#Ask It Results: Which Water Park is Best?

Summer can be a brutal time in the theme parks. Aside from crowds, Mother Nature can make you feel like a bug under a magnifying glass with the heat of the relentless sun. Sometimes a day at a water park can be just the cure for that summertime heat. The Orlando area has a variety of water parks to choose from, but we wanted to know which one YOU would choose. Last week, we asked you:

Which water park is best?

Typhoon Lagoon was the overall winner (with more than 50% of the vote averaged on the blog and Twitter), and it’s hard to go wrong with this as a choice. With its giant wave pool, kids’ area, and waterslides, raft rides, and more, there is something for everyone. Whether your speed is more Crush ‘n’ Gusher or more laid back like Castaway Creek or the new(ish) Miss Adventure Falls, you’ll find plenty of fun in the sun.

Coming in around 25% of the vote was Blizzard Beach. Perhaps the inclusion of a higher-thrill drop slide in Summit Plummet makes this park seem like it is more for teens and adults than for all ages, but there still is a lot for the whole family to do, including water slides where you can race your family. And yes, don’t forget to get your donuts while you’re there. There are some people who make a trip to the water park for that. (We don’t judge…especially when it comes to donuts.)

Rounding up the bottom were Volcano Bay and Aquatica. Volcano Bay had a rocky start (pun intended), and it still is a tough sell that this is Universal Orlando’s third resort. As a water park, however, it has some of the biggest thrills in the area, and it is a visually stunning park. As operational issues get worked out, and as more people visit it during its second year, I would expect that this water park will grow in popularity.

What Aquatica lacks in name recognition and accessibility from a major theme park resort complex (like Walt Disney World of Universal), it makes up for in terms of quality. It has the requisite amount of slides and water play areas, but also neat features like a lazy river that goes “underwater” with views of tropical fish. The all-day dining pass is also a unique option, especially for families with older kids who want to go off on their own.

Got any plans to hit the water parks this summer? What’s your go-to spot to stay cool? Let us know in the comments. Stay tuned for our next Ask It question on the blog.