You’re standing in line at Great Bear. Your kid is vibrating with excitement, practically vibrating out of their sneakers. Then you hit the official measuring stick. The ride op shakes their head. "Not today, buddy." It’s a total day-ruiner. Honestly, if you don’t know the specific heights for Hershey park rides before you pay for that parking pass, you’re setting yourself up for a massive headache.
Hersheypark does things a bit differently than your standard Six Flags or Disney park. They use a candy-themed ranking system. It’s cute, sure, but it’s actually a very rigid safety protocol. If you aren't a "Jolly Rancher," you aren't getting on Storm Runner. Period. It doesn't matter if you're a half-inch off or if your kid is wearing platform Crocs. The sensors at the station don't lie.
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The Hershey Candy Scale: It’s More Than Just Marketing
Most parks just give you a number in inches. At Hershey, they sort you into categories. You've got the Miniatures (under 36 inches), Kisses (36–42 inches), Reese’s (42–48 inches), Hersheys (48–54 inches), Twizzlers (54–60 inches), and Jolly Ranchers (60 inches and above).
It sounds simple. It’s not.
The problem is that a child might be a "Hershey" for one ride but still need an adult for another in the same category. For example, on the Comet—that classic wooden beast—a "Reese’s" (42 inches) can ride, but only with a companion. If they want to go solo? They need to be a "Hershey" (48 inches). This nuance gets lost in the excitement of the "Chocolatetown" entrance.
Why Heights for Hershey Park Rides Actually Matter for Your Strategy
Safety is the obvious answer. Restraint systems—those lap bars, over-the-shoulder harnesses, and seatbelts—are engineered for specific center-of-gravity points. If a kid is too short, the "airtime" on Skyrush could literally lift them into a dangerous position. That’s why the park is so picky.
But beyond the safety aspect, understanding the heights for Hershey park rides changes how you walk through the park. If your group is mostly "Kisses," you’re spending your time in Founder’s Way. If you’ve got "Twizzlers," you’re heading straight for the back of the park to hit Fahrenheit and Wildcat’s Revenge.
Let's talk about Wildcat’s Revenge for a second. This RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction) hybrid is a masterpiece of steel and wood. It’s intense. It has a 48-inch height requirement. That’s a "Hershey" level. Parents often assume because it looks like a traditional wooden coaster from a distance, it’s a family ride. It isn’t. The inversions are tight. The forces are high.
The Secret of the Official Measuring Station
Do not—I repeat, do not—rely on the measuring sticks at the front of every individual ride. They are fine for a quick check, but they can be inconsistent depending on the ground level or the person holding the stick.
Go to the official measuring station right inside the front gate.
They will measure your child and give them a colored wristband. This is gold. It’s an official "hall pass." If a ride operator sees that wristband, they usually won't even pull out the stick. It saves you five minutes of debating at every single queue entrance. Plus, it manages the child's expectations early. If they get a Reese's band, you can tell them right then and there: "Sorry, Candymonium is off-limits today."
The Tricky Middle Ground: The 48-Inch Hurdle
48 inches is the magic number in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It’s the gatekeeper.
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At 48 inches (the Hershey category), the park wide-opens. You get access to:
- The Comet: The oldest, smoothest-running classic in the park.
- SooperDooperLooper: The first looping coaster on the East Coast. It’s surprisingly gentle, actually.
- Wildcat’s Revenge: The heavy hitter.
- Laugh Trakk: The indoor spinning coaster that feels way faster than it is because it's dark.
If your kid is 47.5 inches? It sucks. They are stuck in the "Reese’s" zone. They can do the Trailblazer (a very mild mine train) and the Scrambler, but they’ll be watching the big drops from the sidelines. Honestly, some of the most frustrating moments for families happen right at this 48-inch mark.
The Jolly Rancher Tier: 60 Inches and Up
You’d think once you hit 5 feet tall, you’re good for everything. Mostly, you are. But Hershey has a weird quirk with the "Jolly Rancher" (60 inches) requirement.
Great Bear, the B&M inverted coaster, requires riders to be at least 54 inches (Twizzler). However, some of the older flat rides or specific high-thrill attractions have unique upper limits or seating requirements. Storm Runner, the hydraulic launch coaster that blasts you from 0 to 72 mph in two seconds, has a 54-inch minimum.
Wait. You noticed that?
Even the fastest, most aggressive launch coaster in the park has a lower height requirement (54") than the "top" candy tier (60"). This is a common point of confusion. The "Jolly Rancher" tier isn't really about minimums for more coasters—it's more of a milestone. Most of the "big" coasters like Candymonium, Skyrush, and Storm Runner actually sit at the 54-inch (Twizzler) mark.
Navigating the Water Park: A Different Set of Rules
The Boardwalk at Hersheypark is its own beast. Height requirements here are arguably stricter because of the nature of water depth and slide physics.
Take the Coastline Plunge. It’s a series of tube slides. Some slides in that complex require a 48-inch minimum, while others might allow a 42-inch rider with a life jacket or a companion.
Then there’s the East Coast Waterworks. It’s a massive playground. But even here, the big buckets and certain slides have "height-sensitive" zones. You can't just let the kids run wild if they are under 36 inches.
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Practical Tips for Your Trip
You’ve got the data. Now you need the execution.
First, check heights with shoes on. The park measures with shoes. If your kid is right on the line, make sure they are wearing their sturdiest sneakers, not flat flip-flops or thin sandals. Don't try to "stuff" shoes with napkins—operators are trained to look for that, and it's honestly just not safe.
Second, understand the "Companion" rule. A lot of the heights for Hershey park rides allow a shorter child to ride if they are with a "Responsible Rider." A Responsible Rider at Hershey is typically defined as someone who is at least 14 years old and meets the height requirement for the ride themselves.
Third, download the app. The Hersheypark app allows you to filter the entire map by your child's candy category. This is a lifesaver. You can literally toggle "Reese's" and the map will hide everything they can't ride. It prevents you from walking all the way to the back of the park for Fahrenheit only to realize it's a "Twizzler" ride.
Don't Ignore the Small Stuff
If you have a "Miniature" (under 36 inches), you aren't totally out of luck. Hershey has a massive collection of kiddie rides, mostly clustered in the Founder’s Way and Kissing Tower Hill areas. The Granny Bugs, the Pony Parade, and the Bizzy Bees are classics.
Actually, the carousels are a great litmus test. If a kid is terrified of the carousel, don't even try the Trailblazer. It’s a waste of time and a recipe for a meltdown.
A Final Word on Consistency
Hersheypark is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Ride Safety. These inspectors don't play around. If a ride says 48 inches, it means 48 inches. I've seen parents get into heated arguments with 19-year-old ride ops, and the op never wins that fight—the safety manual does.
Check the height at home. Check it at the official station. Wear the wristband.
By focusing on what they can do rather than what they can't, you'll actually enjoy the day. If you spend the whole time looking at the coasters you're half an inch too short for, the "Sweetest Place on Earth" starts feeling pretty sour.
Actionable Next Steps
- Measure at Home Tonight: Use a flat wall and a level. If your child is 47.5 inches, prepare them for the "Reese's" experience, not the "Hershey" one.
- Locate the Measurement Station: It's right past the main gate, near the strollers. Go there first. No exceptions.
- Group by Candy, Not Age: If you're traveling with a group, split your itinerary based on "Twizzlers" vs. "Kisses." You'll get way more rides in if you aren't constantly waiting for half the group to finish a ride the other half couldn't enter.
- Download the Map: Filter it by height category now, before you leave, so you know exactly which "lands" hold the most value for your specific kids.