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Aquatica
Category: Active Life Amusement Parks Amusement Parks [Edit]
5800 Water Play WayOrlando, FL 32821
(888) 800-5447
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
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34 reviews for Aquatica
Review Highlights
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"Try the super fast lazy river, fast & fun." In 11 reviews -
"...with the majority of the seating located at the Wave Pools." In 5 reviews -
"I cannot wait to try all the rides." In 8 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Gabe A.
Moreno Valley, CA
The last water park I've been to was the Raging Waters in San Dimas, Ca. 10 years ago, so you can imagine my surprise when I went in this place. I was totally enthralled. My nieces were very excited. They could not stand still when they had to wait while our cabana was being process (They had to be there to get their VIP bracelet). The park's not very big but packed with entertainment. Lots of rides, slides for all ages. It was weekday when we went so it was not very busy, lucky for us. The teens were able to get on all rides plus repeats in just 4 hours. My toddlers favorite is the Walkabout Waters (SEE PIC). After viewing the pics, you can see why. It's a colorful water city of pure fun for all ages but more so for the little ones. I actually had tons of fun here with my son; this is where we hang out while we wait for the bigger kids to finish their big slides and etc. The family's favorite was the Roa Rapids (see pic), we must have stayed there for over an hour flowing with the tides; just laughing, horsing around and floating away. It's one of the few rides where everyone in my family can be together. Staffs were friendly, always visible and willing to help. We rented a private cabana with locker, unlimited water and towel service. It's a good size, roomy for 6 people. It also equipped with refrigerator, lounging chairs, small table and the very welcomed CEILING FAN! It's located by the poolside which was pretty neat. The park itself is very clean, well organized and well maintained. Unfortunately, the food we ordered here was not good. Sandwiches, pizza and chicken nuggets were dry - overheated from the heat lamp maybe? We did not try their BBQ but wished we did.
Overall, a fantastic park to cool off from Orlando's heat. We would have definitely come back had we have more time in Florida. -
Review from Tina Z.
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had purchased 2 day tickets to Seaworld and was not a fan of that park at all. We chose to try the water park on day 2 since it was in the 90's.
The lines just to pay to park were over 10 minutes and there really were not many cars in front of us. Next we waited another 15 minutes in a 5 person deep line to rent a cabana. The prices on the website were not accurate and we ended up paying double what I expected. After a miserable hot day at Seaworld the day before, we decided to go with it just to have a place in the shade.
I did enjoy the cabana, however they are overpriced. You get a personal refridgerator with water and complimentary towels and a locker. It is all set up in your private tent and you get to wear some cool VIP bracelets around which allow you access to the private section. Ours was located behind the wave pool, so it was great for people watching during lunch and rest time.
I don't think that it was worth the $$ , but it was convenient and the kids got a kick out of it.
The water rides in this park are not over the top. There are a half dozen or so slides and they have a lazy river that has a couple of tanks in it. One is for viewing some fish and the other is on the Commerson dolphin tank. You see the people sliding down the dolphin plunge and you see the dolphins swimming around.
My favorite attraction was the Roa Rapids. This was so much fun. By no means would I classify it as rapids, it was just a good fast lazy river. Two thumbs up on that one. -
Review from Kim M.
Norfolk, VA
4/23/2012
The last two times we have come to the Orlando area, we have visited
this water park. It's mostly a pretty standard park, but there are a
few things that make Aquatica stand out in my mind:
-It's a smallish park, but there are definitely enough rides to keep
you entertained for the whole day, and the lines are not nearly as bad
as some other amusement parks in the area; I don't think we waited
more than 15 minutes for anything.
-You sort of expect to get gouged when you're in a theme park, but I
thought their ticket prices and in-park food prices were pretty
competitive.
-Everything's pretty well maintained and kept clean and orderly.
-We had a baby and a teenager with us, and everyone had something fun
and age-appropriate to do.
Highlights:
-The "Roa Rapids" ride is sort of the "Lazy River" on crack. Did you
ever make whirlpools as a kid? It's that, but industrial strength; a
high-speed tube-free river ride that flows through the park. My
husband really likes it because it's fun, you don't have to wait and
you can ride it as long as you want. My brother-in-law likes to plan
the order of our rides such that we can ride the Rapids to the next
slide.
-"Whanau Way" is a two-person enclosed water slide. . . . probably my favorite.
