My Day at Aquatica

[eisens]

First, thanks to those who've been to Aquatica. Your advice helped quite a bit.

1. Buy your tickets online at the Aquatica website. We're Florida residents but right now the price is the same for residents and non. Still, if you buy online you can get in an hour early. The park is new and fills quickly -- if you don't buy online and get there by 9:00 you may not get in.

2. Pre-pay your parking online. This also gets you in a little faster (not much but every little bit helps).

3. I bought the "all day eat" pass for $19.95 adult and $9.95 child. RIP OFF. The food is horrible, dried out hamburgers, chicken legs (BBQ), dried out veggie burgers. Yech. Truly horrible -- who'd want to go back for more? There are other restaurants which included better food and I doubt in the end the price is much different. So do NOT buy the "eat all day" pass.

4. Couldn't find any current Aquatica discount codes, but always check this board. . .

OK, our day at the park. . .

We didn't buy a Cabana and didn't need one. There are a lot of lounges near the wave pool (so go there first and stake out your chairs). Many have umbrellas, but those go fast. I don't see a real benefit to getting the Cabana especially since they cost $150 for 4 people!

My kid and friends did the dolphin plunge -- this is the slide that takes you in a clear tube past some dolphins. It goes by fast and most people don't see the dolphins. Part of the problem is too much water in your eyes -- so take goggles! I hear a lot of people wishing they had. . .

You can also see the dolphins in a viewing window below the ride -- you can see people whisk by while the dolphins frolic. Pretty cool.

The kiddie area is HUGE with lots of water cannons, big buckets dropping water, climbing areas, etc. It is great fun BUT as a parent I don't like that it is wide open. It is a circular design and keeping track of your kids is nearly impossible. Wet 'n Wild has a kiddie area that only has one entrance and exit -- which IMHO this should have. This was my only real complain security wise -- someone could grab a kid and who'd be the wiser?

There are two lazy rivers -- one has a slide (people called it the toilet cause you get spun around 3 times as in -- well you know) but you don't have to go on the slide. The other didn't use inner tubes. Instead you wear a life vest and you go quickly down a "river." That was great fun. We did it about 6 times and my son just loved it (he is 9).

There is a second kiddie area way off to the right with small slides that is a lot calmer than the big one. We had lots of fun here (kids ranged in age from 6 to 9).

All in all we had a great time and would go back, but Sea World does not have its act together as well as Disney. Lots of it is disorganized, and it could be structured better. Still fun was had by all and our chairs near the wave pool was a great central location and the kids kept going back into the wave pool.

Hope you found this post useful and enjoy Aquatica if you visit.

 

[chris1gill]

Where did you eat? Just so we don't go to the same place!

 

[vellamint]

Thanks for the review....

I purchased my tickets online and have a combo/eticket for Aquatica/Seaworld......how does this allow us in an hour early? Just show it to the gate person? I dont know about this perk....


Thanks......off to check out prepaying parking.....

 

[eisens]

Banana Beach Cookout. It is buffet style. $12.95 for adults, $7.95 for kids for one "all you can eat" sitting.

$19.95 for adults for an all day pass and $9.95 for kids for an all day pass which includes drinks like sodas and lemonade.

Sounds like a good deal but the food was horrible. Dried out hamburgers, barbecued chicken LEGS (no other chicken), veggie burgers. . . pudding (banana and chocolate) but no ice cream.

Small ears of corn, water melon (that was nice), mac and cheese (also dried out). You eat outside where you buy it -- you can't take it outside of the restaurant.

Very over priced for what it was -- even for a theme park. There was another place (Waterside Grill?) that had pizzas. Probably better. I mean even a nice grilled chicken sandwich would have been a pleasant surprise, LOL.

The park, though, is great. This is a minor nit.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Banana Beach Cookout. It is buffet style. $12.95 for adults, $7.95 for kids for one "all you can eat" sitting.

$19.95 for adults for an all day pass and $9.95 for kids for an all day pass which includes drinks like sodas and lemonade.

Sounds like a good deal but the food was horrible. Dried out hamburgers, barbecued chicken LEGS (no other chicken), veggie burgers. . . pudding (banana and chocolate) but no ice cream.

Small ears of corn, water melon (that was nice), mac and cheese (also dried out). You eat outside where you buy it -- you can't take it outside of the restaurant.

