HersheyPark or Dorney Park?


I just got back from a 9 day trip of amusement/theme parks. Hershey and Dorney were both on my trip. I liked each for different reasons. It depends on what you like and what you're looking for in a park. If I had the choice to return to only one of the two, I really don't know which I would pick. I really enjoyed myself at both. The only distinction I can make is that I felt Dorney was more thrill ride oriented and Hershey was more atmosphere and family oriented (fun). Thats just the impression I got. Both parks have some really great rides.

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DorneyDante said:
"hershey is all themed upon the damn chocolate factory. it has an easy way out of theming. if the town wouldnt be known for chocolate,the park would have no theming. that is just my 31 cents."


??? With the exception of the Kissingtower (with its windows shaped like Hershey Kisses), and the height signs corresponding to Hershey products, and the occasional wandering costumed character, how is Hershey themed on chocolate? Personally, I don't even consider Hershey a themepark, but rather an amusement park.


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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."
the entire park is based upon chocolate how can u say its not>??? lol,,,,,hence the name hersheypark!
So, then I guess Six Flags New England is based on clam chowder... NEW ENGLAND clam chowder... hence the name Six Flags NEW ENGLAND.

I'll give you that HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATEworld is based on Hershey's Chocolate (hence the name)... but I think the name Hersheypark (originally Hershey Park... two words) was chosen because Harrisburgpark or Lancasterpark wouldn't make too much sence since the park was located in Hershey, PA.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."
you are totally missing my point which i find a. hysterical and b. frustrating. first of all i live 20 minutes from dorney and about 40 min from hershey, iv been going to these parks all my life so i think i may have an upper hand on the parks. i still dont know how u can say hershey isnt based on chocolate. yes i see what u are saying about the name of the park hence the name of the city in which it was located. but the park still themes areound the chocolate i dont care what u say. go into the damn giftshops that are near the entrance of the park. its all chocolate! i am gonna take pics of everything chocolate related when i go to hersheypark, and send them to u.
Superstew's avatar

Don't bother! As an expert on Hersheypark let me straighten you out on a few things. You're totally off base about this chocolate theming thing. The factory and the park have NOTHING to do with each other, other than the fact that Milton S. Hershey(who the town was named after), built both of them from the ground up. The park was built to show appreciation towards the hard working employees of the factory. A place to go rest, relax and have fun.

The fact that the park can subtly incorporate a few things into itself revolving around chocolate is an added bonus and luxury for them(one which they've earned by the way)and shouldn't be used as a lame excuse for theming because you're a bias Dorney Park lover that seems just a little jealous.

Oh! and didn't Hersheypark win the 2000 Applause award. Someone in the world must think they have a pretty nice park. When Dorney Park has accomplished a feat like that, then you can run your mouth about how good it is. *** This post was edited by Superstew on 6/29/2001. ***

Last edited by Superstew,
its all about the chocolate what can i say! lol biased?? hardly,i live minutes from dorney n hershey and have been enjoying both the nineteen years i have been on this planet. i lean toward dorney cause i simply think its an all around better park, and please lets not even start on the hershey history cause i will rip u a new a-s-s hole when it comes to that, and that might hurt so lets not. i produced a documentary on the park last year for a communications class at drexel and bought the pbs documentary on tape also. yes the park was built for the employees of the factory , but im not talkin about what the park WAS, im talkin about what the park is NOW. it has evolved into a park based on the towns strong relation to chocolate. i dont even know how anyone can argue that. i think u are argueing simply to argue and that is annoying. maybe the hershey kiss shaped lamps, the walking reeses peanut butter cups, the kissing tower shape, the chocolate factory tour, and the gift shops in the midway overflowing w chocolate memorabelia all cannot lead someone to believe that the park is themed around chocolate. like someone mentioned before about six flags new england. they dont theme their park around the areas infamous clam chowder. hersheypark made a choice to relate itself to chocolate, they didnt have to. hell, that is why he named it hershey park, he didnt have to. could have named it milton park or anything else. dorney park isnt named allentown park.

TITAN_FAN_13 said:
"What make you think I havent huh ?"


Um the fact that you don't have any of Dorney's coasters in your track record. Also it is fishy that you have been on X even though it isn't near open. If you were going to lie, do it with style...add all the coasters from SFMM.....Caught Ya;)
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"Bathroom 1 looks too intense for me"-Ed Markey
Do you have to pay seperate to get into Dorney's waterpark? Does Hershey even have a waterpark?

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"Bathroom 1 looks too intense for me"-Ed Markey
I've been to Hershey and Kennywood, but not Dorney. I've heard Dorney doesn't have very much atmosphere, so I say Kennywood has the best atmosphere.

I like Kennywood better than Hershey, even though Hershey has more coasters. Really, the only good coasters they have are the Comet, sooperdooperlooper, and Wild Mouse (I last visited in '99 so I didn't get a chance to ride LR). All 5 of Kennywood's major coasters (they also have the Lil' Phantom) are better than Hershey's, IMHO.

