Visiting Hersheypark in 2020 | What You Need To Know
Our day at Hersheypark could be summed up as slightly different than last Summer but still a whole lot of fun. Candymonium is INTENSE but in a good way. If you are a thrill seeker this is the coaster you are looking for. We rode it 3x in a row and front, back, middle, wherever you sit you are in for a ride!
How Were The Crowds at Hersheypark?
The crowd level was low to medium depending on where in the park you were. In The Boardwalk it seemed more crowded but that probably was due to it being hot and everyone hits the waterpark on days like that. However it wasn't overwhelming and if you wanted to avoid groups of people you could easily get around them. Wait times were minimal throughout the park, with no ride taking longer than 20 minutes.
If you are a Full Size or King Size pass holder, or Hersheypark resort guests, take advantage of Sweet Start. Sweet Start allows you to get into Hersheypark one hour before it opens to the general public. If pass holders are using their Bring a Friend voucher, those guests will also be able to get in for Sweet Start. Be sure to reserve your day and check availability before making plans to visit.
What Safety Measures Does Hersheypark have?
Before entering the park, everyone will undergo a temperature screening with an infrared thermometer. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or above will not be allowed to enter. This also goes for Hershey's Chocolate World. Once you have been cleared, you will follow the color arrow for your line to the gate to scan your ticket and enter.
All guests over the age of 2 will be required to wear face coverings except while dining or on certain attractions. Over at The Boardwalk, guests will not be required to wear face coverings while in the water or on water attractions. Everything from the lockers to the Wave Pool are monitored and limited to provide safe distances for guests. All inside public spaces require masks unless you are dining.
read more: Hersheypark Reopening Information
Is Hersheypark enforcing the mask rule?
Yes! Hersheypark is enforcing their facial covering rule and I just want to say thank you to them for doing that. If someone walks into a building without it covering their face, the greeter reminds them to put it on. On rides, most have been wearing their masks, us included, and if you are standing around in the crowd without it on and they see you they will tell you to put it back on.
Speaking of masks on rides, we wore ours on Candymonium and other roller coasters and it was totally fine. I didn't feel like I couldn't breathe or that they were a hinderance. They do shift a little at those speeds and drops but no one lost theirs on the ride. Properly fitting masks are key!
But it was hot right? Yes it was hot, like 90+ hot with humidity. My face did get nice and sweaty, lovely right? However, the alternative would've been another day of sitting home, staring at the same walls we've been looking at since March. Honestly, coming from someone who gets hot easily, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
When I felt like I was swimming in face sweat, I found a corner out of the way of everyone and let me face breathe a bit. Also when you are eating or drinking you don't have to have it on. Inside The Boardwalk was the best, feeling hot? Run through the water features.
What is open at Hersheypark?
In Hershey's Chocolatetown Starbucks, Candymonium, the retail store, and Hyperdeck are open for business. The Kisses Fountain as well as the Carousel should be opening within the next few weeks.
All over the park most rides were open and running with social distancing measures in place: only family's sit together, line queue spacing, and hand sanitizer available at the entrance and exists. Some rides were not running however, and I don't know if that's because we were there for pass holder preview days or not.
I recommend always checking the official Hersheypark app for ride availability. It will give you location, wait times, and lots of other info for your day at the park.
ZooAmerica and The Boardwalk are open for business. The Boardwalk is the only area of the park face masks are not required. I however carried ours around in a clean ziploc bag, and had everyone wear them while walking around. If we were in the water structures, we did not have them on.
At Whitecap Racer and the Lazy River we saw employees spraying down the mats and tubes between uses. All other water rides that involve tubes are also cleaned in the same way.
Note: Not all rides are open at the same time. Check your Hersheypark App for more info throughout the day.
Hersheypark Dining and Refillable Drink Cups
The refillable, all-season drink cups were on my radar to see how they were going to do that safely. Before going to the park I said there is no way I want to buy the cups again this year, because how are they going to keep people and their germs from those machines?
I'm happy to report that I am all for buying the refillable cups because Hershey figured out how to make it work. Thank you Hershey team! If you have a refillable cup you walk up to the team member and tell them what kind of drink you want. Using a disposable cup, aka typical theme park drink cup, they will fill that with your drink of choice and hand it to you. Then you can use that to refill your reusable cup.
Note: Some refill stations did not have a team member present. If you're extra cautious like me, stick to the ones with Hersheypark employees.