Very over priced for what it was -- even for a theme park. There was another place (Waterside Grill?) that had pizzas. Probably better. I mean even a nice grilled chicken sandwich would have been a pleasant surprise, LOL.

The park, though, is great. This is a minor nit.

For the record and as I've posted b4, I gree 100%.

BUT

I was there for our second visit Sunday and when it came time for lunch I asked the teens I was escorting (again) where did they want to eat. Without exception they wanted BBC . even tho we do the "one time thru"

I asked why and they were very happy with hotdogs, mac & cheeze and melon.....especially AS MUCH OF THESE as they might want. True, I wasn't about to buy 4 dogs per teen. dog, drink and chips at another eating place - 8 bucks. One time thru 12 ... and they ate multiple dogs and a couple of chicken legs and and .... they were BBC veterans and knew what they'd get and were happy with it.

So MAYBE you want to let the kids eat there - especially if big enuf to go on their own. And big folks eat elsewhere.....that's my plan for next time cuz I went again to see if the food had changed for the better....it hasn't!

(last hint - the food at BBC doesn't have to be 'dried out' as they were re-filling fairly steadily. If you line is old and dry....try another. On Sunday, which was really a borderline day wx wise, early anyway, there were 4 lines open and the kids would ID which had the fresh mac and chz and pass the word!)

 

[Capt_BJ]

Thanks for the review....

I purchased my tickets online and have a combo/eticket for Aquatica/Seaworld......how does this allow us in an hour early? Just show it to the gate person? I dont know about this perk....


Thanks......off to check out prepaying parking.....

Right now, people who have tix or passports in hand can enter Aquatica 1 hour before regular opening on Saturday and Sunday. The ticket booths won't open 'til later.

Now b4 you get to excited be advised that this word is out and plenty of folks know it. at 8:50 this past Sunday the line to get in the parking lot, of a dark drizzly morning was substantial but not horrible. The line to get into the park at 9:am was from the turnstyles out into the parkinglot. It took about 10 minutes to get in. then there were already lines for lockers....

Not horrible...but this ain't a secret so be ready. This does give you a bit of a jump on securing chairs etc if you are so inclined.

wrt to pre-paid parking. well, my passport also provides pre-paid parking and I don't think it saves anything time wize as they take the pass - or your printed coupon - and scan it taking just about the same amount of time making change would.....you can't by-pass the single line into the parking lot.... Which by the way is a MAJOR bottle neck because some 8 windows, merge to ONE lane to actually park....SIGH. And don't bother with preffered parking at AQ - I've yet to see them save these spaces....they were all filled by 9am this Sunday with no car displaying a pref' pass. My first time in, they gave me one on my pass but flagged me to a regular space (almost 15 feet farther to walk).

 

[donaldduck352]

Thanks everyone for the heads-up.Planning on going next month.SW-DC-Aquatica.Thanks for the info!!

 

[DixieDolphin]

wrt to pre-paid parking. well, my passport also provides pre-paid parking and I don't think it saves anything time wize as they take the pass - or your printed coupon - and scan it taking just about the same amount of time making change would.....you can't by-pass the single line into the parking lot.... Which by the way is a MAJOR bottle neck because some 8 windows, merge to ONE lane to actually park....SIGH. And don't bother with preffered parking at AQ - I've yet to see them save these spaces....they were all filled by 9am this Sunday with no car displaying a pref' pass. My first time in, they gave me one on my pass but flagged me to a regular space (almost 15 feet farther to walk).

Agreed. Parking has been a nightmare at Aquatica since day one. When I first went on their March soft opening, the parking attendants had no idea what they were doing. Cars were driving all over the place (myself included, as I was waved waaaaay out to the back... and ended up in their bus area. ). And by 11am, it's chaos out front... OC sheriffs have to come out to direct the traffic, because tourists are wandering aimlessly.

They've gotten it figured out a little better now, but I doubt pre-paying is going to help at all. Just be sure to show up early and hang in there!

And I gotta agree with the OP (who wrote a great review! )... as I've already mentioned multiple times as well.. the Banana Beach Cookout was AWFUL. Bleck.

Waterstone Grill was much better, yes. =)

 

[Jason71]

Capt BJ is right, word has definitely spread about the early opening. It's weird to be in the park at 9:55 and hear the announcer say "The park will open in 5 minutes," then look around and see most of the chairs already taken and the walkways packed.

