6/18: Splash Zone---Soak City

The stars of weather and time finally aligned for us to take a trip to Sandusky with the goal of visiting the new-this-year Splash Zone in Soak City.

If you haven't seen it yet, Splash Zone is a very brightly colored "mini-slide" complex, maybe 3-4 stories tall, in the corner of Soak City closest to Camper Village. It sits on what used to be the Soak City picnic pavilion. The main feature of the complex is a tipping bucket. There are maybe 10 slides of varying height and intensity, and oodles of water gadgets for spraying/dousing the unwary.

About half the slides are "short"--you must be between 3 and 4 feet (IIRC) to slide on them. The other half are "tall"---anyone over 40" is fair game. Mostly the slides were occupied by the school-aged set, but there were a few parents and younger kids as well.

The first thing you notice is that the water is COLD. As in, not heated. I'm not sure if this is intentional, but there was a marked contrast between the water temperature in the Zone and, say, in Main Stream or Choo Choo Lagoon. Early and late season Soak City visitors should consider making this a stop only in the full heat of the afternoon.

The second thing you notice is that you *will* get doused by something that you hadn't noticed---generally at the whim of some mischevious 8-year-old boy. This is all part of the fun, so you have to be willing to take as well as give. However, if you have younger kids, or kids who don't like to get their faces/heads wet, you'll want to stick to the bottom-most slide or two.

The upper slides are a lot more fun than they appear to be. They aren't long, or tall, but you can work up some nice speed on them. There are one or two enclosed tunnels, the rest are open. They are all of the twisty variety---no big drop/speed slides, due to the short height and small footprint. There is never much of a wait for the slides, and when there is a wait, you can gadget-soak other folks while you wait.

This was a popular spot. The park wasn't very busy---most sections had plenty of free deck chairs when we were there. The exception being Splash Zone. I suspect when the novelty wears off, crowds will redistribute a bit.

The multi-level nature made for a site that both my three year old not-really-swimming son and five year old fish of a daughter had a ball on. Three years ago, before my first Soak City visit, I couldn't see why anyone would voluntarily leave Cedar Point to go swimming. Over the past few years of combo pass ownership, I'm increasingly of the opinion that Soak City is nearly mandatory (at least to cool off some) on any warm-weather visit to the Point.

Bottom line: this was a very nice addition to the park. It fills the big gap that used to exist for kids too old to get much out of choo choo lagoon or tadpole town, but not yet tall enough for any of the big slides.

Other odds and ends:

• the Soak City food stand needs to get its act in gear. There are a lot of people behind the counter, but they don't seem to get much done. Our fries were bad even for CP fries, and the couple next to me got a still-frozen chicken filet sandwich.
• Looks like there was someone new on the Gemini controls mid-afternoon---there were several circuits when the red and blue sides were a half-curcuit out of phase.
• The Joe Cool family meal deal at Fronteir Inn wasn't bad: under $22 for a 16" pizza and four drinks. I had admittedly low expectations for the pizza, but it surpassed them and I was pleased. The sauce was tasty. I'd buy it again.

The funny thing about Splash Zone is that my friends and I all had a blast in it, and we are all over 22. And you are right, that water is cold.

I have also found Soak City to be mandatory as of late. For years I would visit Cedar Point and never go to Soak City. Now I find myself going there almost every time I make a recreational trip to the park.

Weird that they're not heating the water there. Maybe because with so much of it flying about, it would be hard to keep it warm.

Maybe the little kids will adventually warm it up for you guys.

Yucky!

MrScott

My daughters abosoluty love the new splash zone. The water is wwwayyyyyyy to cold for me! I made my husband go in there with the kids while I soaked up the sun.

The Main Stream is the only water in the park that is heated.

Wrong!

I suspect you will find pockets of heated water, even in the Splash Zone. Just don't drink it.

How about "Bubbles", people never leave their stools. Is it warm there ?

CP: Have you ever even been to Soak City?

Yes, I have. Tis a good place to rest and recharge...

MrScott