Special Features: Prepare to sail away at Castaway Bay

Posted at 1:51 AM EST (0651 GMT)

Nov. 8th, 2004 -- On November 5, Cedar Point's Castaway Bay opened to the public. Because this is Cedar Point's first time in the indoor water park arena, currently dominated by the Great Wolf Lodge chain (which has a location in Sandusky as well), ThrillNetwork's Jill Anne and Steven were invited to check it out.

We took numerous photos, and even some video. While it is not possible for us to show all of them, we have provided you with some photos in our database, as well as a video that Jill put together, showing Rendezvous Run in action as well as some other shots of the park.

When we heard about the announcement of Cedar Point's Castaway Bay, we wanted to make a point to try to review the place in any way possible, and do a "he said, she said" format. We were determined to get that review any which way possible.

Thanks to Alex Westerman's persistence in scoring an invitation to opening day, and even more thanks to Janice Witherow, Cedar Point's Director of Public Relations, we managed to get special media access into the waterpark resort.

Living up to the promise we made ourselves (and in a way, ThrillNetwork), we departed from Michigan early Friday morning for Sandusky, Ohio, a town that is not really known for having thrills in the winter... until now.

When you walk in

Jill
My first impression of Castaway Bay was "Oh, pretty theming." The air is balmy, the water is cool, and the entire water park is made up to look tropical. This park will undoubtedly change peoples' minds about the ability of Cedar Fair to use adequate theming on Cedar Point's property–they've done a wonderful job. The kiddy areas have some friendly looking sea creatures for kids to pose with and play around, there are life preservers with names of fake ships (like the Runaground) on the walls and light poles, and bright colors make Castaway Bay whimsical and fun. There are also very nice beach chairs, palm trees, tropical plants, stonework, and other details that make the park a winner. The ship in the lobby (complete with animatronic talking and singing birds–even a crow in the crows nest) is also similarly impressive.

Steven
When I first walked in, my initial thought was "This is different... I like the stores and the decoration, but where's the registration desk?" Once I walked in more and looked to the right it changed to "Oh, there it is!" The last time I was in the former Radisson over two years ago, the hotel had an overall bland feeling to it. It was amazing what Cedar Fair did to give it a tropical-nautical theme to it... I hardly recognized anything! It was brighter, more colorful, and I instantly felt more comfortable than I did the last time I was there. Once I actually got to the water park, I was even further amazed. I was actually seeing a Cedar Fair park with theming! It was like a posh tropical resort, only indoors. It was even warm and humid, and I found myself sweating within the first few minutes of walking around. My first pictures were bad because the lens had fogged up from the sudden change.

The Attractions

Wave Pool

Jill
We checked out the wave pool first. This is a shallower pool than I'm used to–it's only five feet deep at the deepest end, and a buoyed rope keeps you at the four-foot level. Despite this, the wave pool is relatively large, and is an especially nice place for older kids to play. Younger children must wear life vests, which are provided. I would probably enjoy the wave pool more if rafts were provided, but regardless, the waves are fun to play in, and the water is soothingly cool compared to the tropical air. One nice addition to this pool are some water fountains at the shallow end of it. I saw some kids playing in these, and aside from being nice scenery, are a good way to get wet if you don't want to be cold when you get in the water.

Steven
This wave pool was weaker than what I'm used to (which ironically was only at Michigan's Adventure's wave pools, or if I was by a real body of water: Lake Michigan or the Pacific Ocean). The park claims that it generates 3-foot waves. I could only see maybe a foot or foot and a half... tops. I had fun watching the kids enjoy it, though. They seemed to have a blast. For adults, it's a great way to get started in the park and get used to all of the water. For kids, if they have never been in the ocean (or great lake if you're from Michigan), it's still a decent way to find out what it's like to be around waves.

