Best water parK?

[debchard]

Can you please tell me which would be the best water park for my kids who are aged between 13 and 8 and are not very strong swimmers.

Thanks.

 

[Twilight Terror]

The water parks are generally people's personal preference, and you will probably get a list of pros and cons about each park from different people depending on their stance.

For us, we like Typhoon Lagoon. It feels more relaxed and not as hassled as BB does. There are certainly more thrill rides at BB, but that doesn't always stop a weak swimmer.

Most rides in both parks come out into some sort of pool/water area that is more than thigh high. But both parks have life vests that you can hire if you feel the need too.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Think we need to have visited them all to give an accurate assessment really.
I haven't been to Aquatica yet.

For me Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are quite equal, both superior to Wet n Wild.
To be honest though (and maybe Aquatica will change my mind), personally I don't think any of them are brilliant, certainly feel the Disney parks children's areas could do with some serious upgrades, apsects of both parks are looking a bit 'tired' now.

 

[disneyholic family]

either TL or BB...
We always do both, but usually only BB once each visit, TL several times...

unlike Johnny, we love the Disney waterparks...

By the way, you have to be at the waterparks before opening...especially in the summer, when they often close the gates by 10 or 11 am....

 

[Dimplenose]

TL is good but we much prefer BB. Neither of my kids are particulary strong swimmers. We don't do the "thrill" rides but do love the family raft ride - we were very disappointed with the TL one as it was over as soon as it had started.

I could spend a lot of time on the lazy river and my experience of TL is it is very hard to get the tyres (my judgement is probably clouded as I've only visited twice.)

Next year we're planning to go back to BB but will give TL a miss.

But why not try both if it's included in your ticket? You don't have to stay all day - we find 2 - 3 hours is long enough for us.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

either TL or BB...
We always do both, but usually only BB once each visit, TL several times...

unlike Johnny, we love the Disney waterparks...

By the way, you have to be at the waterparks before opening...especially in the summer, when they often close the gates by 10 or 11 am....

Hi Beth,

I don't dislike them I guess I am viewing things through Joshua's eyes (as normal!), I just think from what I have seen of Aquatica there is more for kid's there.
You even look at the 'happy harbor' area of Sea World and that in my opinion is better too.
If you put the kind of water attractions for children that they have at Aquatica at say Typoon Lagoon it wouldn't fit in with the theming in place so I am not being totally naive.
However, I think they could do more.

From what I have seen Deb, for the ages of your children I would give Aquatica a try first, it depends on what type of tickets you are buying from the parks. I agree with Libby though and obviously if you have Disney tickets you may have water park one's too so I think the opportunity is there to try them all.
I can highly recommend 'happy harbor' at Sea World, I think it's really good for kid's.

http://www.shamushappyharbor.com/

Getting there early is a good tip as at peak times of the year they get packed, I would definitely avoid at weekends when they are extremely busy , though this doesn't apply necessarily to Sea World.

 

[jackieleanne]

Both Disney parks are good but when i have been in the peak of summer ie around July 4th I have tended to prefer TL because BB seemed to be much fuller of groups of teens in particular in Lasy River pushing their way around and misbehaving in which i ended up hurting my toe. I may change my mind when i go in September though and its quieter. I am wondering what Aquatica will be like because I hate Wet and Wild for the same reasons that i stopped liking BB as much.

 

[disneyholic family]

Hi Beth,

I don't dislike them I guess I am viewing things through Joshua's eyes (as normal!), I just think from what I have seen of Aquatica there is more for kid's there.
You even look at the 'happy harbor' area of Sea World and that in my opinion is better too.
If you put the kind of water attractions for children that they have at Aquatica at say Typoon Lagoon it wouldn't fit in with the theming in place so I am not being totally naive.
However, I think they could do more.

