Hershey Park on a budget

[natenapril]

Can it be done?
I was looking at the hotels there and they are pricey! Any suggestions for off site hotels?
Will my DD8 and DS5 enjoy it? They are not into roller coasters.
We were looking for somewhere fun we can take the family this summer. We were considering WDW in June but don't think we can take the heat. So we are going to put it off til fall but we would like a closer place to go in the mean time.
Thanks, April

 

[NBFUN]

I know last year Chevrolet was giving away tickets to Hershey park for those that owned Chevy's. If I remember correctly you had to live in PA, MI and OH.

I'm not sure if this is something they do every year, but last year we got four free tickets for August.

Something to look into on their site.

 

[mjkacmom]

Been many times - we got a great deal at the Country Inn and Suites on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg. It's 4 miles from the park, less than a 10 minute drive, by lots of dining options, indoor pool, and free hot breakfast. Nice size rooms, very nice staff.

We like to take advantage of the preview option (free couple of hours the night before), coupled with a coupon we usually get a dunkin donuts in the spring.

 

[Kycha]

I know last year Chevrolet was giving away tickets to Hershey park for those that owned Chevy's. If I remember correctly you had to live in PA, MI and OH.

I'm not sure if this is something they do every year, but last year we got four free tickets for August.

Something to look into on their site.

We were able to get the tickets here in KY. I hope they do it again this year. Unfortunately we weren't able to use our tickets last year(vac plans changed). But we were able to give the tickets to my DH's nephew and his family who only live an hour away from Hershey.

 

[stich1fan]

Can't help with the tickets, but we stay at this hotel and never had a problem. It is right down the road from the park.

Hilton Garden Inn Hershey
550 East Main Street, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, USA 17036
Tel: 1-717-566-9292 Fax: 1-717-566-9934

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

We were able to get the tickets here in KY. I hope they do it again this year. Unfortunately we weren't able to use our tickets last year(vac plans changed). But we were able to give the tickets to my DH's nephew and his family who only live an hour away from Hershey.

Oh cool! How does this work? Just watch for something on the site?

 

[Kycha]

Oh cool! How does this work? Just watch for something on the site?

I found out about it here on the Dis. Hopefully they'll do it again this year. But, below is all the info I have from last year. You could get up to 4 passes. And the passes I received were just regular admission tickets. I could've used them on any normal operating park day. Not just the 4 weekends they have listed below. Though those weekends had special Chevy events going on(test drives, games, raffles, etc). I don't know about the parking passes though. I wasn't able to get one of those. So, those may be limited to only the days that were listed.

"***DEAD DEAL***
The FREE tickets (over $200 value if you get 4) are mailed to the registered owner of the VIN you enter!

Chevrolet owners and invited guest can request up to four complimentary passes to Hersheypark on July 10, July 24, August 14 or August 28 for Chevrolet Owners Appreciation Days. Tickets are going fast and you won't want to miss this event. Mark your calendars and get ready to experience a fun-filled day, Chevrolet-style.

Don�t wait to sign up, the first 500 participants will also receive free parking.

Complete this form to get your complimentary passes now, tickets are limited and are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. Chevrolet owners, you must provide your current VIN and model, in order to confirm that you are an eligible owner. Your address is required as tickets will be mailed to you within 5-7 business days. Limit one order per household. While supplies last.

http://www.chevypenn.com Click on Sign Up Today, then click on the Hershey Park Ad..."

 

[WDWCP96]

The Hilton Garden Inn in Hummelstown is a good choice in terms of closeness. Also doing the preview option is worth it. You can bring in your own food but just conceal it, so no coolers but a good deal for lunch is at the boardwalk you can get a crab cake platter for a good price. Some food is expensive there though. Also I know that Giant (a local grouchy store) sells discount tickets and you can do the preview option the night before. You do have the option of leaving the park for lunch as there are a number of restaurants near there but take into account the time it will take. Also parking isn't cheap I think $10 not sure though since we don't normally pay for it. We go every year with my in-laws as they live within 15 minutes and they visit quite frequently. Also I don't ride roller coasters either and always have fun. If you want anymore information let me know.

 

[natenapril]

I know last year Chevrolet was giving away tickets to Hershey park for those that owned Chevy's. If I remember correctly you had to live in PA, MI and OH.

I'm not sure if this is something they do every year, but last year we got four free tickets for August.

Something to look into on their site.

Thanks. We are moving to MI but we don't own a Chevy. Darnnit

Been many times - we got a great deal at the Country Inn and Suites on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg. It's 4 miles from the park, less than a 10 minute drive, by lots of dining options, indoor pool, and free hot breakfast. Nice size rooms, very nice staff.

We like to take advantage of the preview option (free couple of hours the night before), coupled with a coupon we usually get a dunkin donuts in the spring.

Thanks. I will look into that hotel. We are a family of 5 so sometimes hotel rooms can be tricky.

We were able to get the tickets here in KY. I hope they do it again this year. Unfortunately we weren't able to use our tickets last year(vac plans changed). But we were able to give the tickets to my DH's nephew and his family who only live an hour away from Hershey.

Sounds like a good deal.

