Hershey's Chocolate World

Hershey’s Chocolate World is the name of seven visitor centers which started in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Another installation opened on June 3, 2014 to New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Strip, Nevada, United States. Open year-round, Hershey's Chocolate World offers marketplace shops and restaurants, specializing in Hershey's chocolate products. Attractions include Hershey's Great Chocolate Factory Mystery in 4D, the Hershey Trolley Works, Wrap Happiness, and a free Chocolate Tour ride.

Hershey's Chocolate World is located off of Hersheypark Drive, in Hershey, PA, and is in an entertainment complex which also includes Hersheypark, Hersheypark Stadium, Hersheypark Arena, Hershey Museum, and Giant Center. The Las Vegas location is located where the Broadway Theatre used to be.

Although Hersheypark and Chocolate World are in the same complex, both operate independently of each other. Chocolate World is owned by The Hershey Company while Hersheypark is owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company (HERCO). However, The Hershey Company and HERCO are both owned by the Hershey Trust Company.

Parking is available via a separate lot which is free for the first three hours only, or via the Hersheypark parking lot (when the park is open), which offers a tram service to and from Hershey's Chocolate World. While the facility is open year-round (except Christmas), hours vary depending on the season, ranging anywhere from 9 am to 11 pm.

History

The entrance to Chocolate World

Hershey's Chocolate World was built as a replacement of the Hershey chocolate plant tour, which had reached its capacity and was no longer able to handle the large numbers of visitors per year. A large sign in front of the factory tells visitors to go to Hershey's Chocolate World for the chocolate-making tour. The newly opened facility took inspiration from World's Fair pavilions.^[1]

On June 1, 1986, the visitor's center welcomed its 20 millionth visitor.^[1]

A $4.5 million update to the chocolate-making tour ride opened in 1988, featuring a curious robot for a host.^[1] In the mid-1990s, the ride saw numerous revisions on a small scale, including the removal of several show elements. The last renovation occurred in early 2006 when several scenes in the chocolate tour ride were replaced with singing, animatronic cows. Today, there are still portions of the ride that have changed very little from the 1978 updated version, including the sorting and cleaning, roll refining, milling, and chocolate conch scenes.

The building features brownstone quarried out of Hummelstown, a neighboring town. In 2014, the retail area received major renovations as well as a new entrance and queue area for Hershey's Chocolate Tour.

Current attractions

A memorable sequence from the ride, where cars travel inside a roaster with special effects

• Chocolate Tour - A free 10-minute Omnimover-style dark ride tour (featuring the singing cows named Gabby, Harmony and Olympia) shows a simulation of the chocolate making process. This ride is an original attraction, which opened on June 30, 1973, and has been updated numerous times.^[1] The tour concludes with a free sample of a Hershey's product,^[2] and a ride photo is available for purchase. This attraction is not available in the Las Vegas version.

• Create-Your-Own Candy Bar - A factory experience attraction for all ages. Guests wear a hair-net and apron as they enter an actual manufacturing line atmosphere and will get to choose from a number of inclusion ingredients to add to their own personal chocolate bar. As the bar makes its journey down the assembly line, guests will design and personalize the package that their bar will be placed in. This attraction is replaced with the Create-Your-Own Hershey's Chocolate Wrapper in the Las Vegas version which visitors will create their own wrapper and it is wrapped in a Hershey's Bar.

• Hershey Trolley Works - Most commonly spotted on the streets of Hershey is the fern green, old-fashioned trolley. Added in 1988, the trolley, with singing conductors, departs for a round-trip tour of Hershey, pointing out historical and cultural observations along the way. Shows leave throughout the day and paid admission is required for this attraction. The 60-minute "History and Chocolate Tour" is available year round, the entertaining "Trolley Adventure" tour runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the "Christmas Adventure" shows during the Christmas season. This attraction is not available in the Las Vegas version along with the Chocolate Tour.

• Hershey's Chocolate Tasting Group Experience Patrons learn the art of chocolate tasting as the Chocolatier guides them through an interactive discussion of chocolate lore. Guests try samples of the chocolate ranging from creamy milk to robust dark and everything in between. All attendees receive a gift. This attraction is not available in the Las Vegas version along with the Chocolate Tour and the Hershey Trolley Works. Instead,visitors can get samples when they walk in.

• Hershey's Great Chocolate Factory Mystery in 4D - Added on May 4, 2013, this attraction replaces the Really Big 3-D Show. The show is a collaboration between The Hershey Company and Jim Henson's Creature Shop and The Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. The show is designed as an interactive experience with Hershey product characters with a reported 100+ versions of the story. This show also features the new redesigned Hershey Product Characters. This attraction is not available in the Las Vegas version along with the Chocolate Tour, the Hershey Trolley Works, and the Hershey's Chocolate Tasting Group Experience.

The rest of Hershey's Chocolate World contains various shops selling Hershey souvenirs and chocolate, and several counter service meal locations (Dessert Creation Studio, Hershey's Courtyard Food Court, and Hershey's Ice Cream Shop). The main candy store is one of the largest stores of its kind in the world selling Hershey's products including new items not widely released, and premium chocolate brands such as Scharffen Berger Chocolate.

References

External links

• Hershey’s Chocolate World web site (link plays music)
• Hershey’s Chocolate World Las Vegas web site
• Hershey Trolley Works web site
• Photos and Videos of Chocolate World
• Review of Chocolate World

Coordinates: 40°17′17″N 76°39′40″W / 40.288136°N 76.661117°W / 40.288136; -76.661117