It is that time of year again in Cape Coral.
Residents and visitors can throw on their swimsuits and head over to Sun Splash Family Waterpark for a wet day of fun and sun, weather permitting.
The park at 400 Santa Barbara Blvd. opens its doors to the public today for the 2010 season. Manager Sandra Greiner said the park provides a place of fun for all ages in a safe environment at a great value, especially with the cost savings the “Early Bird” option offers on season passes.
“This is a great value this year with the Early Bird passes, so it’s a fantastic value for the family,” she said, adding that Sun Splash is a five-star aquatic park in terms of safety. “We have one of the safest water parks around.”
Sun Splash has more than 14 acres of tubes, tunnels, slides and pools. Relax on the Main Stream River Ride, let the children play at the Tot Spot or soak up the sun is a poolside lounge chair. The Calypso Cafe features food and drinks.
For more excitement, test out of the park’s high-speed slides including the Cape Fear, the Fun-L-Tunnel, the Zoom Flume or the 457-foot Electric Slide and Power Surge. Visitors can free fall 5-1/2 stories down one of the speed slides, including the Thunder Bump, the Terror Tube and the X-celerator.
Sun Splash also offers swimming classes, summer camps, community safety programs and water safety awareness throughout the season. For details on scheduling and program pricing, visit online at: www.sunsplashwaterpark.com .
According to Greiner, several improvements have been made to the park to provide visitors with a more enjoyable experience. A new wheelchair and stroller walkway was installed that extends from the Cape Fear drop pool to the Electric Slide and Power Surge.
“You had to go all the way through the water park to get through to the other side,” Greiner said, adding that people now do not have to make their way through all the foot traffic. “They won’t be going through all the slides and everything with all the crowds.”
A new “Snack Stop” is located next to the main entrance and offers candy, popcorn, bottled water and other quick snacks and drinks for purchase. This will save visitors time from having to stand in line at the Calypso Cafe when they simply want something quick and easy, Greiner explained.
“You can still get snacks at the cafe, of course,” she said.
The seating area at the cafe has been extended with additional picnic tables to accommodate an increase in birthday parties and the lunch rush. The park also offers new options for birthday parties and group meals or catering.
Greiner said the most noticeable change is cosmetic.
“We’ve redone quite a bit. Everything is colorful now,” she said, adding that one thing is the picnic tables have been painted. “It just looks really pretty. It just looks more like a fun park.”
During the Early Bird time period, which runs through April 11, season passes may be purchased for $20 less than their regular price. Also, extra cameras, printers and staff will be in place to sell the season passes during this time.
For Cape residents, the regular cost of a season pass is $79 for adults ages 13 and older and $74 for children ages 2-12. Seniors ages 60 and older are $69, and a family of two is $119 with each additional household member $69. For non-resident pricing, add $20 to the pass price listed for a Cape citizen.
New this season, an unlimited season parking sticker is available to season pass holders for $19.95 plus tax. The daily rate for pass holders is $2.
According to Greiner, other enhancements have been made to the benefits available for season pass holders. Some are a special season pass entry line with a swipe machine for easier park access and exclusive discounts when a pass is swiped, such as 15 percent off at the Calypso Cafe.
“When you buy a pass now you actually can just scan it coming in,” she said. “So we’ve actually made it easier for people who buy the passes. Before you had to show your pass and wait in line.”
Pass holders also have the ability to place money on a pass in advance for use on food, beverages and merchandise. Greiner explained that parents can give the pass to their child and the child can buy a drink without the parents having to give the child money or accompany the child.
“A lot of technology improvements,” she said.
The daily admission cost for Cape residents is $12.95 for adults age 13 and older and $10.95 for children ages 2-12. Seniors age 60 and older are $7.95, and the price is $6 for all ages on Family Fun Night. After 2 p.m., the cost is $9.95 for an adult and $7.95 for a child.
For non-resident pricing, add $2 to the price listed for a Cape citizen, except on Family Fun Night and for seniors. Non-resident seniors pay $8.95, only $1 more than Cape residents, and non-residents pay $8 on Family Fun Night, only $2 more than Cape residents. The Family Fun Night pricing applies to all ages.
The daily parking rates are $5 for cars, $8 for RVs and $3 for trailers.
Orientation for park staff was held last weekend, according to Greiner. The nearly 200 employees cleaned up the grounds and the rides, as well as set up the lounge chairs and lifeguard seats. In the off-season, the sound system at the park was replaced and repairs were made to some of the slides.
“Since they shut down last season, they have been preparing,” she said of reopening Sun Splash. “There were things that had to be repaired. Whatever we needed to get done.”
The park is open: Today, March 28, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; April 1-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Sunday; April 12-June 15, 5-9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; June 16-Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Sunday; and Aug. 23-Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
For more information, call 574-0558 or visit: www.sunsplashwaterpark.com.