Hershey Parking

[Taylormade]

I haven't been to Hershey in 20 years. I want to get to the vendor area early, if possible. How long should one expect to wait to get their car parked in the morning? I'm staying in a motel about eight miles to the west and was wondering what time I need to head out to get to the meet when it opens and get my car parked - Wednesday and Thursday especially. This is my modern car, of course.

Thanks,

RT

[Steve Moskowitz]

You should not have any problem at all...parking & traffic normally goes pretty smoothly. Lots of people are out an about around 8 AM but remember not all vendors will have had their sleep, coffee, etc and may not be open that early.

[Taylormade]

Thanks, Steve. Looking at the map, and based on a few local shows in my area, I thought there might be a long wait in line to get into the parking area. Glad to know that isn't the case.

[Mark N]

Let me piggyback another question onto this.

If I park my car, am I able to drive off the lot later in the day and then return a couple of hours later without having to pay again for parking.

Thanks,

Mark N.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Yes - Simply retain the parking receipt from the first transaction and show it to the attendant atthe booth upon return.

[John_Maine]

We have never waited for parking at Hershey - always drive right in.

[1940_Buick]

For several years now Hershey parking has been very well organized. If you get there around 07:30 AM, you'll drive right in. Friday after 08:00 AM is the only day I notice any backups. Best plan is to arrive at 07:00-07:30, cross the main road (parking is on the north side of the main road and flea market on the south side), get a cup of coffie and a snack, then wander to your starting point for the day.

Edited October 4, 2013 by 1940_Buick (see edit history)

[Guest my3buicks]

Would still like to see a designated lot for parking vintage and collector cars, even if it costs a few bucks more, at least we wouldn't have to park our collector cars with the general public if we choose to drive one. Or even for those that are entering the show Saturday, but drive their show cars out early, you have to park it in general parking if you want to do the flea market.

[Guest my3buicks]

I feel if they make provisions for trailer, motor homes, and every other parking need under the sun, they could have a small lot for driven classic cars - after all, isn't that what Hershey is about? As I said, I don't even mind paying a little extra for safer parking.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Just to be clear...all parking is completely operated and controlled by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.

[Guest my3buicks]

So? I am sure they do not know the needs of the meet, I am sure the Hershey Region works with them to fit the needs of the show. Have been going to Hershey since 1979, I have seen more changes than I could even remember, change is made when people show a need for it.

Edited October 5, 2013 by my3buicks (see edit history)

[Peter J.Heizmann]

and they refuse to change anything

Ted,

I am responding to you out of total respect for the so many positive comments you make about everything and every meet the within the AACA.

To add to Steve's response you must remember that we are "guests on the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts property".

As for refusing to change anything has me totally confused. HERCO (Hershey Entertainment & Resorts) has gone above and beyond to accomodate we guests. Besides the Fall Meet they are at the absolute top when it comes to support of the AACA to include HQ, L&RC, and, Museum. Now, such as a special reserved parking lot for antique vehicles what do you have in mind? Think for a moment as to the shear volume of modern iron visitors in the very large parking fields already utilize. Where would you suggest HERCO places about a 3-5 acre "special lot"? Who is going to staff the attendants to be certain the vehicles are AACA 25 year old and older? Should HERCO create such a lot I would bet you and others here would complain that it is not the closest to the pedestrian crossing on Hershey Park Drive. Who would pay to put up special fencing to isolate this lot? Last, who would field the complaints if "visitors" need parking spots, see that the special lot has only a few vehicles in it at any given time?

Not as easy as you and Keith think. The logistics involved and years of work by the Hershey Region, HERCO, the AACA, and others is mind boggling. With roughly 250,000 people over 3-5 days in a "SET ACREAGE" can yield only so much.

Regards,

Peter J.

Peter J.

[Guest my3buicks]

No one said change is easy, but no one likes 'just because" answers and attitudes either. If they are paid spaces let's say in the registration process, same as flea market spaces (that let's face it are nothing more than inside parking spots for many) then it would be a known number of spaces needed and much easier to deal with.

Guests of Hershey yes, but let's face it, if they were not making money, we would not be their guests.

[Peter J.Heizmann]

No one said change is easy, but no one likes 'just because" answers

Who said that, Keith. I certainly did not in my response to Ted.

Try this...you come up with a plan using the property layout from the meet brochure. Suggest it to the Hershey Region and copy AACA HQ plus HERCO.

