HERSHEY ENTERTAINMENT & RESORTS
PRIVACY POLICY
Effective date: June 10, 2024
Please review this privacy policy and the terms of use for the Sites carefully. Your use of the Sites signifies your agreement to this Privacy Policy and Conditions of Use. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Sites. This Privacy Policy may change from time to time. Your continued use of the Sites after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes. Whenever we make changes, we will note the new effective date of the Policy at the top of this page, so please check this Privacy Policy periodically for updates.
OUR COMMITMENT TO PRIVACY
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company ("HE&R" or "we" or "us" or "our") is committed to respecting your privacy. It is our policy to provide on-line content and services in a way that strives to minimize the collection of information from our customers. This privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") applies to and describes the types of information collected from you, what we do with it, with whom we share it, and how you can correct or change such information, including how we may collect information online at HersheyPA.com, HersheyEntertainmentAndResorts.com, Hersheypark.com, HersheyLodge.com, TheHotelHershey.com, HersheyBears.com, HersheyEntertainment.com, ZooAmerica.com, MeltSpa.com, ChocolateSpa.com, HersheyCountryClub.com, HersheyMeetings.com, HersheyparkCampingResort.com and HersheyJobs.com, through our Hersheypark and Hershey Bears mobile apps and any of the other apps or websites owned or operated by HE&R (together, the "Sites"). This Privacy Policy also applies to information exchanged or collected via email, text, and other electronic messages between you and the Sites, as well as when you interact with our advertising on third-party websites and services, if that advertising includes links to this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to the websites owned and operated by The Hershey Company or any other third party.
It is your responsibility to review this Privacy Policy carefully, especially before providing any personal information through our Sites.
THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We may collect this information about you automatically or when you provide it to us. This may include personal information, which is any information that identifies, describes, relates to, may reasonably be associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular individual or household ("Personal Information"). We may also collect information that is about you but individually does not identify you, and information about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Sites, and usage details.
Automatic Collection of Information: Our Sites may automatically collect information, including Personal Information, through the use of various technologies to track certain information about the visits to our Sites. For example, when you use the Sites, we may collect your IP address, which is a unique identifier that is associated with your computer. We analyze IP addresses in the aggregate for system administration purposes and to compile statistics that show the numbers and frequency of visitors to our Sites and its individual pages. These aggregated statistics are used internally to improve our Sites, for product development, and for marketing purposes, generally. These aggregated statistics may also be provided to advertisers and other third parties. We collect this information using cookies and other technologies. For more information about our use of cookies, please see the section below entitled, "The Use Of Cookies And Similar Technologies." We may also collect geo-location information from you if you install or visit our Sites from our Hersheypark or Hershey Bears mobile apps on your mobile device, if you have allowed your device to share such information. We may also collect other information about you and your device, such as operating system, browser, and device ID.
Analytics Provided by Microsoft Clarity: We partner with Microsoft Clarity and Microsoft Advertising to capture how you use and interact with our website through behavioral metrics, heatmaps, and session replay to improve and market our products/services. We do not use Microsoft Clarity to capture keystrokes or information entered into forms. Website usage data is captured using first and third-party cookies and other tracking technologies to determine the popularity of products/services and online activity. Additionally, we use this information for site optimization, fraud/security purposes, and advertising.
For more information about how Microsoft collects and uses your data, visit the Microsoft Privacy Statement (https://privacy.microsoft.com/privacystatement). You may also control the use of your data for personalized advertising from Microsoft by visiting Microsoft's opt-out page.
Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to optimize our Sites based on the traffic we receive and assist with marketing. To learn more about Google Analytics, including options for opting out and/or managing the ads you may see online please visit https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
Information You Provide to Us: When you contact us, visit us, or use the Sites, we may ask you to provide information such as your name, date of birth, email address, mailing address (including zip code), phone number, payment information, signature or electronic signature, or pictures (which you may take through our Hersheypark app). Some of this information may be Personal Information, either alone or in combination with other information.
HE&R limits the collection of Personal Information to what is adequate, relevant, and reasonably necessary in relation to the purposes for which the data is processed.