Water Coaster

Jill
The Master Blaster water coaster is my favorite part of the entire park. After climbing a long set of stairs near the backside of Lookout Lagoon, you board a bright yellow raft (two passengers of up to 400 pounds total may ride). If you're riding alone, they make you sit in the back, slide your feet under the seat cushion in front of you, and hold on. The ride op gives you a short spiel about keeping ahold of the raft, and then pushes a button and off you go. The first drop is a bit of a shock as it has an entirely different feel than a coaster drop. I think this is because you can feel things moving underneath your bum through the bottom of the raft. At the bottom of the drop some jets catch you and propel you upwards into a tunnel. At this point, occasionally a huge wall of water will wash over the back of the rider in the back seat and up the sides–but it does not happen every time. Around a turn or two and you go through the second dip–if you lean forward you might even catch some airtime. After the dip comes a long series of tunnels and turns which even take you outside the building itself till you splash down in a pool and are asked to exit to the front of the raft. This is just a lot of fun. It's very fast, less disorientating than the body slides, and is a ride I returned to again and again over the time I spent at Castaway Bay.

Steven
Being a former Michigan's Adventure and Cedar Point ride host, I couldn't help but analyze how they were running the rides and slides. Since Rendezvous Run, a Master Blaster water coaster made famous by the Schlitterbahn water parks down south, was more of an amusement ride than anything else in the park, this was what most interested me. Now, being as big as I was, I asked Janice Witherow, one of the Public Relations representatives, if I'd have any problems riding it. She reassured me that I wouldn't, being the only real requirement is that I be 48 inches (I'm 72 inches, so that solves that). I did have initial second thoughts when I saw the note about the weight limit of 250 pounds per person, or 400 pounds per boat. I'm a little over 250 right now, but after thinking about it, I decided to go for it. When I got up there, I let Jill go first, but I was told to step down. I didn't recall seeing where I should've stayed behind something, so when it came my turn to get on, I told the host/lifeguard that the ride needs a yellow line.

After the spiel, which I could barely hear over the noise (the guy was kind of quiet), I was down the first drop. I quickly prayed that the jets would propel me up the hill and that I wouldn't be an embarrassment to everyone in the park, and sure enough, the jets did propel me. There was even a moment where I caught a little bit of air on the course. As I hit the runway at the end, I was quickly asking myself "Is that all there is?" That question was answered by my riding it a few more times.

Lookout Lagoon

Jill
This structure houses a number of small body slides, a giant bucket, lots of water jets to shoot at your friends, and various sorts of water obstacles, mesh netting, and other fun things for kids to play with. Climbing around the structure feels a bit like being in a treehouse or fort–except this one's been possessed by the evil boy from next door and this time he has a hose. Walking up to go on the slides had me sprayed by kids playing the available squirt guns and having lots of water dropped on my head–it's actually quite fun.

The slides on Lookout Lagoon are open-topped and short–about the same length as those that I find at my local Detroit-area Metropark. There are a few small kiddy-sized ones, and then green and yellow adult slides that empty near the spa. I went on the green first, being sure to keep my hands behind my head and legs crossed (this is a sure way to not get stuck on the slide). These body slides actually have decent speed. However, I was less than pleased that they cross under parts of Lookout Lagoon that dump a great amount of water right onto your face. However, I escaped both slides with my contacts intact and went back for more–knowing the second time to plug my nose and close my eyes before hitting the waterfalls.

Steven
I didn't see a kid with a hose (maybe I got lucky). However, my first body slide challenge of the day was met when I was told by ABC12's meteorologist Kevin Goff (who was there covering the opening as well) that he got stuck on the green slide. I quickly decided to take on that slide, and see if I can duplicate what happened to him. After listening to the spiel of the lifeguard (cross my legs, hands behind head), I was of. Within about 15 seconds, I was at bottom, with water up my nose. Not once did I even slow down. My guess is that either a) his shirt helped cause it, or b) He disobeyed the lifeguard's spiel. When you ride the slides, have fun walking on rope, and be sure to look straight down!

As far as the giant bucket goes, I had to get under it a couple of times. Jill would not even get under it at all. It was just like having a regular bucket of water poured on top of you, only with a little more water. Of course, it also helps if you're in the right spot.

The Spa

Jill
Ah, the Jacuzzi. This absolutely huge hot tub has a nice rock wall behind it, powerful jets, and is decently hot. But the best part about it is that it extends outdoors. So, it's November and what do I do? I immediately headed for the outdoor area.

You have to understand that I lived for the past five years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There, we have a few great traditions. One is pasty making. The other involves Jacuzzis and saunas.

