What Happens When the Temperature Drops at a Waterpark?
WILLIAMSBURG, VA — Admission to Water Country USA is included in the platinum tier of any Busch Gardens Membership, and we have tried to visit Williamsburg’s biggest waterpark at least once a year for the last few years in order to make use of that benefit. Typically, a visit in early June brings lower crowds, warmer temperatures and impressively efficient park operations. This visit, however, was different; because this time, lower temperatures of between 68-73° Fahrenheit swept through the park, and the temperatures remained in that range throughout the day. This prompts the question - can you still enjoy a chilly day at an outdoor water park?
Despite the obvious disadvantages, there are advantages to visiting a waterpark on a cold day. As you might expect, the colder temperatures discourage larger crowds, which result in shorter lines and less congested walkways for those brave enough to visit. The park was not at all busy and there were plenty of open chairs, tables, and loungers at the various attractions and eateries. It seemed like several guests were arriving and leaving within a few hours, not willing to stick it out for the whole day. However, lines did still form at popular, slow loading attractions such as Big Daddy Falls and Colossal Curl.
Above: Big Daddy Falls didn’t get it’s name by accident! This attraction at Water Country USA is definitely a soaker, and during a chilly operational day, it’s one that you have to watch out for! Image credit to Water Country USA.
We’ve also been known to splurge on a reserved lounger(s) near the Hubba Hubba Highway “lazy” river. This bundle usually includes 2 lounge chairs, a large locker and 2 meal vouchers; and although the meal voucher perk is set to be replaced with a resortwide meal discount in the near future, the package still offers a good value for those who like to make camp and stay the whole day. A significantly longer walk from the park entrance, the Hubba Hubba Highway lounger and cabana area is also usually less busy than the Surfer’s Bay lounger and cabana area, and we like having a home-base with closer proximity to one of our favorite attractions. However, before arriving at the park, we received a phone call letting us know that our reserved lounger was going to be moved to the Surfer’s Bay wave pool. We assumed this meant that the Hubba Hubba Highway attraction was closed, but upon arrival, we were told that the shift occurred because park attendance was expected to be so low. To consolidate staff, select restaurants, shops and relaxation areas simply didn’t open. So, while the rides had shorter lines, the lower crowd level also resulted in some of our favorite areas and attractions closing for the day.
And speaking of closed attractions, there were also a few slides, tubes and pools that had to be closed due to the colder temperatures. This included Aquazoid Amped, the LED-lined “party slide” that was renovated and reimagined in time for our first visit in 2022 and has been a fan favorite ever since. Other attractions that were closed for the day included all the slides on the Jammin' Juke Box slide complex, the Cow-a-Bunga kids play area and the Wild Thang tube slide. Since the Water Country USA website did indicate a fair number of attraction closures prior to our arrival - a good reason to make habit of checking said website before you visit - it’s difficult to tell whether these closures were for maintenance or for lack of sufficient ride operators. In either case, the thermostat certainly didn’t help. But for all the slides and attractions that were closed, there was a plurality of attractions that remained open and operating as usual; many with heated reservoirs to combat the lower temperatures. The Nitro Racer: Supercharged mat slides, for example, had very shallow water which ran quite warm on a chilly day.
We only had one day set aside for our waterpark visit, and despite the fact that the water was not as refreshing as on a hot day, we were determined to make the most of it. So, were we able to enjoy our chilly day at Water Country USA? Yes! If you want to get a lot done in a short time, a cooler day at Water Country may be just right for you. However, it’s important to prepare yourself for the possibility of fewer operating attractions - and to make sure that you have several dry towels and a change of clothes to warm yourself up after a cool water park day. Oh, and, onride filming is permitted on most of the slides for those who come prepared with the appropriate mount(s) - so if you want to see our first hand experience in realtime, be sure to check our vlog below!
Credit for all images included in this blog post goes to Water Country USA and their respective contracted photographers. All video content is our own. For tickets, details and additional images, visit https://watercountryusa.com/.
