Hershey Celebration
By Grace Palsgrove, Editor
The AAA Touch

Many would consider any time good to celebrate in a town synonymous with chocolate. But add a few major milestones in 2007 and the planned festivities are, well, sweet!

This year is the 100th anniversary of Hersheypark and the Hershey Kiss. It’s also the 150th anniversary of the birth of beloved Milton S. Hershey. The celebrations for all of these will be marked at the park and in town throughout the park’s season and throughout the year.

The most anticipated event will be the opening of Hersheypark’s new Boardwalk section of the park. Covering more than 4 acres, the $19.7 million attraction designed to look like the classic boardwalks of the Northeast, will be home to six water activities, 11 food venues, six games, seven shops and more. It will accommodate about 3,500 people an hour. The water attractions - for tiny tots up to daredevils - are so colossal, that 150 lifeguards specific to this area have been hired to keep an eye on every section. Hersheypark opens May 4. The Boardwalk will open May 26.

The Boardwalk’s new rides are:

• The Waverider - Water pushing uphill will hold two surfers who will go head-to-head in a competition sitting on surfboards.
• The Coastline Plunge - Take one of four rides through tubes that start 50 feet up and plunge into one of two pools below!
• Bayside Pier - A little more relaxing, this area is for floating in the 47,326-gallon pool or sitting on the edge in a louge chair. It features a zero-depth entry for little ones and averages 18 inches deep.
• The East Coast Waterworks - The largest water-play structure in the world, it consists of seven slides, 2 tunnels, 200 water toys, more than 54,000 gallons of water, geysers, buckets dumping water, jets, ropes, water curtains and more on various levels. Attainable from bridges, tunnels and platforms.
• Sandcastle Cove - Catering to the youngest park attendees, the little ones can find water-filled fun on slides, with cannons, water curtains, jets and in pools while marveling at the giant "sand" castle around them. This attraction also features a zero-depth entry and an average depth of nine inches.

As is the case with many rides at Hersheypark, height restrictions may apply and are posted at the entrance of each attraction. Young children will be required to wear a water diaper, which will be available for purchase at the Boardwalk shops.

"I think it’s going to be really great," said Mindy Bianca, director of marketing at Hersheypark. "It’s something that our guests have been asking for and it’s great that we can provide it this year."

The Boardwalk is situated near current water rides so there will be a separate wet area of the park.

"That way, you can put on your bathing suit, get wet and play and then go into the locker room, dry off and change and enjoy the other areas of the park," Bianca said. Two changing areas with showers and lockers have been added, as well as more restrooms and shaded areas for those who don’t want to be in the sun or water. Almost 500 lounge chairs are also available for those who want a rest in the sunshine.

"I can’t wait to see people on the Coastline Plunge," Bianca said. "And I have loved watching them construct the East Coast Waterworks. In two months this thing went from nothing to BIG!" she added about the interactive attraction. "It’s something we’ve been looking forward to for so long. There’s a giant tipping bucket that will spill below. I don’t want to be under it, but it will be fun to watch. It will be cool - literally and figuratively!"

"And to be totally honest," Bianca said. "I’m totally looking forward to the Boardwalk Fries."

Also added to this year’s centennial celebration will be more fireworks. In addition to the annual Fourth of July display, shows will be held at 10:15pm on Grand Opening days and every Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Guests will also notice historical markers throughout the park explaining the various stages of the park, the history of a particular building or ride and give an idea of what it may have looked like 100 years ago.

Last year, a contest asking people about their memories of the park was held. More than 900 people responded with letters, emails, pictures and videos of their fondest memories. After nine families became finalists, the general public has been asked to vote for the winner. Log onto www.hersheypa.com to vote through early May. The winner will win 100 Hours in Hershey.

The Town of Hershey invited its residents to share their memories for a display in the new museum, which is scheduled to open in late 2008-early 2009. The current location, outside the park’s entrance will have "Hersheypark: A Century of Family Fun" on display beginning May 1. In addition to the regular Hershey-park display, see items like a section of the cement that was in front of the Old Starlight Arcade that was imprinted with hands of past performers Liberace, Dick Clark, Bob Hope, Barry Manilow, Loretta Lynn, George Burns, Rosemary Clooney, the Osmonds and Dr. J (Julius Irving). Other notable items include two vintage Hershey character costumes, the engine and caboose of an old train sign, a swimsuit from the Hershey Pool and a video of historical footage in the park. Visitors may sit in an old Comet rollercoaster car to watch the video.

With all of the extras Hersheypark has to offer this year, many day-trip regulars may want to consider two days in the park. Keeping that in mind, the Hershey Resorts are offering sweet deals that include special keepsakes, games, activities and menu items at the Hershey Hotel, Hershey Lodge and Hershey Highmeadow Campground. For instance, Michael Mignano, pastry chef at the Hotel Hershey has created a dessert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hersheypark and the Hershey Kiss, that includes caramel (which is what Mr. Hershey made his first $1 million on), a chocolate ganache (to represent the Hershey bar), white chocolate "park tickets" (in shape of tickets from the 1910s), a Kiss-shaped brownie, and a chocolate cone that stands on the plate and is filled with caramel corn (to represent an amusement park favorite). This will be available at all of the properties to commemorate "100 Years of Happy." Even the Spa at the Hotel Hershey is offering two new OPI nail colors - a red Hersheypark Happy and a silver Happy Anniversary.

For more information about lodging packages, visit www.hersheypa.com. Discounted tickets to Hersheypark are available at any of the convenient AAA Central Penn locations.