Get Ready for a Wild Time at Water World!

[Lyndabree]

As the mom of five, I sometimes find it hard to plan an outing that has something for everyone. It usually turns out that the toddlers are bored, tired, and hot or the older kids aren’t able to find an age-appropriate activity in the toddler-themed area. Then we have my husband. He’s a pretty laid back guy, but even he can only push a swing or sit in a sandbox for so long. Luckily for us, we were sent over to Water World to see how it measures up.

The first thing I noticed upon entering the park was the overall cleanliness. The grounds were well maintained and employees were seen cleaning tables and walkways. This was very impressive to me because I’ve often noticed a sort of apathy regarding the general appearance of some of the busier attractions in the area. It was also nice to see a staff of friendly employees who smiled when approached and were willing to offer advice and answer questions. They really got involved with making each ride just a little bit more exciting by splashing water or making a slide a little less scary for the younger kids by offering a soothing word. I witnessed this first hand as my son took his first tentative steps toward a water slide that I couldn’t ride with him. The lifeguard held out his hand and said “Don’t worry, buddy. This will be so much fun, I promise!” and my son splashed down with a grin on his face that could light up the park. It really did make a difference to have such a great staff.

As far as what we found to do all day – where do I even start? Water World has 42 attractions on 64 acres of land. Each attraction is clearly marked, including height and tube requirements, and is easily found on maps located throughout the park (and on the back of all napkins given out at the snack bar). There is also an aerial tram to help you get from one part of the park to another. My kids loved floating through the air, getting a birds-eye view of the park. Another huge plus in my book is the fact that the entire park is family friendly. There are three areas specifically created for the kids. Wally World was an immediate hit with my two youngest children, ages 10 months and 3. There were tube swings, baby water slides that went nice and slow, water sprayers, and a nice shallow area for splashing away. Adults are only allowed in this area accompanied by a child and a fence allows for extra safety. There is also the Big Top area, which is an exciting circus themed spot. Here we have a lazy river, fun house, water slides, and swimming area. The structures are lots of fun, especially the two elephants that shoot water spray from their trunks. Plenty of seating is available around the pool and lazy river with a well-thought arrangement of lawn chairs on a lower tier with a bit of water underneath for dipping your feet or the slightly higher level where you can stay dry. Overhead canopies allow guests to relax in the shade while still watching their kids splash around. Finally, we have Calypso Cove which is a great mix of family fun. With spinning buckets, waterfalls, and a play hut complete with slide for the youngsters, adults can still enjoy themselves by trying out each of the three thrilling slides called the Bermuda Triangle.

There are also a great deal of family-friendly rides, such as the Lost River of the Pharoahs, Captain Jack’s Waves, Storm, The Voyage, The Lazy River, and multiple water slides. My personal favorite was Storm, where we were sent shooting off into the darkness, zipping around corners and up the slanted walls while a mock storm is raging all around us. I took both my six and nine year old sons and my eleven year old daughter with me on this ride and they screamed with delight the entire way through!

And for the thrill seekers out there, Water World most definitely won’t let you down. Jump on Revolution, Screamin’ Mimi, Spacebowl, Turbo Racer, Zoomerang, or one of the speed slides. My husband and son gave Turbo Racer a try and flew down those slides at record speed, head first mind you! We also had the chance to sit and watch the real gutsy visitor’s rocket down the speed slides at a breathtaking 3 second drop. I can guarantee that even the bravest people out there would get a little nervous on these slides.

One last honorable mention before I give you the general park information: While playing with my ten month old son at the edge of the lazy river in Big Top, he somehow managed to slip his hand through the slats of the hard plastic lawn chair. He instantly became stuck and started to scream. Within seconds there were lifeguards and park staff (not to mention a few wonderful moms that were close by) all trying to pry the chair apart to release my sons little arm. Once he was released, injury free, an offer to call paramedics was made, an area supervisor spoke with us, and we were assured that any help we needed or wanted would be given. This was completely an accident and was no fault of the park what-so-ever, yet the staff treated the incident as a priority and made us feel wonderfully looked after. I applaud this effort and greatly appreciate it.

