Adventure Bay changes rules and prices to combat sagging attendance

Windsor's Adventure Bay is making several changes to pricing and policy Friday in an effort to win customers back and increase sagging attendance.

For the first time since the City of Windsor's water park opened three years ago, adults who aren't interested in getting wet will not have to pay the full admission price.

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Manager Jen Knights says the Land Lover fee is $5 for a full day or $2 after 4 p.m.

"We've had a lot of feedback from guests that often people like to come and sit and read a book or just enjoy the water park environment," she explained. "But that paying the full admission rate, which has been past practice, is a little bit cost-prohibitive, and certainly pricing is something that people bring forward concerns about on a regular basis."

Under the new rules, adults will be able to bring more kids into the park and regulations that required 10 and 11-year-olds to be within arms reach at all times are being relaxed, Knights added.

"We have a lot of families that join us that may have a lot of kids, and in the past, our admission requirements were a bit more stringent than we think they need to be," she said."If everyone's splashing around in shallow water, having everyone stand side-by-side with a parent isn't necessary, plus it's also not a lot of fun."

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The water parkwill also offer short-term memberships for March Break and summer holidays.

The number of paying customers at the Adventure Bay dropped by 43 per cent from its first year of operation to its third.

Adventure Bay attendance by the numbers:

Year 1: 184,000

Year 2: 128,000

Year 3: 105,000