Photo TR: Aquatica Preview!

[Erik Johnson]

As many of you know, there was a passholder preview today for Sea World's brand new waterpark Aquatica. After spending a full day at the park I feel that it Aquatica is a waterpark made mostly for families rather than those who would be seeking to experience more extreme water thrills. Aquatica is set to a New Zealand theme.

 

Attractions include:

 

1. Dolphin Plunge: This is the duel slide that people have been talking about for a while now. It is the one that starts off as a normal enclosed speed slide but with an ending that most will never forget. Unless your tube happens to be covered in fog during your ride. We found it was better to ride this one in the afternoon once the water temperature of both the slide and the dolphin pool even out. We tried ridding these in the morning, and experience a serious bout of tube fogging. It is also recommended to try not to sail through these tubes at full speed, otherwise your encounter with the dolphins will be over too quick. My second ride was much better (slower and a crystal clear tube)

 

2. Whanau Way: A pretty standard 4 different (Two are mirror images) single rider tube slides. Fun, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

 

3. Cutback Grove and Big Surf Shores: Two small wave pools that run waves in 7 minute intervals. They sit right next to each other. Cutback Grove's waves are larger and more frequent.

 

4. Kata's Kookaburra Cove: A good toddler/young children water play area. This one also include 6 different slides (In groups of 3). As small children get older than can progress themselves through to the next group of slides.

 

5. Taumata Racer: 8 (!!) dueling racer slides. Again pretty much standard, but they do have a nice drop at the end of the run.

 

6. Walkabout Waters: This was a quite amazing water fort area for older kids, but we found that there were quite a few adults having as much fun. They had two small water dumping buckets instead of the normal large one. There are quite a few extra slides in this play area as well.

 

7. Walhalla Wave: This was an excellent family raft ride that was pretty insane. I think this was probably the most intense ride in the park. The family rafts are a bit smaller than the standard size as they only can fit 3 people into each one. While not as insane as the one at Mt Olympus (which actually was quite dangerous IMO), it still had a few moments that the rafts tip 90 degrees as you go along the slide. Also half the ride is enclosed which means there are a few surprises in the dark. Make sure you hold on tight during this one.

 

8. HooRoo Run: The other family raft ride which is a standard triple down one.

 

9. Tassie's Twisters: A double smaller sized toilet bowl ride. You can ride this as a single or double rider. Double riders have a tendency to end up having to push themselves around to the exit of the ride. Maybe it needs more pressurized water. Both of these dump themeselves into Loggerhead Lane.

 

10. Loggerhead Lane: The slower paced lazy river that does include a section with an aquairum as well as a section that goes right by the Dolphin Plunge pool area. (Tubes only)

 

11. Roa's Rapids: The faced paced lazy river. And I do mean fast. (No Tubes)

 

** A word of warning to those who may have fair skin. You MUST be protected from the sun in this park. There is very little shade and you will burn to a crisp, especially during the summer months.

Just in case you forgot who owned this park.

I guess we can follow all of these people into the park.

Which way is the entrance again?

Can you find the Kiwi?

Unless you are one of these people.

They do charge for parking here.

Well, we did not get very far.

This looks like the right place.

Turning into the parking lot.

Cool, I get to check out a waterpark in Feburary. Only in Florida.

A few weeks ago this arrived in the mail.

[Erik Johnson]

Ok, a large section of pictures!

Ok, where to next?

Oh, that does explain a lot.

Cute, are they not?

Its the Shamuphins again.

On the other side of the pool, you can check this out.

Just try to slow yourselves down a little, otherwise the experience is over too quick.

Ok, that is different.

Oh, I see that part of the slides are clear.

So what is the deal with these Dolphins that look more like Shamu?

Even the exit pool looks pretty normal.

It does look pretty normal.

You first walk across this little bridge.

We then checked out the Dolphin Plunge.

Splash! How original.

You get a little air on these double downs.

Its a pretty standard, single rider, tube ride.

