Are you ready to enjoy Halloween at Hersheypark AND the new Dark Nights experience?
Most people don’t even realize all the things that Hersheypark does for Halloween.
If you have been following me for a while, you know that I am an Annual Passholder and big fan of Hersheypark, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
It has been getting more and more love recently for its awesome food and beverage offerings and amazing selection of thrill and family coasters.
But I am here today to tell you that the fun doesn’t stop after the summer season!
Oh no, the fun keeps going during the Halloween and even the holiday season!
So if you’re still wondering does Hersheypark do anything for Halloween, today I will be talking about everything offered during the spooky season.
I will also go over the park’s fairly new haunt event, Dark Nights for the second annual year.
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What is Hersheypark Halloween?
Hersheypark Halloween is the park’s family friendly weekend event that doles out specialty limited time day and nighttime offerings for the whole family.
This offering is included with your park admission and is only offered on weekends for visitors in September and October.
What are the Hersheypark Halloween Hours?
The event takes place at various time depending on the day you attend.
- Fridays: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturdays: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sundays: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Be sure to check the Hersheypark website or apps for specific operating hours for the day you choose to attend.
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What is included with Hersheypark Halloween?
To start, the Chocolatey treat trails are perfect for little ones and even big kids too!
During my visit, we were allowed to trick-or-treat on the trail, which starts at Hershey’s Chocolate World with 3 stops.
It continues at “Treatville” with 10 stops that also include photo-ops for families and for children, who are encouraged to don their Halloween costumes.
Bags are provided but you can bring your own. Something to remember is that we were given one piece of candy each so keep that in mind for your visit.
I personally loved the photo-ops spread throughout the trail. Each stop in this area is Halloween themed!
Where is the Hersheypark Halloween trick-or-treat trail located?
- To enter the trail go near the Boardwalk across from Chickie and Pete’s in Midway America.
- Next, go towards the exit of the Fahrenheit roller coaster and you can quickly find the large Treatville sign towards the right of the Dark Nights Emporium.
Hipster Power Tip: The trick-or-treat trail is available on weekends until 8 p.m.
Hersheypark at Halloween: The Character Experiences
My personal favorite thing about Hersheypark, or any park really, is meeting their characters!
During Hersheypark Halloween, you can meet some of the classic Hershey characters dressed in their adorable spooky costumes.
You can find Ice Breaker mints as a mummy, Kit Kat as a werewolf, Hershey Bar as Frankenstein and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup as Dracula!
You can take photos with them at a special photo-op nearby Candymonium and other locations throughout the park. These locations can be found in the Hersheypark app.
Not only that, but you can also party rock with them at the Glow Dance Party in the Music Box Theater near Founder’s Way nightly. I can attest that the music choices are really good!
What rides are open at Hersheypark during Halloween?
One of the big draws for Hersheypark Halloween is its diverse ride lineup.
This includes 50 rides and attractions that will be open during the event (weather and maintenance permitting).
As a reminder, during the last hour of operation, the lights go out for dark rides on Candymonium®, Comet, Lightning Racer®, and Wildcat’s Revenge, plus Laff Trakk will be lights-out all day long!
What allows Hersheypark to thrive is that its roller coasters and other thrill rides are within the same areas of their kiddie rides.
This allows families to stay together and experience the park in a better way.
This makes Hersheypark standout with their Halloween event. The only exception to this is Carousel Circle which has only kiddie rides.
Hersheypark Ride Closures and Restrictions
It should also be noted that the Skyview is closed for the remainder of the season and the following will close at 5 p.m., prior to the opening of Dark Nights (final details pending for 2023):
- Trailblazer
- Monorail
- Sweet Swing
- Tea Cups
- Tiny Tracks
- Granny Bugs
- Pony Parade
Special Halloween Ride Features at Hersheypark
And for my fellow Instagrammers, Hersheypark has kept you in mind and have specialty light shows on the Ferris Wheel, located in Midway America, and Sooperdooperlooper, located in the Hollow!
They were really cool photo-ops, especially if you time it right with the fog.
My photo tip is to flip the camera upside down and angle the phone towards you for a really cool effect if you take your photo with the ferris wheel.
What I loved the most is their Lights Out Roller Coaster Experience!
As I mentioned earlier, they brought back this offering where during the event, you can ride coasters like Wild Cat’s Revenge, Candymonium, Lightning Racer and Comet completely in the dark.
