Schlitterbahn to debut a new kids section

Schatze’s Storybrook Park caters to guests 12 and younger at the New Braunfels site

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels will open a new child-focused section this summer, and the water park is looking to hire more than 2,000 seasonal employees as the weather heats up.

Schatze’s Storybrook Park, a section for children 12 and younger, is scheduled to debut this summer with water slides and play areas. The new section takes its name from the park’s dachshund mascot, Schatze.

The “Bow Wow Blaster,” a children’s version of Schlitterbahn’s “Master Blaster,” will be one of the area’s featured rides.

The 37,600-square-foot children’s play area has an estimated price tag of $2 million, according to documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of April.

The kids park is divided into three sections: “Fur-bidden Forest,” “Schatze’s Paw’nd” and “Fairy Tail Trail.” Other storybook-inspired attractions like “Little Red Riding Hound,” “Houndsel and Petzel,” “Rapawnzel” and the “Three Little Pugs” will also be part of the new area. Other features include “water slides, 70-plus interactive water features, spray toys, splash pads and a 1,200-gallon tipping water bucket,” according to a July statement from the company.

Schlitterbahn this week also said the park intends to hire about 2,000 seasonal workers for the summer. Positions include lifeguards, food service and security, the company said in a news release. Pay rates range from $14 to $17 per hour, according to a written statement from the company.

Schlitterbahn’s parent company, Ohio-based Cedar Fair Entertainment, owns more than a dozen entertainment properties and said it expects to hire 35,000 seasonal workers this year.

Cedar Fair Entertainment acquired the Schlitterbahn resorts and water parks in New Braunfels and Galveston in 2019 in a deal that was valued at $261 million.