Three Ways to Claim a Passholder Discount when Hersheypark is CLOSED!
If you’ve ever held a Hersheypark season pass, or have ever considered purchasing a season pass to the park, you might have found yourself inquiring ‘what good is that pass during the 3-4 months that Hersheypark is closed for the season?’ - and it’s a valid question! Prior to 2020, the answer was limited in scope. While your season pass still saved you a ton of money during the regular operating season, and undeniably paid for itself after two visits, it was also left idling on the bedside table from January to April of each year, weakening the overall value of the subscription. However, since the introduction of the tiered passholder system in 2020 and the opening of Hershey’s new Chocolatetown area in 2021, the overall number of passholder perks has nearly doubled. Here are just three ways that you can use your season pass during the offseason to get a full day’s worth of value out of a day when the park is closed.
Season passholders on King and Full Size tier(s) enjoy a 15% discount at the Chocolatier.
Visit the Chocolatier
Hershey’s newest restaurant, the Chocolatier Restaurant and Bar + Patio, offers an amazing culinary experience that puts previous sit-down eateries at Hersheypark to shame. Part of the new Chocolatetown expansion that opened in 2020, though not itself opening until a year later in 2021, the Chocolatier is a five-star experience which features themed seating, themed entrees and appetizers and a full-service bar area that serves absolutely amazing themed drinks. The food is to die for, but it does get expensive. By far the best part about being a Full-Size or King-Size season passholder during the offseason is that the Chocolatier is your go-to spot for a year-round 15% discount on all food and drink! Downstairs, you can also claim that same 15% discount on food and drink at the Sweeterie and Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor, and you can also claim 15% off on retail merchandise in the Hersheypark Supply Company!
Katie loves posing with the Candy characters statue at Hershey’s Chocolate World!
Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World
As with the Hersheypark Supply Company, The Chocolatier and all eateries and attractions within Chocolatetown’s exterior structures, Hershey’s Chocolate World - adjacent the Hersheypark front gate - offers a similar 15% discount on all retail merch and food. Bear in mind that Hershey’s Chocolate World operates under a different management structure than Hersheypark and has a different allowance for discounts, so the 15% that you are able to claim on most elements of the establishment do not carry over to add-on and uncharge experiences and attractions such as the ‘Make Your Own Candy Bar’ and the 4D Movie experience. However, the Hershey’s Chocolate Tour dark ride is always free and waiting for you to board its omnimover ride system onsite, so if you’re determined to have a cost-effective day, you can always make the most of it by joining Hershey, Kiss and Reeses on an adventure through the factory!
Season passholders at Hersheypark are able to visit Hershey’s ZooAmerica year-round for free!
Visit ZooAmerica
ZooAmerica offers quite possibly the most year-round value for your Full-Size or King-Size season pass, as this small, Hershey-owned Zoo is open year round for guests of all ages and your season pass serves as a year-round ticket to the animal action! Although the zoo itself is quite small and it doesn’t take long to explore the property if you’re moving at a reasonable pace, the offseason offers a unique perspective to season passholders who may have seen these critters and caretakers before during the peak season. Every animal reacts differently to the colder temperatures and environments; and, if you can believe it, some of the animals actually prefer the cold, and can be more active and engaged during the winter season than the summer season! Since a day at ZooAmerica is completely free to passholders, there’s no reason not to visit - and if the day isn’t complete for you, you can always double back to the Chocolatier or to Hershey’s Chocolate World on your way home!
Check Out Our Vlog
Passholders have a number of perks on the Hersheypark property, whether the park itself is open for business or not. We explored just a few in our post, but there are even more to explore in the latest vlog from our YouTube channel! Check out our video below, and let us know via comment if we’ve left anything out!