Inside and outside dining locations have touchless pay and tables have been spaced out to allow for social distancing measures. If you're concerned you won't get a table, we all know finding tables can be hard sometimes at parks, I recommend eating before or after the big lunch crowds. We ate early and had no problem finding a table in the shade.
The tables, and all areas, are cleaned frequently, but if you need an extra boost of confidence, bring your own sanitizing wipes and wipe it down before sitting.
Hershey Character Meet and Greets
Character meet and greets look a little differently this year but that doesn't mean guests can't at least say Hi! to their Hershey faves. Look for characters at the Chevrolet Music Box Theatre and near the entrance to the park. Check the Hersheypark app for appearance times.
Did we feel safe at Hersheypark? Is it worth the money?
I won't lie, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Not Sheldon Cooper level but I'm cautious on a normal day and extra vigilant nowadays. Hersheypark has always impressed me with their cleanliness and overall care of the property. When they released their plans for reopening I was impressed.
Reading about it and seeing it in action are two different things. We worried a bit that things would feel weird or off while we were there. However, I'm happy to report we had a great day at the park. Wearing a mask wasn't as awful as people might make it out to be, although I believe the type of mask you are wearing is key. Ours had fitted nose areas to prevent our sunglasses from fogging up, adjustable ear loops, and just lightweight enough that they weren't stifling.
Yes I brought my own hand sanitizing spray as well as cleaning wipes but I didn't feel the need to use them. I only used my own hand sanitizer once, as they have it readily available throughout the park. People generally followed the mask rule, I only saw one guy who didn't have his on correctly, and overall everyone seemed happy to be somewhere other than their houses. I never felt like we were in an unsafe area or our health was in danger. I appreciate every effort by the Hershey team to keep us all safe.
If you are looking for a place to go with your family this Summer, whether it's for the day or several, Hersheypark is a great choice! They are currently running a deal for savings of more than 30% off tickets or look at their official resorts for even more deals for your Hershey stay.
Trolls World Tour Dance Edition
Before you get the party started, grab these Trolls World Tour Free Party Printables. Then pick out the most colorful outfits you can find. Finally, pop in the dance party edition of the film and get ready to move it, shake it, and dance your heart out.
read more: Trolls World Tour Quotes To Make You Smile
This special dance edition includes an interactive dance party mode that invites viewers to learn dance moves while get watch the film, lyrics to sing-along with your favorite songs, and even special surprises too! We are all about learning the moves, because if you haven't already tried to dance along with this soundtrack are you even a human? Only robots could not get caught in the infectious melodies of Just Sing, Crazy Train, and my fave- Don't Slack.
Dance Party Mode – As Queen Poppy makes her way across the lands, this on-screen experience encourages the viewer to sing and dance along as they customize their own musical journey. With sing-along and dance elements, interactive pop ups and more, it’s sure to be a world of fun!
Tiny Diamond Goes Back To School – In this exclusive original short film, journey back to school with Tiny Diamond as he tries to figure out how to be the cool kid and ‘fit in’.
Trolls Dance Academy – Compilation of How-To-Dance pieces from Dance Party Mode
- Pop
- Waltz
- Country
- Funk
- KPop
- Reggaeton
Trolls World Tourist Map – Cloud Guy provides a quick “tourist guide's” view of the six realms that make up Trolls Kingdom.
- Trolls Village
- Symphonyville
- Lonesome Flats
- Vibe City
- Volcano Rock City
- Techno Reef
Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Walt Dohrn, Producer Gina Shay, and Co-Director David P. Smith*
- Cooper's Destiny
- Let's Go Save the World
- Bicycle Built for Two
- Breaktime
- Meet the Bounty Hunters
- Making New Friends
- Cloud 9
Trolls Perfect Harmony– Hear from the star-studded cast of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Kunal Nayyar, James Corden and the filmmakers about the history of music featured in the film. From classical to country to rock, pop and techno, the cast and filmmakers reveal their favorite types of music.
Trolls World Tour Backstage* – A behind-the-scenes making of featurette showcases Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, Ron Funches, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige, Sam Rockwell and Kenan Thompson as some of the talent behind the Trolls and the process of bringing the them to life.
- Opening Act
- Headliners
- Encore!
Feature Commentary with Director Walt Dohrn, Producer Gina Shay, and Co-Director David P. Smith
* Exclusive to 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ & Digital
Trolls World Tour Giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive a Trolls World Tour prize pack featuring a copy of the movie and trolls swag! Winner will be chosen using rafflecopter and notified via email.
