You can't beat free admission and free parking. You also can't beat a $5 slice of pizza or…read morecheeseburger at a legit theme park. It's no wonder why this place draws crowds. Tucked deep in Pennsylvania coal country (i.e. the middle to nowhere) you can find the rollercoasters rising out of the hills and this cute little park that time has luckily spared. There's something for everyone here, and with rides and games being pay as you go you can have as action packed or as relaxed of a day as you choose. There's even a large pool in the park for the hottest of summer days. I can see why this place has its diehard fans. With ample camping and rentals around the perimeter you can turn a trip here into a full vacation easily.

Hello Darlings, It's…read morebeen eleven years since Your Host's previous screed about this amusement *resort*, and it's time for an update! Our Disney companion / friend joined in for a day of amusement park fun enjoying the rides (and park grub!) on a Saaturday during Fall despite the crowds (and lines). Knoebel's line-up of attractions since Your Host's 2015 review is largely unchanged, although a number of rides have been added. Let's now sit back with a favorite bev, and we'll get into this most recent experience. For starters, the park's crowds were large, and every single, solitary attraction had long wait times of at least 30 minutes, which leads to the idea that weekends are busy, busy, busy. And unlike Six Flags, there are no Fast Lanes, nor are there single rider lines. Everyone waits the wait...equally. If you're not the patient type, a weekday visit might be more your speed. Some rides manage the throughput well, while others not so much. Generally speaaking, pack your patience on weekend visits. Food quality and value: like many businesses, Knoebel's hasn't escaped inflation. The quality is still there, and I believe in my heart of hearts that the resort tries to mitigate the price increases. The sausage sandwiches at the round food stand are still every bit as good as before but they saw an increase of over $3.00. Be prepared to see this but realize that what you get at Knoebel's is STILL a better value than a corporate-run theme park. As is the custom with amusement park reviews, here are the rides that we experienced... Paratrooper: this was a walk-on but it was when the rides first opened at 2pm. The ride cycle was lengthy but fortunately didn't require downtime for Your Host to reclaim his center. Black Diamond: this is a spooky indoor dark ride that might scare the littles. It's kind of lengthy, and features drops and lifts. This ride had a long line but the operations were fairly efficient.This is a popular attraction, so take heed. Phoenix: it should be noted darlings that this coaster, along with the two others, are quite popular. While this had a long line, we got through it in about 20 minutes. The ride itself didn't seem as smooth as usual but was enjoyable nonetheless. Twister: darlings, bring Excedrin if you plan to ride this one cuz it is a rough one. Definitely not Your Host's favorite. Tea Cups: this is one of those classics from another era (aka 1972) when Your Host was a little 'un. You don't control the spinning yourself, but rather where in the cup you and another are sitting will have you goin' around in circles, just like Billy Preston. Scenic Skyway: this had a long line and wait that felt like an eternity. The ride is scenic and relaxing, but try to keep any thoughts of worst-case scenarios at bay. Impulse: the wait wasn't bad. This compact multi looping coaster is pretty darn exciting, babies. We ended our day with this one. That about wraps it up, darlings. Your Host continues to recommend this spot for the best classic rides and coasters. And gurl, if you're planning to ride Twister, pack the aspirin! Peace, love, and rides, Your Host