If you are in a Jacuzzi or sauna (pronounced "sown-ah," not "sawn-ah," as the rest of the world insists) you spend some time in the sweltering heat, and then you run outdoors and jump in the snow. Now, when you add to this the fact that we get about 200 to 300 inches of snow a year, you'll know that when I say jump in the snow, I mean that you go at least up to your waist into a snow bank, and then quickly run back into the warmth. This is meant to bring good health and increase your sisu (sisu is a Finnish word meaning "intestinal fortitude," but used very similarly to ...other... terms in the English language of late).

Providing Cedar Fair keeps this spa open come winter, this will be possible. I spent a great deal of the day in the sun, but want to return at some point when I can Jacuzzi my body at the same time as freezing my hair.

Steven
I'm a troll (one who lives under the bridge... the Mackinac Bridge, which is pronounced "Mack-uh-naw" for you non-Michiganders there), so we don't have outdoor spas open to the public like this. Oh yeah, I don't eat pasties either (they are pronounced "pass-tee", not "paste-ee", as pronouncing it wrong will get you a swift kick in the butt by a yooper, or someone who resides in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan).

So, doing a spa outdoors in the cold was a new experience for me.

It was only about 40 degrees outside, with some winds. However, it was nice to be in the spa. Despite the contrast of warm and cold, I didn't feel like I was going to freeze my head off. We did the spa twice. Though the funny thing is that the 2nd time we did the spa, we were numbers 27 and 28. Plus, we got to meet two newlyweds from New York who just decided to make their visit to Castaway Bay. They had never even been to Cedar Point, yet they seemed impressed with what Castaway Bay had to offer.

High-speed body slides

Jill
I have never been a fan of this type of slide. They're dark, you can't see where the end is, and they're ridiculously hot and stuffy inside.

That said, I actually liked these. The ride op was very friendly and admitted that she doesn't really like these sorts of slides either, pointed out the one she liked best, and off I went. You are unceremoniously dumped into a shallow pool at the end of one of 3 slides (green is the slowest, yellow is medium, and the pink is the fastest). There is absolutely no way to tell that you are outside for this journey. The slides are quick and fun with lots of unexpected curves and turns, and the speed you reach at the end feels amazing.

Although the actual control area for the slides is not themed much, there is a large airy ceiling that lets in lots of natural light, and you get a great view of the entire park on the way up. The end of the slides also is close to the water coaster, so it's hard not to grab a ride on it once you're through.

Steven
I rode the green and yellow slides. Needless to say, the yellow slide was fast enough for me, considering I hit my head at the bottom of the pool, not hard enough to have it hurt.

Contrary to Jill's statement about not seeing the inside, I could see what was going on inside the yellow slide. That yellow slide got fast after the first curve or two... about twice as fast. They start you "outside" (even though you really can't tell because the water is heated), and after every twist and turn, you end up in a 3.3 foot deep pool. Unlike the other body slides in Lookout Lagoon, you will need to cross your arms over your chest and shoulders. Oh, and watch your head when you hit bottom. Overall, these were awesome.

Activity Pools

Jill
The park includes two activity pools. One has a tethered inflatable snake and dolphin in it for kids to sit upon and play with. While I'm aware that other parks have these, I think that they are an interesting addition to traditional rafts. I always had inflatable alligator rafts and such as a kid–and I can imagine my five-year-old self desperately wanting to take the dolphin home. Too bad they can't sell exact recreations in the gift shop! This part of the pool was populated nearly entirely with children. The second half of it has some basketball hopes and small basketballs. Here, I witnessed families playing basketball, obviously, but some people were also just swimming around because there was room. The third pool was my favorite to watch. There are some floating themed crates in the water (tethered like the snake and dolphin), but the important part is that there is a rope net hung above the pool. Children are encouraged (with a life guard watching) to hang from this net and try to cross as if it were monkey bars. I never actually saw anybody make it, but it was fun to see children try.

I like these little activity pools. Growing up, I lacked siblings to run around and play with in parks like this one. All of these pools can be enjoyed in groups or alone, and giving children and families of all types something to do at Castaway Bay is one of the smartest moves that Cedar Fair could hope to make.

Steven
I didn't pay attention to these too much, except for the activity pool that had the basketball hoops. That brought me back to when I was in college, shooting hoops in a pool.