Never know. Maybe it could come to fruition. One thing for certain to air out either suggestions or complaints on this AACA Forum will not garner a response to you or many others for that matter. So many over the years air out here on the Forum then expect the people actually in charge to respond. Not going to happen. They do not sit here 24/7 with a staff at the ready to assist you. One must contact the appropriate AACA Director / Officer, HERCO Management, any Meet sponsors, etc., etc.

So many simply go here to the General forum area thinking their good or not so good suggestion will receive a response. Take the time to go to the horse's mouth. May take some effort however if you believe this is a good idea then contact the Hershey Region or HERCO.

[Guest my3buicks]

What good is the forum then if not for feedback - you can't tell me that those that would be in the process don't see this. If a chocolate company is running the AACA national, then that is sad. Typical blind eye talk to the wall attitude that the AACA has long been known for.

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Tried to reason with facts to assist satisfying your idea, Keith. I can see it is tp no avail.

No further advice or response from me. Have a nice evening.

Regards,

Peter J.

[R W Burgess]

What good is the forum then if not for feedback - you can't tell me that those that would be in the process don't see this.........

What Mr. Heizmann is saying is exactly correct. Hershey Region does not monitor the forums. The majority of the AACA Board does not monitor this web site. The forums in particular were set up for the "discussion" of antique vehicles, not for policy decisions. On the home page of this web site, you will find the list of Board members with their addresses, so that you are able to contact them with your ideas or questions. This is the proper way to handle these things.

As far as the Hershey parking situation, they are lucky to have enough volunteers to just handle normal traffic. Trying to set up something like you are suggesting would be pretty nearly impossible. The best most safe way to park your classic/antique vehicle is to register for the event and park it on the show field. Anything other than a modified vehicle is welcome.

Wayne

[starfireelvis]

I wonder how many people who contribute to this forum have ever put on a car show--of any size, let alone a massive undertaking like Hershey. it is truly, truly done for the love of the hobby, as the people you see at Hershey throughout the week and on the Show field on Saturday morning, do this for no recompense whatsoever. True, nobody is putting a gun to their head to do so, but damn, are we not thankful that they do?

While I think a good portion of the people who attend do appreciate it (likely only if they've ever put on a car show, like I've said), so many undoubtedly take it for granted. I have been the President of the Northern Ohio Chapter of the Oldsmobile Club of America for many years until recently, and I still am heavily involved in putting on our annual car show, which attracts between 150-200 cars, and over two dozen vendors. A nice-sized one-day show, but it pales in comparison to a week-long (ok, days-long for those who are pedantic) event like Fall Hershey. And I know that the planning for the next year's show begins darn soon after the finish of this year's event.

What percentage of people in any given club do the "heavy lifting" when it comes to putting on the show. If it's 15 percent, you're lucky. And, it can be a thankless job, especially when people who do not constructively suggest an improvement (as opposed to a snide remark or complaint) give their two cents. Not necessarily saying that is what is happening here, but I can tell you this from experience. When it comes to making the recommendations for the guidelines and channels for improvement so that there can be appropriate following up of said situation, the vast majority of the time, the request for the participant to please respond kindly in some fashion 9 times out of 10 disappears into the ether, never to be heard from again, which can only lead me to believe that the person was not serious with their suggestion for improvement, but the whole exercise on their part was merely to bi--er, I'll use the kinder term of "vent".

Summary of what Mr. Heizmann and Mr. Burgess are saying: they want it to be a better show, too, and if there is room for improvement, please follow up in kind by the means which they request, so the suggestion can be best-handled. As a participant, I realize that an already world-class event can offer room for improvement as well. And the only other thing I would add, which is more applicable to a "local" situation where people live nearby, as opposed to hundreds of miles away as would be the case with Fall Hershey, but still I'll say this. If you can make things better, show us how it's done. Step up and volunteer if it is that important to you, either by devoting a day to the event, or again, offering a constructive, well-reasoned solution to a problem you perceive. If you don't follow through in doing so, you're just wasting everyone's time...

I yield the soap box...

[MCHinson]

What good is the forum then if not for feedback - you can't tell me that those that would be in the process don't see this. If a chocolate company is running the AACA national, then that is sad. Typical blind eye talk to the wall attitude that the AACA has long been known for.

I think that Peter made some very valid points and I happen to agree with him that the logistics of separate parking areas for antiques would be much more trouble to set up than it appears at first glance.

The forum is a great place for discussions. It is a discussion forum. It is a great place to share information on all facets of the antique car hobby. It is just not the way to contact the Hershey Region or the AACA Board or AACA Headquarters to make a suggestion or make a complaint. The AACA has a process for that type of input. If you wish to provide that type of input, you should follow the process as laid out in the bylaws and/or Policy and Procedure Manual found on the home page at AACA.org.