One of the core memories of the evening was going up the first lift hill for Lightning Racer, in complete darkness, with only the light of the full moon illuminating our path.
The very popular Laff Trakk in Midway America will be completely dark during the Hersheypark Halloween operating hours as well.
We did Lightning Racer and Candymonium in Lights out mode and it made it even more thrilling.
I would recommend front row for Lightning Racer and back row for Candymonium. Even Jolly Rancher remix gets into the Halloween spirit with a seasonal flavor in the flavor tunnel!
Halloween at Hersheypark: Creatures of the Night
I find that one very little used and slightly confusing part of Hersheypark is their ZooAmerica.
Did you know that visiting the zoo at Hersheypark is part of your admission ticket? The entrance to the zoo is right across from the Drop Tower experiences.
From 6 to 8 p.m. (final time details pending), starting on October 13th (during the event season), you are invited to bring your flashlights and explore the nighttime habitats of the nocturnal native North American wildlife.
As far as visiting the zoo during normal operating hours, you have to drive to the Zoo’s official entrance if you plan on going at opening, as it opens a few hours before Hersheypark does.
If you plan on going during Hersheypark’s operating hours, you can access it via the bridge near the drop towers.
It’s a great and honestly relaxing experience for everyone and a nice park break.
Hersheypark Halloween Food and Beverage Offerings
Hersheypark is known to blow it out of the water with their spectacularly themed and flavorful offerings, most notably their specialty milkshakes.
For Hersheypark Halloween, they have crafted some thrilling and spooky sweet and savory offerings for everyone to try!
I was so curious about A LOT of the food that I didn’t get to try so I made a point to make my next visit strictly a foodie tour!
You’ll be happy to know that there’s A LOT of food and drinks for you to try on your Hersheypark Halloween adventure!
Here is just some of the offerings that I was able to try last year! I’ll do my best to give you a great alternative option for 2023.
Don’t forget to level up your night with the RIP Dinner Buffet at Hersheypark this year.
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Dark Moon Orange Sorbet
This was house-made blood orange black sorbet in a black vanilla specialty waffle cone dipped in white chocolate and red sugar, and topped with house made raspberry sauce.
The ice cream was a lot and I ended up not finishing it before it melted.
As someone who is a fan of the blood orange Dunkin refresher, this was such a game changer for me as an ice cream flavor!
The Dark Moon Orange Sorbet was available only at Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor.
2023 Alternative for the Dark Moon Orange Sorbet is the Dark Night’s Cone at Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Crab Meat Critter Fritter
This interactive savory snack allowed you to inject a special sauce via syringe into your crab meat fritter.
It is themed to Dark Nights and available at Darkstone’s Base Camp in The Hollow.
As a Marylander, it takes a lot for anyone offering a crab dish anywhere outside of my state to impress me.
Hersheypark took some notes because the crab meat was tender and tasty. But of course, I would add Old Bay for a little zing.
2023 Alternative for the Crab Meat Critter Fritter is the Cajun Cheese Curds at Reactor Rations.
The Berk’s Dogs of Doom
Berk’s Dogs of Doom offers one specialty hot dog, which I saw in person but did not get to try.
Seeing all the options here certainly made me want to add them to my to-do list for next visit.
Hersheypark offers following Halloween food below:
- Toxic Mac & Cheese Hot Dog: Topped with disturbingly delicious green macaroni but does not skimp on the helpings or the cheesy goodness
- Halloween Cupcake
- Flamin’ Cheetos Hot Honey Corn Dogs: You get your fill of sweet and savory as you dare to try what is trying to escape from within this delectable corn dog.
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Roadkill Fries
Over Yonder at Trailblazer Grill, I tried the Roadkill Fries that were topped with pot roast, gravy and mozzarella cheese served in a Hersheypark Bucket.
2023 Alternative for the Roadkill Fries is the “Mass Acres” Loaded Fries at Spirit’s Rooftop Bar.
Halloween Hersheypark Milkshakes and Cocktails
What particularly caught my eye was the Signature Cocktails and Specialty King Size Shakes.
Hersheypark has hit mainstream with their huge and elaborately decorated shakes and they did not stop with Hersheypark Halloween.