Thank you to Funko for sending us the game. All opinions are our own. Affiliate links below.
Marvel Battleworld Game
Battleworld is the perfect game for kids to unleash their inner hero. Playing solo or with others, they have to come up with strategies to defeat the villains, rescue the heroes, and ultimately show Thanos who is boss. Choose from the Mega Pack or Battle Balls to get your game on.
The Marvel Battleworld Mega Pack includes everything you need to get started on your mission to defeat Thanos: Hero Cards, Battle Cards, pair of dice, plus your heroes, 6 in all including 2 surprise characters you have to free from the Thanostones. Or grab a Battle Ball with also contains two collectable characters, Hero Cards, Battle Cards, and pair of dice.
One of the exciting aspects of this game is that you're not only collecting MCU heroes, but heroes from all over the pages of the comic books. Characters like Captain America, Groot, and Iron Man are teaming up with Beta Ray Bill, Throg, and Valkyrie Gamora.
Plus Funko Animation Studios has teamed up with Marvel to create Marvel Battleworld, short-form animated content that will be available on Disney XD, Marvel HQ, YouTube, and more. The cartoon series will introduce children to a new plan by villain Thanos to trap Marvel heroes in Battleworld.
We have had a lot of fun playing this game already, with up to 4 players the whole family can join in. I like that this is a cooperative game, which makes the kids work together. Team building, family bonding time, and cool Marvel stuff? What is not to love?
The geek in me is thrilled about the variety of Marvel heroes available in this game. It's opened the door to teach our kids about lesser known characters and how awesome they can be. For added fun, act out your favorite hero's moves. We do this and trust me it brings out all the laughs! Bonus points if you know their catchphrase!
The Funko collector in me has to show off the detail of these micro-pop figures. They look so good! Now if I can only sneak them away to add to my collection…
Okay fine I won't take his toys but I will have to get my own because just look at them. Need!
Marvel Battleworld Game Unboxing
In our house Thanos cannot win! And he won't because, my son is on the job with some of his super friends. Look at what comes inside the Mega Pack, including the ULTRA RARE character we found. But don't be like us, read the directions first because we kinda skipped past the defeating Thanos thing, and went straight to breaking out the heroes. Oops!
Where can you buy the Marvel Battleworld Game?
Funko's Marvel Battleworld Game is available now at Target for a low price. Pick it up now at a Target near you!
It's time to rock ‘n' roll and dance like no one is watching, Trolls World Tour Dance Party Edition is here! This musical adventure is available now on Digital HD and coming to Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD July 7. This is a dance party your whole family does not want to miss, just look at all these awesome bonus features.
affiliate link below
In this sequel to Trolls, Poppy and Branch discover that they are but one of six different Trolls tribes scattered over six different lands. Each tribe is devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder.
Trolls World Tour is a radiant bright light in a time when everything feels dark. It looks great, sounds amazing, and delivers exactly what the world needs right now- a kaleidoscope of color and hope.
read more: Trolls World Tour Movie Review
Trolls World Tour Dance Party Edition
Before you get the party started, grab these Trolls World Tour Free Party Printables. Then pick out the most colorful outfits you can find. Finally, pop in the dance party edition of the film and get ready to move it, shake it, and dance your heart out.
read more: Trolls World Tour Quotes To Make You Smile
This special dance edition includes an interactive dance party mode that invites viewers to learn dance moves while get watch the film, lyrics to sing-along with your favorite songs, and even special surprises too! We are all about learning the moves, because if you haven't already tried to dance along with this soundtrack are you even a human? Only robots could not get caught in the infectious melodies of Just Sing, Crazy Train, and my fave- Don't Slack.
Trolls World Tour Bonus Features
Dance Party Mode – As Queen Poppy makes her way across the lands, this on-screen experience encourages the viewer to sing and dance along as they customize their own musical journey. With sing-along and dance elements, interactive pop ups and more, it’s sure to be a world of fun!
Tiny Diamond Goes Back To School – In this exclusive original short film, journey back to school with Tiny Diamond as he tries to figure out how to be the cool kid and ‘fit in’.
Trolls Dance Academy – Compilation of How-To-Dance pieces from Dance Party Mode
- Pop
- Waltz
- Country
- Funk
- KPop
- Reggaeton
Trolls World Tourist Map – Cloud Guy provides a quick “tourist guide's” view of the six realms that make up Trolls Kingdom.
