Disclosure: I was invited by Aquatica Orlando to spend a day in the park with my family and to experience a family cabana, but all opinions are my own.
Aquatica Orlando, a water park owned and operated by SeaWorld Orlando, is truly a gem in the Orlando line-up of theme parks.
Themed to the South Pacific, this water park that opened in 2008 is home to eight water slides, two lazy rivers, side-by-side wave pools, two children’s water play areas, animal habitats and conservation stations, as well as several restaurants and shops.
Aquatica Orlando has a wide variety of attractions and activities making it a great place to visit for the entire family, and here are some of the best things to experience on your next visit to the park.
The Best Of…Aquatica Orlando
The best attraction for families…Loggerhead Lane
Loggerhead Lane is a traditional Lazy River with a fun extra. As you are floating along you will find that there are two different paths you can take, and depending on which you choose you will find yourself floating past the Fish Grotto or the Commerson’s Dolphins viewing area.
The best attraction for toddlers…Kata’s Kukaburra Cove
For toddlers, the Kata Kookaburra Cove play area located near the wave pools and beach is chocked full of slides, sprays, and water obstacles for kids to play in and on for hours with their parents.
The best attraction for children…Walkabout Waters
Walkabout Waters, closely located to Roa’s Rapids and Taumata Racers, is home to a gigantic multi-level water play areas with dump buckets, slides, and water sprays perfect for younger kids to play in with their parents while older kids experience the more thrilling slides in the area.
What is really nice about both play areas is that they are almost over-staffed with Aquatica lifeguards with lot of areas for parents to supervise and stay cool.
The best attraction for tweens…Taumata Racer
Taumata Racers is a racing slide with a twist. This eight lane racing slide with mats has both enclosed and open areas to add an extra thrill to the slide’s intense speed. And to help settle any disputes, at the bottom of the lanes are timers that show which racer went the fastest.
The best attraction for thrills…Ihu’s Breakaway Falls
At nearly 80 feet tall, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is Orlando’s tallest, steepest and only multi-drop tower slide of its kind. Offering four unique slide paths, you’ll step into one of three “breakaway boxes” and watch each other fall one-by-one or test your bravery on a fourth open slide for a different but just as thrilling experience. This is definitely a set of slides for the brave of heart!
The best attraction for family thrills…Walhala Wave
Walhalla Wave is a family raft ride that require riders to be 42” tall to ride, because it is an intense and dark experience. A huge bonus of this slide is that you don’t have to worry about lugging a large tube up stairs while watching your children. Walhalla Wave is extremely thrilling at six stories tall with zooming twists, turns, and tunnels.
The BEST attraction…Roa’s Rapids
Roa’s Rapids is a Not-So-Lazy River that is really long and has powerful jets that move you through the ‘river‘ that I could stay on all day!!! Our first time around Roa’s Rapids we chose not to grab life vests since we are all strong swimmers, but on our second trip around we decided to wear one and it was a much more enjoyable experience.
Getting out of the current can be a tad difficult for younger ones, so make sure you communicate early about when you are looking to exit Roa’s Rapids.
The best annual passholder perk…Pass Member Pavilion
The all-new Pass Member Pavilion is a place exclusively for Pass Holders with concierge services, complimentary sunscreen, private chairs, charging centers, a private entrance to Banana Beach Cook-Out, and a place to find exclusive offers. And now for a Limited Time, Pass Members should stop by to pick up an Aquatica Pass Member reusable tote that is available while supplies last.
The best place to eat…Banana Beach Cook-Out
There are a wide variety of food and bar options at Aquatica, but we chose to get all-day wristbands for the Banana Beach Cookout where we got to eat, drink, and snack all day. It was great to be able to pop in and grab a drink or slice of pizza or BBQ sandwich! And if you only want to visit once, there is a single visit option as well. Pass Members can save 10% by showing their pass and photo ID.
The best add-on to your day…Quick Queue
If slides are your thing, adding quick queue to your day will make conquering all the thrills easier. There are two Quick Queue options that allow front-of-the-line access to six of your favorite water-slides including:
- Whanau Way – Must be able to maintain proper riding position unassisted. Sliders under 48” must wear a life jacket.
- Omaka Rocka– Minimum height requirement is 48”.
- Ihu’s Breakaway Falls– Minimum height requirement is 48”.
- Taumata Racer– Minimum height requirement is 42”
- Walhalla Wave – Minimum height requirement is 42”
-
HooRoo Run – Minimum height requirement is 42”.
Pricing and inventory vary by season, so check specific dates for actual price and availability. Aquatica Orlando Pass Members save 10% on the purchase of Quick Queue.
The MUST add-on to your day…Locker Rental
When I am at the water park, I tend to drop my stuff and go so having a locker for my valuables is a MUST! The locker rentals are centrally located, reasonably priced, and are available in three different sizes.
The best add-on luxury…Cabana
I will have to say that the biggest luxury at any water park is a cabana, and at Aquatica Orlando they have a wide variety of cabanas available for most budgets. You can check out the different levels and areas of the park that you can find cabanas and what each include here.
For more information about Aquatica Orlando and the latest ticket deals, make sure to visit their official website.
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