Santa’s reindeer — Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph — have received clearance to fly to Pennsylvania from Dr. Sarah Coburn, Alaska’s state veterinarian.
Submitted Photo
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and State Veterinarian Dr. Alex Hamberg joined Santa Claus and his nine reindeer at Hershey Park for a special announcement on the reindeer’s planned flight across Pennsylvania on Christmas Eve. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Erin Luley, PA Tourism Office Director Kaitie Burger, and Santa Claus were in attendance.
Submitted Photo
Santa Claus and his nine reindeer were at Hershey Park for a special announcement on the reindeer’s planned flight across Pennsylvania on Christmas Eve.
Submitted Photo
HERSHEY — Santa has come to the town built on chocolate — and he brought all nine of his reindeer along with him.
Visitors to Hersheypark Christmas Candylane can see Santa and his live reindeer in the Mary N. Bright Airfield — a new themed location in Fahrenheit Catering for 2024.
While enjoying Santa’s favorite holiday stop at the merriest event of the year at Hersheypark, guests can get an up-close look at Rudolph and his friends in Hangar 96.
The name of the space represents the first year that Santa’s reindeer visited Hersheypark in 1996 — the only place in the Northeast where people can see all nine of Santa’s reindeer.
Santa handpicked trusted team members from ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park to take special care of his reindeer during their vacation in Hershey, before their big flight on Christmas Eve.
The ZooAmerica reindeer specialists are on-site inside the amusement park during all hours of Hersheypark Christmas Candylane operations to feed the reindeer, clean the stables and answer guest questions.
Clean bill of health
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Erin Luley, and PA Tourism Office Executive Director Kaitie Burger joined Santa Claus and his team of nine reindeer at Hersheypark to announce that the reindeer received a clean bill of health from the Department of Agriculture — speeding them on their way to make special deliveries across Pennsylvania on Christmas Eve.
“The magic that makes Santa’s reindeer fly is a secret we’ll never tell,” Secretary Redding said. “But Pennsylvania’s young and young at heart can nestle snug in their beds knowing the reindeer are healthy and ready to take flight.”
Santa’s reindeer — Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and Rudolph — received clearance to fly to Pennsylvania from Dr. Sarah Coburn, Alaska’s state veterinarian.
Pennsylvania State Veterinarian Dr. Alex Hamberg and Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Erin Luley reviewed Alaska’s Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and declared the team healthy to fly from rooftop to rooftop in all 67 Pennsylvania counties for the purposes of toy delivery to the children of Pennsylvania. These certificates are required as an assurance that contagious diseases are not carried across state lines.
“Despite Rudolph’s shiny red nose and the team’s mysterious ability to fly,” Dr. Luley said, “Santa’s reindeer have received excellent care from Santa’s herd manager at the North Pole, and from Hersheypark’s team during their stay here, and they are up to the task of spreading joy, and only joy, across Pennsylvania.”
“Hersheypark is just one of the many first-class holiday getaways our Commonwealth has to offer visitors during the winter season,” said Kaitie Burger. “Pennsylvania is the place to make best-ever holiday memories that will last a lifetime.”
Plan your Great American Getaway and meet Santa’s team at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane now through Jan. 1, 2025. Find hours and adventures to add to your holiday bucket list at — hersheypark.com.
About Santa’s reindeer
State officials and Hersheypark staff chatted with some of the reindeer specialists to get all of the insider information on each reindeer, as they each have a magical personality of their own!
Learn more about Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph, here.
Rudolph
— Friendliest and always by the reindeer specialists or the front fence.
— Loves to be in the way and begs for treats.
— Working with Dasher on conflict resolution.
Dasher
— Known troublemaker.
— Pushes around Rudolph to try to take charge of Santa’s sleigh team until Vixen and Prancer break them up.
— Buds with Vixen.
Dancer
— Beautiful chocolate brown color.
— BFFs with Cupid – they playfully antler spar together and groom each other’s ears.
— Uses Cupid as a pillow.
Prancer
— Oldest and one of the higher ranking members. The herd has a hierarchy with several reindeer in charge at the top, some “mid-level” reindeer and others at the bottom that tend to stick to themselves and will not challenge the others.
— Stands ground against younger, mischievous reindeer.
— Vixen tests Prancer’s limits, but usually gets shut down quickly.
Vixen
— Middle-ranking reindeer with beautiful, claw-like antlers with leftover velvet.
— Friends with Dasher and acts like a bodyguard.
— Known to start reindeer games with Cupid, Dancer and Donder.
Comet
— Firecracker with a sassy personality.
— Known to shove entire head into a bucket for beet pulp.
— High-ranking member of the herd that values R&R and is often seen lying down in the back of Hangar 96 watching the whole herd run by.
Cupid
— Youngest reindeer who sometimes gets picked on by other members of the herd given youthful spirit.
— Inseparable with Dancer.
— Likes to playfully spar with Dancer.
Donder
— Rambunctious and high-energy.
— Initiates play with both reindeer and reindeer specialists.
— Kept in line by higher-ranking Prancer and Comet.
Blitzen
— Biggest reindeer with the largest set of antlers despite not being the oldest.
— Gentle giant who likes personal space.
— Expert level status on ripping open new hay bales.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