They dropped one Halloween themed milkshakes located at Simply Chocolate at Spirit’s Rooftop Bar along with their famous milkshakes from The Chocolatier Restaurant:
- Black Widow Milkshake: Cookie and Cream Milkshake, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Cookie Crumb, Dark Velvet Cake, Black Cocoa Buttercream, Dark Chocolate Spiders, Chocolate Chip Pretzel (Spirit’s Rooftop Bar)
- Over The Top Hershey’s Chocolate Milkshake: Chocolate Milkshake Topped With A Chocolate Chip ‘Brookie’ And A Chocolate Chip Cookie, Whipped Cream, Cookie Crumble
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Milkshake: Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake Topped With Peanut Butter Pie, Reese’s Pieces Candies, Whipped Cream
- S’more Milkshake: Burnt Marshmallow Milkshake Topped With S’more Pie, Whipped Cream, Graham Cracker Rim and a Chocolate Chip Pretzel Rod
- Cookie Dough Milkshake: Cookie Dough Milkshake Topped With Cookie Dough Filled Cupcake With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing, Chocolate Sauce, Toffee Pretzel, And Whipped Cream
Ending the small sampling of Hersheypark’s Halloween food are the Specialty Cocktails from Spirit’s Rooftop Bar!
- The Vanishing Act: Vodka, St Germain, Cranberry Juice, Cotton Candy
- Graveyard Sunrise: Ghost Pepper Tequila, Orange Juice, Grenadine, Smoke Bubble
- Witch’s Potion: Raspberry Vodka, Blue Curacao, Lime Juice
- Toxic Bloody Mary: Tomatillo – Jalapeno Base, Cucumber Vodka, Bacon, Grilled Octopus
- Butcher’s Whiskey Sour: Bacon Fat Washed Bourbon, Lemon, Egg White, Blood Orange
- Death In The Evening: Absinthe, Lemon Juice, Prosecco
- Autumn’s Eve Mocktail: Apple Cider, Cranberry Juice, Tart Cherry Juice, Lemon – Lime Soda, Vanilla Bean Ice Cube
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What is Hersheypark Dark Nights?
Let’s finally dive into the latest expansion of Hersheypark Halloween.
A dark shadow has been casted over Hersheypark this spooky season in the form of its largest seasonal expansion to date!
Dark Nights covers four acres in various sections of the park with five original houses inspired by Hersheypark and the surrounding area.
There are three scare zones created specifically with thrill seekers in mind.
You will see areas like the Amphitheater and Trailblazer Catering transformed by darkness to immersive thrill experiences.
This is an add on to the Hersheypark Halloween that you can buy at the park. However, I recommend doing it online to save money.
What are the Dark Night hours at Hersheypark?
The event begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. depending on the night you attend.
How much does Hersheypark Dark Nights cost?
They have various pricing depending on the date, starting at $49.99.
I found that Sundays are the cheapest day to go, with Friday being the second and Saturdays being the busiest and most expensive.
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Does Hersheypark Dark Nights offer discounts to Passholders?
According to Hersheypark, Dark Nights™ is now included with your Season Pass!
This new perk gives you unlimited visits to Hersheypark Halloween™ PLUS access to all 5 Dark Nights haunted houses.
Dark Nights Ticket Upgrades:
While you’re at Dark Nights, you’ll want to see if some of the upgrades will work for you and your crew.
- Dark Nights Houses Fast Track: Skip the lines to the haunted houses once (Price Range $29.00 – $69.00)
- The Dark Nights Houses Fast Track Unlimited: Skip the lines to the haunted houses all night long (Price Range $39.00 – $89.00)
- Fast Track + Dark Nights Houses: Skip the regular line once per day on participating coasters and rides, plus participating Dark Nights House Attraction (Price Range $79.00 – $209.00)
- The Fast Track + Dark Nights Houses Unlimited: Skip the regular line all day long on participating coasters and rides, participating Dark Nights House Attractions (Price Range $109.00 – $284.00)
- Dark Nights Tasting Pass: Purchase a Dark Nights Tasting Pass and enjoy 5 Dark Nights themed food and beverage items ($37.09)
- RIP Dinner Buffet: All-you-care-to-eat dinner buffet themed to Dark Nights ($47.69)
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Hersheypark Halloween Haunted Houses at Dark Nights
During my visit, I was only able to do two houses simply due to time but I plan on going again to finish the final houses.
I will add my scare rating once they are completed.
Believe it or not, I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of production that went into the houses and the scareactors were phenomenal.
But let’s briefly touch on the houses.