THE USE OF COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
In order to improve the Sites and provide more convenient, relevant experiences to our guests, we may use "cookies" and similar devices to track your activities on the Sites. A cookie is a small file containing a string of characters that is sent to your computer when you visit a website or use an online service. When you visit the website again, the cookie allows that site or online service to recognize your browser. Cookies may store unique identifiers, user preferences and other information. Cookies help us track the number of users on the Sites, number of downloads, types of products and services used, to market our products and services to users, and to recognize you when you return to our Sites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the Site (including IP address) is transmitted to our data collection tool service providers.
Pages of our Sites and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit HE&R, for example, to count the number of people who visit that page or open that email message.
Most Web browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you prefer, you may be able to set your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent, but it is possible that some parts of the Sites will not function properly if you do so. Please recognize that browser blocking tools are not controlled by HE&R and we do not guarantee their effectiveness. To find out more about cookies, including how to manage and delete cookies, visit https://allaboutcookies.org/.
DO NOT TRACK
Some web browsers may also give you the ability to enable a "do not track" setting. This setting sends a signal to the websites you encounter while web browsing. This "do not track" signal is different from disabling certain forms of tracking by declining cookies in your browser settings, as browsers with the "do not track" setting enabled may still accept cookies. HE&R does not respond to web browser "do not track" signals at this time but will do so in the future as the technology, features, and functions become standardized. When we implement this technology, we will describe how we do so in this Privacy Policy.
HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
As described in detail below, we may use the information we collect, including your Personal Information, in many ways, such as by sending you promotional materials. In addition, as outlined below, you may unsubscribe or "opt-out" of certain uses of your Personal Information.
Use of Your Information:
- Personal Information: We will use your Personal Information for the purposes for which it was provided. For example, if you provide Personal Information to make a reservation, purchase a season pass, register for email communications, opt-in for text message communications, enter a sweepstakes or contest, or purchase products or services, we will use it to register you for or provide you with those products or services. We also may ask for this information to enable us to verify whether you are entitled to access and use certain information, materials, and services available from our Sites, to enable us to enhance your site visit, to assist you with customer service or technical support issues, to follow up with you after your visit, or to otherwise support your customer relationship with HE&R. It is completely optional for you to participate in these areas of the Sites. Subject to your ability to unsubscribe or "opt-out" of certain uses of your Personal Information, we may also use your Personal Information to provide you with information about features, products or services and other offers from our sponsors, partners, and the like that we think may be of interest to you. This information may be sent to you by postal mail, email, text message, or other means. Under certain circumstances and subject to terms and conditions of our promotions, we may post some of your information on the Sites (for example - if you win a contest we may post on the Sites your first name, city, and state where you live).
- Text Messages: If you purchase products or services from us, we may ask you to provide your phone number and consent and agree to receive transactional text messages which may include confirmation of your purchase, reminders for events and hotel stays, electronic tickets, information related to your stay or membership at one of our properties, and similar content. Transactional messages are not advertising or marketing, but instead are part of our purchasing and reservation process. If you separately opt-in to receive promotional text messages, you may receive offers about our products and services. You may opt out of receiving text messages at any time by texting STOP, emailing Webmaster@HersheyPA.com, or, if applicable, changing your settings in your membership account. Message and data rates may apply.
- Text Message Calls to Action: When you visit our Sites or our properties, you may see "calls to action" asking you to text a key phrase to receive information on a topic of interest, a discount code, or a similar benefit. By texting the key phrase to the number listed on the call to action, you consent to receiving an automated, one-time text message providing the information or benefit stated on the call to action. Although we will only send you one text message in response to each text from you, you can always text STOP to cancel or HELP for help. Message and data rates may apply.
- Communicating with Job Applicants and Employees: If you apply for a job through the Sites, you must enter your contact information, including without limitation your email address and phone number (residential or mobile). We will use this information to contact you about your application and, if you become employed by HE&R, about your job. Additionally, when completing your application, you may consent and agree to receive transactional text messages to your mobile phone number. Transactional messages may be automated and may include confirmation that we have received your application, notice of open positions, interview reminders, and similar job-related content (including content related to other positions for which you have not applied). If you become employed by HE&R, you will continue receiving automated, transactional text messages related to your job (unless you opt out as described below). Transactional messages are not advertising or marketing, but instead are part of our job application and employment process. Job applicants and employees may opt out of receiving non-emergency transactional text messages at any time by texting STOP or emailing Webmaster@HersheyPA.com. Emergency text messages do not require your consent, and HE&R may call or text your residential or mobile phone number related to any situation potentially affecting the health and safety of our employees, customers, or others. Message and data rates may apply.
