America's Number One Water Park -- A Review

[JulieWent]

We (DH, DS -- age 8 -- and I) just returned from a trip across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas which culminated in a two day visit to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX. (We actually went to Texas for a friend's daughter's graduation, but DS insisted that since we would be in the neighborhood....)

Thought you might be interested in my observations about Schlitterbahn since the Travel Channel rated it #1 ahead of Disney's Blizzard Beach. DS agrees with the promotions -- "Schlitterbahn's awesome!" and definitely agrees with the Travel Channel's ranking. He loved the BIG ride -- Master Blaster -- which is billed as a "water coaster." It drops you like most water slides, but then it uses water cannons to send you back up again several times. (I went on this twice, but it was a little too jarring for me.) DS and DH went on it three times. (That's about the max possible for two days. The lines for it are pretty awesome, too.) DS tried the "Boogie Bahn," which is a surf machine and pronounced it as the "worst ride ever." (It was kind of scary for him. Mostly it's just like surfing.)

Bottom line, I still prefer Blizzard Beach because I loved the intricate theming and the Disney feel -- very kid friendly lifeguards and staff who know what's going on. Schlitterbahn is staffed mostly by local high school kids as far as I could tell. (The lifeguards were friendly and professional, too, though.) Schlitterbahn wasn't as ultra clean as Disney, but then who is? It was pretty clean by water park standards. Schlitterbahn definitely has the thrill rides, though. I can't even count the number of "water coasters" and thrill chutes that we went on. I imagine it's at least three times the size of Blizzard Beach with at least four small kids' areas and several pre-teen areas. We didn't get to stay at the resort attached to Schlitterbahn. (It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and the resort was full.) But most of the units looked nice.

It was a long trip, and we're glad to be home. Next vacation will be at Disney, thank goodness. (As we were driving and driving and driving, I kept telling DH, "This is why we go to Disney for every vacation.")

Julie

 

[Grog]

Thanks for the review. I'm only a three hours drive away and have never been. I'm sure I'll get there one of these days I didn't know until recently that they had two resorts there on the property. That would make a trip there much easier.

 

[dtuleya]

Great review. We're too far away in Pennsylvania, but will be going to #4 (if I remember correctly) Water Country USA when we go to Williamsburg next week. Hope the thunderstorms hold off so we can go one day.

 

[CathyCanada]

Thanks for the review, I have not heard of this place, but it sounds very cool!
CC

 

[jamsmom]

My son loves Schliterbaum, but I always think the water is COLD! Even in Texas July or AUgust heat

 

[JulieWent]

It was cold! (It rained one of the days, but we went anyway. Brrr. It's hard to heat that river water, I think!)