BTW, I've stayed clear of the Banana Beach Cookout, but wasn't all that impressed with Mango Market (the pizza/chicken strip place) either. Waterstone Grill seems the best, but being by the entrance, it also gets hit with the worst lines.

 

[TheresaNY]

We are thinking about going in July. How is the park capacity and wait times??? We were afraid that it would be mobbed and not worth it. Any thoughts or suggestions??

 

[adisneynut]

I would like to know as well!

 

[Capt_BJ]

Simple

if going to Aquatica don't plan to sleep in that day. Plan to be there when the gates open or before. As the new park it is filling regularly.

On the good side - the small overall size of the park tends to make the lines 'not that bad'. I mean no 2 hour waits like a WDW attraction.

On the bad side - the small size of the park means there isn't really space for long lines and that's causing problems. There are already changes if you went back in March/April and return now. The queues are trying to find homes. For example, the toilet bowl lines have been moved but on Sunday people were in line...IN the lazy river. And the small park and parking lot means the place closes early cuz "FULL"... so back to #1: get there early...buy your tickets in advance.

Come the summer and later hours, arriving in early afternnon and staying to closing might become a workable option.

 

[DixieDolphin]

For example, the toilet bowl lines have been moved but on Sunday people were in line...IN the lazy river.

I've seen that several times over there.. people queuing up across the river and creating big log jams! It just really shocks me... that's gotta be the worst planned queue EVER. I love Sea World, but I think they totally flubbed that one.

Give it time, though... this is just the beginning. They'll straighten it up!

=)

 

[Capt_BJ]

I've seen that several times over there.. people queuing up across the river and creating big log jams! It just really shocks me... that's gotta be the worst planned queue EVER. I love Sea World, but I think they totally flubbed that one.

Give it time, though... this is just the beginning. They'll straighten it up!

=)

no - not across the river at the entr...

now they re-routed the line to the back side entr from the river and people were sitting in the tubes, 'in line' half way around the river and all in the fish view area. Quite the mess.

And you still had the log jam at the front entr as people tried to grab tubes from those that finally made it around.

 

[DixieDolphin]

Well that's good, at least (that they rerouted it so it's not across the river anymore!).

Still... a little lack of planning, I think. I noticed another lack-of-planning issue as well... they have plenty of trash cans at the restaurant areas, but no place to put your used tray! People were just piling them on tables near the trash cans. Whoops, SeaWorld.

 

[jennyL]

A question for those of you in the know.

I'm planning on going next Friday. Are weekdays still a little less busy? We're going with my mom, sister (13), DH and son (4 months). I know there isn't much shade but can you suggest an area that might work for us? My mom will be spending most od her time with the baby so she will want shade. I'm thinking I may need to splurge for the cabana in this case but not sure.

 

[eisens]

I purchased my tickets online and have a combo/eticket for Aquatica/Seaworld......how does this allow us in an hour early? Just show it to the gate person? I dont know about this perk......

Sorry didn't see this earlier.

Aquatica bunches everyone together between parking and ticket gate. If you have your pre-printed ticket you need to tell folks waiting that you already have your ticket and ask to get to the front. (I know this seems rude and Aquatica really should separate ticket holders from non-holders. ).

When you get to the front they'll point you to the turnstile -- give your printed pass to the attendee and they scan your bar code. That's it! Easy peasy.

 

[eisens]

I know there isn't much shade but can you suggest an area that might work for us?

If you get in early enough head to the wave pools. The lounges and chairs in the back rows have umbrellas. The big umbrellas go "fast" but you can snag one. I highly suggest you grab the lounges and chairs that you need early and you'll be fine.

We thought about the cabana, but the chairs worked out just great. You'll also find through the day (around the park). You'll be just fine!

 

[vellamint]

Sorry didn't see this earlier.

Aquatica bunches everyone together between parking and ticket gate. If you have your pre-printed ticket you need to tell folks waiting that you already have your ticket and ask to get to the front. (I know this seems rude and Aquatica really should separate ticket holders from non-holders. ).

When you get to the front they'll point you to the turnstile -- give your printed pass to the attendee and they scan your bar code. That's it! Easy peasy.

Eek!! Really I have to work my way to the front of a crowd.....I can see where this could not go so well!!

 

[a.brick]

would you recommend going to aquatica? How are the waiting lines for the rides? and what is the best thing to do there? I am thinking about going in the middle of june. thanks!