We first started with Whanau Way

Empty tubes await!

We got T-shirts for attending the event.

A better look at the logo.

Here is the entrance. These lines went quickly once they opened the park.

The entrance area of the park does have some nice theming.

Well, ok, maybe not little.

I always like these cool little passholder events.

[Erik Johnson]

More photos.

Ok, now where to?

One of many many water jets/fountains.

Another angle.

These are two of the slides that start from the water fort.

Another Splash moment.

There is a lot to do in this area. Even adults were having a lot of fun.

This is how you drown above water.

They do this every 5 minutes.

A closer look of the two buckets.

This water fort area was quite awesome. Notice that it has two water buckets at the top.

Walkabout Waters.

These two tube slides would be the last ones kids do before graduating onto the:

Eight of them in fact. Or was it six or seven?

This area is all about little slides.

These filled up very quickly which kept dumping water on people.

This is Kata's Kookaburra Cove.

No, maybe he is.

He might be the winner.

It was pretty fun. Though we only rode it once. One down 7 more to go.

Its the Taumata Racer. An eight lane racer flume ride.

This is one of two aquariums you can check out during the ride.

Yes you do get a little extra wet.

This is the slower paced lazy river.

Speaking of Loggerhead Lane.

You actually have to cross through Loggerhead Lane to even get to the Tassie's Twister ride.

They do dump people out into either side of the Loggerhead Lane (which is the slower lazy river).

Here are the double slides, Tassie's Twisters.

[Erik Johnson]

Photos, photos, photos

Roa's Rapids surrounds this walkway.

There are a lot of areas to get extra wet along the river.

This is the larger/longer of the lazy rivers in the park.

But this place is not one of those areas. This is the fast lazy river.

There are a lot of areas you can lie down and relax.

They have swimming vest stands all over the park. Yes they are free to use.

Mango Market offers these items.

This is the final dining area in the park.

This is what you can eat here.

Here is The Waterstone Grill.

Its picnic/cookout type food, and you can keep coming back here all day.

At the Banana Beach Cookout you can get an all-you-can-eat/drink wristband.

Ok, we are hungry.

Its a real Kookaburra.

Plus a few birds.

The park has all of these Kiwi decorations all over the park.

[Erik Johnson]

You can see how fast the Roa's Rapids are.

Aquatica 188.mpg

Roa's Rapids

[Erik Johnson]

No, that video was not sped up in any way....Ok, what is next?

 

The final set of photos (after these) can be found here:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42041&start=20

And a newly repainted Kraken.

Also some dirt moving photographs for the rumored B&M flyer.

Aquatica from the Sky Tower.

I will add more pictures once I get my underwater camera back.

Its kind of lame you do not get your cash back from your locker deposit. They give you a gift card instead.

We were unable to check them out.

Your own tent cabana.

You will be able to rent these very soon.

There is a huge sand area in front of the wave pools, but if you do not like sand, you can walk around them.

Waves are quite calm here.

There are two different wave pools in this picture.

The wave pools are quite small. Cutback Cove has bigger waves than the one right next door.

Let us check out the wave pools.

The family rafts only can hold 3 people.

Sploosh! What did you expect, another Splash?

Here comes another one.

Here comes a raft.

HooRoo run is also fun. But its over really quickly.

This is where it dumps out in.

The Walhalla Wave family raft ride was really great.

Lets check out the two family raft rides.

[ECZenith]

Great photos, Erik. Aquatica looks like it has some great rides.

 

Also looking forward to your presumed coverage of that dirt pile when things start to go vertical.

[SLUSHIE]

The only thing I notice that I kinda think is neat about the park is the aquariums along the river. I've never seen that before.

 

The slide through the dolphin tank is pretty lame. I wouldn't expect you to really be able to see the dolphins no matter how long that tank is, but they should have made it 50' at least.

 

Other than than it looks just like any other brightly colored cement covered water park. It does have a nice amount of plants though it seems.

