Hershey PA while not spending a lot of $$

[lilsk8nmac]

I dont know how important going on all the rollercoasters are for you, but if it's not a HUGE priority, I would say skip the park and just go to chocolate world and the Hershey Experience (the Hershey experience is on rt 422 in downtown hershey). As far as food goes, there's a great pizza place on 422 not far from the hershey Experience called "BRICKERS" it is indeed the best food in Hershey, IMHO. They make really great brick oven pizza. And at a good price.
There are also other cheaper food options not on HERSHEY PARK property.
We are locals to the area, so we know all the good places to eat, esp on the cheap, etc...
If you have any more questions, feel free to inbox me.

 

[MMitchell29]

I dont know how important going on all the rollercoasters are for you, but if it's not a HUGE priority, I would say skip the park and just go to chocolate world and the Hershey Experience (the Hershey experience is on rt 422 in downtown hershey). As far as food goes, there's a great pizza place on 422 not far from the hershey Experience called "BRICKERS" it is indeed the best food in Hershey, IMHO. They make really great brick oven pizza. And at a good price.
There are also other cheaper food options not on HERSHEY PARK property.
We are locals to the area, so we know all the good places to eat, esp on the cheap, etc...
If you have any more questions, feel free to inbox me.

Thank you so much for the information but i think i'm getting a little confused now. So what you are saying is there is a Hershey Park, Hershey World and Hershey Experience and all these are three different places correct

Are you saying that the park only has rollercoasters and not much for little kids?

 

[DCbride]

We go every Christmas and stay at the Springhill Suites. It is about 1 mile from the entrance, just before the Giant the PP mentioned. You get breakfast and rooms have fridge and microwave. Hershey Park is where the rides are, Chocolate World is a ride that simulates what happends in the facotry, has a 3D show, make your own chocolate bar and a shop. There is also a museum that I haven't been to, and a zoo. Definitely a lot to do there. There is a Red Robin, Friendly's and some fast food along with some nice local places to eat, besides in the park. There is also a decent outlet place- Disney, Coach, Gymboree, etc.

 

[sunshineNJ]

If your kids are under 10 skip Hershey and go to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pa. It 's a great old fashioned place and there are hotels across the street that are less then in Hershey. It also has water rides and water play areas.

 

[sunshineNJ]

Dutch Wonderland is much cheaper then Hershey and so nice.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

This is a great thread. We are thinking about doing a short Hershey trip (2 days/1 night) over Memorial Day weekend. We aren't coaster enthusiasts, but it looks like they have quite a few kiddie and family rides there too. We are also interested in visiting Chocolate World; and if we have enough time we'd like to visit Zoo America too. I've heard the park food is pricey, but we only plan on doing one day in the park and will probably eat at the Red Robin for dinner on that particular evening.

 

[lilsk8nmac]

Thank you so much for the information but i think i'm getting a little confused now. So what you are saying is there is a Hershey Park, Hershey World and Hershey Experience and all these are three different places correct

Are you saying that the park only has rollercoasters and not much for little kids?

It does have kiddie rides, but it's mostly big scream rollercoasters. And it's too expensive in my opinion. Chocolate World is located in the same area as HersheyPark, but it's free to get in, there's a how to make chocolate ride (i think you get a hersheys kiss at the end), and other stuff to do in there: shops, food court, etc.. The Hershey Story (Experience) is on Rt. 422 in Downtown Hershey, which is like a mile from the Park. You can literally see the back of the park from there. For the price you'd pay for a one day pass at Hershey Park, I'd go to Disney World for a day first. Rt 422, also has all kinds of food places where you could eat cheaper than in Hershey Park. But it's honestly up to what each traveller wants to do.

I also want to add these things....You need to watch out when you are visiting, if the Hershey Bears make Calder Cups playoffs (April-May sometimes into June) the place will be packed to capacity, the area is a huge mess that time of year between hockey crowds, school trip crowds and the usual round year tourists. Secondly, when it comes to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA (where I'm originally from), that park is run by the Hershey company and it's not much cheaper in my opinion than Hershey Park. But if you are looking for more kid oriented rides, etc, that's the place to go.

 

[Meg91]

There is a great family friendly park about 70 miles north of Hershey Park, It's called Knoebel's Grove and to make it even better its the largest FREE admission park! My family has been going here for more than 30 years, its our go to park because of how affordable it is. And to be honest, it never gets boring. You pay zero dollars to enter the park, if you choose to ride rides they have a wristband option or ticket option. This park is even somewhat like Disney, they have their own campground connected to the park, you can either stay in your own RV or rent a cabin. Everything in this park is very affordable

http://knoebels.com

 

[jmb912]

Really glad to hear some positives about Knoebels! We just moved to PA, about 10 minutes from Knoebels! I'm sure we will be visiting a few times this summer maybe! We've been having a really hard time adjusting to this move, so maybe that will be something to look forward to!

