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124-597: Hersheypark (known as Hershey Park until 1970) is a family theme park in Hershey, Pennsylvania , about fifteen miles (25 km) east of Harrisburg , and 95 miles (155 km) west of Philadelphia . The park was founded in 1906, by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company . It is wholly and privately owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company . Hersheypark has won several awards, including

248-460: A token ). The cost of the attraction is often based on its complexity or popularity. For example, a guest might pay one ticket to ride a carousel but four tickets to ride a roller coaster . The park may allow guests to purchase a pass providing unlimited admissions to all attractions within the park for a specified duration of time. A wristband or pass is then shown at the attraction entrance to gain admission. Disneyland opened in 1955 using

372-483: A 2,200-square-foot Starbucks store and a kettle corn location that is the largest in Hersheypark. Chocolatetown also features a unique Hershey's Kisses fountain. The project cost an estimated $ 150 million making this the largest capital expense in the park's history. The new area sits on 23 acres (9.3 ha) of land previously unoccupied by Hersheypark. Along with the expansion, Hershey announced plans to introduce

496-692: A Get the Picture Souvenir Photo Stand, where guests can see and purchase pictures taken of them by park photographers throughout their day, as well as a Subway restaurant. The next section that was merged, formerly known as Music Box Way, is home to the Music Box Theater, the first enclosed theater stage in the park. It also includes rides such as the Fender Bender bumper cars, the Pirate, Reese's Cupfusion, as well as

620-594: A Traver Tumble Bug ride next to the Mill Chute. It was removed in 1981 to make room for the Wave Swinger. The park's carousel, before being moved to Carousel Circle in 1972, was located along the creek adjacent to the station of Comet. Before SooperDooperLooper came to Comet Hollow in 1977, a Himalaya ride was in that location, and before that, twin Eli Bridge Ferris wheels. A whip, and a station for

744-410: A ballfield, one of the main attractions in the park at the time, and above the pool area, which was located below the ballfield in the hollow along Spring Creek. This location was chosen for the carousel because Milton S. Hershey, who founded the park, wanted to have a miniature railroad operate in the park. The miniature railroad would connect the main entrance of the park (nearest to downtown Hershey and

868-530: A blaze of lights from the "White City." To make sure that the fair was a financial success, the planners included a dedicated amusement concessions area called the Midway Plaisance . Rides from this fair captured the imagination of the visitors and of amusement parks around the world, such as the first steel Ferris wheel , which was found in many other amusement areas, such as the Prater by 1896. Also,

992-455: A carnival atmosphere. In 1952, he created WED Enterprises to design the park, which was now to be built in Anaheim, and in 1953, was able to convince the bankers on funding the park with the help of a studio artist, Herb Ryman, by making an aerial drawing of Disneyland. By July 1954, construction had started with a deadline of one year. Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, and two months after

1116-610: A frozen yogurt stand were added for the 2014 season. A Chick-fil-A restaurant (closed Sundays) was added for the 2017 season. In the 2020 expansion of hersheypark, they opened a new restaurant, called "The Chocolatier". Also included in the price of admission is access to ZooAmerica . It is open year-round and offers 11 acres of land to visit and walk throughout. It is smoke-free, as ZooAmerica houses "more than 200 animals from five regions of North America" and offers tours, birthday parties, and informational programs at varying costs, even having their own individual seasonal pass. Hersheypark

1240-572: A glow in the dark spinning family indoor coaster across from the Wild Mouse. The section also has Music Express, Merry Derry Dip Fun Slides, Ferris Wheel and three kiddies rides: Granny Bugs, Pony Parade, and Tiny Tracks. The Boardwalk at Hersheypark , a water park, was officially opened in 2007 and featured five new water park attractions along with three already standing rides: Roller Soaker, Tidal Force, and Canyon River Rapids. Canyon River Rapids and Tidal Force were rezoned from Pioneer Frontier to

1364-450: A hydro-magnetic coaster slide that also counts as the park's 14th coaster, and Whitecap Racer, the longest mat racer slide in the world which features two sets of twisting enclosed tubes. Breaker's Edge uses the station that was formerly used by Roller Soaker. Capital Area Transit provides direct access to/from Harrisburg with its HP bus during the summer season. Throughout the year, the 322 CAT route provides service to downtown Hershey and

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1488-432: A kosher restaurant (Central PA's Kosher Mart) and a variety of restaurants offering gluten-free rolls and bread. Groups can pre-arrange catering in one of six private picnic areas inside the park. Signs are posted prohibiting guests from bringing in outside food and drink. A casual sit-down restaurant called Hersheypark Place (formerly Tudor Grill) is located just outside the park. A Chickie and Pete's Crab House restaurant and

1612-461: A new entrance to the park, which will lead directly to the new section. The park's Carrousel was relocated from Founder's Way to Chocolatetown. The expansion, along with the rest of the park, opened on July 3, 2020, after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The Chocolatier Restaurant, The Sweeterie, and Milton's Ice Cream Parlor were rescheduled to open in 2021. All three locations as well as

1736-401: A number of kiddie rides. It is from this area that guests can access The Hollow, Pioneer Frontier, and a bridge leading to Kissing Tower Hill. This section was originally named "Comet Hollow" after the oldest operating coaster in the park, Comet , and lies along Spring Creek. This is one of the oldest areas of Hersheypark; many rides have come and gone in this area. The park's first water ride,

1860-579: A park first: The Wild Cat was Hersheypark's first roller coaster, Wildcat , which opened in 1996, the Toboggans (initially called Twin Towers Toboggans because there were twin Toboggan coasters side-by-side) were Hersheypark's first steel roller coaster, Mini-Comet was Hersheypark's first kiddie coaster, and Roller Soaker was the park's only water coaster. The Mini-Comet was replaced by

