Celebrating its 25th year as a pseudo-factory tour of Hershey's, Chocolate World in Hershey, PA is spending millions of dollars on a new look.

A redesigned simulated chocolate-making tour will debut next spring, as well as new exterior signage and facade changes, and lobby renovations. Upon entering the ride, visitors will see a new scale model of the Hershey's chocolate factory, its scale model lawn featuring large miniature barberry bushes spelling out HERSHEY COCOA, and the adjacent tiny-but-to-accurate scale streetlights shaped like Hershey's Kisses chocolates. We predict this will heighten the impression that you are several steps removed from ever seeing any actual chocolate manufacturing action.

While the "You be the Cocoa Bean" experience may be preserved, expect to hear new narration and music. Updated video manufacturing footage from Hershey's chocolate factory will be shown on monitors along the tour.

Milton Hershey opened his factory to public tours in 1927. By 1973, when chocolate-crazed crowds grew beyond plant capacity, Chocolate World was opened.

Updated Jan. 2005: A photo showing tour cars entering near the scale model of the plant. [09/21/1997]

November 26, 2009