Geauga Lake announces water park plans, pricing

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

The completion of Geauga Lake’s water park, Wildwater Kingdom, is underway for the 2006 operating season. Patrons of Wildwater Kingdom can expect to enjoy Tidal Wave Bay, a new 30,000-square-foot wave pool, and poolside cabanas. The park also announced that pricing will remain the same for general admission, while junior tickets are down $5 to match new senior tickets, now $9.95.

Read the press release from Geauga Lake.

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Geauga Lake will conclude the 2006 season with the 26th Annual Oktoberfest Sept. 15-17.

Am I reading this correctly? Have they cancelled their Halloween event? It isn't listed on the calendar either.

Fun's avatar
Indeed they have.
*Sigh* Not a good sign for our little park. But cancelling the event this year may just be a sign of future events to come. I mean it could just be a test of weather or not this past October was really a flop for the park, or it could be a sign of bigger and better things to come....let the contemplation begin....
Jeff's avatar
I wouldn't read into it. Either the long season was profitable or it wasn't. For a park banking on the water park, I doubt that was a great time for them.
Gemini's avatar
It also allows them to focus their Halloween marketing on one park.
A ten-coaster park with 700,000 visitors isn't turning a profit just yet.

I'd say they're trying to the message--or A message--out before marketing additional events.

-'Playa

So what happened to the new water/tube slides? Also, I wonder if Shark Attack will be moved to that side?
Well they originally had two slide complexes planned I believe, the wave pool, adult swim up bar, and a lazy river. Now just the wave pool.

I wonder if they will do any other improvements? Retracking on Villain? Painting of rides?

Im dissapointed... I know they probley were not going to go all-out but at least do what was planned last year.

When they go as far as sending renderings of the completed waterpark to media outlets and posting maps on their website, it kind of makes you wonder when they drop 3/4 of the so-called "second phase" of Wildwater Kingdom. Even with the completion of the wavepool, Geauga Lake will only have half of a water park! While it's understandable that they could only build so much for the first year, guests eventually are going to catch on to the fact that Wildwater Kingdom isn't anything like originally announced--a slide complex, Tornado slide, wave pool, lazy river, and activity area is a far cry from the park we originally thought would be worthy of becoming a second gate. While a wave pool isn't a bad addition by anyone's standards, the fact that the park promised one thing and delivered another is bad customer service, and makes me wonder how bad they really are hurting...
I know, lets invest more money into the park, and reduce the park addmission just so we can get people into the park. Better yet lets try car load sale for $40 you can get 4 people in to the park during the middle of the week when the crowds are slow. Way to go Cedar Fair, why don't you buy another six flag park that looses money
I really wouldn't be suprised if Geauga Lake goes away soon. I was there in 2004 and really enjoyed my visit, but the way they are handling this water park expansion is really going to turn people off. Last November, people were told that Phase 2 would include a 2nd Lazy River, a swim-up bar, 2 more slide complexes, and a 38,000 gallon wave pool.

In reality, all they are getting is a 30,000 gallon wave pool. I understand that the attendance wasn't that great, but LYING to the public will only make attendance even lower than it already is.

If you aske me it soinds like Cedar fair.L.P. is polling a classic Six Flags inc trick and onley wunts to speind money on ther big parks and forget there little parks. I thote we got away frum that wene Cedar Fair toke over GL i gess i wus rong . But it koled be a good sine thowe we will nead to see.
It wouldn't be wise to spend if your not getting anything in return... its bussinessAnd honestly, I don't think that the GP would even notice that the plans have changed, and I don't think they really care.


Also, I thought that the water slides that were soposed to go over there were coming from the other side. Maybe not, but the renders did look awfuly farlimiar. And what would be the point of having a waterpark on one side, and water slides on another?
*** This post was edited by Keith2005 11/14/2005 7:24:07 PM ***

Jeff's avatar

I really wouldn't be suprised if Geauga Lake goes away soon. I was there in 2004 and really enjoyed my visit, but the way they are handling this water park expansion is really going to turn people off... but LYING to the public will only make attendance even lower than it already is.
Spoken like someone who wasn't there this year. They aren't lying to anyone, and people who went this year were generally impressed. It's certainly not going to "go away". That's a stupid thing to say.

If they've scaled back the next phase of the water park, it seems to me they're learning from Six Flags' mistake: Don't assume you can build like crazy and the people will flock in record numbers. Slow and steady wins the race. They'll get there.

This is only the first press release of the off season for Geauga Lake. I am sure that there is more being done "behind the scenes". Bill Sphen just doesn't want to overwhelm everyone with the plans. I am sure that all those things that were promised will come, but in due time. Just look back to what happened last year, They tried putting in the waterslide complex, lazy river, and interactive area all at once, and it delayed the opening of Wildwater Kingdom by nearly a month. I think that they have learned their lesson and are planning one major addition at a time. Also I believe that the season is closing early next year, because something major is coming, and they know they need a lot of time to put it in...
john peck's avatar
I don't believe that closing early is a reason to build something big, I think they saw losses twoyears in a row, and are going to focus on other areas instead of the Halloween event that lost money. Im sure the Haunt will be back, but they just want to analize some more stuff. i wonder if they will keep their current wave pool, or if the entire Hannah side will close.

If thats the case, Im pretty sure that the Shark Attack will reopen along side the pool.

They didn't seem very aggressive this year with their advertising, that might have hurt them.

Well if you haven't heard, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake had the same advertising company that Six Flags did, and the company was sacked a few days ago. So if it didn't seem like they were aggressive, it's because of the Advertising company.
Jeff's avatar
No, they did not have the same agency that Six Flags does. The same agency wouldn't work for competing companies. In fact GL ditched CP's former agency last year. Now CP and GL both use Marc out of Pittsburgh.
The only thing that bothers me, is if they ever leave the shark attack on the one side of the park. It might just be that all the existing stuff is going over to the other side of the lake. They could have all that, so announcing something that isnt new is gonna save a lot of breath, although hurrican hannah's has a lazy river whatever else they have may and they dont use that for a year. Then if they ever situate what they want then we can talk about the front of the park for expansion, but it seems like nothine "big" will ever come to that area. They cant kill the kids with something massive over their heads. So therefore lets just hope this addition does right. Plus another loss was the boycott this year of workers, because they used non union companies to build, they got to be thinking about the fiscally sound side as well. They need to get the people back in that sense as well. At least i get Oktoberfest again, now that is the time anyhow, wipe the haunt out for a while. Then when and if you get the money flowing again then you start adding things. I think there is why michigans adventure has laid dormant for much too long as new rides are really concerned, why spend money when the crowds go down or you lose money.

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