1984-694: A piece of chocolate at the end of the ride. Prior to the reduction in worldwide theme park attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the park saw an average attendance of over 3.3 million visitors each year. In 2020, the park hosted 1.7 million visitors. It is the most visited theme park in Pennsylvania and the ninth most visited theme park in North America , as well as the largest theme park in North America outside of Ohio , Florida or California . In 1903, Milton S. Hershey , founder of

2108-446: A pleasure ride of flying carriages that revolved around a central pylon. Other rides included the 'Grotto' (a fantasy ride), 'River Caves' (a scenic railway ), water chutes and a tobogganing tower. Fire was a constant threat in those days, as much of the construction within the amusement parks of the era was wooden. In 1911, Dreamland was the first Coney Island amusement park to completely burn down; in 1944, Luna Park also burned to

2232-469: A proper theme park. That same year, SeaWorld San Diego opened and displayed many varieties of aquatic and marine life. Initially meant to house Walt Disney's dream idea, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow), Disney executives decided to settle on building the park first in Walt Disney World and the city later. After six years of construction, Walt Disney World opened to

2356-552: A second park or risk losing the land to the French government. The park opened March 16, 2002, with only three rides and California Adventure style theming. However, Hong Kong Disneyland was higher quality than the other black sheep, but still lacked the number of attractions that was needed, just like California Adventure and Walt Disney Studios Park. It opened on September 12, 2005, with only four lands, and had exorbitant wait times on opening day for everything from rides to food. In

2480-674: A smaller roller coaster, the Joy Wheel, Miniature Railway, The Whip and the River Caves. A ballroom was constructed on the site of the Skating Rink in 1920 and in 1923 a Variety Cinema was built on the site. Between 1920 and 1935 over £500,000 was invested in the site, constantly adding new rides and facilities and culminating in the construction of the Dreamland Cinema complex in 1934 which stands to this day. Until 2011

2604-795: A source of fantasy and escape from real life. By the early 1900s, hundreds of amusement parks were operating in the United States and Canada. Trolley parks stood outside many cities. Parks like Atlanta's Ponce de Leon and Idora Park, near Youngstown, OH, took passengers to traditionally popular picnic grounds, which by the late 1890s also often included rides like the Giant Swing, Carousel , and Shoot-the-Chutes . These amusement parks were often based on nationally known parks or world's fairs : they had names like Coney Island , White City , Luna Park , or Dreamland . The American Gilded Age was, in fact, amusement parks' Golden Age that reigned until

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2728-467: A standalone attraction next to Disney World (especially now as Disney built one in Disney-MGM). So it divided up the segments of its California tour into individual attractions, such as Jaws , Disaster! , and Kongfrontation . Disney-MGM Studios opened it on May 1, 1989, with two major attractions: The Backlot Tour and The Great Movie Ride. The concept for the park started out as an EPCOT pavilion, but

2852-471: A variety of other thrill rides which no longer exist in the park today. The full list of these rides is below. These are attractions which the park had throughout its history. The athletic field was the center of activities when the park first opened in 1906, until the Merry-Go-Round carousel was installed in 1908. Hersheypark only began having themed areas in 1972 as park management was converting

2976-474: A wide variety of restaurants. The section previously included the area up to and including Tidal Force until 2007 when Tidal Force and Canyon River Rapids were rezoned into the new Boardwalk. However, the southern end of the section was expanded at this time, encompassing the Pirate (swinging ship), The Claw, and the Dry Gulch Railroad, all rezoned from Music Box Way. Pioneer Frontier is also home to

3100-539: Is Wildcat's Revenge , a hybrid roller coaster made by Rocky Mountain Construction , which opened in June 2023. Hersheypark uses Hershey Company products as names for each height range to determine who can ride which rides. All measurements are in inches : Hersheypark uses a ride ratings system to alert guests to the aggressiveness of the ride. The "Ratings" for each ride are as follows: (descriptions come from

3224-401: Is a list of former Hersheypark attractions . The first ride the park removed was also the first purchased for the park, a Herschell-Spillman carousel called the "merry-go-round." It was in the park from 1908 until 1912. Hersheypark has removed five roller coasters over its history, and cancelled two projects prior to being built. Each of the five roller coasters removed were notable as being

3348-486: Is an amusement park located in Hershey , Derry Township , Pennsylvania . The park was formally opened by Milton S. Hershey on May 30, 1906, and it became an entity of Hershey Estates when the estates company was established in 1927. From its opening in 1906 until 1970, it was an open-gate park. In 1971, the park was gated and an entry fee charged. This was the first preparations for the renovation project designed by R. Duell and Associates that would begin in 1972. This

3472-533: Is located. Hersheypark called this ride Carrousel, misspelling the word carousel with two r's. In 1929, the carousel was relocated to a platform overlooking Comet Hollow, where it operated through the 1944 season. In 1945, Hersheypark had the opportunity to install a Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel; they sold the Dentzel carousel and installed the PTC ride, which operates in the park to this day. Hersheypark has had

3596-433: Is made up of seven themed areas, starting with Hershey's Chocolatetown, an area which spans from outside the main gate, to around the area of the former Sky Ride station. From there, it becomes Founder's Way, which leads to a junction where three sections – Kissing Tower Hill, The Hollow and Pioneer Frontier – meet and make up the central and southern end of the park, while two sections, Midway America and The Boardwalk, make up

3720-468: Is the Bartholomew Fair . By the 18th and 19th centuries, they had evolved into places of entertainment for the masses, where the public could view freak shows , acrobatics , conjuring and juggling , take part in competitions and walk through menageries . A wave of innovation in the 1860s and 1870s created mechanical rides, such as the steam-powered carousel (built by Thomas Bradshaw, at

3844-413: Is the middle of a circle that has a number of rides on the outside of the circle. From 1972 until 2004, this area was known as Carousel Circle . In 2005, Carousel Circle became Founder's Circle, until 2013, when it was merged with Music Box Way, Rhineland and Tudor Square. The section of Founder's Way beyond Carousel circle is an area formerly themed as Der Deitsch Platz . This is home to the 1906 Grille,

