New For 2017: Cedar Point Shores Water Park

Love the new look and the new name.

Still haven't read anywhere about Mean Streak. Have they made any sort of announcement regarding an announcement? Just trying to figure out if Mean Streak 2.0 is a possibility for 2017. Rougarou and Valravn were both announced in the beginning of September--- is it possible that this announcement is being saved for its own date? It just still seems odd to close the ride early if they are going to indeed open whatever it is in 2018.

Technically speaking, this announcement was for all things out of park. We have not seen a year go by where at least something is new inside the park itself. Perhaps what is coming in 2017 inside the park is still forthcoming?

Patience is key here. Do you really think they want the excitement and press to only last a couple of days?

GoofyPastor said:

Took the family last night. It was crazy to say the least, but all in all well worth it. Once you got in you were to pick up a numbered beach ball, which you could later turn in for a coupon on next years passes. I know they were handing out coupons for $50 and $25 off and I believe there were some that were 50% off as well. Unfortunately we weren't lucky enough to get those. Passes were on sale for $185 for renewals and $189 for a 2017 platinum pass, and the coupons were only valid yesterday. IMO the night was all about selling passes for next year. Don't think they anticipated the crowds they had because the lines for all the special events and passes were crazy. But considering that the coupons we got yesterday allowed us to buy four platinum passes for 2017 at the same price we paid for three regular passes and one platinum for 2016, I'd still call it a good night.

I will second everything GoofyPastor said. It was very crazy and disorganized in my opinion, but also worth it in the end. It was ONLY about selling platinum passes - no new information was available to attendees (that I was able to discern anyway) other than a board with artist renditions of some of the improvements. I may have misread the promotion email, but I was expecting some additional announcement or general address. Maybe my mistake, but I expected it to be a "VIP" event and it was really just a pitch for pass renewals.

I was a bit disappointed in the lack of direction or explanation of how the process was supposed to work. We were able to figure it out eventually, but had to wait in initial lines for quite a while without knowing exactly what the line was for. There was [minimal] line jumping, but with the general confusion, I believe that it was unintentional line jumping. (Didn't make it any less frustrating).

Once the lines started moving, they really weren't that bad of a wait. The worst lines were the last ones where people were trying to redeem their discount coupons for the 2017 passes, which is where I will drop one final criticism. The discount pricing was ONLY available if you purchased your passes outright in full and did not allow for paying in installments. There were many people there last night who were not prepared to shell out the entire amount on multiple passes (even at a discount) -- but they had no idea it could not be done without waiting in another long and very slow moving line. That information was not included in any of the materials. Had that been clearly stated on the coupon or advertising materials, it would have alleviated ticket window staff from having to answer/explain that over and over again (reducing the line wait time for everyone else); or it would have made those final lines shorter to begin with as many would not have gotten into those lines in the first place. But they at least got a free hot dog out of all that waiting...

We have three in my family with platinum passes. We bought our 2016 passes on the installment payment plan and we hoped to do the same last night. Our beach balls entitled us to one $50 discount and two $25 discounts. A guy we had been waiting next to in line on the initial entry into the event saw my wife in line to redeem the coupons. He walked over to her and gave her two of his $50 coupons and told us that he wouldn't be using them. (I don't know if he just didn't want to wait in another line, or found out that they had to purchased in full, or what). We still didn't know at that point that installments weren't an option.

It was only a $50 difference, but without his generosity, we probably would not have purchased all three passes outright. Probably would have renewed one of the three and then do the other two on installment payments at a later date. Ultimately, we got our three platinum passes at a great price and they included three free Fast Lane Plus tickets - which made the event worth it for us. We went into the main park around 7:45 after the last line and left shortly before 9:00. The lines at the ticket window were still pretty long at that point...

This post probably sounds hyper-critical, but that is not my intention. It was a good outcome and well worth the wait. A bit more organization and direction in the process and more information in the terms of redeeming the coupons would have been a huge improvement, but I am still pleased with the result.

codeGR said:

GOCC posted a map of the updated water park on Facebook. Notice where the new CP admissions gate is, and what appears to be a demolished Magnum photo building.

