Water park hours for fall and 2017
We continue to get lots of questions about when our new
water park will close for the season.
We appreciate everyone’s patience as we discover what works
best during Sandy Harbor’s first year of operation and want to give you a peek
at some of the factors that are considered when determining the water park’s
fall schedule.
Sandy Harbor, which debuted Memorial Day weekend, boasts a
705-foot Adventure (lazy) River, Drop Zone, The Tube, Splash Zone and other
features.
While most water parks along the Grand Strand shut down
after Labor Day, we’ve worked hard to treat our guests by extending the season
as long as we can. The water park has operated under “hours as posted” since
the day after Labor Day, with the hours being set a week in advance.
Many factors influence whether the water park can stay open
as we head into fall - weather is just one of them.
Finding certified lifeguards is another reason water parks
typically close at Labor Day. Most of the lifeguards who work all summer are
high school and college students who head back to class as the traditional
summer season wraps up.
That makes finding certified lifeguards a challenge after
Labor Day. Because of the caliber of our slides and other water park features,
we are required by the state to have a certain number of certified lifeguards
working for the park to open. We simply are not going to operate the water park
without the certified lifeguards. With those lifeguards in short supply after
Labor Day, that creates a challenge.
“Safety is our top priority,” said Lance Thompson, General
Manager and Vice President of Ocean Lakes Family Campground. “We love to see
our guests so excited about this new amenity and want everyone to have the
chance to experience it in a safe environment.”
Our team has worked hard to recruit, train and schedule
certified lifeguards to keep the water park open beyond Labor Day – and has
been successful in extending that season well into September so far.
We will continue to post water park hours every week as they
are set, until the park shuts down for the off-season. Through Sept. 23, water
park hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. But don’t forget our outdoor and indoor pools
stay open until 9 p.m.! After 6 p.m., guests can enjoy the pools but won’t have
access to the slides, Adventure (lazy) River and other features of the water
park.
Thank you for your patience.
Sandy Harbor hours
for 2017
With a season of operating Sandy Harbor under our belt,
we’re already preparing for next year.
Here’s a guide for when the water park will open and close
in 2017:
Easter | Our
water park will be open for the big Easter crowds April 14 through April 16,
then will shut down until May.
May | Starting
May 1, the water park will be open on the weekends only with “hours as posted.”
Summer | Our
water park will open full time Memorial Day Weekend and continue through Labor
Day.
Fall 2017 | Our
water park will stay open under “hours as posted” through Sept. 30.