- Anonymous Information: We may also use information in anonymized, aggregate ("Anonymous Information") form for purposes of research or analysis. In order to better understand and serve our guests and the users of the Sites, we often conduct research on our guest demographics, interests and behavior based on Anonymous Information we gather. Although this Anonymous Information may be derived from Personal Information, it does not identify you personally. We may share this Anonymous Information with a variety of third parties, including our affiliates, agents, and current and prospective business partners. We may use Anonymous Information for advertising and promotional purposes and administration of the Sites, and we may share such information with various affiliated and unaffiliated entities for such purposes. For example, IP addresses are used for the purposes of system administration and to provide Anonymous Information to advertisers about the volume of use on the Sites, and demographic Anonymous Information may be shared with our advertisers and business partners.
- Advertising: We may also enter into agreements with third parties that possess technology that allows the Sites to customize the advertising and marketing messages you receive on the Sites and on other websites based on your activity on the Sites and on other websites. Third parties may include service providers, advertising networks, data analytics providers, social networks, or data brokers. Information collected as described in this privacy policy may be shared with these third parties for this purpose. To learn more about targeted advertising and the choices available to you, visit Webchoices: Digital Advertising Alliance's Consumer Choice Tool for Web US and NAI Consumer Opt Out. Additional information regarding online advertising is available at: https://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/what-are-my-options.
- Other Purposes: We may also use the information we collect to operate, improve, and personalize the products and services we offer, and to give each user a more consistent and personalized experience when interacting with us, to detect fraud or illegal activities, for archival and backup purposes in connection with the provision of the Services, to enforce our Conditions of Use and to communicate with users.
- HE&R will not process your Personal Information for purposes that are neither reasonably necessary to, nor compatible with, with disclosed purposes for which it is collected without obtaining your consent.
Disclosure of Your Information
HE&R may "sell" your Personal Information, as that term is defined under applicable state consumer privacy laws. The third parties to whom we may "sell" Personal Information include data analytics providers and our subsidiaries and affiliates.
HE&R may disclose your Personal Information to a third party for a business purpose. When we disclose Personal Information for a business purpose, we enter a contract that describes the purpose and requires the recipient to both keep Personal Information confidential and not use it for any purpose except performing the contract.
Disclosures of Personal Information for a business purpose may include the following:
- Administrative Purposes: Like many businesses, we sometimes hire other companies to perform certain business-related functions on our behalf such as hosting specific portions of the Sites, maintaining databases, administering sweepstakes, mailing information and processing payments. When we employ a third party to perform these functions, that third party will only be provided with the particular Personal Information it needs to perform its function, and is required to protect the Personal Information.
- Marketing Purposes: We may share information we collect, including Personal Information, with our third-party service providers who help us advertise our and our affiliates' products and services to users.
- The Hershey Company ("THC"). We may share information we collect, including Personal Information, with THC, if a request submitted to us is more properly addressed by them. For example, sometimes we receive questions about Hershey's Chocolate World attraction (a THC property). We may share information so that THC can respond to those questions. We may also share anonymized data with THC and its third-party service providers so that THC can more effectively deliver digital ads about its products, services, and events based upon your interests.
- Other Disclosures: In addition, we may disclose Personal Information to: (i) protect the legal rights, privacy or safety of HE&R and its affiliates or its or their employees, agents and contractors; (ii) protect the safety and security of our guests; (iii) protect against fraud or other illegal activity or for risk management purposes; (iv) respond to inquiries or requests from public authorities; or (v) comply with the law or legal process.
- Change of Ownership: If HE&R sells all or part of the Sites or makes a sale or transfer of stock or assets or is otherwise involved in a merger or business transfer, we may, in our sole discretion, transfer, sell or assign your Personal Information to a third party as part of or in connection with that transaction. Upon such transfer, the privacy policy of the acquiring entity may govern the further use of your Personal Information.
