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Zachary

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Sep 23, 2009
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This likely isn't the first time you've heard about problems at Soak City's Big Wave Bay. Kings Dominion's other wave pool has sat unused for much of this season after rumors surfaced claiming that something big went very wrong with it earlier this year.

I don't want to comment on what exactly happened, but I will say that if the rumors I've heard are true, it's pretty serious. Some of these rumors have even claimed that, due to the severity of the issue and the undertaking that would be required to fix it, Kings Dominion is currently pondering cutting its losses and completely replacing their second wave pool with an entirely new type of attraction in the next year or two.

Could this be KD's Project 2020...?
 
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Well, with Tornado gone 2 years now and Big Wave Bay closed this season, it feels like a water park expansion could be coming. I've stated in previous threads that the water park was due for expansion. And it was one of my top three possibilities for 2020.

The wave pools and lazy river take 9-10 lifeguards each to staff them. With the wave pools, the park needs deep water certified guards to staff them. I am not saying a staffing shortage is the only reason for closing that attraction.

That wave pool is about 22-23 years old. It has been know to have issues with the wave mechanics. The tsunami wave rumor is BS. The NO to poor wave making was an issue; especially on the left side (as you face the pool). The pool leak(s) rumor is a possibility as well.

As with most things, the technology and engineering has evolved over the years to improve the reliability, operations, and maintenance. That includes the materials to build stuff. That would cover wave pools.

There are so many factors that could have made KD to chose to keep Big Wave Bay closed.
  • Staffing
  • Leaking
  • Wave mechanics - (outdated/obsolete, spare parts scarce/not available)
  • Land underneath pool has shifted/settled causing cracking of pool walls/floor
  • Water filtration system - (outdated/obsolete, spare parts scarce/not available)
  • Operating/maintenance costs
The wave pool pump house is designed around the wave mechanics and water filtration system. If one or both were failing and new systems don't fit the existing space, seems some major demo and re-construction is due.

I wonder if the park will replace it with another wave pool; an activity pool like some other CF parks have (most have a "wet" swim-up bar for alcoholic drinks). Those pools are only 3-4 foot deep, so the park would not need to staff it with deep-water certified lifeguards.

Course, a couple new slide towers could be built in the wave pool's spot.
 
^I am 100% in favor of a swim-up bar. That and a new better lazy river would be nice. Also some kind of gimmick raft slide to replace Tornado. They could do a clone of the tower at Carolina Harbor with the bowl and the wave.
 
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^I would love that but Cedar Fair has never built one of those ever...…….I'd be shocked if this was the first year they do it and they do it at KD.
 
I guess this confirms Volcano replacement won't be until 2021 at the earliest.
 
I mean honestly if the decision to close and remove it did not happen until February at the latest then there's no way they could get a replacement lined up that fast. With how many new coasters are essentially "confirmed" this year I feel like almost everybody is booked and I have to imagine a 15 month turnaround for a great attraction to put in that location would not really work out.
 
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To be fair... wouldn’t that turnaround time be equally tight if Big Wave’s demise was as sudden and unexpected as rumored?
 
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