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b.mac

huh?
May 14, 2011
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BFE, Virginia
Hersheypark has something planned for the near future, be it 2019 or 2020. Hersheypark was supposed to present and discuss a future addition in front of the town on April 3rd, but it was delayed until June due to other discussions taking precedence at the time. Not much is known about what Hershey has planned, as Hershey still has not touched the land freed up by rerouting Park Boulevard. Most speculation at this point isn't well based, and should be taken with plenty of salt. The only confirmation that *something* is happening is that ACE members have reported Hershey told them to hold off on hosting CoasterCon until 2020, for some reason.

For those who haven't kept track of Hersheypark in the past, I'll bring you up to speed. After 2012, with the addition of Skyrush, Hersheypark seeked permission to reroute Park Boulevard through their golf course to free up space for future expansion. For 2015 they added Laff Trakk to bolster their Christmas Candylane lineup, and for this year they're using the space left open from Roller Soaker for a Water Coaster and Kracken Mat Racer.
 
RE: Hersheypark Project 2019-2020

Wait, so Hershey isn't going to sink a ton of money into a Broadway-like show complete with licensed pop songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s???


That's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out for them.
 
RE: Hersheypark Project 2019-2020

UncleDuncan said:
Wait, so Hershey isn't going to sink a ton of money into a Broadway-like show complete with licensed pop songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s???


That's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out for them.

Considering the lack of headliner entertainment shows that Hershey has, I wouldn't mind them sinking some money to have a decent major show somewhere in the park. Majority of their current shows are street performers, small stages, and that ghastly karaoke building.
 
RE: Hersheypark Project 2019-2020

b.mac said:
UncleDuncan said:
Wait, so Hershey isn't going to sink a ton of money into a Broadway-like show complete with licensed pop songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s???


That's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out for them.

Considering the lack of headliner entertainment shows that Hershey has, I wouldn't mind them sinking some money to have a decent major show somewhere in the park. Majority of their current shows are street performers, small stages, and that ghastly karaoke building.

I'd argue their current offerings are leveled perfectly. Save the money for projects that move people into the park.
 
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RE: Hersheypark Project 2019-2020

Mark your calendars...

image.png
 
b.mac said:
Considering the lack of headliner entertainment shows that Hershey has, I wouldn't mind them sinking some money to have a decent major show somewhere in the park. Majority of their current shows are street performers, small stages, and that ghastly karaoke building.

Hersheyparks shows are a little underrated. They have a new one this year that's good. They also have an aquatics show in the park, a bandstand show, and their traveling street performers who tend to stay by the major food areas. They also get a lot of people going from the park to ZooAmerica as 'entertainment'.
 
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b.mac said:
Hersheypark has something planned for the near future, be it 2019 or 2020. Hersheypark was supposed to present and discuss a future addition in front of the town on April 3rd, but it was delayed until June due to other discussions taking precedence at the time. Not much is known about what Hershey has planned, as Hershey still has not touched the land freed up by rerouting Park Boulevard. Most speculation at this point isn't well based, and should be taken with plenty of salt. The only confirmation that *something* is happening is that ACE members have reported Hershey told them to hold off on hosting CoasterCon until 2020, for some reason.

The popular rumors (since I still keep up big time with my home park) is:

Relocation of the main gate to where the current Claw attraction is at. If they do this, it's going to free up quite a few attractions to be relocated to the expansion. This rumor I'm highly speculative of. I know that Tudor Way gets very crowded (not much bigger than BGW's entrance). I can see it being a second entrance, but all park support systems would need to be moved. Not to mention it would effectively 'kill' Founders Circle, a real historic part of the park. IMHO I think a second gate will end up a Boardwalk/Pass gate rather than a main gate.

