New For 2017: Cedar Point Shores Water Park

CPS needs exactly what it's getting, management clearly knows where their focus is and what target audience they're after. Extended stay families, give the smaller kids and families something to enjoy together.

Water Coaster are definitely for everyone and I'm firmly in the can't believe CP doesn't have one camp. Lack of "toilet bowl" type rides is a glaring omission as well. There is really nothing at the water park that's unique. Except maybe the not-so lazy river. That's the only one I've found that has that little bit of extra and it's my favorite part of the water park. It's definitely a different experience than the plain ordinary lazy river.

XS NightClub said:
What are these countdown clocks and time clocks for ?

One to tell the time and one counts down to when the waves start. KI had one such clock and WWK had the other. One of those parks might have had both.

noggin said:

I don't think it's irony, I think it's a company developing a product that suits its needs. The ride park delivers plenty of thrills.

Well, the park's self-stated "need" relevant to Soak City is the desire to encourage multi-nights stays by augmenting the "resort" aspect of the property.

So, a primary goal of the SC expansion is to compel people to stay additional days.

The question from CP's perspective then becomes, "What can I do to Soak City to compel people to stay additional days." Will a cosmetic renovation and retheming combined with a few minor new slide additions combined with savvy marketing help drive this metric?

Sure.

But, to what degree?

SC already has plenty of family rides. But nothing very thrilling.

Now, a significant percentage of CP's visitors are thrill seekers. I know, I know, families and many other demographics. But, the thrills are the modern CP's major claim to fame.

So it stands to reason that adding a couple of thrilling attractions to SC to appeal to that significant segment of their target market would go a long way to filling the "need" described above.

You have a lot of thrill seekers in the ride park, let's compel them to stay an extra day by making our waterpark attractive to them.

And, it would fill a gaping hole in the waterpark's lineup. What they are doing now (beyond the cosmetics) is simply adding a little bit more of the same.

It seems to me that they are placing a lot of weight on doing the expansion on-the-cheap.

Maybe more will come in future years a short way down the road, and that is fine. But the new SC is not going to drive me to stay any more nights than I already do, and I LOVE Hotel Breakers. I would be inclined to jump at just about any half-baked excuse to add or extend visits. But, the removal of the Speed Slides without replacing it with something of comparable thrill has caused me to visit Soak City much less than I used to (Once since the Speed Slides were removed, compared to 3-5 times per year beforehand since 1988).

I also believe that even the general public recognizes that Soak City lags behind the typical major waterpark these days. My girlfriend could care less about thrill rides etc., though she will ride and enjoy them. She is about as GP as it gets. When she first saw it a few years ago, she thought it wasn't worth the ticket.

I am sure it will be improved and will look beautiful when they renovate it.

But, I am really disappointed at a lack of substantive new attractions, at least as far as what appeals to me. And, I do like the smaller slides, just like I enjoy riding the smaller coasters while I am at CP. But the big draw is the thrilling coasters, and without them I just wouldn't go to the park as often.

Hopefully this is just Phase One of a multi-year expansion.

I'm not sure there's trouble selling hotel rooms there, especially during high summer vacation season when a waterpark is most attractive to guests and CPS will be at it's busiest. I suppose some stays might be extended by a night if there was a really, really great waterpark next door, but someone will fill the room regardless. And a savvy park owner would know to play to the wider range of guests. Families stay at Breakers, Sandcastle, and the campgrounds/cottages. So it makes perfect sense to me to enhance the area with something for everyone- decor, shade, chairs, a bar, good food, activities for the kids and tweens, and some big slides for the teens and thrill seekers. Which is what they did. And if that doesn't encourage visitors to give the place a try I don't know what would.

I don't get the complaints. This was a long-needed renovation and I think it will more than serve its purpose. And like it's always been, improvements will no doubt continue over time. But for now they're building it and trust me, they will come.