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3968-401: Is the second themed area of Hersheypark. Prior to the opening of Hershey's Chocolatetown, it began outside of the main gate near Tram Circle and encompassed the former Tudor Square (1973–2013) and Rhineland (1973–2013) areas when they were merged with Founder's Circle and Music Box Way. Now a few buildings from Rhineland still remain, including a few gift shops, the now-empty former station of

4092-486: Is the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster at Hersheypark. The park has had several pools, the first located next to Spring Creek in Comet Hollow, the area themed as The Hollow as of 2018. The first pool operated from 1908 until 1911, which included a toboggan-slide ride called Shoot-the-Chutes. This pool was replaced by a cement pool which opened in 1912 and remained in use through the 1928 season. That pool

4216-693: Is the world's oldest amusement park, Bakken ("The Hill"), which opened in mainland Europe in 1583. It is located north of Copenhagen in Klampenborg, Denmark . Another early garden was the Vauxhall Gardens , founded in 1661 in London. By the late 18th century, the site had an admission fee for its many attractions. It regularly drew enormous crowds, with its paths often noted for romantic assignations; tightrope walkers, hot air balloon ascents, concerts and fireworks providing amusement. Although

4340-458: Is themed after stories based on the ocean and nautical adventure. It was constructed at a cost of ¥335 billion and opened on September 4, 2001. The park's two signature attractions are a modernized version of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Journey To The Center of The Earth . In the early 90s, Michael Eisner wanted to make Disneyland in the image of Walt Disney World 's resort style. Plans were made for multiple hotels (such as one based on

4464-670: The Applause Award . The park opened its first roller coaster in 1923, the Wild Cat , an early Philadelphia Toboggan Company coaster. In 1970, it began a redevelopment plan, which led to new rides, an expansion, and its renaming. The 1970s brought the SooperDooperLooper , an early complete-circuit looping roller coaster, as well as a 330-foot-tall (100 m) observation tower, the Kissing Tower . Beginning in

4588-496: The Aylsham Fair ), and its derivatives, notably from Frederick Savage of King's Lynn , Norfolk whose fairground machinery was exported all over the world; his "galloping horses" innovation is seen in carousels today. This inaugurated the era of the modern funfair ride, as the working classes were increasingly able to spend their surplus wages on entertainment. The second influence was the pleasure garden . An example of this

4712-603: The Blackpool Pleasure Beach ranked among the top free of charge attractions in Britain. Blackpool Pleasure beach was developed continuously, requiring frequent large-scale investments. The construction of many new rides could be counted on. Rides included the Virginia Reel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Big Dipper and Dodgems. In the 1920s the "Casino Building" was built, which remains to this day. In 1923, land

4836-740: The Coal Cracker (1973) and Twin Turnpike (1975) were put on higher ground in Minetown, and the Merry Derry Dip Fun Slide was put in Midway America twenty-five years later in 1997. Today, The Hollow features three roller coasters, Comet , Skyrush and SooperDooperLooper . It also houses the Wave Swinger, Tea Cups, and Sweet Swing rides. Almost all of Great Bear 's track courses through The Hollow. Beginning with

4960-960: The Disneyland Resort and Universal Orlando Resort to thrilling coaster parks such as the Six Flags parks and Cedar Fair parks. Countless smaller ventures exist across the United States and around the world. Simpler theme parks directly aimed at smaller children have also emerged, such as Legoland . Examples of amusement parks in shopping malls exist in West Edmonton Mall , Pier 39 and Mall of America . Family fun parks starting as miniature golf courses have begun to grow to include batting cages, go-karts, bumper cars, bumper boats and water slides. Some of these parks have grown to include even roller coasters, and traditional amusement parks now also have these competition areas in addition to their thrill rides. In 2015, theme parks in

5084-649: The Grand Floridian Hotel ) and a new west coast version of EPCOT , called WESTCOT. WESTCOT never came to be due to local opposition from residents, rising costs, and the financial fallout of Disneyland Paris. After a corporate retreat in Colorado, Disney executives decided to make a park themed to California so that guests could experience all of California within the confines of the Disneyland Resort and would be built across from Disneyland on its 100-acre parking lot. Disney's California Adventure would be

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5208-683: The SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks also offer educational experiences, with each of the parks housing several thousand animals, fish and other sea life in dozens of attractions and exhibits focusing on animal education. Created in 1977, the Puy du Fou is a much-celebrated theme park in Vendée , France. It is centered around European, French and local history. It received several international prizes. Some theme parks did evolve from more traditional amusement park enterprises, such as Knott's Berry Farm . In

5332-534: The Wild Cat , for the town of Hershey's twentieth anniversary, which operated until 1945. It was replaced by the park's second wooden roller coaster, Comet , in 1946. Between then and 1996, the park added six roller coasters, including SooperdooperLooper , the first complete-circuit, modern-day looping steel roller coaster on the East Coast of the United States, which opened in 1977. In 1996, Hersheypark added its third wooden roller coaster (Wild Cat and Comet being

5456-684: The 1870s along the Connecticut River . The trick was getting the public to the seaside or resort location. For Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, on the Atlantic Ocean, a horse-drawn streetcar line brought pleasure seekers to the beach beginning in 1829. In 1875, a million passengers rode the Coney Island Railroad , and in 1876 two million visited Coney Island. Hotels and amusements were built to accommodate both

5580-478: The 1920s, Walter Knott and his family sold berries from a roadside stand, which grew to include a restaurant serving fried chicken dinners. Within a few years, lines outside the restaurant were often several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter Knott built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from real old west towns such as the Calico, California , ghost town and Prescott, Arizona . In 1968,

5704-650: The 2007 edition of the map of Hersheypark) Hersheypark features a number of entertainment shows in a number of venues including Hersheypark Aquatheatre and the Music Box Theatre, as well as strolling shows throughout the park. 12 resident shows are offered along with Spring, Summer, Halloween, and Christmas seasonal shows. A popular event offered each year from November to January is Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane. The park also has an amphitheatre, but it has been out of use for several years. There are facilities for accommodating particular dietary needs, including

