1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[chron] Schlitterbahn ready to make waves in Galveston

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Faos, Apr 21, 2006.

Tags:
Page 1 of 2
  1. Faos

    Faos Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2003
    Messages:
    15,370
    Likes Received:
    53
    link

    Schlitterbahn ready to make waves in Galveston

    By SYD KEARNEY
    Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

    GALVESTON — This story is going to be short because as soon as I type the final word, I'm free to put on my swimsuit and join the fun.

    A week before Saturday's grand opening of Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, I'm watching — and watching is the operative word — a lot of other folks have fun. Kids are testing their surf skills on bodyboards, teens are speeding down soaring body slides, and a lot of moms and dad-types are chilled out on chaise longues.

    Yes, this definitely is going to be a short story.

    Many Houstonians are familiar with Schlitterbahn, which began in 1979 with four slides on the banks of New Braunfels' Comal River. The Hill Country-based company also has a water park on South Padre Island.

    The Galveston park offers all the family-friendly amenities of its sister parks — free parking, free inner tubes, and it's cool to bring your own cooler (no glass or alcohol). But it's unique in that it will be open year-round.

    Some 70,000 square feet of the 26.4-acre park is climate-controlled, which doesn't mean it will be a cool 70 degrees in August. It does mean Wasserfest, as this portion of the park is called, will be toasty in January. Or, as Schlitterbahn spokesman Melissa White likes to say, "It's always 85 degrees at Schlitterbahn."

    Wasserfest has been open weekends for about a month. Saturday marks the opening of Surfenburg, home of the park's larger attractions and rides, including a wave lagoon, raft rides and its signature uphill water coasters.

    Connecting it all are three waterways that make up the park's "transportainment" system. Meandering for nearly a mile, the interconnected rivers feature rapids that gently propel visitors around the park and on to the next attraction.

    Schlitterbahn general manager Ron Sutula explains that the river system will keep congestion down on the park's busiest days. (Too, it's easier on the feet than a hot sidewalk.)

    One week out from its grand opening, Sutula says he expects the park to draw visitors from as far away as Dallas and Louisiana. Park capacity is 7,000, and during the summer it will employ 500.

    "(The park) is great for the island," says Sutula, who most recently worked for Universal Orlando in Florida.

    Next door to the lush Moody Gardens, Schlitterbahn's landscaping is more mature than you'd expect for a new project. That's thanks to the 400 mature palms that were imported from a defunct Florida water park. Oversize palapas offer a tropical feel, as well as provide shade.

    I could go on and on about the abundance of play areas for little folks (there are five by my count) or the pool-size hot tub with swim-up bar, but there's a lounge chair under a palapa with my name written all over it.

    The End.
     
    #1 Faos, Apr 21, 2006
  2. MadMax

    MadMax Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 1999
    Messages:
    76,683
    Likes Received:
    25,924
    man, that's great news.
     
    #2 MadMax, Apr 21, 2006
  3. finalsbound

    finalsbound Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2000
    Messages:
    12,333
    Likes Received:
    927
    Sounds awesome. I remember last time I was in Galveston a few months ago, I went to Moody Gardens and noticed a fairly creepy looking waterpark that I thought was abandoned, but lo and behold, it was on it's way to becoming a Schiltterbahn.

    I'm obviously not in Galveston enough. I'll be going often this summer though, Sea Wall and Schlitterbahn sounds like a fun time to me. :)
     
    #3 finalsbound, Apr 21, 2006
  4. ClutchCityReturns

    ClutchCityReturns Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2005
    Messages:
    13,446
    Likes Received:
    2,710
    Just in time for hurricane season. Hope it doesn't suffer a direct hit...
     
    #4 ClutchCityReturns, Apr 21, 2006
  5. MadMax

    MadMax Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 1999
    Messages:
    76,683
    Likes Received:
    25,924
    watch out for bird flu, too

    [​IMG]
     
    #5 MadMax, Apr 21, 2006
  6. finalsbound

    finalsbound Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2000
    Messages:
    12,333
    Likes Received:
    927
    LAWL.

    Hi Debbie!
     
    #6 finalsbound, Apr 21, 2006
  7. Faos

    Faos Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2003
    Messages:
    15,370
    Likes Received:
    53

    Great comeback.

    I can't imagine trying to go there this summer. It'll be packed. On the other had, it'll be MILF city.
     
