Anonymous wrote:Is it reasonable to day trip to Hersheypark from DC or do most families stay overnight? We've never been. Is it better to just go to Kings Dominion?

we did it as a day trip, but I would not recommend it. It makes for a very long and exhausting day. It was our first time going and I'd definitely say overnight and do 2 days next time.

I don't find the "sneak peek" (entry the night before) to be very helpful. Most nights the park stays open until 10, so you can't get in on the sneak peak until 7:30 -- that's pretty late for my kids to be just arriving someplace.

If you don't mind driving, I think it's totally doable as a day trip, especially if you're in MoCo are if you are early risers anyway. Leave at 7 or 7:30, and you'll be there before park opening at 10. Leave after dinner when the kids are exhausted -- they'll zonk out in the car and you'll be home by your regular bedtime. We get cheap tickets every year and then we spend so much on the hotel, that I don't think it's all that cheap anymore! If your family doesn't fit in one hotel room, I think this is a particularly attractive option.

It is a doable day trip but better to stay overnight if you can and tons of hotels nearby (if you go about 10-15 mins outside of Hershey, prices drop a lot, only a few hotels right near Hershey). You can also buy the equivalent of a fast pass, can't remember their specific name, that allows you to skip some lines, which you have to buy at the park. They also have a nice feature that allows you to go into the park for free the night before your full day visit, I think 2 hours before closing, nice way to do it by staying that night and then you can head home the next day. I have never been to Kings Dominion but Hershey is a very nice park and pretty easy to manage.

Is it reasonable to day trip to Hersheypark from DC or do most families stay overnight? We've never been. Is it better to just go to Kings Dominion?

expect long lines on a Saturday but on Sunday morning, if you go early, it will be less crowded but grow as the day grows.

we were there last week. Waited 60-min for Comet. Nothing else had lines more than 30 min except that indoor coastery ride, which we chose to skip. If you download the app, it tells you the current wait time for about 1/2 of the rides. have fun!

we were there in early June. Water park gets crowded later in the day and shuts down at 6pm.

The big fancy roller coasters pretty much always have 45min+ lines. No lines for any other rides.

Last summer we did a sunset admission to Hershey Park at 5:00 pm on a Tuesday and never waited longer than 10 minutes for any of the rides. If we go on a Saturday afternoon until closing time (in August), would we be waiting an hour or longer for roller coaster rides? Also are there typically long lines for the waterpark stuff? TIA.