Lindsey was able to purchase half-priced tickets to Hershey Park. We decided to go this Thursday. Actually, we got a hotel room for two nights. We went down Wednesday night. It made it easier to just get up on Thursday and head over to the park. At first, I was all for just driving back after the day at the park, but Lindsey convinced me that it would be better to stay another night, and go to Chocolate World the next day. Definitely a good call! I was exhausted after a full day at the park. It would have been a rough drive home.
Last time I was at Hershey Park was way back in 2010 with my brother. Before that, I think we went there when I was a kid. I do not remember it being that nice. Granted, my amusement park mindset during my early years was based only on rollercoasters. I was completely shocked by how nice Hershey Park is! Super clean, so many rides for kids, awesome food, etc…
We hit up the water park first. Payton started off with some of the smaller kid slides, which she was able to get Logan to do as well. He loved it and since those were the only ones he could do, he stuck to those. Payton wanted to try the bigger ones, but I think she was a little scared. So I offered to go down as well. Damn, they were incredibly fun! After that we did the lazy river and wave pool. Logan wanted to go back to the little kid stuff, while Payton and I hit up this ride called the Whitecap Racer. I thought for sure she would be afraid or chicken out. But she went down, and as soon as we were done, she wanted to do it again. The second time coming down though, I was going so fast that I started going up the side of the tunnel and slid off my mat. My arm was rubbing against the walls, and it felt like my arm was about to catch on fire. I managed to get myself back on the mat and still was able to win against Payton. She was upset that she lost twice, I tried to explain that I weigh more and can generate more speed (same reason that Uncle Adam and I beat her and Em every time while snow-tubing).
After the water park, we went to the ZooAmerica part and did a quick walk around checking out the animals. The kids were hungry, hot, and grumpy at this point, so they were just not into it. Although, Payton was excited when we saw an ocelot sleeping up close. Lindsey loved seeing otters and prairie dogs up close. Logan wanted to roar at a bear. Once through the zoo, we got some food, and then went to a show of sea lions. We decided afterward to pay the money and get a picture with one.
The rest of the day was spent with rides. I decided to not try and push anyone on a rollercoaster. We did ride the one small coaster that is for kids. Lindsey hated it. Payton was a little meh, but Logan loved it. I think I have a rider! He liked almost all the rides, especially the ones that go fast. We did the Scrambler, and he laughed like a crazy person the entire time. Payton is usually scared to ride something, but if we can convince her to try it, she generally likes it.
The next day we went to Chocolate World. I have been there a few times. I remember going when I was a little kid with my dad when we went to the state wrestling tournament. I think we went again years later during an intermission, and some of our family members needed to sober up. The last time I was there though was when I went to the Dave Matthews Band concert at Hershey. We were there early for some tailgating, and my friend Dan said it was a tradition that you have to do the tour whenever you come to Hershey (he was also someone who went to wrestling states every year). Again, I do not remember the tour or Chocolate World being that nice, but was absolutely blown away by how great it was. We just did the tour, which the kids loved, and then did some shopping in the store. We spent way more money than we probably should have. Hell, we bought more stuff there than when we went to Disney (I think driving helped, we knew we had no weight limits or restrictions, haha).
I do have to tell a funny story about Logan. As we were leaving the park on Thursday, we went through the main store, and Logan saw a hoodie that he really liked. We told him that if he did not find anything at Chocolate World, we would come back for it. We figured he might forget about it. Nope. As we looked around Chocolate World’s store, he kept saying he wanted that hoodie. So after we bought everything, we went back to that store and purchased it for him. Then we decided to get milkshakes back at Chocolate World.
I love how in Pulp Fiction, Vince is appalled that a shake costs $5, and it does not have some bourbon in it. The shakes at Chocolate World? $9 and no alcohol either. They were delicious though.
It was a fantastic trip. I hope we go again sometime again, hopefully sooner than thirteen years.
