Swimming Pools and Water Parks--Overview for Summer 2016!

School's out and Summer's here so it is time to get into high gear enjoying all that Summer has to offer!  One way we beat the heat is to enjoy various swimming pools and water parks.

We've compiled quite a list of swimming pools and water parks and hope our information helps you to plan for your family!

Adventure Bay in Altoona—Adventureland’s water park.

Albia—Monroe County Aquatic Center:  The best bargain around!

Bloomfield Municipal Swimming Pool—not our favorite.

Centerville Municipal Pool—bring your inflatable rafts to this Olympic sized pool!

Fun City’s Huck’s Harbor in Burlington—indoor and outdoor water fun!

Grinnel Mutual Family Aquatic Center—has a lazy river!

Honey Creek’s Buccaneer Bay—indoor adventure.

Indianola Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center—great area for little kids!

The Riverview Club in Keosauqua—the view!

Mount Pleasant Family Aquatic Center—a gem, but hard to find.  Follow our directions.

Oskaloosa's Edmundson Park Swimming Pool--great example of renovation!

The Beach Ottumwa—wave pool! (Price increase $6.00 admission.)

Pella Aquatic Center with Adventure River—bring your own chairs!

Sigourney Swimming Pool—padded bottom in a park setting!

Washington Steele Family Aquatic Center—love the chairs and the park!

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

Slides.  Check.  Wave pool.  Check.  Snorkeling with sharks and rays.  Check.  Disney characters.  Check.

Where might one find all of the above?  At Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon!

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is one of two water parks located at the Walt Disney World Resort.  The sprawling water park offers something for ever member of the family from thrill rides to small tube and body slides. 

Water park admission is $45 per day for adults.  The water parks and more fun option added to Magic Your Way tickets will also grant admission.  Disney transportation via bus is offered from Disney resorts to Typhoon Lagoon.  Hours vary depending on the season.

The day we were at Typhoon Lagoon, the park opened at 9:00 am.  This was our third visit to Typhoon Lagoon, but it had been a few years since our last visit.  The park had already opened when we arrived about 9:30, as we had had breakfast at O’hana’s and took the bus from the Polynesian to Typhoon Lagoon.

With towels in hand, borrowed from the towel case near the main pool at our Disney resort, we found a great spot near Crush’n’Gusher.  There is a small zero depth entry swimming area along with plenty of chairs.  The area has restrooms nearby as well as great access to the rest of the park.

Our first stop was Crush’n’Gusher as it was early in the day and the lines were minimal.  Crush’n’Gusher is a water coaster of sorts with guests being propelled by water on rafts up and down hills.  There are three slides to choose from with varying rider capacities on each ride.  We carried a 3 person raft up the stairs and rode the slide designated for three people.  Guests need to make a decision at the bottom of the stairs, getting the right tube, and then proceeding to the appropriate staircase for their slide.  Note:  Some of the tubes have bottoms on the holes and some are more like donuts.  If you can, get a tube with a hole that has a bottom, as the slide can be tough on your exposed bottom.  They told me to lift my bottom, but that is easier said than done!

Next, we hit Mount Mayday and all of the tube and raft slides.  There are signs at the bottom of the mountain that tell you which line is for which slide. 

Gangplank Falls, a family raft ride was first.  We climbed the trail for a bit and then were given our raft where other guests are exiting the water.  We then carried the raft the rest of the way.  Not laborious, just awkward.  Rolling is best.  This was our favorite of all of the raft/tube rides at Typhoon Lagoon. 

Mayday Falls was next.  Again, we proceeded in the line and got our tubes at the ingenious exit area for the guests just finishing the slide.  The tube just floats right to your feet.  Mayday Falls is described as “the park’s highest and longest sing-rider tube slide” and the views from the top were great.  The bumps within the ride, not so great.  The bumps are designed to make rapids, but since the water level seemed lower, there weren’t really rapids, just a jousting and bumpy ride.  Mayday Falls was our least favorite water slide.

