Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[TyRush]

The difference is fitting in the seat and safety. If a baby is 1 foot, and wears 5 foot high-top shoes that doesnt mean/make them 6 foot and able to ride Skyrush. Not trying to come off like rude but it just seems simple about a hight restriction.

 

Crowds really are unpredictable but during the week i would say in between WoF and CP. Saturdays are usually pretty crowded but manageable if you follow the right flight plan

[Ccron10]

Completely serious question. If a kid wheres a pair of shoes that make them taller, how is that any different than them being the right height without shoes? They're 54" either way, and as long as they don't take their shoes off, what's the harm in allowing kids to where taller shoes?

 

Also, what are lines typically like? I don't need super exact times, but are we talking CP crowds or WoF?

 

And thanks for the advice guys.

If the shoe has a heel more than an inch thick, the shoes will need to be removed for an acurate measurement. This is important becuase height requirements are there for your child's safety and a shoe with a big heel is not part of the person's height.

 

Have your child wear a normal shoe, stop at the gazebo to the right of the Milton Hershey fountain to get an official height wristband, and then any ride that has their candy brand on the green sign at the entrance is a ride that they are safe to ride.

[IanKgtr]

~Do they really make kids take their shoes off to measure their height? My little brother is right at the 54" mark with his shoes on, but I don't think he'll quite make it without shoes.

 

If you stop by the height station on your way to the front gate, an employee can officially measure him and will give him a wristband showing his official height category. This will save your little brother the headache of being measured (sometimes twice) at every ride he comes to. Just some food for thought

[Whodey]

I will be going to the park first thing Friday for the first time. Hoping to ride the big coasters at least 2 times and ride every coaster at least 1 time. I plan on skipping most of the flats. I have already read the Park index trip guide but wondered how long it will take so I can run up to Knoebels and get those coasters in. I am willing to get the fast track but hoping to avoid it.

 

If anyone is going to be there Friday AM, I am willing to meet up.

[TyRush]

You should be great on Friday. Thursday and Friday we are close to hitting 100 degrees so the Boardwalk will be the place to stop. And some people may not even go

[Whodey]

Yes I plan on sweating my balls off. I don't get much choice of days because I am in Harrisburg for work.

[TyRush]

Haha yes the park has some nice shady areas and they will have the misters on in the queues. So just dress light and you should be good

[griffonj2022]

How busy does the park get during the "Christmas in July" part of the summer? I'm looking into going down to the park this Saturday and was curious to how much of a mob scene it would be...

[coasterfreak101]

You're going to a theme park on a Saturday in the middle of the summer. Expect the worst.

[TyRush]

The last few weekends i have been checking the Hersheypark mobile app (which is very accurate) on the wait times and they are crazy. Saturdays obviously longer waits than Sunday. Last Saturday from 10-2 they had pretty much every major coaster listed at 60-90min waits. But then all of a sudden from 2-8 they were very short (people at the boardwalk) then the lines picked up till closing. So if you do go, better do the Fahrenheit first route then swing back towards the front as the mob heads to the Boardwalk around lunch!

 

Hope it helped! Get the app

[netdvn]

I'm gonna be at HP this Saturday too. I have a few last minute questions.

 

- How's Choc World? I was thinking about hitting it first thing, although with the temps in the 90s and a chance of storms, I was thinking about doing it sometime in the afternoon. Would that be a better plan?

- My parents want us done with the park by 5, but I have plans to stay longer. Is there a way I can hit all the signature stuff before then and then go for rerides afterwards when I get the chance? I'm still doing the start at the back and swing around to the front plan.

- I'll be taking my 7 year old nephew along for the ride. Are there shady (or AC) places where we can sit and cool down and/or relax. I don't wanna be dragging a cranky kid all afternoon from the heat. I prefer a spot with a coaster view, but anywhere's fine with me.