I was really torn over adding an additional star and for those that really really really love…read morerollercoasters, you might. This was our second trip in about four years and we met up with some family to spend a pair of days doing all the coasters we could handle- In my case, it was all of them. Some of the kids had to work their courage up by doing easier ones first, but by the end of the trip, I think we conquered everything. I personally like the coasters on metal rails better- much easier on the neck and back, while the kids really loved the vintage wooden coasters. Between Candy-Moneum and The Great Bear the winning title for me goes to da Bear. About the hardest part of the park is the signage; you'll follow an arrow, get to an intersection and then have no clue what to do next. To add insult to injury, there's few if any park employees around aside from the ones working concessions or rides. A great bonus to the coasters is the water park inside the Hersheypark complex. Splash zones, and tubes and plenty of sun chairs are available for what could be a full day of fun for the kids. Lines for the more popular attractions are not uncommon but at least there's plenty of water around to cool off in. A food court of sorts is there as well with a decent assortment of decent food. Alcohol can be purchased at some of the trucks or concession trailer outposts throughout the entire park so now we know there is a god. Also included with a park admission, there is a zoo that is worth spending an hour or two. Between the park, the zoo and the water park, you'll probably leave because the kiddos are tired, not because they are bored. If you happen to stay at one of the Hershey owned hotels or lodges, you'll be able to forego the parking fees and take the free shuttle. Also, staying on site gets you into the park an hour early. Great for the coasters that develop longer lines as the days wears on- you can get them in before the other crowds show up. Clean and safe fun is what you're in for so plan a trip for yourself- just do yourself a favor and do a search of all the rides available- if you're not a fan of rollercoasters, there aren't many other non-coaster rides you'd enjoy.

We visited Hersheypark as a family, and this was the first visit for my husband and our two young…read moreboys, ages 6 and 4. I had been to the park several times when I was younger, but it had probably been 15-20 years since my last visit. Needless to say, a lot has changed. When we arrived, parking seemed organized, but there was a huge line to enter the park, so we decided to visit Chocolate World first. The ride was mostly how I remembered it, although the chocolate-smell portion didn't seem to be working, which was a little disappointing. Once we entered Hersheypark, we were handed a Dark Nights map, which wasn't particularly helpful for navigating the park. We eventually found another posted map near the entrance to The Hollow, but that wasn't much better. We finally downloaded the app, which was much more useful, although I personally prefer having a physical map. Trying to navigate an unfamiliar park on a phone while also managing two young children made the experience unnecessarily stressful. Our biggest disappointment was discovering that more than half of the children's rides appeared to be closed that day. It was a beautiful day with no rain, so we weren't sure why so many of them were unavailable. With children ages 4 and 6, those rides were a major reason for our visit, so having so many closed significantly impacted our experience. We also walked through ZooAmerica. Unfortunately, we left feeling uncomfortable with some of the animal enclosures, which seemed quite small. The ocelot in particular was pacing repeatedly, and we noticed extensive scratching on the viewing window near the alligator gar exhibit. Obviously, we're not animal-care experts, but some of what we observed made the zoo portion of our visit feel more sad than enjoyable. Another frustrating aspect of the day was simply navigating through the crowds. I understand that Hersheypark has limited control over individual guests, but there were numerous occasions where people stood in the middle of pathways or blocked areas while socializing, seemingly unaware that others were trying to get through. This even happened inside Chocolate World while we were clearly trying to select candy and fill our bags. With two young children in tow, constantly trying to maneuver around groups of people made an already stressful day more frustrating. The food was fairly standard amusement-park fare, although the burger was exceptionally disappointing. Spending around $50 for one cheeseburger, one order of chicken tenders, fries, and two drinks also felt excessive for the quality of the food. One thing we did genuinely appreciate was the availability of free ice and water throughout the park. Overall, this was unfortunately a very disappointing experience. Between the difficulty navigating the park, the large number of closed children's rides, the crowds, the food prices, and our experience at the zoo, the day simply wasn't what we had hoped for. I'm not sure if or when we'll return, but if we do, it will probably be when our children are considerably older and able to enjoy the larger rides. Based on this visit, the park seemed much better suited to older children, teenagers, and adults than families visiting primarily for attractions geared toward younger kids.

