Water Coasters

Hi

My sister and I are planning a trip to the US/Canada in July for four weeks and are looking at visiting several water parks. We particularly like water coasters, tornadoes, and general high thrill tube rides etc.

We are considering on our list so far Splashin Safari, Noah's Ark, and the various Schlitterbahn's. While we've looked into each a little, it's hard to get a good sense of what might suit us and are hoping for a few opinions based on our likes.

We aren't set on any areas yet, are willing to hire cars here and there, but will also be flying between cities. Ease of getting from the airport, proximity of reasonably priced quality accomodation etc may become a factor if we're struggling to narrow it down.

We are definitely going (returning - have done several theme park trips) to Cedar Point and Soak City and also Canada's Wonderland and it's water parks, so those are a definite.

Would appreciate any information or suggestions.

Thanks.

Tira

Noah's Ark is a really fun park, but after considerable investigation, easily the two best water parks I've visited in the US for "thrills" are the original Schlitterbahn (New Braunfels, TX) and Splashin' Safari (Santa Claus, IN). Others are notably fabulous and fun...but those are the thrill-seeker's water parks...IMO.

Hope you have a blast!

I have also heard Sxhlitterbahn is awesome.

I don't do water parks much anymore, but Splashing Safari was one of the best for me. The only water coaster I've been on was Deluge (?) at now-shuttered Kentucky Kingdom. I wasn't impressed. The newer ones at Holiday World appear much wetter, more thrilling, and technologically advanced (unlike me.) Dorney Park's Wild Water Kingdom is a very good example of a standard water park (and that's not a dis.) But you want thrills in a water park? Head to my home state of New Jersey and hit up Mountain Creek!

Ive been to a lot of great waterparks, and there are for the most part scattered all over the country. My favorites in order are:

The Cream of the Crop Waterparks, all of these parks approach perfection with the perfect mix of great rides, enough rides to not draw gigantic lines, and a quality wave pool and lazy river you can spend hours in in the middle of the day when lines are too long elsewhere:

1. Schlitterbahn (the Original): Disney World in my opinion is head and shoulders above any other theme park, so too is Schlitterbahn to other waterparks. Go, and plan at least 2 days to do it right. As fun as all the new rides are, you will find most of your time spent in the old park, because those original tube chutes are one of a kind and extremely long rides (one is >30 min, and all but one are >10 mins long.)

2. Water Country USA Williamsburg, VA: No water coaster here, but every slide is a blast, and with BGW nearby you will have your coaster fix too (they offer park hoppers.) I love going to Williamsburg, and this is no small part of it. In the wave pool and on their amazing lazy river, Hubba Hubba Highway no tubes are allowed, but you can grab a free life preserver instead to coast along.

3. Noah's Ark: America's Largest Waterpark, finishes out my top three it has every ride you could want in a waterpark, two wave pools and a great Adventure River. Im two hours away, buy a season pass, and go here at least 5-6 times a summer.

Superb Waterparks, While these are still deserving of being on my list, there are one or two problems I have with the park that keeps them from being cream of the crop:

4. Splashin Safari: This ride has my favorite water coaster (Mammoth, that thing is the best waterslide in the world) and my third favorite water coaster (Wildebeast) along with some amazing attractions (Zinga, Pilgrim's Plunge, Zoombabwe) but is usually jammed full of people (while Holiday World mid day has much less waits) and does not have a good lazy river where I can spend hours, and their wave pools get too jammed with people. If this park put in a high quality long river attraction it would jump up in my rankings.

5. Blizzard Beach: Summit Plummit is a must do at some point in your life, climb up to the top, see the Castle, Spaceship Earth, Big Hat and Tree of Life (one of the few places on property where you can do that) and then plunge 120 ft down. Steamboat Springs (family raft,) their slide that simulates slalom skiing and their dark tube ride on the back of the mountain are all unique high quality rides. Disney knows how to build a lazy river as well, this is one of the best rivers in the country. However, this park is a slight too small and can get quite crowded. It needs some more slides.

6. Typhoon Lagoon: Forget the slides (they are for the most part forgettable,) forget the lazy river (which is another superb river,) the titular attraction and its gigantic, body surfable waves will make you just want to be in that wave pool all day.

go to holiday world because you get great coasters and great water rides!

The water coasters at Holiday World are ridiculous. Well, I haven't been on the newer one, but the first one was ridiculous. I was lucky enough to ride it solo, and I swear it launched me over those hills.

The last time i visited holiday world was the year before the first of their water coasters made its debut. I thought their water was great without the water coasters. With them, it's probably incredible. I've watched videos of their two water coasters and they look cool.

Thanks for the replies.

We're definitely feeling confident that Splashin Safari is still our top choice. It seems New Braunfels is the preferred Schlitterbahn for the posters here which helps us out. We had been looking at that one or South Padre Island, largely as it has more coasters (though a lot less in total). Has anyone been to the South Padre Island one?

To Touchdown - it's unfortunate you rate Williamsburg so highly as we did Busch Gardens on our first trip before we got into water parks, and aren't wanting to return to that area. I think our new three plus the side parks to the theme parks planned should be a good trip though. Narrowing down non theme park/water park activities throughout US/Canada will be the harder part.

Your welcome!

You're, even.

I was thinking odd.