From what I have seen Deb, for the ages of your children I would give Aquatica a try first, it depends on what type of tickets you are buying from the parks. I agree with Libby though and obviously if you have Disney tickets you may have water park one's too so I think the opportunity is there to try them all.
I can highly recommend 'happy harbor' at Sea World, I think it's really good for kid's.

http://www.shamushappyharbor.com/

Getting there early is a good tip as at peak times of the year they get packed, I would definitely avoid at weekends when they are extremely busy , though this doesn't apply necessarily to Sea World.

yes, i didn't word my post very well - i know that you're looking at it in terms of Joshua - as any parent would of course - how it works for their kids...

my kids enjoyed both TL and BB at the age of kids of the OP - although my kids have always been very strong swimmers....

but we never spend more than 2 hours at the waterparks, so my views aren't going to be the norm either...

at BB, we arrive before rope drop, at rope drop race to the back of the park - ride downhill double dipper 2 or 3 times, then head over to the tube slide that has one enclosed and two open (storm slide? i can't remember the name) we ride that 3 or 4 times (at which point we can't do the stairs anymore) then head for the tobaggan racer and do that once, then head for the family raft and do that one once...

then comes the river.....we go around the lazy river twice.....

then get our stuff from the locker, each have a snocone (yum), return the locker key and head out....we're done with the park by 11:00 AM....

at TL we do it differently - we arrive at about 5 pm....head straight for crush and gusher - do that one about 5 or 6 times.....
then to the wave pool for about 3 or 4 waves...
then to the lazy river for two times around..
then a soft ice cream for each of us (at something or other lilly's)..
by this point the park is closing and we leave...
never more than 2 hours....

as you see, we have very short waterpark attention spans....we can't stand the parks when they're crowded.....so we're never ever there midday - too crazy....the lazy rivers in the middle of the day are a complete zoo and downright dangerous in my opinion (i'm a former lifeguard)...
so we stay away from the parks during the heavy midday crowds....early morning or late afternoon is the only time we'll be there....but late afternoon didn't work at BB for some reason....i'm not sure why...but it did work well for us at TL..

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Like the previous poster, we only go for a few hours, wetnwild have passes for 14 days for same price as 1 day, we are not doing anything much 1st week and thought that would be a good plan as we can go for a few hrs in am then home for lunch, nobody has mentioned wetnwild, is it any gd these days?

 

[fuse04]

either TL or BB...
We always do both, but usually only BB once each visit, TL several times...

unlike Johnny, we love the Disney waterparks...

By the way, you have to be at the waterparks before opening...especially in the summer, when they often close the gates by 10 or 11 am....

This advice is consistent in boards and guides etc, and we used it last year, as with all parks get there as early as possible. However we got there about 9am and they were empty, and I mean empty, maybe 3-4 other familys It was late April/early May though rather than summer


Last year we did disney parks both but probably prefer TL. We tend to stay all day as DW likes to juts sit and relax and DD loves water...I just do as I am told

 

[wayneg]

Personally I prefer Curious George at Universal, its also included in our Annual passes, to go to a Disney Water park it would cost us regular price less a $4 annual pass discount, I don't think they are worth it, most we do is 1 water park a year. I do prefer TL but there not a lot of difference.
Only been to Wet n Wild once and not impressed, OK for a few hours but not somewhere to go back to for us.
Water parks are ok if included in your pass and can go in for a few hours.

Have a lot more fun at Curious George

 

[amystevekai&bump]

we were in orlando in May, and granted our children were only 4 and a 9 mth old - but having done TL, BB and Aquatica - we definitely liked BB the best. I just liked the theming the most - but everyone likes different things and when I asked the same question before I went I got lots of different responses.

I would say try them all once and then you know for next time - We are just keeping our fingers crossed that its BB thats open during our Xmas trip as otherwise we probably won't bother with a water park!!

 

[debchard]

Thanks everyone. Haven't decided whether to get the tickets with the water park included yet so that will probably dictate whether we go or not.

Deb

 

[Twilight Terror]

One thing is for certain, whichever of the Disney water parks you go to, you won't regret it!

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks everyone. Haven't decided whether to get the tickets with the water park included yet so that will probably dictate whether we go or not.

Deb

it's definitely worth getting the tickets with water parks included...
a one time entrance to the waterparks is very expensive.....

and blizzard beach and typhoon lagoon are very special.......
i personally prefer the theming of typhoon lagoon, but each park has its special attractions and we always go to both at least once each visit...

if i were you, i'd try both parks and see which your kids prefer....
you don't need to be a strong swimmer for either of the two disney water parks..

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I like BB - but my DD age 8 prefers the rides at TL.

 

[Daysleeper40]

Well we really enjoyed Wet n Wild but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for younger kids.

The only other water park we have tried is BB and I have to say I didn't think the kids area was all that fantastic. Aquatica's kids area looks brilliant though - I havn't been but I think it looks the best of the bunch for what you are looking for.