What park can you think of with a better brand than Hersheypark? I mean, really. I drive through Hershey every day and it’s one of the most unique towns you’ll ever see, from the Kiss-shaped streetlights, the majestic Hershey Theatre and other ornate buildings erected during the Great Depression, and the original chocolate factory before it was finally bulldozed. And on the other side of the railroad tracks, the 330’ tall Kissing Tower slowly revolves its way to the top, offering spectacular views of the park, downtown Hershey, and the beautiful Hotel Hershey.
For 2020, Hersheypark will be doubling down on this iconic place with a brand new entry area and their fifteenth coaster. Hershey’s Chocolatetown is a direct tie-in to its heritage, and the most recent reveal from the park is all about the branding for their newest roller coaster, Candymonium. Oh sure, the B&M Hyper Coaster is a perfect choice that’s long overdue for the park, and we can’t wait to go sailing over Spring Creek and through the woods of the new property they recently acquired for expansion. 210’ high, 76mph, plenty of airtime and maneuvers that B&M have perfected over the years. But we’re focused on the branding behind the attraction design. Surprisingly, few rides in the park have been directly connected to the world-famous chocolate company that got its start in 1900. Recently, however, they’ve been on a tear with such additions as Hershey Triple Tower (2017), Reese’s CupFusion (2019), and now Candymonium and an iconic Kisses Fountain at the front entrance (2020).
The coaster features chocolate brown track with three trains branded (and brightly colored) to Reese’s, Kisses, and Twizzlers. The beautifully detailed architecture of the station also reflects the brand, with little Kisses perched on various corners of the roofline. But it’s the plaza in front of the station that helps make this ride stand out. Just like what Cedar Fair has been doing with recent attractions such as Fury 325 and Copperhead Strike at Carowinds, and Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point, a large plaza prominently features a gorgeous attraction sign that goes way beyond your standard painted plywood over the queue. Located directly across from the park’s new entrance and Kisses Fountain, the visual effect is sure to be stunning and will make an incredible Kodak photo spot (is that still a thing?).
Maybe Hershey will eventually run out of candy options for names, but they are holding an unbeatable royal flush with one of the most well-known, household brands that doesn’t have a thing to do with movies. People make the trip to visit Hershey because, well, it’s Hershey. Who wouldn’t want to see what the chocolate town is like? And while they’re here, they’ll stay in one of the company’s two resorts, visit Hershey Gardens, take a dark ride tour at Chocolate World, see that the Kiss-shaped streetlights are really there, and of course spend a day at Hersheypark. As long as they don’t forget that it’s all about people—their employees and the guests—they just can’t lose.
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