There is a great family friendly park about 70 miles north of Hershey Park, It's called Knoebel's Grove and to make it even better its the largest FREE addmission park! My family has been going here for more than 30 years, its our go to park because of how affordable it is. And to be honest, it never gets boring. You pay zero dollars to enter the park, if you choose to ride rides they have a wristband option or ticket option. This park is even somewhat like Disney, they have their own campground connected to the park, you can either stay in your own RV or rent a cabin. Everything in this park is very affordable

http://knoebels.com

 

[PaulaSue]

Love HP. We have season passes often. Food terrible and expensive onsite IMO. Rides and water park fun if kids are 5 or more IMO. Also have mini zoo that is free with HP admission which is for an hour or so but I wouldn't pay to go separate ( you could and the schools all go in elem). Sorry don't know hotels to recommend but also don't recommend just comming up for the chocolate world things. To me that is an hour at most unless you pay to do the experiences here. The free ride is cute for the kids and my girls knew he song by 2 lol.

 

[stitchlovestink]

We go to both DW and Hershey every year. We stay at the Hershey Hotel so I can't speak to less expensive options. However, if you think food in Disney is pricey...food at Hershey Park is much more expensive. I am sure others can provide insight as to where to eat outside of the park. We usually just eat at the Circular Dining room at the hotel.

Yes, I TOTALLY agree!!! LOL The Food is horribly expensive and is IMO fairly awful other than the pizza. And they do check your bags for any food so there is no bringing in any snacks or drinks of your own which royally stinks as I don't like to drink lots of soda during the summer and I don't like to drink bottled water either!!

And as far as Dutch Wonderland... It is a Great Little Park but I would say if you have a child at age 9 or 10 who is a thrill ride seeker, they will be sorely disappointed. This park is geared towards small/young children. No Thrill rides at all. There is a tiny coaster. There is a set of water slides that operate during the summer. But most of the rides are super super tame. And I thought Hershey sold DW off recently?? I'm pretty sure they did....

 

[mjkacmom]

Thank you so much for the information but i think i'm getting a little confused now. So what you are saying is there is a Hershey Park, Hershey World and Hershey Experience and all these are three different places correct

Are you saying that the park only has rollercoasters and not much for little kids?

There are plenty of rides for all ages, and what is great about Hershey is that there are a variety of rides in all sections, which works great if you have multiple ages in your party (worked really well when my kids were younger - they can now go on all of the rides).

We used twilight passes without staying on Hershey property - they're for everyone. We used to stay at the Lodge, until we needed two rooms, and then had to go off property. TBH, we get to the park faster driving than we did taking the bus.

I also always hid a couple of water bottles in my bag - I'm such a rebel! And pizza is the best/cheapest meal option that we've found.

 

[scottmel]

We have gone to Hershey every year for the last 10 years. DD13 loves it. If you have kids of mixed ages I think it is nice b/c the kiddie rides are mixed in with the big kid rides.Meaning one parent isn't spending a day inKiddie Land while another parent has kids in another area of the park. We have one child but I noticed this over the years...

We have always stayed in Hershey Lodge but I am disappointed lately with the price they charge vs. the amenities.

Here is how we do our trip:

Arrival Day - 2 pm. Lunch. Check into Hotel.

4 pm - Chocolate World for free tour. Shop the store. Eat at Kit Kat Cafe or food court. Maybe do 3D movie....

6:30 Walk over to HP and que up for early park entry.
Stay thru park close on free preview night. We usually just buy a 1 day pass with this free night feature. 2 day pass is too long for us...

Day 2
rope drop!
We aren't water park fans so we don't do this but would make nice 2nd day tiket if you did..
Stay till 2 break for lunch
Swim
Back at 6
Close park

Day 3
Hershey Gardens - free admission if staying at hershey properties
Hershey Museum
Chocolate World 0 make our own candy to take home with us
lunch in town
Outlets???

Drive Home

You get a ton done on preview night. Tickets can be purchased at Giant Market for a discount. The past several years Chevy Car owners can get free tickets during chevy customer appreciation days....

 

[MMitchell29]

There are plenty of rides for all ages, and what is great about Hershey is that there are a variety of rides in all sections, which works great if you have multiple ages in your party (worked really well when my kids were younger - they can now go on all of the rides).

We used twilight passes without staying on Hershey property - they're for everyone. We used to stay at the Lodge, until we needed two rooms, and then had to go off property. TBH, we get to the park faster driving than we did taking the bus.

I also always hid a couple of water bottles in my bag - I'm such a rebel! And pizza is the best/cheapest meal option that we've found.

Thank you so much I was about change my mind because I keep reading how expensive it is but if I can get tickets for 30 something dollars and go for twilight then the next day have a full day at the park i'm ok eith that. My family is ok with not staying at the resort onsite because we love hotels that offer the free breakfast and has more living space
Do the tickets at Giants offer the twilight?

 

[htmom]

I grew up in Hershey, I now live in Harrisburg. We have season passes. I have a 10 and a 7 yr old. They love Hersheypark and both have loved it their whole lives. There are tons of kiddie rides through out the park (which I love that Im not stuck in one area lol) Now they are big enough they like the smaller coasters.

