hershey park budget hotel? any hersehy pk tips?

[SunKat]

We go to Hershey every year. One day is generally enough for us but we do do the preview plan. That iswhen you go 3 hours before closing and buy your tix for the next day, you can go in and have a few hours in the park(ie. if the park is closing at 10-get there at 7) We never stay in Hershey-we stay in either Harrisburg or Lancaster. Harrisburg is about 15 minutes away, Lancaster about 35. Lancaster has Dutch Wonerland, which is a cute littlew park for the younger kids-like under 10. I'm blanking on the names of hotels we have used but we generally always get a hotel with an indoor pool-one year of constant rain taught us that, lol.

We always stay in Lancaster when we visit Hershey. The last time we stayed at the Best Western Eden Resort. It had an awesome indoor pool! There was an onsite restaurant, playground, and huge outdoor pool. The rooms were lovely. We'll stay there next time we go to Hershey.

 

[stemikger]

I stayed in Lancaster Pa, last summer. It was a 30 minute drive to Hershey Park. The resort was very nice and very reasonable. Much cheaper then any place I saw in Hershey.

The name of the place is the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn. It had two indoor pools and one outdoor pool. It has a very nice minature golf course on the premises and a fantastic restaurant. It is not Disney, but it was nice for a very inexpensive vacation. However, it is in Lancaster not Hershey. I love the Hershey Lodge, but it is way too expensive.

There are two indoor pools, one zero-entry outdoor pool, a really nice restaurant and a minature golf course on the premsies.

 

[dpratt68]

great info keep it coming!!!

 

[ntink]

I recommend Springhill Suites. We have stayed here for the past two years and it is only 5 minutes to the park. They have a free breakfast.
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/HARSH

 

[freakylick]

I'm surprised at the # of people that complained about food quality at hershey park. I can easily find something there to eat that is just as good if not better then some of the stuff i ate at disney counter service places. Then again I hear those complaints about busch gardens to and just shake my head.. there are many places to eat at BG that are way better then disney counter service.
Renee

 

[FormrCastMbr]

The Howard Johnson in Harrisburg looks good...

http://www.hersheyhotels.com/index.html

 

[teamagic]

I stayed in Lancaster Pa, last summer. It was a 30 minute drive to Hershey Park. The resort was very nice and very reasonable. Much cheaper then any place I saw in Hershey.

The name of the place is the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn. It had two indoor pools and one outdoor pool. It has a very nice minature golf course on the premises and a fantastic restaurant. It is not Disney, but it was nice for a very inexpensive vacation. However, it is in Lancaster not Hershey. I love the Hershey Lodge, but it is way too expensive.

There are two indoor pools, one zero-entry outdoor pool, a really nice restaurant and a minature golf course on the premsies.

I second The Bird-in-Hand Family Hotels. They have 4 different hotels and they each have their own charm. We love to stay at Millstream. You can't beat the breakfast - belgium waffles - yummy! It is only a 30 minute drive to Hershey.

 

[poutytink]

I would appricate any discount coupons for Hershey and Dutch Wonderland! If any of you who live nearby can get me any PLEASE pm me. I would appricate it!!!

 

[Kycha]

I would appricate any discount coupons for Hershey and Dutch Wonderland! If any of you who live nearby can get me any PLEASE pm me. I would appricate it!!!

Sure, no problem. It might be a while though. They don't start releasing those until closer to opening weekend(sometime in May). You might want to check AAA. They always have discount tickets. Right now AAA is showing ticket prices as $33-adult and $24-child(these are 2006 ticket prices). Which is about 22% savings. But Hershey hasn't released 2007 admission rates yet. So, I would check back in a couple months.

 

[flakypuff]

WOw great information. I wanted to take the kids this year but I do have a concern... it is the mention of the walking. My nephew will be staying with us and I planned on bringing him. He is 17 and over weight. I know he has had a problem with those entrances with the bars..i can't think of the name..
anyway. I wouldnt want to make him feel bad as he is aware of the
problem. Should I steer away from making plans..

 

[stephbillalec]

WOw great information. I wanted to take the kids this year but I do have a concern... it is the mention of the walking. My nephew will be staying with us and I planned on bringing him. He is 17 and over weight. I know he has had a problem with those entrances with the bars..i can't think of the name..
anyway. I wouldnt want to make him feel bad as he is aware of the
problem. Should I steer away from making plans..

I do remember that quite a few rides have those turnstiles (sp?). They use them to count the number of people getting on the ride. They are also at the entrance but there is also a handicapped/stroller entry that he could go through.