    #7 Faos, Apr 21, 2006
  8. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2002
    Messages:
    57,800
    Likes Received:
    41,240
    We were all set to buy season passes early (cheaper if you buy them before the season starts), which we've done before, but we found out that now they are only good for the parks you buy them for. Before, season passes were good at all Schlitterbahn parks. They got greedy, and it ticks me off. Needless to say, we blew off doing it. (we live in Austin, but frequently travel to Houston/Clear Lake/Galveston to see friends and relatives)

    Major bummer, but otherwise it's great that one is in Galveston. Look forward to going... just won't go to the parks as much as we would have.
     
    #8 Deckard, Apr 21, 2006
  9. A-Train

    A-Train Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2000
    Messages:
    15,997
    Likes Received:
    39
    A year round season pass is $200!! Screw that...
     
    #9 A-Train, Apr 21, 2006
  10. Castor27

    Castor27 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2001
    Messages:
    10,199
    Likes Received:
    1,634
    Me and the wife and kids are packing up the family truckster and heading that way in June. I'm really looking forward to it after reading that article.
     
    #10 Castor27, Apr 21, 2006
  11. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    48,984
    Likes Received:
    1,445
    Dude, Rockets/Astros/beer get together, man! Don't make me come to Austin. :)
     
    #11 Rocketman95, Apr 21, 2006
  12. macalu

    macalu Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2002
    Messages:
    16,942
    Likes Received:
    836
    besides the color, pollution, and smell of galveston waters, what's the big deal about having a water park?
     
    #12 macalu, Apr 21, 2006
  13. Drewdog

    Drewdog Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2000
    Messages:
    6,099
    Likes Received:
    7
    Wow thats great news. My dad just bought a beach house on the bay down there and we were planning on going over Memorial Day weekend with my Cousins and stuff.

    Should be fun, and is a BIG asset for Galveston!
     
    #13 Drewdog, Apr 21, 2006
  14. Coach AI

    Coach AI Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    7,992
    Likes Received:
    849
    Thinking about going this weekend, but isn't this the Beach Party thing?

    It'll be hell to navigate the closed/blocked off roads and traffic around the island.
     
    #14 Coach AI, Apr 21, 2006
  15. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2001
    Messages:
    37,618
    Likes Received:
    1,456
    WTF. How can it be "year-round"???

    If you're a Polar Bear like Cosmo Kramer, I'll see you there in JANUARY, A-t.
     
    #15 SwoLy-D, Apr 21, 2006
  16. gucci888

    gucci888 Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    17,227
    Likes Received:
    6,573
    The fact that families of Houston now have a reason to actually go to Galveston.
     
    #16 gucci888, Apr 21, 2006
  17. ClutchCityReturns

    ClutchCityReturns Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2005
    Messages:
    13,446
    Likes Received:
    2,710
    In the article it states that a 70,000 acre section of the park will be "climate controlled". It won't regulate during the hot months, but will heat up the park during the "winter" months. Thus, "year-round".
     
    #17 ClutchCityReturns, Apr 22, 2006
  18. Two Sandwiches

    Two Sandwiches Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2002
    Messages:
    23,136
    Likes Received:
    15,078
    I hate to be a grammar Nazi, but Square foot.*


    70,000 climate controlled acres is just :eek:



    ;) :)
     
    #18 Two Sandwiches, Apr 22, 2006
  19. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2002
    Messages:
    57,800
    Likes Received:
    41,240
    LOL! Cohen has tried to get together with me (as well as a couple of other folks who are some of my favorite people here), and we live in the same neighborhood. (pretty positive about that one, although it's a damned big neighborhood) I freely admit to having "issues" about maintaining what privacy I have. I know it's rediculous... not rediculous in general, but rediculous in the few instances I'm talking about, based on what I know through the BBS. I hope to get over it. It's a work in progress. That sounds great, RM95. Hopefully, we can do that sometime, or I can go to one of the get-togethers, if the planets are aligned.

    Not to change the subject, lol, but when are you going to get back into D&D? There's this rookie I'm dyin' to see you interact with. The guy's averaging about 28 posts per day, and his political positions are rather unique. I can't attempt to describe them, or this would go straight to D&D, and that's not a joke.

    Besides, you'd clean the place up! ;)
     
    #19 Deckard, Apr 22, 2006
  20. Kam

    Kam Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2002
    Messages:
    30,476
    Likes Received:
    1,322
    theres suppose to be a retractable roof.
     
    #20 Kam, Apr 22, 2006
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page