We couldn’t leave the mountain without riding Keelhaul Falls which is also a single rider tube slide.  This ride is faster than the others and both the husband and I spun around several times.  Other than the raft ride we could ride together, this was our favorite.

Who wants to walk in a water park?  Not us!  After our time on the slides, we caught a tube in Castaway Creek to take us to Shark Reef and the other side of the mountain.  The entrance/exit points at Castaway Creek are numbered and given an ocean life name, such as Seahorse.  If you aren’t sure where you are going, ask a Cast Member lifeguard as you are floating by as they are very helpful.

To the left of the exit for Shark Reef are the Storm Slides.  The boy and husband headed up the trail and soon they were storming down the slides.  I wanted to go too!  But Shark Reef was calling our name.

Shark Reef is a salt water area within the park that offers free snorkeling gear to guests.  Scuba experiences are an extra fee.  We grabbed the snorkeling gear and headed to the entrance of the reef.  Wait.  No vests?  Last time, vests were included and possibly required.  I headed back to the equipment shack, followed by my family, and asked for a life vest.  The rest of the family got life vests too.  Why?  Well, I wanted to float through the reef and enjoy the experience rather than concentrate on staying afloat.  We are all good swimmers and I would have been okay with all of us not wearing life vests, but since I wanted one, the rest of the family did too.

So in the midst of this tropical water park, we snorkeled with sharks and rays.  The water is cooler here than in the rest of the park, so be prepared for the slight chill.  On hot days the cold water is refreshing.  A shower is available at the exit of the reef to rinse off the salt water.  The guys reported a slight burning sensation on their faces and we were told that the chemical used to clean the snorkel gear (masks) has an interaction with sunscreen. 

Don't fall off the surf board!

By this time, it was 11:30 am and we had experienced almost everything we wanted to, except the wave pool, including meeting a few Disney characters!  It was time for lunch.

Typhoon Tilly’s was near Shark’s Reef, but we headed back to our “home spot” to get our Key to The World cards since we were using dining plan credits for lunch.  Wow—just thought about how convenient this process will be the MagicBands! 

Know that Typhoon Tilly’s has two levels.  The lower level has sandwiches and salads and the upper level has more substantial selections such as friend shrimp, which is what I ordered.  We found a picnic bench in the area quite easily, ordered extra glasses of water which were free and enjoyed our lunch. 

The wave pool was calling our names!  There are a variety of whistles that are emitted from Tilly at the top of Mt. Mayday, and those whistles signal different waves.  When we got to the wave pool it was time for the giant 10 foot waves that come every few seconds.  I tried to get pictures using our waterproof camera, but they didn’t turn out so well, as I was swimming for my life; trying to regain my footing after being swept away in the huge waves.

Part of the beach area had been roped off for “Beach Parties” in front of the beach shack that had been erected as part of Disney’s Monstrous Summer event and to promote Disney’s Teen Beach Movie that was premiering a few days later.

Times for the “Beach Party” were listed and the boy wanted to participate in one of the parties.  Music and games were included along with Cast Members dressed as the main characters from the movie.

By about 3:30 pm, we were ready to call it a day.  We exited the park, after buying a dozen mini donuts, which are only sold at the water parks, and caught the Disney bus returning to our resort.

There are even Magic photos available from Phtopass photographers!

Photopass photographers were everywhere in the park.  We found them at the character greeting area, near the wave pool, at Crush’n’Gusher (though we didn’t ride when we were there), in Castaway Creek, near Shark Reef, and at various locations along the path around the wave pool.  We love the little card they give you with the rubber band to go around your wrist.  I just combined those cards to our on-line Photopass account.

The last time we visited Typhoon Lagoon, Ketchakiddee Creek was our home base area, but this time we didn’t even go there as the boy is now more than 48 inches tall.  Ketchakiddie Creek is a great area for the little ones.

There are also reserved areas throughout the park—Beachcomber shacks and umbrella areas that offer services for an additional fee.  We found those areas to more remote than the area we found that had an umbrella and was no additional charge.  My thoughts:  I don’t want to pay extra for something that is available for free AND have to walk or traverse farther to get to the rest of the amenities in the park.  I guess it is beneficial for some guests, hence the offering. 

