Soak City Announcement on

I hope the "...and more!" announcement is ERT for Mean Streak.

Now, why would they want to go and ruin everyone's lovely evening like that?

I think platinum will be the only SC-inclusive option for 2017. And yeah, they're letting regular pass holders in for the event and EST, but the deal, and the upsell, is for platinum. "Don't be left out, folks! Get the new and improved Soak City for free all season! Buy platinum and do it tonight!"

We'll see.

I've often wondered, and I'm sure someone knows, if Ohio (and maybe CP) doesn't do the most platinum sales in the chain. The benefits are greater, if for no other reason than admission, early entry, and parking at two (three) awesome parks. I know those of us in Columbus, Dayton, and Indy love it.

LunaD858 said:

Yes I thought you wanted a fifth gate to come in near the Mean Streak/Maverick/ somewhere north of the Gemini. Like djDaemon said, it'll all be one big project.

Yes, that IS what I am talking about.

The current "back gate/resort gate/soak city gate" is small, in an awkward place, and seems very second rate. I have no doubt, that Cedar Point wants to give that entrance some attention here in the next year or two, with their upcoming projects. We have seen, very clearly, that CP has been focusing on updating, and streamlining their various gates, in recent years. The last entrance that needs attention, is that back one. It will be receiving that needed attention very shortly. I think we are all in agreement on that.

Where I think I am diverting from some of you here, is the extent of that attention. I believe the Soak City expansion will extend all the way to Perimeter Rd., eliminating the very small path alongside that road leading to the back entrance, and eliminating access to Cedar Point for Resort guests, or anybody parking back there to enter the park at the rear. Instead, the current back entrance will become a dedicated Soak City/Cedar Point gate, for multi-park and Platinum Pass users.

So, unless CP expects Resort guests (besides Breakers guests, who already have the Beach entrance to call their own) to go all the way around Perimeter Rd. to enter, they will need to put in another entrance in the back. Yes, technically a "5th entrance", but not really, since the gate between SC and CP isn't really a park entrance, under this thought process. I believe that the advent of RMC Streak will also bring about an expanded midway, potentially connecting the Gemini area to the RMC Streak area. I also think there is the strong potential for a new back entrance, and entry plaza, with shops, and potentially even a flat ride or two. That would, of course, involve the relocation of the P&D buildings back there currently, which may or may not be in the cards. Regardless, given their recent history of tying new coaster additions to refurbed gates, I think a new, bigger and modernized gate somewhere back there is a strong likelihood.

Where my comment about a temp gate comes in, is thinking the RMC Streak is coming 2018 and not next year, when the new Soak City expansion happens (and the back resort entrance is eliminated.) Maybe CP will just have a shuttle for one season for Sandcastle Suites and Lighthouse Point guests to use to get to the front gates. Maybe for one season, CP guests who prefer to use the back entrance (which I know is a lot of us "enthusiasts"), will not have that option available to them. Otherwise, I thought that a temp gate right next to Gemini would be a feasible short-term solution, until the new, large, back gate is completed with RMC Streak in 2018.

Obviously, I could be off base here in my predictions. However, they are all very well reasoned, logical, and certainly not outside the realm of possibility. We'll likely know if any of what I'm saying is happening tomorrow, when the Soak City expansion is announced. Perhaps they are going to be building a bigger, and more modern Soak City/Resort/CP back entrance gate right there in the same area the current exists, only with much easier access. I just know the current setup is not up to par with the rest of the entrances in terms of appearance or accessibility. I guess we'll all know before too long what is "afoot"! :)

DILravn said:

Where I think I am diverting from some of you here, is the extent of that attention. I believe the Soak City expansion will extend all the way to Perimeter Rd., eliminating the very small path alongside that road leading to the back entrance, and eliminating access to Cedar Point for Resort guests, or anybody parking back there to enter the park at the rear. Instead, the current back entrance will become a dedicated Soak City/Cedar Point gate, for multi-park and Platinum Pass users.

But... why? What's the benefit?

A gate for people passing between SC and CP (a minute number of guests, I would imagine, but that's beside the point) would also need to allow access to SC from the parking lot and Breakers. So under your proposal, there would be a gate that could allow access to CP (and Breakers and the beach) from the parking lot, except for an arbitrary limitation that, as far as I can tell, doesn't benefit the park in any way.

Also, why would they need to take up every last inch of land - including the sidewalk - for the SC expansion? The original SC would fit in the area where the go karts and mini golf were/are. The entire Castaway Bay water park could nearly fit in the mini golf land alone, and CB includes a water coaster, several slides, a wave pool, kids' play areas, a hot tub, and more. SC's "needs" could be accommodated while still allowing for a gate that allows access to SC/CP/the beach/Breakers from the parking lot.