The Personal Information we share with our third-party service providers may include your:
- Name,
- Contact information, or
- Other Personal Information when necessary for the service provider to complete its specific task on our behalf.
YOU MAY ENCOUNTER THIRD PARTY LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
You may encounter links to third-party websites through the Sites. These third-party websites do not follow this Privacy Policy. For instance, clicking on the logo or on links or other elements on the Sites may take you to an entirely different website owned and operated by a third party. Links to other sites may use our logo as a result of a co-branding/sponsorship agreement. These sites may send their own cookies to you and may collect information and make use of that information in ways that the Sites would not. Once you have left the Sites, this Privacy Policy will no longer apply to Personal Information or any other information collected from or provided by you to a third party. It is your sole responsibility to review the applicable privacy policy to determine how that third party or website will handle such information.
RIGHTS AND CHOICES REGARDING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
State consumer privacy laws provide their residents with additional rights regarding our use of their Personal Information. You have the right to:
- Unsubscribe from marketing communications;
- Confirm whether we process your Personal Information;
- Access certain Personal Information;
- Delete certain Personal Information;
- Correct inaccuracies in your Personal Information;
- Data Portability;
- Opt out of the processing of your Personal Information for targeted advertising and "sales," as that term is defined under applicable state consumer privacy laws;
- Opt out of profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce a legal or similarly significant effect; and
- Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights.
Your Right to Unsubscribe from Marketing Communications
If you have previously provided contact information (which may include Personal Information) to HE&R and have subscribed to one or more email newsletters or are receiving emails or other communications that you no longer wish to receive, please discontinue your subscriptions by selecting the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email message or contact us at Webmaster@HersheyPA.com.
Your Rights to Access Your Personal Information, Confirm Whether We Process Your Personal Information, and Data Portability
You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your Personal Information over the past 12 months. Once we receive your request and verify your identity, we will disclose to you:
- The categories of Personal Information we collected about you;
- The categories of sources for the Personal Information we collected about you;
- Our business or commercial purpose for collecting your Personal Information;
- The categories of third parties with whom we shared or disclosed your Personal Information; and
- Our business or commercial purpose for sharing or disclosing your Personal Information to those third parties.
Additionally, you may also request a portable copy of your Personal Information, which we will deliver to you in a readily usable format.
Your Right to Correct Your Personal Information
You have the right to correct any inaccurate Personal Information that we have collected from you. Once we receive your request and verify your identity, we will update the inaccurate information with the correct Personal Information that you provide to us.
Given the Personal Information's nature and/or processing purpose, we may deny the request if we have reason to believe the new information is incorrect or inaccurate. This is to protect the accuracy, security, and integrity of your Personal Information in our possession.
Your Right to Delete Your Personal Information
You have the right to request that we delete the Personal Information that we have collected from you and retained, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive your request and verify your identity, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your Personal Information from our records, unless an exception applies.
We may deny your deletion request if retaining the Personal Information is necessary for us or our service provider(s) to:
- Complete the transaction for which the Personal Information was collected or otherwise perform a contract with you;
- Fulfill the terms of a written warranty or product recall conducted in accordance with federal law;
- Provide a good or service requested by you or reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing relationship with you;
- Detect security incidents or protect against malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activity, or prosecute such activity;
- Debug to identify and repair errors that impair existing or intended functionality;
- Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another person to exercise his/her right of free speech, or exercise another right provided by law;
- Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when the information's deletion may likely render impossible or seriously impair the research's achievement, if you previously provided informed consent;
- Enable internal uses that are reasonably aligned with your expectations based on our relationship with you;
- Comply with a legal obligation; or
- Make other internal and lawful uses of that information that are compatible with the context in which you provided it.
Your Right to Opt Out of Personal Data Processing and "Sales"
You have the right to request that we refrain from processing your Personal Information for targeted advertising and "sales," as that term is defined under applicable state consumer privacy laws. Once we receive your request, we will no longer use or process your personal information for the purpose of providing targeted advertising to you based on your activity and interests. We will also no longer sell (as that term is defined by relevant and applicable state law) your Personal Information to third parties for targeted advertising purposes.
Your Right to Opt Out of Profiling
You have the right to opt out of profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects to you. Once we receive your request, we will no longer use or process your Personal Information for making decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects to you.