In conclusion, Water World is a fabulous place to take the family with an incredible selection of things to interest everyone. From senior citizens straight down to the youngest children, everyone will leave happy and tired. We had a wonderful time and highly recommend a visit to everyone who loves the water. One thing to take note of: the special slide tubes are very heavy and may be difficult for some to carry from the pick-up line to the actual attraction.

Water World can be found online at http://www.waterworldcolorado.com or seen on the Travel Channel as one of the best water parks in the country. The park is open daily from 10-6 for the remainder of July and the better part of August. Pricing is as follows: tots under 40” are free, children 47” and less are $28.95, general admission for everyone over 48” is $33.95, and senior citizens are just $5.00. Discount tickets are available. Water World is located on 88th Avenue and Pecos Street, just 15 minutes north of downtown Denver.
For more information, please call 303-427-SURF.

[J&D's Mom]

My husband and I took our two boys (9 &2) to Waterworld on Saturday and had a fabulous time! My older son is a bit of a daredevil and loves amusement/water parks. However, I was concerned that there wouldn't be enough age-appropriate activity to keep my toddler occupied. Was I ever wrong!

Waterworld has put in several new rides and a fun new area called the Big Top Family Fun Zone. The Big Top has a small pool with 2 mild waterslides, a wading pool and Silly Shores (a lazy river for smaller children). The Big Top area also has several brightly colored canopies hung to replicate...well the Big Top. This was especially nice as it provided a shady area for lots of loungers and chairs. Best of all the Fun House Express is a gondola that goes from the top of the park down to the Big Top area. After a long day of carrying tubes and climbing to the top of the rides, it was nice to load everyone up in the gondola and ride to the top.

My little one loved the pool and Silly Shores! Every time we got out to get a snack/drink or check his diaper, he demanded "back in da water, mama!" There is also Wally World, the toddler play area named after the WaterWorld mascot. That area has lots of fountains and tot-sized water slides plus caves with waterfalls. Perfect if you have a little one, ages 4 and under. We took the entire family on the Lost River of the Pharaohs ride and while the water slide was fine, the portion of the ride in the pyramid with the animatronic mummy and snakes was a bit scary for our toddler. Due to his apprehension, we decided to skip the Voyage to the Center of the Earth attraction as we were afraid it would freak him out. My husband took our older son on it just before closing time and they loved it; however, my husband thought it would be better for ages 5 and up because it has a scary dinosaur in it and involves a 6 minute hike carrying a large raft to get on the ride.

The River Country section of the park has a new family water slide called Ragin' Colorado that the whole family can ride. The Cimarron and Thunder River slides use the 2 person tubes but are pretty mild and you could take a smaller child on these as there are no height restrictions. The Gunnison, Eagle, Purgatorie, and Rio Grande slides have a minimum height requirement of 48" and use the single-rider tubes. My 9 yr old went down the Purgatorie slide and liked it but he is a bit of a daredevil and chose to spend most of his time on some of the more daring rides.

Full disclosure - I am a total weenie about water slides and don't do most of the daring/scary rides. My older son loved the new Turbo Racer attraction where he and my husband hurtled down a racing track face-first on toboggan mats. They rode that one three times! The attraction has an automatic timer at the bottom so you can see how fast you came down. They also checked out the speedslides...or as they are known, the highest water slides in America. Obviously, I sat this one out and waited in the kiddie pool with my toddler. My son went down the Pipeline slide and would have done the Flat Line (8 stories high!) if he hadn't been so tired. Both of the adventurers also checked out the body slides on Thrill Hill. My husband especially loved these but said there is an 8 ft splash down area so you should be sure your child is a good swimmer before sending them down. Even though I am a complete wuss, I did both sides of the Tandemonium where 2 riders twist and turn down enclosed water flumes in a 2 person tube. Perfect ride for a parent and child.

