A Night at Hershey Park

Keeping our fingers crossed for no rain, we drove an hour and a half northwestward to Hershey, Pennsylvania, for discounted evening tickets to the theme park. After 5 p.m. patrons can buy “sunset tickets” (i.e., half price) and still have a good five hours of roller coaster riding. There ended up being little bits of rain, but nothing that made us pack up and leave.

Milton Hershey Hershey World of Chocolate Jackson and Reeses

The first thing we did was go into Hershey’s World of Chocolate, and the second thing we did was leave Hershey’s World of Chocolate. Expensive, overpriced activities and long lines weren’t worth it. Yes, we forewent spending $22 to “Make your own chocolate bar.” I considered very briefly that I’d pay for both boys to make their own chocolate bar, but when I was told that I couldn’t accompany them in the assembly line (for picture-taking, for keeping an eye on my children) without paying my own $22, even if I didn’t make a chocolate bar, I said, “Nope!” and off we went to the rides.

The rest of the experience was worthwhile. The lines weren’t long, the brief bit of rain cooled everyone off, and both boys were stoked to ride everything they could. In the photo below, Jeremy and Jackson are in the front seats and Chuck is in the second. Arms up!

First two rows

Chuck is done with roller coasters

Mom and I took it easy on the ferris wheel and other slower-paced rides that allowed us to take an obscene amount of photos from above.

Me and Mom at Hershey Park

Ferris Wheel from below On the swings

This is Chuck making fun of our picture-taking. Sheesh! Tourists.

Chuck making fun

Hershey Park is a unique combination of theme park and water park. We didn’t do the water park bit since it closes at 8 p.m., but that’s the part that makes sense for being there all day. Ride a few things, go to the water park area, go back to the coasters, etc. Paying $60+ for full day tickets seem worth it for two-parks-in-one.

Over Hershey Park

Okay, let’s take a moment to observe Fahrenheit, a ride that starts with a significant vertical drop. Jeremy and Chuck rode it first, then Chuck dropped out of that nonsense and Jackson joined in. The boys rode it several times like crazy people.

Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit from above

Yeah, I didn’t ride that one, but I loved seeing the boys’ enthusiasm for roller coasters. More so, I loved that they rode them together.

The only roller coasters I enjoy are the old-school up-and-down wooden rails, none of this upside-down, curly-fry stuff. Which is why there was no way I was going to ride Storm Runner. It had an insane take-off. They are in the fourth row:

For a stellar point of view of this ride (from someone else), here it is in full:

The best photos I took at Hershey Park are of Jeremy and Jackson on Wildcat. I snuck in the queue (which was empty) and positioned myself to see them on a downturn. They are in the front row. Priceless.

Boys in the front seat

Best photo on the roller coaster

Before the park closed at 10 p.m. we enjoyed deep-fried funnel cake smothered in Hershey’s chocolate syrup, Reese’s cups, and God knows what else. I ate two fried Oreos entirely on my own. At the end of the night we were exhausted with sore feet and stiff backs, but the sunset tickets were absolutely worth it.

Swings at night

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