June 09, 2026
Provided Image/Hersheypark
Hersheypark is closing its Tidal Force water ride on Sept. 7.
Hersheypark is turning off the faucet on its long-running water ride.
Tidal Force will close on Sept. 7 at the end of the summer season. The flume, which has been splashing riders since 1994, boasts a 100-foot incline and speeds past 50 mph.
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Hersheypark officials would not say why the ride is closing or what will replace it, but promised to "share any future plans when appropriate."
When Tidal Force opened on the amusement park's boardwalk, it was billed as the tallest splashdown ride in the world. Crews built the $4 million attraction on a three-acre expansion over the winter of 1993 and spring of 1994.
Snow delays put the ride's opening behind schedule, per the Sentinel. Tidal Force officially opened on May 28, over Memorial Day weekend, a few weeks after the park opened for the 1994 season.
Hersheypark adjusted the ride after a teen boy was injured by a wave that hit the observation deck during its inaugural season. After another 21 people reported injuries the following year, the park installed a Plexiglass shield at the observation deck. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Corporation settled a lawsuit in 2010 from a visitor who claimed he sustained injuries on the ride in the early aughts.
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