Jump to content

KIC Off Season Poll Series 2016 Week III: Soak City 2016 Review


BB1
 Share

Recommended Posts

Every year about this time I usually start to get the winter waterpark bug to get back to Soak City.....and I have. Vivid memories of being lazy in the Splash River, to dropping in on Tropical Plunge, this year was a great year to be at the waterpark. So, this week's topic we will be taking a look at Soak City in 2016, some of our favorite experiences in the waterpark, some of the things we liked, some of the things we feel like need to be changed in the future, and overall what is your 2016 review for Soak City?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great topic! For the most part, I enjoyed Tropical Plunge (the yellow one- I've nicknamed it Raichu's Electric Feel- is a little intense for me; my favorite is the green one (Venusaur's Vine Whip); however, I did not have a chance gotten to ride the teal/icy blue tube slide with the bigger drop (Lapras| Delibird and Lapras's Slippery Slopes). I also enjoyed the older attractions I did experience (Sidewinder, Breaker's Bay) however, I wish I would have had the time to ride more of the older slides this year (as the focus was (understandably) on Tropical Plunge). In fact, the only non-dropping body slide experience I got this year was not until my recent trip to Kalihari in Wisconsin Dells.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thiis was my first year at SC and overall I was very pleased. I found food service efficiency to be superior to the dry side and with one notable exception policies and ops to be good.

The good

- Change in policy early in the season to allow rash guards on slides. This makes a Huge difference on body slides like Tropical Plunge, from nearly intolerable, painful and dangerous to fun and safe.

- Food choices limited but fast service, sounds like options will be better next year.

- Zoom Flume is very long and almost but not quite makes up for the wait.

The bad and ugly

- Zoom Flume policies - Aboslutely ridiculous that one of the most popular attractions is staffed so poorly resulting in unacceptable lines even first thing in the morning. Never did I see both launch pools open. On top of that rafts should be full, two kids do not get to demand their own row on Valravyn and they should not get their own private raft. Rafts should be filled to capacity as possible and this alone would increase capacity by at least 2X. When I first started visiting Waterparks about 12 years ago I always found them filling the rafts, you didn't have a choice.

- Splash River. The design is horrible, I have never seen such an ugly lazy rivers as CF has. It splashes you with water so it is functional but that is about it. There is nothing relaxing about primary colors. In addition I cannot believe ingress and egress are all in the same exact spot creating pure chaos. Aggressive behavior is rewarded. For all its faults SFSTL did this one right.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thiis was my first year at SC and overall I was very pleased. I found food service efficiency to be superior to the dry side and with one notable exception policies and ops to be good.

The good

- Change in policy early in the season to allow rash guards on slides. This makes a Huge difference on body slides like Tropical Plunge, from nearly intolerable, painful and dangerous to fun and safe.

- Food choices limited but fast service, sounds like options will be better next year.

- Zoom Flume is very long and almost but not quite makes up for the wait.

The bad and ugly

- Zoom Flume policies - Aboslutely ridiculous that one of the most popular attractions is staffed so poorly resulting in unacceptable lines even first thing in the morning. Never did I see both launch pools open. On top of that rafts should be full, two kids do not get to demand their own row on Valravyn and they should not get their own private raft. Rafts should be filled to capacity as possible and this alone would increase capacity by at least 2X. When I first started visiting Waterparks about 12 years ago I always found them filling the rafts, you didn't have a choice.

- Splash River. The design is horrible, I have never seen such an ugly lazy rivers as CF has. It splashes you with water so it is functional but that is about it. There is nothing relaxing about primary colors. In addition I cannot believe ingress and egress are all in the same exact spot creating pure chaos. Aggressive behavior is rewarded. For all its faults SFSTL did this one right.

 

Rash guards have been permitted under proper swim attire from what I understand.

 

Zoom Flume as it stands has a policy that differentiates with guards. Some force groups to be together, others ask if they would want to ride with someone else. Because to be frank it gets awkward  to be with complete strangers in a intimate tube.

 

Splash River, same points that I made a few years back. Crocodile Run, the original lazy river prior to the renovation, was a lazy river with shade where the new entrance is. It was lazy and had barely any water being splashed on you. Half of the props have either been dialed back or turned off. I agree 100% about how it isn't a fun attraction.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^

I am not sure what you mean by "under proper swim attire". What would one possibly put over a rash guard shirt?

According the the Guards and 2 Supervisors I spoke with on site in early June rash guards were not allowed on body slides, tube slides yes. We were also told to remove them and put them in our pocket or toss them down the slides ahead of us. (SFSTL had the same policy at least up through 2014.)