5828-399: The 2012 season and renovations being done to this area, the famous chocolate smell that was used in building materials was dampened due to concerns about safety. Additionally, the park changed the name of the once 'Comet Hollow' to the present name of 'The Hollow'. Until the start of the 2014 season, this area of the park had been called Minetown, which had been officially opened in 1990 with

5952-648: The Boardwalk. In 2009, the Boardwalk received an expansion known as the Seaquel which replaced Canyon River Rapids with Intercoastal Waterway (a lazy river), the Shore (a wave pool) and cabanas. Roller Soaker was removed for the 2013 season; however, the station was left up. That same year, the area was renovated and taken up by a kiddie spray ground and some tables. For the 2018 season, Hersheypark announced that two new water attractions would be in this area: Breaker's Edge,

6076-453: The Casino building to name a few. The Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II during the 1940s saw the decline of the amusement park industry. War caused the affluent urban population to move to the suburbs, television became a source of entertainment, and families went to amusement parks less often. By the 1950s, factors such as urban decay , crime , and even desegregation in

6200-516: The Cocoa Cruiser, a kiddie coaster in the shadows of Storm Runner. Hersheypark's two cancelled roller coaster projects were a proposed Flying Turns coaster and a proposed coaster named Turbulence. Flying Turns would have been opened in 1942, however America's entry into World War II effectively ended the project. 63 years later, Hersheypark was planning to open what would have been the park's eleventh existing coaster - Turbulence. Early in

6324-528: The Dark Arts class with one shop and one restaurant in the former submarine lagoon at Magic Kingdom. She was also displeased with the lack of creative control she had and exited the deal. She went to Universal next and was also displeased with the initial plan to redress the Islands of Adventure's Lost Continent area. To remedy this, J.K Rowling wrestled creative control from Universal and forced them to make

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6448-530: The Electric Railroad were also located in Comet Hollow at one time. One of Hersheypark's most significant floods occurred in 1972 as a result of Hurricane Agnes . A number of rides were heavily damaged or destroyed as a result. These rides include the turnpike ride, the Mill Chute (which at the time of the flood was rethemed as the Lost River), and the giant slides. They were eventually replaced;

6572-538: The Golden Age of roller coasters, being the decade of frenetic building for these rides. In England, Dreamland Margate opened in 1880 with Frederick Savage's carousel the first amusement ride installed. In 1920 the Scenic Railway rollercoaster opened to the public with great success, carrying half a million passengers in its first year. The park also installed other rides common to the time including

6696-522: The Hershey Chocolate Company, surveyed the town that would become Hershey. Included in his plans was a site along Spring Creek that would be suitable for a leisure park for Hershey employees. In 1905, a bridge was built over Spring Creek, and a pavilion was built on the hill that overlooked it. While the bridge was able to be constructed, the land on the banks of Spring Creek, from Derry Church to Union Deposit, and areas further north of

6820-551: The Hersheypark Supply Co. main gift shop are open year-round even when the park is closed. It is now the first area one encounters when entering the park. It replaced the former Tudor Square and Rhineland buildings that were built during the park's retheming in the 1970s. There are only a few remaining buildings from the Rhineland section towards the back of the area, where it becomes Founder's Way. Founder's Way

6944-512: The Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became a theme park. Because of its long history, Knott's Berry Farm currently claims to be "America's First Theme Park." Knott's Berry Farm is now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, may be the true oldest continuously operating amusement park in

7068-695: The Mill Chute installed in 1929, was alongside the creek where Great Bear runs today. The original location for the bumper cars, then called the Auto Skooters, is now the SooperDooperLooper Sandwich Stop. There were giant slides on the hill where the Hersheypark Amphitheater is located. A Streco turnpike ride was located underneath the high bridge that crossed Spring Creek to Minetown. In 1932 the Park installed

7192-738: The Outlets at Hershey. Lebanon Transit offers direct access to/from Harrisburg on Route 8. Theme park Amusement parks evolved from European fairs , pleasure gardens , and large picnic areas , which were created for people's recreation . World's fairs and other types of international expositions also influenced the emergence of the amusement park industry. Bakken ("The Hill") in Klampenborg , Denmark, Wurstelprater in Vienna, Austria, and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark are

7316-625: The Playdome Arcade (formerly the Double "R" Cade, the Frontier Meetinghouse, and a Cinema Vision), which was newly remodeled for the 2018 season. Opened in 1996 as a homage to the classic midway fair, Midway America features four roller coasters, including Wildcat's Revenge , a steel hybrid coaster which opened in 2023, Lightning Racer (a dueling wooden roller coaster), and two steel coasters, Wild Mouse , and Laff Trakk ,

7440-544: The Sky Ride, Nathan's, and Dispatch Pizzeria Express. After the completion of Hershey's Chocolatetown, the rather steep hill in this area was leveled off. Going into the main circle of the area is a statue of Milton S. Hershey and a surrounding fountain, which honors the chocolate maker and founder of the park. The center of this circle is where the carousel used to be before being moved to Chocolatetown. The red, white, and blue pavilion that it used to be under still remains and

7564-681: The Sunoco Twin Turnpike, Coal Cracker flume ride, Kissing Tower and Great Bear . It is also home to the Overlook Arcade (formerly the Minetown Arcade), Overlook Food Court (formerly the Minetown Restaurant), Hersheypark Amphitheater, Hersheypark Aquatheater and the Hersheypark entrance to ZooAmerica. The Overlook Food Court Restaurant is a cafeteria-style place, and for many years was the only area in

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7688-438: The United States had a revenue of US$ 8 billion and theme parks in China had a revenue of US$ 4.6 billion , with China expected to overtake the United States by 2020. Some parks use rides and attractions for educational purposes. There are also Holy Land USA and the Holy Land Experience , which are theme parks built to inspire Christian piety. Dinosaur World entertains families with dinosaurs in natural settings, while