We had such a fun family day at Dutch Wonderland! Hubby purchased tickets so our princess could…read moreenjoy the amusement park before heading back to school. A lot of the rides were out of service since the kids are already heading back to school, but thankfully, we were given tickets to come back for free through the end of the year! We really appreciated that. Even with some rides closed, there was still plenty to do, see, and eat, so we were still able to have a great time. I think our kiddo's favorite part was definitely the Daniel Tiger Meet & Greet! Her excitement made the whole day worth it! We'll definitely be back to enjoy more rides and make more memories!

So I had to update my review based on my last several visits to Dutch Wonderland. For the last two…read morevisits, we've gone during the weekend during special events and that's when they've really staffed up and everything seems to be running a lot better. We went on the day of the hundred Santas and that was a lot of fun and then also we recently went for happy hauntings. During the special events, they had great shows, activities for kid like foam parties and the special visit from the Ghostbusters, and even the food was tremendously better. Of course these events draw crowds, but we had no issues with parking and at most 30 minutes to drive in through the line. We had originally bought a season passes so we could go on weekdays with our kid and the prior reviews remain through. Weekends in the summer kind of suck because they're understaffed have the rides are not operational and the food service is not great. I think the key now to enjoy your visit here is to go during a special event or on the weekends where they have very different people working.

Drove by this place a hundred times but never stopped in. Wish I had come here sooner. The mini…read moregolf course is freshly turfed so it doesn't look and play like an old worn carpet from the 1970s. Go karting was the most fun, even going out solo in a two seater was enjoyable for my daughter. Food is decently cheap too. You don't feel like you're being ripped off. Will definitely be back and bringing friends.

My grandkids had a wonderful day at Bear Rock Junction. However , the train ride is great but it is…read morevery very old and it doesn't look as nice as it does on the TV advertisement at all. That paint ball area looks really bad.

Adventure Sports is soooo fun. In particular, the bumper boats. My adult siblings and our kids had…read moresuch a great time trying to navigate a floating raft while simultaneously using a squirt gun to drenched each other! We also loved the mini golf after the sun set and all the lightning bugs made the ground sparkle.

I was impressed with the variety and quality of arcade games, truly something for everyone, kids…read moreand adults. Prices about what you'd expect. Unfortunately I went to the counter to purchase $11 on my game card for go karts, however when I arrived at the track I was told it was closed because there were puddles. Understandable the weather isn't anyone's fault. However why wasn't the front counter told to warn people the go karts were closed and not sell admission. Also it looked like the batting cages were closed. A five star place, if the front counter is notified to tell people if attractions are closed.

This place sucks i've been twice both times I had nothing to do…read morethe first time I went rode all the rides that are mid at best there are no staff you can tell the rides are not maintained enough and the place looks sketchy as heck the second time I went I looked online and they said there were open so I drove there opend the door and looked at the closed sign if your gonna be closed at least say that online before people go out of there way and spend there gas money to go and while there at it spend some money on better rides and some new paint.

My grandson had a fantastic time for the days we were there. He especially like the laser tag. We…read moreyou get there early you can enjoy the park. The prizes are cheap and who needs candy as surprises. UCK. We the camps book for the day; they do not watch their children, the children are rude, love to bully the other children, steal their cards, no self control especially the boys kept grabbing and pinching their penis. Loud, while skipping the line and the counselors are the worst, watching them skip the line until you say something to the children. But I did not let them spoil ur fun. The counselors do not dress appropriately nor dress covered up; the are fat out of shape and on their phones the whole time never keeping up with the children beware who is around your rude children. Parents stop working all the time and take the time to be with your children they are horrible and all you are doing is dropping them off so we can deal with them is why they world is in such bad shape. Other than that the food was simple. But laser tag was so much fun. The games updated. Bathrooms were clean until the camps kids arrived. Teach your children to clean after themselves they are not at home. A sad generation coming behind us. But overall a fun place. And the ride experts were well mannered. I would go again. Parents be responsible for your children And do ore with them. Please teach them so manners and the camp counselors.