Rumors for what is coming: A return of B&W to the park with a Giga. HP would be poised to dominate the mid-atlantic if they get one. The rumor is it would circle the entire area. It could be a terrain hugging beast, as the old course area they bought is quite hilly. I'm down with this rumor as it would make sense. The park is 'peeved' with Intamin from what I hear, and after a few years of success with them, the Skyrush debacle is why they've gone elsewhere since then. The other two rumors hold water too: A new GCI terrain coaster or a RMC ground up coaster. Of the two I think a GCI would be most likely given HP's great relationship with them. But if HP were to get a RMC, I think this would be it.
I'll post that reasoning in a moment.


All in all I think that a B&M Giga is what this project will most likely be. There's going to be space for a second coaster, as HP's 'pattern' is to have 2 coasters per themed area. I think putting in the harder to build (just because of support structure) in the B&M first, and setting a 'boundary' would be the best decision for them. They can add a smaller RMC in this area down the line.

Another popular rumor that persists for Hersheypark is the RMC of Wildcat. IMO that will never happen. Wildcat was GCI's first ever project. Hershey is too loyal to let that happen. If at all I think a full GCI lead rebuild would be first to happen. An RMC of Lightning Racer would happen before a RMC Wildcat. Without a doubt though, I bet RMC would be licking their chops at getting their hands on either one due to the unique layouts of both rides.

If Hershey is telling ACE to wait until 2020 to come back, then they have something huge in store. There's also been guesses that 2018's projects (Breakers Edge and Whitecap Racers) were a test run to see of two really close projects can be run, and 2020 is actually going to be 2 coasters instead of just 1. I don't see this happening, but Hershey is one of the few independent parks that is set up to make this happen if they were to. I think it's just going to be a single coaster with a whole new themed area, and the expansion will be big enough to really be special. Hershey has 15 coasters currently, and I think that they are racing to try to catch up to Cedar Point, and the new expansion is giving them the chance to catch CP. I think this is where the 2 as opposed to 1 comes from, because if they can get closer, build one offs, and have something unique, along with a new themed area; that is certainly a reason for ACE to show up in 2020.
 
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Screenshot_82.png


Here's an overlay of what Project 2020 entails. The majority of construction will be around Chocolate World, where the entrance area will be expanded and relocated. Chocolate World Way will be expanded as well likely as a secondary entrypoint for Hersheypark parking. The big one will be the footprint towards the bottom, where it appears to be an out and back layout coaster with a possible helix.

I cannot discern what the coaster is, but from the person who shared pictures has said footers were present in the planning discussion and focused away from the new entrance area. It doesn't look to be a large attraction, likely no longer than 3,200 feet or taller than 200 feet.
 
Local South Central Pa news coverage of it:
http://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/06/hersheypark_expansion.html#incart_river_index

Over 23 acres will be impacted, with about 21 being added to the park. The park is currently 121 acres, so this is a 20% growth in size.

This is including an expansion of the current entry plaza. If you haven't been there here's an image of the current entry gate:
2017-05-04-hersheypark-entrance.jpg


So from what it seems everything to the right would be torn down, so they can make a much wider entrance.

There will be various changes to infrastructure, roads, SW4M, Spring Creek, and several buildings. As of now no attraction plans were attached to the expansion project.

I'll say on that last point that Hersheypark and Derry Township have a very unique relationship with each other. Derry gives HP quite the leeway to do things without always having to be that public with the plans, and HP has never really thrown a curveball at Derry Township to give the reason to not trust them.
 
So there seems to be some conflicting reports where some are saying that the entrance is moving north east from it's current location, others are talking expansion.
 
I am under the impression that due to the location of the 2020 attraction the entrance gates have to move up towards the tram drop off and chocolate world. There will be a lot more space there to get more people into the park faster (hopefully). Hershey's current entrance gates are rather small and on a bad day you can be waiting a while just to get in.
 
I am under the impression that due to the location of the 2020 attraction the entrance gates have to move up towards the tram drop off and chocolate world. There will be a lot more space there to get more people into the park faster (hopefully). Hershey's current entrance gates are rather small and on a bad day you can be waiting a while just to get in.