7812-412: The United States, open since 1846. Santa Claus Town, which opened in Santa Claus, Indiana , in 1935 and included Santa's Candy Castle and other Santa Claus-themed attractions is considered the first themed attraction in the United States: a precursor to the modern day theme park. Santa Claus Land (renamed Holiday World in 1984) opened in 1946 in Santa Claus, Indiana , and many people will argue that it

7936-525: The additions of Convoy, Red Baron, Flying Falcon and Dinosaur-Go-Round. All except Dinosaur-Go-Round, Red Baron, and Flying Falcon are still in the area; Dinosaur-Go-Round was moved to Founder's Circle for the 2007 season so the Frog Hoppers could be moved to its location to make room for the Boardwalk, and following the 2016 season, Red Baron was moved to Pioneer Frontier and Flying Falcon was removed completely to make room for Hershey Triple Tower. The section features many classic Hersheypark attractions, including

8060-529: The area beautified. The area was also given a name: Spring Creek Hollow. However, since the area didn't gain any theming, only beautified, the park did not list it the themed areas of the park (such as Rhineland or Tower Plaza). As a part of the adding a gate and one-price admission to Hersheypark, costume characters were now a part of the park's entertainment program. Since the beginning of this, there have been characters based on different Hershey products. These have gone through multiple design changes throughout

8184-427: The beginnings of the Wurstelprater as an amusement park. The concept of a fixed park for amusement was further developed with the beginning of the world's fairs . The first World fair began in 1851 with the construction of the landmark Crystal Palace in London, England. The purpose of the exposition was to celebrate the industrial achievement of the nations of the world and it was designed to educate and entertain

8308-482: The boardwalk out over the ocean. The first of several was the Ocean Pier in 1891, followed later by the Steel Pier in 1898, both of which boasted rides and attractions typical of that time, such as Midway-style games and electric trolley rides. The boardwalk also had the first Roundabout installed in 1892 by William Somers, a wooden predecessor to the Ferris Wheel . Somers installed two others in Asbury Park , New Jersey and Coney Island , New York. Another early park

8432-439: The coal mining region themed area Minetown was re-themed as Kissing Tower Hill. The themed areas had featured different music to each area, such as polka -style songs being played in Der Deitsch Platz and Carousel Circle, country music being played in the Pioneer Frontier themed area, the Beach Boys being played near Tidal Force and later in The Boardwalk, as well as Ragtime and jazz music being played in Midway America. However,

8556-417: The creek (including the area currently occupied by Hersheypark Arena and Stadium) was then owned by J.H. Nissley. In February 1906, Hershey purchased all but two tracts of land, near Union Deposit, from Nissley. In early spring, the Hershey baseball club staked out an area for a baseball field; a baseball diamond, a track surrounding the field, and grandstands were built. The first game was played on May 5, which

8680-410: The early 2000s, the Harry Potter book series written by J.K Rowling had become a pop culture phenomenon. Universal and Disney entered a bidding war over the theme park rights to the books, but Disney seemed to have won after Rowling signed a letter of intent with Disney. However, Rowling was disappointed with Disney's small-scale plans to install an omnimover attraction themed to the Defense Against

8804-413: The early 90s after the opening of Universal Studios Florida, Universal sought to build a second theme park, one aimed more towards children and their families. Universal acquired the theme park rights to many properties including Marvel and Dr. Seuss to build the park around. In 1999, Universal Studios opened Universal Studios Islands of Adventure under the new resort name Universal Studios Escape. The park

8928-644: The end of June, but Jaws had to be rebuilt and reopened three years later. However, Universal learned from opening day and started conducting exit surveys and special ticket deals. In 1992, Disney opened its first European park, Euro Disneyland , outside of Paris, France, designed to be like the Magic Kingdom in Florida, yet it caters to the European tastes through changes, including removing Tomorrowland and replacing it with Discoveryland , themed to

9052-619: The experience of the enclosed ideal city with wonder, rides, culture and progress (electricity), was based on the creation of an illusory place. The " midway " introduced at the Columbian Exposition would become a standard part of most amusement parks, fairs, carnivals, and circuses. The midway contained not only the rides, but other concessions and entertainments such as shooting galleries , penny arcades , games of chance , and shows. Many modern amusement parks evolved from earlier pleasure resorts that had become popular with

9176-611: The first two), naming it Wildcat (initially The Wildcat) after the original Wild Cat. Between the 1996 addition of Wildcat and 2015, the park added nine roller coasters. Of the coasters that the park has had, only five are no longer in the park: a twin roller coaster called Toboggan (also called Twin Towers Toboggan or Twin Toboggans) which was located in Carousel Circle; a water coaster called Roller Soaker which

9300-410: The gardens were originally designed for the elites, they soon became places of great social diversity. Public firework displays were put on at Marylebone Gardens , and Cremorne Gardens offered music, dancing, and animal acrobatics displays. Prater in Vienna, Austria, began as a royal hunting ground which was opened in 1766 for public enjoyment. There followed coffee-houses and cafés, which led to

9424-634: The ghettos led to changing patterns in how people chose to spend their free time. Many of the older, traditional amusement parks closed or burned to the ground. Many would be taken out by the wrecking ball to make way for suburb and housing and development . In 1964, Steeplechase Park , once the king of all amusement parks, closed down for good. The traditional amusement parks which survived, for example, Kennywood , in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania , and Cedar Point , in Sandusky, Ohio , did so in spite of

9548-431: The great futuristic thinkers of European culture such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne . A recession in the French economy and the immense public backlash against the park led to financial hardship, putting the park into debt. However, this did not stop Disney from expanding Disney-MGM Studios with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror , in 1994, and building their fourth Walt Disney World park, Disney's Animal Kingdom . In

