Hersheypark changes?

At Christmas Candylane on Sat. night we were sitting and listening to the carousel playing Christmas songs (always sounds better this time of year) and an employee came over and asked us to do a short survey. At the end he asked if I'd be interested in a phone survey where I could tell them anything I wanted about the park, likes and dislikes or changes. It got me thinking about what I would change. What would you change?

I wouldn't change much of anything... isn't this a "wish list" thread?

Actually it's more along the thinking of if they call me, what would I say? Since I agree with you P18 I wondered what others thought in case their perspectives might be something I hadn't thought of and might agree with. Possibly leading me to share them with the park should they call.

Take the seatbelts off Comet. That has Phoenix airtime potential.

The seatbelts aren't ruining Comet's airtime potential. It's the MCBR used as a trim that robs the final half of the ride of any air.

^I'd say what Moosh said....but loudly, and three times to drive the point home. ;)

Like this:
It's the MCBR used as a trim that robs the final half of the ride of any air.
It's the MCBR used as a trim that robs the final half of the ride of any air.
It's the MCBR used as a trim that robs the final half of the ride of any air.

Well the traffic sucks when entering and leaving.. We waited 3 hours to get out one night. The ticket windows also need to be moved up more. The lines trying to get in on a sat takes over everything and just is a all out fight. I do love the park, but just go during the week.

I'd say everything is perfect, but no park gets off that easy. If there were a few changes I'd make it would be:

1) The more densely populated the park becomes, the more some of your infrastructure becomes seriously outdated. You can see it in example when multiple attractions and food courts are all supposed to be using one bathroom facility.

It might have worked great when there were a lot fewer rides in the park, but not now, and not on a busy August day. Customers waiting in lines to use the bathroom, are customers who aren't buying merchandise, or enjoying themselves otherwise.

2) Lose the double-wide strollers. Again referring to a very busy August day, it's just incompatible to have the two-passenger stroller and pedestrians all trying to fit into small midways. Maybe a solution would be to have a inline double-stroller instead. The only problem could be stability on those steep inclines and declines in the older section of the park.

3) Ditto on Comet

4) More shade in Midway America

5) A once a week "No Summer/Band Camp" day. Okay, so the last one is unreasonable, but it would be nice.

1) More efficient operators on Comet.

2) Yeah, that brake is worse than useless.

3) Lower the price! The park is so crowded now, I never feel like I'm getting my money's worth with the long lines.

Lowering the price would only make the park more crowded, right Gonch? I say expand the size of the park by adding a new area (with more attractions) to the park to handle the large crowds. Others would say raise the price to something not affordable for everyone so that only the more wealthy can afford a trip to HersheyPark. Both ways would handle the busyness of the park. Both ways could make the park more profitable.

The park is pretty well rounded right now, but I really wish for a hypercoaster. I also hope that the rumors that they are planning to remove the rapids ride is false.

I do not like the direction that they are going with adding waterpark attractions. These attractions, while popular, can not be used the entire season. why didn't they decide to build a separate waterpark gate? That would have encouraged guests to spend more than one day in Hershey (Like at Cedar Point).

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LostKause said:
Lowering the price would only make the park more crowded, right Gonch?

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That was the first thing that popped into my head as I read his post.

Then I got to yours and you're doing a good job of doing my dirty work. :)

My biggest complaint about Hershey? Like Jim S. - the crowds. Hershey seems to be one park where I don't handle crowds well and even worse ALWAYS end up finding a huge crowd when we visit. It gets frustrating enough to cut the day short.

I've been to Hershey park 3 different times and have spent maybe a total of 20 hours in the park.

I don't know if the answer is less crowds or better handling of them, but...

People already spend multiple days at Hershey because of how much else Hershey (the town) and surrounding areas have to offer. Hershey also saw the highest attendance they've seen in the history of the park this year. So, I think they're doing pretty good.

I actually like the combined waterpark/ride park idea. The lines on the rides are way short on hot days. :)

I guess that I have been really lucky with crowds there, because I have never had a problem the multiple (at least a dozen) times Ive been there.

I agree with what everyone is saying about the Comet.

I actually think that HP could use some "new" flats like a Troika or a Swing Around.

The Boardwalk is beautiful, it is a nice investment and it is a nightmare! My niece and nephew along with myself got season passes for the first time this year probably because of the Boardwalk, yet we were rarely in it past 11:30 a.m.. If you didn't go straight there, sneak 2 or 3 rides in quickly the lines were ridiculous and none of the three of us were willing to wait. Of course that may be a condition of having the season pass as compared to those who only have a day pass and feel they have to spend the time there.

I remember reading posts early in the summer referring to different parks with posters saying "well wait 'till the crowds of August come". I never realized the huge difference between a second week of June crowd vs. a second week of an August crowd. With the season pass and the ability to go just about every Tuesday with the kids really lets you see the crowds build over the summer and I would say that even late in the summer the wait times for rides (during the day) were still not like at some parks. Still, compared with June, not as pleasant of an experience.

We hardly ever got on the Comet because of the crazy wait times and that's a shame because I believe that may be my first coaster, which has a certain sentimental value to it. Hard to believe that at 18 yrs. old it took me multiple rides to open my eyes on the first drop and much longer to go hands up. Now I've gone over 400 ft. high, eyes open (not wide, wind forcing them shut) and looking around at the top.

I would tell Hershey how disappointed I was with the Reese's dark ride. Maybe I shouldn't compare it with the shoot 'em rides at the Orlando parks but with technology the way it is today and there's being a newer ride I expected much more.

Fahrenheit looks nice but I too would have liked would have liked a hyper with some nice out and back airtime.

The last few times I've been to Hershey (on regular operating days), the crowds haven't been as bad as they once were. I always figured it was due to there being a lot more to ride than in years past. Think of what the park was like when Trailblazer, Comet, SDL and Sidewinder were the only coasters to ride!

I can't help but believe that Hershey's decision to go with Fahrenheit as opposed to a traditional hyper will end up costing them. I just have to believe that a hyper would generate more turnstile clicks, would generate more merchandising revenue, and would be less "replicative" of the pre-existing ride, to wit Stormrunner.

I'll ride Fahrenheit (whenever I get back to HP), and I'll enjoy it. Just could have, (and should have?), been a different decision.

I agree. I don't think it's going to hurt Stormrunner's ridership but it's a very similar ride in a park that would have done better with something new. A small B&M hyper coaster would have been perfect- intimidating but still family-friendly and ultra reliable. Oh well, maybe next time.

Makes you wonder what the thinking was on that decision. Could the overriding factor been space limitations? Any sort of hyper could have skirted the outside of the park. They do have a knack for weaving rides in and around others though which they haven't really done in the Midway America section. Hey, think of the shade that could have provided.

A hyper really would have been the perfect addition. I completely agree that they could have weaved it around other rides.

I remember how surprised I was the year that Great Bear opened when I saw where they put that.

My understanding is that in the next few years the Museum is going to be moving to someplace in "down town" Hershey. With that happening, I believe that it is then only a matter of time until the musuem and old arena come down, freeing up that area for park expansion.

Just guess work here...

2008: Ferenheit

2009: Boardwalk "expansion"

2010: Canyon Rapids redo / Museum & Arena come down.

2011: Expansion into the area currently occupied by the Museum & Arena. MAYBE a hyper, or at least the next major coaster, then.

At least that is how I see it. Then again, what do I know. My themepark building / management experience begisn with RCT1 and ends with RCT3 (and even then I usually have to invite "John D Rockafeller" into the park about a dozen times just to meet my cost over runs!).

*** Edited 12/4/2007 7:21:23 PM UTC by SLFAKE***