I did think that it was a good thing that they did have what they did within the pools, because at least it offers more than what your traditional water park offers. What I would have loved to see was to see some Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball in the water.

Toddler Area

Jill
There is also a toddler wading area, which is the first thing you see when you walk in the doors of Castaway Bay. Here, an octopus squirts water, there are some very short but fun looking slides, and there is lots of water to splash around in. The slides in particular are sort of genius–they are made to look like ordinary playground slides, probably to keep kids from being afraid of them. This area is a relaxing place for kids and their parents to play.

Both this area and the activity pools have a good view of a huge screen that was showing Nickelodeon the entire time we were there. You can also watch this screen while eating at the snack shop located adjacent (I forgot to see if they carry Cedar Point's cheese fries, and I'm very angry with myself that I didn't check!) Since some kids probably won't swim all day, I think this is nice to have. However, you can't actually hear the television over the music playing, so only kids who can read will be able to watch and enjoy with subtitles.

Steven
Out of everything, I really paid attention to these the least. However, if I had kids, I probably would spend a lot of time in there. I did make note of how some parents were in there with their little ones, despite the height limit.

I noticed the big screen, but I wondered why there was one in the park tuned to Nickelodeon. Even from the entrance, you had to look kind of high to see it, and you'd need a recliner just to watch it comfortably from the snack shop.

The Arcade

Jill
Rather than just have the same games that other arcades in Cedar Point, this one actually manages to be somewhat unique. There are two DDR Extreme machines–one that is currently spouting off Japanese, a horse racing game, a thrill machine, some car racing games, and in general–the machines are decent and clean. There are more Japanese imports here than I've seen in other parts of the park, which is a decent improvement in my mind. There are also some games where you can win tickets and turn them in for prizes. I didn't try it, but they have my favorite–Raptor Captor. It's fairly easy to win massive amounts of tickets on that game (I got 23,000 in a night once at Dave and Busters) so kids who want their parents to win them a stuffed pony just might be in luck.

Steven
Well, the coaster enthusiasts will be happy. There is a motion simulator for 2 people where you can ride one of four rides: Thunderbolt, Phantom's Revenge, Phoenix, or Twister. I didn't bother riding this ride, but I also looked around to other points. I made note about the two Dance Dance Revolution Extreme machines.

The place is clean, and carpeted with carpet that reacts to blacklights (which there were plenty of). Overall, it was a very upscale arcade.

The Staff

Jill
The staff all seemed very friendly and eager to talk and help people out. Many are summer employees of Cedar Point who now have somewhere to work all year round. On any day that's slow, feel free to stop and talk to these people, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. One guy was even telling everybody that they were the 10th or 11th or 27th person to ever use the spa. I was amused.

Steven
As Jill pointed out, many of the employees were summer employees of Cedar Point. I had even recognized a few from when I worked there in 2002 and 2003. Some were bored on the first opening day (because it wasn't crowded at all). They were all friendly, but they did do their best to keep themselves active. However, going against Jill's advice a little, don't talk to them too much or distract them. They're there for a reason... to make sure you're safe, and you really shouldn't talk to a host/lifeguard unless you have to ask them a question or two. There's a reason why Cedar Point has the "Do not disturb the operator" signs by each ride. Just because you don't see them at Castaway Bay doesn't mean you should bug them.

The Amenities

Jill
The bathrooms are nice and clean. However, they're freezing compared to the air in the park. Imagine walking into an air-conditioned theme park bathroom barefoot in a very wet suit only to spend the next few minutes with teeth chattering till you can leave again. The first time I went in, I had only been at the park for an hour or so, and I froze. When I went in to change later though, I was really warm and the coolness felt good. The AC probably only needs to be turned down a notch or two.

The lockers are new, and are near the bathrooms and entrance to the park. The attendants have their attention divided between this and the arcade. That might seem like a mistake, but considering that most guests (who aren't media) will probably be leaving almost everything in the hotel room and very few will actually need lockers. There are a few hundred lockers–regardless–and even on opening day I had number 3.