9672-516: The ground. Most of Ingersoll's Luna Parks were similarly destroyed, usually by arson , before his death in 1927. During the Gilded Age , many Americans began working fewer hours and had more disposable income. With new-found money and time to spend on leisure activities, Americans sought new venues for entertainment. Amusement parks, set up outside major cities and in rural areas, emerged to meet this new economic opportunity. These parks served as

9796-553: The land a full scale, realistic re-creation of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts without being a refurbishment of an existing area. The project was announced in 2007 and in 2010 the land was opened to the public and made Universal Orlando a must visit destination. Today, there are over 475 amusement parks in the United States, ranging from mega-parks and those that are operated by Warner Bros., Disney , Six Flags and NBCUniversal . The amusement park industry's offerings range from immersive theme parks such as Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi ,

9920-515: The larger, more popular rides. Later, the "D-ticket" was added, then finally the " E-ticket ", which was used on the biggest and most elaborate rides, like Space Mountain . Smaller tickets could be traded up for use on larger rides so that for example two or three A-tickets would equal a single B-ticket. Disneyland, as well as the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, abandoned this practice in 1982. List of former Hersheypark attractions Hersheypark (operating as "Hershey Park" through 1970)

10044-408: The largest disaster Disney ever created because unlike Disneyland, it would be set in the modern day and spoof modern-day California with its cheap, insincere, and flat backdrops. The park would be adult focused, sell fine food, and serve alcohol. When the park opened on February 8, 2001, it received a chilly reception for its lack of attractions, poor environment (for example, Hollywood Studios Backlot

10168-462: The late 1920s. The Golden Age of amusement parks also included the advent of the kiddie park. Founded in 1925, the original Kiddie Park is located in San Antonio, Texas , and is still in operation as of 2022 . The kiddie parks became popular all over America after World War II. This era saw the development of new innovations in roller coasters that included extreme drops and speeds to thrill

10292-490: The mid-1980s, the park rapidly expanded. Between 1991 and 2008, it added eight roller coasters and the "Boardwalk at Hersheypark" water park. As of 2020, the park covers over 121 acres (49 ha), containing 76 rides and attractions, as well as a zoo called " ZooAmerica ". Adjacent to the park is Hershey's Chocolate World , a visitors' center attraction that contains shops, restaurants, and a chocolate factory-themed tour ride, where visitors can get their picture taken and receive

10416-471: The modern, competitive amusement park industry. In the late 1950s, Wynne visited Disneyland and was inspired to create an affordable, closer, and larger amusement park that would be filled with fantasy. He followed in the steps of Disney and had subdivisions within the park that reflected different lands. The subdivisions included the Old South and other sections that referenced Wynne's background. By 1968,

10540-466: The motivation for entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and a rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. In 1879, large parts of the promenade at Blackpool were wired. The lighting and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the North of England's most prominent holiday resort, and its specifically working class character. It

10664-497: The music was phased into being the same across the park, except in The Boardwalk and Pioneer Frontier. In the summer of 2020, Hersheypark opened a new themed area called Hershey's Chocolatetown, which included a new entrance plaza, ice cream parlor, flagship retail store, and a Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster named Candymonium . This includes the first ever Starbucks inside the park. Hersheypark has had 142 rides in

10788-568: The northern end of the park. On October 3, 2018, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts revealed its "biggest announcement ever" – a new section of the park called Hershey's Chocolatetown. It features Candymonium , a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster; the Chocolatier themed restaurant, bar, and patio; the Sweeterie confectionery kitchen; as well as a 10,000 square foot flagship boutique store, Hersheypark Supply Co, Milton's Ice Cream Parlor,

10912-482: The odds. Inspired by the layout of Tivoli Gardens theme park in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1951, Walt Disney came up with the idea of having an amusement park next to the studios in Burbank. The park would have been called Mickey Mouse Park , built across the street with a western area featuring a steam driven paddleboat, a turn of the century town, and a midway. It was rejected by the Burbank city council in fear of

11036-450: The park had been called various unofficial names, including "West-end" Park and Hershey's Park, which (despite being a popular, and grammatically correct, choice) was picked over in order to combine the words Hershey and Park. In 1970, after more than 60 years of operation, park management decided to redevelop the park into a theme park. The name was changed to Hersheypark in 1971, and it has operated under that name ever since. The first ride

11160-480: The park into a contemporary theme park. However, the park did have one specific area with a theme in years prior - Kiddieland. Since then, the park has had 20 different kinds of named areas within the park, some which were considered official themed areas and others which were not. One example is when Hersheypark renovated an area of the park around the Comet and Spring Creek. The Bug was replaced with Wave Swinger and

11284-466: The park opened, it welcomed its one millionth guest. Because of the financial success of Disneyland, the amusement industry was reinvigorated. What became Busch Gardens Tampa opened in 1959 as a garden and bird sanctuary. Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961, themed to the six different countries that ruled over Texas. In 1964, Universal Studios Hollywood opened to the public with a studio tour of their backlot that had multiple adventure scenes and became

11408-616: The park where alcohol was served. Alcohol is now also served at various locations in Pioneer Frontier and Midway America. Pioneer Frontier is the southwestern-themed section of the park and includes four of the park's roller coasters: Trailblazer (the second oldest in the park), Jolly Rancher Remix , Storm Runner , and Fahrenheit . It also includes the Frontier Flyers, The Howler, Mini Scrambler, Livery Stables, and Red Baron. It also has its own food court which features

11532-438: The park's history . There are currently 76 rides in operation. The park has featured 18 roller coasters, five of which no longer stand – Wild Cat, Wildcat, Twin Towers Toboggan, Mini Comet and Roller Soaker. The park had two concepts canceled during their many years of operation, the first in 1942 Flying Turns and Turbulence in 2005. The first ride the park purchased was a Herschell carousel in 1908. The most recent coaster added