Cons:
-At the last 30 minutes of the day, there's basically no one in the
park, and my young brother-in-law usually talks me into running up the
stairs as fast as we can and doing the water slides as many times as
we can before the park closes. Man, that hurts the next day. -
Review from Ryan N.
3/25/2012
I've lived in Orlando since Aquatica opened and never got a chance to check it out until now. This week, a friend invited me, so I couldn't miss a chance to soak in some rays (maybe too many..) and enjoy the water!
Well Aquatica didn't disappoint with something for everyone from water tubes to lazy rivers. It's also a very clean park with bright colors and a great island feel. The best part was there were little to no lines! A nice change from other local venues.
Some of the stand out items were the tube slides, racing slides and fast paced river rapids. I would give you the technical name, but I could barely pronounce them myself. Wakawakumamu maybe??
I did look at the pricing and there are some great deals if you are a Florida resident. for $59.99, you can get a weekday pass for one year, which is pretty good! The annual pass is just $9/month and includes parking.
The one reason I didn't give Aquatica 5-Stars is the food leaves a little to be desired. I chose a yummy looking salad from the grill and unfortunately found that it was frozen when I took it to the table. They were very nice and replaced it with a hamburger, but it was not really what I wanted and the quality not great. I'm sure they have better dishes, I will just have to try them next time! -
Review from Robert M.
Richmond, VA
10/24/2011
Took our family to Aquaitca in late October. It was a bit cool at first, but we rapidly got used to just staying in the water! Coming in, most of the rides are right near the gate. We delayed in lining up to a couple. We should have just gone to the interior of the park to find a secluded spot to drop our gear first.
We got a locker to store our valuables in. Remember to pick up your $5 deposit afterwards! We stayed from open to close and many folks bolted out and left their keys in the lock. Since it was very international, I figure they didn't understand. I could have made some extra bucks picking up keys!
The family enjoyed all of the rides. The favorite was the rapids. The whole family enjoyed doing loops on it. The toboggan ride was pretty cool as well. There were no bad rides and the lines on a Monday in October were great.
The whole park was a bit small. I would recommend this as part of the "Sea World" package or out of season. During season, I think the larger water parks might have a bigger edge in number of activities and size to disperse crowds. -
Review from L T.
Hayward, CA
8/1/2011
Great place! Plenty for the smaller kids (under 42") and enough for the bigger ones (51" gets you on everything). As stated in other reviews, you do pay for parking and entrance fees are right there with Typhoon Lagoon. Some things to note: no outside food and they were pretty strict. Our youngest has food allergies and they seemed okay with us bringing in stuff for him, just nothing meal size and definitely no straws. We had Capri Suns and they ripped off the straws.
True to form for Sea World, they offer a Souvenir Cup that comes with refills for $.99. Something I have not seen Disney do yet. Loved the rapids and enjoyed the relaxation time, even if just for a few minutes. Kids had a blast at the Walkabout Waters structure. That was impressive. Both our 4 and 9 year old enjoyed the options and rides. If you are going to wear a shirt, wear a rash guard shirt as the standard cotton ones are not allowed on some rides. Also, sandals or swim socks work better than flip flops as you can wear them on the rides. But don't fret if you prefer flip flops as they do have cubbies you can put them in before you get in line. When it is hot, the ground scalds your feet. Ouch, so it is good to at least have something to wear even if you do end up taking them off.
Assessing the crowds, Aquatica felt just right, no severe waits and enough space to find some chairs as a home base on the sand. For out of state visitors, beware the thunder storms as they do close the attractions if lightening is approaching. Overall, good for the entire family. -
Review from Joanna W.
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
We received complimentary tickets as a package for Discovery Cove and decided to go to Aquatica. Didn't know much about it since I'm not a resident of Orlando.
This would be a wonderful place for a family with small children. I would not recommend this to teenagers looking for a thrilling water ride AT ALL. It's very small and seemed relatively old. -
Review from Jolie L.
Windermere, FL
11/10/2011
Aquatica is alright.
I still always prefer the Disney water parks.
I think Aquatica is too small, not too many rides, and there really isn't anywhere to have lunch but one or two places. The parking ishorrible. There's only one booth but over all its okay. -
Review from Kelli M.
6/8/2011 2 photos
There are a number of water parks in the Orlando area. Aquatica is the newest one of the bunch, opening in March of 2008. Aquatica is part of the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. It is located across the street from SeaWorld.
