"Hersheypark" really is spelled that way, just so you know. As a copyeditor, I had to look it up to be sure. I think it's a little weird, but I'm sure they have their reasons. 😊
We'd been to Hershey nine years ago, and the boys had been again since, but it was my first time back in nine years, and it was good to be back! I'd been looking forward to it.
We stayed at Hershey Lodge, where we met Miss Kiss and Mr. Reese('s) soon after arriving. 
We went to Chocolate World, where we encountered the world's LARGEST Hershey bar!
We got to go to Hersheypark on Friday evening instead of just on Saturday, which is when I'd bought our tickets for. It was an unexpected perk of staying at Hershey Lodge. So we spent a nice couple of hours at the park that evening and went on a few rides.
Including THIS RIDE. ^^ Candymonium is Hershey's tallest and fastest coaster, and it's a newer one. Sam was excited to go on it and really wanted me to ride it too. "You'll like it. It won't scare you that much." Sam knows me and my tastes well when it comes to coasters, so I trusted him and thought it couldn't be too bad. Well, I was wrong, and so was he. IT WAS TERRIFYING! It was so high, the drops were very steep, it was really fast, and it scared the heck out of me! The boys loved it and rode it multiple times that weekend. My mom liked it too. As for me, it was my first and last time on Candymonium!
Look at me! I was so scared. 😂😱😂
This picture makes me smile every time I see it. It shows the boys' glee and utter lack of fear, and my reaction on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. But at least I did it!
Post-ride picture. I survived, and I'll never go on it again. 😄
Here we were on Saturday morning after eating breakfast, before leaving to spend the day at Hersheypark.
The shuttle bus service was so convenient.
I took these pictures on the Ferris Wheel with my mom right after throwing up into a bag after getting sick on the above ride, Laff Track. 🤮 It was an indoor rollercoaster, and I like those, but I was backward too much and it literally made me sick. Going in circles and going backward both make me very nauseous. Fortunately, I felt back to normal after puking my guts out in the privacy of my Ferris Wheel car. 😃
Lunchtime
We also have a picture of us in front of this fountain and statue of Milton Hershey when the boys were little.
We went back to the hotel for awhile in the afternoon and John went to the indoor waterpark there. I asked him to do the "lily pads" which he used to be a pro at doing, but he didn't make it very far. 😆He's gotten a little rusty on the ninja warrior skills!
Down he goes!
Waiting to get on the shuttle to go back to Hersheypark for the evening.
Log flumes are always one of my favorite rides.
I'm not scared in this one!
I love a good old-fashioned carousel! This was the last ride we went on our way out of the park.
Carousel selfie
The next morning, we ate a nice breakfast in one of the hotel restaurants.
The boys horsed around (which mostly consisted of John pinning Sam) before we checked out.
Pretty flowers in the lobby.
We went for an excellent and informative trolley ride around the town of Hershey that morning. Our guide was really good and we found out a lot about Milton Hershey and how the company started and what life was like here decades ago. I'm a great admirer of Milton Hershey; he was a successful, hard-working, and generous businessman and a great example of capitalism at its best.
Next post--Hershey Gardens!
