Hershey Park

[NavyDotz]

We are planning on visiting Hershey Park in June.

Our hotel choices are: Homewood Suites Harrisburg E or the Springhill Suites Hershey

I have to let my traveling companions know which one I have decided on by Sunday.
Are there any locals or recent travelers that can provide some info on either location?

Also, are there any other suggestions for a visit to the Hershey area?
We are driving in from the DC area & plan on staying two nights - preferably during the week to avoid weekend crowds.

Any & all info appreciated!!!

[nicholaspaige]

We actually went to Hershey last June and are planning on going again this June. We usually take the kids someplace the weekend they get out of school and we had so much fun last year we are going again this year!!!:D

While I don't know about those 2 hotels I would say double check to make sure they have pools. We stayed at a red Roof Inn and I guess I assumed it would have a pool. Luckily we spent most of our time in the park the kids would have liked to be able to hop in after our long car ride down.

Do you know they have those "preview" days? Depending on when the park closes you can get in 2 1/2 hours the night before for "free"!!:D just give them your next day tix and they will let you in. We did that last year and were able to do quite a bit of the coasters that night.

Also as an added "bonus" the Dave Matthews Band was playing in the theatre last year so we hung out in the parking lot for a bit after to hear some of the music.:D And this year...the weekend we are looking to go the Jonas Brothers will be there!! Again, an added plus for my DD!! While we don't buy seats, you can easily hear the music from the parking lot. In fact, it seemed like many just paid the parking fee and camped out in the parking lot for the evening!!:-o

Ok...back to hershey. If you are going to be there for 2 days, look into buying the 2 day passes. they are relatively cheap, and you can def spend 2 whole days there. Especially if you want to do a bunch of the water rides and coasters. Not sure if your family is into that but....And check out the height requirements ahead of time. While my DD and DS were fine for the rides they wanted, friends that we went w/had a son who was too short for a couple of the bigger coasters:( . Oh...and the water rides(like the flume and raging river type things). When they say "YOU WILL GET WET"...they mean it. Water will pour over the top of you and there is now way around it. We were soaked thru to the bone..but had a blast!!

Have fun...if you have 1/2 the fun we did, you will have a blast!!

[NavyDotz]

...double check to make sure they have pools. We stayed at a red Roof Inn and I guess I assumed it would have a pool. Luckily we spent most of our time in the park the kids would have liked to be able to hop in after our long car ride down.

Do you know they have those "preview" days? Depending on when the park closes you can get in 2 1/2 hours the night before for "free"!!:D just give them your next day tix and they will let you in.

...back to hershey. If you are going to be there for 2 days, look into buying the 2 day passes. they are relatively cheap, and you can def spend 2 whole days there. Especially if you want to do a bunch of the water rides and coasters. Not sure if your family is into that but....And check out the height requirements ahead of time. While my DD and DS were fine for the rides they wanted, friends that we went w/had a son who was too short for a couple of the bigger coasters:( . Oh...and the water rides(like the flume and raging river type things). When they say "YOU WILL GET WET"...they mean it. Water will pour over the top of you and there is now way around it. We were soaked thru to the bone..but had a blast!!

Have fun...if you have 1/2 the fun we did, you will have a blast!!

i totally forgot about checking for pools @ either hotel - will do that now!

we are going w/ an 8yr & a 3yr - the 8yr is just starting 2 get n2 the bigger coasters (her new fav is ToT :yowsa: ) so she'll enjoy those

we plan on also doing Hershey's Chocolate World & the museum tour so i'm thinking two days should be enough for those & the park too? :?

thanks 4 the tips!!!

[imagineerwannabe]

Chocolate World will not take more than one hour or two. I have never done the museum tour. Most of the hotels are about two or three miles from the park. Traffic sometimes is very bad getting in. There is a 3D (Paid) movie that you need to make reservations for. I seem to remember an area where kids can pretend to be in a factory and make Hershey Kisses. Oh, and you normally get a free Hershey Bar at the end of the Chocolate tour.


They have a nice picnic area in the parking area and there are lockers there, and near the water ride area of the park. Bathing suites are only permitted in the water ride area.

If you like to walk, I found that it is sometimes faster than taking the tram. But hey, we liked to walk.

There is also a little zoo called Zoo America, which is not too bad. Not the National Zoo, or Animal Kingdom, but it is OK. Mostly with animals from the US in it.

The Super Soaker is a really cool suspension coaster the 8 YO may be big enough to ride. You get to dump a container of water on the people below you. If she is not big enough, there is an area underneath with water guns, and you can shoot the people riding on the coaster.

Some of the shows are rather cheesy. They usually have a small sea lion or dolphin show that is cute.

You probably already know about the website, but I am posting it her in case someone else is interested in the information.
http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/index.php

[nicholaspaige]

Traffic sometimes is very bad getting in. I seem to remember an area where kids can pretend to be in a factory and make Hershey Kisses. Oh, and you normally get a free Hershey Bar at the end of the Chocolate tour.

Bathing suites are only permitted in the water ride area.

If you like to walk, I found that it is sometimes faster than taking the tram. But hey, we liked to walk.

There is also a little zoo called Zoo America, which is not too bad. Not the National Zoo, or Animal Kingdom, but it is OK. Mostly with animals from the US in it.

The Super Soaker is a really cool suspension coaster the 8 YO may be big enough to ride. You get to dump a container of water on the people below you. If she is not big enough, there is an area underneath with water guns, and you can shoot the people riding on the coaster.


Yes....traffice was terrible when we went...but we attributed it to the concert plus there was some evangelist something or other going on too right next door. I think that's what made the traffic sooooo bad...at least for us.

The Zoo was ok...my kids(10 and 7) love animals so it's a def for us.

Your 8 year old should be able to do the Super Soaker as my DD had just turned 7 last year and was plenty tall enough...and she is on the short side. BUt yuor 3 year old can def squirt the guns up at the people as they go by. The kids loved that too!!!:D

And yes, they do have a "work factory" inside the Chocolate Factory. The kids get chef hats, and go behind to help put kisses in the boxes. And they do give free samples too after the ride!!!

[NavyDotz]

thanks for the replies!!!

we decided to book the Hershey Lodge since it was only $26 more than our other two options & they provide transport back & forth to the park

they do give a AAA discount according to reservation clerk & website but they only apply it at check-in when you present your AAA card - i guess that will take us just about back down to the other hotel prices assuming a 10% discount

the other tipping factor was that they have a character breakfast available - character pics just arent the same unless you have a shot of a table w/ ½ eaten food in the corner! :peri:

[imagineerwannabe]

Just not the same with Candy Bars though.

[Mickey4Us]

I haven't stayed in either hotel so I can't comment. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Harriburg East. Nothing special but got a cheap rate. Easy drive to Hershey. Lots of restaurants in the area around the hotel.

As for Hershey, the kids had a blast. Chocolate world was a quick tour. We took the trolley ride which was fun. The "guides" were so funny. Tons of corny jokes. We wouldn't pay extra for the zoo. Go on a day you go to Hershey as it is included in park admission. It was a nice zoo but wasn't worth the cost. Hershey gardens may be a nice tour for you. My kids weren't interested so we went to the car museum up the road and they loved it!