Aquatica has a South Pacific theme with animal mascots from Australia and New Zealand. The park is nicely done in bright colors with a beautiful lush landscape. There are lounge chairs located throughout the park, with the majority of the seating located at the Wave Pools. We prefer to sit in the back towards the Walhalla Wave where we find it to be less crowded.
Aquatica has attractions for all ages. There's Kaata's Kookaburra Cove for kids under 48". Walkabout Waters is a fun place for youngsters to explore. For those who prefer more thrill try the Taumata Racer and Walhalla Wave. Everyone will enjoy the Roa's Rapids, it's a lazy river that has speed.Listed in: Chill Out
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Review from Michael D.
Oviedo, FL
9/8/2011
Took the family there for the first time on Sunday....all had a great time. Really enjoyed the 'Rapids' (sort of a fast 'Lazy River' without the tubes).
It helped that it wasn't too crowded.... :)
With kids aged 17, 9 and 4, there was still fun for all.....will definitely be going back! -
Review from Indy O.
Miami, FL
6/3/2011
I was a bit skeptical because of some of the bad reviews, glad I decided to go anyways. I had the best time! The kids so loved it. Thankfully didn't encounter any rude people. The staff was really nie & even helpful. Long lines are to be expected it's a water park. I go to theme/water parks all the time and lines are always expected.
The bathrroms were really clean and spacious. Shampoos in shower a plus. They rent lockers for $20.00 & you get $5.00 back when you return key.
The kids favorite by far was Roa's Rapids. Must say I really enjoyed it as well. Life vests for kids adults optional. You are just being taken by currents and at certain parts gets faster. We loved it & were racing to see who won. LOL... Such fun! All you heard were laughs coming from everyone racing.
Lazy River was very relaxing. If you wanted a tube you had to wait for one but wait time wasn't bad.
They had 2 wave pools. The kids lovede this one as well. They had such fun. They also have some beach chairs around the area that you can rent. Umbrellas were also available.
The kiddie pool man was that fun! We had a blast in this place. Mnd you my youngest is 7. They had a bucket that woukld drop a ton of water every couple of minutes. I tell you it was mostly adults SCREAMING ITS COMING! Such fun! They have smaller slides and play area for younger kids.
Overall park was fun. Line for food was INSANE! Bring your patience for that one. But, I say give it a try you'll enjoy it. -
Review from Sam B.
Athens, TN
5/31/2011
First' the pros:
Very clean waterpark, bathrooms were nice, free shampoo in the showers! Also the lazy river was very nice. And the one ride I rode was pretty cool.
Cons: it was memorial day and insanely crowded, I know I can't blame this on the park, but it did cause us to leave early.
The park really isn't that big. which doesn't help when it's busy, just moving around the park was tough.
The food was expensive and terrible, bring a lunch! -
Review from Cristina C.
Orlando, FL
7/11/2010
This park is worth it for one reason:
The Lazy River of Death!
OK, Aquatica calls it Roa's Rapids, but what it really is: a river filled with a strong current that blasts you downstream. There are life jackets, but they're not required. I prefer to be submerged, floating along and giggling like a school girl. It's awesome.
There's another Lazy River, Loggerhead Lane, that requires inner tubes. Since it's 1000 degrees outside, I never understood the point of going to a water park to sit ON TOP of the water. Call me crazy, but I want to be in the water. When I tried this, a lifeguard screamed at me to get in the tube. They advertise that you will float by tropical fish, but in reality it's a dirty looking oversized fish tank.
There are also two wave pools, the Lame Wave Pool and The Semi-Awesome Wave Pool. We laid around in the Lame Wave Pool for an hour, getting kicked in the faces by fat kids in inner tubes, grumbling about how much it sucked, before a lifeguard told us we were on the wrong side. The Semi-Awesome Wave Pool is pretty good, just stay close to the wall so it feels like you're being sloshed around in a washing machine.
I didn't do any of the slides because I almost drowned at Wild Waters in 1988, filling my heart with fear. My friend did the water slide where the dolphins swim next to the tube (at least they do in the commercial), but as he went through he didn't see any dolphins and he complained that the construction of the slide caused a burning sensation on his back.
As usual, everything here is overpriced. A locker is $10, parking is $12, food is ridiculous. Beer was $6 a bottle, and because I was on a budget, it made it impossible to get drunk. There was an all-you-can-eat buffet for the low low price of $25 which advertised hot dogs and burgers. I can't imagine anybody hungry enough to pay that much for crappy food.
Everything in the park is laid out well, making it feel less like a cattle call than at ghetto-tastic Wet 'n Wild. It was possible to have areas to yourself, even if only for a few minutes.
