Hersheypark is retiring Tidal Force, and the ride has one summer left. The shoot-the-chutes hits its final day on September 7, capping 32 years of soaking half the midway.
The park is calling it “Last Splash 9/7.”
Boats climb a steep 100-foot incline, then dive downhill at speeds over 50 mph into one of the biggest splashes in the park.
When is Tidal Force’s last day?
September 7 is it. Hersheypark says the boats get docked permanently at the end of the 2026 summer season, and the park is framing the whole summer as the send-off window rather than one closing-night event. The ride sits at The Boardwalk.
What other water rides are at Hersheypark?
Plenty, if you’re building a last-ride day around water rides. Whitecap Racer is the longest mat racing slide in the world. The Shore is a 378,000-gallon wave pool that steps down from zero to six feet. Breakers Edge Water Coaster mixes water slide and coaster elements in the same ride.
Bayside Pier puts you on a zero-depth ramp into rolling waves, fountains, and tipping cones. East Coast Waterworks runs seven slides, two crawl tunnels, a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket, and nearly 600 interactive water toys.
Coastline Plunge splits into five separate slides: Hydro, Vortex, Whirlwind, Surge, and Riptide. Hydro’s course includes an over-50-degree drop. If you want the slow version instead, the Intercoastal Waterway is 1,360 feet of lazy river with bridges overhead.
Planning a visit before September 7
If you are turning the trip into an overnight, Hersheypark summer resort packages and perks run through the season. Fast Track is available as an add-on if you’d rather not spend a summer afternoon in the Tidal Force queue, and Dining & Drink Plans are sold the same way.
One tip from the park itself: standing on the Tidal Force midway to watch is guaranteed to leave you as soaked as the people on the boat. That’s the part worth knowing if you’re bringing someone who won’t ride but still wants the moment.
Shark Take: If Tidal Force is a memory ride for you, go on a hot weekday and ride it twice. The last few weekends of any farewell run are the crowded ones, and 32 years of goodwill is going to show up on that midway.
Source: Hersheypark
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