That's what I was under the impression on, that they would move the gate, make it wider, and widen that whole corridor. But I have been hearing from others that the entrance is going to move to the current location of The Claw, and moving that along with 4-5 other flats right there to the new expansion can allow them to have the cash to do other stuff. Peoples complaints are always the park is 'lopsided' based on where the entrance is.
 
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In case anyone was wondering:

Derry Township does not put the minutes from the previous (meaning when Hershey proposed the expansion) meeting until the next meeting. Meaning other than word of mouth and that one screen grab, other than being there, we have to wait for early July to get those minutes approved and published. This is the downside to Pennsylvania State Planning laws in that meetings need to have their minutes approved before they can be made public.
 
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It's mostly to bring more attention to the meetings themselves, whereas with planning proposals ala BGW can get no public attendance but suffer for months with complaints from locals.

Pennsylvania does not like that form of NIMBYism, so they make sure to hear the opinions first hand and anything afterwards is "lol sucks to suck."
 
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It's mostly to bring more attention to the meetings themselves, whereas with planning proposals ala BGW can get no public attendance but suffer for months with complaints from locals.

Pennsylvania does not like that form of NIMBYism, so they make sure to hear the opinions first hand and anything afterwards is "lol sucks to suck."

Pennsylvania is where I worked as a township planner (so on the township side of those meetings). They are a PITA. Yes part of it is to bring attention to meetings. But PA has in it's laws where proposals like that have to be open for public review for 30-60 days anyways. So many townships have gone to the 'approve minutes later' so that the public review and the minutes close at the same time. Because that way we can add the objections as an attachment to the original text.

I was at one once (as an intern) when the chairman of the board accidentally closed the wrong minutes, 20 days into a proposal. So when a resident came in with an objection, it reopened the case, added 30 more days, and the builder lost the window for foundation and was pissed that it happened. The planning, zoning, and building boards and permits all had to get a 1 time loophole pass of giving them an extra year on it so they didn't have to refile to start. Complete mess.
 
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Hey hi, so...

The Hershey 2020 project is going to be a lot larger than I thought. Coaster likely above 4,200 feet long, will interact with new entrance area. Entrance area will have a fountain, a flat (which I don't know what it is yet), and a variety of buildings to expand and pad up the old entrance area. The older entrance area will receive a refresh as well, and to top it off their Carousel will be 100% refurbished in time for its 100th birthday.

There was recently a trademark application for the name "Reese's Cupfusion" for use by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts for an amusement ride, so this likely will be for whatever the flat ride is.
 
More detailed maps have made their way online.

Entrance Plaza Overhaul:
parkentrancepng-af9d15adcc4d4c7f.png

Looks like building 42 will be the actual entrance.
41 and 43 will house restrooms, guest services.

If I had to take a wild wild guess: The fountain will be the moving of the founders circle fountain and building 80 could be a carousel relocation.

Overall overlays of three maps:
july5hp1png-0350a46f4efd74f8.png

Now I think the black outline is obviously a coaster, what type it's hard to say. They aren't using near the maximum amount of space they can year, so clearly they aren't blowing all the new space in one shot. Way back when they thought this would happen I had a feeling they would store some flats over 4-5 years, plan a coaster, and open a new smaller area with the flats they've shelved and a new coaster. Looks like that's what's happening overall here.
 
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If you look at the first picture you can see footers wrapping around the fountain. As of right now my inclination is towards it being a B&M Hyper.
 
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If you look at the first picture you can see footers wrapping around the fountain. As of right now my inclination is towards it being a B&M Hyper.

That’s not footers around the fountain. Those are labeled fencing and grates.
 
I think that foot print is certainly out and back, but too small for a hyper. They have plenty of wooden coasters, so I don't think it's that. Also, that turn is very small. Could be room for an Inversion, or just a high and tight turn? thoughts?

The scale here is a bit hard to discern, but if those are parking spots it looks very small.
 
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