Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania is home to more than 70 attractions and 15 roller coasters — the largest coaster collection on the East Coast — and it is the only major theme park in the world that uses candy-branded height categories to sort its entire ride lineup. Instead of a single generic sign at each queue, the park assigns every guest to one of six Hershey’s candy tiers at the entrance, and that tier follows them all day.
Knowing your family’s candy tier before you arrive transforms trip planning: you will know exactly which coasters are accessible, which rides require a supervising companion, and how many attractions your youngest riders can enjoy without hitting a wall. This guide covers every tier from Miniatures through Jolly Rancher, lists the rides unlocked at each height level, explains what the candy minimum means, and gives practical advice for families spanning multiple tiers. Always confirm individual requirements at hersheypark.com before you visit, as ride lineups change seasonally.
Quick Answer: Hersheypark Height Categories and Minimums
Hersheypark uses six candy-branded tiers to determine ride access: Hershey’s Miniatures (under 36 in / 91 cm), Hershey’s Kisses (36–42 in / 91–107 cm), Reese’s (42–48 in / 107–122 cm), Hershey’s Chocolate (48–54 in / 122–137 cm), Twizzlers (54–60 in / 137–152 cm), and Jolly Rancher (60 in and up / 152 cm+). The lowest posted minimum height for any ride is 36 in (91 cm), and guests measuring 54 in (137 cm) or taller can ride every major thrill coaster in the park.
All 6 Hersheypark Candy Height Categories Explained
Hersheypark is the only amusement park in the world to brand its height tiers after Hershey’s candy. Life-size candy-character statues at each park entrance mark every threshold so families can confirm their tier before approaching a single queue. Guest services notes your category on your admission wristband, cutting down on repeated re-measuring throughout the day.
Hershey’s Miniatures — under 36 in (91 cm): Hersheypark’s youngest guests face no posted minimum and can access approximately 28 kiddie and family attractions. This tier includes the Carrousel, Convoy, Dry Gulch Railroad, Ferris Wheel, Intercoastal Waterway, Kissing Tower, Minty Bees, Monorail, Scrambler, Starship America, Tiny Tracks, Traffic Jam, Twin Turnpike, and Tilt-A-Whirl. Note that several of these rides carry a maximum height cap (often 48–54 in), so taller guests are turned away from them.
Hershey’s Kisses — 36–42 in (91–107 cm): The 36-inch mark is the candy minimum — the first point at which Hersheypark enforces a measurable height cutoff. Reaching it adds roughly 13 rides and brings the total to about 41 attractions. New unlocks include Coal Cracker, Cocoa Cruise, Frog Hopper, Frontier Flyers, Reese’s Cupfusion, Skyview, Sweet Swing, Swing Thing, Tea Cups, and Trailblazer. The two coasters available at this level — Cocoa Cruiser and Trailblazer — offer gentle drops and no inversions, making them excellent first coasters.
Reese’s — 42–48 in (107–122 cm): The 42-inch threshold is a major milestone, opening access to about 56 total attractions including the park’s first looping coaster. Rides unlocked here include Breakers Edge Water Coaster, the Coastline Plunge water slides (Hydro, Pipeline, Riptide, and Surge lines), Comet, Fender Bender, The Howler, Laff Trakk, Mix’d Flavored By Jolly Rancher, Music Express, Pirate, sooperdooperLooper, Tidal Force, and Whitecap Racer. sooperdooperLooper — a classic single-loop steel coaster — is among the most popular milestones at this tier.
Hershey’s Chocolate — 48–54 in (122–137 cm): At 48 inches guests gain access to approximately 65 total attractions, including some of the park’s most-loved wooden and steel coasters and a triple drop tower. Newly available rides include The Claw, Coastline Plunge Vortex and Whirlwind, Hershey Triple Tower, Jolly Rancher Remix, Lightning Racer, Wave Swinger, Wild Mouse, and Wildcat’s Revenge. Wildcat’s Revenge — a steel-tracked renovation of the classic Wildcat wooden coaster — is a standout addition at this level.
