Comparison

Hersheypark vs Universal Orlando Resort

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hersheypark

Enhance your visit to Hersheypark and its associated attractions with this official app. Navigate the park, find detailed information on rides and shows, and personalize your experience with custom maps and alerts.

Highlights
  • Customizable park map with navigation
  • Ride wait time alerts
  • Attraction details and schedules
  • HPGO account for ride stats and photos
  • Food and shopping information
  • Service location finder
Features
Read full description

Maximize your Hersheypark® experience with The Official Hersheypark Mobile App! Find information on rides, attractions, entertainment, food, shopping, and more for Hersheypark, ZooAmerica® North American Wildlife Park, and Hershey's Chocolate World Attraction. Plus, navigate through the Park with our customizable map and create an HPGO account to view personalized ride stats and ride photos. Map Features - Show and hide attractions of interest to customize your own map of Hersheypark and ZooAmerica - Use the ‘Get Directions’ function for turn-by-turn navigation to any location* - Create ride wait time alerts for your favorite rides - Easily locate important services such as Ticketing Services, First Aid, Accessibility, Lost Children, Lost & Found, Barking Lot Day Kennel, and more - Locate restrooms, ATMs, lockers, smoking gazebos, and stroller/wheelchair rentals HPGO Features - Create and manage your HPGO account to collect ride stats, view ride photos, and connect your Fast Track purchases - Personalize your experience through your HPGO profile - Create reminder alerts for your favorite shows - Create a to-do list Attraction Details - Learn detailed information about all rides, shows, games, shops, services - View current ride information including closed rides and ride wait times - Search function to help find information about attractions - Filter/sort results by height, distance, name, and more - View daily entertainment and Hershey Character appearance schedules - Find information on food and drinks, including menus, ingredients and allergens - View hours for area attractions, including Hershey's Chocolate World Attraction, Hershey Story Museum, and more *Continued use of GPS running in the background may decrease battery life.

About

Universal Orlando Resort

Plan your visit or enhance your current trip with this app. Purchase tickets, make dining reservations, order food ahead, and navigate the resort with a dynamic map. Access exclusive experiences and manage your park tickets seamlessly.

Highlights
  • Purchase tickets
  • Mobile food ordering
  • Dining reservations
  • Dynamic park map
  • Attraction wait times
  • Connected gameplay
  • Virtual Assistant
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Whether you’re planning a future visit or already in the middle of your adventure, the Universal Orlando Resort App is the ultimate must-have. Tap in to purchase tickets, access planning tools, unlock exclusive experiences, book delicious dining reservations, and even order your favorite foods on the go! Get all of this and more in the palm of your hand with the Universal Orlando Resort App. Access Your Universal Orlando Wallet: Link your tickets and add a payment method to ensure an even more seamless visit! For a contactless experience, you can access your tickets on the go and even assign specific tickets to people within your Travel Party. Ordering Food is Deliciously Easy: With Mobile Food & Drink Ordering, you can order ahead at select locations. That means less time waiting in line and more time enjoying delicious delights! Dine On Your Time: Make dining reservations at select locations throughout Universal Orlando Resort. From classic culinary favorites to show-stopping desserts, you’ll find something for everyone to enjoy. Unlock Connected Gameplay: Are you ready to complete the challenge? Level up to Super-Villain stardom with connected gameplay at Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast. Sync with your blaster to customize your experience, track your score, opt into special missions, and earn achievements! Navigate Our Universe: From attraction wait times to nearby dining options and everything in between, you can find it all on our dynamic digital park map. Plus, you can access additional features designed to ensure you have the smoothest visit possible. Virtual Assistant, Parking Reminders, Universal Pay, and more are available only in the Universal Orlando Resort App. Privacy Information Center: www.UniversalOrlando.com/Privacy Terms of Service: www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/terms-of-service/terms-of-use Your Privacy Choices: www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy/notrtoo Privacy Policy: www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy CA Notice: www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy/california-consumer-privacy-act

Screenshots

Hersheypark4 screens
Universal Orlando Resort4 screens

Verdict

The call

Hersheypark and Universal Orlando Resort both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Hersheypark's written reviews are positive against 41% of Universal Orlando Resort's. Hersheypark also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and device support (3 vs 1). Universal Orlando Resort's advantage is ratings volume (531K vs 41K) and chart position (#52 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Hersheypark against 4.8 for Universal Orlando Resort. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Orlando Resort has 531K ratings behind it against 41K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Hersheypark's written reviews are positive against 41% of Universal Orlando Resort's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hersheypark ships an update every 6 weeks, Universal Orlando Resort monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Hersheypark versus Universal Orlando Resort: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHersheyparkUniversal Orlando Resort
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (41K ratings)4.8 (531K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.8% of reviews — better41.5% of reviews
Number of ratings41K531K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#52 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB289 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperHershey Entertainment and Resorts CompanyNBCUniversal Media, LLC

Customer experience

Hersheypark

All ratings40,275 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews274 reviews
Positive66.8%
Neutral12.4%
Negative20.8%

Universal Orlando Resort

All ratings528,294 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews1,162 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral9.9%
Negative48.6%

User reviews

Hersheypark

From 41K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to navigate
  • 👍 Helpful map and directions
  • 💡 Ability to view ride wait times
  • 👍 Useful for planning visits
  • 🚀 Informative about park offerings

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate ride wait times
  • 🐛 Inconsistent ride status information
  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance
  • 🔍 Confusing user interface
  • 🔍 Lacking key features for season pass holders

Universal Orlando Resort

From 531K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Helpful app for navigating the parks
  • 👍 Useful for checking wait times and dining options
  • 🤩 Amazing experience at the parks
  • 🤳 Convenient mobile ordering

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and glitches
  • 🤔 Inaccurate wait time information
  • 💸 Overpriced food and merchandise
  • 😤 Poor customer service and accessibility
  • 🤯 Frustrating virtual queue system

Bugs and requests

Hersheypark

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent crashes and app freezes
  • Inability to get past splash screen
  • Incorrect parking information and directions
  • Concession stands not properly stocked
  • Unreliable park Wi-Fi connectivity

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to view only ride wait times
  • Option to lock in child height restrictions
  • Display all-day meal plan icon on map
  • Easier access to park hours information
  • Integration with family/friend location sharing

Universal Orlando Resort

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to link tickets and passes to the app
  • Frequent app crashes and login issues
  • Unreliable virtual queue system
  • Brightness issues and other UI problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add GPS navigation and directions within the app
  • Improve mobile ordering functionality and customization
  • Provide more transparency on ride closures and maintenance
  • Integrate hotel and ticket information into the app
  • Allow users to view show schedules and park maps more easily

In-app purchases

None

Hersheypark

No in-app purchases

None

Universal Orlando Resort

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hersheypark free?
Hersheypark is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Universal Orlando Resort free?
Universal Orlando Resort is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hersheypark or Universal Orlando Resort?
Universal Orlando Resort is rated higher. Hersheypark averages 4.8 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while Universal Orlando Resort averages 4.8 from 531K ratings.
Do Hersheypark or Universal Orlando Resort have ads?
Neither Hersheypark nor Universal Orlando Resort shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hersheypark or Universal Orlando Resort?
Hersheypark ships an update every 6 weeks, and Universal Orlando Resort monthly. Most recently, Hersheypark was updated on November 6, 2026 and Universal Orlando Resort on November 6, 2026.

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