Come Memorial Day, the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium will take on a whole new personality. It’ll go from being one of the nation’s leading sanctuaries for wild animals to a destination for summertime fun, the likes of which have not been seen before at this popular animal preserve off of Riverside Drive, in Northwest Columbus.

Zoombezi Bay will usher in a new era of family entertainment at the zoo. Zoombezi Bay (pronounced Zoom – BEE – zee) replaces the old Wyandotte Lake amusement center, which was in dire need of renovation. But rather than just perform a face-lift to an aging park, zoo leaders decided to replace it with a brand new, $20-million, 22.7-acre, state-of-the-art water park. “It’s unique,” says Zoombezi Bay General Manager John Gannon, “a water park inside a zoo.”

The water park will feature 15 water slides, a wave pool, an action river, private cabanas and a kiddie play pool. Waves in the wave pool, called “Wild Tides,” can reach up to 4 feet high and you’ll have seven different waves to choose from! The raft rides include one that’ll seat four to five people at a time. Barracuda Bay is a massive custom pool, split into three interactive play areas. Like to body slide? No problem. Slippery Seals features three body slides starting from a 63-foot-tall tower.

After all that fun works up your appetite, you can buy a meal at a smorgasbord of outdoor grills, featuring everything from burgers to burritos, chicken to pizza, to ice cream. There also will be outdoor watering holes for adults offering draft beer, margaritas and wine coolers. You can even rent a secluded shade cabana complete with personal wait staff, lounge chairs and lockable safes.

There’s plenty of elbow room at Zoombezi Bay, too. It’s 70 percent bigger than Wyandotte Lake with 65,000 parking spots. There is also overflow parking available if needed.

Patrons will enter Zoombezi Bay through the zoo’s main gates. The $29.99 admission price for the water park also gets you access to the zoo. Plentiful discounts will be available wherever tickets are sold to get the ticket price down to around $20.

Admission prices for a zoo-only visit will remain the same: $10 for adults and $7 for children. There also will be a middle section to the zoo and water park called Jungle Jack’s Landing, where families will find amusement park-style rides – or “dry rides” as park officials call them. Those rides will be priced individually, but you’ll be able to buy a wristband and ride all day if you prefer.

Zoo officials are thrilled about the transformations Zoombezi Bay will bring and they’re eager to show it off. They see it in keeping with the zoo’s mission of education and conservation, exposing patrons to the wonders of wildlife and nature. Columbus residents, on the other hand, can simply see it as another exciting option for summertime fun without the hassles of traveling!

Watch Jerry Revish on the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. editions of 10TV News HD.