Camel Beach Waterpark?

[bigmama67]

Hi,

So DS' day camp is doing a trip to Camel Beach Waterpark in PA. DH and I had decided awhile back that he would not go because we are apprehensive about the size of the park and the rides. (DS is 7 and impulsive.) Now we are wondering if he should go because his good friend is going and DS did not get to go to the other waterpark trips this summer (we do go to Sesame Place a lot though; in fact, we're going tomorrow.) I would appreciate input from anyone who has been there. My "gut" is telling me not to send him but am I being overly cautious?

Thanks for input!

 

[bas71873]

What's the ratio of kids to adults? If it were 1 adult to 2, maybe 3 kids at the MOST, I'd be OK with my DD7 going, but she's a very good swimmer and goes to waterparks with me all the time, so she knows the deal.

However, if you're gut is telling you don't let him go, then I wouldn't. DD and I were at Water Country a few weeks ago and there were several "field trips" and while I was waiting for DD to come down a slide, there was a boy, maybe 9 or 10, who was FREAKING out because he was separated from his group. I was right by the life guard, who I advised of the situation and he called "lost & found" (I guess that what you call it), but this kid was in such a state of panic that he did not want to stay with me nor with the lifeguard. He finally spotted another kid in his group, and an adult following close behind, but that's exactly my fear with places like that.

 

[marcyinPA]

Camelbeach is not that large, but at his age, I'd be nervous too. Will they be in a group at all times? This is the ONLY way I'd let him go. And I am super nervous about the wave pools, so I would tell him NO WAVE POOL. If he's anything like my kids, he goes out way deeper than he should and than what I feel comfortable with.

We haven't been this year yet, but it is a nice, clean park. The food is expensive though, and not very good. The last time I was there, they were pretty thorough about checking bags for food and drinks. If you were planning on sending him with any snacks, conceal them very well!

 

[mjkacmom]

I am not overprotective, but have a a 7 year old ds who is an absolute maniac in the wavepool! I feel very comfortable having him go on the slides without me at GWL, but once I hear that siren signalling the waves, I RUN to find him. I wouldn't send him to a waterpark without me.

 

[Ava]

If your gut is telling you no, I wouldn't send him. I personally think 7 is a bit young for a camp trip to a water park.

I had to be pulled out of the wave pool at Wet 'n Wild when I was 8; my dad got to me before the lifeguard did and I was fine, but it's very easy for kids to get into trouble in those pools. I was a strong swimmer, I just got too close to where the waves come out & got overwhelmed. I'm still cautious in those things.

 

[Tiana]

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[java]

I have a 7 year old son and we've been to Camelbeach. I wouldn't let him go with a camp there. It's not a huge park. But it is a very spread out park. So unless I was very comfortable in the way they would be watched I would pass on a water park trip without me at that age. And I agree on the 1 adult per 2-3 kids which probably isn't the way it's being handled.

 

[bas71873]

My 6 year old son is impulsive too! Back in May he jumped out of his 2nd story window (we have 9 foot ceilings )!!! He had a tarp thing to hold onto and thought he could fly.

Holy Cow. I assume he is and was OK??????

 

[ilovejack02]

For now DS8 will never go to waterpark with his father or I with him, as he gets older and becomes a stronger swimmer I may change my mind.

I trust my friend's to watch him, but they have their own to keep up with too and a kid can go under in a split second. Drownings don't look like they do on TV it happens quickly and quietly .


Go with your gut!

I let my hubby talk me into letting DS do something last year , when my mommy instinct told me NO. WELL I should have listened to my gut and not my hubby . He meant well, but I knew DS was not mature enough and I was right. Thank God all turned out ok, but it might not have.

 

[PA Princess]

We have been to Camel Beach as a family. Also, all of my kids (ages 5, 10, 14 and 15) are strong swimmers (they all swim on competitive teams...oldest was a state qualifier last year). I would not send my child at 7 to a water park with a camp group.

Camel Beach is spread out and our personal experience has been that it is not a highly guarded park. Some water parks are just more vigilent than others... and our experience is that this park is on the less side.

I would trust your gut.

 

[sunshineNJ]

In my opinion 7 is WAY too young. I think water trips should only be with parents. Camel Beach is very spread out. I let my son go on a water park camp trip without me @ 12 years old, NOT before. The camp didn't let them in the wave pool though. There was plenty of other stuff to do. ALWAYS listen to your gut feeling.