Please note that HE&R does not use or process your Personal Information for making decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects to you.
Your Right to Non-Discrimination
HE&R will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights. Unless permitted by relevant state law, we will not:
- Deny you goods or services;
- Charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits, or imposing penalties;
- Provide you with a different level or quality of goods or services; or
- Suggest that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.
However, we may offer you certain financial incentives permitted by applicable law that can result in different prices, rates, or quality levels. Any permitted financial incentive we offer will reasonably relate to your Personal Information's value and contain written terms that describe the program's material aspects. Participation in a financial incentive program requires your prior opt-in consent, which you may revoke at any time.
We may offer promotional or "loyalty" programs from time to time. You may be eligible to receive discounts on products as part of your participation in a loyalty program. As described above, we may collect Personal Information from you when you participate in a loyalty program.
Submitting a Privacy Rights Request
To exercise your privacy rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us by filling out this form: https://www.hersheypa.com/privacy/data-privacy-request.php, calling us toll-free at 1-800-HERSHEY, or visiting customer service at one of our properties. We will respond to you within 10 days of receiving your request with additional information. We will normally fulfill your request within 45 days, although in some instances we may require additional time. We may, however, be unable to fulfill your request if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request. Only you or someone legally authorized to act on your behalf may make a privacy rights request. You may also make a request on behalf of your child.
You may only make a privacy rights request twice within a 12-month period.
To help protect your privacy and maintain security, we will take steps to verify your identity before granting you access to your Personal Information in our possession or complying with your request. We may also ask you to provide additional information for verification purposes. If you provide written authorization for another person to submit requests on your behalf, we will verify your identity before responding to any such requests. In addition, if you ask us to provide you with specific pieces of Personal Information, we may require you to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury that you are the individual whose Personal Information is the subject of the request.
You do not need to create an account with us to submit a privacy rights request.
We will only use Personal Information provided in the request to verify the requestor's identity or authority to make that request.
You may appeal a decision regarding your privacy rights requests by contacting us at https://www.hersheypa.com/privacy/data-privacy-request.php or calling us toll-free at 1-800-HERSHEY.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN AND PRIVACY
We recognize the need to provide additional privacy protections for children who visit the Sites. At various places on the Sites, we may ask users for their date of birth in order to verify their age. By using the Sites you agree to respond truthfully and accurately about your age. The Sites do not solicit or knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 13 without verifiable parental consent. Children under 13 years of age are expressly prohibited from submitting or posting any Personal Information on the Sites. If we learn that we have collected or received Personal Information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us using the contact information below.
OUR COMMITMENT TO INFORMATION SECURITY
HE&R takes reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security precautions designed to secure the Personal Information that you choose to provide against the loss, misuse, alteration, or unauthorized access of such Personal Information. Unfortunately, no transmission of information over the Internet is guaranteed to be completely secure. It may be possible for third parties not under the control of HE&R to intercept or access transmissions or private communications unlawfully. While we strive to protect your Personal Information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any Personal Information you transmit to us. Any such transmission is done at your own risk.
The safety and security of your Personal Information also depends on you. Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to certain parts of the Sites, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you to not share your password with anyone. We urge you to be careful about giving out information in public areas of the Sties. The information you share in public areas may be viewed by any user of the Sites.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
From time to time, we may revise this Privacy Policy to reflect industry initiatives, changes in the law or technology, or changes in our practices regarding information collection and use. If we make revisions to the way we collect or use Personal Information or Anonymous Information, we may provide notice of those changes by either: (a) announcing the change on the homepage of the Sites or (b) taking such other action as we deem appropriate under the circumstances, including without limitation, posting the revised draft of this Privacy Policy on the Sites. You can determine when this Privacy Policy was last revised by referring to the "Effective Date" legend at the top of this page. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective upon posting of the revised Privacy Policy on the Sites. By continuing to use the Sites or purchasing goods or services from us following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, as it may be amended from time to time, in whole or in part, please do not continue using the Sites.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, information gathered by the Sites, or about the operation of the Sites, please contact us at:
Data Privacy Officer
c/o Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company
27 West Chocolate Ave.
Hershey, PA 17033
or via email at:
DataPrivacyOfficer@HersheyPA.com