The next day we headed to Chocolate World at Hershey Park. Hubby and I visited here once when I was pregnant with Amanda. Hershey has changed a lot since then and Chocolate World has more to offer now.
I love the Hershey kiss lights!
The girls and I spent some time talking to Reese. It was fun and very similar to talking to the turtle named Crush at Epcot. He interacted with the girls and since Amelia made a new best friend with one of the security guards........seriously, she gave her candy every time she saw her throughout the day. At the end of the day she came up with a big bag of candy for her and told her to share it with her sister! If she wasn't a security officer........her continued attention to Amelia would have totally creeped me out!
The girls had fun interacting with Reese and he talked to them for a while and I think some of the other kids were getting a little ticked off about it but I guess that is the price they pay for not being as cute as Amelia! (Just joking, maybe....)
Next we went to a mystery show and we had to wear these lovely glasses. It was fun and we were able to solve the mystery since we had Amanda with us. She is an avid reader of mysteries!
Seriously............you want me to believe that? There were some audience surprises but I won't spoil them for you!
Next, we went to make our very own candy bar! The girls were soooo excited and honestly, so was I!
We had to wear an apron and lovely hairnet.
The girls looked adorable in them..........but it did bring flashbacks of Amanda's surgery and Amelia's upcoming when I saw them in the nets.
We had to watch a video about the process and the girls listened better than I did!
Off we went!
I thought hubby just looked darling in his hairnet but don't tell him because he will start wearing one daily just for me and we don't need that!
The chocolate bars were huge and the girls picked what they wanted to add...sprinkles, almonds etc
We even had the opportunity to design our own candy bar wrappers.
The sweetest candy bar maker I know!
It was so much fun to watch the bars being made and packaged.
After the bars were wrapped they were placed in a nice tin container.
Next the wrappers we designed were placed over the tins.
All the goodies they sell!
We sure had fun making our own candy bar but enjoyed eating them over the course of the next week. Amelia still has some of her bar left.
Next we rode on the chocolate factory tour ride to see how candy bars are made. So fun!
Next we took the trolley around the factory and Hershey.
The girls loved the trolley ride through town. We learned a lot about Milton Hershey and free candy was passed around several times so the girls LOVED that!
Milton Hershey's home was beautiful.
It was sad to hear he and his wife could not have children of their own but I love how he started homes orphans and now, underprivileged children. My girlfriend and her hubby were house parents here at one time and loved it.
We rode by the Hershey factory that was once the World's largest chocolate factory and is now used for offices, and part of it is being demolished.
Love the bushes!
During the trolley ride we had song sheets and sang many songs which was fun. This one guy played many parts as he acted out the life of Milton along the way. The girls thought he was a hoot.
This is where Milton was born and raised.
The character would say bye and get off the trolley and hop back on later dressed as a different character.
One of the homes for kids.
The actor was really good and the country side so beautiful I wish we could live there........sometimes, the idea of living in a small town makes me smile!
The new factory that makes all the Reeses!
The Hershey Hotel and Spa where you can have a bath in chocolate. That is on my bucket list!
The school Milton Hershey founded.
Hershey Park! We didn't go there this visit because we want to save it for another trip when Amelia is tall enough to ride all the roller coasters.
When I see these roller coasters I think Amelia can take as long as she wants to grow tall enough to ride!
Milton's life really fascinates me! He made a ton of money and then built a town where he not only made yummy chocolate, but housed and educated boys, provided a ton of jobs for others, built a zoo, and amusement park for kids to have fun etc.
Amanda enjoyed singing the songs on the trolley, some of which she had learned in music class this past year!
Amelia loved all the chocolate she got just for holding out her hand. She couldn't believe it and got so excited!
We took some fun pics in the gift shop.
We took a pic with Reese.
This was Amelia's best friend that followed her around all day giving her bags of candy. She really liked her for some reason. She met her when we first got there and was a little shy and she sense that and gave her a lot of extra attention. So nice to know there are people out there that like kids and take an interest in them!
We tried to get a family picture but it was a little cool and breezy so it didn't work out so well!
When we were leaving to go back to the hotel I saw this display at a condo building. Loved seeing it!
This is one avenue I would like to live on!
Just love the lights!
I would settle to live here too! The old fashioned homes are so sweet! What a fun time at Chocolate World we had and we can't wait to go back!