11656-591: The park. In 1897, Sea Lion Park was joined by Steeplechase Park , the first of three major amusement parks that would open in the Coney Island area. George Tilyou designed the park to provide thrills and entertainment. The combination of the nearby population center of New York City and the ease of access to the area made Coney Island the embodiment of the American amusement park. Coney Island also featured Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904). Coney Island

11780-426: The park. Other revenue sources include parking fees, food and beverage sales and souvenirs. Practically all amusement parks operate using one of two admission principles: In amusement parks using the pay-as-you-go scheme, a guest enters the park at little or no charge. The guest must then purchase rides individually, either at the attraction's entrance or by purchasing ride tickets (or a similar exchange method, like

11904-503: The pay-as-you-go format. Initially, guests paid the ride admission fees at the attractions. Within a short time, the problems of handling such large amounts of coins led to the development of a ticket system that, while now out of use, is still part of the amusement-park lexicon. In this new format, guests purchased ticket books that contained a number of tickets, labeled "A", "B" and "C." Rides and attractions using an "A-ticket" were generally simple, with "B-tickets" and "C-tickets" used for

12028-411: The project phase, a dispute arose between the park and the ride manufacturer. Initially postponed, the project never resumed and was cancelled. The first major ride Hersheypark purchased was a small, used Herschell-Spillman Company carousel, in 1908. This ride was always referred as a merry-go-round rather than a carousel. The ride operated from June 1908 through at least 1912. It was placed adjacent to

12152-556: The public for day-trips or weekend holidays, for example, seaside areas such as Blackpool , United Kingdom and Coney Island , United States. In the United States, some amusement parks grew from picnic groves established along rivers and lakes that provided bathing and water sports, such as Lake Compounce in Connecticut, first established as a picturesque picnic park in 1846, and Riverside Park in Massachusetts, founded in

12276-456: The public on October 1, 1971. Meant to be a larger east coast version of Disneyland, it had copies of most of the attractions from Disneyland (except for Liberty Square and the Hall of Presidents ), yet it was financially the most ambitious project Walt Disney Productions had ever undertaken, and succeeded once the holiday crowds came in during Thanksgiving. In 1982, Walt Disney Productions opened

12400-474: The riders. By the end of the First World War, people seemed to want an even more exciting entertainment, a need met by roller coasters. Although the development of the automobile provided people with more options for satisfying their entertainment needs, the amusement parks after the war continued to be successful, while urban amusement parks saw declining attendance. The 1920s is more properly known as

12524-850: The second Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Georgia , opened, and in 1971, Six Flags Over Mid-America (now Six Flags St. Louis ) opened near St. Louis , Missouri. Also in 1971 was the opening of the Walt Disney World resort complex in Florida . In 1991 Warner Bros. in partnership with Village Roadshow, opened their own Warner Bros. Movie World . It is the only Movie-Related theme park in Australia. Warner Bros. continued their theme park ventures and opened Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi in UAE and Parque Warner Madrid in Spain. Amusement parks collect much of their revenue from admission fees paid by guests attending

12648-535: The second Walt Disney World park, EPCOT Center, based on Walt Disney's futurist ideals and World Fairs. Like a World's Fair, the park would display the latest technologies in an area called Future World, and the cultural pavilions in World Showcase. In 1987, Disney announced that it would open its third Disney World park, Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, which would have a working backlot. However, Universal knew that its Californian backlot tour would not work as

12772-577: The sites, expanding them from picnic groves to include regular entertainments, mechanical amusements, dance halls, sports fields, boat rides, restaurants and other resort facilities. Some of these parks were developed in resort locations, such as bathing resorts at the seaside in New Jersey and New York . A premiere example in New Jersey was Atlantic City , a famous vacation resort. Entrepreneurs erected amusement parks on piers that extended from

12896-551: The theme park, Silver Dollar City . The park is still owned and operated by the Herschends and the family has several other parks including Dollywood , Kentucky Kingdom and Wild Adventures . The first regional amusement park, as well as the first Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Texas was officially opened in 1961 in Arlington, Texas . The first Six Flags amusement park was the vision of Angus Wynne Jr. and helped create

13020-483: The three oldest operating amusement parks in the world. Lake Compounce opened in 1846 and is considered the oldest, continuously operating amusement park in North America. The amusement park evolved from traditions in the European Middle Ages . An amusement park is a contemporary arrangement, designed to combine components of a fair, carnival, and theme park. An early example of an amusement park

13144-521: The train station serving the area) with the west end of the park where the carousel was. The Miniature Railroad was the second major ride Hersheypark purchased. It debuted in September 1910, and the grand opening occurred in May 1911. The railroad would operate from 1910 to 1971, with the east station (located at the main entrance of the park) remaining the same throughout the line's history. The west station

13268-527: The upper classes and the working class at the beach. The first carousel was installed in the 1870s, the first roller coaster , the " Switchback Railway ", in 1884. In England, Blackpool was a popular beachside location beginning in the 1700s. It rose to prominence as a seaside resort with the completion in 1846 of a branch line to Blackpool from Poulton on the main Preston and Wyre Joint Railway line. A sudden influx of visitors, arriving by rail, provided

13392-481: The visitors. American cities and businesses also saw the world's fair as a way of demonstrating economic and industrial success. The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago , Illinois was an early precursor to the modern amusement park. The fair was an enclosed site, that merged entertainment, engineering and education to entertain the masses. It set out to bedazzle the visitors, and successfully did so with

13516-459: The years. In addition to these, Hersheypark had its own mascot characters in the late 1970s and 1980s. These included the Furry Tales, which were three brightly colored animals - a skunk, a bear, and a chipmunk. These characters were featured in promotional materials, daily shows, and even had their own shop selling plush toys in Rhineland. Other discontinued characters include Pistol Pete and

13640-560: Was a 4–0 loss to Felton Athletic Club. This is also noted as the first open-air event in Hershey. On Wednesday, May 30, 1906, Hershey's park was opened to the public and formally called Hershey Park. The festivities included a baseball game, in which Hershey defeated the Crescent Club of Harrisburg by a score of 13–1. Music was performed by the recently formed Hershey Band and other events were held on park grounds. Prior to that time,

