water parks with non swimmers

[sam portadown]

Planning to do a disney water park this July but
with 1 6yr old non swimmer and me also a non swimmer which park should we go to? hubby swims so he needs to enjoy too.
Has anyone any advice.

 

[mjkacmom]

How about getting some swim lessons? Water safety is a huge issue for me (grew up with a pool, spent a lot of my time growing up at the beach), so my kids got year-round lessons starting at age 3. Not only do I want to keep them from drowning (I've seen non-swimmers fall into the pool SO silently - it's pretty scary), but so they learn a few strokes, and aren't doing the doggy paddle at age 30. Swim lessons were the only mandatory activity here besides CCD.

 

[allyphoe]

My nonswimmer (who, after 2 years of swim lessons starting as a baby, was asked to withdraw because she was getting more and more uncomfortable and freaked out in the water, even with me not visible and one-on-one lessons) prefers BB. The lazy river is 6 inches shallower, so she knows that if she fell out of the tube, she could touch bottom without any problem. The family raft ride dumps out into water shallow enough she's comfortable in it. The orange tube slides by Ski Patrol dump out into relatively shallow water. The wave pool has waves that are less likely to knock her off her feet (unlike at TL, which knocked my feet out from under me the first time I went in).

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Ditto on swim lessons. I'll never forget the day a mother was screaming as she lost her child that could not swim in the lazy river at TL. Will never forget the horror in her voice. The child was found. There are life vests at the parks, you can use for non -swimmers. It is a good idea.

 

[Avonlady1001]

Definitely get the life vests...they are free. you need to either leave a deposit or Driver's license. I think I read one park w/ $$, one was the DL. But still free, either way.

I'm a non-swimmer. HATE water slides. They scare me to death. We're thinking about going to a water park this trip. We have a 4y/o & 1y/o. I think I'll be hanging out in the kiddie area w/ them while DH slides the day away. From all the reading I'm doing, I think BB is better for us.

BTW, when I was 17 I almost drowned in the damn wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon. Grabbed onto some poor woman's shoulder to save myself & almost dragged her down with me. I haven't been to a water park since... Time to let that go, I think (I turn 34 on our trip ), but I don't think I'm going to do much.

 

[MickeyMouse'sBFF]

LOL...
Some of those posts were funny. Picturing some of those images in cartoon like thoughts...sorry...
Anyhew..
Soo.. I hear you saying you and son dont swim, but Dad does. Is anyone else going too? Do you and son HAVE to go to the water park with him? I mean, I get it if it meant it would put him out alone. I wouldnt want that either. But if someone else is going too... I say go to another park while he and the others swim at the water park. Splitting up to go to two parks at the same time isnt a crime. Maybe he would be cool with it. Ask him~

 

[brergnat]

Honestly, if YOU are a non-swimmer and your child is also a non swimmer, it is NOT a good idea to go to a water park if it means separating from your DH. Waterparks are NOT meant for "nonswimmers". It's irresponsible to take your child there as a parent if YOU cannot also swim in case something happens to your child AND you at the same time. There are only so many lifeguards...

I would take some swim lessons, if I were you. There are plenty of places that will give adult lessons. Do it for your child too...knowing how to swim is as important as knowing how to read, in my own personal opinion. Especially if you will be vacationing to a lot of places that have water/pools/waterparks in the mix...

If you choose to go to BB or TL, make sure your DH stays with you three, and get your child a life vest!

 

[NotUrsula]

They should both wear life-vests, if they are going into any water that is more than 2 feet deep and moving. They definitely should be worn on the big slides.

Lazy rivers can be deep enough for an adult to drown in if you flip out of your tube and get confused by the current or end up underneath other floaters.

When I initially read non-swimmer, I thought you meant that you didn't WANT to really swim, as in stroking through deeper water, but were more interested in playing on slides and such. It didn't occur to me that non-swimmer in this context meant someone who didn't know HOW to swim.

I'd say that if you don't know how to at least dog-paddle and keep your head above water, stick to BB and wear a vest. TL is definitely more geared to people who can take care of themselves in moving water.

 

[CastleCreations]

I haven't been to either waterparks. My girls are 6 and 7 and both do no swim. We have gone to wet n wild and they loved it. The have a fantastic kiddie area and enough adult stuff that makes it fun.

 

[sam portadown]

Thanks for all your help,will go to bb and get a lifevest for my little girl.
planning to stay in the kids area(no big slides for us)i can swim but only if in my depth so will play it safe.

 

[minimandymouse]

Thanks for all your help,will go to bb and get a lifevest for my little girl.
planning to stay in the kids area(no big slides for us)i can swim but only if in my depth so will play it safe.

Please don't spend time fretting about going to the water park
you can still have fun as a non swimmer there is a family ride Teamboat Springs which you will all love
and a slide cant remember the name but its a big wiggly one which fits about 6 people side by side and you slide down on mats its great fun for everyone with no big water at the bottom just a sprinkling on the slide to slide you down
you can also walk through the lazy river and hold children on there rings thats great fun too
have great fun i always do with my family and i am a non swimmer and one of my children was as well and autistic (swims now though)