Because of the Lazy River of Death, this is my favorite water park in town. -
Review from John F.
Great Falls, MT
10/25/2011
Great park for kids. We went there in October in the park was not crowded at all. We have a 4 year old and the children's play area is awesome. We had fun in it too! The not so lazy river (Rapids) is also incredible. All lazy rivers should be like this. We spend probably an hour drifting around the park at a high rate of speed! the park was much cleaner than Typhoon Lagoon and the rides for a lot more fun. There were no really scary rides at Aquatica but we still thought the adult rides were much better than Typhoon Lagoon. My only complaint is the 12 dollar parking fee which makes this park too pricey. The Disney water parks offer free parking. This is a great water park for everyone in the family and I would definitely go back.
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Review from Josh A.
Goose Creek, SC
5/6/2011
It was ok. I probably would have had a better time if there weren't so many RUDE people around me and I didn't have a baby to take care of. Don't go on the weekends, everywhere you go, there's a long freakin' line and the lazy rivers are very congested. It reminded me of rats trying to get out of a drainage ditch, people going where ever they wanted, without regard for those around them. My in law even had a guy yell at him, because he was in the way of his locker for 2 seconds and he wasn't going to wait for him to move out the way. I wish I was around to let the dbag know what's up, but of course, I never am when this stuff happens.
I did have one major problem with one of the life guards on Roa's Rapids though. My father in law, decided to join my wife, the baby, and I in the rapids. Neither one of us had done it, but watched a zillion people go by, nobody really having any trouble. Well, my in law has a rare neurological disorder, which in hind sight is kind of stupid to let him go in there, but again, nobody seemed to be struggling. Anyway, he gets in and immediately gets swept of his feet and it struggling to stay afloat. He was trying to hold on to the side and pull himself up, and I was trying to keep his head above the water, as he was gasping for air. His Crocs even flew off, which I eventually got them back. So, the lifeguard could clearly see that my in law was struggling and I was working to keep him above the water, what do you think the Lifeguard said? "Hey! No holding onto the side of the wall!" He said this over and over, even after I explained to him what was going on. Not sure if he was just scared to help or what, but he was completely oblivious to the fact that we were struggling. They might want to look into training their lifeguards on Roa's Rapids to recognize when someone is in trouble, rather than barking useless orders at them.
Other than that though, it was alright. -
Review from Patty G.
5/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
This past weekend we had ridiculous amounts of fun at Aquatica! I don't even know where to begin. The park is really nice, the rides are super fun, and there's something for everyone. We got to the park when they opened since we knew it was a popular park and it was Memorial Day Weekend. We've also heard they can close when the park fills up. Well, it was the best decision we made because there weren't as many people in the morning so the lines for the rides were shorter than in the afternoon. We were able to get chairs under an umbrella at the wave pool beach area. We pretty much enjoyed the entire park. The kids area is super fun... even for adults! It's super refreshing too.
All of the rides were really fun, the only one I didn't try out was Taumata Racer... which looked pretty scary and intense. There are 8 riders, you race to the bottom on your belly on some huge slides. Ahhh! I wasn't brave enough. My absolutely favorite ride was HooRoo Run.
The only criticism I have for the park was the meal plan. I thought it would be a great deal... later we come to find out we can only eat at one restaurant in the park with the meal plan--Banana Beach Cookout. The food was really not worth it... all they had was pizza, some pasta, three salad options, microwaved hotdogs, and some cookies for dessert. And all the soda you'd like to drink. You're not allowed to take food out of the restaurant (for obvious reasons) but you are allowed drinks. I tried the pizzas, pastas, caesar salad, and cookie. I didn't like the pizza, the pasta was alright (overcooked), and the meatballs were a killer--I think they were bad. The cookies were not that good. If you're a soda drinker, it's probably worth it but I'm not. All you should be drinking anyways is water, being out in the sun all day can dehydrate you quick. I don't know, some of my friends liked the meal plan but all of my family agreed that it was not worth it. At the end of the day, I didn't want to see any more pizza or pasta and was disgusted by the smell of their food. I didn't think it was worth the $16.99 (for adults).
The bathrooms were pretty clean. Obviously, it's hard to keep them dry and completely sanitary throughout the day since it's a water park... but they try really hard, there were always people mopping the floors and cleaning the bathrooms. I felt like they did a good job keeping them clean.
