the whole time I was at Delgrosso’s in summer 2011 so I’m not surprised that it is on the auction block. The Super Spiral is a Super Round up flat ride which at one time could be seen at every carnival and festival. We don’t see them too much around here anymore and I guess we won’t be seeing it at Delgrosso’s either. You can see the sale listing for the ride here.

Hmm…. First the Flying Bobs, now the Super Spiral. Two rides gone in the same general area… could Delgrosso’s be planning something big for 2012? We’ll have to wait and see!

Flying Bobs are no more at Delgrosso’s Amusement Park

ShawnMarie — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:23:14 +0000

I’m so glad I visited the park to get to see the Flying Bobs before they were replaced. I’d never seen a ride of that type before in person. Delgrosso’s has shown the empty spot where the Bobs were on its Facebook page and posted a teaser photo of what Santa has brought Buddy Bear. Guess we’ll have to wait for the official word though someone has posted a guess on Facebook. Check out the news here.

Idlewild adds Oktoberfest to their 2012 season

ShawnMarie — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:56:21 +0000

Love to visit Idlewild but wish they had more lederhosen and strudel? Well you are in luck because beginning in 2012 Idlewild in Ligonier, PA, will open for two weekends in September to celebrate the German heritage with their Family Oktoberfest Weekends on September 8-9 and 15-16. Lots of polkas, pretzels and kraut will be on hand plus you’ll have the opportunity to do the Chicken Dance!!! What more could you ask for. Put it on your calendar and check out their website here for more details.

Laff in the Dark offers new DVD of Waldameer’s two Bill Tracy designed dark rides

ShawnMarie — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:54:36 +0000

Are you a fan of Waldameer Park? Are you a fan of Bill Tracy? Do you like to be scared out of your wits? Ah yes, then you need to get yourself a copy of Laff in the Dark’s Behind the Scenes at Waldameer’s Whacky Shack and Pirate’s Cove.

If you aren’t familiar with Laff in the Dark, it was the first website devoted to dark rides and funhouses and continues to be a huge supported of all things dark and fun! Their goal is to gain as much information about these wonderful rides as possible since many of them have already met their demise and their history has been lost.

Laff in the Dark’s first video took us inside the making of Knoebels Haunted House and it is a must have for Knoebels fans, Haunted House fans or anyone who wants to see something great be made out of next to nothing. Called Behind the Scenes at Knoebels Haunted House it is a classic and is now available on DVD to order from their website here.

The second installment of the Behind the Scenes library takes us to Waldameer in Millcreek Township PA, near Erie, where we find two of the less than ten remaining rides designed by the incredible Bill Tracy. You get a walk the track experience, a full video of the ride in the dark and an interview with Perry Duncan who worked with Mr. Tracy on the construction four decades ago. You can order the DVD and see a brief portion at the Laff in the Dark website here.