Hersheypark closing day arrived Monday as the park ended Tidal Force after 32 years and closed its 120th summer season on September 7, 2026. The ride on The BoardWalk had been set to make its last run through the final day of summer operations.
Hersheypark said Sunday, September 6, “After 32 years, it’s time for Tidal Force to set sail. Visit us for one last ride through Monday 🌊🌈” The ride originally opened in 1994 and took guests up a 100-foot incline before a splashdown that exceeded speeds of 50mph.
Tidal Force on The BoardWalk
The closure ends a long run for one attraction on The BoardWalk at Hersheypark. Tidal Force had operated for 32 years, making the final summer day the last chance for visitors who wanted to ride it before the permanent shutdown took effect.
Jess Colopy, an Inside the Magic writer, is identified as a Disney College Program alum and says she can be found on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin. Her reporting frames the closure as a ride end point inside a park that is not shutting down for the year.
Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights
Hersheypark said it will open every weekend beginning September 12 and continue through November 1, 2026. Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights will return as annual fall events, and Christmas Candylane will be offered on select dates through January 3, 2027.
That schedule leaves the park active after summer ends, even as Tidal Force disappears from The BoardWalk. The park typically reopens sometime in early April, but it had not announced its exact reopening date for 2027.
The open question now is simple: why Hersheypark chose to close Tidal Force and whether anything will replace it on The BoardWalk. For visitors planning a fall trip, the practical answer is to look past the old ride and toward the weekend calendar that follows it.