I would also suggest to wear your flip flops all day, there are "sneaker keepers" around the park, near every ride--which means when you're done, you take your flip flops and go. The pavement gets very hot, even with the water spouts. I kept seeing people run from water puddle to water puddle towards the end of the day. I just kept my flip flops on and the sneaker keepers work great.
I recommend you take your own towels... as renting them is a waste of money, plus, they looked pretty dirty. We were a group of 6 and took 4 towels, which was enough. You dry off pretty fast in the sun anyways.
Overall, it's a great water park, really fun, and staff were nice. Just don't get the meal plan unless you plan to eat there twice, drink lots of soda, and you don't get bored of eating the same thing twice in one day. -
Review from Eric M D.
Caldwell, ID
8/1/2008 2 photos
I was able to visit Aquatica by SeaWorld in Orlando this past month, and I must say that this park is unlike any other!
I first scored discount tickets to Aquatica from Orlando Fun Tickets (http://www.OrlandoFunT...) and we were warned by the customer service agent that Aquatica fills up fast, so you have to get there early.
We arrived at 8:30 (which at first I felt was too early to be at a water park but the warm Orlando morning proved otherwise), we quickly got into the park, claimed some beach chairs and really took in the great atmosphere that SeaWorld created!
We were able to get on the Dolphin slide (a slide where you actually zoom through a dolphin tank) right off the back (this line got REALLY LONG later in the day).
We also purchased their all you can eat wrist band for like 20.00 and were able to go to the grille and grab snacks and meals all day (since the park was open until 10 this was a GREAT value).
Knowing that we were going to be there all day, we really took our time! I must say that I impressed with every attraction, and really loved the resort feel to the park!
When visiting Orlando this is a must visit!Listed in: Orlando Attractions
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Review from Loïc D.
Miami, FL
8/10/2009
Do not bother going after 10am as it might be closed. It doesn't matter if you've purchased your tickets beforehand and driven the whole family for four hours to get there, they won't let you in. But don't worry... you can get a refund for all the tickets across the street at Sea World guest relations, where a hundred other people are getting refunds for the same problem.
In any case, Typhoon Lagoon was happy to let us in. -
Review from Brian W.
Mystic, CT
9/12/2011
We were in Orlando for a week. We had such a great time here that we went twice in a week. The park was not that busy so lines were short. The park has mainly water slides with a mixture of tubes,mats and commando. The slides are about 100 steps up so you know it when you get to the top. The coolest feature is a cool rapid river that just zips you around the park in a circle. I recommend wearing a life jacket for a more relaxing ride. The food was ok. Expensive but no worse than the other parks.
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Review from cameron t.
Virginia Beach, VA
4/21/2009
I have been to some nasty water parks during my life, but this is not one of them. Aquatica was a lot of fun. The park was super clean and well landscaped. I was impressed that they even had a play area for smaller kids. There were actually small slides fit for toddlers. That was great for us since we have a 10 and 2 yr old. The only negative was the water in the little kid's area was like 10 degrees cooler than the water in the lazy river or wave pool areas.
We didn't get to try any of the food options but they looked good. There was a nice sit down grill, and plenty of snack & ice cream areas throughout the park. The lifeguards were plentiful, and they were all friendly & helpful if necessary.
My only gripe is the locker area smelled like moldy cheesy feet :( Nothing that some Clorox bleach can't solve ;) -
Review from Ali P.
Chester, VA
8/15/2010
Nasty bathrooms, employees with bad attitudes, and no water spout for your feet! The pavement got very hot and the employees getting rude. Why are you going to hire a fat guy to serve drinks when you know it's harsh weather condition! I mean c'mon, think about the interview questions
1. Are you willing to stand on your feet for extended periods of time without no accommodation?
2. Are you willing to stand in extreme weather conditions without accommodation AND provide happy go lucky customer service!
I swear do they look at their employees before they hire them! WTF! It just seems they need to do customer service training. The only great employees they got down right would be the Lost and Found b/c my sister lost her son in the fast rapids and they said the old lady was very nice. Of course she has to be nice so parents don't flip out and cruse everybody out they lost their child! Then when we left the employee did not even tell us bye, thanks or anything! I mean really!! We come and spend X amount on overpriced food and drinks and deal with nasty bathrooms and bad employees you can't even tell us thanks for coming! WTF!
