NEWS: Hershey Entertainment sells Dutch Wonderland

[Magnum PA]

That's crazy if you ask me.

 

I don't think Hershey can become a legitimate "destination" until they cater to more than just the wealthy.

 

I agree whole heartedly. The latest Hershey regime came in with a real elitest mentality, and it shows in just about everything that's been done since then and in everything they continue to do.

 

Pricing is through the roof on everything from rooms, to food, to park admission (including season passes). Hershey is pricing themselves out of the local market, trying to cater to the wealthy, as you said. The problem is, the wealthy from the region would just as soon fly to Florida for a much better experience.

 

Hershey desperately wants to be Disney. which is a shame. They have/had (depending on your point of view) something special. The park always had a certain feel to it - one that was really unique to Hersheypark. While a lot of the park still has its charm, parts of it feel so corporate now.

 

I also agree that Hershey needs to build a large <$100/night hotel, something more affordable for families, complete with shuttle service to the park. Hershey considers the Lodge to be their 'low-end' hotel, but it too is ridiculously expensive.

 

Hershey needs to be careful about turning their backs on the locals and lower-income families. Dutch Wonderland, rather than being an asset, is now competition for local dollars, and DW still has a company with deep pockets to market the park regionally. Palace can certainly add attractions to draw more guests while keeping the park geared to young familes.

[Synshine]

Pricing is through the roof on everything from rooms, to food, to park admission (including season passes).

 

Are you kidding me? Seriously, two park visits pays for your pass, never mind the free (preferred!) parking. I think people are too accustomed to Six Flags cut-rate pass pricing.

 

Regular admission prices is otherwise easily circumvented since you can find discounts basically EVERYWHERE for admission. The food..well, I'll give you that- but, with a caveat that the park is surrounded by numerous dining establishments in short distance.

[tatertot3710]

^ I don't know...$132 for an early pass purchase seems like a lot to me.

[Magnum PA]

Are you kidding me? Seriously, two park visits pays for your pass, never mind the free (preferred!) parking. I think people are too accustomed to Six Flags cut-rate pass priciing.

 

Season passes are $142, which is way too high. I think it's the most expensive season pass in the nation, behind Disney. (There's that 'D' word again!) That's almost $40 more than Cedar Point, and almost twice the price of any Six Flags park, and you get every park in the chain for that price. If I wanted to add Dutch Wonderland to my pass, it would cost me $192 next year.

 

Cedar Fair's Platium pass is only about $20 more than Hersheypark's single park season pass. I'd get more value out of that, hitting up Dorney twice and King's Dominion.

 

Single day admission is pushing $60 now, which is also crazy. Sorry, I just feel it's all overpriced. As much as I like Hersheypark, it is not the best park in the country. It shouldn't be priced as such.

[CoasterEricHP]

Are you kidding me? Seriously, two park visits pays for your pass, never mind the free (preferred!) parking. I think people are too accustomed to Six Flags cut-rate pass pricing.

 

I can see your point.. but I think Hershey's season pass seem crazy though when you figure that the FL Resident Pass at Universal is just about the same price! (Let alone the fact that I could stay onsite at a Universal Resort that puts what Hershey has to offer to shame for $200 cheaper)

 

It's no secret I'm very concerned about the direction Hershey is going in. They went from awesome traditional park to not being able to figure out if they want to be the Disney of the Northeast.. or a corporate park like BGW. Until they figure it out I think the overall atmosphere of the park is going to suffer pretty bad.. (it already has with a misplaced waterpark, an embarrassing shooter ride, and (and I know only 2% of people agree with me here) a coaster that is way too similar to Storm Runner in Fahrenheit.

 

What's my favorite thing about Hershey right now? The fact that there's this awesome park right up the road where I can have a great evening for the price that I'd pay to park at Hersheypark

 

But Hershey has been bringing people in like crazy so obviously I won't be making decisions at a theme park any time soon!

[Magnum PA]

and (and I know only 2% of people agree with me here) a coaster that is way too similar to Storm Runner in Fahrenheit.

 

Ugh. They are similar, but I think Fahrenheit kicks Storm Runner's ass though.

 

Weird. Automatic dollar signs...

[Ccron10]

Some pretty good points, but Hershey Entertainment is no stranger to owning parks or properties outside of their town. The company owned a hotel called the Pocono Resort Hotel in the Poconos for several years back in the late 70s until they sold it in 1983. They also bought Lake Compounce in 1985 but they ended up selling it 3 years later because it didn't meet their projections; sounds almost similar to the situation of what happened just now (Deja Vu!).