If you could get over to Western PA, then definitely stop at Kennywood. But if you're just going to be in the eastern part of the state, then I'd go to Hershey. Besides, they have the best theme ever...chocolate :)

*** This post was edited by Kennywood Insider on 6/30/2001. ***
haha! u rock kennywood insider! im glad someone else agrees that hersheypark is themed upon chocolate. and yes kennywood is an awesome hometown park.and bruce, no u do not have to pay seperate to get into the water park , it is one combo price. the parks are seperate so u can distinguish which is wildwater kingdom and which is dorney, but they connect to eachother right where talon is, there is a giant midway type deal.
Well this may not be an option because of prices, but you could go to both. But if you can only go to one then I have only been to hershey and that was when I was like two so I can't really help you out there
OH MY GOD WHERE THE HELL DO I BEGING!!! I'm reading some of these post and aaaaahhhhhhhh i get so frustrated. First fo all Dorney claims to be 200 acres. Its not! Dorney Park itself is tiny tiny tiny. It can say it is 200 acres because the corportaion owns 200 acres of South Whithall township. and Dorney Park isn't named Allentown Park first of all cause its not in Allentown its in South Whithall township, and Second just like Milton used his last name to name Hershey park so did Solomenn Dorney, hence why its named Dorney Park. And so what if Hershey is themed around Chocolate, Dorney isnt themed at all. At Dorney you'll walk up and Down a huge*****hill in the blazing sun all day. While in Hershey there is plenty of shade, and there hills are easy to get around. And dorney has more waterrides damn they have a whole water park, but nothing in that water park you cant do at home by bring the famly slide into the family blow up swimming pool. I say if you had to pick a true park experience go to Hershey its a beautiful park, there are plenty of things to do, the rides are great, and there laser light show at the end of the night is truely spectacular, you got to see it to believe it. And another thing DorneyJunkie Hershey Doesnt count its Kiddie coaster as part of there collection, and they do have kiddie coaster so open ya eyes and ya will see Hershey is the better of the two parks *** This post was edited by ice411girl on 7/1/2001. ***
If you want good wood go to Hershey, Kennywood, or Knobel's. Each has two excellent woodies.

If you want a Hyper go to Kennywood or Dorney.

If you want an invert go to Hershey or Dorney and ride in the front row.

If you are in to old rides beautifully maintained Knobel's may be the best place in the world, but Kennywood is also world class.

If you want a water park go to Dorney.

For wet rides Hershey and Dorney are both adequate and despite what some has said they both have the basic chute the chute, log flume and raft rides.

If you want shade go to Hershey's or Knobel's, though the newer parts of Hershey are not very shaded.

If you want a homey feeling park go to Knobel's or Hershey.

On a strictly personal basis I would go to Hershey and Knobel's.
ok, u are saying that hershey is named after milton. superstew said that it is named after the city. im confused. u people need to get ur facts str8.
my review of hershey

sidewinder-*yawns boring, ur typical boomerang
trailblazer-they call that a coaster? lolol
great bear-that was made by bnm?? what a flop that was
wildcat-why does this ride look so threatening, yet its really not, i could go on it sleeping. and it is way too smooth, but it is an ok ride
lightning racer-ok this ride is half decent
comet-was good til they added the trims
superdooperlooper-would have liked it in the late seventies
hershey is all rapped up in this we want all these coasters gig. what they dont realize is that quality overpowers quantity. they have always been following dorneys footsteps. right after dorney built white water landing they built their big raft ride. whenever dorney introduces something hershey follows and tried to do it better yet cant.
DorneyDante what are you talking about? You are just one of those pro dorney people that thinks everything in Hershey sucks cause its Dorney's closest competition. There is no doubt that there is competition between the 2 parks, but Hershey is hardly following Dorney. They did open Tidal Force the year after White Water landing, but that was about the only ride that hershey followed them on. If thats the case you are using than I can easily turn that around and point out all the rides that Dorney followed Hershey on. Hershey added the sooperdooperlooper Dorney added the laser. Hershey added the Canyon River Rapids so Dorney added a rapids ride. Hershey added the Wild mouse, so Dorney added a Wild mouse. Hershey added the Great Bear, so Dorney added the Talon. The way that you rated their rides is pretty ignorant as well. Wildcat smooth? Did you actually ride it? If anything the Lightning Racer is really smooth for a woodie. You failed to mention the Wild Mouse which is way better than Dorney's. B&M can't do no wrong. We all know that, and even though the Great Bear is short it is still a great ride. The only ones I agree with are the The widewinder and the Trailblazer. Its ok to express your opinion, but I think that you should be more educated before you post you opinions.
more eduacted?? i live minutes from both parks and go several times a season.
ok my opinion on this matter is, if you want a so called "good atmosphere" then go to Hershey, but if you want a better atmosphere, go to Dorney Park.

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Dorney Park is da bomb!

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