The drinking fountains are scarce. It wasn't till I was eating lunch and swilling down my third Pepsi till I realized just how scarce they were. The drinking fountains are located near the bathrooms, but because I don't have a toddler, I rarely was in that part of the park, and eventually just became completely parched. It'd be nice if there were more of these installed toward the back and Lookout Lagoon. When you go to the park, make sure to get drinks often. It might seem obvious, but I did not see guests using the fountains or even buying drinks at the snack shop. It is possible to get dehydrated while surrounded by water–it just sounds silly.

Steven
The bathrooms reminded me of any newer or renovated Cedar Fair park bathroom: teal textured walls, automatic flush, faucets, and the XLerator hand dryers. I really felt at home (from when I worked at these parks, that is). The only difference is that these bathrooms also have changing stalls as well as shower stalls.

Lockers were about $8-$10, but when you return your key, you get $5 of it back. Jill and I shared ours just for the sake of it. As far as managing the key, while there is a wristband for holding on to your key, put it in a securable pocket if you can (my suit had a little pocket with a button for such a purpose).

The only drinking fountains I found were near the bathroom. So if you need water, drink up, but don't drink too much. You might swallow some water in the slides and pools (be careful not to or else you'll find yourself sick). I didn't have the problem of getting thirsty, though it would've been nice to have drinking fountains toward the opposite end of the park, where Lookout Lagoon is.

The Lobby

Jill
The lobby is small. The theming of the boat shipwrecked there is wonderful, of course, but the front desk is small. Should there ever be a large amount of people checking in all at once, this area will get crowded quick.

Also located right here are a couple restaurants and three gift shops. One gift shop is very nearly attached to the buffet, and sells more expensive merchandise. The second sells swimwear and beach gear, and the third has cheaper stock (I bought a magnet) and snacks. All these gift stores reminded me a lot of the ones located in Hotel Breakers. Despite being located closely to each other they aren't really redundant.

Steven
The lobby does have an atypical layout for a hotel. Going back to my thought as I walked in, I was looking for the front desk, because all I saw were the stores, and a view toward the lagoon until I looked toward the right and behind me. The front desk is in the hallway that leads toward the park.

Aside from the layout, I looked around a little, and while I didn't buy anything, I was impressed with what they had to offer, and what they did to the stores. I do like the fact that they can issue you a card so that you can charge stuff to your room at any of these stores, the arcade, or anywhere else. I would like to see more of it at Cedar Point.

Overall Impression

• T.G.I. Friday's – This is the only carryover from the former Radisson hotel in terms of food offerings. Friday's continues to anchor the resort's food offerings with fare that is familiar to anyone who has eaten at one. Jill and I went here when we ate.
• Ebb & Eddy's Island Sweets & Eats – This offering is a casual deli-style restaurant. We really didn't get a chance to see this restaurant.
• Mango Mike's – A buffet-style restaurant, they tout themselves as family-friendly.
• Big Daddy's Snack Shack – Inside the water park, they offer more traditional fast food as well as other snacks. You don't want to eat too much, as you don't want to cramp up in the pools.
• Gil's Lookout Lounge – As the only adult offering at Castaway Bay, this is a lounge/bar style place where you can either get away from your kids (if they are old enough to behave themselves in the water park), or if you are just a couple enjoying a getaway or a honeymoon.

The only downside that I could clearly see was that they didn't do enough to advertise this. The only real advertisements I saw were on Cedar Point's website and through press releases. However, they must have reached some people who have never been to Cedar Point, as that newlywed couple from New York decided to make it their last leg of their honeymoon.

As far as cost goes, they seemed in-line with other similar resorts, like the Great Wolf Lodge chain. During the winter months, you can save up to $110 on your room, which includes admission to the water park. Standard rack rates for rooms and suites range from $200 to $362 per night, depending on the size of the room, the location, and how many can be in the room. However, when you actually book, you may already see a discount from the rack rate. You must be 21 or older to reserve a room, and requires Visa, MasterCard, or Discover to place a deposit equal to the first night's stay.

For more info, including how to reserve your stay at Castaway Bay, visit http://www.castawaybay.com or http://www.cedarpoint.com, and click on the Castaway Bay graphic. The park is open year-round.

Photos and Video

If you wish to view some pictures of Castaway Bay, click here. If you wish to view the video by Jill, click here (requires QuickTime 6.5 or higher).