 

In summary, they fail at becoming a big coperate chain like Busch Gardens. The last several properties they've own outside of Hershey city-limits have either tanked or were sold to a new owner. I hope that they finally learned their lesson this time around that they should just stick to the Hershey-brand.

 

Back when Hershey Park was turned into Hersheypark in 1971, the plans were to turn it into the Disney World of the Northeast, but cost made them reduce the plans. Right now I think that they might be trying to claim that status again while mix in strategies that other parks are using and forgeting some major aspects of it.

 

The Boardwalk was built to create two parks inside of one, but the location they built it in has boxed that area in with little hopes of expansion. The size and feel of Midway America has changed because of this making it instead of a circle, being shaped like a moon.

 

I never really stay in many hotels, but from what I've read on prices for Hotel Hershey, their deals are terrible as well as the packages. A room is $279 a night and to stay in a cottage for several nights its well over $1K. The Lodge is about $30 or $40 cheaper, but it still is expensive. If Hershey wants to cater to a wider range of people and be one of the top parks in the country, they should invest in a hotel with cheaper rooms and offer Disney-like deals to get more people in their rooms.

 

While I do agree with the high admission and season pass prices with Hersheypark, I do have to say after visiting Dorney Park once in 2006 and twice this year, that I have no problem with them. Over the many times I've visited the park, I don't think I ever had someone line-jump me. At Dorney, everytime I visited, I would always see a lot of people who would jump in line, create a scene, or the workers would be so slow at their job. I feel that the extra cost you pay to get in gives you a much better chance that you're going to enjoy your day more.

 

The park could use more theming as well as more themed attractions, but once this and all the above happen, then I think it would be a Disney-like destination. But then again, the area around Hershey is not an Orlando either (more like a complete opposite).

[CoasterEricHP]

the area around Hershey is not an Orlando either (more like a complete opposite).

 

Hahaha.. very.. very true! However, there are a lot of wide open spaces around Hersheypark to build up the whole Disney thing! I guess Orlando was comparable to Harrisburg back in the 60's and 70's.

 

Too bad the two best things around Harrisburg are so expensive! Hersheypark and the Hollywood Casino!

[Meteornotes]

I think that season pass price is more than fair. Actually, I think all parks should charge more for their season passes. I think we can all see the amazing success Six Flags has had with their cut-rate pricing. Cheap season passes just make it easier for the park to become a baby sitting service for the locals. Which is not what a park is for.

 

As far as the Hotel Hershey goes, it's always been promoted as an upscale place, and is really marketed to an entirely different demographic than the average theme park visitor. I haven't been in the place since the mid-80's (when I moved out of PA), but I remember it being very nice and the food was very good. I don't see them changing the focus of this hotel any time soon.

 

I do think they should concentrate on the park and not keep trying to expand into the hotel business. I generally like the park, though like many think the water park area really should have been put in the old golf course or some other location. They could have even made it a separate gate, though that might have been hard to pull off with Dorney and their water park not being all that far away.

 

I've never stayed in a hotel in the area to go to the park (I used to live in Harrisburg, and now live in Baltimore so it's easy for me to get there for the day if I like), but are there not cheaper options in the area than the two Hershey owned properties? Seems like it would be somewhat difficult to compete with established national chains, and they might just be better off staying away from building a "cheap" resort. Though I do think if they could tear down the old arena and replace that with a more upscale hotel with an indoor waterpark, that might be an interesting idea for them to make more money year round, plus it would have super-easy access to the park for guests.

 

I don't really see Dutch Wonderland becoming any sort of "threat", unless they have a lot more land for expansion than I remember that area having. I'd say their competition is more from Dorney than anything, but with Cedar Fair running the park, competition is something Hershey is not going to have to worry about coming from that direction...

 

dt

[CoasterEricHP]

^ Yeah I don't see Dutch Wonderland ever becoming a major competitor unless they raze the entire place and start over which would probably make enough locals angry that the park would end up caving in completely. I don't know much about Lancaster tourism but I don't think a lot of people are coming just for Dutch Wonderland.

 

As far as Hershey goes. I think there are only a handful of chain hotels in the nearby area (0-3 miles) and a couple motels in downtown Hershey, but the number of decent rooms at a decent price is minimal.

[Ccron10]

^Yes. The Comfort Inn on Hersheypark drive is a cheaper alternative and they include free shuttle service to and from the park (and this might be the same way with other close hotels).

