2023 Summer Intern Bucket List

Working at Hershey Entertainment and Resorts this summer as a Public Relations Intern has been an absolutely surreal experience. From becoming integrated into my new role during the opening of Wildcat’s Revenge to working with some of the coolest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, this internship has offered me some of the best experiences I have ever had in my professional life. This summer, I was lucky to have been given ample room to grow and try new experiences that I would not trade for anything.

Take a look at some of the activities I experienced this summer and plan to experience later this Hersheypark operating season and why I feel you should do the same!

Perhaps the single most hyped roller coaster addition in recent years, Wildcat’s Revenge had people far and wide wondering if Hersheypark and Rocky Mountain Construction had built a true winner and boy, did they ever. This steel and wood hybrid features many breathtaking elements, highlighted by The World’s Largest Underflip. With a maximum height of 140 feet and a maximum speed of 62 miles per hour, it is easy to see why this groundbreaking coaster was a must-do and number one on my summer bucket list.

Read more about the rich history of Wild Cat, Wildcat and Wildcat’s Revenge or take a look at the By The Numbers stories that I was able to create!

Yet another big thing I was lucky enough to witness during my internship was the Hershey Bears winning a Calder Cup championship! Morale was absolutely huge around the office, with team members from all different departments rocking their best Bears gear. For a long while it was all anyone could seem to talk about, and after attending the first home game during the miraculous championship run I knew exactly why. The crowds at home were always absolutely electric and you could feel the spirits of the Hershey Bears players lifting after every goal. From being down 2 wins to none to leading the series after the home stretch was one of the biggest highlights of my summer, and the Hershey Bears made sure to cap it off with a stunning game 7 overtime win against Coachella Valley. If you have never experienced the jaw-dropping excitement of a Hershey Bears hockey game I wholeheartedly recommend you come out and Defend the Den with us this upcoming hockey season!

For scheduling information on the Bears upcoming season visit their website here!

I have lived my entire life in the Hershey area and oddly enough have never had the pleasure of experiencing a concert at Hersheypark Stadium. The venue opened in 1939 and has hosted a myriad of events, from pre-olympic tournaments to presidential galas and star-studded concerts, Hersheypark Stadium has an amazing storied history. This summer, I was given the opportunity to escort photographers during the Pantera concert and I must say, if you have not yet experienced the Stadium in all of its summertime concert glory you are truly missing out! Not only were the visual effects stunning, but the atmosphere was welcoming and it truly was an unforgettable experience that I will now recommend to anyone!

Check out the Hershey Entertainment schedule and see what other performances are coming this year. There’s only a few more Hersheypark Stadium concerts this summer!

Speaking of beautiful visuals, the Fourth of July fireworks display put on by Hersheypark was yet another instance this summer where time just seemed to stand still. I consider myself quite the sucker for fireworks and this particular show was one for the books. What better way to celebrate our country's independence than roller coasters, great food and one of the most visually appealing collections of fireworks in Pennsylvania. With this combination, Hersheypark is the place to be for your next Fourth of July outing.

There is not much to say about dining at Official Resorts of Hersheypark other than how absolutely astounding it is. From the food and drinks to the décor, each experience is completely unique and bound to become a must-do during your trip to Hershey. I had the privilege of trying multiple different items from many of our restaurants. Our all-new restaurant, Stacks, located at the Hershey Lodge, features some of the best breakfast and lunch items in all of central Pennsylvania and can be deliciously paired with specialty cocktails or decadent hot chocolates and espressos. Not hungry? The Iberian Lounge, located at The Hotel Hershey, quickly became one of my favorite places to grab a delicious beverage and have good conversation with great friends. Also new this year is a barrel of specialty whiskey made just for our resort properties. This whiskey is best enjoyed neat in my opinion, but can be mixed in a myriad of cocktails and other specialty beverages to delight your palate. With live entertainment such as Jazz on the Veranda and acoustic performances summer Saturday nights, I cannot recommend dining at Official Resorts of Hersheypark enough.

With this particular water park season coming to a close, I reflect on the opportunity I had to spend a day swimming and soaking in some rays with good friends. The Boardwalk at Hersheypark is a sprawling area filled with water rides and slides that certainly keeps you entertained and refreshed on a hot summer day. My group and I spent nearly an hour in the wavepool, The Shore, before even moving onto any of the other water rides! It is crazy to think that you can spend almost an entire day in just one of the three areas included with your Hersheypark ticket!

Having worked at the park for close to eight years before transitioning into this internship I have always thought the concept of the Hyperdeck inside Hershey’s Chocolatetown was really interesting but I never had the time to try it out. This summer, while in the park as a guest, I took the time to give it a try and wow am I glad I did! This experience was one of the coolest inside Hersheypark aside from our thrill rides and is sure to be loads of fun for the whole family! Hyperdeck engages your senses and transports you to another dimension, leaving you with an adrenaline rush akin to our roller coasters. I will definitely be back to experience more Hyperdeck games and highly recommend a go at it!

I am so proud to have done work that directly impacted Dark Nights in one way or another, and I am excited to see it all come to life this Halloween season! In its inaugural year, Dark Nights quickly became a fan-favorite and as we head into its second season, everyone at Hersheypark is excited for the brand new haunted house, Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir, and the all-new scare zone, Fallout Zone! Through this internship, I was given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to these new frightening attractions and I must say, this is definitely something you are not going to want to miss!

Along with the utterly frightening new scares coming to Dark Nights, this Halloween season brings all new food and beverage options for every type of foodie out there! With the Dark Nights Tasting Pass, taste up to 5 different ghoulish offerings that are sure to have you screaming for more! Add in the all-new RIP Dinner Buffet offering and you may have to spend a whole day just tasting everything! Also included with the RIP Dinner Buffet is a single-use haunted house Fast Track AND a BOGO Hyperdeck coupon. Talk about a scarily good deal! I for one know I’ll be out there chowing down with all our new favorite ghosts and ghouls, and definitely recommend you should too!

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than Santa, reindeer and roller coasters? Christmas Candylane has always been one of my favorite times of the year as I get the chance to enjoy winter rides on some of my favorite Hersheypark attractions while also spreading some Christmas cheer. From the amazing NOEL show featuring more than 250,000 twinkling lights to Treeville located within the Boardwalk, Christmastime to me would just not feel the same without a trip to Hersheypark.

Overall, I like to consider my internship with Hershey Entertainment and Resorts a complete success. I was given the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, make new connections and participate in multiple new experiences I otherwise would have missed out on. Additionally, I was allowed to draft my own articles, such as my Ultimate Roller Coaster Route story, that reached hundreds of people and hopefully helped them make amazing memories in the place I am lucky to call home.