[Groteslurf]

Great Tr and pics too.

 

Judging by the pics and type of slides, this will probably become my favourite Orlando waterpark : I'm always afraid that I'll hurt myself one the more extreme waterslides. I see no slides in Aquatica which I would not dare to try out. Although I'm a bit claustrophobic, I even would not hesitate to ride the Dolphin slides.

[thunder001]

Great pic's and thanks for the report, but I think that the park needs to fire their researchers over one small thing...

 

Kookaburra's are native to Australia....not New Zealand.

Come to think of it, they seem to have themed the park to both NZ and Oz items. Hmm...

[kraken613]

Thanks for the great pictures!

When did Kraken get repainted?

[Erik Johnson]

Thanks for the great pictures!

When did Kraken get repainted?

 

I believe right before Christmas break it was closed for over a month in Nov-Mid Dec.

[Erik Johnson]

Great pic's and thanks for the report, but I think that the park needs to fire their researchers over one small thing...

 

Kookaburra's are native to Australia....not New Zealand.

Come to think of it, they seem to have themed the park to both NZ and Oz items. Hmm...

 

Yeah, the third person who went with us, Will, is from New Zealand. He mentioned that there was quite a bit of an Australian overlay as well.

[captain]

Thank you very much for the report - Brilliant TR.

 

My last Orlando visit was just 4 months ago, but now this TR makes me wanna go back as soon as possible

 

But I`ve also to say, that the highly advertised "dolphin slide" looks pretty lame.

[saturday97]

Thanks for the pix. It looks really nice, but not the "mind blowing" theming that was rumored.

[cfc]

Very cool, Erik--I definitely want to check this place out. That rapids ride seems to move at an even faster clip than the Hubba Hubba Highway at Water Country in Williamsburg. Speaking of which, Water Country also gives you a "gift card" that you have to use in the park, rather than a refund on your locker "deposit."

[PKI Jizzman]

Awesome pics! I thought the "Dolphin fly by" was going to be abit longer, but that's still cool! I wish the eight lane slide at White Water World had a big drop like the on in there, that's pretty awesome!

[Twister II]

This waterpark is looking awesome! My favorite part, from what I've seen, is all of the colors. I can't wait to get here soon!

[disneyfan1313]

It looks cute, but nothing too special. I thought there were going to be more animal touches. It will be interesting to see how it fits into the already crowded Orlando waterpark scene.

[Jayjay719]

Aquatica looks great. I'm not a fan of water parks but thanks for the trip report. The only ride I do in the water parks are the lazy river.

[gmoney422]

Thanks EJ. I've been dying to see what this place looks like! Was thinking about going there when we head down in October, but I think we're going to check out MGM instead.

 

Thanks again for the report.

 

G$

[Erik Johnson]

OK here are the rest of the pictures.

You can even browse for stuff to buy as you get pulled along the rapids.

Roa's Rapids were a lot of fun.

This is a photo of Will being able to stay on his tube.

For capturing Tassie Twisters POV photos.

What are these tubes for?

People zooming through the Dolphin Plunge slides.

This is probably the most unique area of the park. Right Eric?

You really get a good view from in here.

Heading into the Dolphin Plunge area.

Will gives the scuba sign for OK.

How many lazy rivers in the world has areas to view live fish?

You have the option of moving your tube into this little area.

We are in the Loggerhead Lane.

[rousea]

The park looks great! It almost reminds me of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, the adventure & tropical feel...

[Darksin]

*Bows down to Seaworld*

MAJOR WIN!

*Cackles with unholy glee as her park once again gives Disney the finger*

 

Oh man, now I gotta go back to Orlando...again!

I guess that can fit in for my "go see friends, hit up seaworld-taunt operations managers with my freedom, go to Disney-don't pay admission, go to Universal-have fun and laugh at tourists, don't pay admission" trip this coming fall.

[nay]

Aquatica looks pretty nice. Now I'm really looking forward to going there this year. Thanks for the great photos!