I am! How cranky were you to awaken to another wintery mix this morning? Rather than sleep in dreading to going outside, I jumped out of bed at 6:00 am to get ready for work. Hopefully you’ll be excited as I am - in only 90 days it will be Season Pass Preview Weekend! Can you believe that the 2008 season is right around the corner? Don’t worry, I already have several surprises waiting for current and future Season Pass Holders. You’ll have to check back to the website for those updates in the near future.



So back to being a CASTLE Fanatic. I know there are tons of us fanatics out there. Do you live each day just waiting for the 11 am “Good Morning Sandcastle, Surf’s Up” song. Do you drive past Sandcastle on Eighth Avenue and look over at your favorite Waterpark covered in snow and wish the Wave Pool siren just went off to start another wave cycle. Do you drive past the front gate every time you visit the Waterfront just to see if the sign reads “Sandcastle’s Open?” Did you ever consider getting the Sandcastle logo as a tattoo? OK, I know that is a bit extreme, but CASTLE fanatics take this type of thing seriously.



If you are a CASTLE fanatic or know someone who is, I’d enjoy hearing your story. You never know, maybe we’ll plan a fanatic’s day this season. See you in June!



Scott – Guest Service

It’s that time of the year again when I start to think about the warmer days of spring. The springtime is much more that just warmer weather and flowers growing here at the park. It’s that time of year when the park begins to transform from a cold, lonely place into a vibrant park again with workers putting the place back together (after the floods). I love this season because it means summer is just around the corner and the long winter is a distant memory. It’s not that I don’t like seeing the same few guys who work here with me all winter long, but its great to see the returning Team Members faces again, who where away at school or have different winter jobs. It’s amazing how year after year the Team Members come back to Sandcastle and pick up their friendships just as if a day had not passed. For myself, many of the friends I have today are ones I made while working here as a lifeguard during college. They have all moved on to other careers but I chose to make this water park my career. If you want to be part of our team, “a cool summer job”, make great friends, money, and memories then come for a relaxed interview starting March 8th. Hours for applications/interviews are Saturdays from 9 am - 2 pm and weekdays 3:30 - 5:30 pm. College students and adults may interview starting March 8. High School students may interview starting March 15. All of Sandcastle’s interviews are held at Kennywood. We aren’t just looking for school students, we love having adults too. Many of our Supervisors are teachers who love working at the park during summer break. Join our team and make a new memory!

Bruce

You may notice that the blog page has a new layout. We have condensed the blogger comments into a special designated area. Simply select the "click to view" link under each blog posting for a complete listing of blogger comments on each subject.

This will allow our guests to find the blog that they would like to comment on more easily.

Thank you faithful bloggers, we are looking forward to the new and exciting blog subjects that you have to contribute.

As the Sandcastle Food and Beverage Manager, I have the challenging task of coming up with new, inventive, and tasty food items for our Boardwalk each year. From the Philly Steak Sandwich to the Italian Panini, every option gets tested (and tasted!) until we get it right. Some ideas are shining stars- like the healthy hut salads- and some fizzle out- like the deep fried Twinkies.

For 2008, I'm turning the tables and letting our blog readers toss out some suggestions for food items this coming season. So give it your best shot- be the Sandcastle Food and Beverage Manager for a few minutes! Let me know what you think would work on the Boardwalk....and I'll start testing (and tasting!).

We hold lots of positions; supervisors, sales advisors, technicians, and electricians,
We're HR's, PR's, GR's and must be magicians,
We're lifeguards, security guards, we're Soak the Vote politicians,
We advertise, we actualize; we're always on a mission.

We love our blogs, but have little time for composition,
So we’re insisting that you assist us to keep our blogs in existence…

Submit YOUR blog to feedback@sandcastlewaterpark.com (please put blog entry in the RE:), and allow us to share your Sandcastle related, recently dated, originally created, family friendly, (must be G rated), story.

'Twas six months before Sandcastle opens, when all through the park
not a creature was stirring, not even at dark.
The stockings were hung by the fire pit with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The GM was all nestled all snug in office of green and red,
while visions of sunshine danced in his head.
And the supervisors at their desks, and I at mine,
wracking our brains and beginning to whine.

When out on the boardwalk there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the blinds, and threw up the sash.