Personally we eat out of the park and we don't do the waterpark often. The waterpark is crowded usually and we just go to our local pool to swim. Eating in the park is expensive on the whole but we will sometimes get Mrs. T's pierogies or a pretzel to share. There are tons of resturants within a 5 min drive of the park.

For hotels I suggest the Country Inn and Suites to all out of town guests. It is clean, fairly inexpensive and has a pool. For those who like to "rough it" I suggest Highmeadow. They have transportation to the parks. If you are willing to "splurge" a tiny bit I suggest the Hershey Lodge. It is beautiful and majorly family friendly.

A huge splurge would be the Hotel Hershey. It is a gorgeous hotel with prices to match. LOL

What I tell everyone coming in the must do's are:
Hershey's Chocolate World
-do the free tour ride
- if you want to learn about the man behind the chocolate go on the trolley. it is a paid sightseeing journey, you get little treats along the way as well as a great show!
- if you like the 3-D type of shows be sure to see the show you pay for! it is cute if you like that kind of show.
HersheyPark
-don't forget about the shows! They have a cute diving show as well as some other shows throughout the park
-the rides, the park map on the website will show you how the park is divided up.
Hershey Gardens
-this is if you have time and have lovers of nature in your group

Personally I don't care for the Hershey Story, it is a museum, you can get way more info on the trolley tour and it is much more entertaining.

 

[MMitchell29]

I grew up in Hershey, I now live in Harrisburg. We have season passes. I have a 10 and a 7 yr old. They love Hersheypark and both have loved it their whole lives. There are tons of kiddie rides through out the park (which I love that Im not stuck in one area lol) Now they are big enough they like the smaller coasters.

Personally we eat out of the park and we don't do the waterpark often. The waterpark is crowded usually and we just go to our local pool to swim. Eating in the park is expensive on the whole but we will sometimes get Mrs. T's pierogies or a pretzel to share. There are tons of resturants within a 5 min drive of the park.

For hotels I suggest the Country Inn and Suites to all out of town guests. It is clean, fairly inexpensive and has a pool. For those who like to "rough it" I suggest Highmeadow. They have transportation to the parks. If you are willing to "splurge" a tiny bit I suggest the Hershey Lodge. It is beautiful and majorly family friendly.

A huge splurge would be the Hotel Hershey. It is a gorgeous hotel with prices to match. LOL

What I tell everyone coming in the must do's are:
Hershey's Chocolate World
-do the free tour ride
- if you want to learn about the man behind the chocolate go on the trolley. it is a paid sightseeing journey, you get little treats along the way as well as a great show!
- if you like the 3-D type of shows be sure to see the show you pay for! it is cute if you like that kind of show.
HersheyPark
-don't forget about the shows! They have a cute diving show as well as some other shows throughout the park
-the rides, the park map on the website will show you how the park is divided up.
Hershey Gardens
-this is if you have time and have lovers of nature in your group

Personally I don't care for the Hershey Story, it is a museum, you can get way more info on the trolley tour and it is much more entertaining.

WOW!!! Thanks this is what i was looking for Where can I find more info on the sight seeing journey?

 

[HelenePA]

Really glad to hear some positives about Knoebels! We just moved to PA, about 10 minutes from Knoebels! I'm sure we will be visiting a few times this summer maybe! We've been having a really hard time adjusting to this move, so maybe that will be something to look forward to!

Knoebels, I'm about 30 min away. Opening day is next month wristbands area ALWAYS b1g1 free that weekend usually at a discounted price too. Their food is cheap and SOOOOOOO yummy... its much cheaper for us to go here than Hershey. Plus Hershey is mostly all big kid rides and all the kiddie rides that are there are also at knoebels why pay more for the same thing. My dd11 can not do big roller coasters because of a heart defect.

 

[Meg91]

Really glad to hear some positives about Knoebels! We just moved to PA, about 10 minutes from Knoebels! I'm sure we will be visiting a few times this summer maybe! We've been having a really hard time adjusting to this move, so maybe that will be something to look forward to!

We LOVE Knoebels! I'm sure you'll come to love it as well!

 

[englishteacha]

We really like Hershey Park. On our visits we've camped. When we camped at the Hershey Highmeadow campground, we got early entry into the park. Not sure if they still offer that, but we got SO much done in that first hour! Between the twilight admission and the early entry, we got to ride everything we wanted to, usually a couple of times.

Knoebels is really fun, too. Knoebels is part of the reason why we got our new tent.

 

[Janepod]

I have been to theme parks all over the U.S. and Europe and have never been faced with worse food options than Hershey Park. The food is truly awful and totally overpriced (even more overpriced than Disney.)

We like the Hershey Hotel as well as the nearby Hilton Garden Inn.

A GREAT nearby activity is the Indian Echo Cavern. Really beautiful cave tour!

Enjoy your visit.