Twizzlers — 54–60 in (137–152 cm): The 54-inch mark unlocks Hersheypark’s five signature hypercoasters and launch coasters: Candymonium (210-foot hypercoaster), Fahrenheit (97-degree beyond-vertical drop), Great Bear (inverted steel coaster), Skyrush (200-foot wing coaster), and Storm Runner (hydraulic launch coaster with multiple inversions). Guests in this tier can access more than 50 must-do rides and coasters.
Jolly Rancher — 60 in and up (152 cm+): The top tier shares all the same major coasters as Twizzlers, with no minimum-height restrictions remaining. However, guests 60 inches and taller are too tall for most kiddie rides — which carry maximum height caps — reducing the total accessible ride count to approximately 37 attractions. Taller guests unlock everything in the thrill lineup but trade away the junior zone.
Hersheypark Height Chart: Rides Listed by Candy Tier
The lists below group Hersheypark’s major rides by the minimum candy tier required to ride. Heights are in inches (1 in = 2.54 cm). Use this as a planning reference and verify current requirements at hersheypark.com or in the official Hersheypark app before your trip, as rides are added, renovated, or retired seasonally.
No minimum height (Hershey’s Miniatures tier): Carrousel, Convoy, Dry Gulch Railroad, Ferris Wheel, Intercoastal Waterway, Kissing Tower, Minty Bees, Monorail, Pony Parade, Sandcastle Cove, Scrambler, Shoreline Sprayground, Starship America, Tilt-A-Whirl, Tiny Tracks, Traffic Jam, Twin Turnpike Classic Cars, Twin Turnpike Speedway.
36 in minimum (Hershey’s Kisses tier): Coal Cracker, Cocoa Cruise, Dizzy Drums, Frog Hopper, Frontier Flyers, Livery Stables, Mini Himalaya, Mini Pirate, Red Baron, Reese’s Cupfusion, Skyview, Sweet Swing, Swing Thing, Tea Cups, Trailblazer.
42 in minimum (Reese’s tier): Breakers Edge Water Coaster, Coastline Plunge Hydro, Coastline Plunge Pipeline, Coastline Plunge Riptide, Coastline Plunge Surge, Comet, Fender Bender, The Howler, Laff Trakk, Mix’d Flavored By Jolly Rancher, Music Express, Pirate, sooperdooperLooper, Tidal Force, Whitecap Racer.
48 in minimum (Hershey’s Chocolate tier): The Claw, Coastline Plunge Vortex, Coastline Plunge Whirlwind, Hershey Triple Tower, Jolly Rancher Remix, Lightning Racer, Wave Swinger, Wild Mouse, Wildcat’s Revenge.
54 in minimum (Twizzlers and Jolly Rancher tiers): Candymonium, Fahrenheit, Great Bear, Skyrush, Storm Runner.
What Is the Candy Minimum at Hersheypark?
The candy minimum is the lowest height threshold at which Hersheypark enforces a posted minimum height requirement. That threshold is 36 inches (91 cm) — the start of the Hershey’s Kisses tier. Guests below 36 inches are placed in the Hershey’s Miniatures category and can still ride approximately 28 attractions that carry no minimum, but the Kisses level is where the first height gate appears.
At park entrances, each candy-character statue is labeled with the exact inch measurement so families can self-check before joining any queue. Ride operators at individual attractions also display the relevant candy logo and may re-measure any guest when eligibility is in question. Wristbands are color-coded or annotated by tier at guest services, which helps operators confirm eligibility quickly without pulling out a measuring stick for every rider.
Planning Tips for Families at Hersheypark
Measure in bare feet or flat-soled shoes before you leave home. Hersheypark assesses height without thick sneakers or shoe lifts. A half-inch discrepancy at a boundary like 42 or 48 inches can change the entire day’s ride list, so measure under realistic conditions at home to avoid surprises at the entrance statue.
