Hersheypark in the Dark

Some time after I started the blog last summer, a friend pointed out that I'd been to a lot of amusement parks.  And while this year was probably not an amusement park record for the Cropp kids, it was a pretty fair assessment of our Summer of Fun.  But for all the parks we visited, we skipped over Hershey Park, choosing to wait until Matt reached the magical 48" height requirement for the park's wooden roller coasters.  Well, sometime between then and now, he made it!

After getting his feet wet on coasters at Idlewild and Soak Zone, Delgrosso's, Lakemont Park, and Knoebels this summer (I told you it was a fair assessment), I was certainly excited to head down to Hershey this past weekend... after many, many years of paying too much money to ride carousels, trains, and other rides not meant for people taller than a yard stick, we're finally turning a corner on the amusement-park experience...  thrill rides!

Not all thrill rides, mind you, but enough to make me Hersheypark Happy!  The wooden coasters, the superdooperLooper (SDL), and Trailblazer were all fair game and I was sure we'd ride them all.  Cathy even promised to go on coasters she was tall enough to ride - the Comet and Trailblazer.  We didn't even make the SDL an option.  

Clearly, this would be a much different trip than my last to Hersheypark in the Dark back in 2006 - the year that Cathy was born.  Rich and I took the kids for opening weekend, just three weeks after Cathy had started taking Trileptal.  I remember riding with her on the carousel, thinking that it was likely not a good idea to bring a little baby with a seizure disorder onto a ride that spins (quickly) in circles.  In the end, the day went well and I think Rich and I started to trust that we could have some semblance of a normal life despite all the things we were afraid of. 

Then...

... and now

Thinking of that first trip five years ago, I can't help but marvel at how much they have grown, how much they have accomplished.  And I can't help but be thankful for every day I get to spend in this normal life... this life where my little girl can do all the things that her big brother can do.  Five years ago, I didn't know this would be possible.  Now I know the possibilities are limitless.       

Now...

... and then

While Matt was initially excited about his new status as a "Hershey Bar", in the end he didn't take full advantage of it.  I expected he would line up for each of the park's wooden coasters, but instead , I got him on only one - the red racing coaster (which beat the green coaster on our ride).  

Even without lots of wooden roller coasters (though I got on two) there were many great things about the day including cousins!!!  Coupled with absolutely fantastic fall weather (no jackets required for most of the day), it was a perfect day. 

 

Matt, Cathy, and their cousins Alex, Cadence, and Tori

The kids really enjoyed spending time with their cousins (Matt and Cadence typically pair up, as do Cathy and Tori.  Sorry Alex, but you are on your own in this crowd) and it makes me miss family... that's always been the hardest part of living here in Central PA.  In the early years of marriage, the distance seemed like a blessing - everyone is close enough that we can get home quickly if we need to, but nobody could just drop in for dinner - but as Matt and Cathy get older, I wish we had family close by.  That's one of the reasons I've started rethinking our approach to the holidays.  And it's one of the reasons that I sometimes consider broadening my job search out of the immediate area.

All stories for another day.  For now, back to our FUN, FUN day...

Aside from a slow entrance into the park (where I have finally learned the importance of pre-purchasing tickets), I couldn't have asked for a better day.  We had two very important Cropp family firsts: this marked our first trip to Hersheypark without a stroller.  Cathy walked like a champ until late in the evening, and quite honestly, even I was a little tired of walking by then.  This is also the first time we've stayed until any park has closed... 10pm. Of course, by the time we walked back to the car, returned to the park to go to the bathroom, put pajamas on and started to drive, it was nearly 11pm.  But the kids handled it great... Hooray!

Toward the end of the night, the kids decided to ride Trailblazer.  A pretty mild steel coaster that I remember from my very first trip to Hersheypark back in the early 80s.  Matt and Cadence rode it over and over and over.   Cathy rode once... she did great, though I am certain she would have enjoyed it more if it were still light outside.  There were places around the track where it was pretty dark and she's not always a fan of that.

I don't have many great pictures from the day, but here are two of my favorites... the first, Cadence, Matt and Cathy on our second train ride - this one at night because the kids were sure it would 'freak' them out in the dark.  It didn't.  But we did notice different decorations in the dark, so it was certainly worthwhile to ride twice.

Cathy's looking a little sleepy here... it's after 9pm.

This second picture, the kids with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup was taken just before closing.

So, Halloween activities are in full swing now.  Pumpkin carving has begun.  We've got a haunted trail and activities at Shaver's Creek on Saturday, trick-or-treat night at the All-Sports Museum Tuesday, classroom parties at school, and obviously Halloween night all to look forward to.

And then it will be time to start thinking about Christmas (and to think, we're only a month behind the big box stores!).