Golfland Sunsplash

 

109

260

brad w.

Camas, WA

A favorite CS Lewis quote (oh yeah, I had a CS Lewis phase) as an amuse bouche:

"When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up. "

Two words:  Lazy River.  I resisted an urge to put the F-word in there.  

Another two:  Wave Pool.

A final Two:  Slide #3.  It goes underground, baby.  Rock in the dark.

Love their extended summertime hours- after a hot day of being grown-up- it's entirely awesome to slip into the trunks and drop some cash (I took a star away due to pricing- Golfland just sticks it to you more and more every year) with friends.  The tang of chlorinated water, a slice of some greasy pizza, maybe a few rounds of Joust in the arcade- and man, I tell you, grown up is very, very far away.

Nine.  I've been on nine dates here.  One was scary and involved a mishap on the mini-race track.  Lessons learned.

The music on the PA is always trash-cheese 80's and 90's stuff, in short, absofreakinlutely delicious.  

Have never said the names Kierkegaard or Beckett here.

I prefer the more refined style of the northern goofy golf course- it's got a bit more length, and I enjoy the view of the slide array during the final stretch in.

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25

204

Ann Marie K.

Scottsdale, AZ

This week on a rare occasion my boyfriend and I both had a day off during the week. What to do we thought? It wasn't enough time to take a trip to the north country ( Sedona ahhh) but we figured it would be a great day to release our inner child at Sunsplash.

Out of all the water parks I have been to in AZ Sunsplash is my favorite. It has the most slides hands down and that's pretty much what I am looking for in a water park. I believe in total they have around twelve.

We arrived nice and early this morning, and as it was a week day it wasn't very crowded. After getting used to the water in the wave pool we hit up the slides. First was obviously the Master Blaster a patented Sunsplash ride, and then the rest of the tube slide rides which are all fun minus The Thunderbolt!  Then we hit up the other side of the park with all the slides you don't need a tube to go on and the drop slides
( Yay wedgies). By the end of the day when we were, or at least I was, getting exhausted we hung out at the lazy river, wave pool, and kiddie area and played some water basketball.

All and all I would say the day was a success. Although at the end of the day I felt very old! I was tired, a bit burnt, had a headache, and was famished (no good food options). I don't ever remember feeling that much fatigue here when I was younger! Next time I'll pack the aspirin and snacks for my ancient booty! A great way to spend a day having fun in the sun. Just be prepared for kids,sun, and make sure you have the energy to burn!

Cons:
Overpriced mediocre food
Costly
Lame waves in wave pool
Obviously full to the brim with "adorable kiddies"
Burning (bottom of feet and body if you don't reapply a million times

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Elite '08

47

225

Lauren V.

Phoenix, AZ

Oh Golfland Sunsplash! Back in the 80s, this place was the bee's knees... if you didn't have your birthday party here, man you were whack as they come.

i recently returned for a round of miniature golf (they have three courses to choose from and is WAAAY better than the courses offered at Castles and Coasters and Fiddlesticks, hands down) and still had a blast.

as for the water park , it's super fun and they're adding new attractions all the time. although, i heard they're having a crackdown on the lazy river and you can only go around twice before they drag you out...how lame - but at thispoint it's all heresay and conjecture as i have not been to the water park portion in some time.

um, i would advise water-friendly shoes (i know they're dorky) because walking around a full day on the fry an egg on the sidewalk pool-texture deck is KILLER on your poor feet. and in summer peak months the lines for the slides can get hair pulling long - especially when you're surrounded by 10 year olds with sticky ice cream faces.

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Elite '08

95

318

Alicia B.

Phoenix, AZ

Been here once. Had fun.

Simple enough, right? Well, yes. I can't comment on the splash part, for I only played one round of mini-golf. That one round was incredibly fun. As for the actual place that one round of golf was played... Well, it was okay. I don't know what I expected, but perhaps a better manicured mini-golf green? Maybe. Perhaps I expected somebody at the counter to help us without having to buzz them a trio of times.

All in all, 3 stars because I've only been there once. With the right company, this place could be the perfect combination of goofy fun and mad skill, yo. (I got a hole-in-one at the first hole!)

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24

264

Natalie W.

Chandler, AZ

The miniature golf portion is more fun than the water portion. Hotter, but better. The water slides are very crowded and no better than the ones at our public pool -- and they only cost 50 cents! But I agree with the other reviewer, the golf courses are better those offered at other Valley parks. They also have a HUGE arcade room, and the castle theme has a definite "cool"-factor.

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189

715

w w.

Scottsdale, AZ

I will always love Golfland/Sunsplash and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  Although I wish it wasn't filled with dirty, screaming kids that pee in the water, I still find it to be pretty darn fun.

In my younger years, the crazy water slides that made you feel as if you were about to catch air and plummet to your certain death at any moment were my favorite.  Now, you'll find me in the lazy river.

I see nothing wrong with lying in an inner tube as the water pulls you around a stream over and over again.  

Bring lots of sun block and reapply it often or you will surely burn to a crisp.

The Waikiki beach with its huge waves is fun too, but it is filled with so many people that it's usually better to stick to the less popular attractions if you don't want to get hit by flaying limbs.

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9

132

Andrew P.

Chandler, AZ

Sun Splash is kind of fun, with a reasonably long slow and winding "river" to tube in, some slides including an especially fun plunge.

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