Water Country USA (Busch Gardens)

I visited Water Country USA with my extended family that included 8 adults and 4 children. The children were between the ages of 6 and 11. The older “kids” were in their 30s and 40s. If you want the short version, the younger and older kids loved the park. They loved it so much they went back for a second day.

 

The park is associated with Busch Gardens. In the summer, it’s open from 10am to 7pm during the week and until 8pm on weekends. There are 11 rides and slides, 3 kids’ attractions, a lazy river, and a large wave pool. Single tickets are $45-$52. We got multi-day, multi-park tickets that included unlimited visits to Water Country USA and Busch Gardens for $87. Parking starts at $15.

 
 With a group as large as ours, including grandparents in their 60s, we chose to invest in one of the large Cabanas. They are located near the Aquazoid and the H20 UFO. The Cabana ranges in price from $150-$230. For this day, it was a life-saver. Shortly after the park opened, so did the skies. Thunderstorms forced the park to close all rides. While many people huddled under cover wherever they could, we relaxed in our large covered cabanas with complimentary drinks and snacks. Knowing the forecast, we brought games to entertain ourselves. It took more than 3 hours for the rides to re-open and by then, most people had decided to leave. For the next 4 hours, we got to enjoy all the rides with virtually no lines.

 The food at the park is what you would expect. It’s park food. The selection includes standards like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers. There are lighter options like salads and fruit as well. And you can find plenty of dessert options as well.

Like most water parks, the main rides consist of various ways to send you down slides at different speeds and in different ways into a pool of water. Some are more thrilling than others, like the Vanish Point which lives up to its name by dropping the floor out from under you. Others are more leisurely, like the Aquazoid where you’ll get plenty wet but won’t lose your stomach along the way. As I said before, the kids (older and younger) couldn’t get enough. There’s plenty of excitement to enjoy a full day.