I asked the Supervisors what the difference between a rash guard and a female tankini was. They explained that if it had a high neck it could catch water and they would not be allowed, most tankinis do not. Surfer fashion for females is more popular now so I see more females wearing short and long sleeve rash guard type shirts although I don't know this but I suspect they do not have another garment on underneath. That may have caused problems and complaints as the policy changed by late June. I was certainly on the lookout for any females with shirts on allowed on body slides and was just jumping at the chance bust the policy if I saw it violated.

I don't find a tube any more intimate than standing in a que with strangers or strapped in right next to them on a Drop Tower or spinning ride. But to each their own I suppose.

I find the Action River at CP a bit better becuase it has some natural looking elements but the bare unpainted concrete kind of ruins it for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The last two years (2014 and 2015) I really rarely went to Soak City. This year since Tropical Plunge arrived, I decided to spend a day up there with some friends. Once I rode Tropical Plunge, I knew I was going up a couple more times. I had a fun time riding Tropical Plunge a lot over the summer, and it was a great way to spend a day. I really don't have an bad experiences with the park besides the 30 minute wait for Zoom Flume, but I should of known better to not get in that line.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The short-lived prohibition of rash guards was quite odd. For several years prior, I had worn rash guards to protect against awful fiberglass cuts at many a waterpark, including KI SC, Wildwater Kingdom, HW, KK, CP SC, with not so much as a second-glance from any employee. 

 

As for my experiences at SC, it was ok but not impressive except for Pipeline Paradise (artificial surfing) and Tidal Wave Bay. The rest of the waterpark... meh. Breaker's Bay looked awful, the lack of trees/natural shade with slabs of concrete was an awful/painful combination, and Splash River was pitiful.

 

I would not go back to SC if KK or HW added an artificial surfing ride. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't visit waterparks very often this season, but I made it to KI's Soak City twice.

 

Tropical Plunge's Aqua Launch slides, though fun, were rough on my back at their initial opening in May. They were reportedly smoother later in the season, but I didn't get to try as they were down for maintenance on my second visit. To be safe, since rash guards are allowed, I'll probably invest in one before I visit next season.

 

The passholder preview Saturday was probably my favorite visit ever to Soak City, thanks to a practically empty (yet operational) park & water that had yet to see thousands of swimmers. With an air temperature of 57°, ohiocolts & aandjgoods were the only other KIC members crazy enough to do the slides, though a whole group showed up to laugh at us.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^

I am not sure what you mean by "under proper swim attir

e". What would one possibly put over a rash guard shirt?

According the the Guards and 2 Supervisors I spoke with on site in early June rash guards were not allowed on body slides, tube slides yes. We were also told to remove them and put them in our pocket or toss them down the slides ahead of us. (SFSTL had the same policy at least up through 2014.)

I asked the Supervisors what the difference between a rash guard and a female tankini was. They explained that if it had a high neck it could catch water and they would not be allowed, most tankinis do not. Surfer fashion for females is more popular now so I see more females wearing short and long sleeve rash guard type shirts although I don't know this but I suspect they do not have another garment on underneath. That may have caused problems and complaints as the policy changed by late June. I was certainly on the lookout for any females with shirts on allowed on body slides and was just jumping at the chance bust the policy if I saw it violated.

I don't find a tube any more intimate than standing in a que with strangers or strapped in right next to them on a Drop Tower or spinning ride. But to each their own I suppose.

I find the Action River at CP a bit better becuase it has some natural looking elements but the bare unpainted concrete kind of ruins it for me.

Oops, I thought you meant rash guard trousers. Then whatever the employees state is their policy on the slides, that's just it. Trust me, having a tube with a lot of individuals who seem to have not showered in a while gets very awkward very fast. Our Splash River really could use a natural overhaul, rocks do not look great next to water in my opinion and I believe the original look actually is superior to rocks with weeds inbetween.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tropical Plunge's Aqua Launch slides, though fun, were rough on my back at their initial opening in May. They were reportedly smoother later in the season, but I didn't get to try as they were down for maintenance on my second visit. To be safe, since rash guards are allowed, I'll probably invest in one before I visit next season.

 

FWIW, when I rode all three drop slides on Winterfest announcement day, I rode bare-backed, and it didn't feel rough at all.

 

Trust me, having a tube with a lot of individuals who seem to have not showered in a while gets very awkward very fast.

And standing in close quarters with those same people for as much as a half hour or more while waiting in line doesn't?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trust me, having a tube with a lot of individuals who seem to have not showered in a while gets very awkward very fast.

And standing in close quarters with those same people for as much as a half hour or more while waiting in line doesn't?

Somewhere, a Terp is likely pondering baths with 2o,ooo people.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...