Storm slides... Can my daughter sit on my lap?

[Liver Lips Mcgrowl]

The storm slides at Typhoon Lagoon. Can my 5yr old sit in my lap and ride?

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

No. Only 1 person at a time. Each person must make the height requirement.

 

[lovethattink]

No. Even the family rafts don't allow lap sitting. Or at least didn't. It's been a while since we went to the water parks.

 

[Liver Lips Mcgrowl]

Well that's lame. Thanks guys

 

[Ava]

I wouldn't call it "lame." It's a safety issue. If she can't swim well and that's what you're worried about, the water parks have life vests for guests to use free of charge.

 

[cruisin5]

While you can hold onto her while sliding there is almost no chance of holding her once you hit the water. Is there another adult traveling with you? If so, you go first, your daughter second and the other adult third. The lifeguards won't let you wait near the slide exit but you can be nearby to swim to her once she hits the water.

 

[DLgal]

Well that's lame. Thanks guys

It would be lame if it was allowed. That is an exceptionally dangerous thing to do. Those storm slides have sharp curves and go pretty fast. My husband broke his hand on a waterside because he was holding a CAMERA. Imagine what could happen if you were holding a child?

 

[Vijoge]

We've been to a lot of water parks with our granddaughters and there hasn't been one that will allow anyone to go down a slide on someone else's lap.

 

[Polydweller]

Well that's lame. Thanks guys

Maybe you could explain why you think it's lame. It's a safety issue and far more dangerous to try to hold her.

 

[DLgal]

There is a kiddie area at both water parks with smaller slides for kids who aren't ready for the bigger ones.

 

[Liver Lips Mcgrowl]

Didn't mean to ruin everyone's day. lol.. I do appreciate the info

 

[OSUZorba]

OP, I used to be a carny, we mostly did inflatable rides, mechanical bulls, etc. Any ways one thing I learned doing this is how easy it was for people to get hurt on slides when riding with other people. It was a strict rule at my company, and with our insurance that there would be no dual riding.

The reason for the strict rules was that every year there were multiple fatalities (yes, deaths) from dual riding on slides throughout the country. It was almost always a parent riding with a small kid. One of two things typically happened, either when they got to the end of the slide, the kid was crushed by their parent. Or the kid would put their feet down on the slide, get pulled off their parents lap and the parent would go right over the top of them. On top of the couple of deaths a year, there were hundreds of major injuries.

I used to have parents yell at me all the time about this, but it has very good justification. Actually, just yesterday I saw my SIL go down a 4ft slide in the park with her 10mo baby, the baby put her foot on the slide, and it got sucked under SIL's leg, luckily it was a very short slide or else she probably would've ended up with a broken leg.

No. Even the family rafts don't allow lap sitting. Or at least didn't. It's been a while since we went to the water parks.

This is still true. My 11 mo infant rode Teamboat Springs with me at Blizzard Beach, and she had to sit in a normal spot by herself. I am still shocked they let her ride it at all (she did have on a real infant lifevest that we brought with us). She did really enjoy it.

 

[Ava]

@OSUZorba I didn't know that about slides until my wife saw me go down the slide with our daughter at the playground and yelled at me. It makes sense though. Especially on a water slide, the child could very easily get pushed down under the adult in the water when they come off at the end.

I saw a lot of parents going down the smaller water slide at the CBR pool with their kids when we stayed there a couple years ago, even though there was a sign at the top that said 'one rider at a time, no lap sitting' (or something to that effect). And the top of the slide is under a rock formation so the lifeguard can't see the riders until they're already partway down. My oldest was 5 at the time and wanted me to slide down with her but I told her the sign said one at a time. Eventually she worked up the courage to do it by herself, and then went down the longer enclosed slide too.

 

[newestkg06]

Kids going down regular playground slides on their parent's lap is the number one cause of broken legs in the US. I had no idea either until our pediatrician mentioned it!
One idea for Typhoon Lagoon: we went when our sons were 7 & 4. There are two slides on the left (as you are facing) the big wave pool. The big pool actually sort of empties and eddies into this little pool. They are kind of short slides, but empty into a pool of about 2 feet deep. Both of my sons absolutely loved these slides for some reason. I just stayed at the bottom and helped to "catch" them if they looked like they needed it at first. I ended up just sitting in the water about 10 feet away and just watching them have a blast.
Cruisin5's idea also worked great for us (if you have 2 adults). I put the 4 yo into a lifejacket and we had a great time. Only thing he couldn't do was Crushn Gusher. He also loved the kiddie area there (though 5 might be pushing it).