AWFUL MANAGEMENT! They left my boyfriend and I locked up behind the gates BEFORE they were closed!read more

Fun spot to spend a few hours on a nice day playing mini golf or hitting some balls at the batting…read morecages or driving range. Week days are not too busy. It's in a great location. The prices for the tokens are a little high.

Came here first time yesterday for my daughter to celebrate her birthday! The young girls were so…read morehelpful. One one helped her make the slime and then she got to play at the 3 stations they had set up. The cheapest package they have is 19.99 and then the more you want to add to your slime the more it goes up.

Had an amazing time with my daughter and her friends. I…read morestill can't believe I made Slime!!

Great place to visit during your trip to Hersheypark! Free to paying customers of the park and…read moreavailable for fee to outsiders, this is a great little zoo with both inside and outside exhibits. From snakes to bats to turtles and bears and elk and so much more you can spend about two hours walking through the wide open spaces and the reading the informational placards. There are even the seldom seen bald eagles and porcupines up close and personal. Kids will love it and adults will enjoy the calmness and tranquility of the outdoor space. A gift shop- centrally located will cure a thirst or a need for a plush toy of a favorite animal. Staff is seen caring for or feeding the animals throughout but not otherwise obtrusive to your self- guided tour. I'm not sure I would visit if it were not included with my price of admission but it is definitely a good way to spend some time while at the rest of the roller coaster theme park.

ZooAmerica can be a fun break from a long day of rides. Admission is included with Hershey Park…read moretickets after all. If rides aren't for you, tickets can be purchased independently. I've stopped in on most of my visits. I usually spend at least a half hour at the Zoo, although a more detailed visit could take up to an hour or two. Its far from the best Zoo in the country, but they seem to take care of their animals well and focus on domestic animals only. Absolutely worth a combined trip. Not quite sure it would be worth as a stand alone. I do not have a lot else to say. Enjoy!

Didn't get any pictures, but we took a last minute trip here on a Monday in August. Tickets were…read morecheap, $30/person per ticket or $25/person if you bought a 4 pack and kids under 3 were free. Free parking which was nice but just know you have to walk up a lot of stairs and ramps to get up to the park. Getting into the park was easy and there were a lot of bathrooms, changing areas and lockers for purchase. The bathrooms were absolutely disgusting unless you went into the ski lodge so definitely wear shoes around if you can. There was plenty of chairs available and a lot of them were shaded by giant umbrellas, luckily the day we went it was mostly cloudy. There are a decent amount of slides, an Olympic sized pool, a wave pool and 2 kids areas. One was more toddler-friendly and the other was definitely geared towards kids a little older but half of the slides on it were closed. Multiple lifeguards at every slide or pool which was nice. Lots of life jackets available in many sizes. Water was a bit cold as it's not heated at all. Food options were a bit limited, possibly because it was a Monday. The main area had a couple of food trucks with mac and cheese, fries or tacos and a Belgian waffle stand. You got a lot of food for not a bad price, but wish there were some more options. Would definitely recommend going on a weekday though as weekends likely get very busy. Would definitely recommend coming here for a good summer day trip!

We've been coming to Camelback for years. But this year's visit was a complete disappointment. We…read morearrived right at 10 and stayed until closing at 6. At 6PM, my daughter couldn't even use the bathroom because of the way the restrooms smelled. The attendants have not have been cleaning during the day at all and no where to be seen at all. The restrooms and bathrooms both smelled like urine and had not cleaned in days. There was no toilet paper in any of the stalls we tried, and used toilet paper was left all over the floor. The water in the showers and sinks was cold, there were puddles everywhere, and there was nowhere reasonable to change out of wet swimsuits. I understand lines get long near closing time on a busy Saturday -- that's expected and not really anyone's fault. But there were no bathroom attendants at all restocking supplies or cleaning during the day, which is a management and staffing issue, not a "busy day" issue. A family water park should have working, stocked, sanitary restrooms available for kids all day, especially on a Saturday when the park is at its busiest.