Castaway Bay

Hopefully I don't get banned for posting this here but has anyone been to Castaway Bay lately? I just booked a night for my daughter's 6th birthday earlier today and was looking online tonight and noticed the place got a lot of bad reviews. Some of the reviews were old and really promoted GWL and Kalahari to the point that they may have been employees. So, has Castaway cleaned up it's act? Was it every really as bad as people said (very dirty rooms, unfriendly staff, too hot inside the water park, even 'tiny elevators', oh my!).

Again, don't want to get flamed, just want an opinion from people I trust

It has been open for over a year now and I've yet to read a single bad thing about the waterpark itself. I've heard the hotel rooms are kind of crappy for the price, but the good news is that CF is a great company and fixed that problem too, by putting theme decor in each room and completed the whole island themed resort feel.

Castaway Bay is in great shape and up to CP standards. As far as I know.

I plan on going soon.

Anyone who has been to the place have anymore info...?

*** Edited 2/15/2006 4:54:56 AM UTC by Gomez***

I had no problems with employees when I was there. Like Gomez said, they have updated the rooms recently as well. Having visited all three of the indoor waterparks, I must say I really like Castaway Bay. All three are very similar, but there are a few little things that I think make Castaway Bay stick out a bit.
The waterpark is going to be warm, all three of the indoor waterparks are like that. If you're in the water you won't find it hot at all, if you're sitting around in jeans and a shirt though, you might. It's more of a humid warm than it is a dry warm.
On a side note, I didn't like how the lifeguards at Kalahari acted when I was there; simply didn't seem safe to me...

I had a great time there (although I am an employee) and I enjoyed it a lot more then GWL (which I went to a few years ago).

Now... I have heard bad things about Kalahari (mostly from here) but I haven't been there. *** Edited 2/15/2006 5:04:13 AM UTC by Rider***

Well I think those reviews are false. When I went last year the staff was nice (just like at CP), and the room wasn't dirty(It was clean every time we came back from lunch, dinner or the WP).
I'm not so sure about "tiny" elevators. Even though we were on the 2nd floor, I just took the stairs. The part about the park being a bit warm is true. It wasnt HOT but it was a tiny bit uncomfortable.

Now this was all last year so I dont know how much has changed...besides the renovations that were done a little while ago.

Don't worry about what you read zac. Castaway Bay is a really great place. I'm sure you and your daughter will love the place.

Have fun.:)

AS for Kalahari, it's a fun place as well. It's more aimed towards thrills than family(but the family feeling is still there). But I would agree DBCP about the lifeguards. When I went in December, I noticed that there were a few areas where lifeguards were....not to social(the tubes, lazy river and Zip Coaster). However there were a good amount of kind and funny ones. Especially on the FlowRider(really fun by the way) and in the hot-tubs. The themeing there was awsome....but so was Castaway Bay. The only other bad thing was the cost of things.....very expensive! ($34 for enterance on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays!!)

*** Edited 2/15/2006 5:27:15 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

I went on a day trip to Castaway last month. It was my second visit there, and both times have been great. I'd have to say that my only drawback was that you run out of things to do pretty quickly, and I couldn't see spending more than 4-5 in the waterpark without taking a long break from it and doing something else. The waterpark is really great, fun and well themed. A 6 year old will love what they have to offer. I don't know about the rooms, but I did walk past some open doors on the way down to Friday's for lunch, and I really didn't see any Caribbian theme, and this is after the update. Granted, you really can't see too much just walking past the door, so maybe there's more that I just couldn't see.

DBCP said:On a side note, I didn't like how the lifeguards at Kalahari acted when I was there; simply didn't seem safe to me...

Your not the only one!! There is a reason their not Ellis.

Thanks for the feedback guys. As I said, I trust your opinions much more than some page I found on a google search. I'm not looking for some great themed hotel room, just a clean place to stay for a night between taking the kids to the water park. I also have an 18 month old. We took both of them to Geauga Lake last summer and they had a blast at the water park so that's all we are looking for in Castaway. The reviews I read told of some terror stories about stains and hairs on the sheets, sticky stuff on the tables and just gross rooms in general. You guys have put my worries to rest on that!

I have one more question. Does anyone know what the hours of the waterpark are? I can't find it anywhere on the website.

Castaway Bay will not disappoint. If I remember, the waterpark is open 9am-10pm--but I may be off an hour on either end.

MrScott

My family stayed at Kalhari, the accomadations were great. The waterpark was fine, but I noticed the life gaurds were not "on Top of it". The floor in the waterpark were extremly slippery. and when I rode the surf simulator, they let me ride without taking off my chain witch is not supposed to be allowed. The lifegaurds seemed to socialize(sp) more than gaurd.

Waterpark hours are 10-10. I discovered on the day that I went that if it's slow, the shops and snack places don't necessairly stay open until their posted closing time.

Waterpark opens at 9am

Zac, I stayed at Castaway Bay in Nov. and had a nice updated room. Very clean with a water/beach decor. Not hard core Caribbean, but nice mild theming. People talking about stains and hair are ridiculous in my opinion, probably people lying.

The water park is great, you and your kids will have a wonderful time I'm sure.

*** Edited 2/15/2006 6:52:27 PM UTC by Pete***

This is kind of off subject but I think that Castaway Bay is missing a Lazy River and Tube Slides. I see them expanding in a few more years similar to what Kalahari is doing.

I agree. I think that Castaway Bay will expand in a few years and adding some new slides. They will have to against the other water parks poping up in the area. The thing is, they don't have much space to expand, but I think they can pull it off.
*** Edited 2/16/2006 12:00:10 AM UTC by Wicked Twister 90***

I'd bet that in 5 years you won't be able to recognize the place as it is today.

MrScott

They have a large parking lot to expand into.

http://ohio.greatwolflodge.com/default.aspx?page=waterparks

I want to see if this will work for somebody else besides me. Go to the link and right click on the page(when it's done loading). When the options come up, click on play and something really interesting should come up.

*** Edited 2/16/2006 1:11:00 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

TTD 120mph said:
http://ohio.greatwolflodge.com/default.aspx?page=waterparks

I want to see if this will work for somebody else besides me. Go to the link and right click on the page(when it's done loading). When the options come up, click on play and something really interesting should come up.

*** Edited 2/16/2006 1:11:00 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

Excellent Find!

So do they have it already? There were no signs of construction when I was in the area during Halloweekends, so I'm a bit confused. That is awesome that you found that, but I'm kind of clueless since I don't get up to the area again until around late April.