[ex98thdrill]

I wonder how many people who contribute to this forum have ever put on a car show--of any size, let alone a massive undertaking like Hershey. it is truly, truly done for the love of the hobby, as the people you see at Hershey throughout the week and on the Show field on Saturday morning, do this for no recompense whatsoever.

What percentage of people in any given club do the "heavy lifting" when it comes to putting on the show. If it's 15 percent, you're lucky. And, it can be a thankless job, especially when people who do not constructively suggest an improvement (as opposed to a snide remark or complaint) give their two cents. Not necessarily saying that is what is happening here, but I can tell you this from experience. When it comes to making the recommendations for the guidelines and channels for improvement so that there can be appropriate following up of said situation, the vast majority of the time, the request for the participant to please respond kindly in some fashion 9 times out of 10 disappears into the ether, never to be heard from again, which can only lead me to believe that the person was not serious with their suggestion for improvement, but the whole exercise on their part was merely to bi--er, I'll use the kinder term of "vent".

Summary of what Mr. Heizmann and Mr. Burgess are saying: they want it to be a better show, too, and if there is room for improvement, please follow up in kind by the means which they request, so the suggestion can be best-handled. As a participant, I realize that an already world-class event can offer room for improvement as well. And the only other thing I would add, which is more applicable to a "local" situation where people live nearby, as opposed to hundreds of miles away as would be the case with Fall Hershey, but still I'll say this. If you can make things better, show us how it's done. Step up and volunteer if it is that important to you, either by devoting a day to the event, or again, offering a constructive, well-reasoned solution to a problem you perceive. If you don't follow through in doing so, you're just wasting everyone's time...

I yield the soap box...

Starfire, I appreciate you getting on the soapbox, and also sticking up for Peter and Wayne. I am in my third term as a region president and will most likely be starting my fourth term soon. When you mention about 15%, I'd love to have to think that we have that much, but I also know that if you took our board members from my own region out of the equation, it would put a huge dent in what we do as well.

Many of you know that three years ago I chaired a National Meet. I spent a lot of time planning this meet, it went fairly well and I also know that it was the greatest learning experience that I had ever been involved with. During this time I learned how hard the folks at National Headquarters work, and I also got to see the side of what our national directors do. For those of you who have never been involved in a meet, I guarantee that it would be an eye opening experience.

Among the things that I also learned is that I can't believe after hosting a national meet, that you have another AACA Region that will not only host a meet, but do it for 58 years in a row. I can rest assure that if you tried it once, there's no way you'd want to do it 57 more times in a row.

During the planning of the Canandaigua Meet, I took the time and sat down with the Hershey Meet Chairman, and I also sat down and spent some time with a former Hershey Region President who had also chaired the Hershey Meet in the past.

As what has been already mentioned, we are at the mercy of HERCO. You have so many acres of land, a ton of show cars, a ton of show car trailers, a ton of vendors, a ton of spectators while trying to keep the doors open to Chocolate World, and continue to operate and maintain the properties. You also have to adjust the show for any development to the community. Thirty years ago what was once the show field is now the red field, what was once one Flea Market Field is now occupied by the Turkey Hill store and several rides and roller coasters. What was once the another Flea Market Field is now occupied by the outlet mall, and I believe the RV's are now being parked where the airport once was. You can't stop the development of the community for the sake of selling $80 Flea Market spaces one week a year. I'd be willing to bet that the Outlet Mall brings more money and contributes more to the local economy in one week than our Flea Market has ever done, and you still have another 51 weeks in the year.

At the time I was in the planning stages of our meet, I was told by the meet chairman at that time (it may have changed) that the Hershey Region signs a three year contract with HERCO for the show. With that being said, if there's something that you or someone else doesn't like about the Hershey Meet, it might be possible that it could take three years for them to address it.

At this point I can make the following suggestions......

- Put your car in the car corral, put a ridiculous price on it, and that will meet your needs.

- Obtain a Pennsylvania Sales Tax number, pay the sales taxes and fees, rent a Flea Market space, bring your car into your Flea Market space and sell stuff.

- follow the advice given to you from Peter and Wayne.

Granted there are some things that I may not like about the Hershey Meet, but taking the time to learn about the what's and why's and chairing a national meet has really helped me put things into perspective. It is easy to find fault when you don't know the specifics, and it took getting involved for me to learn it too...

Pat.

PS. By the way, when I used the forum to put meet information out on what was happening, it was so widely accepted that AACA created the "Meets & Tours" section of the forum.