ZOOMBEZI BAY construction photos!

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Hey everyone I drove by the new Zoombezi Bay in Columbus Ohio today (formerly Wyandot Lake) and I took a few pictures. Its coming along pretty well although it looks like they still have A LOT left to do in the 6 weeks before they open!

If you look carefully in the middle of the picture here you can see "Sea Dragon" pretty much the only thing that stayed from Wyandot Lake.

[jzarley]

Cool pics...thanks for posting!

Yeah, that looks like a lot of work to get done in the next six weeks!

[FOFirehawkFAN]

While I was there I saw a flying eagles like ride if that interests anyone.

[jzarley]

Zoombezi Bay must be pretty confident in the opening date...I just heard a radio commercial for the "sneak peak" weekend in late May.

I also heard another commercial on the same local radio station that I thought was a little odd--for Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach!

[FOFirehawkFAN]

I really don't know how they are gonna get it done esp with the weather (it is in columbus). But i'll still be there opening day to take pics.

[jzarley]

Well...according to the local news reports, Zoombezi Bay opened yesterday. I've scoured the various enthusiast web sites to see if I could find an trip reports, but so far I haven't found anything.

The Columbus Dispatch did a feature on it in their Weekender section:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/weeke...K9.html?sid=101

Sounds like they still have some more to do on the landscaping and general theming, (but I guess if you look at the pictures at the beginning of this thread taken in mid-April that shouldn't be a surprise ) and the flume ride isn't completed yet.

So...has anyone been there yet?

[cstrwomann]

I haven't been there yet this year but I want to see it on my trip to KI this summer. It's glad to know that a ticket to Zoombezi includes the zoo/jungle jacks landing. This place has alot more to offer then other water parks in the area.

[musicmark]

I haven't been there yet this year but I want to see it on my trip to KI this summer. It's glad to know that a ticket to Zoombezi includes the zoo/jungle jacks landing. This place has alot more to offer then other water parks in the area.

Just want to clear things up, so people don't come up here expecting one thing, and getting another.

We live in Columbus, have a zoo membership, and have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Zoombezi and Jungle Jack's Landing. But as we learn more about it, we get less and less excited.

1) Admission--what's included. Admission to Zoombezi Bay includes admission to the zoo (which has shorter hours) and to Jungle Jack's Landing, which is supposed to stay open an hour after Zoombezi. It does NOT include ANY rides in Jungle Jack's Landing. They require a ride-all-day wristband ($15) or a reloadable ride card. Admission to the zoo does not include access to Zoombezi bay, but does include access to Jungle Jack's Landing.

2) Ride pricing. I can't get to it due to work restrictions, but I think all the ride pricing was available on the zoombezibay.com web site. When I heard "$1 or $2 per ride," I though the flume and coaster would be the only $2 rides. Turns out the wave swinger and even the scrambler are supposed to be worth $2 a trip.

There's a trip report up at coasterbuzz. From that and my wife's recent (non-riding) zoo visit, plus reports from friends with Zoombezi passes, the dry rides stay empty all day at these prices.

Disappointed by the whole mess, our plans are....

1) enjoy the zoo as always

2) occasionally add on a ride or two on our way out

3) take one day to go and get all we can out of the ride-all-day wristband plan

4) get KI season passes and use Boomerang Bay as our waterpark

We're in Columbus, 1/2 hour from the Zoo, and as much as I hate to say it, KI is a much better deal even at 1-1/2 hours away.

[XGatorHead 8904]

From the Columbus Dispatch article that jzarley posted:

Dolphin Dash, billed as the state's first headfirst water slide. The 310-foot ride accommodates up to six riders, who race on mats to the bottom.

Billed by whom? Coolangata Racer was a head-first water slide before Dolphin Dash. But a quick look at the description of Dolphin Dash on the park's website does not have that claim.