Anyone have Aquatica reports?

a Florida advertising slogan from the 80's

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/florida/entry/florida_the_rules_are_different_here/

It has become a joking tag line for something of dubious logic in Florida.

If you'd never been to WC you'll never know what the differences are. If you have, you'll wonder why they exist....or at least we did. No real need to spell them out.....just a warning to WC vet's to be surprised by Florida rules..... we'd do something that was OK at WC and get a finger wave from a guard.... OK ... what ever.

One wonders why two parks run by the same company have two sets of rules for the same attraction. My basic point was observing operational changes or ommissions from other Busch water parks. If this one was 'better', they missed that point on me. My opinion is that b4 the first season is over they will scramble to adjust and correct these mistakes.

Still don't follow?...sorry .... don't loose any sleep over it.
 
If you'd never been to WC you'll never know what the differences are. If you have, you'll wonder why they exist....or at least we did. No real need to spell them out.......
.....Still don't follow?...sorry .... don't loose any sleep over it.

Florida lingo or not, it seems as though you're teasing with a comment about the rules/policies/procedures (whatever) being different and then purposely not telling us what the specific differences are. I am in fact a WC vet (I think the park is terrific), and I would one day like to visit Aquatica. I would be very interested in knowing what you're specifically talking about. What are these "operational changes or omissions," and what "mistakes" need to be corrected? After all, isn't that what forums like this are for? I won't lose sleep over it, but I'll politely ask you again to explain yourself.
 
Hello Aquatica fans - I am new to these boards, but I do some work for Anheuser-Busch, specifically related to Aquatica. The soft opening happened in early March - which sounds like what you have all been talking about. The park officially opens in April and a handful of bloggers are being sent down to cover the opening, so a lot more information will be readily available on the web then.

I read through your questions and concerns - the height requirements and what drink/food options will be available. I am looking into those specifics now and if you have any other questions about Aquatica, please let me know and I'd be glad to find out as much as I can, although the people who have already spoken in this thread have given a great review of the park! Thanks for sharing!
 
Hello Aquatica fans - I am new to these boards, but I do some work for Anheuser-Busch, specifically related to Aquatica. The soft opening happened in early March - which sounds like what you have all been talking about. The park officially opens in April and a handful of bloggers are being sent down to cover the opening, so a lot more information will be readily available on the web then.

I read through your questions and concerns - the height requirements and what drink/food options will be available. I am looking into those specifics now and if you have any other questions about Aquatica, please let me know and I'd be glad to find out as much as I can, although the people who have already spoken in this thread have given a great review of the park! Thanks for sharing!

three suggestions from a WC passholder of several years and now AQ passholder who visited last Sat

1. The 'fast river' as I'll call it: in Virginia I could grab a couple of jackets, wear one and rest my legs on one and float that way - rafting. At AQ that got a finger wave from the guards 'not allowed'....why? Actually the Hubba-Hubba-Highway had a bunch of loose jakets just floating along as people put on/took off. Verboten at AQ....is there a reason? Go in the slow river without a tube, just a jacket....not allowed.....I think that was OK in VA. People in AQ would just loop an arm thru a tube to shut up the guards who saw the rule as "everyone must be on a tube." :confused3

2. As I'd get on line at WC I'd usually take off my t-shirt and my flippies, wrap them up in my towel and put them in the convienient 'shoe holder' near the entrance to every attraction (like the one at McDonalds play zone). {In the summer I can't walk on the concrete on a 95+ degree day in my bare feet.} So as I approach the first attraction I choose at AQ I look for the shoe rack......none to be found. Do I toss my stuff in the bushes? Last Sat was a great day and I returned my shoes to the locker (btw - signs from the entrance to the lockers would be a good idea) because it was a high of 86...I prefer to wear shoes but the temps were accomodating. When it is a full sun 99 Orlando day....I'd like someplace to put my shoes and towel. This one was a big DUH for me....you have them at the other parks.... (Tampa and Williamsburg)

3. Ramp up the food at the AYCE just a notch or two..... Fries or bags of chips and something for desert other than multi-colored pudding. I'd pay another dollar for a cookie....two for even a weak salad bar.
 


Thanks for the explanation Capt BJ.

Having cubbies for shoes and small items would sure be nice. I'm very surprised they aren't there.
 
Agreed those white sidewalks are not going to be fun come July. That was actually one of the first comments made by my friends during out first visit. I'm still kind of hoping more sand is coming (to match the promo artwork), but if not, it's going to be near impossible to walk around without something on your feet.
 


Hi again - thanks for all your questions - I am working on them now and should have some answers to you very soon - I want to get accurate information and I'm just checking on a few things now such as the food/drink and whether you can take it outside the rest area, in addition to the questions on cubbies, shoeracks, etc.
 
Ok here are a few answers, I am waiting on some others:

The height requirements - (also available on the website)

Taumata Racer:
Guests must be at least 42" tall and wear a life vest. All guests under 48" are required to wear a life vest.

Tassie's Twisters and Whanau Way:
Guests must be able to maintain proper riding position holding on to both handles unassisted.

Walhalla Wave & HooRoo Run:
Guests under 48" are required to wear life vest and guests must be 42" to ride.

Dolphin Plunge:
Guests must be at least 48" tall.

Roa's Rapids:
Guests under 51" are required to wear a life vest.

Loggerhead Lane
Guests under 48" are required to wear a life vest.

Kata's Kookaburra Cove
Rides in this area require guests to be no taller than 48".

--
Cabanas -rentals include a refrigerator stocked with 16 beverages of sodas, juice, and water and complimentary use of towels and lockers. Sunscreen is also provided, in addition to a 25 percent discount on merchandise. Guests should use the lockers to store valuables if they leave the cabana. Food needs to be purchased separately.

