There are several different package deals for exploring Hershey Village, and Hershey Chocolate World, all apart of the same huge complex. It's a little confusing and complicated picking tour packages and times for the different activities...But we decided to be brave and head back for a second day of temptation.
There's the "Happiness Experience" package-the cheapest. $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for kids, $17.96 for seniors. For the Happiness Experience, you get to create your own candy bar and see the 3D show. The "Chocolate Expert" package is a chocolate tasting adventure plus a trolley tour package. The "Chocolate Celebration" is create your own candy bar, see the really big 3D show and the Trolley tour. The fourth package is the "Chocolate Enthusiast" which is a combination of four previously mentioned activities and the most expensive at $39.95 for adults, $29.95 for children, and $35.96 for seniors. Sparky doesn't need a tour to be a chocolate expert, that's for sure! But she gamely entered Hershey's Chocolate World today with Eldo and two sugar starved (HA!) grandchildren ready to buy, buy, buy! (Sparky is ready to buy, buy, buy, too! clarifies Eldo.)
First, we watched the 3D show...kind of a lot of silliness and not much information about the Hershey company. Lots of great special effects with the 3D glasses for the kids--misting of the audience, vibrations under the seat, things flying right at you. Honestly, if Sparky were to return, she would skip the 3D tour and choose another activity. But the kids enjoyed it.
Next, we donned our hairnets (Trevor said Papa didn't need one 'cuz he didn't have any hair!) and aprons and made our own candy bars from start to finish using code pads. It's entirely done by pushing buttons. We programmed our own candy bar from start to finish! First, we choose what kind of chocolate, white, dark, or milk chocolate. Next, we chose our ingredients--did you want raspberry bits, semi-sweet chocolate bits, butterscotch toffee bits and/ or nuts? The bar moves along a conveyor belt and is programmed with your name as it passes through different stations of processing.
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| Trevor watching his chocolate chips come in |
The whole process of designing your own candy bar is child's play!
Next, design your wrapper....LOTS and LOTS of choices here as far as colors, logos, and special effects. Papa had to have Cate help him with the computer programming.
Then, we watched the candy bar tray come through the line and get the overall coating that covers up the little candy or flavored bits. That was cool!
Finally, the bar is wrapped and sealed and placed in a special Hershey stamped tin and your personalized wrapper design covering the whole thing. After the candy bar making event, we proceeded to the huge Hershey candy/toy/clothing store to stock up. Actually, we didn't do too badly, the kids had 20.00 each to spend and they only spent about seven-eight dollars a piece, wanting to save their money for video games at the park and more souvenirs later this week. We were very proud of them for not blowing all their money on Hershey stuff. It would have been easy to do with these items tempting....
Here is Eldy with his very own personalized chocolate --a one-of-a-kind bar!
It was a really fun experience for Papa and Grandma Sparky and for the grandkids. We highly recommend that part of Hershey World Tour!
