SANDUSKY, Ohio -- Say goodbye to Soak City and hello to Cedar Point Shores.
Cedar Point has unleashed their 2017 plans to overhaul their water park with new "Shores" branding, more water slides, upgraded food and new merchandise locations.
Park officials confirmed the news first on Instagram Thursday morning with a series of images showing off the new water slide complex.
Here's a breakdown of the new attractions coming to Cedar Point Shores in 2017:
Point Plummet: A six-story, four-person aqua drop body slide that will simultaneously send four guests on a nearly vertical free fall when the floor drops out from under their bare feet. The four separate 400-foot-long slides will send riders through a series of flat loops and s-curves.
Starboard Surge & Portside Plunge: Located on the same structure as Point Plummet, a pair of five-story tube slides can accommodate guests riding alone or with a friend and will send them through an enclosed tunnel before shooting them out into the sun through intense drops and turns.
Lakeslide Landing: A new family splashground with 12 kid-sized water slides that line the perimeter of a zero-depth entry pool, giving kids their own mini water thrills while parents can relax under shade structures and enjoy an oversized lounge and sun deck area.
Mobile users can see Cedar Point Shores image renderings HERE.
PHOTOS | Cedar Point Shores: Water park overhaul for 2017
All other slides and attractions at the current Soak City park will receive makeovers, too, with most receiving new names to highlight the Lake Erie beachside location.
Other additions coming when Cedar Point Shores opens in May 2017 include:
- A new main entrance.
- A new poolside bar.
- New family changing / shower areas.
- Updated cabanas at the wave pool that offer free Wi-Fi, charging stations, ceiling fans, TVs and dedicated food / beverage service.
- More lounge chairs.
- More shade.
- Improved landscaping.
- Unobstructed views of Lake Erie.
The headlining restaurant at Cedar Point Shores will be Crystal Rock Cafe. Park officials say the menu includes fresh-baked flat breads with options such as caprese or buffalo mac & cheese; farm stand salad options like crispy chicken BLT, Asian chicken and chicken Caesar; pesto-glazed grilled chicken sandwiches; fresh-breaded chicken tenders; cheeseburgers; bratwurst; waffle fries; tater tots and more.
Rumors of a water park expansion were circulating for months since Cedar Point demolished two up-charge attractions near Soak City earlier this year: Skyscraper and Challenge racing go-karts. This newly cleared land around Magnum's coaster footprint offered up fresh space for the new watery additions.
This expansion marks the first significant change to Cedar Point's water park since 2012 when the Dragster H2O racing slides debuted.
Cedar Point is hosting a water park party to celebrate the upgrades from 6-8 p.m. Thursday night. At the event, which is being held at Soak City, season passholders can snatch up free food, live entertainment, late slide times and special discounts on 2017 season passes.
Soak City charges a separate admission from entry to Cedar Point.
Meanwhile, Cedar Point announced last month that the Mean Streak wooden roller coaster will get “the axe” Sept. 16. Officials remain mum about what will take Mean Streak’s spot. Popular belief is that Mean Streak will become a wood-steel hybrid from the Rocky Mountain Construction company, which is known for their revolutionary coaster designs like Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.
Cedar Point has also made no comment regarding future development for the Frontier Trail land once occupied by the shuttered Shoot the Rapids ride. You can see photos of Shoot the Rapids in action HERE.
Last month, Kings Island, a sister park of Cedar Point located near Cincinnati, dished the dirt on their 2017 plans to build a new wooden coaster known as Mystic Timbers. The park also made their second "major announcement" to reveal Winterfest is returning to the park.