I do think there could be some benefit to a 5th gate for guests staying at LHP/SS. As the crow flies, it's a longer walk to the CP/SC gate from SS and the furthest areas of LHP than it is from the very, very back of the main lot up front. It's even further away when you consider the path guests need to take to get there. So with that in mind, I do think a gate where P&D exists could be beneficial. Then again, if LHP/SS accommodations are selling out as-is, an additional gate doesn't make a whole lot of sense from an ROI perspective.

^I see your point, as far as the amount of room back there goes, and "need". However, I also think we'll see a parking lot expansion into some of that land formerly occupied by Ripcord/Go Karts, and it's possible a smaller P&D lot could emerge where Challenge Park is currently (though I think that area is perfect for SC expansion. Yes, they could maintain a newly redone entrance there, and ostensibly, eliminate the small and slightly dangerous path (due to its location right next to Perimeter Rd.) by having a new path from the newly extended parking lot to the new gate. Maybe that's what they're planning. I guess we shall see tomorrow.

I think my biggest thought prompting all of this ruminating, is that a new back entrance to the park in the area of RMC Streak, would follow their recent tradition, and also have the benefit of providing closer entrance for SS/LP guests, and encourage more normal guests to park back there, and balance out the park from its opening. However, adding that, and a new entrance near Soak City, seems a little redundant. So maybe they will just incorporate a new "back entrance" into the SC and potential parking lot expansion, and not RMC Streak. Again, time will tell.

I definitely see the benefit of both a new back gate where P&D is, and a dedicated SC entrance, from my point of view, but if you can't so be it. There are certainly other water parks that have both an outside gate, and a dedicated entrance to the amusement park they adjoin, and I simply thought there was a prime opportunity for that here, as well!

I must not be picking up what you're laying down. Was Challenge Park mini golf on the chopping block? Even if it is and Soak City takes up that space too, there's no reason the Magnum entrance needs to be restricted to Soak City guests only. There's just no reason for it.
I REALLY don't see them taking up every inch of space all the way up to the road for SC expansion without leaving a four foot strip of concrete (a sidewalk, for example) for people walking from Breakers to the Soak City parking lot or anywhere else. Taking that away and risking people walking on the road is a potential safety concern (with little kids especially).

If Rip Cord stays put they'll definitely need some sort of walkway to get there AND they'll want easy access to get there from inside the park.

Currently, that rear entrance feels like some inadvertent, back alley type of entrance. If CP isn't planning on changing its configuration and appearance at minimum, I'll be SHOCKED. Seriously, its a terrible setup currently, and this is a park that's been upgrading all of their entrances in recent years. If they don't change things at all, it would be stunning.

Now, that doesn't mean automatically they are going to eliminate access to that entrance from the resorts and regular park-goers. Certainly, they could build a bigger gate, and change the pathway to get there so it's not right beside a roadway, and meandering around and behind things awkwardly. They very well could be using the Ripcord/old Go Kart space to extend the parking lot, create a more prominent pathway, and maybe even build a better gate. I'm not saying that won't happen, as it very well could.

I just think the "reason" for making a dedicated CP/SC gate, is a bigger picture, rather than short sighted one. If CP knows they're going to build a prominent, back of the park gate by RMC Streak a year later, why make a very similar big new gate over by Soak City? Now THAT doesn't make sense to me! Rather, they would just incorporate that entrance into the newly expanded SC, and for one year either have a temp entrance near the back, or shuttle resort guests to the front gate. Planning the design of an amusement park is often like playing a game of chess, where you're making moves years in advance, to set up later years. So while making the current Soak City entrance dedicated next year may not appear to have a reason next year, placed in the context of getting a big entrance at the back of the park near their shiny new coaster DOES make it reasonable. That is what I'm suggesting. Obviously, if any part of my hunch about RMC Streak, the extended midway, and new back entrance is wrong, then of course the reason for the dedicated SC/CP entrance goes away too.

Regarding Challenge Park leaving, I simply think given the fact that part of it has been closed in recent years, and apparently, according to reports, what is there is in sad shape, many have guessed that it may be on the way out too. But perhaps it isn't. Maybe Ripcord isn't going either? Maybe the former GoKart space is all that will be expanded into. I'm not saying it's going to be more than that. All I'm suggesting, is that I think there are bigger plans afoot here, and that whole rear part of the park will be getting transformed over the next couple of years. By this time tomorrow, we may know whether I'm way off base, or onto something.

