hershey park budget hotel? any hersehy pk tips?

[PaulaSue]

Giant grocery stores is prob. the best place for discount tickets.

It is the 100th anniversary for the park so it should be really great with the small water area for the kids.

I live here BUT I doubt I would drive here from Chicago or any long distance. Sorry but there has to be other places about the same but much closer.

HTHs

Besides, the more people who stay away, the more chocolate for me.

 

[Kycha]

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.

Between the Somerset exit(110) and the Breezewood exit (161) you will encounter some hills. In fact the turnpike(I76) widens to 6 lanes in that area to allow the trucks to get over right because they struggle getting up those hills. But, the views are fantastic.

 

[dpratt68]

holiday inn express anyone???/

 

[roseprincess]

Thank you PaMom001,Diana Lyn, and Kycha for the great information!

 

[kellia]

subscribing!

 

[englishteacha]

We've been twice in the last few years. The first time we camped at the KOA campground in Elizabethtown, about 15 minutes away. It was a nice place, and I believe they have cabins you can rent. The second time we camped at the Hershey campground. It was super busy, and sometimes we had to wait for bathroom/showers. It was a nice place, just busy. We don't camp much anymore--dh prefers motels-- but we'd stay at either place again either camping or in cabins. The advantage to staying at the Hershey campground was the big discount on tickets. It was cheaper to stay at Hershey and buy tickets there than to stay in Elizabethtown and buy discount tickets at Giant or with a coupon. We also got to enter the park early and ride some of the rides. I also recommend taking advantage of their twilight special or whatever it's called. If you go in the late afternoon/early evening and buy a ticket for the next day, you can go in during that evening. You can keep your parking pass and use that the next day as well. We love Hershey! We drive from Maine with Hershey as our primary destination. It's a full day's drive-8-10 hours depending on traffic. We've done Knoebel's and Dorney, too, on the same vacations, but Hershey is our reason for going!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

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.

We always stay in Lancaster too (love the environment). I will look into this hotel for maybe a summer trip. Thanks.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We went last summer and stayed at the Econo Lodge in Grantville. It was very clean and confortable and the free breakfast was nice for us. it's about 4-5 minutes down the road form Hershey Park. There's a great Italian Rest, right down the road in an old barn...very good food and not too expensive. We also did the free preview night before the day we went and we bought our tickets at Giant. Be prepared to wait in very long lines when you go if you go when school is out. We went Sun. night and Monday all day and it was mobbed..My dh kept saying he missed WDW and FastPass-lOL!

 

[teamagic]

Be prepared to wait in very long lines when you go if you go when school is out. We went Sun. night and Monday all day and it was mobbed..My dh kept saying he missed WDW and FastPass-lOL!

We said the same thing last summer. Hershey needs to look into the fastpass system! Disney has us all spolied!

 

[loveysbydesign]

We said the same thing last summer. Hershey needs to look into the fastpass system! Disney has us all spolied!

It was so crazy when we were at HP that by lunch the waits for any of the roller coasters were 1-3 hrs!!! The kiddie rides had 25-30 minute waits too! My ds was so disappointed that we didn't get to ride very many things...as was I!

 

[jlovesee]

I second the White Rose Motel, its only a few minutes from Hersheypark and the rates are very decent, plus rooms are clean and the staff is very friendly!

Jennifer

 

[punkin]

It was so crazy when we were at HP that by lunch the waits for any of the roller coasters were 1-3 hrs!!! The kiddie rides had 25-30 minute waits too! My ds was so disappointed that we didn't get to ride very many things...as was I!

Does anyone have any suggestions for toring plans to minimize wits in line?

 

[htmom]

To minimize waiting we always start with the big coasters as soon as the park is open. Usually the lines to those coasters don't open right away due to saftey checks but that dosen't really matter if you don't like big lines. Then we go to Midway America (the far end of the park) and do all the rides down there. I am not sure how that will work this summer with the waterpark on that end now though. Then work our way out to the entrance. Now that is when it is dh and I.

When we have our five year old, our first stop is always Reeses Extreme (near the front) because it does have what feels like a miserable wait in the summer. (oddly enough we don't feel like we wait in very many lines, I guess we are used to it, Disney (even with fastpass) seemed MUCH longer) And then we let our son pick what he wants to ride, he knows the layout of the park so he knows pretty much where things are and what rides are close. Now that he is big enough for some of the coasters we will reevaluate that this year.
Check out their website, they usually have a downloadable map.

 

[gina2000]

Spinner's Inn - it's clean, efficient and friendly....and close.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Does anyone have any suggestions for toring plans to minimize wits in line?

Yes, as mentioned a couple times in this thread you CANNOT beat the preview plan. You buy a full day ticket for the NEXT DAY 2.5 hours before park closiing the night before. You can then enter the park that night. It's been my experience that the park empties out and we can do all the major coasters in the evening visit. Some of them multiple times (LOVE the Great Bear and Storm Runner).

Additionally head for the water rides about 30 minutes before the park closes. Last time we did this area was DESERTED. We rode Canyon River Rapids 3 times in a row without getting out of the raft! SILLY FUN!!!!

When you return the next day, it's nice and relaxing, as you've already covered all the major stuff!

 

[freakylick]

To minimize waiting we always start with the big coasters as soon as the park is open.

That is great advice, but there is one caveat to that...Don't do Comet first thing in the morning. It is the first coaster that most people come to, so those looking for a coaster all jump in line for that and the lines get miserable very early. It is actually better to make Comet one of the last coasters that you do.

As others have suggested, unless you are a regular to HP, do NOT go on a Saturday or you will be wasting your money. The park is just way too crowded. Sundays can be busy as well, but they sometimes have good concerts in the amphitheatre that are free with park admission. (Keep in mind, this does not include concerts at the Star pavillion outside the parks gates.) Some of the concerts this year are Mark Wills, Starship, Gin Blossoms and Bo Diddley. Here is this years schedule.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

I found some HP coupons at CVS. $8.00 off up to 4 tix, weekdays. PM me if you want one.