13764-575: Was a huge success and by the year 1910 attendance on days could reach a million people. Fueled by the efforts of Frederick Ingersoll who borrowed the name, other " Luna Parks " were quickly erected worldwide and opened to rave reviews. The first amusement park in England was opened in 1896 – the Blackpool Pleasure Beach by W. G. Bean. In 1904, Sir Hiram Maxim 's Captive Flying Machine was introduced; he had designed an early aircraft powered by steam engines that had been unsuccessful and instead opened up

13888-625: Was added to the park in 1908 – an Allen Herschel carousel often referred to as the "Merry-Go-Round". This was followed in 1910 with the addition of the Miniature Railroad, which remained in operation until the end of the 1971 season. The park has operated a bumper car ride since 1926, a variety of boat rides on Spring Creek, and six dark rides, three of which were fun houses. The park added its first two kiddie rides in 1926, The Prowler and The Regurgitator, and has added well over 40 since then . The park added its first roller coaster in 1923,

14012-560: Was allegedly designed by former Disney Imagineers who left after the financial disaster of Disneyland Paris. In the late 80s, the Oriental Land Company (the owners and operators of Tokyo Disneyland resort which opened in 1983) wanted a second park. None of the current non-Magic Kingdom parks satisfied the Japanese, but one concept thrown away for Disneyland's second gate inspired a new one: DisneySea . Tokyo DisneySea

14136-478: Was closed during the 1971 season and never reopened; the track was eventually lifted and the train was put into storage. Hersheypark debuted a second carousel manufactured by the Denzel Carousel Company in June 1912. This carousel was larger, and was a newly built ride instead of being used. It was originally located in the west end of Hersheypark, near where the current main entrance of the park

14260-511: Was followed by the addition of a much larger wave pool, called The Shore, which opened in 2009. Hersheypark developed a number of themed areas, the first being Carousel Circle, Der Deitsch Platz, and Animal Garden in 1972, followed by Tower Plaza in 1975, Pioneer Frontier in 1985, Midway America in 1996, as well as The Boardwalk at Hersheypark in 2007. In 2014, Hersheypark merged several theme areas – Tudor Square, Rhineland, Founder's Circle and Music Box Way, became an area called Founder's Way, while

14384-536: Was in Midway America and later The Boardwalk; a kiddie coaster with an oval track called Mini-Comet; the 1996 Wildcat; and the original Wild Cat. The station of the Wild Cat was located in the Minetown area where the Convoy ride is currently, with most of the out-and-back layout/structure built along the north side of Spring Creek between the base of Storm Runner's first drop and the station for Trail Blazer. "Candymonium"

14508-500: Was reclaimed from the sea front. It was at this period that the park moved to its 44-acre (18 ha) current location above what became Watson Road, which was built under the Pleasure Beach in 1932. During this time Joseph Emberton, an architect famous for his work in the amusement trade was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides, working on the "Grand National" roller coaster, "Noah's Ark" and

14632-481: Was relocated twice - first in 1930 when it was moved into the hollow, the year after the pool was relocated and Mill Chute was constructed, and a second time in 1950, when the line was truncated due to the installation of twin Ferris wheels. Hersheypark was gated in the 1971 season, and put a portion of the Miniature Railroad outside of the gate - the segment between the east station and the 1929 Hershey Park Pool. The ride

14756-448: Was replaced by a new pool complex on the western edge of the park, which included a large bathhouse, one large pool and a smaller pool, as well as a beach-like area and a lighthouse. It operated until 1971, when it was closed at the start of the Hersheypark theme park conversion renovation. Hersheypark did not add another pool until 2007 when The Boardwalk at Hersheypark opened. It is a small wave pool for children, called Bayside Pier. That

14880-567: Was the Eldorado Amusement Park that opened in 1891 on the banks of the Hudson River , overlooking New York City . It consisted of 25 acres. The first permanent enclosed entertainment area, regulated by a single company, was founded in Coney Island in 1895: Sea Lion Park at Coney Island in Brooklyn. This park was one of the first to charge admission fee to get into the park in addition to sell tickets for rides within

15004-479: Was the first true Theme Park despite Knott's history. In the 1950s the Herschend family took over operation of the tourist attraction, Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri . Over the next decade they modernized the cave, which led to large numbers of people waiting to take the tour. The Herschend family opened a recreation of the old mining town that once existed atop Marvel Cave. The small village eventually became

15128-645: Was the forerunner of the present-day Blackpool Illuminations . By the 1890s, the town had a population of 35,000, and could accommodate 250,000 holidaymakers. The number of annual visitors, many staying for a week, was estimated at three million. In the final decade of the 19th century, electric trolley lines were developed in many large American cities. Companies that established the trolley lines also developed trolley parks as destinations of these lines. Trolley parks such as Atlanta 's Ponce de Leon Park , or Reading's Carsonia Park were initially popular natural leisure spots before local streetcar companies purchased

15252-493: Was themed to a modern-day movie backlot of modern-day Hollywood), and overemphasis on retail and dining. When John Hench (an original Imagineer who worked with Walt and was a chief creative executive at Imagineering since Imagineering was founded) was asked for his opinion on the park, he reportedly said, "I preferred the parking lot." Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris was the second Disneyland Paris park. Disney had to build

15376-610: Was turned into a park as a "half day" attraction—a complement to the rest of the resort. The rest of the park was themed to 1930s Hollywood and featured lost parts of Hollywood like the Brown Derby. Universal Studios Florida opened on June 7, 1990 (delayed by one year) to great fanfare, but the primary attractions were experiencing severe technical difficulties. All three of the park's major attractions (Jaws, Disaster!, and Kongfrontation) were not working and suffered major technical difficulties. Disaster! and Kongfrontation were fixed by

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