the mommy avenger

We love to go to amusement parks in the fall. If you can hit a window where it is not too cold, the refreshing fall air is far more enjoyable than the sweltering heat of summer and the accompanying crowds. The additional perks of fall include the October festivities of scary haunts, haunted harvest decor, and delicious treats. If you only have one weekend free, choosing between Dorney Park, Six Flags, and Hersheypark can be a challenge. Last year Dorney blew us away with their extensive number of haunted houses, which was perfect for our oldest children, but the youngest were a bit out of their league. This year we opted for Hersheypark, and here are seven reasons we are glad we did:

1. The trick-or-treating section of the park known Treatville at the Boardwalk has a dozen or so stops along a brief walking path for kids of all ages to trick-or-treat and receive some iconic Hershey-owned candies alongside some unique  flavors not commonly available at stores. How many of you can say you have tried cinnamon toast flavored Kit-Kats? 

2. The various scare zones throughout the park are really well done, with dark Halloween music (Marilyn Manson singing “This is Halloween” from the Nightmare Before Christmas), blasts of fire, and fog billowing across the streets hiding various actors dressed to scare. Each zone has its share of jump-scares suitable for the tweens, teenagers, and maybe the adventurous youngster. The “sliders” (actors with metal kneepads and metal-toed shoes who literally slide up to you) and the zombies in the “Fallout Zone” are especially spooky!

3. For those needing less-spooky stimulations, Hersheypark introduced the “Avenue of the Afterlife” new this year. This area presented guests with music, dancing, and street performers. It maintained the high energy of the park without relying on the jump scares of the other areas. 

4. Sometimes height restrictions on rides seem arbitrary, but Hersheypark does a good job of making choices both on minimum safety requirements and age-appropriateness. We were able to enjoy the rides as a family, knowing beforehand what we were getting into (with the exception of “Wildcat’s Revenge”, that 48-inch height requirement left me question my decision making abilities). I may be getting too old for the real coasters without Dramamine. 

5. At night, Hersheypark offers dark coasters. These coasters with the lights out add an extra bit of thrill, especially if you are lucky enough to have an overcast night with the occasional moon making an appearance. For those who have been on these rides before, this make the experience feel new again.

 6. Each of the haunted houses are best kept for those who really want a scare. Though fewer in quantity than other parks, the quality of each significantly compensated for the number. Those choosing these scares will need to stomach both the horror inside, and the hour of the long lines. Unfortunately, estimated wait times were not very accurate on a Saturday night, but they did take the time to properly scare the tears out of those who braved these rooms. 

7. During the day, the parks run without the frights, so smaller children can enjoy the fall feeling of the park. Once the sun gets low and Fright Night starts, the atmosphere matches the title. We would not recommend Fright Night for children under 11 unless they are particularly numb to horror. Getting to the child-friendly areas and rides takes some active parental management to prevent trauma. Experience helped some parents as we heard them use some creative variations of “look over there” to avoid problems. 

If you go, the Hersheypark app map is very helpful, but be aware that the wait times do not update as quickly as we wanted. That may have been our phone settings, but things always took longer than expected. 

We think if you want a more whole-family park experience (with the best gift shop in the northeast – discounted candy for Halloween) Hersheypark is the place to go.

To learn more about all Hersheypark has to offer and to secure your own tickets, visit them online.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}