On a happier note.... my daughter loved the baby play area. The lifeguards appeared to be checking out all the moms who were playing with their children. So beware of that! Um... be sure to grab a life jacket before entering any extreme water ride because the lifeguard will tell you to get one then they might not have the kids' size and they gotta end up wearing the 3x smaller tight pink ones LOL!!! I saw a fat boy wear one and he was putting up a fit with his parents it was hilarious. Hey safety first....
Tips to remember..
Don't lose your children- keep them nearby do not let them roam alone!
Grab a life jacket before starting anything
Put sunblock on!
The walk about looks fun, but seems like hell for parents! LOL!
I might like it more next time... because I'll actually be able to get on the slides! But overall from my 1st experience I hope they wise up on these reviews and hire the right people! -
Review from Rhea P.
8/5/2009 1 Check-in Here
A water park where you don't have to be fearless is what my mom calls it. It's definitely a light weight water park, but there are some rides that offer more speed, so it's a little bit for everyone. I enjoyed Roa's Rapids the best, along with the slides. The slides are super fun!!
Since we arrived early the lines were not long at first which was pretty cool. I decided to get the yearly pass which means I get to go as much as I want for about $9 a month, parking included. Wow! Gotta love it!
I think the landscaping is cool, the park is clean and very well maintained, and I like the abundance of life guards and water safety personnel. I cannot wait to try all the rides! -
Review from Lady V.
Miami, FL
4/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
We totally loved this place.. The kids had a blast.. Mom & I chilled under the umbrellas and watched the kids have their fun.. We were there very early so at first the weather was cool but the water was heated so the kids and Ron (my boyfriend) jumped and they loved it.. Food was a little pricey but it was well worth it seeing the kids smiling faces and exhaustion.. LOL.. Will return..
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Review from Gianna R.
I went here yesterday on my last day in Orlando, I went by a recommendation of a friend who said is was the Best Water Park in Orlando and he must have been on Crack because this to me was the worst Water Park I went too.. The Staff was Rude and seemed like they all hated their jobs, we rented a Cabana and once we got the Cabana we never saw a single Cabana person again the whole day.. The Towels they gave us looked like something you would get in a 2 Star hotel.. The crowd that went here seemed a bit Ghetto, The slides had very long lines, The Walkways were barely watered which made it VERY HOT to walk on, They Slides were boring nothing exciting.... Oh not to mention the Food they should get an Award for the Worst Food served in a Theme Park it was HORRIBLE.... Sea World should be ashamed for having their name associated with such a place...
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Review from Alec Z.
Orange County, CA
10/24/2011
Awesome place. In June outside temp goes up and so does the number of people in lines. Otherwise, excellent experience. My family loved it and we would definitely go back. Highlights? Just about everything.
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Review from Keith H.
8/7/2010
Awesome, newer and better than wet 'n' wild. The rapids alone provided hours of fun!
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Review from Gary T.
Sanford, FL
11/9/2008
I'll admit right off the bat that I don't have much to compare Aquatica to. The only other water park I've been to is the one inside Great America in San Jose, CA and that was a few years back. That said, I LOVE Aquatica!
I chose a day that wasn't really warm enough for a water park because even though the water is heated, and feels really nice, the slight breeze is not heated and was rather chilly after getting wet. It was one of those days that was beautiful as long as you were dry, but cold once you were wet.
The park layout is a bit confusing and I couldn't find a map anywhere, even though I saw a few other people with maps. There were plenty of employees around so asking for directions was not an issue, thankfully. As other reviewers have mentioned, this park has received quite a bit of criticism for it's lack of anything really taking it to the next level. It's no better than any of the other parks and a lot of people had very high expectations. I had pretty low expectations because I didn't know what to expect. I have not been to either Disney water park, nor Wet N' Wild so I don't know how great they are, but this place rocks and I'll tell you why.
I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter so whatever I do, it needs to be a good place for her. This place delivers on the kids stuff. They have a MASSIVE 3 story kids area that is unbelievable. My jaw dropped when I first saw it and I immediately wanted to invent a time machine and somehow transport that back to my hometown about the time I was five years old. It's damn impressive! They also have another area with kid friendly slides. The only problem with those is that there is a long walk from where you get off the slide to where you get on, and a weight limit that keeps larger adults off the slides. My wife and I are both larger adults, so one of us was at the top, and one at the bottom, and we shuttled our daughter around so she could do what kids do best, and do it again and again and again and again and... you get the idea.
My daughter loves water whether it's a puddle, a sprinkler, dancing fountains, or a full blown water park and today I think she felt like she had died and gone to heaven, if of course she were to have any concept of heaven. Either way, she loved every moment of it and would live there, in the water, if they would let her.
