Hershey Park Announcement For 100 Year Anniversary!

There's apparently a big announcement coming Wednesday from Hershey in re: their 100 Year Anniversary.

Any buzzers have a heads up on what it will be???

Hard to believe we're going to have a major park like Hershey hit the centennial mark. What are the oldest parks in the country?

Cedar Point is 136 years old, and it's 2nd. Lake Compounce goes back further than that.

I can't think of any others currently operating that would be older than Hershey. Chippewa Lake (long gone) made it to 99 years I think.

I visited Hersheypark for the first time 2 years ago and had a great time - it's a very nice park in a very nice setting with a great selection of rides. I'll probably make the return trip next year for their 100th. Maybe they'll have 100-year-old chocolate bars taken from the Hershey vaults or something :)
*** Edited 7/11/2006 5:34:13 AM UTC by jimmybob***

As far as we know Barry, it's a waterpark. There are plenty of pictures of the construction online. They asked for and finally got approval for this last year. The waterpark will be in front of Lightning Racer where the viewing area for the Laser Show was.

Considering that Hershey used to a have a big swimming area way back in the day (long before the park was gated) and it'll be in the Midway America section, I wonder if they'll give it a classic theme sort of like the Pittsburgh Plunge ride in the Lost Kennywood section?

I'm thinking water park.

It is... There are already slide sections on site by Lightning Racers lift. There is also what appears to be a large bathhouse by the mouse which is pretty much done.

Whats odd is the footers closer to Lightning Racer are pretty large. At the very least a large slide complex/tower could be going up. The other area has little going but dirt removal so i'm thinking play areas/pools. *** Edited 7/11/2006 7:21:46 AM UTC by Joe E.***

Kennywood and Idlewild are both over 100 years old. Conneaut Lake is as well but has not operated continuously during that period. It was closed for a while during the 1990s.

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jimmybob said:

Chippewa Lake (long gone) made it to 99 years I think.

*** Edited 7/11/2006 5:34:13 AM UTC by jimmybob***

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Chippewa Lake closed on its 100th year anniversary, which was in 1978. I have some of the wax and paper cups from the centennial celebration.

According to NAPHA, the oldest operating amusement parks in the U.S. are as follows:

Lake Compounce Amusement Park, Bristol, CT, USA 1846
Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, USA 1870
Idlewild Park, Ligonier, PA, USA 1878
Sea Breeze Amusement Park, Rochester, NY, USA 1879
Dorney Park, Allentown, PA, USA 1884
Coney Island, Cincinnati, OH 1886
Beech Bend Park, Bowling Green, KY, USA 1888
Geauga Lake, Aurora, OH, USA 1888
Arnold's Park, Arnold's Park, IA 1889
Trimper's Rides and Amusements, Ocean City, MD, USA 1890
Carousel Gardens, City Park, New Orleans, LA, USA 1891
Bay Beach, Green Bay, WI, USA 1892
Columbian Park, Lafayette, IN 1892
Conneaut Lake Park, Conneaut Lake Park, PA, USA 1892
Lakemont Park, Altoona, PA, USA 1894
Lagoon Park, Farmington, UT, USA 1896
Waldameer Park, Erie, PA, USA 1896
Kennywood, West Mifflin, PA, USA 1898
Midway Park, Maple Springs, NY, USA 1898
Bushkill Park, Easton, PA, USA 1902
Canobie Lake Park, Salem, NH, USA 1902
Camden Park, Huntington, WV 1903
Keansburg Amusement Park, Keansburg, NJ 1904
Carousel Village - Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI 1905
Oaks Amusement Park, Portland, OR, USA 1905
Clementon Amusement Park, Clementon, NJ, USA 1907
Hersheypark, Hershey, PA, USA 1907
Lenape Park, Mays Landing, NJ, USA 1907
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, CA, USA 1907
*** Edited 7/11/2006 1:34:06 PM UTC by millrace***

One of Hershey's earlier emails said a "COLOSSAL" announcement. This little waterpark that they're throwing together doesn't quite seem enough to call COLOSSAL. I sure hope there's a coaster involved too.