Here is a link to a high res version. http://rollercoasterfreak.com/shores.jpg

Credit to Sam Natcher II for the photo. I have looked over everything and as best I can tell, here is everything that's happening (according to the photo)

Repaint Eerie Falls

Repaint Splash Pad Equipment

Gel-coat and repaint Zoom Flume

New Landscaping between to renegade river and magnum

New Landscaping between to renegade river and adventure cove

New Landscaping between the existing and new slide complexes

New Cabanas on either side of breakers bay

New family restroom between breakers bay and renegade river

New Beach Bar between renegade river and eerie falls

New main gate on opposite side of magnum from where it is now

New family restroom inside new main gate

New shade and seating next to splash zone

Improve stairs for the recently painted slide complex adjacent to Dragster H2O

Existing men's changing room to become first aid

Existing women's changing room to become family changing room

Subway to be torn down and rebuilt next to existing women's changing room

New Coke Refresh between Dragster H2O and Magnum

New foods building to replace existing

New slide complex between magnum and existing changing rooms

New kiddie splash pad and kids slides to replace choo choo lagoon, tadpole town and toddler river

Existing parking lot is 980 spaces and will become 968

Most of challenge park will become a handicapped and preffered lot of 195 spaces

Challenge golf and the old subway will become new hotel parking

Bridge/Tunnel (can't tell if it's going or staying)

Magnum/resort being relocated between the existing tunnel and magnum, which would obviously mean the magnum exit and photo booth would need to be redesigned.

Thanks for the update, Jason. I'm really curious to get a closer look at the new Resort Gate/Magnum area. Maybe the exit path shown on the plans is not final. Perhaps the exit will be rerouted to a new gift shop in front of Magnum's station. Fantastic plans for next year!

It looks like the new Resort Gate will be like the Marina Gate--grade level crossing.

Tony also says the existing attractions will get new names to tie to the Lake Erie/beach theme.

Here is a side by side comparison of the existing vs new magnum exit path. I believe I have drawn the yellow line in the same spot on both images.

I was at the event last night. Got there right at 6pm. Parked in the Gemini Lot (which still seems to exist in the new plans).

Saw the insane line to get beach balls, and went directly to get hotdogs instead. No line at all. Got popsicles, no line there either. Swam in the wave pool until 7:30. At 7:40, got beach balls, and discount coupons in about 10 minutes. Went to the front of the park to redeem the coupons, two people in line ahead of me. We were in the park via the front gate by 8:30. Total time spent in lines...about 20 minutes.

Scored one $50 off, and one 50% off! Total for two Platinum Passes for 2017 - $235.82. They included two Fast Lane Plus tickets to be used in 2016. Considering that Fastlane Plus was $120 last night, it was basically buy two Fast Lane Plus tickets and get 2017 Platinum Pass for free. We will use them on an upcoming trip to the Point. ACK! I just looked online FLP tickets for this Saturday are $150 each - Yikes!

Rode Raptor, Blue Streak, Gatekeeper, and wandered around a bit before heading home.

Also spent $12 at Gatekeeper Bank-A-Ball and brought home 2 five foot, extra large - Unicorns....All in all great night!

Walt said:

The Challenge Park miniature golf course will be removed.

The renderings for the new miniature golf course (and everything else going into the sports complex) look really promising, but there's something I've been itching to address.

If a CP guest wanted to play golf or take their kids to one of the playgrounds, they would have to leave the park and drive to a separate location. It seems like the sports complex has nothing to do with CP, even though its name is on it.

Wouldn't it make more sense to keep things like the miniature golf course closer to the park?

I never understood having mini-golf with a gated amusement park. When I have the choice of riding Magnum or paying $$ to putt, I have no difficulty deciding. Anyway, I have played on many spectacular mini golf courses, and not one of them was in or next to an amusement park. I though about giving Cedar Point's mini golf a quick round on my visit next week, but for some reason they seem to be closing it at eight, which is the same time as the park closes.

jscll said:

I never understood having mini-golf with a gated amusement park. When I have the choice of riding Magnum or paying $$ to putt, I have no difficulty deciding.

