CocoaCon 2026

Join the American Coaster Enthusiasts of Eastern Pennsylvania for our seventh annual CocoaCon on Saturday, August 1, 2026! Enjoy Hersheypark with the American Coaster Enthusiasts for a fun filled day of great friends, delicious food, behind the scenes tour of Kill n' Fill, SweetStart early park entry and nighttime ERT on Great Bear and Twizzlers Twisted Gravity! A complimentary single use Fast Track pass will be available to the first 100 registered attendees! 

This event is only for ACE members and their guests! Event registration is required to participate in all of the activities organized and hosted by the American Coaster Enthusiasts and Hersheypark.

ONE SWEET WEEKEND!
Spend the weekend with the ACE Eastern Pennsylvania region! Slide with ACE at Hersheypark will take place the day after CocoaCon on Sunday, August 2. Enjoy a wet and wild time at the park with morning ERT on Breakers Edge Water Coaster, a delicious meal, ITOTs and more!


REGISTRATION INCLUDES

Admission to Hersheypark
A catered lunch
Admission to Sweet Start early park entry
1-hour of nighttime ERT on Great Bear and Twizzlers Twisted Gravity
Behind the scenes tour of Kill n' Fill (lights on)
A complimentary single use Fast Track pass will be available to the first 100 registered attendees - Status: Available


TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

8:30-9 AM - Event Check-In at park entrance
9-10 AM - Sweet Start
10 AM-11 PM - Hersheypark open to the public
TBD - Catered lunch
TBD - Behind the scenes tour of Kill n' Fill (lights on)
Pre-ERT - Midway game contest
11 PM-12 AM - *ERT on Great Bear and Twizzlers Twisted Gravity

* Evening ERT start time: Please note that evening ERT will start once the park section surrounding our designated rides has been cleared of guests. This process typically takes 30 minutes after the park closing time. Attractions will reopen for ERT as they become available. Finalized event details will be emailed to all registered attendees the week of the event. 


PRICING 

ACE Member with Season Pass - $37.00 
ACE Member - No Season Pass - $81.00 
Guest with Season Pass - $47.00 
Guest - No Season Pass - $91.00 


PARKING
Parking is not included in the event admission.


REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time


SINGLE USE FAST TRACK PASS - Current status: AVAILABLE
A complimentary single use Fast Track pass will be available to the first 100 registered attendees. Bypass the regular lines on select rides. Passes will be issued on a first registered, first assigned basis. Attendees that will receive the pass will be sent an email to confirm.


SWEET START EARLY PARK ENTRY
CocoaCon attendees will be allowed to enter Hersheypark starting at 9:00 AM to enjoy "Sweet Start." This extra ride time allows attendees to enjoy bonus ride time with little to no wait times on a variety of attractions before the general public enter the park. This benefit is typically only offered to Hershey resort guests and Full Size and King Size season pass holders and therefore attendees can expect to see these patron types in the park with ACE members.


BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR OF KILL N' FILL (Lights on)
Go behind the scenes of the Kill n' Fill haunted house with the lights on! This self guided tour will be available for all attendees. No pre-registration required. Plus, a member of the Hersheypark Dark Nights team will be available to answer your questions!


LUNCH MENU
All-You-Care-To-Eat - Hamburger (GF), Smoked Sausage, Grilled Italian Chicken Sandwich (GF), Baked Macaroni & Cheese (VEG), Mixed Garden Green Salad (VEG, GF, V), Fresh Sliced Watermelon (VEG, GF, V), Lay's potato chips, Pepsi soft drinks and ice cream novelties.

(VEG) = Vegetarian, (GF) = Gluten Free, (V) = Vegan

Please contact Mike Matscherz (mmatscherz@aceonline.org) if you have specific dietary restrictions that don't match the menu options and need to request a special accommodation. All requests must be submitted no later than the event registration deadline. Requests may be accommodated based on availability. ACE Eastern Pennsylvania cannot guarantee that the host park will be able to meet your request. 


REGISTRATION DIRECTIONS

You must be a member of ACE to attend or be accompanied by a member who is also registered to attend the event. If only non-members are listed on the registration, please indicate the name of the registered member of whom you are a guest.
Online registration is available until Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
No mail in registration will be available for this event.
SEASON PASS DISCOUNT: Please note that if you register as a season pass holder, you are responsible for bringing your valid season pass with you to the event and using it to be admitted into the park, as admission tickets will not be provided.
No materials will be sent to you in advance. All materials (admission ticket, meal voucher, etc.) will be provided to you at the event.
If you provide an email address, an email with information about attending the event, will be sent to you shortly before the event.
If you have registered in advance and arrive after the scheduled check-in time, your registration materials will be left at the Guest Services. NOTE: The Guest Services location and/or park may not open until the park opens to the public, and therefore arriving late may cause you to miss ERT.
Cancellation Policy: To cancel, contact Mike Matscherz at: mmatscherz@aceonline.org. No refunds will be issued after Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Processing fees for online registration are non-refundable.
NOTE: Universe, ACE Eastern Pennsylvania's third-party event registration provider, offers an "Event Protection" insurance option during the registration process. This feature is NOT endorsed or recommended by ACE Eastern Pennsylvania.


SCHEDULE ADVISORY 
Inclement weather, equipment problems or other unforeseen circumstances may affect the published schedule. The park will do its best to provide ride times and rides as listed; however, the schedule of events remains tentative and is subject to change based on the park's operational status and local health restrictions at the time of the event. 


ACCESSIBILITY 
Should you need special accommodations such as a wheelchair, speech/hearing, etc., refer to the participating parks policy prior to the event date. Most parks offer a complete guide for guests with a disability. 


REFUNDS AND REGISTRATION FEES 
Refunds will not be given. Registration fees will not be prorated for partial attendance and tickets are nontransferable. Event attendee substitutions are at ACE’s discretion. Permission must be obtained prior to the event, in writing, from the event contact.

The payment of registration fees by, for, or on behalf of participants releases and holds harmless the American Coaster Enthusiasts Worldwide Inc. and its Officers, Directors, Executive Committee Members and representatives from any and all liabilities related to those activities. Returned checks and chargeback disputes will be treated as uncollected debt. ACE reserves the right to execute debt collection following the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. 


COVID-19 SAFETY INFORMATION 
Although our host parks are making every effort to keep you as healthy and safe as possible, there remains an inherent and elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place and place where people are present. Refer to park policies for additional information, requirements and latest updates. 


CODE OF CONDUCT 
Members and their guests should be especially aware that their behavior affects ACE’s reputation, and they are expected to abide by ACE’s Code of Conduct at all times during the event and follow all host park policies, including, but not limited to, alcohol consumption. Members are responsible for the conduct of their nonmember guests. Parents and/or guardians are responsible for supervising minor event attendees. Members found to be in violation of the code are subject to ACE's disciplinary procedures, which may be in the form of, but not limited to, verbal or written warning, membership suspension or involuntary termination.

Any violations of park policies, including underage alcohol consumption are a violation of section C.1 of ACE’s Code of Conduct and could result in suspension of the member’s ACE membership as well as action by the park. 


NAME BADGES 
You must be registered and your official event name badge must be visible to participate in scheduled event activities.