Valleyfair Announces New Name, New Attractions For Waterpark Ahead Of 2026 Season

Minnesota's biggest seasonal amusement park is preparing for a big year. The 2026 season marks the 50th anniversary of Valleyfair, and one of the big things to look forward to as part of that celebration is a newly-named waterpark with a new look and new attractions.

As Valleyfair celebrates half a century of entertaining and thrilling Minnesotans and visitors at its Shakopee venue, new ownership and management are taking over the complex.

Even before it was announced that new leadership would be taking over Valleyfair, the amusement park had been teasing something big for 2026. As the park prepares to open in May, we are now getting a look at the all-new waterpark experience that will be waiting for visitors starting this summer.

Introducing Superior Shores Waterpark at Valleyfair

While it had previously been known as Soak City, Valleyfair announced today (April 28) that they are renaming the waterpark to "Superior Shores Waterpark". This is way more than just a name change, though.

The whole waterpark experience has been expanded to include 24 different water experiences, and the entire waterpark has a new look and feel to go along with the "lakeside vibes" visitors can expect at Superior Shores Waterpark.

What's new at Valleyfair's Superior Shores Waterpark?

The new additions to the waterpark for 2026 include:

Lighthouse Landing, which is a multi-slide waterslide tower with three different tube slides and a dual-mat racing slide called Pike Plunge. This attraction offers options for solo fun or a little wet and wild competition. Here's a look at it:

Another new thing for 2026 is Minnow Bay, which is geared toward families and what the park calls "junior swimmers". This area includes a newly-designed lagoon with 8 different kid-friendly water slides, interactive water elements, and lots of space to splash around and have fun. Here's a look at Minnow Bay:

In addition to those two items, Valleyfair says they've completely reimagined the entrance to fit the new name and feel of the waterpark.

Along with those two new additions, the waterpark also features attractions like:

• Barefoot Beach Splashpad
• Breakers Bay Wave Pool
• Coho Curl Waterslide
• Fall River Run multi-rider tube ride
• Great Lakes Launchers waterslides
• Ripple Rapids lazy river
• Splash Station kids' play area
• Superior Plunge speed slides

Along with the water attractions, there are several dining and retail options at Superior Shores to round out the experience.

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Just like in the past, admission to Superior Shores Waterpark will be included in the admission to Valleyfair, so you can enjoy both parts of the park with one ticket.

When does Valleyfair open for 2026?

As in years past, the park will open a little before the waterpark.

This year, Valleyfair will open to the public on Sunday, May 10, for the 2026 season. The new Superior Shores Waterpark will open later in the month, with visitors welcome to check out the waterpark starting on Saturday, May 23.

If you're making a Twin Cities visit this summer for Valleyfair, here's another thing I'd recommend checking out during your trip. It's a really fun, quirky mini golf course worth a visit!