We went on a Saturday and as to be expected on a summer weekend, the park was very crowded. By midday, most of the more popular attractions had fairly long lines. We took this opportunity to have some lunch and re-charge. Waterworld allows you to bring in coolers with drinks and picnic lunches (no alcohol or glass containers). I opted to pack lots of drinks and some snacks but figured we would eat at the park. I am a bit of a food snob so I was delighted to see that the kid's meals at the Big Top snack area offered applesauce as a side. And the chicken nuggets were chunks of all-white meat chicken. All in all, good food at decent prices.

By late afternoon, the park starts clearing out and the more popular attractions have much shorter lines. We ended up staying until closing time. My 2 yr old was so wiped out at he took a nap while I read and my older son and husband squeezed in a few more rides before it was time to leave.

We had a great time and definitely plan to go again next summer. What a "cool" way to spend a summer day! Hurry there before summer slips away. Waterworld truly has something for everyone and I highly recommend it.

[Lindley]

What a day at Water World! With our record-breaking heat, it seemed like half the state of Colorado knew where to go to cool off and have a good time. A couple ambitious moms and I headed out with a 6-year-old, two 4-year-olds, a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old in tow. Sounds like a recipe for meltdown soup, but we really enjoyed a relaxing day in the wave pools, Wally World and riding the Gondola up and down from the Family Big Top Area.

Kudos to Water World for providing plenty of shady areas- we ate a packed lunch in a nice pavillion area and for having plenty of drinking fountains (and bathrooms!) available. The free parking, abundance of coupons available and the option to bring your own lunch make Water World a very affordable family adventure. If you have the luxury of living fairly close by, you could easily get your money's worth on a season pass in just a few visits!

[DotHughesWerth]

Water World is a great attraction your whole family will enjoy, and a fun-filled way to quench these hot summer days. As our family’s first outing to a theme park with our five-month old son, we were excited about navigating the water park to see what there was to offer us. For those with infants, you’ll be pleased to know that the Wally World section of the park is just right for the tiniest guest , and a fun way to introduce them to the world of splish splash. With a shaded picnic area and grassy spots to camp out with all your gear, there are definitely spots to settle in if you want a home base close to the park’s entrance. The shallow water, mini waterfall, tire swing and percolating pool kept our son more than amused and it seemed to be a hot spot for toddlers as well.

We wandered the park and saw that there was truly something for every family member, from the wave pool to towering water slides to the more relaxing Lazy River. Families can split up, pursue their fancy, reconnect for lunch at one of the many concession offerings, and head back out for more. The season pass (Splash Pass) is a great value for those with kids who need a little more excitement than the local pool, all summer long.

I also enjoyed the more relaxing Lazy River ride, despite the wait and crowds—the current moves you through sun and shade in a loop that has several entrance and exit points, and is another appropriate park option for those with younger children.
Water World is a must-go attraction here in Denver, and it was easy to see why Water World is ranked #3 on the Travel Channel’s list of the country’s best water parks.

Advice:
--Be prepared for a wait on slides and crowds in the pools, this is a summer hot spot!
--Get there early for the best spots. Bring chairs if you don’t want to sit on the ground (the website didn’t have that information, or maybe we just couldn’t find it). Chairs throughout the park were hard to come by.
--If you plan on taking the lazy river, it’s worth the investment to rent a park tube ($4 with a returnable $1 fee) in order to avoid the wait for the lazy river’s tubes. My wait was over 20 minutes.
--Concessions were reasonably priced for the most part, but many families brought their own fixings and snacks to enjoy throughout the day. Feel free to bring a cooler!
--Use the park’s lockers for safekeeping of valuables, it’s worth not having to worry about wallets, keys, cameras and cash if you’re roaming and enjoying the attractions.