The speed slides that collected the new-fallen snow
gave the luster of summer to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should see in this town,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer sliding down.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than the wavepool, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the deck!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so down the boardwalk the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard as proof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
through the door St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed in a Speedo, with a flip-flop on each foot,
and his skin was all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A towel he had flung over his shoulder,
and he looked like a Sandcastle Season Pass Holder.

His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He wore a raft around his round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, if I remember,
and I laughed when I saw him, and said “Santa, its December!”
But with a wink of his eye and a twist of his head
the pools were no longer filled with snow, but water instead!

He spoke not a word, but dove right in,
and called his reindeer, with a shake of his chin.
But soon he laid his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, out of the Lazy River they all rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Thanks for the swim, the water’s just right!"

On behalf of Sandcastle Waterpark, we’d like to wish all of our dedicated season pass holders and loyal guests a holiday season filled with love and joy!

Don't Believe Me? Check it out on our webcam!

Being new to the Sandcastle team this past spring meant I have never been through a winter at Sandcastle before. On Wednesday, December 5th at 1:52 pm, I now have a pretty good idea of what's in store.

Looking out of my window to what was once a crowded, sunny boardwalk is now snow covered and bare. The Sandcastle I know is filled with guests and team members spending their summer days on the boardwalk and poolside, but now I am lucky to see my own shadow.

Even though we are busier than ever getting ready for the 2008 season, I have to admit it can be quite lonely here. Oh sure- we may get to spend 5 minutes visiting on a coffee break, or pass a soul on the boardwalk delivering the mail, or that weekly meeting with the boss- but other than that I sit in my office hard at work and all alone.

As I sit here today slightly disgruntled, trying to warm my frozen toes and wondering why the roads have not been plowed, so that my commute would take it's usual 30 minutes instead of an hour and half, I realize… it is suppose to be the most wonderful time of the year.

It's Christmas time... It is supose to be full of cheer! So, I am making the best of the situation…we have now put up a Christmas tree on the boardwalk (right outside my window), I play Christmas songs im my office, visit starbucks every morning for a peppermint white chocolate mocha latte, and I will probably bribe my co workers by making cookies and having them available for anyone who visits!

Even though I miss the summer and all of our guests and team members, I am kind of enjoying the winter version of Sandcastle. I can't be convinced otherwise though, because I still think that summer at Sandcastle is the most wonderful time of year. :)

Cast your ballot, because TIME is running OUT! Although our candidates may be unsure of which political party they actually represent, the Soak the Vote Campaign nominees need your vote! The election will end December 31, 2007. We, here in the park's offices, are anxiously waiting for the results to come in. Issues are argued, views are pushed…the campaign continues...but not for long! Vote for who you'd like to see as Sandcastle Waterpark's very own mascot.

I just found out more about a nifty little feature in the Season Pass section of the site where you and your Sandcastle adventures can be the stars of the site this winter by uploading your Sandcastle pics from this summer to share. I'd love to amuse you with photos of the wild antics of my own children- but I don't have any! HOWEVER, I do have what my husband and I lovingly call our "practice child": a fuzzy little cockapoo named Benjamin. You'd think that I wouldn't have photos of Benjamin and his friends enjoying the park since Sandcastle doesn't allow dogs, but you'd be WRONG- thanks to my favorite event at Sandcastle, the Animal Friends Last Splash of Summer.

Now, before you get excited and all funky about dogs swimming in the pools, this event is held right before the pools are drained for the season- so no humans are getting back in after the dog romping is done- no worries.

This year, Animal Friends had two sessions packed with almost 300 dogs each. You won't hear a bad story about growling and teeth baring, because suprisingly, there aren't any! The pooches are so stunned and elated to see the huge pools and the predominantly four-legged crowd that they are overwhelmed with a sense of canine community- and they all miraculously behave!

My cockapoo, Benjamin, is a veteran of the past three Last Splash events, and he doesn't mess around when he arrives- there's no time to lose when your main event is only once a year. He heads straight down to the small dog pool and begins sniffing and making friends right away (dogs, not humans!). He gets a quick lick of a chicken broth flavored sno-cone, then it's back to the water-action: swimming, splashing, and barking until he's tired and its time to go home.

The event has been a successful fundraiser for Animal Friends and a "paws"itive experience for the park and my little poochie since it began. We get tons of calls and emails before and after from guests who can't wait for the next Last Splash! I have one pic of us with our pooch posted, and I'll be uploading more this week....

