Choose The Best Water Park On Your Orlando Vacation
With its year ’round warm climate, Orlando is home to an assortment of water parks that stay open even in the winter. Two of the most popular are Wet ‘n Wild and Aquatica. Both parks have a lot to offer, so it’s hard to choose which one to visit. Here are some comparisons to help you make the choice:
Location: Wet ‘n Wild is owned by Universal and is located on International Drive, near Universal Orlando Resort. Aquatica is owned by SeaWorld Orlando and is just down the road and across the street from SeaWorld. You can easily get to both parks via I-4 or International Drive if you’re coming from the Disney area. They’re particularly close if you’re staying at an I-Drive hotel like the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Orlando Convention Center, and they’re also very convenient to Lake Buena Vista hotels like Grand Beach Resort at Lake Buena Vista, Grande Villas Resort at Lake Buena Vista and the Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista.
Unfortunately, Wet N Wild is not around anymore. Universal studios bought the property and built some really nice Orlando resort hotels.
Rides: Both Wet ‘n Wild and Aquatica have all the water park standards, like water slides, wave pools, and lazy rivers. However, the parks each have their own unique twist. For example, since it’s related to SeaWorld, Aquatica works animals into some of its attractions. You can see cute black and white Commerson’s dolphins from the Dolphin Plunge slide or a viewing window on the lazy river, and colorful macaws greet you on the walkways. In addition to its traditional slow-paced lazy river, Aquatica also has a unique take on this attraction. Roa’s Rapids is much more of an “action river” where guests don life vest and get pushed along by the wild current.
Meanwhile, at Wet ‘n Wild, you’ll find a big slant toward slides aimed directly at adrenaline junkies. Out of all the Orlando water parks, it has the biggest selection of white-knuckle offerings, like Bomb Bay, Brain Wash, and The Storm and . It also happens to have an adjacent lake, which means it can offer unique experiences like wake boarding, paddle boarding, and knee skiing out on Lake Sandy. There’s an additional charge for these activities, but it’s well worth the cost if you want to do something outside the water park norm.
Age Appeal: Since they’re in Orlando, a well-known family mecca, both Aquatica and Wet ‘n Wild cater to family members of all ages. Teens go for the thrills, but both parks also have special play spots for younger kids. Blastaway Beach at Wet ‘n Wild is the largest family water play area in Florida, while Aquatica has Walkabout Waters and Kata’s Kookaburra Cove.
If your family likes to experience rides together, both parks have racing slides and family raft rides. Wet ‘n Wild is a particularly good spot for families who like to play together, since it has the highest number of multi-person rides of any Orlando water park. This park has one other advantage over Aquatica if you’re visiting in the busy season: you can buy an express pass that lets you use a shorter line, which allows you to bypass the summer crowds.
You won’t go wrong, no matter which of these two water parks you choose. You can get some help with your choice on www.orlandovacation.com or by phoning 1-800-641-4008 to find out about any special ticket deals and packages during the dates of your Orlando visit.
If you are especially fond of the idea of spending part of your trip to Orlando by the pool, you should consider renting a private pool home for your stay. The prices on these pool homes are unbeatable and they will add more opportunities for you and your family to enjoy the water on your vacation!