So the kid loved it, but what about the adults? I thought it was awesome. I was a bit apprehensive to ride a water slide head first and it was just a little scary at first but once I had gone down once, I couldn't wait to ride again. I did learn that it's best for a guy to keep his pelvis area up a little or when you get into the waves and you start bouncing, you might be in for a bit of pain. Apparently I was dry humping the mat or something. It's padded but damn, it still wasn't pleasant. My second time down was much better. I learned several things during the first ride and I'll share those here: you need to lean into the turn to keep the mat under you properly. This also allows you to go faster. If you are a guy, keep your pelvis raised up, and your feet. Think elbows and knees and you'll do fine. Also, the heavier you are, the faster you go. I top out at 3 pounds below the weight limit for the slide so I have an advantage when racing. Two girls went down a full second before me and I still beat them by 20 feet and a couple seconds at the bottom. I was flying after the first ride.
I did not ride any of the other adult slides, mainly due to wanting my daughter to get to play more, having way too much fun in the lazy river (that thing is awesome!), it being cold, and my wife having a bum knee that prevents her from hiking up the millions of damn stairs that are between you and the fun.
Speaking of the stairs, can't they do something to eliminate the need to climb and climb and climb? I feel like I'm trying to get to the top of Everest. I read in the guide book that one of the other water parks has a ski lift. Might have to check that out for the wife's sake. I didn't care much for the stairs because they took too long, but I'm sure they'll help me lose weight. Like a fun version of a stair climber at the gym.
Ok, I've rambled enough. If you want a great time at a water park, try Aquatica or better yet, don't. Listen to everyone else, go to one of the other parks, and keep the lines short for me! -
Review from Brandon S.
Indianapolis, IN
8/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Seaworld's water park. That should say it all. Try the super fast lazy river, fast & fun.
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Review from John M.
Port St. Lucie, FL
7/14/2010
This place was probably the best water park that I have ever been to. It is by far the cleanest, and most fun. There were two lazy rivers, but one of them is much farther from the truth. It was a massive water jet stream that will blast you all the way around the park in a very short amount of time. Compared to Blizzard Beach, this park was amazing!! I plan to return, but after reading some of the other reviews on here, you guys must be out of your minds! The slides were very enjoyable, especially because they had so many.
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Review from Renee L.
Villa Park, IL
5/8/2009
We got admission for free to Aquatica as part of the Discovery Cove package. If you can afford it, that's the way to go! Anywho...
Water slides: This is a new park, so there are very few rides. Noah's Ark, this is not. You will be able to do everything at least twice, if the lines aren't too long. So relax!
Dolphin Plunge is pretty cool, but you slide through the clear tube so quickly you probably won't get any glimpse of the dolphins. Still, it's neat. Most of the slides are entertaining, but we came at a time of year where there were practically no lines... longer lines probably would make these slides less fun, for sure, maybe not even worth the wait. One exception would be Tazzie Twister... a "toilet bowl" style tube slide that shoots you out at break-neck speeds and sends you twisting around and around a bowl-shaped, um, thing and then dumps you down a steep tube at the bottom. Lots of fun!
There is a really cool looking kids play area. I don't have kids, but I was watching other peoples' kids play while my husband was on a water slide I didn't want to go on, and it made me wish I was a kid again :)
Lazy Rivers: Seriously, is there anyone out there who likes water jets and waterfalls on a lazy river? Lazy rivers are supposed to be relaxing, and getting blasted in the face is NOT relaxing. So the tube river was something we did once and that was it.
Now, Roa's Rapids, on the other hand, we spent most of the day in! That is SOOOOOOO much fun!!! No tube required... this fast-current "lazy" river will push you along through "speed zones", rapids, "swirlies", past center islands and around curves. Every water park should have one of these!!!! Another neat thing is you can use it for transportation if you find yourself in the back of the park and needing to get to the front, or vice versa.
Wave pools: Not bad. It's certainly no Poseidon's Rage (Mt. Olympus, Wisconsin Dells) but it's pretty cool. Most of the waves are blah, but there is one spot (you'll see it almost immediately) in the left-hand pool that gets pretty high so far as wave pools go. We went in twice and had lots of fun. One cool thing is that there's a real sand beach that leads up to the pools, with beach chairs, loungers, and cabanas.
