Beach 2016

Walking along the beach today, I saw a new entrance sign that gives me high hopes that the beach will once again be a proper swimming beach. The sign said, "no lifeguards on duty, swim at your own risk." And, they had a legend for warning flags marking surf conditions they will post at the beach shack, just like on the ocean. In the past there was no swimming without lifeguards. That, and last year towards the end of the season, they let people swim outside of the lifelines in deep water. I think the beach is back to a proper beach with enjoyable swimming.

That would be very welcome news!!

Do u have to be a hotel guest to swim at the beach? Or do passholders have access to swimming at the beach? How does this work? I've always wondered this.

Anyone on the peninsula can swim at the beach.

We were caught off guard on preview weekend with no lifeguard on duty signs at the pools. It was nice not having the kids get whistled and yelled at for having a face mask on.

Figured I'd post this here since it's beach related.

I live in Sarasota and I went to Siesta Key today and noticed they opened new private pergolas, and it gave me an idea for Cedar Point. There's 1,200 feet (according to Google Earth) of unused beach property with lots of potential being neglected right now, stretching from Gatekeeper to Kinzel's home. What if Cedar Point were to add these premium pergolas/picnic shelters for families. Each can have a grill, fridge/freezer, picnic table, and a hammock. They can be designed to accommodate 4-16 people for different sized or multiple families or even group outings. They can be rented out like cabanas; families get premium parking in front of their pergola, drop their things off in the morning (fridge/freezer come in handy) and come back whenever they want to grill, eat, and relax on the beach. In the center can be a small marketplace with bathrooms, free propane, a Coke freestyle machine, and sell condiments, buns, burger meat, chicken, hot dogs, sausage, etc. if families come unprepared. At 1,200 feet of stretch, you can place 60 of these units if they're spaced every 20 feet or so. Cabanas at Soak City go for $100 a day, but I bet these can go for $200 to $300 (if not more) if they offer a 'premium' setting with high end grills and 'free' cleaning/accommodation/etc. $300 x 60 units x about 120 operating days = 2.16 million in extra revenue (I know that's not profit) the park is not currently making.

Here's a rough drawing I did to kind of give you an idea. A sidewalk cutting across the parking lot will connect the main entrance to the central market place. The gray strip of 'paint' is the premium parking I was talking about. The green is the patch of grass where all the pergolas will be scattered across.

I know Cedar Point has many plans to be worried about, and probably plans including this area, but is there any way for us 'normal' folks can get our ideas to them? Because I'd love it if they even heard me on this.

These are the grills/fridge unit I was thinking of: Something to this extent would be nice.

Pete said:

The sign said, "no lifeguards on duty, swim at your own risk."

Are the large lifeguard chairs still on the Beach? Id say if those have not been set out yet then its likely they have done away with the guards. Back in my day at the park the manager of the beach never would have had lifeguards out there if he had his way. He of course isn't there anymore but maybe they finally came around to that idea?

Friday I noticed a "No Lifeguards on Duty" sign on the fence by the Breaker's outdoor pool area, but the pool was open and children were swimming. Similarly, I was in the Breaker's indoor pool / spa this morning and no lifeguard was on duty. I thought that this was due to it being early in the season or due to the cold weather, but perhaps they are abandoning the usage of lifeguards at the beach and the hotel this season.

No lifeguard chairs or lifelines. It's wide open.

Id say the beach is finally lifeguard free. Odd that the resort pools don't still have guards though. Not sure I agree with having zero lifeguards at the pools.

Oh, I'm totally fine not having lifeguards nowhere near the water.

It's not having lifeguards anywhere near the water that worries me a bit. :P

I have to say that there seems to be an increase in beach use with many guests enjoying the water. IMHO, significantly more than when they had that tiny swimming area. I think the new policy is a success in making the beach a much more significant draw and will contribute to longer hotel visits.

I'm not sad the lifeguards are gone, but are any of you shocked that they are?

I am. Its weird that CP has a lot of annoying policies to protect themselves from liability, and then they do this!

Not saying I hate it, it is nice to actually be able to SWIM as opposed to wade around in the water.

This policy does increase their protection from liability.

If CP prominently posts "NO LIFEGUARDS" and "SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK" you can't claim that CP failed to protect them, b/c CP announced that they would not provide any protection and if you swam it was at your risk.

If CP has lifeguards and roped off areas and something happens CP becomes liable b/c they implied they were offering protection--protection that failed.

The CF secret is that all relative employees are trained in lifeguard safety, now they operate their hotels like every other hotel, without lifeguards. However the support staff is trained. It's simple.

That's a really clever loophole, because as long as they don't do something foolish, they would be covered by the Good Sumatitan Law, whereas a lifeguard would not, as he gets paid specifically for that work.

Then they should put signs by the gate that say enter the park at your own risk and get rid of security theater.