Use the Hersheypark app to build a custom ride plan. The official app lets you filter all 70-plus attractions by height category and shows live queue wait times. Before you arrive, build a prioritized list based on each family member’s candy tier — that way you are not sprinting across the park to a coaster that will turn your child away at the gate.
Watch for maximum height limits on kiddie rides. Attractions in the Miniatures zone — including Balloon Flite, Granny Bugs, Helicopters, Minty Bees, Pony Parade, and Tiny Tracks — cap out at 48 or 54 inches. Guests in the Twizzlers or Jolly Rancher tier are too tall for those rides. If your group spans a wide height range, plan a split-party rotation so one adult can enjoy a thrill coaster while the other accompanies younger kids on junior attractions.
Take advantage of ZooAmerica and live shows. The wildlife park adjacent to Hersheypark has no height requirements whatsoever and provides hours of height-unrestricted activity for guests of every age. The park’s live entertainment shows are also open to everyone, giving smaller guests a full and varied day even if they cannot yet access most coasters.
Frame height thresholds as future goals. If your child is within an inch or two of a tier boundary, talk through the situation at home before arriving. Knowing in advance which coasters are not yet accessible — and setting the next visit as the year they will finally qualify for Fahrenheit or Skyrush — converts a potential meltdown at the entrance into a motivating milestone.
hersheypark height requirements FAQs
What are the height categories at Hersheypark?
Hersheypark uses six candy-branded height tiers: Hershey’s Miniatures (under 36 in / 91 cm), Hershey’s Kisses (36–42 in / 91–107 cm), Reese’s (42–48 in / 107–122 cm), Hershey’s Chocolate (48–54 in / 122–137 cm), Twizzlers (54–60 in / 137–152 cm), and Jolly Rancher (60 in and up / 152 cm+). Your tier determines which of the park’s 70-plus rides you can access.
What is the candy minimum at Hersheypark?
The candy minimum — the lowest height at which Hersheypark enforces a posted requirement — is 36 inches (91 cm), the start of the Hershey’s Kisses tier. Guests under 36 inches (Hershey’s Miniatures) can still access approximately 28 no-minimum kiddie and family attractions including the Carrousel, Monorail, Scrambler, and Ferris Wheel.
What is the minimum height to ride at Hersheypark?
Many Hersheypark attractions have no posted minimum height requirement and are open to all guests, including the Carrousel, Monorail, and Ferris Wheel. For rides that do require a minimum, the lowest threshold is 36 inches (91 cm), which opens access to the Hershey’s Kisses tier of approximately 41 total attractions.
What rides can a child between 42 and 48 inches tall ride at Hersheypark?
Guests in the Reese’s tier (42–48 in) can ride about 56 total attractions, including sooperdooperLooper, Comet, Laff Trakk, Tidal Force, Whitecap Racer, and the Coastline Plunge water slides. They also retain access to all Kisses and Miniatures rides below 42 inches, unless those rides have an upper height cap.
Which coasters at Hersheypark require 54 inches?
Five signature coasters require a 54-inch (137 cm) minimum: Candymonium (210-ft hypercoaster), Fahrenheit (97-degree beyond-vertical drop coaster), Great Bear (inverted steel coaster), Skyrush (200-ft wing coaster), and Storm Runner (hydraulic launch coaster). All five fall in the Twizzlers or Jolly Rancher candy tier.
Does Hersheypark measure height at the gate or at each ride?
Both. Life-size candy-character statues at park entrances let guests self-check their tier before entering, and guest services can note your category on your wristband. Individual ride queues also display their own height markers, and ride operators may re-measure any guest if eligibility is in question.
Can guests be too tall to ride certain Hersheypark attractions?
Yes. Many junior and kiddie rides in the Miniatures zone carry maximum height limits, typically 48–54 inches. Rides such as Balloon Flite, Granny Bugs, Minty Bees, Pony Parade, and Tiny Tracks will turn away guests who are too tall. Guests in the Twizzlers or Jolly Rancher tier (54 in and taller) should expect to be restricted from those attractions.
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