Hersheypark has been a favorite of mine going all the way back to my childhood. I remember visiting with my parents as a child, hanging out there as a college student at nearby Elizabethtown College, and am now making even more memories visiting regularly with my own children. Over all of the years though that I've been going to Hersheypark, I have never been to the annual Christmas Candylane. I was excited this year to partner with Hersheypark to attend this holiday tradition with my family. We had a great afternoon and evening, while also learning a lot about maximizing your time at Christmas Candylane. Here are my 5 tips (in no particular order!) to make the most of your visit.
My family and I received complimentary admission to Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane and Hershey's Sweet Lights so we can share our experiences with you!
1. Arrive Early
On weekends, the park is open beginning at noon. Some of you may be asking why you would visit a holiday lights event that early in the day, but the answer is simple - there's so much more to see and do besides the lights! There are 47 rides and attractions open during Christmas Candylane. While many of these are kiddie rides, you'll also find several roller coasters including sooperdooperLooper, Sidewinder, Wildcat, and Laff Trakk. When you arrive early, I would recommend heading straight for the most popular attractions - and right now that means Reese's Cupfusion which just opened this year. As the afternoon goes on and night begins to fall, the park becomes more crowded and lines can grow. Those early hours are perfect for kiddie rides, roller coasters, and some of your fan favorites. Remember to download the Hersheypark app prior to arriving so you can have a map, park details, and current ride wait times at your fingertips! Just save some rides for after night falls, which leads me to tip #2. . .
Bring back the Crystal Cup on Reese's Cupfusion!
2. Rides to Ride After Dark
Hersheypark is truly beautiful with all of the lights at night. A well laid out and picturesque park in the daytime lends itself well to be gorgeous at night. There are a few slow moving rides that will offer you breathtaking views of the lights as you travel around the park after dark. Make sure you save Skyview, Capital BlueCross Monorail, Kissing Tower, Ferris Wheel and Dry Gulch Railroad for nighttime to see dazzling light displays. The Sunoco Speedway and Classic Cars are also fun as night falls with their own "Sweet Lights" display on the driving tracks for families to enjoy. Bring your cameras with you on these rides to grab some great photos of the festive Christmas lights!
3. Enjoy the Shows Mid-Day
The Littlest Tree at Chevrolet Music Box Theater
Each season at Hershey always brings it's own fun when it comes to special entertainment and Christmas Candylane is no different. Over in Pioneer Frontier, you'll be able to find Santa's Reindeer and an ice skating rink (extra fee for skate rental - $3). The Chevrolet Music Box Theater is home to a Christmas musical show, The Littlest Tree. It is full of fun, familiar music the whole family will enjoy, and a cute story about the littlest tree at Santa's Tree Farm. Speaking of Santa, you can meet the man himself in Kissing Tower Hill right near the arcade games building. There's also a special Hershey's character meet and greet in Kissing Tower Hill as well. So my advice is to ride your must-do rides when you first arrive, then hit up some shows and character greetings before dark when you'll want to be out and about enjoying all of the holiday glow! The NOEL light show begins nightly at 5PM and can be viewed best on the bridge near sooperdooperLooper. This show features lights set to popular holiday music and the beauty is amplified with reflections on the water that runs through this part of the park.
4. Bring Your Sweet Tooth
Reese's Extreme Hot Chocolate
Of course you can't visit Hersheypark without enjoying some chocolate, right?? In fact, Hershey loves chocolate so much, you can even purchase a souvenir mug and drink hot chocloate all day for $12 or all season for just $17. There were too many sweets around the park that we didn't have a chance to sample it all. My personal recommendation on something you don't want to miss is the Hot Chocolate Bar located in Founder's Way across from the entrance to Reese's Cupfusion. While you can get a traditional hot chocolate here, that would be a boring option. This location takes hot chocolate to the next level featuring punches of Hershey's goodness literally sprinkled on top in a variety of ways. I opted for the Reese's Extreme because, those of you who know me, know my deep love of all things Reese's. My son opted for the Caramel choice and my husband went with the Toasted Marshmallow. These drinks will cost you a few more dollars than your typical hot chocolate (and they aren't included with the souvenir mug deal), but trust me when I tell you it's money well spent!
5. Add on a ticket to Hershey's Sweet Lights
Located across from Hersheypark and tucked in the woods behind The Hotel Hershey, you'll find one more tremendous light display - Hershey's Sweet Lights. This drive through experience does come with an extra price tag. If you're visiting Hersheypark, make sure you purchase your event ticket for the discounted price of $18.15 per car (plus tax) before you leave the park or you'll find higher prices at the entrance for this attraction. It took us about 30 minutes to complete the drive through light show which features over 600 animated light displays. You even get special viewing glasses that make bright lights look like snowflakes - my boys were fascinated by these! Our favorite lighted displays were those which showcased some of our favorite rides from Hersheypark, but we enjoyed each different section which included an enchanted forest, the "12 Days of Christmas," a victorian village, and an area devoted to our favorite fairytales. This was the perfect way to end our evening!
Hershey Sweet Lights
Remember that while Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane can certainly fill a whole day on it's own, there are plenty of other attractions to enjoy around Hershey while visiting. You can access ZooAmerica for free with your admission to Hersheypark from within the park back by Kissing Tower Hill. Hershey's Chocolate World is a must-do for us on every visit to Hershey, PA. This is so much more than the ultimate chocolate gift shop! It includes a FREE ride that teaches you how Hersey's chocolate is made as well as paid experiences like Make-Your-Own Candy Bars, a 4-D movie, and a chocolate tasting experience.
A visit to Hershey, PA will definitely make your holiday even sweeter! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season at the Sweetest Place on Earth!
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