[AMJNBJ]

All this time I've lived north of Denver -- I never realized there was a huge water park outside my door! Sunday I took the family (mom, dad, 9, 4 and 2 year olds) to Water World Water Park. All I can say is WOW! Its huge! We thought we'd have to fight for a place to put our towels and coolers (yes, you are aloud to bring presealed drinks and your lunch inside the park!! Bonus!!). We found a spot by the smaller wave pool under a tree to hunker down. But there are picnic pavillions throughout the park, along with lots of grassy areas to enjoy. Otherwise, there are tons of food options and locations too.

We rented the family 4 pack of tubes -- but it wasn't necessary. All the rides supply tubes - but if you purchase your own you can jump in line since you don't have to wait for a float, or you can jump into to lazy river at different spots. It wasn't very clear when we'd need our floats or not - we ended up leaving them by our towels most of the time. I'd recommend bringing a stroller for the little ones because this place is huge and hilly! But, how else are you going to go down a hill if you don't go up?

There are height restrictions for some of the rides -- but we found plenty to do for the little ones. There are at least 3 different play areas for little kids (under 48 inches) with slides, tire swings and water gizmos. Most of the river rides the little ones could ride on too. My 4 year old was loving the Thunder River. The have a little kid lazy river which only the little ones can use the tubes. They have fun houses to run through and spray each other with water. Fun!!

For the bigger kids - the possibilities are endless. Two wave pools, and lots of fancy slides and even a surfing area to name a few. The lines can get to be long -- but worth the wait!

Westminster residents get a huge discount with their Westminster card -- otherwise check ColoradoKids site for coupons. There are also a huge discounts going after 2 pm for some late afternoon fun.

Enjoy and stay cool!

There are lots of life guards on hand -- which made me feel better.

[jturner040267]

I have lived in Denver for 31 years and had been to Water World prior to having my childred and had a good time, but I would say it was so much more fun to take my children. We went as a family (of 5) and my twin 4 year olds had a great time. I did use my own life jackets, just because I am a little nervous around water. The kids had plenty to do. My 10 year old had a great time as well. I would say it was hard spliting my time with the little ones and the older one. A lot of rides the little ones were too small so we could not go as a family so one of us had to stay with the little ones and one of us went with our older one.

The food was a little expensive, but I kind of excpect that at this type of outing. It was helpful that they let you bring in food and drinks as well so the cost can be manageable.

Overall, a great place for the family of all ages!!

[ceece]

Today I rediscovered the unadulterated joy of Water World! I hadn't been there since before I had my kids, ages 7 and 3. They have really done a lot with the place since then, and we had a fabulous time! You'll find something for every age group there, and even though it was crowded (there were about thirty daycare buses that day), we did not feel overwhelmed. Water World is so nicely spread out that you wouldn't know that the parking lot was full!

We were pleasantly surprised (or should I say, reminded?) that there are conveniently placed bathrooms around the park, lines move quickly, and the rides range from adventurous (which my 7 year old loved) to mild (perfect for my three year old). There are also plenty of rides that all four of us could enjoy together. Water World employees keep everyone safe and on the straight and narrow, and the entire place is very clean.

Mommy Tips for a Great Day at Water World:

* Arrive early and get a locker right away...they are a precious commodity!
* Take the gondola when you can to get around the park...it is a welcome relief, especially if you have little ones with little legs.
* Bring your lunch! Water World has very few restrictions on what you can bring in, and you can even leave it in the car while you play (smaller coolers will fit in the lockers). Just remember to get your hand stamped for re-entry!
* Spend the morning riding the larger rides, like the Lost River of the Pharaohs, where the lines get longer as the day moves on. If you have kids in different age groups, you can split up after lunch and hit the brand new, and fantastic, Big Top with the younger crowd.
* Wear shoes that will stay on your feet in the water. The cement can get hot and feet can get sore from walking.
* Remember your sunscreen!
* Bring snacks and drinks for the ride home. If the kids don't fall asleep, they will be starving!

HAVE FUN!