No Splashing! Popular CNY Water Park Remains Closed For 2026

Thunder Island Hits Pause Again

Just when Central New York starts cranking up the heat, one of its favorite summer spots is hitting pause again.

Thunder Island in Fulton, New York, is staying closed for the 2026 season, marking yet another summer without water slides, go-karts, or mini golf fun.

It’s now the third summer in less than five years that the park has had its gates shut, and for fans, the timing couldn’t feel worse with pool weather in full swing.

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A Summer Staple Since 1979

For decades, Thunder Island wasn’t just a water park—it was a summer tradition. It all started back in 1979 when Harry and Tammie Perau opened the park and turned it into a go-to spot for families across Oswego County.

They ran it for nearly 40 years before selling it in 2018 to Ron and Lisa Falise, who kept the momentum going with slides, pools, mini golf, go-karts, laser tag, and even the Soaring Eagle zip line. It was the kind of place where half the summer memories in Fulton were made.

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But things took a tough turn in 2021 when the park was forced to close in August following the death of Ron Falise. After that, the future of Thunder Island became uncertain.

New Ownership, But More Uncertainty

In 2022, Shane and Gale LaBeef stepped in and bought the property for about $2 million, reopening it later that same summer and giving fans hope the park was back for good.

It stayed closed in the summer of 2025, but the owners had “high hopes for 2026.” Those hopes didn’t stick. The park remains closed this season, and the property has been listed for sale since last year, currently priced around $1.5 million.

For now, one of CNY’s classic summer destinations stays quiet—waiting for whatever comes next.