Soak City is the water park at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. Sprawling across 35 acres, the park offers more than 50 water attractions including 36 slides, two wave pools, a lazy river, and multiple children’s play areas — all included with a standard Kings Island admission ticket. It is operated by Six Flags, which acquired Cedar Fair (the previous owner) in 2024.
The park opened in 1989 under the name WaterWorks as a 12-acre attraction featuring 15 water slides and a lazy river. Over more than three decades it grew dramatically, passing through two additional name changes — Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay (2004) and Boomerang Bay (2007) — before a $10 million renovation rebranded it as Soak City for the 2012 season. Continued investment, including the 2016 addition of the towering Tropical Plunge slide complex and the 2025 debut of RiverRacers, Ohio’s first dual-racing water coaster, has kept the park among the most visited water parks in the Midwest.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Mason, Ohio (Kings Island)
- Opened: 1989 (as WaterWorks)
- Current Name Since: 2012
- Size: 35 acres
- Water Slides: 36
- Wave Pools: 2 (Surfside Bay and Tidal Wave Bay)
- Owner/Operator: Six Flags
- Included With: Kings Island general admission
Attractions and Signature Slides
Soak City’s headliner is Tropical Plunge, a multi-tower slide complex added in 2016 that rises nearly seven stories above the park and packages six distinct slide experiences into a single structure. The park’s two wave pools — Surfside Bay, a 600,000-gallon pool added in 1997, and Tidal Wave Bay, added during the 2012 expansion — give guests ample room to body-surf or simply float. A lazy river, originally called Kings Mills Run and later renamed Splash River, winds through the park for a more relaxed experience. Five themed children’s play areas round out the offering for younger guests.
In 2025 Kings Island added RiverRacers, billed as the first dual-racing water coaster in Ohio, alongside Splash River Junction — a children’s zone featuring seven gentle Salamander Slider rides and Bluegill Lagoon, a reimagined swimming-hole area complete with a leaky water tower. The additions brought the total water activity count past 50 and underscored the park’s pattern of steady, multi-year investment.
History and Growth
WaterWorks debuted in 1989 as the first new themed area added to Kings Island since 1976, costing roughly $4 million and covering 12 acres. An early expansion in 1990 brought the park to 15 acres and added a 700-foot family raft ride. The most transformative single expansion came in 1997 when the park nearly doubled to about 30 acres and gained its first wave pool. A corporate tie-in with the Crocodile Dundee franchise briefly renamed the park in 2004 before that branding was quietly dropped in 2007.
The 2011–2012 renovation under Cedar Fair, which cost $10 million, gave Soak City its current name, a redesigned entrance, a revamped lazy river, and a second wave pool. The 2016 Tropical Plunge addition pushed the footprint to its current 35 acres. Through six different names and owners — from Taft Broadcasting (the original park developer) through Cedar Fair to Six Flags — the water park has operated continuously for more than 35 years alongside the main Kings Island park.
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Soak City Kings Island FAQs
Is Soak City included with Kings Island admission?
Yes. Soak City is included at no extra charge with all standard Kings Island day tickets and season passes, making it one of the best-value water parks in the region.
What is the biggest water slide at Soak City?
Tropical Plunge, added in 2016, is the park’s most prominent structure — a multi-tower complex nearly seven stories tall housing six different slide experiences. RiverRacers, opened in 2025, is also notable as Ohio’s first dual-racing water coaster.
When did Soak City at Kings Island open, and what was it originally called?
The water park opened in 1989 under the name WaterWorks. It was later renamed Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay (2004), then Boomerang Bay (2007), before becoming Soak City in 2012.
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Photo by Jatman 0007 on Pexels.