Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!

Nicole

and Team / Co
Administrator
Jul 22, 2013
11,650
31,950
280
Arlington, VA
The recent comments comparing water parks to other ... um ... places got me thinking about how they really stack up against each other. I quickly realized that I like different parks for different reasons, and my preference is largely dependent on my mood and goals.

I think overall Discovery Cove is my favorite water park, but I'm not sure it is really fair to compare it to a more traditional place like WCUSA, since it is really more of a resort/zoo/beach hybrid.

Pondering regular water parks, I find that I can't really select a number one, but I can narrow them down to my top three. In no particular order:

Aquatica Orlando. The theming is excellent. It is well maintained. I love the cabanas. Walkabout Waters is fantastic.

WCUSA. Who doesn't love the Hubba Hubba Highway? It has some great slides, as well.

Adventure Island. I know this is an unpopular pick, but when I just want to relax, it is a great choice. The lazy river is really long, and the park itself is pretty. They have great cabanas, as well.

As a side note, the Beach Party Cabana at KD's Soak City is the coolest cabana I've ever rented. Also, you couldn't pay me enough money to go back to Splash Country.

Anyway, what are y'all's favorite water parks?
 
My pick goes to Splashin' Safari, no contest. I'm a huge ProSlide fan and I think most everyone would agree that Splashin' Safari is the ProSlide capital of the world.

Aquatica Orlando takes 2nd place for me due to its fantastic, compact-yet-beautiful, layout and its great, varied collection of attractions.

Water parks I've visited: Water Country USA, Ocean Breeze Waterpark, Kings Dominion's Soak City, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom's Hurricane Bay, Holiday World's Splashin' Safari, Dollywood's Splash Country, SeaWorld Orlando's Aquatica, and, if it counts, Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg's water park.
 
I agree with almost 100% of what Nicole said. However, and maybe this does not count, Jungle Falls will always be my favorite. Yes, I recognize it no longer exists, and it is certainly not the best, but it was where my dad would take my sister and me on weekends. It was always a great deal of fun to see dad splash around. Also, who doesn't like questionable foam rafts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nicole
Every SeaWorld/Busch Gardens water park that I have been to seems like a good candidate to me (especially Discovery Cove). In general, I tend to dislike the mostly-minor inconveniences associated with water parks (stairs,heat).

That said I love any park that can separate itself from those boundaries. I would love to try Splashin' Safari, and I just barely missed Dollywood's Splash Country.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary and Nicole
Water parks aren't really my thing but since Zimmy brought it up I'll say Jungle Falls. It's the only one I've ever been to. You just can't forget a giant gorilla.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zimmy and Nicole
When I was a kid , we went to Summer Waves waterpark on Jekyll island in Georgia and that place was really fun. It gave me my first taste of waterpark fun. The park itself is quite small, and compared to WCUSA by today's standards, would be no contest. But, there is nothing like that first experience and for that reason, there is a special place in my heart for the Jekyll island waterpark.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zimmy and Nicole
I like hubba hubba highway.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    52.5 KB · Views: 64
I really enjoyed Aquatica at SWSA. While it was small what was there wasn't that many attractions as the toilet bowl slide complex was closed. Although, were all very enjoyable and I didn't really feel there were any bad slides.. One of my favorites was the bird aviary where you could sit in a half submerged lounge chair and watch the birds fly around.

Of course, I also love WCUSA as it was my home water park for ten years and has a nice selection of slides.

As for Orlando parks I wasn't that impressed with Aquatica down there as I felt it was too crowded and there wasn't enough attractions to handle them. I'll be re-visiting the park this April so hopefully my opinion changes. Typhoon Lagoon on the other hand is visually amazing. Sadly the slides were out-dated and none of them were that remarkable other Crush 'N' Gusher.

While I imagine this doesn't count but I'll be visiting Discovery Cove in March and I imagine that will move it to my top spot from what I've heard. Theme Parks with animals are always a plus in book.
 
It's interesting that you noted the slides at Typhoon Lagoon are outdated Connor, because according to the Disney website, almost everything at Typhoon Lagoon is listed as 'closed for refurbishment'. Just something I noticed ;)
 
Speaking of smaller water parks, I was thinking very hard, and found the most simple one I could think of. It's called Hadad's Lake. I used to go there as a kid, and from the looks of it, the place hasn't changed a bit.

Talk about "frozen in time", I would almost be leery of going there now, although it looks just as well kept. I just don't care for the old-fashioned idea of man made swimming lakes. I have grown too accustomed to shiny pools with vinyl liners.

However, if you want to feel like you ended up stranded somewhere between the 50's and 70's, go there and tell me how it is now. I had so much fun then, but for now I will stick with my SeaWorld parks.
 
CastleOSullivan said:
Speaking of smaller water parks, I was thinking very hard, and found the most simple one I could think of. It's called Hadad's Lake. I used to go there as a kid, and from the looks of it, the place hasn't changed a bit.

Talk about "frozen in time", I would almost be leery of going there now, although it looks just as well kept. I just don't care for the old-fashioned idea of man made swimming lakes. I have grown too accustomed to shiny pools with vinyl liners.

However, if you want to feel like you ended up stranded somewhere between the 50's and 70's, go there and tell me how it is now. I had so much fun then, but for now I will stick with my SeaWorld parks.
That is where they hold the annual 'GWAR-B-QUE' event. That place is pretty sweet.
 
I should mention, the most oddly place waterpark I have ever been to was Wild Wadi in Dubai.

When I was there in 2004 it was fairly new and it only had a handful of slides and pools. Since I left the region, I understand it has had a great deal added to it, including what I think is the first uphill water slide in the world.
 
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad