Monday, September 5, 2022
This Labor Day morning we watched as almost all of our fellow campers packed up and exited the campground. By checkout time (11:30 am) there were only three RVs left in our section which had been full when I got out of bed. Jane & I left, too, in the toad, and drove to a rendezvous point in Hershey. We met John and Nancy in a shopping center parking lot, and John drove us to Hershey’s Chocolate World where parking was free for the day.
We walked from the parking lot and as we entered Chocolate World, were greeted by a giant Hersey Kiss, Chocolate Bar, and Reese’s Cup atop the building. Inside the building, chocolate madness was everywhere. We took awhile to gain our bearings after stepping from the gloomy drizzly outdoor atmosphere into this overwhelming glitzy colorful one. Candy-decorated entrances to chocolate adventures lined the walls surrounding the world’s largest Hershey’s Store. We wandered around awhile taking in the sweet ambiance and checking out the familiar as well at the unusual Hershey’s products for sale.
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| Welcome to Chocolate World! |
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| The Entrance to Chocolate World |
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| Chocolate Madness |
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| More Chocolate Madness |
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| Lots of Chocolate for Sale |
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| Chocolate Nostalgia |
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| Shopping for a little Chocolate |
Online, we had purchased tickets for the Unwrapped Chocolate Tasting Journey. We were handed our educational supplies (tins of chocolate) as we took our seats in a classroom and were taught how to test chocolate by a daffy school teacher. We proceeded from the classroom to the lab where Doc Chocolate conducted research on experimental chocolates. These experiences target children but adults enjoyed the fun and chocolate tasting, too. And, upon graduating, we were rewarded with another chocolate bar and a certificate.
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| Our Daffy Chocolate-Tasting Teacher |
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| Doc Chocolate at work in the Lab |
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| Eager Students with their School Supplies |
We had also purchased online tickets for the 4D Chocolate Movie. Here Resse, Ms. Kiss and Hershey Bar guided our efforts to foil Doctor Sauer’s and his Nobots’ attempt to shut down the chocolate plant. While the plot was corny, the 3D effects were very good and supplemented with rumbling seats, winds & scents, bubbles, and confetti. We succeeded in turning Dr. Sauer sweet and were rewarded with another chocolate bar.
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| Our 4 D Movie Guides |
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| Geeking out |
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| Happy 4Ders |
Our last adventure was Hershey’s Chocolate Tour. This was the only adventure that John remembered from visiting here years ago. We boarded tour cars and were moved through a series of animated scenes demonstrating the chocolate making process from the field to final packaging. We were awarded with another chocolate bar at the terminus.
Any chocolate beer?
Of course. A Yuengling-Hershey Chocolate Porter. – John