[YoshiFan]

I don't think the pass pricing is that high, it was mentioned the early pricing is $132. A pass for Great Adventure is $89.99 plus tax plus $48 for parking which puts you at over $140. I know a Six Flags pass gets you into all parks but for a lot of non enthusiasts it doesn't matter because they aren't going to to go another SF park. If the park was closer to me, I would get a season pass without even thinking twice. I guess compared to Dorney it is more expensive though since a Dorney only pass had early pricing of $89.99 with parking included.

[Synshine]

^ Yeah I don't see Dutch Wonderland ever becoming a major competitor unless they raze the entire place and start over which would probably make enough locals angry that the park would end up caving in completely. I don't know much about Lancaster tourism but I don't think a lot of people are coming just for Dutch Wonderland.

 

Even if by some miracle they absorbed the campground next door and doubled their attractions, they still wouldn't be considered in the same league.

 

It's still a neat little park that has definitely carved out a niche for itself. While I doubt it is the biggest attraction around Lancaster, I know every weekend I passed by this summer, the parking lot was packed.

[Magnum PA]

^ Yeah I don't see Dutch Wonderland ever becoming a major competitor unless they raze the entire place and start over which would probably make enough locals angry that the park would end up caving in completely. I don't know much about Lancaster tourism but I don't think a lot of people are coming just for Dutch Wonderland.

 

This isn't directed at you, Eric. A few people on here have said something to that effect. ^

 

Is Dutch Wonderland a threat to Hersheypark? No, it doesn't do anywhere near the numbers Hersheypark does. Is DW in competition? Absolutely - very much so. You would be surprised how many people Dutch Wonderland puts through the gates every year. You'd be surprised how many families travel to Lancaster to go to Dutch Wonderland. Try traveling down Rt. 30 on any summer day. Dutch Wonderland is very popular, not only with the locals, but with young familes in the Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and of course Pennsylvania markets.

 

A lot of familes, when presented with a choice between paying Hershey's rates or paying Dutch Wonderland's rates, will choose Dutch Wonderland. In many ways, you get more bang for your buck there, and there's a lot more to do in Lancaster than in Hershey. And all that money, instead of going into HE&R's pockets, now goes to Palace. That's competition in my book.

 

Plus, the two parks are in direct competition for group business, which is a huge thing in this industry.

 

There is more room than you'd think to expand at Dutch Wonderland, and I think we'll see it happen now with Palace at the helm. If Dutch Wonderland can "keep" more of the profits it generates, I look for them to expand their park and increase their capacity. I think we'll see Dutch Wonderland become a slightly larger park, aiming for 8,000-10,000 people per (busy) day, up from the 5,000-7,000 they do now.

[Synshine]

Rt 30 through there is pretty busy when Dutch Wonderland isn't open, for what it's worth.

 

I don't know if I would say there is a lot more to do around Lancaster, I don't think either is far removed from the other arts and culture-wise. Both cities have big outlet centers. Lancaster has more local shopping, restaurants, a ballpark, and tourist traps( ), but then Hershey has access to nearby Harrisburg.

 

Most people I know seem to categorize DW as place for your family if your your children are still young, perhaps 10 and under. You kind of graduate to Hershey when one of them decides they are too big for the place. I honestly don't think they compete much, not directly, they do overlap in demographics, but that's all. If Dutch Wonderland competes with anyone in the region, it's probably Sesame Place.

[Ccron10]

Recently, a member over at keystone Thrills traveled to the park and discovered that Twister is being taken apart. While usually this isn't really suprising since this is the time when off-season rehab work gets done, this ride was scheduled to be open for Dutch Winter Wonderland and had no notice of closing early. Plus according to this member, the ride ride seems to be taken apart more than usual for an inspection.

I wonder if HERCo still owns the ride and is taking it back to Hershey since they don't own the park?

http://keystonethrills.megabb.com/t8p15-new-for-2009-the-twister-rodeo#2686

 

Photos taken by Stormwinder at Keystone Thrills:

 

 

 

Here's a photo of what The Rodeo looked like during the offseason at Hersheypark.

[HPCrazy]

That last pic could've been taken during Candylane 2004, the only season that it ran for Christmas. Usually the seats are taken off of it during the winter and pretty much the frame is left in tact. I think that this was even the case at Dutch Wonderland last winter when it was there. Perhaps Hershey had the rights to this ride and may possibly put it back in next season under the Twister name? Would be nice to ride it again in it's original home. We'll see how things progress.

[Ccron10]

I emailed Dutch Wonderland about this to see if this had anything to deal with the park being sold to Palace.

The reply I got back was that it closed early because of the cold temperatures so that it could start it's offseason maintenance inspections. So it won't be going back to Hershey.