Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Hersheypark 1999

Dorney Park certainly gets its share of NPN love. But what about its competition down the road? Let's see what the "Sweetest Place on Earth" had to offer us back in 1999.


Note the now vintage pinwheel logo. Gotta love it! Great Bear, in only its second season at the park, landed the much coveted brochure cover spot in '99.


I do love Great Bear, but apparently the feeling is not mutual. It has been down for all or part of the day on pretty much every occasion I've visited the park since its debut! [What must I do to appease you, my interplanetary purveyor of thrills?? Vow to name my firstborn in your honor? Sacrifice my brochure collection at your footers?]


Fact: I have been collecting Hersheypark brochures long enough to know that it is the "L" and NOT the "S" that is capitalized in sooperdooperLooper, at least traditionally speaking. In recent years the park has switched to an all caps version, which I imagine must have something to do with the trademark. But for my part, I will continue to champion the original format, which is...well, more ORIGINAL! (And don't ask me why I have such a fixation on the spelling of roller coaster names...)

The year 1999 saw the introduction of the Hersheypark Fair, which gave a whole new flavor to the relatively new Midway America area of park. While the nostalgia of Midway America is still alive and well at Hershey, I daresay this area of the park has been overshadowed--not to mention isolated--by the introduction and continuing expansion of The Boardwalk. Such is the delicate balancing act that faces older, space-challenged parks. We can only hope that the balance swings in the other direction once in a while!


Hershey, PA truly is a vacation destination. While most of us industry junkies tend to focus on the park, there are many other diversions to be found in this area. It's no wonder the park is always so crowded!


While Christmas Candylane was a well established event by this point in time, the park was just beginning to dip its toes into the Halloween market. And I'm sure we are all thankful that they did! Ah, Christmas Candylane... One NPN writer--can't imagine who--will be hitting up the 2008 rendition of this event in just a couple short weeks. Stay tuned for full coverage!


Well, that about wraps up this week's brochure spotlight. And before we get ahead of ourselves with the Christmas Candylane business, I'd like to wish all of you in the States a very happy and restful Thanksgiving! Heck, I wish those of you NOT in the States the same! I'm sure we all have many reasons to be thankful, and who needs an official national holiday to celebrate that?