Hersheypark: A Trip back Through Time Through the Internet.

Here's an interesting tool that I've been looking through and have found it to be pretty cool. Ever wonder what Hersheypark's websites used to look like? Well, then let's take a trip back in time shall we? Next stop: 1998...

1998
http://web.archive.org/web/19980702081837/http://www.hersheypark.com/
Welcome to possibly the first webpage the park has made. You can really tell how old the page looks from the lack of detail.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980702081922/http://www.hersheypark.com/bear.html#release
It was the year that Great Bear first opened bringing the park's coaster count to six. It really kind of sets you back when you see the "Coming in '98", text. Another interesting find is the absence of the pre-drop helix on the concept art.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082053/http://www.hersheypark.com/prices.html
The prices are cool to look at.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082116/http://www.hersheypark.com/98entertain.html
Here's the Summer concert list. Big names include Chubby Checker, The Little River Band, and even the Duke's of Hazard Reunion!

http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082502/http://www.hersheypark.com/resident.html
As for the resident shows, one of the shows should seem familiar, but it had dolphins as well. Another famous name is famous Berks County native and pianoman, Karl Hausman. Anothing interesting thing is the pasta house having their own band.

2000:
http://web.archive.org/web/19990508100737/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/index.html
New for 2000 was Lightning Racer, the park's eighth roller coaster. Their website was still part of the hersheypa website at this point.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990508100737/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/index.html
LR's ride page was a major step forward compared to Bear's. To view construction pictures from start to finish, just click on the Diary of a Coaster link (the animation doesn't seem to work anymore).

http://web.archive.org/web/20010405072934/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/hp_frame.html
The home page has advanced some more with the addition of a sidebar.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010405072934/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/hp_frame.html
The Giant Wheel ride page.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010405072934/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/hp_frame.html
Cyclops ride page. Interestingly, it only has a Twizzlers and Cookies and Cream (Jolly Rancher today) height requirement.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010405072934/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/hp_frame.html
Earthmovers ride page.

2003
http://web.archive.org/web/20031204222430/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/index.html
Welcome to 2003 where we see that the wepage has greatly changed since it's infantcy in 1998. New this is Claw, Frontier Flyers and Cyclops and Conestoga are removed and sent to their new locations. Also, judging from the thickly-bearded guy, a new coaster is going to be built in Pioneer Frontier.


http://web.archive.org/web/20031011094201/http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/new_attraction/index.html
So what will it be, Steel Stampede, Renegade, or Storm Runner? Hmm......


That's it for now. There's is much more that I haven't talked about in those pages so have fun making discoveries. I'll post 2004 up to present shortly.

I remember someone posting that web tool on here before. I think it's a nifty idea and it's nice to reminience back several years. Some of those pages brought back some fantastic memories during the particular time they were originally online.

A Look at Hersheypark Fansites of the Past:
Hersheypark Online
http://web.archive.org/web/20061004180218/http://www.hersheyparkonline.com/


During the early to mid, 2000's the most contemporary and most detailed of the HP fansites had to be HPOnline. Owned by CoasterJosh, it featured detailed graphics, a history timeline, ride status updates that weren't always accurate as the current HP mobile site, photos and special features and a forum.

By 2006, it was well into version 4.0, but the site suddenly dissapeared towards the end of the year. It was eventually replaced with a older-looking park information page.

In the forums, by December 2006 Hersheypark online had 1128 members according to the last archived recording of othe website.

I ran one called HersheyCentral for about a year in 2005:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050307200015/http://hersheycentral.com/

I remember that site as well. Didn't you used to run that site Matt? I thought you and Josh eventually merged the two together into a larger HPOnline fansite.

EDIT:

I just found my old Tripod site as well: http://web.archive.org/web/20041204012001/http://members.tripod.com/matt.meckley/

I also tried to find Hersheypark Slappy but it was unable to find it.

^Found it!
A Look at Hersheypark Fansites of the Past:
Hersheypark Slappy
http://web.archive.org/web/20040610091559/http://tideblue.neogodless.com/hpslappy/index.html


To me, this site is considered a legend and what I remember to frequently visit in the early 2000's before I joined any forum groups. HPSlappy was a big source for anything hersheypark history-related. It housed a big collection of old photos, articles, and other stuff.
From what I've seen on the site now, many of the old photos seem to be missing, but I think I will need to try to track down the owners and see if they'd be willing to allow us to showcase them again.
Have fun exploring and more soon!

All I can remember was that the owner's name was Nick (I think). I can't remember an email address or any way to contact him. It's been way too long.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082807/http://www.hersheypark.com/gbplan.gif

Notice the inversion after what now is the final inversion?

Belo777 wrote:http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082807/http://www.hersheypark.com/gbplan.gif

Notice the inversion after what now is the final inversion?

I don't think that is an inversion. It is just a banked turn.

CoasterBGW wrote:

Belo777 wrote:http://web.archive.org/web/19980702082807/http://www.hersheypark.com/gbplan.gif

Notice the inversion after what now is the final inversion?

I don't think that is an inversion. It is just a banked turn.

I think your right. I wasn't sure, it sorta looked like both and I couldn't determine which it was. So, I thought I would ask anyway.

Article on Giant Wheel removal:

http://web.archive.org/web/20041216231944/http://www.abc27.com/news/stories/1004/178580.html

A little off topic... Picture of Giant Wheel's last public (don't know if it ran after, but the park closed for the season) on October 31st, 2004 just before 10pm...


And as the sun sets on it for the last time:

Wow, those are nice pictures Matt. Where did you find them? I remember taking lots of pics of it when I went that year. Still sad when I think about it.

My personal photos I just happened to have a visit planned for that day.

I was a frequent visitor of most of these sites myself, especially Matt's Tripod site. It was one of the most helpful Hersheypark sites as I can remember. HPSlappy was always a great Hershey source. I had an old bookmark set on my browser a few years back that had all these Hershey resources. I still have one today, but not with the older sites anymore.
On the Giant Wheel: The last time I went on it was in July of 2003. Sadly, I don't have any photos of it from then. For me it is certainly one of the most memorable rides that Hershey has removed.