1. Twisted Carnevil
Located in the very back of the park, next to Laff Trakk, a nefarious fortune teller has been expecting you, she told me herself, and forces you into carnival of nightmarish proportions, making you question your own reality.
Scare Rating: 4/10
2. The Descent: Catacombs Of Decay
Located right next door to Laff Trakk in the very back of the park, discover the mysterious woman who lurks beneath the creepy and dark underground tunnels of Hersheypark.
The only way out is down…
Scare Rating 8/10
3. Haunted Coal Mine: Curse Of The Tommyknockers
Located in Pioneer Frontier near Trailblazer, It’s been WAY too long that the cries of the unsettled souls of these lost miners have gone unheard.
Now it is time for their voices to be heard as you journey deep into the mines to hear what they have to say. Just pray it doesn’t end in an explosive conclusion.
Scare Rating: 6/10
4. Creatures Uncaged
Passing by Comet towards the Amphitheatre, you can find Professor Darkstone as he challenges you to face on Pennsylvania’s most fearsome creatures.
But not to worry, they are in firm cages…. oh, what’s that?
They escaped….UH….
Scare Rating: 8/10
5. Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir (NEW)
Here Ethel Mortem, also known as Auntie in the neighborhood, is a second generation meat processor.
So you know where this is going…
She and her demented nieces and nephews run the family business that’s packing more than the type of “meat” you’d expect from the farm to your table!
Scare Rating: Pending
Hersheypark Halloween Scare Zones at Dark Nights
I will say out of everything that was offered last year, the scare zones were the ones I felt could be improved on.
While I loved the stories behind them, it was hard to enjoy them due to the fact that during our multiple runs through all of them, there were either no actors in the scare zone or less than 3.
Keep in mind, the Dark Nights scare zones were a fairly decent size. The actors we did see in the zones were amazing though!
Regardless, 2022 was also the first year they have done this and I would imagine keeping that balance of scary and family friendly is a bit difficult.
I won’t be rating them since none of the Hersheypark Halloween scare zones, in my opinion, were scary.
Here are the 3 Dark Nights Scare Zones at Hersheypark:
- Midway of Misery: Located right in between The Descent and Twisted Darkness, the fires of hell beckon you to enter a sinister gateway tucked away in the darkest corner of Hersheypark.
- Fallout Zone (NEW): An eerie green fog releases a radioactive material with a crew to scrub away and neutralize any threats. Be careful as you may fall victim to the madness!
- Darkstone’s Hollow: As you would have guessed, located in the hollow, you will find some of Darkstone’s troupe and mythical creatures wandering about. A word of caution to those who choose to follow their curiosity, there is more than meets the eye.
The 2022 Valley of Fear Scare Zone Will Not Be Returning for 2023
This Hersheypark scare zone was located along the path to Spring Creek near Trailblazer.
It was here were you might have found that something murky has been lurking in the water and in the shadows that waited for the perfect opportunity to come up for air just for you.
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Exclusive Hersheypark Halloween Merchandise 2023
It is now time to enter one of the scariest places in any theme park in the world.
The Gift Shop.
But in all seriousness, Hersheypark has delivered to its visitors some very unique and interesting retail items to bring home. Some are standard and some really stand out!
I personally loved the variety of Spirit Jerseys and Sweatshirts themed to the houses.
Another standout item for me was the “NO BOO” necklace.
How does the NO BOO Necklace work at Hersheypark Halloween for Dark Nights?
It is a purple light up spider that costs $16.99 and it indicates to others around you and scare actors not to scare you.
Important to note is that it cannot be worn in houses and on rides due to safety reasons.
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Hersheypark Halloween Shops
There are three places where you can get your fill of this merchandise and they are at the:
Dark Nights Emporium
This shop is decorated with nods to Twisted Darkness and The Descent. It is located across from the entrance to Treatville towards Midway America.
Halloween BOOtique
This boutique is located across from Fahrenheit roller coaster.
It offers unique items like halloween themed coffees and teas as well as Universal Monsters and Iconic Horror icons merchandise.
Hersheypark Supply Co.
Finally, anything you miss while exploring can almost certainly be found inside the Hersheypark Supply Co at the park entrance.
Here you will find cups, tees, magnets, posters, signs, postcards and more! There is something for everyone to take the scary fun home with you.
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13 Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights Tips for Beginners
Based on my experience, here are just a few tips and important things to know that I found helped me.
1. Get Your Wristband for Houses
In order to enter houses, you will need to scan your HPGO wristband.