Continuing to think about my earlier note, on Tony's recent tweet that "The pieces will come together" at the announcement, along with the placement of flip-flop clues both inside and outside the park. His latest tweet today says, "I'm so excited for the future of Cedar Point." No mention of "Soak City" at all.

I realize it's not the common opinion in this thread, and I understand all of the reasons for maintaining separate gated admission for the water park. True, the announcement event is for both regular and platinum passholders, and that could indeed be seen as the "let's try the up-sell to platinum at the event." I wonder instead if it means, "Hey, all passholders will have access to Cedar Point next year, which includes this newly-expanded waterpark." An up-sell for platinum could be, and I cringe when I say this, "And a Platinum Pass gets you parking and admission to the Haunt at Halloweekends."

Please don't criticize too much. I'm just still thinking it might be a possibility. I would not be in favor of this, and as both a platinum passholder who lives nearby and a once-or-twice a season CP Resort guest, I still much prefer the separate admissions.

Even if they were to combine the parks, I hope they'd maintain some parking in the back--there are many days I want to visit the waterpark without visiting Cedar Point, and I wouldn't want to have to slop back thru the amusement park to the main lot in wet clothes.

(And park of Mean Streak getting "the axe" could be a reference to cutting an admission gate into it somewhere, in addition to the much-rumored RMC conversion.)

With CP spending many millions on its resorts, I'm holding out hope for something spectacular at Soak City. Knott's Tornado or a WhiteWater West slide complex might not get me through the gate, but a water coaster or unique slide experience certainly would.

After walking onto all the coasters at Dorney Park when the parking lot was filled to capacity, I can say that I'm a fan of a single gate. I don't think it will actually happen at CP, to maintain the waterpark's status as a resort perk.

So we have an announcement tomorrow in Soak City. Something tells me this will just be a SC expansion for 17. Why announce the MS news in SC. :(

Looks like whatever happens in the MS area will happen in 18. It just seems very odd that they would close MS early for the season if this was for 18.

I don't find it odd at all. It's happened before, at CP and other parks as well.

Has it been said that the announcement will be made in SC??

Seeing as the announcement is taking place in SC and challenge racing and skyscraper were removed last season it is almost a given it will be a SC expansion.

RCMAC said:

I don't find it odd at all. It's happened before, at CP and other parks as well.

When though?? Even with WWL, they let that go until the end of the season (2005) even though Maverick was for 07.

It would be a mistake for CP to combine Soak City with the rest of the park. Ticket prices would likely skyrocket for the general public when in reality a tiny fraction would use both parks in a day.

However I could see the water park expansion as a move to help incorporate Soak City with Cedar Point in the title of the resort. At the entrance to the causeway and on the road signs outside the park it will no longer say "Welcome to Cedar Point" but will instead say "Welcome to Cedar Point and Soak City". This could be a good marketing tool in an otherwise neglected part of the peninsula.

Also if a water coaster is added in the Soak City expansion package they could possibly include that in the "20 coasters in 2020" marketing campaign we all hope is in the works.

I see no reason they can't have a second announcement about MS, probably after the funeral. If this was a 2018 project they wouldn't need to close MS early, they would have plenty of time if they start work after the season.

Should've Gotten A B&M said:

Ticket prices would likely skyrocket for the general public when in reality a tiny fraction would use both parks in a day.

Disagree. If the parks were combined*, even though many guests would not visit Soak City, all guests would be paying for Soak City. Raising the combined park ticket price slightly could easily result in the company making more money.

*Which I'm not a fan of and don't think is going to happen.

I'm kind of perplexed. Maybe this was addressed earlier in the thread.. but if they are announcing the plans on Instagram tomorrow at 10am, what's the point of announcing the same plans at the park 8 hours later at Soak City? I'm not sure why they didn't just make the announcement on IG the same time as the in park announcement.

I was just going to mention the same thing. Unless the early announcement will tease viewers that there is more to come later in the day.

Pete said:
I see no reason they can't have a second announcement about MS, probably after the funeral. If this was a 2018 project they wouldn't need to close MS early, they would have plenty of time if they start work after the season.

I was thinking the same thing, and still hoping for the RMC MS in '17.

But it could be that the MS project is for 2018, and the early closure this year is simply to save budget.
If MS would need to close, say, in July of next year to begin construction in order to be ready for 2018, maybe they figure they don't want to spend money doing typical offseason track work etc. when it would only be open half the season next year anyway. And they could save a few bucks/logistical hassles not having to staff the ride during the postseason this year when the park is only open weekends and many employees are back to school.