So Cal Waterpark Thoughts?

[Rugged One]

So the Wife and I are going to be hitting up Southern California for a week, centered around the weekend of May 20-21. We'd like to hit a waterpark, while in the area on Saturday the 20th and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on some of the local ones.

 

We'd love to hit Knotts Soak City but unfortunately, it doesn't open until the Memorial Day weekend. How is Raging Waters in San Dimas? I remember seeing that listed as a top waterpark on one of the Travel Channel specials. How about Hurricane Harbor at Magic Mountain? We'll be at the ACE event the next day, so we'd be in the area anyway.

 

Any other local ones that are of interest?

[RaptorBoyASU]

Ok, I've yet to be to Raging Waters, but concensus in SoCal is that it is the best, but also the one that gets the most crowded. That early in the season may be fine though.

 

I really like Hurricane Harbor. They have some good slides of every size. The tornado slide is really good, as is the racing one. Oh and I like the fact that they have some of the small speed slides as well as the big ones. Good wave pool, I just think it's dumb you have to pay to get a tube for the lazy river.

 

Wild Rivers is pretty good too (it's in Irvine), though some of their older slides are a bit painful (foam sprayed concrete). The toilet bowl slides were great though, and we really liked the tube shoots. Two of their slides were closed when we were there (I big body slide, and their two dark twisting tube slides). Oh, and Patriot has to be one of the weirdest water slides ever. That and the one that goes underground and then drops you into the water from like 10 feet above.

[Gnome]

Ummm... Skip Soaked City. SFMM's hurrican harbor has evyerhting Soak City has to offer an more. (I don't know if Hurrican is closed too, or open but you can check into that.)

But the best ones in California, IMO, are Wild Rivers in Irvine California, and Ragin Waters in a far off land California.

[XII]

Raging Waters, The atmosphere is nice and stuff, but the travel channel channel really overrates it. All the big slides that have long lines are pretty overrated, but its actually got theming in the kids area, the lilypads are cool and can't be found in any other waterpark in socal. They also have the tube chute Robb and Elissa did at Sclitterbahn.

Hurricane Harbor, Its a really good little waterpark. Tornados cool and ther slide collection is pretty good!

Soak City Orange County is cool, Kind of like a more colorful Hurricane Harbor with less slides.

Soack City Palm Springs, Its a cool little small park. Worth a visit if you're ever in Palm Springs. Heres some photos of one of their rides. http://www.incrediblecoasters.com/SurfRiderRapidsPhotos.html

I'd suggest Raging Waters for your waterpark because its a really cool place. I'd actually suggest going to Hurricane Harbor for an hour on the day you go to SFMM. But most importantly, Have fun!

[USCoaster]

I've been to Raging Waters and Hurrican Harbor, and while I preferred Raging Waters, I'm not sure I can go there again since they took out their best attraction for a racing slide. And during both of my trips to Raging Waters, the crowds were never as bad as during my one trip to SFHH. Maybe it was just the day, but I think we did maybe 3 slides during the 2-3 hours we were there. I have never had a problem hitting everything I wanted to at Raging Waters.

 

RIP Raging Rivers.

[BelizeIt]

As others have stated Raging Waters is an excellent waterpark. It has been around for twenty years, so they have had time to refine and perfect the waterpark experience.

 

I do agree with USCoaster that it's tragic that Raging Waters decided to remove my favorite attraction "Raging Rivers" this was a quarter mile long, man-made river of rapids, whirlpools, dams and spill ways. It was a truely original and fun water ride, that will be missed!

 

But, like many past attractions it was replaced with something new, in this case an eight lane racing slide called "Ragin' Racer". I'm sure this will be a fun attraction, though many other waterparks have something similar to it.

 

On the positive side there are a wide variety of water attractions, and many of these allow multiple people to ride together. So with attractions like the "Dark Hole", you and your wife get to ride in the same tube while racing down a Pitch Black fully enclosed slide, as it twists, turns and drops down a hill in complete darkness, it's great! (Especially for couples)

 

Anyhow, if you decide to go, you'll have a fun time at Raging Waters!!!

[SharkTums]

While Raging Waters is the 'best' waterpark out here, I don't think it's that much better to go out of your way for it.

 

SFHH basically has many of the same attractions and is a nice park.

 

Now if you want something insane go do Wild Rivers. You will get beat up, and swallow a lot of water, but at least it's got some really crazy different attractions!

[nursemelis374]

I was forced to take my cousin to Raging Waters last summer, as we live about 10 minutes from it. The best thing is, as with most parks, to get there right when it opens. We were able to do so much before the park got too crowded. It was fun, but it is kind dirty and there are teenagers everywhere. I went to Typhoon Lagoon this December and couldn't believe how much better it was!

 

Have fun though!

[socalMAN123]

Hey, come down and visit the lonely Wild Rivers! This is the best waterpark in my opinion. All of the major rides have hardly any waits and the slides kick arse. Just as Elissa said, you WILL have fun. To see how they took over Wild Rivers: http://www.themeparkreview.com/wildrivers/wr1.htm . Also, visit Raging Waters in San Dimas. It's pretty tight.

---Brent

[dougr]

Raging Waters in San Dimas is "Waterloo" from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" isn't it? Looks like they also used a waterpark in Arizona, but they were at Raging Waters as well....