So hurry! Check out the Last Splash pics, and then upload your own Sandcastle photos on the Sandcastle season pass page.

Saturday August 25 will go down as a day of gigantic proportions in the storied 18 year history of Sandcastle. It was a day of great victory and triumph as the infamous soap villain was apprehended by Sandcastle Public Safety. Yes, the villain who tortured those soap dispensing machines by unscrewing the locks and stealing bags of soap was taken into custody on this warm summer day. This man who is known only as the Soap Man claims he stole these bags of soap so that he can wash himself and his truck.

Families, adults, children, and babies can now rest at night knowing that when they go to use our restrooms there will be plenty of soap to wash their hands.

There was no ticker tape parade or standing ovation as the Soap Man was placed inside the back of the Public Safety vehicle wearing his swim trunks, a pair of handcuffs, and two bags of soaps hanging out of his pocket, it was only the feeling knowing that the Soap Man will never again step foot inside the Waterpark.

August 25 will live in our minds forever and will always be known in our hearts as the
“Soap Man’s Day of Demise”.

- Ron (Public Safety)

Last Friday morning, July 20, 2007, we traded in our bathing suits for wet suits and were shipped off to the Pittsburgh Zoo’s PPG Aquarium. There, we premiered our five wet n’ wild candidates for the Sandcastle’s SOAK THE VOTE Campaign!

The secrets out…Sandcastle will soon have our very own mascot, with the help of you! As I write this blog, I sit just outside of the Formula One Speedway, encouraging all of our beloved guests to take part in the selection of our new representative.

So who has YOUR VOTE?! Maybe you’re a TIKI NIKI kinda guy? Feelin’ a little crabby? Vote for the captain of all crabs, CAPTAIN CRAB! Maybe the one, the only SIR SALAMANDER or DUNKIN DRAGON have your vote. How about Sandy, representing the female bathing beauties of the park (my personal favorite…hint, hint hint).

So now is your chance to voice your opinion of who should win, and VOTE (for Sandy)! Vote online or vote at the park across from Formula One Speedway…. JUST VOTE!!!

The results from the zoo are in with Sandy and Dunkin Dragon up ahead (WHOO HOO!). Close behind is Tiki Niki with Sir Salamander and Captain Crab pulling up the rear. Keep it that way or change it up…just VOTE!

(Sponsored by the Proud Supporters of Sandy the Seagull)

Here's to those faithful guests, whose constant dedication to Sandcastle has made it into the fine establishment it is today. For years, you have heard the same overplayed, mind numbing songs, day in and day out. Leave your iPod in your beach bag, get your CD player off of the grassy beach, THE VOICE is here…

As Sandcastle's own disc jockey, (conveniently located near the Wave Pool Snack Shack), I am available to take your every song request. I pride myself in playing a wide variety of music from different time periods and genres. The Blues, Blue Grass, or Blue Suede Shoes? You pick it, I'll play it!

I'm here to make your visit to Sandcastle as fun…no, as entertaining…no, as harmoniously stimulating as possible!

Micah- D.J.

“No, today is not Buddy Day”, “Yes, you must be fully clothed to ride the water slides”, “No, we cannot page your son over the intercom because he forgot his Shrek water shoes”, Yes, we do have locker rentals"…a typical day here at the park, as Sandcastle Waterpark’s Receptionist Extraordinaire.

As I sit and ponder the decisions I must soon make regarding life, liberty, and the pursuit of friendly and understanding guests, the phone rings and a burly-sounding gentlemen ask that he as a “member”, should be permitted to bring his parakeet, Mylinda, into the park with him. He goes on to explain that Mylinda also enjoys playing in the water, and would not be a nuisance to the other guests. When I inform him that such animals are not permitted but he is more than welcome to spend his day with us, he mumbles something and hangs up the phone. I smile sweetly, satisfied that my life is now complete and filled with meaning helping our waterpark guests.

Receptionist-Emma

Another exciting June has come and gone here at the park. Our hours of cleaning lockers, decorating our improved Sandbar area, and finalizing the construction of our Stacks Café has finally been proven to pay off. 12,000 2007 Season Pass Holders later, we find ourselve with smiles on our faces, sweat on our foreheads.

Summerfest kicked off our season very nicely-games, prices, fun. The premier of our new Sandbar area was also a great success.

