[B]OT: Going to Herhsey in the AM...anyone have a game plan I should follow?[/B]

[moopdog]

For those of you who have followed my post a few days ago, my family (me, DH and two younger ones (4 and 6) are going to Hershey tomorrow morning. We only have one day there, so I need to plan it well!

I am 99% I'm going to try the water park area, since I know my kids will go crazy for those rides, and hope that reviews I have read are off-base. Since tomorrow is a weekday, I hope - with crossed fingers - that the park is not too crowded.

I also hope to survive the heat, as it's supposed to be 95 and sunny tomorrow! So... how should we plan to attack this park? I will spend most of the time with children's rides, although my son and I will go on some of the coasters. Then I think we'll go the the water area after we eat lunch (around 1 or 2?).

I would love to squeeze the zoo in too, but won't push it if the kids are too exhausted at the end of the day. BUT if we do...can we get in via hersheypark, and does it cost extra? Is it worth the time and effort, or is it a zoo where you walk a lot and don't actually see the animals??

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[dmensing]

I'm not sure what the crowds have been like lately, but when we were there in late June, the water park area was unbearably crowded in the afternoons.

My suggestion would be to do the water park area as soon as the park opens to have the best chance of lower crowds. I would think by 1 or 2 pm on a 90+ degree day, the water park area will be crazy.

Good luck and have fun!
Dan.

 

[curlyjbs]

We do hershey every year - your best bet is to enter the park at opening and go LEFT. Just keep going left. You'll have most of the park to yourself till about lunch time since everyone else stops up front and filters to the right.

Have a great time! We love Hershey!

~Connie

 

[Cristy]

ZooAmerica can be accessed from within Hersheypark and does not cost any extra money. Some of the pavillions are enclosed and air conditioned. You can see many animals outside but they seem to be more active in the mornings when the weather is cooler or in the evenings just before this part of the park closes.

 

[sonia828]

just went yesterday. We went for twilight admission. We got in at five and got on about 25 rides the broadwalk doesn't count . Skip the kids log flume they wasted about 35 minutes trying to get on it. It has a slow loading and unloading process. My daughter was 4 when she went on the adult log flume. If you daughter is a tall four then there are lot of the big kid rides that she can enjoy save the really baby rides for late when there is no line wait First time in the broadwalk area and we got stuck there for about 2 hours. The water was warm so might want to do that toward the evening when the crowd is less. There was no set limit to the amount of time a kid could spend in a given area. Thank goodness they closed the area with the bucket at eight. The mini wave pool doesn't close till the park does. We spent about 2 hours in at area left at 9pm to hit the frontier land and got on 10 rides in that hour till park closed at 10. The raceway cars were empty we rode those at least three times in a row with a wait. Only got on one big coaster at 9:55pm. We didn't free cheated by spending only half the day in the park. We've spent the full day and didn't think we got half as much done.

 

[Desnik]

Check out my website to help plan your trip to Hershey park.
www.hersheyinfo.com
On the site you'll find a map, pictures and tons of info!
I also have a forum www.hersheyboards.com

We were there not too long ago. Personally I could spend the morning/afternoon just in the new Boardwalk section. It is so much fun, but get there early if you want to get a chair near the attraction. I would also skip the zoo if I only had 1 day at the park. Have fun, you will love it!

 

[PaulaSue]

The zoo is free and an hour at the most. The bears are neat to see but don't worry if you miss it.

Make sure you have water shoes for the rides, I don't know if you need them for the Boardwalk area, we haven't gone yet.

Have fun tomm!

 

[3darlings]

The water area is unbearably crowded in the afternoon. On the flipside, it is incredibly quiet first thing in the morning. Everyone has the same idea - wait to go on the water rides when it is hot! What we usually do is hit the Storm Runner first thing - that line can get very long quickly and the line doesn't move all that fast (for a roller coaster.) What I did last time was leave my family at the Storm Runner for a first ride and I walked over to the lockers in the water area (it is not that far) and put our towels, change of clothes, etc. in a locker. The lockers are usually hard (if not impossible) to get later and that way we didn't have to carry all that stuff around. It really worked out well. I was amazed at how dead the water area was in the morning!

Next we usually head to the Big Bear. We are roller coaster people so we can get in a number of rides if we concentrate on them first thing. That being said, I would avoid the Comet as you come in. That line is always long by the time we get to it - my only guess is that is because it is the first big ride people come to. It doesn't seem to get much better as the day goes on so we usually wait until late in the evening.

We don't usually go all the way to the left of the park (I forget the name but the area with the carnival theme and the dueling roller coasters) until later because the rides way at that end don't seem to ever get as busy as the other side.

One thing I have learned about Hershey Park is that it is very wise to get there as close to opening as possible. Although we love Hershey Park, it seems like it is not very efficiently run. You can really hit a backup at the entrance if you are not there close to opening and the lines can build quickly because the workers just don't seem to move very fast loading/unloading, etc. I think Disney has spoiled us! Anyway, what ever you decide, have a great time.

 

[Mkrop]

Are you staying at a Hershey Resort, you can get in the park an hour earlier than everyone else. Comet Hollow and Founders Circle are open at that time.

I highly recommend the Preview Plan as well we have done this twice and it was great. If you could do Chocolate World before the Preview Plan, it is less crowded during the day.

When we went the Boardwalk area was packed but the older water rides Tidal force and the Rapids ride were empty.

The zoo is a nice break from the heat as some of the exhibits are in the A/C. It doesnt take long.

Have fun.

 

[moopdog]

Quick question... I just looked at the showtimes and wondered if any of them are in air conditioning? Same goes for the eateries?

Thanks again!! Almost packed....

 

[moopdog]

The zoo is free and an hour at the most. The bears are neat to see but don't worry if you miss it.

