At 4:30 p.m., Sam, Renee, and I arrived at the Hersheypark parking lot. It was our first Christmas Candylane event of the season and we were eager to see all the decorations the park had installed. We have all been seeing countless photos from the park on social media and knew we’d be in for a treat.
It was in the high 30’s as the sun was starting to go down, but it didn’t feel that cold. Candymonium was testing and we were ready to make our way into the park. We were slated to be joined by our friend, Chelsey, her boyfriend, Wade, and their kids. They, however, were running about 45 minutes behind. We decided to get a head start and go straight to Candymonium to get in a few rides before they arrived. Then we could focus more on the kids after us enthusiasts got our fill on the park’s newest coaster.
Sadly, our plans did not turn out as we hoped.
Candymonium Closed, Even After Testing Minutes Prior
After entering the park, we made our walk back and took the right turn toward Candymonium. We could immediately tell that the ride was not running. People were walking away from the ride and we had not seen a single train go since we entered minutes ago. We kept our fingers crossed that it would open later on. I was doubtful, however, with the temperature dipping below 40 degrees.
Not wanting to go too far away from the entrance with Chelsey soon arriving, we walked down to The Hallow and rode the park’s classic Wave Swinger ride. It was a fun way to start the day. Flying around and around with all the lights in the trees only a few feet away really made for a scenic ride. We also went down onto the bridge by Great Bear for some photos of the lights.
About 10 minutes later, we began making our way back to the park entrance. Chelsey called me to say they were entering the parking lot. We told them we’d be up front and to meet us by the Kiss Fountain.
Candymonium: Still No Progress
On our way back to the front of the park, we all but confirmed our suspicions about Candymonium. All the lights in the building were off and the ride sign out front was also dark. We were really bummed because we were hoping for some night rides on the Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) hyper coaster. Hopefully if/when we go back, it won’t be too cold for the ride to operate.
After meeting up with Chelsey, Wade, and the kids, the rest of the night pretty much became a night of flat rides. Why? Well, only two coasters were running. Those were Cocoa Cruiser and Laff Trakk. Of course we made sure we got in some rides on the both of those, but I guess it was too cold to run Wildcat, Wild Mouse, or Sidewinder too? Odd thing was, Wild Mouse’s chain lift was running all night, but the entrance was blocked off.
Not Like Last Year, Which was Colder
In 2019, late in December, I went to Hersheypark for my first-ever Christmas Candylane event. On that day, it was a much colder night than it was last night. I even had to dress in Under Armour gear underneath my clothes to keep warm. Last night I was just wearing a heavy coat that I had partly unzipped at the top. Last year I was able to ride Wildcat four time. Last night, it wasn’t even running. Who knows?
Thankfully, All Our Tickets Were Free or Discounted
Although this turned out not to be a night of coasters, Sam, Renee, and I were to visit with our passes and/or a free entry perk pass from my account. It was a good night of free fun and Sam was able to load up on a bunch of goodies in the gift shop, including Coaster Dynamix kits for Skyrush and Great Bear. Still, had any of us paid $40, which is this year’s asking price for Christmas Candylane (2019 price was about $25), I think we might have been a little more upset. We did hear a couple by the Dry Gulch Railroad say how upset they were paying full price and having nothing open. While it is the chance we all take, it doesn’t mean you can’t feel a little underwhelmed by the experience.
Thankfully the the tickets I was able to secure for Chelsey and her family were also discounted via my account. Their kids had a ton of fun, so that worked out wonderfully for them. As for a coaster enthusiast, the temperature might be something you want to pay close attention to before booking this season.
Christmas Candylane Ride Tally
I’ll go ahead and close this blog with a ride tally for our first visit to Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark in 2020. With Candymonium, Wildcat, Wild Mouse, Sidewinder all closed, we still enjoyed the flat rides and holiday themed attractions:
- Wave Swinger
- Carrousel
- Reese’s Cupfusion
- Cocoa Cruiser
- Fender Bender
- Frontier Flyers
- Hot Chocolate (seriously, get some)
- Dry Gulch Railroad
- Reindeer Exhibit
- Mini-Donut Truck (don’t judge, these are amazing!)
- Laff Track (x2)
- Whip
- Music Express
- Chocolate World
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Sam
Captain
New Credit(s): n/a
Renee
Lieutenant
New Credit(s): n/a
