Shark Reef Status

[chartle]

Don't they still have Ketchakiddee Creek?

It's been years since I've been to both but it's BBs area considered better?

 

[siskaren]

It's been years since I've been to both but it's BBs area considered better?

I haven't been to either water park in years, and I don't have kids, so I don't have experience with the kids' areas, but I just thought it was strange that someone said that TL needs a kids' area, when as far as I knew it had one.

 

[chartle]

I haven't been to either water park in years, and I don't have kids, so I don't have experience with the kids' areas, but I just thought it was strange that someone said that TL needs a kids' area, when as far as I knew it had one.

I guess its more of a better/larger kids area.

 

[staceyeileen]

Don't they still have Ketchakiddee Creek?

Yes, it's still there for the toddlers, but:

1) BB's toddler area, Tike's Peak, is much better
2) BB also has a 2nd kid's area for older kids, Ski Patrol


So I'd like see them add something at TL for kids that aren't toddlers. Honestly, my son is 4yo and is bored at Ketchakiddee Creek. It's really for babies. He still enjoys Tike's Peak at BB though in addition to Ski Patrol, where he can do a few of the things but not yet all of them.

 

[Ava]

I'm glad Shark Reef is still open! I've been to TL a few times but have never tried it, and was hoping to on our August trip. For those who have been, can a 6yo do it?

 

[chartle]

I'm glad Shark Reef is still open! I've been to TL a few times but have never tried it, and was hoping to on our August trip. For those who have been, can a 6yo do it?

It depends on how well your 6 year old can swim and whether or not he/she gets freaked out with water over their head. I've seen a lot of scared kids at the start.

On thing since its salt water you will float a little better.

 

[nkereina]

I'm glad Shark Reef is still open! I've been to TL a few times but have never tried it, and was hoping to on our August trip. For those who have been, can a 6yo do it?

I was 26 when I tried it and I couldn't do it! I'm not a strong swimmer to begin with, but they tell you not to kick your legs in the water which made it difficult. I think I was so focused on not kicking my legs (so as not to disrupt the sharks) that I couldn't focus on what I was looking at. The water is also cold and they don't allow you near the sides of the water so you have to try to swim/stay afloat while looking below the surface. I needed to stop for a minute and adjust my mask but there was no place to do that so I just swam to the other side and got out. Also, I found the breathing hard to get used to.

Another note - I found the chemical they use to clean the snorkeling masks burned the heck out of my face. After I took it off, my face stung for about an hour afterwards. Not sure what else I could have done to prevent that though.

 

[chartle]

... I needed to stop for a minute and adjust my mask but there was no place to do that so I just swam to the other side and got out. ...

There is kind of an island mid way along I think on the right hand side of the pool. The CM briefing you at the beginning should have told you about it.

Maybe you were worried about getting eaten and missed it.

 

[MickeyOCD]

They have life vests for those who are not good swimmers. My son is a decent swimmer, but he used the life vest so that he wouldn't have to kick to keep himself afloat. I held his hand to help propel him along, the salt water kept up both afloat and if was fairly easy to propel us both along Eventhough I was holding his hand the whole time.

 

[ldymcbth]

I'm glad Shark Reef is still open! I've been to TL a few times but have never tried it, and was hoping to on our August trip. For those who have been, can a 6yo do it?

Both of my kids are great swimmers (were 5 and 6 at last visit), and they both freaked out at Shark Reef. The water is very cold, and the masks they have you use have been soaking in a chemical that burned their skin. I think that combination of things freaked them out and they wound up not doing it. They popped in the water and then popped right back out.

I tried to prep my kids by letting them watch at the observation area first, but I think that backfired because we witnessed several families back out right at the entrance area.

 

[nkereina]

There is kind of an island mid way along I think on the right hand side of the pool. The CM briefing you at the beginning should have told you about it.

Maybe you were worried about getting eaten and missed it.

They did tell us about it and I attempted to use it, but it was in the center of the water and my feet kept slipping on it forcing me to tread water and it wasn't feasible to adjust my mask. Ideally, if I could have hung onto the side for a second, I could have pulled it together but we were told not to swim near the sides or hold onto the sides. Just wasn't a good situation for me