Tell me about the OKW and SSR slides (or any others) PLEASE

[PaulaMurf]

Hi everyone,

We missed the opening of the OKW slide on our last visit, however, I would love to hear about the slide from those who have been on it - is it all dark? Does the water go over you like at the Volcano slide at the poly?

And - what about at SSR - is that one also an enclosed slide?

oh and BW too - how is that one??


We have tried the ones at Stormalong, Poly and CS on our last visit - so I would love to hear about any of the others too. Trying to decide if we should stay at a different place next time -


TIA
Paula in CT

 

[DeeCee735]

BWV pool, in our humble opinion, is the best pool of any of the resorts. Not crazy about the "look" of the clown, but the slide is amazing. 200 foot winding slide, Lots and Lots of fun. It's like a water park slide, without the water park! I personally haven't been on it in a couple of years, but my kids and their friends can't get enough of it, and their well into their teen years!

 

[carol1231]

Yep, BWV has our vote for the favorite pool slide. Have not been on SAB slide so can't compare it to that. But the clown slide is much bigger than the slides at WL and AKL. Those are the only others we've stayed at with slides.

 

[FreeTime]

BWV slide is our favorite. The one at SSR I didn't think was anything special. I can't remember if it was enclosed or not, I don't think it was. They also have a small kiddie slide. VWL is rather short. I haven't been on the OKW slide yet.

 

[kathleena]

I've been on both BWV and SAB - very different! Both are fast and long, but the BWV goes around in those two circles and then a short kick to the other direction and you are popped out. It's about the same speed all the way down - pretty fast, but not too fast for kids or adults!

The SAB slide however - you start out in an enclosed tube. If you stand at the top and look down, you can see the end of the tube - it's not really dark inside because of the light at both ends. Small kids can go sitting down, but adults have to lie down. Ok, I probably could have sat, but you just have to lie down, the top is so close to your head. Anyway - you start out slow and by the end of the tube you are really going fast. You jog to the left and a waterfall cascades over you and then to the right and another waterfall and then to the left again and you are dumped out. You cannot wait at the end of the slide for a youngster, the lifeguards make sure you get right out of the area, behind a rope.

We were told on a previous trip that kids with lifejackets could not go on SAB slide, but saw several come down this last trip so I guess they have changed the rules.

SAB is totally different than BWV, and I like both equally. They are just fun.

With either - try to be up in the top when Fantasmic fireworks are going off, and when the pools are open late - Illuminations. Great views!

 

[thelobstershanty]

We agree about the BWV pool slide, it is great! A lot of fun. We love SAB over every WDW pool, but BWV's slide is better.

 

[SlyHubby]

The OKW slide is very good.

I have not been on it, but our 8 year old daughter is now an addict. For an hour before, we said we were going to the pool she was saying "I'm not going on that slide - too scary". Even when we get there, we almost had to push her up the stairs. First time she comes down, and she's a fanatic - she must have gone on it 50 more times - we had to drag her away when it was time to leave.

 

[tjkraz]

I've been on the slides at BWV and SSR and thought they both were a blast. The SSR slide had me sliding about 90 degrees up the side of the flume on the last turn.

Maybe someone who has been on both and has more discerning tastes than I do could give you specific reasons as to why one is better than the other. The only memory of each that really stands out is that they both were FUN!

The SSR slide is open-air (not enclosed). I think there is a part where you pass under a bridge or other obstructions, but it's nothing dark or claustrophobic.

 

[fkj2]

Is the water at the end of the slides so deep that you'd have to be a really good swimmer to use the slides and be safe?

 

[PaulaMurf]

Is the OKW one enclosed or open? I dont know if my DS, who will be 4 on this trip, will get on it if its enclosed the whole way down - he got a bit freaked out on the volcano one at the Poly last year - but he was fine on the ones at TL - even the big ones, just needs to know where he is going... LOL

As to the swimming question, the water is usually around 3-3 1/2 feet deep at the bottom of all the slides I have been on, with the exception of the ones at TL that slide into the wave pool where it is probably more like 1 - 2 feet deep. All the slides have signs posted that tell you the depth of the water at the bottom, some of the slides do allow children to wear vests, but, you have to ask the lifeguards at each pool as this definately varies from resort pool to resort pool (and sometimes even from CM to CM). Usually either DH or I "catch" DS at the bottom and the lifeguards have allowed us too, I have heard though that at some of the pools they do not allow you to stand near the slide exit to assist the slider.

HTH
and thanks for the responses. I think we will try the BWV one next trip -

Paula in CT

 

[rwodonnell]

We were told on a previous trip that kids with lifejackets could not go on SAB slide, but saw several come down this last trip so I guess they have changed the rules.

I think this is more a case of some lifegaurds applying the rules and some not. Our youngest uses a "bubble" like they use to teach at the YMCA and he was allowed to use it sometimes and other time he wasn't in the same trip.

Is the OKW one enclosed or open?

It's sort of both. We stayed at OKW in March, and we have a couple kids who also don't like the enclosed ones as much, but they loved this slide. My son described it as a "water slide in a round building" (I rode it, sounds like a good description.) There are plenty of places the sunlight comes in, and it's not a tube, but rather the slide circles around, so you are under other parts of the slide most of the trip. I have been on both the Poly slide (where my kids went on but would get scared) and the OKW slide, and the OKW slide is definitely a LOT more open feeling. It's a nice slide, nothing great or huge, but a nice addition to the pool there.