The history of Hersheypark begins in 1903 at the founding of the town of Hershey, when the owner of the Hershey Chocolate Company surveyed an area of land to become a leisure park for the employees of his chocolate company. The park opened in 1905, but it wasn't officially opened as an amusement park until April 24, 1907, when the park opened as Hershey Park.
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Hershey Park was officially opened on April 24, 1907.[1] A baseball game was played on the new athletic field that day. The beautifully landscaped park was an ideal spot for picnicking, boating, and canoeing. Vaudeville and theater productions were performed on a rustic bandstand and pavilion.
A merry-go-round was installed and opened on July 4, 1908. A 1,500-seat tiered amphitheatre was built next to the pavilion. The entrance sign proclaimed, “Ye who enter here leave dull cares behind.”[1] The park was expanded in 1909 with the addition of a tennis court, two bowling alleys, a large band shell, and a photography gallery. Hershey was initially resistant to the idea of putting amusement rides in the park.
When he decided to purchase a carousel, he only wanted to place it on the far side of his property near the athletic fields[1] - what is today the approximate location of Hershey's Chocolate World. Given the distance between the town of Hershey and the future carousel's location, he decided to purchase an electric railroad, called the Miniature Railroad which opened on September 5, 1910.[2] In July 1912, a carousel manufactured by William H. Dentzel of the Dentzel Carousel Company in Philadelphia was added to the park. The carousel was 50 feet (15 m) in diameter and featured 53 carved animals that included lions, bears, giraffes, pigs, rabbits, an ostrich, goats and deer along with two chariots. The carousel was described as the “most magnificent and up-to-date carousel in this part of the country as well as one of the largest.”[1]
Several structures were built from 1913 to 1923. Added to the park were the dance pavilion Starlight Ballroom, a new stage for big bands, a new Convention Hall (now The Hershey Story: The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, but first was Hershey Museum), the Hershey Park Cafe and the Hershey Zoo.
To celebrate the town of Hershey's twentieth anniversary, Milton Hershey ordered a roller coaster from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC). Hershey chose not to purchase the roller coaster, but rented the land that the ride was built on to PTC. The ride opened on June 23, 1923, as The Joy Ride. It was changed to Wild Cat several years later and operated through the 1945 season when it torn down and replaced by The Comet.
A small Ferris wheel, the Aeroplane Swing and the Skooter were added to the park during the 1920s. In 1929, a complex of four swimming pools was added.[1]
A penny arcade, a fun house, The Bug ride, and The Mill Chute log flume ride were added in 1933. A petting zoo soon followed. Renovations were made to the Wild Cat roller coaster in 1935 to build up the dips and to more steeply bank the curves.[1]
More attractions were added to Hershey Park each season, and by 1945 the park contained more than two dozen rides. The Dentzel carousel was replaced in 1945 by a carousel built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1919, which still operates in the park today, with music from a 1926 Wurlitzer model #153 Military Band Organ. The carousel was the last ride Milton Hershey purchased and saw in operation as he passed away that year. However, he had purchased a new roller coaster to replace The Wild Cat for the 1946 season.[1]
In 1946 the wooden roller coaster The Comet replaced The Wild Cat. It was Milton Hershey's last purchased ride before he passed away. Twin 66-foot (20 m)-high Ferris wheels were added in 1950. The Dry Gulch Railroad was added in 1960. The Monorail was added in 1969.[1] However, during this time period, and especially in the 1960s, the park fell victim to vandalism and an overall decline. The park got to the point that it was facing one of two options: reinventing itself or close.
They chose to reinvent the park.[1]
A five-year redevelopment plan was started in 1971 to convert the regional amusement park Hershey Park into a large theme park called Hersheypark, as it is known to this day. This five-phase project was orchestrated by Randall Duell.[1] The park was gated in 1971, and a one-price admission plan was started, which coexisted with a pay-as-you-ride general admission policy. The initial price for the one-price admission plan was $3.50 for "adults" (ages 12 and up), or $1.75 for "juniors" (agess 5-11). Children under the age of 5 were free. The general admission plan charged "adults" $1.00 to get through the gate, "juniors", $.50, while children under 5 were free. By the 1973 season, the general admission plan was eliminated. Another significant change to the park was the main entrance. Since 1907, it had been located at the intersection of Park Boulevard and Park Avenue. For the 1971 season, as well as the 1972 season, the entrance was moved to a location near Hersheypark Arena, under the Monorail, near what is now the Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge.
