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AMUSEMENT PARK PREVIEW: Along for the ride
By John Benson
Spring has sprung with summertime just around the corner. That means it’s time to plan family excursions and vacations to accommodate budgets of all types. Here’s a look at what regional amusement parks have in store for the summer of 2016:
Cedar Point
One Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky
Call 419-627-2350 or visit www.cedarpoint.com.
Gate price is $65 for those 48 inches and taller; $45 for those under 48 inches tall or age 62 and older. Children ages 2 & under are free. (Note: tickets purchased online are cheaper)
It’s hard not to read the name Valravn and instantly think “Game of Thrones.” You know, perhaps it’s a three-eyed raven or a creature that will help Jon Snow defeat the White Walkers. Actually, the Valravn is Cedar Point’s brand-new dive coaster.
“You’re not far off,” Cedar Point Communications Director Tony Clark laughed. “That’s not really the theme or the story of the Valravn but ‘Game of Thrones’ definitely was a consideration for the design of the ride, the station, the look, the steel, the logo. All of that obviously inspired by that popular series.”
Debuting this year, the Valravn is tied to 10 world records including tallest dive coaster (223 feet), fastest dive coaster (75 mph), longest dive coaster (3,415 feet), most inversions on a dive coaster (3), longest drop on a dive coaster (214 feet), highest inversion on a dive coaster (165 feet), most roller coasters taller than 200 feet at one amusement park (5), most rides at one amusement park (71), most steel roller coaster track at one amusement park (52,125 feet or 9.9 miles) and most roller coaster track at one amusement park (60,110 feet or 11.4 miles).
“Valravn is a coaster we didn’t have in our lineup,” Clark said. “We felt that we wanted to build something that was different from The Millennium Force, The Raptor, The Gatekeeper. And a dive coaster such as Valravn was the one we wanted to add. Of course, in true Cedar Point fashion, it had to be big, and it had to be huge.”
Unlike a traditional roller coaster, which takes visitors up a lift hill before they start their ride, a dive coaster climbs to the top, holds for a few seconds on the edge before it releases the car into a straight-down dive.
“The signature of the Valravn is, you’re going down face first,” Clark said. “I’d compare it to skydiving.”
As far as the location of Valravn at the popular tourist destination, which is on 364 acres along the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Clark said the park removed the Goodtime Theater and Turnpike Cars.
“Valravn is right next to Blue Streak,” Clark said. “You have our oldest roller coaster, built in 1964, right next to the newest roller coaster. So you have these two different types of roller-coaster technology right next to each other. It’s actually kind of neat when you think about it.”
Two other additions this year include free park-wide WiFi and a mobile app allowing guests to find rides and see wait times.
Kennywood Park
4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin, Pa.
Call 412-461-0500 or visit www.kennywood.com.
The regular FunDay price is $43.99, Senior FunDay (55+) $21.99, Junior FunDay (children 46” and under) $28.99. Tickets at gate are an additional $1.
For Kennywood Park’s 119th season, the decision was made to turn back the clock for one of the venue’s classic attractions.
“The big change this year is a complete restoration overhaul to Noah’s Ark, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary,” said Kennywood public relations director Nick Paradise. “We’re kind of going back in time a little ways to a lot more of the retro funhouse feel for Noah’s Ark.
“We took out a number of the high-tech elements and replaced those with elements that people who have been coming to Kennywood for a long time will remember from 30 years ago. So it’s fresh takes on those classics.”
The refurbished Noah’s Ark, winner of Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket award for Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction six years running, boasts a new, large, blue whale entrance with a squishy tongue.
As for the 80-acre Pittsburgh-area park, which first opened in 1898, it features more than 30 big rides and more than a dozen Kiddieland attractions.
Paradise acknowledges Kennywood Park is different from other amusement parks. He said once guests come through the tunnel and enter the grounds they find plenty of modern rides alongside classics.
“We try to position ourselves as the Fenway Park or Wrigley Field of the amusement industry,” Paradise said. “It’s been apparent for a long time due to space restrictions with the land we have to work with, we wouldn’t be able to build 15 roller coasters on the park grounds.
“The decision was made a long time ago that Kennywood was best served to stand out being that traditional amusement park where the whole family can go and there’s something for everyone.”
Kings Island
Kings Island Drive, Mason
Call 513-754-5700 or visit visitkingsisland.com.
Online admission is $42.99 Monday through Thursday and $45.99 Friday through Sunday for guests ages 3 to 61 and over 48 inches, and $38.99 daily for ages 3 and up and under 48 inches or over 62. (Note: Tickets are more expensive at the gate.)
Often, the discussion about Kings Island, which is located 30 minutes north of Cincinnati, revolves around the park’s 79 rides with 15 being roller coasters. However, the 364-acre venue also boasts the adjacent Soak City Waterpark, which is free with park admission.
Kings Island Public Relations Area Manager Don Helbig said this year the park is focused on making Soak City Waterpark a destination location.
“The big new thing for this year is Tropical Plunge, a multimillion-dollar, seven-story waterslide that provides six different experiences,” Helbig said. “On three of the slides, you step into an aqua chamber and wait for the floor to drop out underneath your feet.
“It’ll send you through a high-speed vertical freefall with loops, s-curves inside of a translucent flume. It’ll be for thrill seekers. The other slides are more traditional that will go through loops with twists and turns, and you’ll drop into a pool of water. This is more for families.”
Tropical Plunge comes a few years after Kings Island completed a $10 million expansion to Soak City Waterpark. This included the addition of the 650,000-gallon wave pool Tidal Wave Bay, which creates four-foot waves for inner tube-using swimmers, as well as the interactive Splash River.