The weather here has been kind of iffy. Lovely for stroll down our boardwalk, however a little too chilly for our liking. We've recently placed our order for clear skies and sunshine, and are looking forward to its arrival. Can't wait!

For now, we are working hard to gear up for our Saturday Night Swim and Dive-In Movies, which will be opening this weekend, July 7 & 8. Happier guests, longer hours, bigger paychecks.

We actually like our jobs-which is weird…but cool. We meet lots of friends, get to be outside, and still are able to enjoy our summers off of school.

That’s all for now. Back to sweeping the park….

Lisa - Guest Service

As many have probably heard already, the Sandbar is undergoing a pretty extensive renovation this spring to create a new, relaxing nighttime hangout spot. Besides a brand new, laid back color scheme and a refreshing nautical seaside theme, the Sandbar will now feature live musical acts and performances, as well as plenty of outdoor activities, including Horseshoe Pits, Ping Pong, Pool, and a Bocce Ball Court.
If you are not the gaming type, or just want to lay back and take it easy after a long day, you can take a seat in one of the Sandbar’s new Adirondack-style recliners situated around three new fire pits arranged to give our Guests a great view of the Mon river. While working on these renovations this winter and spring, I found many people to be just as curious about what it takes to redesign a space like the Sandbar as they were about the changes themselves.
So, in order to give our Guests a better idea of what exactly was done to the bar this off season, below is a list of the painting, decorations, and other improvements that were completed, arranged by the “numbers:”

 Over 140 GALLONS of paint, in 8 colors, was used to repaint all of the bars and many of the accent buildings at the Sandbar. That’s over 1,120 POUNDS OF PAINT!!!

 More than 750 lights, ranging from party lights to nautically styled sconces, were added all over the bar to create a more relaxing nighttime environment. (You wouldn’t believe how long it took to screw in all of those light bulbs.)

 More than 400 pieces of nautical décor were added to give the bar a “seaside” feel, including: 300 hundred feet of rope, 150 wooden palettes, 40 nets, 15 oars, 10 “Seagulls” (These guys are my personal favorites), 30 buoys, and a whole smattering of other nautical decorations, including flags, signs, life preservers, and even boats!

 More than 20 gallons of stain and 30 gallons of concrete paint were used to create the new seating area by the Sandbar entrance (As well as more than 30 tropical and vintage alcohol signs for good measure).

Joe- Food and Beverage

Are you excited? Do you know what day is today? It's May 1st! This may be an ordinary day for you, but for me, it’s a personal holiday. Today is the day that the park begins to come alive for the upcoming season. The snow and cold are gone from Pittsburgh and the grass is green and growing at Sandcastle. Today the seasonal workers begin to return to the park for another eventful summer.

The atmosphere on the boardwalk is growing with excitement each day. The mornings are cool and crisp often accompanied by fog rolling off of the Mon. By afternoon the sun is warm and everyone is outside working on making the park shine for opening day. Sounds of hammers building the new food stand, lawnmowers trimming the grassy beach, and pressure washers making the wave pool deck glisten are heard from one end of the boardwalk to the other. Busy Team Members are passing by carrying cleaning supplies for the for the Tidal Wave Cafe, brooms to sweep up the fall leaves inside the Formula One track, and new tubes for the Blue Tubaluba.

I could honestly go on and on all day about the excitement at Sandcastle during preseason setup, but I need to get back to working on Season Pass preview weekend activities (more details to follow later). There's only 39 more days till opening day – will you be here on June 9th?

Scott- Guest Services

So you are probably wondering what is NEW at Sandcastle this year. Well I can’t let out all the secrets at once, and I have already let out of the bag about our new neighbors. But lets face it – the big buildings would have given that one away.

Well I am letting out another secret…we are not only getting neighbors but we are getting air- conditioning!! Yes… air- conditioning!. No, we are not air- conditioning! the whole park, but we are adding air- conditioning! to our newly renovated food stand.

And that’s not the only good news. It gets better. For all you coffee and ice cream lovers (like myself) we are adding a coffee bar, ice cream stand and made to order sub station to our food stand. And to complete this good news the area will also provide seating for you to enjoy those made to order subs, coffee and ice cream.

Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel like I have died and gone to heaven. Coffee and Ice Cream…what more could a girl want. I even snuck a taste of the new Frappuccinos and they are delicious!

