Hersheypark

We enjoyed a fun day at Hersheypark on Monday.  We've been going there every summer for the past few years, usually through a Giant grocery store promo (you have to buy a certain amount of qualifying foods/drinks and then you get a free or discounted admission coupon).  This year I decided not to do the Giant promo since it was the week before we left for the OBX.  I got lucky though because when we got back from the OBX I checked Lauren's regional soccer website and they were still selling tickets for $28 each.  I jumped on that and got us 6 tickets before they closed the window.  The tickets were good for any day this summer so we finally went this past Monday.  We chose preferred parking (which was more money) but so convenient to the picnic tables and bathrooms by the stadium, not to mention the entrance to the park.  Here are the girls being silly right after we first parked but before we entered the park. 

We entered the park but went the opposite direction that we normally do and headed towards the roller coaster Comet but it was pretty crowded so we kept going till we got to Sooperdooperlooper, another roller coaster.  Zach was tall enough to ride it this year so we got in line.  Here he is standing in line right before getting on.

And another of him after riding it:

He said he liked it at first but then he said he didn't like it cause it hurt his belly!

While Paul and the sisters rode another roller coaster Zach and I went on the Kissing Tower.  We then met up and had to drive the cars.  Lauren and Kristin rode together:

Zach drove Paul:

And I rode with Megan.  This was the first time that Megan had ever wanted to drive.  She didn't do much driving though since she was a little unsure of the steering part so I had to take over on that.  It was all I could do to get her to keep her foot on the gas!

I think the girls were all riding The Claw when Paul and I took Zach to ride on the Mini Scrambler. 

We got back in time to see them get on:

Of course it's never a trip unless some of us get to ride Fahrenheit.  I stayed with Zach while the others went on it.  This was Megan's first time riding.

Finally!  Lunch time!  We ate a late lunch with the food we brought at the picnic tables that were near our car.  Kristin and Megan are making "the face."   Silly kids!

As we're putting stuff back in the car Megan and Zach make "the face."  I really don't think any of my kids are normal!

With full bellies we head over to Chocolate World to go on the Chocolate Tour Ride. 

I can't believe some people think you have to pay to go on this ride.  It's free plus they give you chocolate at the end of the ride.   It's a must if you visit Hersheypark.  They take your photo on this ride which we never buy but of course this time we ended up buying the digital download. 

Lauren and Kristin are kissing Megan in the front and Zach and Paul are making "the face."  I didn't get the memo, I just smiled.  :)

After buying way too much candy in Chocolate World we stopped back by the car (thank goodness for preferred parking!) to put it in the cooler.  Poor little Zachary almost got a concussion as Megan shut the back of Paul's Pilot on his head. 

With a little ice and a juice box he was good to go.  We headed back into the park.  Since we weren't rushing like when we arrived in the morning we stopped to get pictures of what the kids were.  Zach was a Reese's peanut butter cup this year:

The girl's were all Jolly Rancher's:

We had to stop and get some ice cream for dessert.  Not only did Zach get dippin' dots with me he also got this ice cream cone with Paul, lucky kid. Of course he did almost get a concussion.

Our last ride of the night was the Sooperdooperlooper again because we could ride that roller coaster as a family.  (Zach could have also rode the Comet but that line was still long so we skipped it.)  In a couple of more years we'll be able to do a lot more together and not keep splitting up.  I figured out that Zach has to grow 10" in order to ride Fahrenheit.  Maybe I'll buy him some platform shoes so we only have to wait 4 years instead of 5!