Anyone who hasn't visited Hydro Adventures in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, since it was purchased in 2014 by United Parks might not recognize the place now, and the biggest changes to date arrived recently for the 2016 season.

The centerpiece of the park's 2016 upgrades is the addition of a 55-foot-high, 1,700-foot-long Galaxy 500 steel rollercoaster, scheduled to open July 4 weekend.

The as-yet unnamed roller coaster's addition aligns with Hydro Adventures' desire to transform the park into "two parks in one" – a water park that also features outstanding dry attractions to compete with and surpass the region's traditional amusement parks.