Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort

[LenexatoKCMO]

they should wait until it is complete before garnering all sorts of bad will through such a rushed "opening." 

I don't know for certain but I would wager money that they don't have a choice and are under an obligation to "open" this year - either to their banker or to the county.  I know it isn't the popular opnion around here, but personally I am impressed that they have gotten as far as they have given the fact that they were late starting and the state has completely screwed them around on well over half the funding for the project.  I am pretty confident that the Schlitterbahn folks will continue building this thing out steadily until its on the scale with the rest of their projects.  The reason it is still "surrounded by dirt" and construction equipment is that they are actively working on the areas they will be expanding into all around this initial core.  Personally I think what they have done looks pretty high quality.  That water coaster thing looks like a blast. 

Of course none of this means much on a site where the majority of folks have been predisposed to hate the project from day one if for no other reason than its address. 

[KCMax]

wait, it costs $20 to get into an completely unfinished, dirt-covered water park? 

what an unbelievably stupid move.  they should wait until it is complete before garnering all sorts of bad will through such a rushed "opening." 

I don't get this at all either. They should be going around town, working with radio stations, giving out tons of "free passes" to try it out and generate excitement for it. Then maybe charge reduced prices until the thing is complete. Why the hell would you want to go to an unfinished water park when we have a perfectly good finished park in town that has a more competitive price?

[KCPowercat]

Ironic.

Its a slide tower surrounded by dirt and it shouldn't be questioned?  Sounds more like a free pass given its location by some.

We should go back to just worrying about empty storefronts downtown.

[KCMax]

Photos here:

http://www.kansascity.com/938/gallery/1310745.html

It looks about as nice as an unfinished park can look, but it still looks unfinished. Waterslide past the construction vehicles!

There is also a huge "Schlitterbarn Sucks" billboard near the park, paid for by disgruntled local unions.

[kcmetro]

Photos here:

http://www.kansascity.com/938/gallery/1310745.html

It looks about as nice as an unfinished park can look, but it still looks unfinished. Waterslide past the construction vehicles!

There is also a huge "Schlitterbarn Sucks" billboard near the park, paid for by disgruntled local unions.

Looks like it opened with a BANG!  4 people from Salina. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

Ironic.

Its a slide tower surrounded by dirt and it shouldn't be questioned?  Sounds more like a free pass given its location by some.

They have five slides, a water coaster, a kiddie area, three beaches, a floating river, and an adult pool bar.  If you substitute water coaster for monsoon, that almost identically matches the total attraction offerings in 25+ years of expansion at OoF.  The difference is that they are just getting started here.  

[KCPowercat]

And I am excited for their entire plans...doesn't mean right now they are above questions......

[dangerboy]

If I were Oceans of Fun I would be marketing myself like crazy, but I haven't noticed any extra noise from OoF.

[LenexatoKCMO]

And I am excited for their entire plans...doesn't mean right now they are above questions......

Above questions absolutely not, but this has been nothing but outright derision.  

Three months ago we thought they would have nothing built but they seem to have managed to match pretty much every single offering at OoF - actually I am counting one more slide at Schlitt.  And this is just is just the first phase.  I would call that pretty remarkable. 

[kcmetro]

If I were Oceans of Fun I would be marketing myself like crazy, but I haven't noticed any extra noise from OoF.

They probably don't want to waste money hyping an attraction that will be closed within 3 years.

[KCPowercat]

I am no OOF fan but it is 10x the park that this place is currently.
It is impressive they actually got something open this summer, no doubt.

[KCMax]

I am no OOF fan but it is 10x the park that this place is currently.
It is impressive they actually got something open this summer, no doubt.

I share your skepticism, but its hard to say that without actually seeing the park, isn't it?

[LenexatoKCMO]

I am no OOF fan but it is 10x the park that this place is currently.

In what way?  By having one less slide?  I would grant that the kiddie area at OoF looks a bit more impressive and the one big wave pool kind of outshines the three small ones but the the Schlitt river clearly blows away the dinky one at OoF and I would wager that the water coaster will be a hell of a lot more fun than the monsoon.  If you line up the attractions its really remarkably similar offerings . . . almost like they may have been intentionally matching everything OoF had in phase 1 . . .

[KCPowercat]

Like I said I am no oof fan or expert...just LOOK at the two.  A state fair might have as many rides as wof, does that make them equal?  Nice lazy river but its surrounded by dirt and construction equipment...without the atmosphere a lazy river might as well be a drainage ditch...come on.

Hey, you are a big fan, possibly an investor, in the new schlit....I am hoping for big things for you...for me, they aren't comparable right now from the pics I see....now eventually I think they will blow oof out of the water (bad pun) if they can raise the funds....right now they look more like great wolfe lodge.

That water coaster does look awesome.

[im2kull]

Exactly,
With Comparable Rides...

20+ Years of operating blows a field full of mud, kids, and water...out of the water.  Hands down.  Imagine the circus when the reports start pouring in of people wandering around Schiltterbahn getting nails stuck through their feet!  This is going to be better than I thought!

[cityscape]

OOF certainly didn't open up with all the rides they have now and I imagine that with in two more years Schlitterbahn will have more rides that OOF and be more of a destination draw than OOF.  Take it for what it is now, it's a first phase opening so yes there's going to be construction equipment and visable dirt.  If you don't think the rides look fun then go to OOF and enjoy paying for parking & tubes and walking forever to go from one ride to the next.  At Schlitt you can just ride the river to the next ride and not have to get out or stand in lines (seems like a brilliant idea to me).

[KCPowercat]

Well if that isn't a balanced unbiased review, not sure what is

[phxcat]

If I were Oceans of Fun I would be marketing myself like crazy, but I haven't noticed any extra noise from OoF.

If I were OOF I would gt myself absorbed by WOF and (assuming the owners of WOF would put in the investment) become a more national class attraction, rather than two local/regional ones.

As for the unfinished quality, and not having seen it, I would think that, as long as you can see the equipment when you go, and be secure in the knowledge that it is a work in progress, people will not have a major problem with it.  Now, if it were just the rides with no landscaping and no indication there ever would be, that would be a problem.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Personally I think the surrounding earth works and heavy equipment are reassuring.  If they were moving all the construction equipment off and planting grass over the area surrounding phase 1, I would be much less bullish on their future and assume that it might be a long time before we see further enhancement.  Seems reassuring that they still appear to have some further momentum even without the STAR money.

[KCPowercat]

You think they will add much more w/o county help?