Can't help with the tickets, but we stay at this hotel and never had a problem. It is right down the road from the park.

Hilton Garden Inn Hershey
550 East Main Street, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, USA 17036
Tel: 1-717-566-9292 Fax: 1-717-566-9934

Thanks. I will check the Hilton too.

Oh cool! How does this work? Just watch for something on the site?

Ya know, my Dad owns a Chevy so I will need to keep up on it as well. He is going with us and I'm sure he would love the free tickets.

I found out about it here on the Dis. Hopefully they'll do it again this year. But, below is all the info I have from last year. You could get up to 4 passes. And the passes I received were just regular admission tickets. I could've used them on any normal operating park day. Not just the 4 weekends they have listed below. Though those weekends had special Chevy events going on(test drives, games, raffles, etc). I don't know about the parking passes though. I wasn't able to get one of those. So, those may be limited to only the days that were listed.

"***DEAD DEAL***
The FREE tickets (over $200 value if you get 4) are mailed to the registered owner of the VIN you enter!

Chevrolet owners and invited guest can request up to four complimentary passes to Hersheypark on July 10, July 24, August 14 or August 28 for Chevrolet Owners Appreciation Days. Tickets are going fast and you won't want to miss this event. Mark your calendars and get ready to experience a fun-filled day, Chevrolet-style.

Don�t wait to sign up, the first 500 participants will also receive free parking.

Complete this form to get your complimentary passes now, tickets are limited and are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. Chevrolet owners, you must provide your current VIN and model, in order to confirm that you are an eligible owner. Your address is required as tickets will be mailed to you within 5-7 business days. Limit one order per household. While supplies last.

http://www.chevypenn.com Click on Sign Up Today, then click on the Hershey Park Ad..."

We should have some kind of watch going for this deal

The Hilton Garden Inn in Hummelstown is a good choice in terms of closeness. Also doing the preview option is worth it. You can bring in your own food but just conceal it, so no coolers but a good deal for lunch is at the boardwalk you can get a crab cake platter for a good price. Some food is expensive there though. Also I know that Giant (a local grouchy store) sells discount tickets and you can do the preview option the night before. You do have the option of leaving the park for lunch as there are a number of restaurants near there but take into account the time it will take. Also parking isn't cheap I think $10 not sure though since we don't normally pay for it. We go every year with my in-laws as they live within 15 minutes and they visit quite frequently. Also I don't ride roller coasters either and always have fun. If you want anymore information let me know.

Thanks. I think the preview option sounds great.

A few questions:
Is there a military discount?
What is there to do for smaller (8 and 5) year olds?

 

[shelby101301]

For a 5 and 8 yr old, consider the ticket option that also includes a day at Dutch wonderland. Really nice little park mostly for that age range.

There are lots of little offside motels in that area. Not on par wit Hershey lodge, but clean.

If you do DW, check out bird in hand. Pricey, but nice for families. Also in the area, strasburg train museums. We always stay one weekend at caboose motel. Not fancy, but the kids love it!

 

[HelenePA]

How about knoebles instead? family owned amusement park in PA about an hr away from hershey. Free parking, free admission, pay as you go for rides or hand stamps for the day (not on weekend though) Lots of stuff for ages 5&8 yr olds. We live about an hr from hershey but honestly its not worth the money to go there for us until the kids are older and want to do the bigger rides. Also check out dorney park they have a water park next doo0,r knoebles also has a nice pool area. Rates are very inexpensive compared with hershey and dorney. I am not sure about hotels since I live about 30 min from there.

 

[disny_luvr]

I think a lot of the previous suggestions are great! If there is no Chevy ticket promotion this year, I think your best bet will be purchasing your tickets from Giant. There are two Giant grocery stores located within a few miles of Hersheypark. Tickets are usually about $10-$15 cheaper than what you would pay at the gate. The food at Hersheypark is rather expensive and pretty mediocre. I'd recommend leaving the Park for lunch and/or dinner. There are quite a few restaurants nearby. You can also pack a lunch and keep it in your car; don't take it into the Park - you'll get "scolded" by the security guards and probably have to throw away your food unless you want to walk it back to your car. Plan on paying about $12 to park your car. It was $11 last year. As far as hotels, I always recommend the Grantville Holiday Inn. I've never stayed there but have gone to many banquets and wedding receptions there and I think it is pretty nice. There is also an indoor pool, in the event it would be rainy while you're visiting. There are other nice hotels in the area too that are much cheaper than any of the Hershey-owned hotels. Make sure you stick to a chain hotel. There are many "mom and pop" motels in the area that I probably wouldn't stay in. As far as rides, I think there is a great selection of rides for the younger crowd and/or those that don't like roller coaster. My sons are four-years-old and they've been going to the Park since they were babies. There has always been more than enough rides for them to enjoy. Don't forget Hersheypark also has a waterpark now that your kids would probably enjoy. It usually gets very, very crowded, so plan accordingly. The earlier in the summer you can go, they better. Enjoy!

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. I only live a few miles from the Park and have had a season pass my whole life.

