Does Castaway Bay charge a "spectators fee"?

I am just curious because I made reservations for opening day at Kalahari for myself, my kids and my nephew and asked their pricing for extra people.

They charge $20.00 per night for each extra guest (which is normal) and I asked if when my sister comes up to Sandusky to pick up her son (because we are going straight to CP afterwards) if she could go in and watch him for a few minutes. They told me that they have the nerve to charge a 10.00 SPECTATOR FEE.

I had to ask if they were serious, to which she replied "yes". I then started laughing, I didn't mean to but did, in her ear and said thanks and got off the phone and laughed some more with my sister and brother in law over it.

If they hadn't already got my money I would cancel my reservation as I can tell already what this place is going to be like. Any place that charges a "spectator fee" is going to be one of those places that has that "all about the money feel" which I detest. I mean I know they are about the money but I get the feeling this place is going to be obnoxious about it.

After that I will stick with Castaway Bay and Great Wolf.
*** Edited 2/24/2005 8:44:31 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***
*** Edited 2/24/2005 9:26:30 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***

You think they would let her into the water park for free? I mean, even golf courses charge to walk the course with someone. Places just don't let you in for free.

Great Wolf Lodge let's a parent in free to watch their children have a good time. My sister has come up many times and watched them swim and play and they never charge UNLESS you want to actually swim or use the waterslides.

It's not like she is going to use the facilities or sleep there, she is simply coming to pick him up and wanted to watch him go down a couple waterslides (you know how moms are).

They charge for someone to just walk with you on a golf course? I don't golf but I guess I would believe it as money hungry as golf courses are.

*** Edited 2/24/2005 9:16:52 PM UTC by CEDAR POINT IS #1***

Well who's to say that lady could not just walk in the changing room and change into a suit someone else had brought? It would be very easy to do.

If that was the case and they were worried about that they would charge the 20.00, they are just trying to make a quick 10 dollars off of someone picking up a child and wanting to look at them doing something cute for 10 minutes.

They would know as they have lifeguards who check for wristbands on each and every wrist before they let them go down the slides or whatever.

From the responses I get it that some of you think it is fine and dandy for them to charge 10.00 for absolutely nothing and I understand it is their place and they can do whatever they want to BUT the many folks I have talked to today also have found it hilarious to charge a "spectators fee". It just comes off as sounding like a bunch of greedy businessmen trying to get every cent they can out of a family. Who would ever think of such a lame thing. They must stay up all night dreaming of ways to milk the families.

I'm not sure what Castaway Bay's policy is, but I would not be suprised if it did charge. You have to have a wristband to get into the water park and to get one of those you have to have a room...unless you are a local and just doing a day trip.

You could always call or email them and ask.

MrScott

Thank you Mr. Scott, I guess I am just used to Great Wolf and their way of doing things. I was really looking forward to a new place coming to town and I guess time will tell if people will get that "feeling" I am getting about their greed.

She'll just pay it or I will take him to the lobby and she can get him there. I already paid my money and I am not going to ruin my trip over it. It just gave me a not so warm and fuzzy feeling, lol.

How is the hotel in the wrong here? It's not any different than going to the park and expecting to get in free because you don't ride anything.

If you don't go in protest, they'll book the room with someone else and no one will care.

I never said i would cancel, I said it just came across to me and some other folks I work with as tacky and like they are so desperate for money that they have to charge a "spectator".

Cedar Point charging everyone coming into the park is understandable as there are so many other options for people like the shows, the restaurants, the beach, etc.

I don't say they are wrong, it just came across as tacky and greedy to me, but that is only my opinion. Until she said it I had never heard of any waterpark or amusement park charging a "spectators fee".

Maybe it keeps out the perverts or something. The dirty old men won't come in to ogle the women if they have to pay 10 bucks? Guess I could understand it if that is one of the reasons behind it.

BTW none of our expensive golf courses around these parts charge "spectator fees". I thought that sounded odd so I did some checking.

CEDAR POINT IS #1 said:

They would know as they have lifeguards who check for wristbands on each and every wrist before they let them go down the slides or whatever.

My brother lost his wristband in the park and he was fine riding. You just can't get IN without the wristband. Good thing we were leaving or we would have had to buy a replacement ($15.00)!

Edit: I'm not even sure they'll let in in without a wristband and wristbands are min. $15.00.
*** Edited 2/25/2005 2:16:06 AM UTC by Fastball84***

Thanks fastball, I was wondering. At least 15.00 is a reasonable price for admission if you want to swim.

Fastball84 said:

Edit: I'm not even sure they'll let in in without a wristband and wristbands are min. $15.00.
*** Edited 2/25/2005 2:16:06 AM UTC by Fastball84***

The only way to get in without a wristband is to take a tour of the facility.

Also, I believe if you check the news section, there was an article about people that just want to go and buy a day wristband until like March?

No, $15 is the replacement band. The only way we got in was with the room booking.

I heard they were selling daily wristbands to the locals to try the place out but "outsiders" have driven up and bought them and had a blast.

Are their bands the same as GWL? Many people there were putting them on their ankles (which I found to be uncomfortable).

No, you scan into the park with the band on your left wrist. Then after that no one checks you as you ride.

castaway is offering a 1 day pass to the local from four counties for 18.00. if you are a guest and want someone to go in the park w/ you no matter what reason it is 15.50 for that person and to replace a wristband of a guest unless you have the old wristband and it matches one of the numbers scanned into your reservation notes.

CEDAR POINT IS #1 said:
It just comes off as sounding like a bunch of greedy businessmen trying to get every cent they can out of a family. Who would ever think of such a lame thing. They must stay up all night dreaming of ways to milk the families.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head with a hammer.

You all annoy me.

It's like saying, "I'm going to a museum, but I'm not going to look at or appreciate anything -- just walk around with my family. I shouldn't be charged."

Castway Bay isn't "milking families" or doing something underhanded to make an extra buck.

If you want admission to the park, you have to pay. If your family is there -- giving you a reason to want to be in there -- chances are you will PAY $15 to join them, even if it's just for a few hours.

Can you imagine how it WOULDN'T work to allow people in with some seperate wristband? Once you are in the park, what's to stop you from dipping your feet in the water, or whatever?

Stop being silly. This is a business. It's not like a mall or something, where you go in and look around and shop. It's about the experience. They didn't spend thousands of dollars to make it look pretty for no reason. You go to Castaway Bay to be enveloped in the setting. That's what you are paying for. Because frankly, I can get in a hot tub plenty of other places if I wanted to.

Exactly...

Whats the difference between parents taking their children into Cedar Point and "just watching?"

Whats the difference between parents watching their kids in Soak City? They have to pay.

Like others touched upon.. part of Castaway Bay's(and I'm sure the other indoor water parks) whole deal is the decor and atmosphere they provide.. which does cost them money.

Its not greedy business people.. its people trying to run a business. Sure the said person in the first post may come in and just watch but I bet not everyone who claim to just come in and watch would watch. Also I'm no expert but I bet it costs alot of money to keep the decor and heating and other parts of the experience(from the chairs to the paint) up-to-date and working... so why does the one person get to come in, sit on the chairs, relax in the warmth, watch TV(if they have them inside), etc. while others foot the bill?

Say you open a pizza shop near a popular bike trail... would you want random people to come in and just use the restroom and leave? Thats more toliet paper, more people to pay to clean, etc. that will cost you more, yet those people didn't give you a dime...