Challenge Park wasn't aimed at park guests nor the "coasturrrz are the only thing that matters LOL!!1!!!" crowd. It was aimed at resort guests.

It's no surprise that it's going away, but I am disappointed. And if CF used popularity to determine it's demise then that is frustrating, given that it has been completely neglected for years. It's reasonable to assume that had it been updated and maintained (and, oh I don't know, advertised to resort guests), it would have been more popular.

Jason Hammond said:

Here is a side by side comparison of the existing vs new magnum exit path. I believe I have drawn the yellow line in the same spot on both images.

Thanks for the comparison! It definitely looks like Magnum's exit will need to be rerouted but it doesn't look like it will be from the picture? Maybe they're just focusing on CP Shores and not Magnum yet. I am sort of surprised how close the admission gate is to Magnum itself. Could that be another "flyover" entrance? :P

However, I am glad they are renovating that inner section of Magnum into something new though because it has gotten pretty run down and bare. I'm also glad to new entrance is before the tunnel because it always seemed odd, nondescript and confusing as to where Soak City is to your average guest.

I agree that it could have been updated for resort guests. But could that be why they're building the one off Point with the Sports Force Park?

It's possible they wanted those activities all lumped together in one area and felt it would fit in better over there. They may also have thought that they added so many free activities to the beach area that it didn't necessitate maintaining a mini-golf course.

And CoasterGuy15, if you look to the right of what looks to be an inner gate, you'll see where the exit path for Magnum turns inward back toward the park, not the park entrance/exit. There are markings that look like doors. It looks like there will be a wall or fencing where the current photo booth is now.

Bluestreaker said:

It looks like the new Resort Gate will be like the Marina Gate--grade level crossing.

Good catch, I agree that's what it looks like.

But that seems like a bad idea. Having the Marina gate at grade is one thing, but the gate that serves LHP, SS, and at least part of Breakers? That seems like a ton of foot traffic going across that road.

EDIT: Actually, I take that back. I'm not sure that looks like a grade-level crossing. If you look at the crossing over by Gemini (which we know is a grade-level crossing), it looks very different than the proposed Magnum crossing.

CoasterGuy15 said:

Thanks for the comparison! It definitely looks like Magnum's exit will need to be rerouted but it doesn't look like it will be from the picture? Maybe they're just focusing on CP Shores and not Magnum yet. I am sort of surprised how close the admission gate is to Magnum itself. Could that be another "flyover" entrance? :P

However, I am glad they are renovating that inner section of Magnum into something new though because it has gotten pretty run down and bare. I'm also glad to new entrance is before the tunnel because it always seemed odd, nondescript and confusing as to where Soak City is to your average guest.

The exit gate for Magnum is shown on the map just to the right of the new entrance. It shows the swing gates to let riders off and everything. It doesn't look to be rerouted at all.

An at-grade crossing would look much nicer. I do agree the functionality of a tunnel is better in terms of pedestrian traffic, however, the current tunnel does feel unwelcoming. I don't see a bridge being useful. They may require a certain clearance on this road which may be too high for guests to walk up and ramp space isn't apparent.

I don't see foot traffic affected as much as road traffic. It looks to be a full stop both ways when it was uninterrupted before this.

Unless you have ridden Magnum or Gemini, or stayed at the hotels, you may not have ever seen much of Soak City. The tunnel was as much a walling off of that area than anything. The slide complex being right there will be impressive...so why not open up that area, show it off, and maybe create some new potential paying visitors?

^^ Remember Perimeter road does not have nearly as much traffic by the resort gate as it does by the Marina. By the resort gate the road only has Breakers and a small amount of manager/maintenance/delivery traffic. By the marina add Lighthouse point traffic(With large motor homes), Sandcastle suites traffic, and the traffic going to/from the 1163 Soak City parking spots (currently only 980).