Sweet Upgrades Behind the Scenes of the HERSHEY’S Chocolate Tour Ride

The HERSHEY’S Chocolate Tour Ride is a beloved attraction at Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania, inviting guests on a whimsical journey through the chocolate-making process. As part of an ongoing enhancement effort, Entech Innovative Engineering partnered with Hershey’s, working through Danny Byerley and the team at ByerleyXPS, to refresh and upgrade select show action equipment throughout the ride. 

The goal of this refurbishment phase was to modernize key mechanical elements while preserving the charm, pacing, and visual storytelling that guests have enjoyed for decades. By collaborating closely with Hershey’s creative and technical teams as well as ByerleyXPS, Entech supported the attraction’s evolution while ensuring reliability, consistency, and long-term performance behind the scenes. 

Project Overview 

This phase of work focused on improving aging mechanical and show action components across several integral scenes within the ride as well as taking some of the visual effects and making them practical effects. Entech was brought in to assess existing equipment, rebuild or replace worn assemblies, and fabricate new custom elements that aligned with the established creative intent. 

Rather than performing a full overhaul, the scope emphasized thoughtful upgrades that enhanced motion, durability, and serviceability while working within the constraints of the existing ride infrastructure. The result was a series of targeted improvements designed to support smooth daily operation and prepare the attraction for future enhancement phases. 

As Project Manager Anthony explained, “The intent was never to overdo it. We wanted the upgrades to feel like they had always been there and to support the story the ride is already telling.” 

Engineering Manager Alex McFee expanded on that approach, noting, “Before recommending any changes, we reviewed the original assemblies in place to fully understand what we were working with and what we could keep or re-use. In one scene, one of the moving elements was still performing well, so we retained it and updated the drive components. At the same time, we removed the abandoned legacy elements and replaced them with modernized assemblies designed to integrate cleanly within the existing envelope.” 

Engineering Challenges 

Refurbishing a long-running attraction presents a unique set of engineering challenges. Many original components had limited documentation, requiring careful investigation and reverse engineering to fully understand intended motion, structural requirements, and operational constraints. Tight spatial conditions within the ride scenes also meant that new and rebuilt equipment had to fit precisely within existing structures. 

Capturing the creative intent was equally critical. “We didn’t want anything to look cheesy,” Anthony shared. “For example, when we were developing the mixing show action equipment, we didn’t want it to feel like an inflatable snow globe just blowing beads around.” 

Achieving the right visual and mechanical balance required extensive collaboration, prototyping, and iterative refinement. As Anthony described it, “It took a lot of tweaking and input from everyone to get things dialed in just right.” Alex echoed the importance of iteration, explaining, “Prototyping was critical for us on this one. In several scenes, the motion is the story, so small changes in speed or randomness made a big difference in how the effect ultimately read. Instead of locking into a single direction too early, we built adjustable mockups and temporary test rigs to study the behavior in real time. That gave us the flexibility to tune airflow, scale, and motion profiles before committing to final fabrication.” 

He added, “In one case, the system was technically working, but visually it felt too mechanical. Through reviews with the creative team, we adjusted the approach until the movement felt more natural and believable.” 

Testing at Entech's Fabrication Facility

Fabrication and Testing 

All refurbished and newly built components were fabricated in Entech’s shop using modern materials and updated production practices. The team machined, welded, assembled, and scenically prepared custom parts with durability and long-term performance in mind. 

Each assembly underwent thorough pre-installation testing to verify smooth movement, proper alignment, and mechanical reliability. Components were cycled repeatedly to confirm consistent motion and acceptable wear tolerances. This rigorous testing ensured that equipment arrived onsite ready for installation with minimal adjustment required. 

Installation and Integration 

Installation took place during scheduled access windows coordinated with Hershey’s operations and project partners. Although work occurred during attraction closures, the environment remained active with maintenance and operations teams onsite. 

To stay organized and minimize disruption, Entech utilized onsite trailers and work trucks as dedicated workspace and material staging. “That approach worked out really well,” Anthony said. “It helped us stay organized and out of the way, and we were able to focus on getting everything installed cleanly and efficiently.” 

Legacy equipment was removed, new assemblies were installed, and final alignment and calibration were completed onsite. Special care was taken to ensure the upgraded elements performed in harmony with existing show cues, projections, and effects. 

Alex noted the importance of planning early and planning well. “A lot of these assemblies had to be broken down into modular pieces just to get them into the scenes. The kickoff site visit was huge for us. Getting real dimensions and walking the space early helped us build a clear install plan and avoid the kind of field modifications that can slow everything down. That upfront coordination made integration into the existing set pieces much smoother.” 

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This refurbishment effort extends the life of several critical show action elements within the HERSHEY’S Chocolate Tour Ride and supports the attraction’s continued evolution. By combining thoughtful engineering, hands-on fabrication, and close collaboration with Hershey’s creative and technical teams, Entech delivered upgrades that enhance reliability without compromising the guest experience. 

Beyond the technical achievements, the partnership itself stood out. “The Hershey team was amazing to work with,” Anthony shared. “It was a blast developing creative solutions together, and they truly made us feel like part of their close-knit team.” 

“This project is deeply personal for me. Hershey was my hometown park, and the Chocolate Tour is a ride I grew up with. Being able to help preserve and thoughtfully evolve an attraction that meant so much to me, and to so many others is something I’m incredibly proud of.”  Justin Stehr, Executive Director 

Entech is proud to support the technical improvements behind this iconic attraction and looks forward to continued collaboration as the ride continues to evolve.