Oh, and those towels we brought with.  Well, we placed them in the towel return bins located throughout the water park, so no toting them back to our resort. 

Having visited both of Disney’s water parks during this visit—click here to read about our visit to Blizzard Beach—it was interesting to be able to compare the parks.  Typhoon Lagoon is our favorite—for its size, theming, ease of getting from one location to another, and variety of experiences it offers guests.

Schlitterbahn Kansas City

Swimming pools and water parks, oh my they are such great fun for our family.  So we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try Schlitterbahn in Kansas City.

Schlitterbahn roughly translated means slippery road, which describes Schlitterbahn’s “transportainment” system of transporting guests throughout their water park via water.  More on that later.

Schlitterbahn has been building water parks in Texas for a couple of decades, but the Kansas City park is the first time Schlitterbahn looked outside of Texas.  They must have done their research because hot, blue skied days are served up just as frequently as BBQ in Kansas City.

Finding the park is somewhat easy.  Just head East on State Street after exiting from I 435 in Kansas.  State Street is also the exit for the Kansas Speedway and Great Wolf Lodge, which are on the West side of the interchange.  We couldn’t find any signs on State to indicate where to turn for the water park, but the giant sandcastle visible on the North side of the road gave it away.  The water park is nestled at the bottom of a hill, so only the tall slides are visible from the road and highway.

Schlitterbahn is open Memorial Day week-end, including the Friday of that week-end, through Labor Day, but only on week-ends the last couple of weeks of August.  Opening times vary from 10:00 to 11:00 am and closing varies from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.  Check the website for specific hours of operation.

Cost:  There are a variety of packages to choose from that include towels, water shoes, “Splash Cash”, etc. but basically it is about $40 per adult which is 12 and over, and $33 for children ages 3-11.  Children 2 and under are free and there is a discount for seniors.  Everyone who enters pays.  There are no “I am here just to watch” rates.  The website does offer a $1.00 discount on pre-purchased tickets.  Just know that a 10.95% tax is added to all on-line purchases and tickets purchased at the park. (We had two free tickets from MyCokeRewards)

Area where tickets are purchased.  Be sure to pick up a map.

Splash Cash is an opportunity to add funds to a bracelet, which either has an account number or RFID capability and then the amount is subtracted when purchases are made by the wearer.  Schlitterbahn advertises this as a convenience so that you don’t have to carry cash or cards with you. (I also wonder how much “Splash Cash” isn’t spent down to the exact amount.)  We did not take advantage of Splash Cash.

The boy enjoying lunch at the edge of the water.

Coolers are allowed inside the park and will be checked after tickets are purchased for glass and alcoholic beverages.  We packed drinks, lunch, and snacks, which meant there was no need for Splash Cash. 

Tubes are also free on all of the attractions and so is parking!  Bonus!

Now for the watery fun. . .

Schlitterbahn, as of right now, has a two sections—one that includes the wave pool, Torrent River, slides including Wolfpack, the Storm Blaster, Raging River, and Kinder Haven.  Another area includes the Cabanas, Boogie Bay, BoogieBahn, another set of slides including the Twister, King Kaw, Mighty Mo and Kristal River.  You can literally float from one attraction to another, although turns can be tricky.  Slides do require exiting, accept for the Storm Blaster, which allows you to wait in your tube and then be transported up the slide via conveyer belt.

Our area at Boogie Bay.  Check out the empty seats at lunchtime.