For the second phase the redevelopment, Carrousel Circle was built. Toboggan, Hersheypark's second roller coaster, third built, was built in that area, along with a collection of kiddie rides and adult rides. (Toboggan was later removed following the 1977 season.)[1]
During the 1972 season, the park experienced a flood resulting from the rains of Hurricane Agnes. Until the Tropical Storm Lee flood in 2011, it was the worst flood the park experienced. A number of rides were severely damaged, including the park's first log flume, which never reopened. It resulted in a change of focus in where to put rides in the redevelopment.[1]
Phase 3 of construction included building themed areas Tudor Square and Rhineland, divided by teh permanent main gate of the park. Coinciding with that project was Hershey Chocolate Company's plans to build Chocolate World near the park's new main gate. Both Phase 3 and Chocolate World opened in 1973. As a result of Phase 3 plans, it was decided that the section of Derry Avenue between Park Boulevard and Park Avenue should be closed, and Park Boulevard redirected, as well. This decision was made as part of the park's expansion plans, as well as the incomingChocolate World.[3]
Coal Cracker opened in 1973, replacing the old flume ride. Trailblazer, the park's third roller coaster, fourth ever built, opened in 1974. In 1975, the Twin Turnpike and Kissing Tower were opened. The first steel looping roller coaster on the East Coast, called the SooperDooperLooper, opened on July 4, 1977. That marked the end of the redevelopment project in the park.[1]
The 1980s brought big changes to Hersheypark. Pirate and Cyclops (later replaced by a ride called The Claw) were two smaller rides installed to kick off the 1980s. However, due to financial problems caused by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts investments in a variety of hotels that ultimately did not do well, the addition of new rides at Hersheypark was limited.[1]
Once Hershey Entertainment & Resorts got the hotel investments behind them, they were able to focus on investing in the park. A new themed area was opened, marking the first significant expansion of the park's foot print: Pioneer Frontier. Canyon River Rapids was built and added in 1987 (replaced by Intercoastal Waterway and The Shore wave pool in 2009). Western Chute-Out was added in 1988, a set of water slides.[1]
The 1990s started off with the creation of Minetown. The old penny arcade was replaced by a massive three-story building, housing the Minetown Arcade, Minetown Restaurant, and games. The Flying Falcon replaced Himalaya, and three kiddie rides replaced the Coal Shaker. Four roller coasters were added to Hersheypark in the 1990s. Sidewinder, a Vekoma Boomerang coaster, was added in 1991.[1] In 1996, the wooden coaster The Wildcat was added and was named after The Wild Cat that previously operated from 1923 to 1946.[1] The Great Bear opened in 1998, the park's most expensive single ride to date. Wild Mouse opened in 1999. Several rides were also added during this decade. In 1994 the water plunge ride Tidal Force opened.[1] A Ferris wheel and Whip ride were added in 1997. Four other new rides were added in 1999. These include the Merry Derry Dip fun slide, Music Express, Chaos (since removed), and the Frog Hopper.
The year 2000 brought the biggest roller coaster of Midway America - Lightning Racer. Hersheypark's first roller coaster of the 21st Century was Roller Soaker, in 2002, which completed Midway America. Two more roller coasters were added in susbsequent years: Storm Runner (2004) and Fahrenheit (2008). A 65-foot (20 m) spinning pendulum ride called The Claw was added in 2003. In 2005, Giant Wheel was removed and replaced by two classic rides—Balloon Flite and Starship America. Carrousel Circle, the first of the 1970s renovations of Hershey Park (now renamed Hersheypark), was remodeled into Founder's Circle in honor of original founder Milton S. Hershey. In 2006, Hersheypark introduced the Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge, the first interactive dark ride to have two cars compete against each other. In 2007, Hersheypark opened The Boardwalk at Hersheypark, a new water park and themed area that as of 2009, includes 9 water attractions.[4] In 2009, The Boardwalk is home to six games, eleven retail centers and thirteen food concessions. Roller Soaker, Canyon River Rapids (since removed), and Tidal Force were included in the new themed area, with Canyon River Rapids and Tidal Force having their entrances and exits rerouted. Hersheypark also announced that the Rodeo, installed in 1978, will be relocated to nearby sister park, Dutch Wonderland.
In March 2008, the Hershey Entertainment Complex was certified as Storm Ready by the National Weather Service. This is awarded to communities and organizations/companies that are prepared for Severe Weather. The Hershey Entertainment Complex was certified based on their emergency action procedures, emergency evacuation plans and evacuation shelter(s) capability. The complex contains an extensive system of CCTV Security Cameras, trained security personal and extensive weather spotting and detecting systems.
On August 2, 2011, Hersheypark announced their 12th roller coaster, Skyrush, set to debut in May 2012. Skyrush and the 2012 season will also bring back an abandoned area of the Park, previously known as the Sunken Gardens.
In June 2011 it was reported that Derry Township, HE&R, and local transportation planners were examining the possibility of realigning Park Boulevard, which currently runs along the park's southwestern border, in order to allow a 31-acre (13 ha) expansion of the park. This would represent the first expansion in over a decade, as the park is currently hemmed in on all sides by roads, parking lots, other entertainment facilities, and the Hershey chocolate factory, and would increase the park's acreage by about 25%. In this plan the park would absorb land that was previously the site of the Parkview Golf Course, another Hershey Entertainment property, which closed in 2005. Such a project is not likely to begin for several years and would not be completed for at least a decade.[5]