Water World, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Water World |
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Thunder Bay wave pool
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| Slogan | America's Largest Water Park |
| Location | Federal Heights, Colorado, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°51′25.13″N 105°0′38.95″W / 39.8569806°N 105.0108194°W |
| Owner | Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District |
| Opened | 1979 |
| Operating season | Summer (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day) |
| Status | {{{status}}} |
| Area | 70 acres (28 ha) |
| Water slides | 31 water slides |
| Website | http://www.waterworldcolorado.com/ |
Water World is a super fun water park located in Federal Heights, Colorado. It's about 10 miles north of downtown Denver, Colorado. This park is part of the Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District.
Water World first opened its gates in August 1979. It was home to Colorado's very first two waterslides, called the Bonzai Pipeline! The park is usually open during the summer, from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day.
This amazing park covers 70 acres, making it one of the biggest water parks in America. In 2021, a group called Amusement Today named Water World the 5th best water park in the industry! As of 2022, the park has 50 different attractions. These include many water slides, a relaxing lazy river, and exciting inflatable tube rides. There are also big raft rides for groups, two wave pools, and a cool gondola that takes you to the top of the park.
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Awesome Water Rides and Pools
Water World has many unique and thrilling water attractions. Get ready to explore some of them!
Exciting Slides and Adventures
One of the most famous rides is Screamin' Mimi. On this ride, you zoom down a track on a board-like vehicle. You can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour before splashing into a pool!
Other cool rides include Glacier Run. This is an 8-lane mat slide where you go head-first down steep drops. The Revolution is a 4-person tube ride that spins you into a giant bowl. Storm is a dark tube ride for four people. And Sunset Racer is an 8-lane racing slide where you can race your friends to the finish line!
Voyage to the Center of the Earth
Water World's most famous attraction is Voyage to the Center of the Earth. You ride in a small, round raft with other people. The ride takes you through a pretend cave that looks like it has creatures from the prehistoric era!
You'll go down steep spirals and sudden drops. You'll even see different dinosaurs, including a moving Tyrannosaurus at the end. This ride is special because it's very detailed and can last over 5 minutes! It's one of the longest rides at any water park. The ride has been updated twice, most recently in 2011. Over 1,000 guests can ride it every hour!
Wave Pools for Everyone
Water World has three different wave pools for all ages:
- Turtle Bay: This is a very small wave pool, perfect for toddlers and little kids. It's about 3 feet deep.
- Cowabunga Beach: This is a small wave pool, about 5 feet deep. It's often used for boogieboarding. Sometimes, it's open as a regular play pool.
- Thunder Bay: This is a huge pool that holds 1.1 million gallons of water! It has a big Pepsi logo on the bottom. Thunder Bay has a new engine that makes different types of waves. It can create medium ocean waves with crashing waves and strong currents. This pool is 8 feet deep at its deepest point.
All wave pools have emergency shut-offs to keep everyone safe.
Alpine Springs Express Gondola
In 1993, Water World added the Alpine Springs Express gondola. This ride connects the lower and upper parts of the park. The gondola was moved to Water World from Circus Circus in Las Vegas. Some of its towers are even built into a water slide platform! In 2021, the gondola's bottom station was repainted and re-themed to match the new Alpine Springs area.
Mile High Flyer Water Coaster
In 2012, Water World introduced the Mile High Flyer. This is a special hydro-magnetic water coaster. It uses magnets to launch riders up and down five unique hills! The whole ride takes only 45 seconds.
The Big Top and Alpine Springs Area
The newest part of the park is the Big Top, located next to TurboRacer. This area is designed for families. It has rides for younger children and also for thrill-seekers! In 2021, the Big Top area was updated and renamed Alpine Springs. It now has a Colorado theme with landmarks from the state. This area also has two new rides: Roaring Forks, a 2-lane water coaster, and Centennial Basin, a tube bowl.
Awards and Recognition
Water World has been recognized as one of the best water parks!
- In 2008, the Travel Channel listed it as one of the top 10 water parks in the United States.
- In August 2013, USA Today readers also named it one of the top 10 water parks in America.
- In 2021, Water World received a Golden Ticket Award. These awards are given based on surveys from experienced amusement and water park fans from all over the world.
Former Attractions
- Space Bowls: These were two body bowl slides that were removed to make space for the new Roaring Forks ride.
Park Technology
Water World makes it easy to pay for things! You can use special RFID wristbands that you can load with money. This means you don't need to carry cash or cards around the park. Season Passes can also be upgraded to include this cashless payment option.
The park also has lockers that you can open with your RFID wristband. You get the wristbands from a self-service machine in the locker area. Unlike old lockers, these wristbands let you open and close your locker many times throughout the day!