They are $175 a day during peak season, which is from Memorial Day through Labor day. It is $150 per day the remainder of the year for up to four people. It's $30 for each additional guest, maximum capacity is seven people. You can reserve in advance online.

---
Life Jackets are free and can be checked out at various locations around the park.

---
Here are the dining options:
Waterstone Grill: restaurant with sandwiches and salads, desserts and drinks.

Mango Market: a grab-and-go restaurant serving picnic baskets full of lunch items

Banana Beach Cook-Out: restaurant with traditional burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken and classic sides

Also - there are six food carts located throughout the park

* To make purchasing food and merchandise hassle-free Aquatica guests may charge their purchases using waterproof wristbands.

---

Capt_BJ: About the vests and floating down the river without a raft, it is a safety issue. Also, we will try and recommend the idea of small temporary storage bins by the rides so you don't have to store your shoes in the lockers permanently or risk losing a flip flop.

Ytown818 - I'm still researching whether you can take the food out of the eating areas

---

Keep the questions coming!
 
Uh, even if you officially can't take the food out of the dining areas, I would recommend violating that policy with impunity when it comes to the Banana Beach AYCE.

For one, if there are food carts throughout the park, they can hardly argue that it's a cleanliness/sanitation/hygiene thing. For another, things like drinks and melon and a hot dog are highly portable -- we're not talking china and silverware here. And if you have little kids, making everyone go back to the buffet every time you want a drink because you don't want to leave them alone is a real pain!

We unobtrusively carried stuff out (held down, by our side, wrapped in napkins) several times when we were at Banana Beach -- I didn't want to test it by being blatant and find out it was prohibited and have them watching me like a hawk the rest of the day. At any rate, there was no problem the way we did it.
 
How do they check that height requirement.? both my kids are within an inch of 48 inches. aka one is 49 and one is 47. do they have those ruler like things at the ride?
 
Hello Aquatica fans - I am new to these boards, but I do some work for Anheuser-Busch, specifically related to Aquatica. The soft opening happened in early March - which sounds like what you have all been talking about. The park officially opens in April and a handful of bloggers are being sent down to cover the opening, so a lot more information will be readily available on the web then.

I read through your questions and concerns - the height requirements and what drink/food options will be available. I am looking into those specifics now and if you have any other questions about Aquatica, please let me know and I'd be glad to find out as much as I can, although the people who have already spoken in this thread have given a great review of the park! Thanks for sharing!

I heard this park is not accesssible for the slides and there are many steps to walk up? Also no sand wheelchairs are available? You have to carry tubes up some slides and cross swinging bridges? This to the dolphin slide...

I was also told the the rapid river would be difficult to get out of for a person who couldn't walk?


Can you tell me what is accessible? I know it would be most difficult to push a wheelchair to the wave pool through sand...

Thank you

Charleyann
 
Yes,many steps for the main rides.Did not see any other way up for those,although I was not looking for them.

You only have to go in the sand if you want to.Can get to everything else on cement.Wave pools are zero entry.

The rapid river could pose a problem for exit.I did grasp at the side to slow up some,but was not really easy and pulling that way to go around the corner to exit might not be fun.Might need a catcher.The good news is that the river is zero entry with gradual depth increase.



rich
 
Capt_BJ: About the vests and floating down the river without a raft, it is a safety issue.

You miss my point. I'm SURE it is a safety issue. My question is why is it a safety issue at one Busch park, but not at another? Visiting two Busch water parks I (and family) find different rules for the same attraction.

{leadership precept: consistency}

Hence: "welcome to Florida, the rules are different here."

I'm not loosing sleep over it...but it degrades our opinion of Busch parks.
 
Capt BJ as a Williamsburg resident & WC passholder (we go at least once a week if not twice or more during season) I've seen where it has depended upon crowds whether they let you just relax & lean on jackets or you have to put the jacket on. The more crowded it has been the more stricter they are. It's probably just a safety thing when large crowds are there.
 
Thanks Snoopybabe - also a good point about the vests and I agree that there should be consistency between the Busch parks - so I'll keep asking about that.

Charleyann, I'm going to get more information about accessibility and rides - that would concern me too as my own father has trouble walking himself and I would want everyone to be able to enjoy the park.

Richsilver - have you tried to upload your photos on the Share Pix & Flix page in the Aquatica website? if you're open to sharing, i bet a lot of other people would appreciate what you have.

I'll be back this week with more answers and info - you all are keeping me busy!

:thumbsup2
 
^^^

Didn't bring the camera on our trip this time.

Both rivers and wave pools have zero entry access and you can get to anything on cement,so I think the only problems will be the tall slides for wheelchair access.

I only went on 1 ride myself because of my younger son and had fun,so I believe you can enjoy the park without the tall slides.


rich
 
More answers! Here are some of the questions posed earlier that I have been waiting on responses for. I'm still working on more recent requests.

Enjoy....and if there is something dissatisfying to you in any of these responses, let me know. Perhaps we can work on making the park better together. :cheer2:

  • Will there be shoe racks or cubbies near the rides to put shoes/small items in while in water? Unfortunately, not yet. As of now, only small and large lockers are available.
  • Is food/drink allowed beyond the rest area? Food and drink are permitted throughout the park, however, not in the water or on the attractions.
  • Are there any alcoholic beverages for sale? Yes! At all dining locations! (Adults cheer :woohoo:).
  • How many people can fit on a family raft for the family rides? The raft ride restrictions are based on the weight of the party, not number of people in raft. The weight limit is 600 lbs limit, which should hold two adults and two kids comfortably.
 
We have a platinum pass because we love water country USA and Busch Gardens. Will this allow us entry into Aquatica? I know it will allow entry into Sea World. Thanks.
 

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