“What we try to do is, within every four or five years, we’re touching on all of the different types of guests that come to Kings Island,” Helbig said. “Some years, it’s a thrill seeker, some years it’s the family areas and some years it’s the waterpark. I think when you look at Soak City, it’s one of the best-kept secrets we have here.”
Sandcastle Waterpark
1000 Sandcastle Drive, Pittsburgh
Call 412-462-6666 or visit www.sandcastlewaterpark.com.
Online admission is $32.99, $20.99 for seniors and children under 48”, with children age 3 and under free (slides not included). Note: Tickets are more expensive at the gate.
For those families thinking staycation this year, Sandcastle Waterpark, which is located along the scenic Monongahela River in Pittsburgh and is a sister park to Kennywood, provides a resort-like feel with its 15 water slides, a wave pool and lazy river.
For the young kids, there are two children’s areas, Wet Willie’s and Tad Pool. There’s also a grassy beach, volleyball area and old-fashioned boardwalk.
“Sandcastle does not necessarily have a new attraction for the 2016 season, but we still offer all of our guests’ favorites like the Lazy River, Mon Tsunami Wave Pool, Dragon’s Den and Blue Tubaluba,” said Sandcastle Marketing and Sales Manager Melissa Kelly.
“Also, Sandcastle does have some fun events coming up this season.”
That includes taking part in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson (June 24), Shark Week (June 26 through July 2) and Salute to Our Local Heroes (July 11 though 16). The latter includes free admission to police, firefighters, EMTs and military while their immediate family members receive $10 off regular admission.
“Sandcastle provides a vacation in a day that is close to home,” Kelly said. “Whether you are looking for a day trip for the family, a group outing or a place to hang out with friends, Sandcastle offers something for all ages.”
Waldameer Park & Water World
220 Peninsula Drive, Erie, Pa.
Call 814-838-3591 or visit www.waldameer.com.
Ride wristbands for Waldameer Park are $27.99 (Over 48”)/$18.99 (Under 48”). Entrance to Water World is $24.99 (Over 48”)/$19.99 (Under 48”). Ride wristbands for both parks are $35.99 (Over 48”)/$27.99 (Under 48”).
There’s a wet and wild expansion taking place at Waldameer Park & Water World, which is tucked away in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania in Erie. Last year the popular park, which is located at the neck of Presque Isle State Park peninsula, began a multiphase expansion to its Water World waterpark with a $10 million wave pool.
“We try to keep our park fresh and relevant for our guests to keep them coming back,” said Waldameer Park and Water World VP of Operations Brian Gorman. “For the last two decades, we have added a new ride or attraction in the park every other year at least.
“Since the waterpark was built in the late ’80s, we’ve maintained it to keep it running but we really haven’t added anything new. For the next five to seven years we really want to bring it into the 21st century and give it some new life.”
This year, that means the introduction of the Wally and Wendy’s Kidz Zone, which updates the park’s kiddie area. In addition to eight new colorful slides about 10-feet tall that go into a 160-foot wide splash pool, there’s a spray pad with more than 30 water jets. Also added to the area is a sub shop and updated arcade.
“We have plans to continue with the kids’ area the following year and add slides down the road in the years to come,” Gorman said.
As for Waldameer Park, the venue boasts its popular Ravine Flyer II roller coaster, the spinning Steel Dragon roller coaster, the classic wooden The Comet roller coaster, the Flying Swings, the rotating Wendy’s Tea Party and the kid-friendly Ravine Flyer III.
“We’re a unique location,” Gorman said. “We offer free parking, free admission, free live shows. We still try to keep our park feeling like a community park for families and their young kids, which I think separates us from those larger, corporate parks that focus on the thrills and the teenage market. We kind of found our niche focusing on families and making sure the whole family can enjoy the park together.”
Wildwater Kingdom
1100 Squires Road, Aurora
Call 330-562-8303 or visit www.wildwaterfun.com.
Online adult admission is $26.99 (after 4 p.m. is $18.99). Note: Tickets are more expensive at the gate.
Located on the former site of Sea World and across from the old Geauga Lake Amusement Park, Wildwater Kingdom keeps the tradition of yesterday intact by providing plenty of screams and thrills in the summer.
“We are really excited for good weather this year because we added an additional sun-bathing deck area,” said Cindy Shaffer, who works in the Wildwater Kingdom Group Sales & Marketing Department.
“We also have our fossil dig, where kids at no extra charge can uncover dinosaur bones and fossils hiding in the sand. They can use shovels and brushes to find large fossils that are cut out of plastic. They can be a paleontologist right here at the park.”
Speaking of dinosaurs, Wildwater Kingdom has once again scheduled its Dive-in Movies – “Jurassic World” (July 8), “Star Wars – The Force Awakens (July 22) and “Inside Out” (Aug. 5). The movie experience requires a separate movie admission of $10 for the general public and $5 for season passholders.
“Normally we have children’s movies, but this year we decided let’s give the big kids a chance to come out for the fun,” Shaffer said. “You can just visit the park for the dive-in movie and there will be slide time on Liquid Lightning and Thunder Falls.”
Other Wildwater Kingdom attractions range from family-based to thrill-seeking slides. There’s Thunder Falls and the relaxing float down Riptide Run, as well as the kids-centric areas featuring splashing, climbing and soaking on Splash Landing, Coral Cove and Little Tikes Town.
“It’s a great atmosphere for families,” Shaffer said.