 

[lisaross]

My son is 10 - he went with camp this year. I have never been. He did say for 1 ride the lifeguards their gave them a swim test if they wanted to go on that particular ride - i was very impressed with that. At my son's camp, alot of the water parks that had a wave pool. they were Not allowed in the wave pool.

Hi,

So DS' day camp is doing a trip to Camel Beach Waterpark in PA. DH and I had decided awhile back that he would not go because we are apprehensive about the size of the park and the rides. (DS is 7 and impulsive.) Now we are wondering if he should go because his good friend is going and DS did not get to go to the other waterpark trips this summer (we do go to Sesame Place a lot though; in fact, we're going tomorrow.) I would appreciate input from anyone who has been there. My "gut" is telling me not to send him but am I being overly cautious?

Thanks for input!

 

[leebee]

When DD was 7 (8?) I took her and her brownie troop to Camel Beach with another leader and several parents. GSUSA requires a pretty tight adult:child ratio (can't remember what it is, at the moment). I remember that we didn't have much trouble keeping an eye on the kids- we just made sure that they and the parents (who weren't there) understood that each group of kids would do what the chaperone wanted them to do and not be allowed to wander the park- in other words, "stay with your group". We had a great time!

 

[mousebymarriage]

I have to agree with the others that said follow your gut. My nephew is 7 (he will be 8 in Nov.) and his summer camp just had a trip to Camel Beach last Friday and his mother said "absolutely no way". He too is an excellent swimmer and we have been to Camel Beach as a family but, she was not comfortable with him going to a water park on a group trip and I agree. Camel Beach is a wonderful water park but, it is spread out and unless the camp has alot of chaperones or only a small group of kids it's just not a good idea. Water parks and groups of unsupervised children are a bad mix.

 

[DonnaL]

I live pretty close to Camel Beach and have never been there......however, my young adult children have been and I don't think I would allow a 7 year old go there w/o parents in a camp situation. Also, not sure what these circumstances were, but, on our local news last week I heard something about a hidden camera in one of the locker rooms at Camel Beach and nude pictures........I only caught a portion of the newscast and didn't hear the whole thing, but, I definitely heard nude pictures, hidden camera, locker room and Camel Beach in the same sentence.......and whatever happened just happened this past week.

 

[bigmama67]

I live pretty close to Camel Beach and have never been there......however, my young adult children have been and I don't think I would allow a 7 year old go there w/o parents in a camp situation. Also, not sure what these circumstances were, but, on our local news last week I heard something about a hidden camera in one of the locker rooms at Camel Beach and nude pictures........I only caught a portion of the newscast and didn't hear the whole thing, but, I definitely heard nude pictures, hidden camera, locker room and Camel Beach in the same sentence.......and whatever happened just happened this past week.

Oh. MY. LORD!!

Thank you, everyone. I'm glad to see I was on the right track. DS is absolutely not going. The spread-out size of the park plus the fact that they will definitely have a much higher kid/adult ratio than 3:1 seals the deal. He could have gone to Sahara Sam's which we were much more comfortable with as it's contained indoors - but the first time he couldn't go because he fell off a chair and cut his chin open the night before (yes, nothing like spending an evening at the ER on a worknight!) and the second time, two weeks later (just this week) he couldn't go because he mouthed off to us one time too many. He'll just have to survive without this...LOL.

This reminded me that 2 years ago, at Sesame Place of all places, he was going down a slide in an inner tube and at the bottom he slipped right through it (he's skinny as a rail) and went under. The lifeguard got to him in seconds - even before I could - but he was scared of THAT one for awhile, and it was only 2 1/2 feet deep.

So, thanks for the corraboration!

 

[allison443]

I live pretty close to Camel Beach and have never been there......however, my young adult children have been and I don't think I would allow a 7 year old go there w/o parents in a camp situation. Also, not sure what these circumstances were, but, on our local news last week I heard something about a hidden camera in one of the locker rooms at Camel Beach and nude pictures........I only caught a portion of the newscast and didn't hear the whole thing, but, I definitely heard nude pictures, hidden camera, locker room and Camel Beach in the same sentence.......and whatever happened just happened this past week.

By googling this I found that a camera was hidden in an employee restroom. Apparently they know who did this, but I didn't find anything about nude pictures.

I have been to Camelbeach a few times over the last few years. I always found it very clean and the employees seemed very safety conscious. Actually I will be taking a group of 13/14 year olds there next week.

That said, I wouldn't allow a 7 year old to go with a daycamp. When my dd was in daycamp her group went to a water park and I couldn't believe I was the only parent who didn't allow it. Of course nothing bad happened but that is just beyond my comfort zone, especially the wave pool, like another poster said.