- Trolls Village
- Symphonyville
- Lonesome Flats
- Vibe City
- Volcano Rock City
- Techno Reef
Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Walt Dohrn, Producer Gina Shay, and Co-Director David P. Smith*
- Cooper's Destiny
- Let's Go Save the World
- Bicycle Built for Two
- Breaktime
- Meet the Bounty Hunters
- Making New Friends
- Cloud 9
Trolls Perfect Harmony– Hear from the star-studded cast of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Kunal Nayyar, James Corden and the filmmakers about the history of music featured in the film. From classical to country to rock, pop and techno, the cast and filmmakers reveal their favorite types of music.
Trolls World Tour Backstage* – A behind-the-scenes making of featurette showcases Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, Ron Funches, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige, Sam Rockwell and Kenan Thompson as some of the talent behind the Trolls and the process of bringing the them to life.
- Opening Act
- Headliners
- Encore!
Feature Commentary with Director Walt Dohrn, Producer Gina Shay, and Co-Director David P. Smith
* Exclusive to 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ & Digital
Where to buy Trolls World Tour
Trolls World Tour is available on Digital NOW and on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD July 7 wherever movies are sold. Get your pre-order in now so you don't miss out on any rocking moments.
Artemis Fowl Movie Review
Artemis Fowl II is a 12-year old boy genius who cares little for those he doesn't respect. His entire world is rocked when his father, Artemis Fowl I goes missing and is accused of stealing countless priceless artifacts from around the world. But everything is not as it seems.
For generations, the Fowls have secretly collected magical artifacts and protected the balance between the fairy world and ours. He has been kidnapped by Opal Koboi, a dangerous fairy who is looking for the Aculos. This powerful device was given to Artemis I to protect it from those who wish to use it for evil. With the help of his family's trusted bodyguard, Domovoi “Dom” Butler, Holly Short, and Dom's niece Juliet, Artemis II is determined to rescue is father and protect the Aculos from dark forces.
read more: What to Binge on Disney Plus
Book readers are always hesitant when it comes to adaptations. Movies made from books rarely, if ever, live up to the worlds we have created in our minds. One of the few that I felt were spot on was Secret Window, a thriller based on Stephen King's story of the same name. Artemis Fowl is not Secret Window.
The plot can come off jumbled at times with the story moving along quickly. With a 94 minute runtime some speed is necessary but I do wish they had taken some time to flesh out all the main characters a bit more. That is the main issue I have with Artemis Fowl, the film. The screenplay attempts to combine two of the books into one origin story and it leaves you feeling like you're missing out on a lot. Because you are.
This is where knowing the source material would help, you don't need the backstory or to get to know characters because you already do. Without the knowledge of the books, you may find it hard to connect to the characters, if at all.
Buy the Artemis Fowl Books on Amazon
If you can let go of what you think it ought to be, Artemis Fowl can be an enjoyable film. It has cool fight scenes, a farting giant dwarf, and magic. Josh Gad stole the show as Mulch Diggums. He serves as narrator and kleptomaniac extraordinaire. Mulch has the best lines and also happens to have extreme flatulence, which guarantees laughs.
Visually the film brings to life the beauty of real life Ireland and the fantasy world occupied by the fairies. Haven City was well done, and looked almost like I had imagined it. The fight scenes are CGI heavy and can be a little hard to keep up with visually, as things are happening in a blur. However, most kids watching won't even notice that or care. They just want to see someone their age kick butt and take names.
The film ends by setting up for a sequel, which has a lot of potential for being better than the original. However, with the negativity floating around I doubt we will see it made. Which is shame really, because there are those viewers that actually enjoyed it and would love to see more.
Despite not being 100% page for page of the novel, Artemis Fowl manages to deliver an entertaining movie that the family can sit down and watch together. Unlike other new releases for kids, this one was action packed and showcased a tween genius. Older kids are going to love it and younger ones too because who doesn’t want to see a guy eat dirt and fart it out?
Artemis Fowl ultimately shows the benefit of teamwork, having courage, and not making assumptions about anyone in your life.
Is Artemis Fowl safe for young kids?
The fight scenes can be a little intense for younger viewers but if they have watched any Marvel or Star Wars films then there should not be any issues. There is no bad language to watch out for which is always a plus for parents. Children who are sensitive to their parents being put in danger might struggle with Artemis' dad being in kidnapped and presumed dead.
Artemis Fowl is now streaming on Disney+. It is rated PG for fantasy action/peril and some rude humor.