To those of you who think CPS should cater to thrill seekers, have you ever walked around Hotel Breakers? It primarily families, which is exactly the demographic that CPS is geared too.

I'm not saying it should cater exclusively to thrill seekers.

But I don't think they should ignore that segment of their customer base either.

"Playing to a wider range of guests..."

Would including a thrilling attraction in addition to a park full of family attractions not be playing to a wider range?

I'm not suggesting turning the waterpark into a thrill park. I was fine with the speed slides. That alone was enough to draw me in repeatedly.

I'd be fine with one or two thrill slides.

Disney's waterparks are have several substantially more thrilling slides for Pete's sake!!

I think I actually said "and some big slides for the teens and thrill seekers." Which is exactly what they did. Unless you're not including a couple of new, really tall trap door slides in the thrill department. And if you're not you might be the only one. Maybe they're not the lumpy speed slides you like, but my guess is the thrill-seeking sliders will eat that up.

Seriously, I'm pretty sure they've tried really hard to include something for everyone and not ignore any subset (as they should) and I can't believe the unhappiness over all this.

I would actually like a clock by the wave pool and maybe in a few other places since I don't wear my watch or carry my phone in the water. I hate having no idea what time it is.

There is very good reason why Bars and Casinos do not have clocks.

Waterparks are neither bars nor casinos.

* * *

Just remember to get your hand stamp before riding Magnum next season. 8-)

* * *

I'm not entirely opposed to preferred parking. I am, however, very much opposed to too much of any kind of specialty parking. My biggest gripe about most preferred parking areas (if they truly are 'preferred') is that they usually represent far too many prime spaces simply left empty.

Um, I think that's all I have right now...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

XS NightClub said:
There is very good reason why Bars and Casinos do not have clocks.

Bars do in fact have clocks, which are set to "bar time."
Casinos I understand, there aren't even windows to give you any indication of time. And they never close, so who cares what time it is.
There isn't a good reason for a waterpark not have once, since as someone else pointed out, you're less likely to carry a phone or watch with you. And they close and expect you to leave at some point.

RCMAC said:
Unless you're not including a couple of new, really tall trap door slides in the thrill department.

No, I don't consider those new slides especially thrilling,

And I certainly wouldn't describe them as "really tall."

They are entirely middle of the road, dime a dozen in my opinion.

And, whether one enters a mediocre water slide from the horizontal or vertical position makes no difference in the thrill factor to me.

Ok. I guess that's where you and I (and more than a few others, I reckon) part ways. And sadly, CPS will just have to do without your business.

What are you, an astronaut or something? Because a little ole DA20 can't be that thrilling...
:-)

Speed slides are great fun, but are usually over in seconds and have a tendency to slam riders from side to side during deceleration. Furthermore, speed slides can be found just about anywhere and are a bit "80s" in their own right. CPS is finally maturing away from its former self. Count me in as walking through those gates for the first time in a decade.

RCMAC,

There is nothing more thrilling to me than flying light aircraft. Perhaps you should try it! Most General Aviation airports have flight schools that offer cheap introductory flights.

And, a Diamond DA20 is a fantastic sport airplane.
A Cessna 172 is like a flying Ford F-150.
A DA20 is like a flying BMW Z4 Roadster

:-)

That really sounds like fun, I will have to try it sometime. I've always been interested in aviation and piloting but the closest I've come to flying an airplane is Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Thrilling to you, downright scary to me. Light aircraft is a firm pass, I prefer to keep myself somehow, somewhere attached to the ground at all times. And I certainly would never trust myself, let alone a passenger to my flying abilities.
Next week I'm letting Delta take me across the pond. I'm really looking forward to going, but not all those hours in the air over the ocean. A few drinks and a long nap may be in order.

Delta's Club...worth every bit.

Drink then have a flight. Best way to travel ever.

thedevariouseffect said:
Drink then have a flight. Best way to travel ever.

I enjoy a flight or two prior to my flights.