BTW, I saw someone mentioned about possibly getting a combo ticket for Hersheypark and Dutch Wonderland. Hersheypark sold Dutch Wonderland recently, so I am pretty sure there will be no more combo tickets.

 

[Fierce Fairy]

Been many times - we got a great deal at the Country Inn and Suites on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg. It's 4 miles from the park, less than a 10 minute drive, by lots of dining options, indoor pool, and free hot breakfast. Nice size rooms, very nice staff.

We like to take advantage of the preview option (free couple of hours the night before), coupled with a coupon we usually get a dunkin donuts in the spring.

I second that on the Country Inn and Suties. We stayed there in August and we got a suite. Very nice with a living room area and then a bedroom each with separte TV's. And the breakfast was actually nice enough to pay for (but it is free). After driving 4.5 hours from VA it was great to get to such a nice place...close to the park, close to food and easy to get to . We had a 17,16, and 4 year old with us, each one had something to do and ride. We even got a pic with REESE!

 

[Desnik]

You have gotten some great advice already. I wanted to add that a great offsite hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Hershey. We also love the Hershey Lodge but it is a bit expensive in the summer. Giant grocery stores are a great way to get discounted tickets. Also, Burger King usually has coupons for discounts on admission as well as other attractions in Hershey.

I have a fan site called www.hersheyinfo.com Feel free to check it out. I have pictures of all the rides as well as all the menus with prices. Plus other info and pictures.

 

[sharig5576]

Been many times - we got a great deal at the Country Inn and Suites on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg. It's 4 miles from the park, less than a 10 minute drive, by lots of dining options, indoor pool, and free hot breakfast. Nice size rooms, very nice staff.

We like to take advantage of the preview option (free couple of hours the night before), coupled with a coupon we usually get a dunkin donuts in the spring.

A friend of mine stays this Country Inn and Suites every year and loves it. We're going to book a hotel there.

Is there a "slower" time to go? Certain days of the week in the summer? May? June? Sept?

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Thanks. I will look into that hotel. We are a family of 5 so sometimes hotel rooms can be tricky.
What is there to do for smaller (8 and 5) year olds?

We have stayed at the Hampton Inn in Hershey a few times and we like it. But our favorite place is Willow Valley in Lancaster. It is about 40 minutes away but worth the drive. They have nice suites for the family (and have always been very affordable). With an indoor water playground, several pools, nice grounds, very clean and great food. They are also close to DutchWonderland. Hershey has owned DutchWonderland for several years now and they offer combo tickets. Your 5 and 8 year old can ride everything in DutchWonderland! Willow Valley also offers packages that include tickets to Hershey and Dutchwonderland, breakfast and dinner buffets, or you can purchase separately.

Be sure to check out websites for Willow Valley and DutchWonderland. I think you will love both. There are a lot of fun things to do in Lancaster. And Hershey is not a far drive. Hershey's Chocolate World is a lot of fun too. It is just before you go into the park. While the "factory tour" ride is free (with a free piece of chocolate at the end), there are other things there you can pay for. Like a real cool 4D movie or an awesome trolley ride. And everything you do ends with candy

They will love Hershey Park but there are some rides that they will not be able to do. They have a waterpark at Hershey that is totally packed. We prefer to go the Hershery Sundays in May before the waterpark opens for the season. No lines and I mean no lines!

 

[Yoshi]

I agree with others about eating outside of the park. Usually we stop at Panera Bread a few minutes away for lunch before we arrive at the park, get a snack in the park and have a late dinner at a fast food place right when we leave the park for the day. The food isn't as overpriced as other parks like Great Adventure but still more than we like to spend.

A friend of mine stays this Country Inn and Suites every year and loves it. We're going to book a hotel there.

Is there a "slower" time to go? Certain days of the week in the summer? May? June? Sept?

Early June during the week would be good. The entire summer from mid June is usually crowded even during the week, not as jammed as a weekend but there are still somewhat long waits for the major attractions. I'm not sure if it was a fluke or not but one of the least crowded visits I had to the park was this past October on a Sunday. It was around 70 and sunny and I thought it would be jammed especially with admission under $30 (only rides closed were the waterpark and water rides) but the park was empty. Other than Fahrenheit which had a 15 minute wait, everything else was 10 minutes or less with most rides being less than a 5 minute wait.

 

[bigmama67]

Subbing to this. Hopefully we can get there this year. Anything a 2 year old would enjoy? (I'm guessing we don't have to buy her a ticket)?

 

[gnkmom]

We've been going to Hershey for the past couple of years now & we used to stay at the Country Inn on Jonesboro Road. I agree w/other post that it is a very nice hotel, however, 2 years ago they opened up another Country Inn a little further away (still Harrisburg address, located on Peiffers Lane). It's about 15 minutes away from the park, it's a little newer & I've found that it's actually cheaper too. Rooms are nice & the free breakfasts are great.

 

[SunnyP4Disney]

We went for my son's b-day last March for their Springtime in the Park. Most rides were open and it was only 24.99 per person, really cheap! We stayed at the La Quinta since we had our dog, I was not impressed. We wanted to splurge and stay at the Hotel Hershey but they are not pet friendly...