Like its sister attractions Kennywood and Idlewild & SoakZone, Sandcastle will open earlier than usual this season.
On Friday, the water park in West Homestead announced opening day is May 21 — a week prior to the traditional Memorial Day weekend start.
Kennywood opens April 16 and Idlewild on May 7.
“We decided to open Sandcastle earlier, too” said Nick Paradise, director of corporate communications for Palace Entertainment, which operates the three parks. “There are times the weather is good before Memorial Day weekend.”
It wasn’t so good Friday. Temperatures were in the 30s. It was windy with occasional snow showers.
“What better day to think about summer than on a cold, wet and miserable day,” assistant general manager Ricky Spicuzza said. “We can’t wait for guests to experience this energetic version of Sandcastle. It is unlike anything our city has seen before.”
Sandcastle season pass holders will be given early entry that first day. They will notice a facelift of the park, including the boardwalk, with new signage and lighting, and freshly painted food stands located not far from the Monongahela River.
“We really wanted to elevate the boardwalk,” Paradise said. “The lights give more ability to be open later hours to host evening events.”
New this year is the Sandbox, a 2,000-square-foot dedicated play area that is perfect for building sand sculptures, Paradise said. There will be chairs nearby where parents can relax while their children play.
The landscape throughout has been decorated with flowers and ornamental grass. Every waterslide has been repainted. Sandcastle has 16 waterslides, two large pools, Lazy River and two children’s areas. Lazy River, which has in past years been delayed in opening because of maintenance issues with flooding, is expected to be ready on time, Spicuzza said
Palace Entertainment has committed a multimillion-dollar investment into improvements for the water park, Paradise said, marking the biggest transformation since the park opened in 1989.
The announcement came on April Fools’ Day, but it wasn’t a joke, Sandcastle posted on Facebook.
Kennywood in West Mifflin and Sandcastle also will introduce a ride that wasn’t available last year. Celebrating 125 years in 2023, Kennywood is bringing back the beloved Kangaroo. Sandcastle will debut the much-anticipated Bombs Away water slide.
Bombs Away is planned to launch in early June, Spicuzza said. It’s the newest slide in the 10 years since the opening of the Dragon’s Den. The free-fall body slide is described as having “riders step into an enclosed launch capsule. The floor vanishes, dropping riders 26 feet per second down 300 feet of water.”
A Bombs Away burger is made of Wagu beef with a fun twist on the toppings to honor the new slide.
All three parks will have operating days into mid-September.
This will the park’s longest season, Spicuzza said. He said they realize that in the past, some days before Memorial Day and after Labor Day are often warm, and that played into the decision to open early and stay open longer.
“Warm days are coming,” he said. “They really are. Spend those summer days here, at Sandcastle.”
