Kalahari Resort in Sandusky is now the largest indoor waterpark in the country.

They had the grand opening this week showing off the new expansion!!

Looks neat!!

I wonder if Cedar Fair will do anything new with Castaway Bay, they haven't changed anything since it opened.

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/articles/2...ront/533919.txt

I can't wait. I have my room booked for the 1st week Cedar Point is open and Im excited about staying here. I heard that the park and hotel is way better than Castaway.

I heard Castaway Bay isn't doing very well, the water park is only open 5 days a week now because nobody is going there.

Here is another waterpark opening in Sandusky in April 2008, http://www.mauisandsresort.com/

It says they will be Ohio's second largest indoor waterpark.

Yes, Castaway Bay water park has been closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since September, minus a few select weeks (like this week and next week). However, how crowded can an indoor water park resort be in the middle of a small town in the winter? I mean, it is not like the population of Sandusky is anywhere near the population of the Cincinnati area. Add to that the equation that Sandusky has two other indoor water parks besides Castaway Bay means there is some pretty stiff competition. However, by contrast Cincinnati has a much larger population but yet only has two indoor water park resorts. Of these two, one offers day passes (Coco Key) while the other requires that you stay in a hotel room to partake in the water park (Great Wolf).

Keep in mind, that in the 40s and 50s, Coney Island used to be closed every Monday during the season, mainly to give all of its employees a day off.

Yes, Castaway Bay water park has been closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since September, minus a few select weeks (like this week and next week). However, how crowded can an indoor water park resort be in the middle of a small town in the winter? I mean, it is not like the population of Sandusky is anywhere near the population of the Cincinnati area. Add to that the equation that Sandusky has two other indoor water parks besides Castaway Bay means there is some pretty stiff competition. However, by contrast Cincinnati has a much larger population but yet only has two indoor water park resorts. Of these two, one offers day passes (Coco Key) while the other requires that you stay in a hotel room to partake in the water park (Great Wolf).

Keep in mind, that in the 40s and 50s, Coney Island used to be closed every Monday during the season, mainly to give all of its employees a day off.

I don't think they were counting on LOCAL business to begin with!! They were counting on Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit to bring in the business. We all know how the economy is in Toledo/Detroit area, it's one of the worst in the nation. You don't invest that much money in a hotel/waterpark and then expect it to sit EMPTY for 2 days a week!! This is the time of year when people SHOULD be going to an INDOOR WATERPARK, it's COLD OUTSIDE!!

There seems to be a discrepancy here...

Castaway Bay's problems are attributed to a poor Northern Ohio/Michigan economy, and the limited Sandsuky market, yet Kalahari (a few miles down Rt. 250) has expanded their footprint (I believe this is the second time) to become the biggest indoor waterpark in the country?

There seems to be a discrepancy here...

Castaway Bay's problems are attributed to a poor Northern Ohio/Michigan economy, and the limited Sandsuky market, yet Kalahari (a few miles down Rt. 250) has expanded their footprint (I believe this is the second time) to become the biggest indoor waterpark in the country?

Thats what I'm trying to say, why is Kalahari expanding and at the same time Castaway Bay is CLOSING 2 days a week. I usually drive by the waterparks a few times a week, and your lucky to see a handfull of cars in Castaway Bays parking lot!! But go by Kalahari and you see LOTS of cars.

I've been to all 3 indoor waterparks in Sandusky, Great Wolf/Kalahari/Castaway Bay and I like Kalahari the best and Great Wolf Second. that's ONLY based on variaty of attractions and having a good time, all though Castaway Bay was the cleanest and had the friendliest employees, my kids don't care about that they just want to ahave FUN!!

I stayed in the hotel that was to become Castaway Bay while they were building the water park, so I haven't seen it firsthand, but more or less a preview of what was to come.

Hmm...I kinda just realized this post is going nowhere, and has no point. I'll try to make one.

Maybe Cedar Fair just tried to jump on the bandwagon and reap profits, but has met up with competition they didn't expect? I don't know.

^I'm no expert, but it seems to me that you pretty much hit the nail on the head. I think they knew there was some pretty tough competition in the area, they just thought branding it as part of Cedar Point would give it a much greater appeal than it actually did.

Doesn't give one a warm, fuzzy feeling that Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom has a glorious future, now does it?

Remember, Cedar Fair had a chance to buy CBS's interest in Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, and chose not to . . .