Make sure you have water shoes for the rides, I don't know if you need them for the Boardwalk area, we haven't gone yet.

Have fun tomm!

OH NO!! I need water shoes? Nobody in my family even owns them? I don't want to have to buy them for one day? Is this is a recomendation or is it a rule there? Are flip-flops/sandals good enough?

I'm started to fret...

 

[Cristy]

Music Theater is enclosed and air conditioned. The amphitheater is open and has overhead fans. There is a restaurant near the kissing tower ride that is enclosed and air conditioned. The Tudor Square Restaurant is outside the admission gates on the walkway into the park and it is enclosed and air conditioned.

 

[PaulaSue]

OH NO!! I need water shoes? Nobody in my family even owns them? I don't want to have to buy them for one day? Is this is a recomendation or is it a rule there? Are flip-flops/sandals good enough?

I'm started to fret...

Flip flops are fine but you need shoes on the flume and water slides (older part, not sure about the Boardwalk area). You don't want to wear socks and sneakers.

 

[moopdog]

I don't want to offend any diehard hershey park lovers - but the day was a bust! It's my fault for not planning better. And also - it was way too *bleeping* hot! Holy crap - it was 99 degrees and completely sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Everything in our car melted (*crayons, packs of yogos, gum, lipstick) while we were in the park!!

Also - the crowds were out of control. Someone hear had mentioned the lack of crowd managing at Hershey, and I definitely experienced some of that. The water area was very nice and the kids probably would have been content to stay there all day, but we were ushered out of there while the shut it down (not sure why) for what we were told would be an hour. So, while we had our suits on, we tried to go the the "other" water area, but the it was filled to capacity... and so was the "other" one (not sure of names). So we grabbed tubes and go in line - then realized how long and slow moving the line was and got out. So we thought "canyon river ride" or "log flume"...nope the lines were at least hour long waits we were told. Okay... so we decided to change out of our suits and hit the dry areas. It took about 90 minutes from being ushered out of the water area to attempt all of those things and finally give up and change and leave that section of the park. The kids were frustrated and so were we. BUT...

all in all, we had a good time, and if the park was near empty I think it would be a really awesome place to go. The park is way bigger than I expected (again, poor planning on my end). And somehow we never wound up at an entire area of the park because we seemed to walk aimlessly for a little while. This is not my style as I am usually a commando type of park-goer, so I can only attribute it to the heat and crowds and think my mind was a little fuzzy. Truly - I got a little lightheaded at one point!!

I hope someone can learn by my example and PLAN even your smaller-park trips better than I, and avoid 100 degree days! I also think we've been spoiled by the shade and non-crowded Knoebels park for too long. Oh, well....live and learn!

 

[PaulaSue]

Sorry you didn't have a better time. Locals I know (me too) try aviod F,Sat, Sun and Mon like the plague. Did you get a chance to go to Chocolate World?

 

[Mkrop]

I'm sorry too, we have always gone at off times and love the park that way, We have done end of May, June etc and that Preview Plan is really nice. We did a weekend in Sept but never again, way too crowded.

And because we do go often we dont bother with the new places like Boardwalk right away, we give the novelity a chance to wear off.

We just got back from Busch Gardens this weekend and it was hot there too. And no one does crowds like Disney so I think we are all spolied, DH and I kept comparing it to Disney, no wait times on the ride lines obviously no FPs


You need to give Hershey Park another chance if you can.

 

[htmom]

Sorry you had a bad time. It is a large park so I guess you do need a "game plan" And sorry about the heat. It is summer.... Hope you give HP another chance.

 

[star65]

We were in Hershey this weekend, drove past the park to go to chocolate world Saturday and it looked extremely crowded, decided not to go till Sunday and it was great, much cooler temps, no long lines to speak off and we had a great time. Ate in the air condtioned restaurant near the
kissing tower and it was practically empty (1pm) and had the most delicious lunch ( not very budget conscious though) - Hotel was a bust though, stayed at HI in grantville, stained sheets 1st night then noticed tiny black bugs in room last night around 11pm when we got back from the park so we just hit the road then.

 

[Desnik]

Sorry you didn't have such a great time. But it does sound like you know where you went wrong, going on a weekend, when it was brutally hot, in the middle of the summer. I think with a little more time planning, researching and studying the park map, you will have a better time on your next visit. That is if you will give it another try and I hope you do because it is such a great park. FYI, the reason for closing the water area for an hour was because someone went to the bathroom in it. It takes an hour for it to filter out. From what I witnessed on our last trip I would plan the water area for one day then a second day to do the rest of the park. If you have to go in the summer, then the middle of the week is better. Also I have found the end of Aug to be better as far as the summer months go. One of my favorite times is May and I love going for Halloween. Oh for those who would want to know some of the counter service eateries have AC. The restaurant at Tudor Square obviously has AC, but the Gourmet Grill, and Paddle Boat Cafe, which are counter service, have AC too!

 

[Mkrop]

We were in Hershey this weekend, drove past the park to go to chocolate world Saturday and it looked extremely crowded, decided not to go till Sunday and it was great, much cooler temps, no long lines to speak off and we had a great time. Ate in the air condtioned restaurant near the
kissing tower and it was practically empty (1pm) and had the most delicious lunch ( not very budget conscious though) - Hotel was a bust though, stayed at HI in grantville, stained sheets 1st night then noticed tiny black bugs in room last night around 11pm when we got back from the park so we just hit the road then.

Huh my neighbor took his DD's basketball team and they all stayed there and he said it was very nice, he was surprised bc he had to do it on a budget bc of the team. I guess your room was the pits though, sorry to hear that too. We usually do the Lodge so I am not familar with all the surrounding hotels.