Dells are good to go despite deluge

The Original Wisconsin Ducks amphibious vehicle tours are still running on the Wisconsin River. Only a small portion of the itinerary was on Lake Delton, which has ceased to exist.

Rising gas prices probably won't put a crimp in suburban families' plans to visit the Wisconsin Dells this summer, and the increasing cost might even be a boon to the Water Park Capital of the World. At an easy three-hour drive, the Dells are practically in our backyard.

The disappearance of the 267-acre Lake Delton shouldn't put the kibosh on your Dells vacation, either. After torrential rains, the manmade lake overflowed an embankment, engraved a new channel and emptied into the Wisconsin River.

"The lake is gone," explained Carla Minsky, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau. "It was a shallow manmade lake to begin with. Lake Delton is a little higher than the Wisconsin River, so when the shoreline gave way, the lake completely emptied in the river. When you think about the force of nature and the massive amount of overflowing water, I'm just grateful that no one was injured."

Amen.

A few homes and a stretch of a county road, a road used primarily by residents, were washed out, but more than 93 percent of the Dells' businesses were completely unaffected.

Roads into and out of the area, resorts colossal (Kalahari, Wilderness and Great Wolf) and simply large (Wintergreen, Polynesian), stand-alone water parks and downtown attractions are all good to go.

The folks behind the Tommy Bartlett Show, a Dells tradition for over a half-century, wouldn't let an empty lake stop them. Just a few days after the disaster, the show went on minus water skiers. It's now a sky and stage show extravaganza.

Original Wisconsin Ducks amphibious tours reopened for business just one day after the natural disaster: the tour is the same length, still travels on exclusive wilderness trails, but bypasses the short Lake Delton portion of the tour and splashes down into the Wisconsin River. All Jet Boat tours remain on the river, too. Lake Delton Watersports' two locations on the lake are closed; however, it is renting pontoon boats, kayaks and canoes for outings on nearby Mirror Lake and pontoon rentals for trips on the Upper Dells of the Wisconsin River.

Nearly all of the small and medium-sized resorts that ring Lake Delton, mostly family owned and operated, are open for business. If you had plans to stay on Lake Delton, simply call ahead. Many visitors like to stay at the quaint resorts year after year, so few cancellations have been reported.

"The beach is still there," Minsky commented, "and there are the in-ground pools for the kids. It's a nice testament to those small and medium-sized resorts that guests stick with these family-run businesses."

State agencies are already planning to rebuild Lake Delton as well as shore up the perimeter of the lake.

New and updated attractions are among the endless reasons to consider the Dells in your summer vacation plans.

The new Wild Rock Golf Club at the Wilderness Resort is open, accepting tee times and already getting great reviews from golf journalists. Pirate's Cove Mini-Golf has added an outdoor family fun area with pedal go-carts, jumping pillow and jump shot basketball played on a trampoline. Noah's Ark water park, the nation's largest outdoor water park, offers the new Tadpole Bay kiddie play area with mini waterslides and a dump bucket with splash zone.

The Haunted Mansion has added a Vortex Tunnel that takes you through 10 different dungeons with creepy creatures galore. The Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, with lots of interactive science exhibits, unveils a full-size replica of a Mercury space capsule, the very kind that was memorialized in the movie "The Right Stuff."

Expect some new tricks and illusions taking place at the Rick Wilcox Magic Theater, including a re-creation of Houdini's famous jail escape. A favorite with 'tweens and teens, Wizard Quest debuts a new game that features live actors, cool props and computer elements.

The Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau is ready for your calls and questions about lodging, attractions, outdoor recreation and more. Call (800) 223-3557 or explore the area's official Web site, www.wisdells.com.