Our family loves visiting Hersheypark! Living locally in Hershey, it's definitely a perk having a such a great amusement park in our own backyard (or any amusement park for that matter!). I'll often take our two boys during the day for a few hours at a time when we're looking for something to do. My oldest loves the Helicopters and my little guy can't get enough of the kiddie Pirate Ship. Going so often, we've picked up a few tips and tricks to make our visits go smoothly.
If you're bringing little ones to the park, a stroller or wagon is a must! Not only is it a great mode of transportation for the kids, it's also a great place for all your stuff (aka, the giant bag of kettle corn your kids insist on buying at noon and you end up lugging around all day). Attach a Mommy Hook to the stroller and you have instant storage for your empty Souvenir Cups! If you’d prefer to rent one there, single and double strollers are available just inside the front gate.
Whether you're visiting just once or throughout the entire season, a Souvenir Cup is a great idea! The price does vary slightly depending on how many you buy (3 or more gets you the best deal), but regardless, soda refills area always .99 plus tax throughout the 2016 season. If you're buying a few for the family, pick out different characters for each family member! With three designs/color schemes to chose from (Kiss, Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Bar), it'll help answer the question, "Whose cup is this???" (Hint: Refill locations will be happy to fill your cup with ice water for free!)
If you're bringing little ones to the park, a stroller or wagon is a must! Not only is it a great mode of transportation for the kids, it's also a great place for all your stuff (aka, the giant bag of kettle corn your kids insist on buying at noon and you end up lugging around all day). Attach a Mommy Hook to the stroller and you have instant storage for your empty Souvenir Cups! If you’d prefer to rent one there, single and double strollers are available just inside the front gate.
Whether you're visiting just once or throughout the entire season, a Souvenir Cup is a great idea! The price does vary slightly depending on how many you buy (3 or more gets you the best deal), but regardless, soda refills area always .99 plus tax throughout the 2016 season. If you're buying a few for the family, pick out different characters for each family member! With three designs/color schemes to chose from (Kiss, Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Bar), it'll help answer the question, "Whose cup is this???" (Hint: Refill locations will be happy to fill your cup with ice water for free!)
If you live local to Hershey and plan on visiting more than a couple of times throughout the year, a Season Pass is definitely worth it! There are a ton of perks such as free parking. Our boys love to play games, so the BOGO game vouchers for season pass holders are a definite must for us! There’s no limit on the number of vouchers you can purchase, and they can be bought at any time. Simply stop by Guest or Hospitality Services and present your season pass to get this deal. We love that they're valid on the “winner every time” games, which is definitely the way to go when you have little ones.
For those that prefer to go with tickets versus a season pass, then it’s worth previewing the Park the night before. This perk is valid for regular full-day admission tickets. Guests can visit up to 2 1/2 hours before the park closes the day before their visit. Be sure to keep your parking stub from your evening visit and receive free parking the next day. Also, don't forget to shop around for the best deal on your tickets! We’ve compiled a list of places to buy discount Hersheypark tickets, as well as discount tickets to other local attractions.
If you’re bringing little ones to the park, stop by Hospitality Services just after the front gate to participate in the Family Finder Program. Families are provided a red wristbands for each child. Simply write your name and phone number on the inside of the band and a Park Attendant will size it to your child’s wrist. Lost children can easily be traced back to their parents with this easy and free program sponsored by Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.
Hersheypark has a wonderful Ride Accessibility Program! Visitors with mobility issues or other special needs are encouraged to stop by Hospitality Services just inside the front gate and complete a Ride Accessibility Questionnaire. This form can also be found online. I'd recommend completing it prior to your visit and bringing it with you to save time the day of your visit. The individual enrolling in the program will receive a boarding pass with a list of all the attractions they're able to ride. They'll also receive a wristband to wear during their visit to quickly identify to Park staff that they're participating in this program. For those unable to wear the wristband, it can be stapled into the boarding pass. Program participants may not have to fill out a new questionnaire with each visit to the Park depending on how often they return, although boarding passes are dated and are good only for the day they're printed. New passes for each new visit can easily be obtained with a quick trip to Hospitality Services.
Guests participating in this program will have the opportunity to enter a ride through it's accessible entrance as long as it's listed in their boarding pass. Depending on the ride, participants are often able to board immediately while other times they may have to wait for one or two ride cycles. For more than one ride on the same attraction, participants will receive a return time, especially in the case of long lines. Up to three guests may accompany the program participant, allowing families/friends to enjoy the park together.
Having two children on the autism spectrum, we've become very familiar with both the Ride Accessibility Program and Hersheypark's Quiet Areas. If you're in need of a quiet, sensory-friendly location, simply stop by Guests Services in Pioneer Frontier or Kissing Tower Hill. In each locations, rooms are available for families who may need some time to regroup from the excitement and stimulation of the Park.
Check out Harrisburg & West Shore Macaroni Kid for more tips from a local mom on visiting Hersheypark!
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We're excited to be partnering with Harrisburg & West Shore Macaroni
Kid to bring you this week's Great Summer Giveaway!
One lucky individual will win 2 tickets to visit Hersheypark during their regular summer operating season!
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