- Since I'm taking a kid with me, is ZooAmerica worth the side trip? I'm certain he's into animals, so I was thinking about spending some time there when the lines get insane. Does the zoo have AC exhibits or is it all outdoors with shade?

- Is Boardwalk really worth setting foot into? Especially with it being so hot that day. I was told the park sets up queue lines for even the wave pool and the water works when it gets busy enough.

 

Looking forward to seeing some of you there. I'll be wearing a Busch Gardens shirt of some kind.

[azza29]

^If you haven't been before Chocolate World is worth a look. The dark ride is pretty good and they have a HUGE store out the back. I'd go later in the day if you're planning to buy any chocolate, otherwise it'll just melt. The make your own chocolate bar attraction is fun, but I wouldn't bother with the chocolate university. The whole thing won't take long, maybe an hour at most depending on how long you spend in the store.

[A.J.]

You can get a decent meal (for a regular old amusement park considering my very low standards) at Chocolate World for under $10. I'd suggest that if you're arriving in the park around lunchtime.

[Schrecken]

I'm planning one more trip to HP before this season is out, and I'm either going to go right at the end of the summer or perhaps into the early fall (might be tending towards the fall since I'm not a fan of extreme heat). What are the crowds like the last week of August (weekdays), and also how about a weekend in September? For September, would a Sunday be better than a Saturday?

[TyRush]

August 26th school starts for most schools in the area so that week would be perfect for a trip

[UrbanLegend]

Chocolate World is definitely worth it. I go every time I visit, and always after my visit to the park. It's relaxing to just ride the factory tour ride, plus the song the cows sing will be stuck in your head forever.

[TyRush]

Oh my^ Yes that cow song, now its stuck back in my head!

[jray21]

The chocolate world store is pretty amazing, but it can get super packed.

[Whodey]

Went to the park for the first time today. It was very hot. The only bad thing was the line for Skyrush not having any shade. For a new ride they could of designed the station better and thrown up some shade for the line. Capacity sucked with having to exit the same side as boarding. Also the last 2 rows were blocked off on both trains. I waited 70 minutes. The next longest wait was Comet at 20 and everything else was a walk on. The ride itself was great.

 

I wish they spent an extra couple of million on Storm Runner and made it at least a minute long. Great ride but very short.

 

It was a fun park and I liked the milk song too. Overall a really good day even though Sooperdooperlooper was down for the day.

[Schrecken]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Lack of shade is also a problem on Fahrenheit - I had to wait about 45 minutes for my first ride on it the year that it opened, and it was unbearably hot in the line. I was hoping that they would eventually figure on shading at least part of the line with some kind of covering, but clearly that has never happened. And yes, Skyrush would really benefit from having at least the stairway covered. Last time I was there the end of the line was about 2/3rd the way down the stairs, and even standing there for only 5 or 10 minutes in the sun was brutal. HP has some nice natural shade in places, but for some reason this park isn't inclined to try and create any artificial shade.

[TyRush]

Do you guys think SDL was closed today because of NTAG accident? Or because of a mechanical problem?

 

With the concert tonight (i think) you would figure Hershey would have all the rides up and running for largest crowds

[Whodey]

While sweating my butt off in line for Skyrush I watched a mechanic with a hammer working around the train on the ready brakes. I don't know anything but that is where he was working. My guess was either a ready brake problem or a train problem. Usually when it is a train problem they would just put the one off track and work on it. Total out of my a** guess is the ready brakes.

 

Also Skyrush has 4 trees that in about 20 years will shade the line. So I guess just be patient. Most other lines were shaded.(except Comet) I walked right onto Fahrenheit so I didn't notice the sun.

[TyRush]

Okay, i notice it having a lot of down time this year. Lets see if it opens today!

 

And yeah give Skyrush time. You can already see how quickly its grown into the creek already so it shouldnt be long untill the trees in the queue get some what larger

[simon8899]

^Please report if SooperDooperLooper is running

[TyRush]

As of park opening SDL is closed