Hersheypark insider shares 12 ways to save money and time

Hersheypark’s 30-year loyal visitor has turned a lifetime of visits into a playbook of 12 repeatable moves that turn a day at the Pennsylvania theme park into a smoother, tastier, and cheaper experience.

People have been flocking to Hershey, Pennsylvania since Milton Snavely Hershey built his first chocolate factory in 1903 and opened a small park for employees in 1907. The park we know today opened in 1971 on 110 acres and now stretches over 121 acres with 70 rides and attractions. Attendance has climbed from roughly 1.5 million in the 1990s to more than 3 million in recent seasons, making it one of the ten most-visited U.S. parks. The new 2024 “Wildcat’s Revenge” wooden coaster shows the park is still expanding, but veteran visitors say the real gold is in the quiet hacks that cut lines and calories.

The veteran’s list starts with the complimentary chocolate buffet inside The Hotel Hershey, where returning guests can refuel without buying park snacks. Free water stations at each lodge and the park entrance save hundreds of dollars over a summer season. Season-pass holders can ride the refurbished 1972 vintage monorail that silently glides from hotel to park entrance in three minutes, often bypassing the main gate queue. Arriving on weekdays in May or September drops wait times by 40% and cuts food prices by 15%. The Chocolate Lab inside the park sells single-scoop cones for $4.50 after 4 p.m., half the midday price. Hidden benches near the Kissing Tower offer shade and a rest for tired feet. The seasonal “Chocolate Tasting Journey” tour, included with admission, gives bite-size samples that can replace an entire dessert run. The Hershey Story museum across the street offers free re-entry wristbands to ticket holders, turning a one-time stop into a midday cool-down. Seasonal parking at the Giant Center lot shaves $20 off daily fees. Bringing a collapsible wagon lets parents haul gear and treats without renting a locker. Arriving by 9 a.m. secures one of the 200 shaded picnic tables that stay free all day. Finally, downloading the Hersheypark app the night before unlocks real-time wait times, mobile food ordering, and a digital park map that saves minutes of aimless walking.

Park officials say the tricks reflect a larger shift toward guest-driven convenience and value. Next season they plan to expand the mobile-order footprint and add 15 new shade structures, but many of the veteran’s shortcuts rely on policies that are unchanged since the 1990s. For families who visit once a year, mastering the 12 moves can turn an $80-a-person day into a $50 experience without losing a single ride or chocolate bite.