Upon entry into the park, you can head to an HPGO kiosk right next to the lockers and use their self-service to get your wristband.
You can also go inside the building to speak with a Hersheypark Team Member to assist you.
2. Start Early
Get to Hersheypark early, especially if you go on a Saturday. We arrived late due to traffic, but we ended up missing out on the two houses because of it.
The queue lines also were astronomically long.
All of the coasters had wait times above 60 minutes but I would not necessarily rely on the app for time as it slightly inflates them.
Check out the line for yourself to determine if it’s worth the wait. Plan for Candymonium, Comet and Lightning Racer to get the busiest within the last hour of operation due to lights out.
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3. Remember that Hersheypark is Cashless
The park is cashless, so they accept most major debit and credit cards as well as Apple, Samsung and Google Pay.
They have kiosks where you can put your cash on a card. There is one near the doors of Hersheypark Supply Co.
Hipster Power Tip: Only put the amount you know you will spend as you cannot get your cash back once its done.
4. Have a Plan
Plan your day accordingly what’s the most important to you. The food and drink carts and the attractions close at 10 p.m. while Dark Nights houses and scare zones close at 11 p.m.
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5. Prepare for the Weather
Hershey, Pennsylvania gets bitterly cold due to its proximity to the mountains.
During my recent visit, we arrived, and the weather was about 53 degrees. When we were leaving, it was 40 degrees. Dress warmly and stay hydrated.
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6. Create the Perfect Itinerary
I would suggest this house order when completing your journey: Twisted Carnevil, The Descent, Auntie Mortem Abattoir, Haunted Coal Mine and Creature Uncaged.
This route will allow you to see everything as you go towards the back of the park as well as all the scare zones in between.
7. Leave the Halloween Haunted Houses for Later
Save the houses and scare zones for the end of the night at about 10 p.m.
Families will be leaving as Hersheypark Halloween ends at 10 p.m. and there will be less of a wait.
8. Know if Hersheypark Dark Nights is for Kids
Children are allowed to go in the houses but please read up on the houses and gauge according to what would be scary for your child and what is appropriate to put them in.
During one house, a poor child did not seem to enjoy her walkthrough with her dad. Also, all children must walk on their own in the houses. They cannot be carried for safety reasons.
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9. Share Your Memories
Hersheypark wants to see the memories you made and the fun time you had during Halloween! It lets them know what to keep doing and what to improve on for the future.
Use these hashtags: #hersheyparkhalloween #darknights #hersheyparkhappy #hpChocolatetown #Hersheyparkeats.
Be sure to follow them on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook and tag them as well for a chance to be featured!
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10. Review the Hersheypark Halloween Map
If you want to avoid the scare zones, the map on the Hersheypark app helps you to get to point A and B to bypass them.
This is perfect for those with little ones!
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11. Know the House Rules
Flash photography and lights are prohibited in the houses as well as live streaming while in the park for the protection of guests.
12. Know the Hersheypark Halloween Costume Rules
All guests are allowed to wear costumes but there are some restrictions. Guests cannot wear costumes that will confuse the scare actors and other guests.
Also, guests under the age of 12 must wear masks that allow them complete vision and cannot be worn on rides.
Guests can come in full face makeup from home, and this applies to those who get their face painted inside the park.
However, guests 13 and up must wear family friendly costumes and cannot bring props that replicate any type of weapon.
Layered costumes are discouraged as you will go through a metal detector upon park entry, and they cannot drag on the ground. Adult guests cannot wear masks.
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13. Have Fun at Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights
Be sure to enjoy yourself while at this Pennsylvania theme park. Also, make sure to thank the Team Members for serving you while you’re there!
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My Final Thoughts on Halloween at Hersheypark and Dark Nights
As a first-time visitor for Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights, I was very impressed and blown away by everything they offered their guests.
I loved how thoroughly organized it was and I commend everyone who works there for an excellent job well done!
They have managed to bring every aspect of their resort from Hershey’s Chocolate World to ZooAmerica into the fun.
Hersheypark has also managed to include everyone with something unique and different.
I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this event and hope that you will share you experiences here with us on our Facebook group!
Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!
About the Author
Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.
She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.
She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home. You can find her at Disney Tea with V.
UP NEXT: Hersheypark Chocolatier Restaurant: Delicious Desserts, Cocktails and more!
(Original Article Date: October 10, 2022/Updated by Editor on September 12, 2023)