Hersheypark Is Getting a Shaquille O’Neal Coaster

By Bee Wertheimer  |  August 14, 2025 | 3:23pm
Theme Parks News hersheypark
Hersheypark Is Getting a Shaquille O’Neal Coaster

Halloween is a magical time for amusement parks. From Six Flags’ Fright Fest to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, there’s plenty of frights and delights to be had during the greatest season of the year. And Hershey, Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark is no exception. This year’s Hersheypark Halloween event will see the return of Dark Nights, as well as new inclusions like the Kill ‘N Fill Garage haunted house and, believe it or not, a Shaquille O’Neal-themed rollercoaster.

The Shaq-A-Licious Laff Trakk will be the first-ever retheming of Hersheypark’s decade-old Laff Trakk, an indoor glow-in-the-dark spinning coaster. The Shaq-A-Lish-ified ride will feature custom graphics, dynamic lighting, and enhanced audio-visual effects. The experience will include a voiceover provided by—you guessed it—Shaq himself. He does a great spooky laugh.

The new ride theming is inspired by the Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies. For the unindoctrinated, in the fall of 2024, The Hershey Company and Shaquille O’Neal combined forces to create the Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies. The original flavor of these oversized gummies comes in the form of the athlete’s smiling visage. The sour versions, meanwhile, are symbols that pay homage to Shaq’s media presence, including such nicknames as “The Big Shamrock,” “The Big Cactus,” and, of course, “The Big Shaqtus.” (What does it mean that these fragments of Shaq’s identity are deemed sour, but the authentic, original Shaq gummy is only his head—which is itself another fragment?)

Shaq is no stranger to roller coasters, of course. A trip to Knott’s Berry Farm in August 2009 prompted O’Neal to post one of the all-time greatest tweets, where he wrote about a sensitive topic for big men everywhere: not being able to fit onto a ride. No, Shaq, dats all of us yellin, in commiseration with your pain.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Shaquille O’Neal on a one-of-a-kind ride experience you can only find at Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights,” said Vikki Hultquist, Vice President of Hersheypark and Entertainment Operations. “Get ready for a bigger, bolder, XL ride through a Shaq-ified world of giant glowing gummies, bass-pumping beats and over-the-top fruit-flavored mayhem at Shaq-A-Licious Laff Trakk.”

Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights will run for eight weekends from September 12 to November 2, 2025, and entry is included with your park ticket. Shaq, meanwhile, is a national treasure, and hopefully this is just a prelude to him opening his very own theme park in the style of Dollywood.

 
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