^

I don't know... I wouldn't hold my breath hoping for a new coaster. I wouldn't hold my breath for anything more than the new "little" water park.

While I can actually understand why they are putting the "water park" where they are (near existing water rides, near existing "infrastructure" for water attractions), I can not help to wonder why they are putting the water park where they are.

They seem to be shoe-horning this water park in between existing attractions. As with the all too short Reeses Xtreme Cup Challenge, this sounds like it may be yet another "missed opportunity". They will have a "water park" so they can say they have one, but it will be a rather small one. And because they will have this rather small one, they will see no need to build a proper large water park (equivalent to others at parks of their size) at any time in the forseeable furture. Why not move it to another area? If it is a problem of land being available, wait a few seasons until something can be worked out (parking lot moves around the old Hersheypark Arena, or something) and then put in a top notch water park. The way it stands now, not only will they be messing up the "old time park" atmosphere they are trying to create in Midway America, they are also going to saddled with a dinky water park that, over the next fews seasons I fear they will realize isn't quite the top quality attraction that they are trying to market it as.

In other words... stop looking at a less than stellar quick, short term "solution" to their water park issue in favor of a more long range (if not imediate) better solution.

I know... I know... The thing hasn't even been built yet and I'm complaining. I just can't help thinking that this is not one of the brightest ideas that Hershey has come up with.

The waterpark is at least part of it. According to another I podcast I heard a few weeks back, their PR spokeswoman made it sound like there could be more, but I wouldn't expect anything huge, the waterpark is a pretty big move for Hershey.

According to the book "Amusement Parks in Pennsylvania," Williams Grove was the first park in the state. It opened in 1850.

RE: "Colossal"

It's going to be a huge coaster, 300+ feet tall. The station will be near Founder's Circle, the lift hill running west. First drop will be across Park Blvd with the coaster running through the old golf course (behind GIANT Center), almost to Hockersville Road before doing its turn around and returning back to the main part of the park. Length will be somewhere around 7000+ feet!

[Waking up, shaking head, snapping back to reality]

No, no, sorry, it was just a dream. Don't expect a new coaster (of any type, other than perhaps a kiddie oval). Just going to be the impromptu water park (and possibly a few new or relocated kiddie flats)

What ever it is (and isn't), we should know some time today.

*** Edited 7/12/2006 12:20:55 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

Isn't it going to be the coaster designed using RCT3 in the competiton that was released with the game?You could win $100,000.I think its that.

Lake Compounce holds the record for oldest continually operating park but there should be an star next to the record entry. There were many years when they opened the park for only one day a year just to keep the record alive.

We know there will be a waterpark, but hershey park has used planes in almost all the teasers. Thats why I think they will add a flying coaster or use the old airport that they own across the street.

I heard (was it Comet Rider on these boards that said it?) that the land on the north side of HP Drive (the old airport) was "lost" to the park with the relocation of the road to the Hotel and also the renovations to the school that is on the hill. The old golf course was basically "swapped" for this land.

Just thinking aloud...by *shoehorning* a waterpark area in, aren't they really putting limits on possible EXPANSION. Waterpark rides are nothing if not low-capacity...

Also, re: "Colossal"....maybe they're getting the hybrid wood/steel coaster from SFMM? Sorry, I HAD to...

*** Edited 7/12/2006 3:55:46 PM UTC by rollergator***

Words out. It's a waterpark attraction called the "Boardwalk." With the largest 'water-play-structure' in the world.

[edit] here's the link:

http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/100th/boardwalk.php

I will now come off the edge of my seat.

Also, in response to another post, hershey just purchased the golf course adjacent to their property. This gives them more than enough room for future expansion.

Look at GoogleEarth for reference. *** Edited 7/12/2006 4:07:25 PM UTC by ArmsUp***

Perhaps they are going the "resort" way and feel a golf course would be a goood addition. I always thought CP should buy up some property along the water and put in a course.

-Tambo