The Sunday we went to the park, we arrived around 10:45 am and the park had opened at 10:00am.  There is quite a walk from the parking lot down the hill to the ticket center which includes restrooms, a shop, and lockers.  There is another trek from there to the water park itself.  Most people then find the closest spot which is near the wave pool or Kinder Haven, and those areas were quite crowded.  We kept walking past the Cabanas which are reserved, to Boogie Bay and had no trouble finding lounge chairs under an umbrella.  Another area for guests just past BoogieBahn was human free for most of the day and there is another area past that which is a part of the King Kaw river that no one had found.  When we asked the staff person checking our cooler about finding a spot at Boogie Bay they agreed and said, “No one makes it down there” which was great news!  While we were in the park, we had no idea how many people were there.  It wasn’t until we went to the parking lot later and found it full to over flowing that we realized how many people were there, but it sure didn’t feel that way.  So know that even though the parking lot is full, there is still plenty of room at the water park.

Another area that had limited human contact during the day.

We had great access to the entrance to King Kaw from our spot at Boogie Bay.  So we grabbed tubes and headed to the "transportainment" system.

 This is one of the conveyor belts that transports guests. Don't worry about a huge drop off on the other end, as the conveyor gently deposits guests on the other side.

 While floating on the various water ways that flow one right into another, there are signs to indicate where you are going,  your choices, and at times, there are even lanes in the water.

 The giant corkscrew shown below is what sweeps up the water to form the waves in the Torrent River.  Waves are released every few seconds and continue throughout the Torrent River until they are released on in the wave pool area--Torrent Beach.

This is where the waves are released.  You can see on the sides how far up the waves go if you look for the wet areas.  This was fun.  Though I don't think I would want to be a lifeguard perched high on the wall.  I asked if they had to be careful when they jumped in, as the depth of the river isn't very deep.  They told me they could only jump in if a wave was going by.  Hmm. . .

 You can see how crowded Torrent Beach can be.  The wave pool is pictured below.

 Kinder Haven offers water play for the little ones.  Of course, swim diapers are required.

 The slides of the pirate ship exit near Henry's Hideout, which is the swim up bar.  Oh, this may be the place Splash Cash is needed.

 Life jackets are free for guests.  There are restaurants and shops located across from Kinder Haven.  Restrooms are also here.  Speaking of restrooms, they were a big disappointment.  It was a surprise to see the park so clean and the bathrooms, not so much.  Ventilation is a big issue as they offer shower facilities and changing facilities. 

Cabana Village offers several cabana rentals, all of which are in this area and can accommodate up to 6 guests each.  While the Cabanas are along a river, there is not direct access, so guests had to leave and walk either to Kristel Beach or Boogie Bay to gain water access. 

Here's the husband when we finally found the Mighty Mo.  It was one of our favorites but so hard to find.  Signage was not the best and only if you were headed to the mountain of slides you might find the entrance.  Be sure to look for the Mighty Mo and ask if you can't find it.

 There are directional signs throughout along with carved characters.  I asked a staff member if there was a story behind the carvings and was told they didn't know.  So, if you find out there is a story, please let us know.

 While Schlitterbahn boasts BoogieBahn as the only surf ride in Kansas City, it was not operational on the day we were there.  Something about equipment not working and either they could operate BoogieBahn or King Kaw, but not both.  There was no discount in admission due to this feature being closed.

This yet to be completed structure is Verrict, the world's tallest water slide.  It was supposed to be open yet this summer, but we met some of the builders while floating on one of the rivers who told us they are behind.  I asked one of the staff if had been tested and they said it would be tested after it opened.  It just looked dangerous to us. . . but we will see!

The husband and I shared a tube and used the conveyor system.  There were no worries about weight limits, but there are some on the slides.

 The boy's favorite of the day was the Storm Blaster which is a water slide the propels guests up and down with water, similar to Crush-n-Gusher at Typhoon Lagoon at Walt Disney World.

We had a great day and left the park about 4:00 pm or so.  Guests were still streaming in as there is an "after 3:00 pm" ticket.

If I had to choose between Schlitterbahn and Adventure Bay in Des Moines, Schlitterbahn would win hands down.  Just comparing ticket prices, Adventure Bay comes out ahead, but when you add on the fact that you can bring a cooler into Schlitterbahn, and both parking and tubes are free--both of which require payment at Adventure Bay, a day at Schlitterbahn costs less!