 

[dpratt68]

Can anyone post feedback on the Holiday inn express? Price wise this hotel is a good deal

 

[mjantz]

We're planning a trip to PA this summer & have decided to do a trip to Hershey. I went back in '91 & IIRC, we didn't go to the theme park (was there a theme park in '91) but there was still a lot to do.
So, if you don't want to go to the Theme Park, what can you do in & around Hershey? TIA!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

We're planning a trip to PA this summer & have decided to do a trip to Hershey. I went back in '91 & IIRC, we didn't go to the theme park (was there a theme park in '91) but there was still a lot to do.
So, if you don't want to go to the Theme Park, what can you do in & around Hershey? TIA!

There's outlet shopping!

 

[stemikger]

We just did a PA vacation this past August. While it was nice and relaxing, it was no Disney. Not by a long shot. We did it because it was a LOT cheaper then going to Disney and we were not in a position to spend a lot of money. We stayed at a nice place in Lancaster and drove to Hershey from there.

I don't know if I would go back so soon. It was good for what we spent, but if you get used to Disney, you probably will be disappointed. There is not a ton of things to do out there and many of the hotels are not kept up and some were down right dirty. I visited a few that I saw on the internet, and they looked so much better in pictures. One that I used to stay at as a kid was horrible. If I would have booked that I would not have stayed one night. And I'm not that particular.

However, the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn (where I stayed) was nice and the little town of Bird-in-Hand is very cute. Kitchen Kettle Village is nearby and it is a great little place that has cute shops in a little village setting. I just which it was bigger. They have outlets nearby which were o.k. and some minature golf and Dutch Wonderland if you have kids under 9. Hershey is a nice park which is about 30 minutes away and the visitors center is of Disney quality. It is well done. The park itself is clean and with the addition of the new water park that will be there when you go should be nice. However, it was very crowded when I went and they don't have fast past. We had to wait on some lines for over an hour. Becuase of the long waits, we didn't get on many rides. I do like the park though, other then Disney it is probably one of the top 10 in the U.S. Not a huge park, but very nicely situated.

Again, I just wanted to give you a heads up on what to expect, because we stayed for 6 days and we felt glad to leave. We stay at Disney 11 days and we never want to leave. If you do decide to stay in Lancaster, the tours are very nice and the restaurants have real home cooking. It is very relaxing, but not that exciting.

Good Luck on whatever you decide.

 

[Donnask8pro]

We go every year. Business trip and take the kids. We stayed the last few years at the Hershey Hilton. I use my rewards card. Previously I stayed at the lodge and Hotel. I did like the restaurants in the Lodge. Only reason to stay there. Also I purchase tickets from the group sales department. MUCH CHEAPER. If you want o be part of my group sales pm me and I'll give you our time frame of when we purchase. I usually start looking into it around March. I think the ticket price was like 25$, 28 maybe? It can be used aytime this year, doesnt have to be the week I go.

 

[roseprincess]

Anyone here from the midwest that has driven into Hershey?
Anyone here that has driven on I76 coming from the west, from Pittsburgh or Ohio, how mountainous is it driving on I76 coming from the west?
Looking possibly driving to Hershey Park this summer from Chicago area.
Just curious how mountainous I76 is? TIA.

 

[PaMom001]

I76 from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg/Hershey is not all that bad. There are 4 tunnels that you go through. Very few hills.

 

[Diana Lyn]

Anyone here from the midwest that has driven into Hershey?
Anyone here that has driven on I76 coming from the west, from Pittsburgh or Ohio, how mountainous is it driving on I76 coming from the west?
Looking possibly driving to Hershey Park this summer from Chicago area.
Just curious how mountainous I76 is? TIA.

I'm not from the midwest but we went to Hershey from visiting family Columbus OH last year. We took 76 and it was easy driving, it's not hilly because you actually go through the mountains in 3 or 4 tunnels (my kids though it was the coolest thing ever) This was July though, so not sure about winter-y weather.

 

[java]

WOw great information. I wanted to take the kids this year but I do have a concern... it is the mention of the walking. My nephew will be staying with us and I planned on bringing him. He is 17 and over weight. I know he has had a problem with those entrances with the bars..i can't think of the name..
anyway. I wouldnt want to make him feel bad as he is aware of the
problem. Should I steer away from making plans..

How overweight? I ask because one of the saddest things I saw was when a father was turned away at the Swings. He was not even that big as far as I was concerned- but he said he had been turned away at a few rides so I think I would google some info. He was very upset that he was unable to go on so many rides with his children.