Aquatica - How does it Rate - Compared to other Water Parks

[canadiens900]

hey guys i just got some tickets for the Aquatica WaterPark, i was wondering how it compares to the Disney WaterParks?

has anyone been?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I can't tell you how it compares to a Disney waterpark, but we were at Aquatica twice in August (with cabana rentals both days) and my trip report (see link below in my signature) has tons of photos, if you would like to check it out.

All in all, it was a beautiful park and the staff were great. Roa's Rapids is the BEST family waterpark attraction we have ever experienced.

 

[momto2js]

We have been to all three water parks in the last year. I think it depends on the ages of the people in your party. With the disney parks being a better bet if you have younger kids that are under 42 inches tall. Very few attractions at the disney parks have a hight limit and many at Aquatica do. So if you have a 41 and a half inch child that wants to the bigger slides disney is a better bet.

However, we do think Aquatica has a great kids area for both the younger set and school age kids. If you are doing a day at seaworld already, adding an aquatica day isn't to much more. If buying just a water park day, I'd go with the least expensive.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

We have had waterpark APs at Disney a few times and this past year one for Sea World/Aquatica and other related parks.
I much prefer the Disney parks especially Typhoon Lagoon.
Aquatica is smaller and feels much more crowded with way longer lines.
It does not have the remote relaxed atmosphere of Disney's parks--you will see many highrise hotels and offices when you are on your chaise and throughout the park whereas at TL all you see are palm trees. There is concrete everywhere. Maybe TL being older has more mature plants to hide the concrete.
All are very clean.
The wave pool at Aquatica is small and the park overall does not absorb the people the way the Disney parks do. The Disney lazy rivers take about half an hour for the whole circle while Aquatica's is shorter taking less than 10 minutes.
There are newer type slides at Aquatica that are better than some at Disney.
We expected to see more sealife than they actually have--I think they have way overexaggerated the animal experience.
I enjoyed Aquatica but expected more with it being newer. We got there Labor Day at 9 and had done everything once by 11. We spend so much more time at TL probably because it is relaxing to just lay out, we can spend over an hour total on the lazy river, and have spent a couple hours in the wave pool.
If you go to Aquatica get there at opening because your lines will be crazy by noon.

 

[sunshineNJ]

I agree to some extent with the pp but it's worth going for the dolphin plunge and the rapids. Disney water parks do not have a rapids ride and it's GREAT!!! We were on it for hours bur it's not for small children.

 

[angelmom27]

I haven't been to either. My sister loves auquatica. She used to go there everyday when she lived in kissimmee. We were talking and she told me that auquatica would be best for our situation. We have 7 kids but the three oldest do not know how to swim. They are diagnosed with fragile x syndrome. So they are big kids who want to have fun too. So the fountain play area is best. I have heard from others that disney is very strict on the height of the kids allowed to play in the kiddie areas. I have heard the disney ones are geared better for the older ones or swimmers.

 

[momto2js]

I haven't been to either. My sister loves auquatica. She used to go there everyday when she lived in kissimmee. We were talking and she told me that auquatica would be best for our situation. We have 7 kids but the three oldest do not know how to swim. They are diagnosed with fragile x syndrome. So they are big kids who want to have fun too. So the fountain play area is best. I have heard from others that disney is very strict on the height of the kids allowed to play in the kiddie areas. I have heard the disney ones are geared better for the older ones or swimmers.

I don't disagree that aquatica is a good choice for your family but they are quite strict with hight requirements as well. I would suggest that you take some time to get all of your kids in the water and work on the use of life jackets before your trip.

One of the main issue you may have is the climber is so large, it is tough to keep track of the kids. I have 2 and both are good swimmers (we did survival training when they were babies) I ended up following my almost 3 year old and letting my 5 year old go. There was no reasonable way to keep eyes on both kids at one time. The larger slides in the climber do empty out into a pool of water that is 42" deep and there is some current so having them in jackets might ease your mind a little. I remember thinking that if I thought I needed to see both kids at the same time while we were in the park, I would have been a nervous wreck!!!

On the other hand, the "tween" area at Blizzard Beach is much easier to see them, but the water is deeper and the jackets would still be necessary.

 

[angelmom27]

I don't disagree that aquatica is a good choice for your family but they are quite strict with hight requirements as well. I would suggest that you take some time to get all of your kids in the water and work on the use of life jackets before your trip.

One of the main issue you may have is the climber is so large, it is tough to keep track of the kids. I have 2 and both are good swimmers (we did survival training when they were babies) I ended up following my almost 3 year old and letting my 5 year old go. There was no reasonable way to keep eyes on both kids at one time. The larger slides in the climber do empty out into a pool of water that is 42" deep and there is some current so having them in jackets might ease your mind a little. I remember thinking that if I thought I needed to see both kids at the same time while we were in the park, I would have been a nervous wreck!!!

On the other hand, the "tween" area at Blizzard Beach is much easier to see them, but the water is deeper and the jackets would still be necessary.

Thanks. We might try it out next summer. I want to wait for the littles to get a bit bigger and have swim lessons. Thankfully we are pretty lucky our kids stay close together. I surprise myself sometimes. I do head counts while we walk all the time. When there is seven of them its just a natural thing. When we went to visit family staying at POP the three little girls did good with the vest and playing in the 3ft part of the pool with my sister. I am planning a surprise anniversary trip for hubby and I next may and was thinking it would be a good time to check out the water parks kid free. That way we can really enjoy it and get a good idea of what they are like too.