I am writing to formally express my deep disappointment and frustration following my family’s visit to Hersheypark yesterday, which, regrettably, ended on a distressing note despite starting off well.

This visit marked only our second time at the park. Based on our previous experience, I anticipated that my six-year-old daughter—who is autistic—would require accommodations to make the visit enjoyable and accessible for her. In anticipation of this, I proactively purchased a Fast Track pass at a cost of nearly $130. Upon returning to a ride, however, I was informed that this was not the correct pass and, in fact, my daughter qualified for a complimentary Fast Track pass due to her disability. While the financial misunderstanding was frustrating, the situation that followed was far more troubling.

When we attempted to use the pass at the Cocoa Cruiser ride, the conductor on duty at the time—identified as Peyton—treated us with undue scrutiny and caused an unnecessarily distressing delay. He questioned the legitimacy of the pass and challenged the size range listed for my daughter. Rather than accepting the pass as valid, he insisted on calling for verification while we stood by, even as another set of riders boarded in our place. He assured us we would be next, but offered no explanation to my daughter—who, due to her autism, found the disruption extremely confusing and upsetting.

As we continued to wait, my daughter became visibly agitated, nearing a meltdown. Despite Peyton’s earlier insistence that we would be next, we were nearly skipped a second time until another ride conductor asked for a party of two from the general line. At that point, I spoke up and was finally allowed to board. This chaotic and inconsistent process, along with the dismissive and insensitive conduct of the employee, made an already challenging situation significantly worse.

I must emphasize how harmful and unacceptable this experience was—not only for me as a parent but especially for my young daughter, whose condition requires understanding and accommodation, not interrogation. Accessibility passes should be respected without arbitrary questioning by individual ride operators. It is not appropriate for frontline staff to “authenticate” disability accommodations on the spot, as it opens the door for inconsistency, bias, and discrimination.

To make matters worse, our visit ended amid alarming scenes of gang-related and police activity near the premises, which further heightened our discomfort and concern for our family’s safety.

At this time, I am genuinely uncertain if we will ever return to Hersheypark. The conduct displayed by Peyton at Cocoa Cruiser was unacceptable and, I hope, not reflective of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts’ values or training standards. I respectfully urge your team to investigate this incident, review employee training on accessibility protocols, and ensure that families with children who have special needs are treated with the dignity, efficiency, and care they deserve.

I look forward to your response and to understanding how this matter will be addressed.