Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Aquatica Orlando

Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Aquatica Orlando

We recently came home from the most memorable holiday to Orlando, Florida. Each day was an adventure and our trip to Aquatica was no different. We were lucky enough to be invited to visit the Seaworld Parks as part of a collaboration and so this post is our honest view of the park. A review of our experience as a family of three, two thrill seekers and one scared Mummy.

Of all the Seaworld parks Mr H and George were most looking forward to visiting Aquatica. You see, they have this thing with water parks. We started to research the park, rides, and more – they were bursting with excitement. Aquatica looked like it was a hybrid between a theme park and water park. How fantastic. And what a great idea. If truth be told we had pretty high expectations. Especially after visiting Busch Gardens the day before.

I can honestly say that our expectations were surpassed. What an awesome park. A real blend of thrill seeking rides, calmer rides for someone like me that doesn’t really enjoy water rides as well as a safe haven for younger children in areas such as Walkabout Waters. With comfy loungers, a great beach area and a lazy river. For those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the theme parks there are some lovely areas to relax in so don’t be put off by the big rides. If you’re looking to have a rest day then a water park is the answer.

And so, here are my Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Aquatica Orlando

 

1. Water slides

Wow. This park has it all. If you’re looking for a thrill then visiting Aquatica is a must do. There’s KareKare Curl (wow), Ray Rush (just brilliant), Omaka Rocka (so much fun) and so many more. The boys loved Taumata Racers – a high speed mat race where you go head first. They dragged me on Whanau Way and Walhalla Wave which are brilliant family rides. Just like Ray Rush we were able to ride it together on a bigger ring. I rarely go on water rides so it was lovely to ride them as a family. Nothing like a bit of peer pressure. We also loved riding Roa’s Rapids – hold on to your rafts. And if in doubt take a lazy float down loggerhead lane, the lazy river won’t disappoint. Aquatica was our favourite of all the water parks we visited.

 

 

2. Take the plunge on IHU Breakaway Falls

I will admit to not taking the plunge, I just couldn’t muster up the courage. I still don’t know how George did it. And four times – the quick queue was definitely used on this ride – Mr H has vowed them to be a great investment. Some of the rides are very popular, just like this one. The boys loved it and managed to ride all 3 tubes to experience the different drops. I on the other hand gulped each time the floor dropped. Quite literally I held my breath until George appeared at the end. Check out my saved highlight ‘Florida 2019’ over on stories, the sound of the floor breaking away still haunts me.

 

3. Relax on the beach or in the lazy river

Relax and unwind. The perfect rest day in between theme parks. When you need to take a break from the thrill of KareKare Curl then the beach is the perfect place to hang out. The lounge chairs on the beach are complimentary, although I have to say the cabana’s looked very special. And if water rides aren’t your thing then why not embrace the tranquility of the lazy river. Grab a ring and float away. The views are stunning and if you’re lucky you might see some fish and dolphins on your travels. I love that in between all the fun of the rides you can embrace these areas. Unlike other water parks the beach area didn’t feel over crowded or noisy. They really have thought of everyone.

 

 

4. Grab lunch at Mango Market

Don’t make the same mistake we did and take a picnic, sadly our food was confiscated. Anything sealed was donated to a food bank which was lovely but that didn’t remove the fact we were then faced with paying for lunch. That said we ate very well, thanks to the recommendation of Tim Tracker we found the Mango Market and ate loaded fries and chicken tenders which were from the Quick Serve counter ($35 for a family of 3). Very tasty. So tasty that I didn’t get chance to grab a photo.

 

5. And lastly a few more tips to ensure you have a fun visit

You can take picnics however they must be stored in the lockers at the entrance to the parks. We weren’t offered this option, instead our food was confiscated. I can’t help but wish the staff had told us as on this day we hadn’t budgeted to pay for food inside Aquatica. Book an All-Day Dining package for just one adult as this could be utilised for the whole family based on the fact you can visit a food counter once per hour. Consider booking Quick Queues for those riding the thrill rides. If you can’t stretch to Quick Queue passes then I would aim to arrive early to the park – 30 minutes before opening, that way you can be first in the queue to ride KareKare Curl, Ray Rush and IHU Breakaway Falls. We found the park was busy anytime after 11am. We couldn’t believe the queue for KareKare Curl in the afternoon, it was definitely worth arriving early – we rode it three times before 10am. And lastly, you will need to pay parking ($25) and pop your bags in a locker which cost up to $20 depending on the size.

 

 

*Top tip* – Parking fees – the 3 for 2 Ticket and Discovery Cove Ultimate Package includes free parking at all parks and are only available to purchase in the UK

 

Our day spent at Aquatica was gifted to us by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. I have not been paid for writing this review however it was part of the collaboration that I would share my honest views. We absolutely loved Aquatica, it was our favourite of all the water parks we visited. A must visit. You can find out more about Aquatica, and book by visiting the website.

And that’s our Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Aquatica Orlando. I have written a series of posts about our four days exploring the SeaWorld Parks. If you are looking for a day of relaxation and pure luxury then you can read all about our Day in Paradise at Discovery Cove here. And if a day of animal interactions, roller coasters & Sesame Street is what you are looking for then you can read about our trip to SeaWorld here. And lastly if you are after a park that has a mixture of animals and some of the best roller coasters then Busch Gardens is the park for you.