If your summer vacation plans involve a trip to Central Pennsylvania to get your fill of chocolate and high-speed thrills, you’ll want to make sure you map out a very specific pit stop.
Hersheypark just dropped some major news that is bound to pull at the heartstrings of nostalgic theme park fans everywhere. One of the park’s most iconic and deeply beloved water attractions is officially taking its final bow this season, meaning you only have a few months left to experience it before it is gone for good.
The park quietly announced on its website that Tidal Force—the massive, high-density splash-down ride that has been soaking guests since the mid-1990s—will close permanently on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.
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For over three decades, the towering ride has been a quintessential way for families to cool off during the peak July and August heat, famously plummeting brave riders from a staggering height of more than 100 feet at speeds hovering around 50 miles per hour before sending a massive, wall-of-water tidal wave over everyone in sight.
Even if you aren’t quite brave enough to handle that steep 100-foot drop yourself, anyone who grew up visiting the park knows that half the fun of Tidal Force happened on dry land. The ride’s exit bridge became legendary in its own right, serving as a designated “splash zone” where onlookers could stand completely exposed to the elements just to get absolutely drenched when a boat hit the bottom of the track.
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“When a vessel takes its last voyage, we believe it deserves a proper send-off,” the Hersheypark website post says. “After 32 years of making the biggest splashes Hersheypark has seen, the final tide goes out on Tidal Force at the end of the 2026 summer season.”
Naturally, the sudden retirement of such a staple attraction has park fans buzzing about what massive new project might be taking over that prime piece of real estate. For now, park officials are keeping their future playbook close to the chest.
Amanda Polyak, public relations manager with Hersheypark, did not give a specific reason why the ride is closing or what exactly will replace it, but hinted that big things are always brewing behind the scenes. “Hersheypark is always planning and exploring ways to enhance the guest experience,” Polyak told Lancasteronline.com. “We will share any future plans when appropriate.”
If you want to get soaked one last time or stand on the bridge for that iconic wall of water, make sure to book your tickets before Labor Day weekend marks the end of an era.
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