After reading the news story on Kalahari I must say........

(I wasn't sure where to post this so if it needs to be moved, feel free)

I prefer Castaway Bay and Great Wolf over that place anyday.

We spent Memorial Day Weekend at Kalahari and it was dreadful. It is just a huge machine, no customer service, no happy bubbly employees. The place comes off as being only about the money.

I mean, I know CB and GWL are about the money but when you walk in you don't feel it like at Kalahari.

Big word of advice, if you do go there, stay away from that Zip Coaster. It is the most painful thing in the world. Not enough padding and they have metal backrests and when you go airborn and land HARD back down on the track/slide you experience more pain than on Magnum and Mean Streak combined.

I had to warn a man taking his young child on. Almost everyone coming off that thing said the same thing. Pretty bad when you are sitting correctly and you hurt your tailbone and the backs of your ankles.

I realize they are new but customer service must come first. Pretty sad when the guy from Chett and Matts who delivered my yummy pizza told me I would regret staying there and he was dead on! Word of mouth won't stop the summer flow of out of towners but come winter I think Castaway Bay and GWL will beat the pants off Kalahari.

We were going to play miniature golf since we heard they had an indoor but when we saw it we got in the car and headed to play golf at challenge park in the rain, lol.

Their gameroom was okay, about the same as CB. I think GWL has the better gameroom if you are into that sort of thing.

The rooms are slightly better than CB but not nearly as nice as at GWL but who spends much time in there anyways I guess.

In my opinion, at this point, CB and GWL have NOTHING to worry about.
*** Edited 6/8/2005 4:30:59 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***
*** Edited 6/8/2005 4:40:17 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***

A metal backrest on a waterslide? Ouch! Anybody know who manufactured the slide?

Not sure Rihard, I talked to them for a bit and they said it is the first of it's kind and an experiment. I told them they need to get some serious padding and take the metal backrest off.

People are going to really get hurt on that thing, especially children.

I also didn't like that constant spraying/misting of water in my face, I felt like I was going to suffocate.

http://parkfunworld01.free.fr/IAAPA2004/IAAPA6.jpg

Actually here it is, ouch

When I bounced around from the ride being so painful and bumpy the metal that goes all around the front is where my ankles ended up hitting.

If they got better padded boats and got rid of the metal it may be a better ride who knows

*** Edited 6/8/2005 4:47:06 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***

http://www.kalahariresort.com/Waterpark.aspx

If they were smart they would have kept the ones in the drawing on this page.

Or if they just kept the standard water coaster boats.

Amen to that.

What the heck were they thinking. I couldn't imagine anyone riding in that thing and saying "hey this is an awesome ride".

I had six people with me and we all got hurt. I must have talked to three people who didn't get hurt the whole stay.

We told them how bad it hurt so I guess they don't care.

I have to offer a very different opinion. I went to Kalahari on Thursday, May 26th and found the resort to be superior to both Castaway Bay and Great Wolf Lodge. The decorating and theming both in the rooms and throughout the hotel appeared to be relatively authentic and thoughtful.

The service was great, from the helpful porters outside to the chefs in the gourmet buffet-style restaurant we ate at. The food was outstanding at the all you can eat restaurant (I don't have the name on me right now) and I will definitely return just for the food another time.

The waterpark, in my opinion, stands above Great Wolf Lodge and Castaway Bay for overall variety and quality of rides. This is the only waterpark with a family water slide and the FlowRider surfing simulation "ride" (if you call it a ride). The FlowRider was a ton of fun. The only thing Kalahari was really lacking compared to GWL and CB is a large hot tub, but it looked like a large indoor/outdoor tub was in the works.

Now, I will make a couple of concessions. First, the Zip Coaster was not yet open, so I can't comment on the comfort level of the ride. Second, the waterpark and the resort in general was not busy at all. I could see how the attitude of the staff could change considerably when they are overwhelmed with guests.

I just wanted to share those thoughts.

I thought the decor in the lobby and rooms were overdone and gaudy but I am glad you enjoyed it.

The food was overpriced and the food at GWL was better i.m.o.

I did forget the flowrider was cool and I did like the raft slide ride. Other than that it was pretty much the same as the other parks but at least CB has a wave pool.

If you go back I wouldn't even try the Zip Coaster unless you see they changed the seats.

The indoor/outdoor was the size of a large bathtub, it was stupid to build something so small like that. Where was the planning with that?

You found the porters helpful? I found them zombielike and pretty scary, lol.
*** Edited 6/9/2005 5:13:12 AM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***

Looking at the Kalahari website, I'm amazed that the cabanas cost $99 per day!

As I said all about the money. Who on Earth would pay 99.00 a day to sit in a tiny open room that looks like something in an E.R.? I saw them and it was so lame. May as well just lay outside or go up to your room and save 99 bucks.

The cabanas are definitely overpriced and have very poor locations within the waterpark. There are a lot more things to watch and see just sitting in a regular, free lounge chair. As for the food being overpriced, I found the $19.99 gourmet buffet to be very fair for the quality of food. As for the other restaurants, I can't say.

I think our two very different takes just show how much of an experience can be shaped by the quality of employees you encounter. All of the good porters must have been off work the day you visited. :-)
*** Edited 6/9/2005 11:06:29 PM UTC by CDCoolguy2***

19.99 for a buffet? Ridiculous!!!!!!!!

Thank God for Chett and Matts!