Note: Hopefully the squirt gun game on the boardwalk wasn’t anyone’s favorite, because it is no longer there and has been replaced by coffee, ice cream, subs, salads, paninis, and the mouth watering list goes on….).

Melissa

This is an infamous question heard by everyone who works at Sandcastle, Kennywood, and Idlewild. So what DO we do all winter? I plan to put all rumors to rest....
We don't waste a minute, and it is nothing but fun and frivolity!
The day after Labor Day, all team members compete in the Sandcastle Formula One Racing series up and down the Boardwalk. (You didn't really think we put those cars away for the winter, did you?) Winner gets the Cup- Sandcastle Souvenier Cup, of course.
When the first snowflakes start to fly, we grab our toboggans and hit the slides. (You didn't really think we only used those slides three months of the year, did you?) The Potato Patch is quickly converted to the Holiday Snack Shack- we only stop sledding to eat gooey chocolate chip cookies, sip steamy hot chocoate with marshmallows, and talk about how fantastic it is to work at Sandcastle in the winter. After all that challenging physical activity, it is time to soothe those sore sledding muscles in...you guessed it....the world's largest hot tub! (You didn't really think we only used the hot tub three months of the year, did you?)
Then winter rolls right into spring...the gift shop apparel is in, and it is Fashion Week at Sandcastle! Plenty of strutting up and down the Boardwalk in what will be next season's newest looks.
Finally, about a week before we open the waterpark...
EVERYONE GETS TO WORK!

I walked into Sandcastle just like I do every morning, but this morning was different. As I looked over the boardwalk towards the river, I realized something was missing. A thief had been here, and had taken.....several trees! As we approached the crime scene to assess the situation, the trees were not necessarily missing, but had been chewed through and knocked down. This went on every morning for about three weeks. Who or what was causing this havoc?

To our surprise it was a 40-pound Beaver (the size of a medium size dog!).
This beaver is spending countless nights chewing through trees and knocking them down along the riverbank at Sandcastle. He has managed to take out roughly 27 trees over a three-week period.

So what to do with this beaver? Call in the professionals... the Beaver Retriever!

Working as a lifeguard at Sandcastle in the summers was the best job I ever had. I made friends of a lifetime, learned to work as part of a team, I was able to work outdoors, and earned great money! I'm still friends with my lifeguarding buddies and friends from other departments. I even met my future wife while lifeguarding at Sandcastle! If you, too, are interested in working during the summer as a lifeguard with us, read on. You will learn invaluable life skills as you train for your summer job. You don't even need previous certification or experience- we will train you! You will be fully trained in First Aid, Infant, Child, and Adult CPR as well as rescue skills. By going through rigorous training in the spring, you will get to know a lot of your co-workers even before the summer begins. For more detailed information on becoming a Sandcastle Lifeguard, please call the Waterpark Manager at: 412-462-6666 extension 6324. Hope to see you this summer!

Set our Webcams page to your Favorites and put on your flood pants...any time you hear the Mon Wharf downtown is closing because of the rivers rising, click to our Webcams page- there's a chance you'll catch your favorite waterpark at least partially underwater. By now, flooding is just old hat at Sandcastle. We have an all-star, world-class, highly experienced, perfectly conditioned flood clean up team that employs not only good ol' shovels and push brooms, but also some serious disinfectant, small bulldozers, and even firehoses! I tend to watch admiringly from the Boardwalk rather than pitch in with the professionals (why get in their way?), but I can say that really wet river mud has an odd similarity to chocolate pudding.

I have been working on management for a while to revamp the area reserved for our smallest guests (and their parents!), and even went as far as to paint the slides myself a few years ago. For an area that was meant to excite kiddies about the waterpark experience, I thought it was coming up short and I knew we could do better. But next year, Sandcastle is going above and beyond what I hoped by not only refurbishing the old Tad Pool slides, but also putting in three new water feature animals – check out the "official" blueprints/plans: an elephant that gives a shower with his trunk, a crab with a fountain in his head, and a frog that spits a water stream. The little kiddies can climb and ride and make believe they've shrunk to small animal size, while their parents point and shoot – cameras, that is – no hunting is permitted in West Homestead Borough according to the council meeting last night. Despite the fact that groups of very small children screaming in joy at the top of their healthy lungs still scare me a little bit, I can't wait to see their faces this summer when they visit the Tad Pool area.