Park itself: Beautiful landscaping! A fun, Australian theme. But the pavement gets REALLY hot, and you'll find yourself running from shady spot to shady spot to keep your heels from literally cooking. They've installed jets of water every so often to help cool your feet, but it's not enough. Water socks or flip flops are HIGHLY recommended. This became very annoying, even painful, so the park loses a star for this.
Cost: Too high. Admission alone is high enough, but they charge you $5 (plus $5 deposit) to rent a TINY locker, and $7 for a slightly larger locker. The locker rentals are a total rip off. $3 to rent a towel can be avoided by bringing your own, but it's hard to avoid renting a locker. The cost of admission would keep me from visiting this place, if it weren't part of the Discovery Cove package (and therefor free). Noah's Ark and Mt. Olympus, both in Wisconsin Dells, are cheaper and bigger.
Bottom line: Small, but lots of fun. Beautiful, but poorly designed in some respects... hot pavement = sizzling feet! Some parts of it are unique and worth at least one trip, but the price needs to be reconsidered. Definitely worth adding it to your Discovery Cove trip as part of the package, but I would probably not go if I were paying for it a la carte. -
Review from Tom A.
10/25/2008
This park is great for the family and is way better then Wet n Wild it not only has better rides but the park it self is bigger and u don't have to cross the street to go to the park like u do at Wet n Wild.
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Review from CHRISTINA C.
Kissimmee, FL
10/24/2009 3 Check-ins Here
So even after hurtling off a curb yesterday and rendering my ankle the size of a grapefruit, I still came here for the third time this week. I love it, I don't like heights, those tall beautifully colored waterslides, not for moi, but thats OK, theres a lazy river with DOLPHINS....live cute DOLPHINS (they looklike baby killer whales), the rapids, wave pools, and the best water playground with slides just right for me (or perhaps small children and the elderly). Lots of shade, and if you buy a cup for $9.95 you can refill it whenever you want. That cup will last me all year.
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Review from Nicole B.
Orlando, FL
5/30/2010
I have been going to Aquatica since they have been open. We are season pass holders. Rules are as follows: Arrive early because the park may close or they may park you at Seaworld and shuttle you over. Be prepared if its at full capacity and you were lucky enough to get in to wait over an hour for some of the slides. The kids area water is about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the park. However, if someone poops in the pool, they are quick to shut down the ride for quite awhile and do water quality management on the water. Its defintely safe to go back in when they say that it is.
It is best to go after 4p. By then the lines are few. Some cement in the park is extremely hot to walk on. Also, dont leave your property unattended in the beach chairs because the theft level is high fo absolute stupidity.
Its a nice park and much cleaner than Wet and Wild down the street.
Also, when you ride the slide where they say you will see the dolphins thats usually not the case. Your in a dark tube, see a lighted area coming up. Try and slow down if you can. You usually will not see them as you travel through their tank. You best view is where you can view their dolphin pool from down below. -
Review from Dan B.
Updated - 5/3/2009
I went here today for the first time since grand opening on March 15, 2008 and they still haven't done anything in terms of adding new rides. They only have a grand total of six rides still. I get in for free whenever I want so that's why I will keep coming back, but I would not ever pay $40 for admission then $12 for parking then $10 for a locker to ride six rides. Wet 'n Wild is half the price and has three times more rides and the rides are actually extreme like the Bombay and Der Stuka. They need to put some extreme rides here because most of them aren't thrilling at all. What's great about this place is the landscape, the art, and the cleanliness. That's how they distract people from realizing there are only 6 rides and that the wave pools only get to 5 feet deep. The other great thing is the fast lazy river. The slow one is incredibly shallow and boring. I was there with 6 people today and we all agreed that Wet 'n Wild has more rides and the rides are more fun and thrilling but that Aquatica looks alot better than Wet 'n Wild in terms of aesthetics. I think in about a decade when Aquatica catches up and starts building more rides and especially more thrill rides, it will be a worthwhile water park. Until then, don't spend the $62 bucks per person (when you account for parking and lockers) to ride 6 rides. Also, the food there is bad, but that's like any of the theme parks in the area. I got a southwest wrap for $9 and it tasted old and stale. Here's a tip if you go: when you ride down Dolphin plunge, sit up when you get to the holding take for the cameroon dolphins. You'll slow down and the water won't splash you in the face so you can actually see the dolphins. The T-racers is probably the best ride they have in terms of thrills.
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10/25/2008
This is a decent water park recently opened by Sea World. I was kind of disappointed along with… Read more »
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