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Park Queue TimesPQT

Hersheypark
vs
Legoland California

On a typical day Legoland California queues less: about 16 minutes a ride against 22 at Hersheypark, a difference of roughly 6 minutes on every queue you join.

See both right now

01 · On a typical day

What you would normally queue.

Averages across recent weeks, so one broken ride or one wet Tuesday cannot decide it. This is the comparison to plan a trip on; the live figures below are the one to act on today.

Hersheypark and Legoland California compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyHersheyparkUnited StatesLegoland CaliforniaUnited States
Average wait per ride 22 min16 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 51 (best of the two)27
Longest typical queue Laff Trakk - Dark Coaster72 minCoastersaurus36 min
Shortest typical queue Minty Bees5 minBeetle Bounce5 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running61%86% (best of the two)

Averaged across every ride at each park with recorded waits. A ride that never opened is left out, so a park is not flattered by counting a shut ride as a queue of zero.

02 · Right now

Both parks, this minute.

Live queue times at both parks. These fill in as soon as the page loads, and keep updating while you are here.

Hersheypark and Legoland California compared on live queue times
Right nowHersheyparkUnited StatesLegoland CaliforniaUnited States
Average wait right now --
Rides open --
Opening hours today --
Longest queue --
Shortest queue --

These keep refreshing while this page is open. A closed park posts no waits, so its rows read as dashes rather than zeroes.

Verdict, on a typical day On a typical day Legoland California queues less: about 16 minutes a ride against 22 at Hersheypark, a difference of roughly 6 minutes on every queue you join.

03 · Choosing

Which one is your day out.

Every line here is earned by one of the figures above - nothing is a generic sentence with a park name dropped into it.

Pick Hersheypark if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 22 minutes a ride here against 16 at Legoland California - for what Hersheypark has that Legoland California does not
  • You want more to do: 51 rides here have recorded wait data against 27 at Legoland California
  • Laff Trakk - Dark Coaster is on your list - it is Hersheypark's longest typical queue at about 72 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Hersheypark's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Legoland California if…

  • You want shorter queues: Legoland California averages 16 minutes a ride against 22 at Hersheypark
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Legoland California's rides run 86% of opening hours against 61% at Hersheypark
  • Coastersaurus is on your list - it is Legoland California's longest typical queue at about 36 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Legoland California's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Hersheypark

Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania was founded in 1906 as a leisure park for Milton Hershey's chocolate factory workers and has grown into one of the best coaster parks in the United States. It runs more than a dozen roller coasters: Skyrush and the racing wooden Lightning Racer, the launched Storm Runner and Fahrenheit, the classic Comet, the newer Candymonium and Wildcat's Revenge, and the Great Bear inverted coaster. The Boardwalk water park is included with admission.

The park is busiest on summer weekends and during Hersheypark in the Dark in October, and because it closes several rides early on some days, the schedule matters as much as the crowds. Check the live wait times before you go and use the crowd calendar to find a weekday when the big coasters run with short queues.

Hersheypark live queue times

Legoland California

LEGOLAND California sits in Carlsbad, 30 minutes north of San Diego, and was the second LEGOLAND park to open (1999). It includes the main theme park, a SEA LIFE aquarium and a separate water park, all aimed at families with children up to about 12. Highlights include The Dragon castle coaster, Driving School, Coastersaurus, and a MINILAND USA built from around 32 million LEGO bricks.

California's year-round mild weather keeps crowds steady, but Southern California school breaks and summer weekends drive queue times up significantly. Check live wait times before tackling The Dragon and the flying school, and use the crowd calendar to pick a midweek visit if you want a relaxed pace.

Legoland California live queue times

05 · Questions

Hersheypark or Legoland California?

Which is better, Hersheypark or Legoland California?

If you are judging on queues, Legoland California: it averages about 16 minutes a ride on a typical day against 22 at Hersheypark, roughly 6 minutes back on every queue you join. Hersheypark has 51 rides with recorded waits against 27 at Legoland California. Legoland California also runs its rides more reliably - 86% of opening hours against 61%.

Which has shorter queues, Hersheypark or Legoland California?

Legoland California, by about 6 minutes a ride. On a typical day Legoland California averages 16 minutes against 22 at Hersheypark. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Hersheypark best time to visit and Legoland California best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Hersheypark and Legoland California in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the tables above for ride counts - or jump to Hersheypark and Legoland California for the full ride lists.

Is Hersheypark bigger than Legoland California?

By rides we track waits for, Hersheypark is the bigger day out: 51 rides against 27. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Legoland California is the quicker park.

Then pick
the quiet day.

Both parks have a crowd calendar with six weeks of forecast and the best day left to go.

Hersheypark calendarLegoland California calendar