Waterworld is an indoor tropical aqua park based in Stoke-on-Trent and last weekend we visited as a family of 4 taking three children aged 3, 10 and 13. Anyone who has children with big age gaps like this will understand the struggle of finding a day out or attraction that not only meets everyone’s needs but that is also doable with only one or two adults. I couldn’t wait to see if Waterworld would meet our requirements.
What’s at Waterworld
Waterworld is home to
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- 14 different types of slides (some with 2 or 3 so you can ride side by side)
- wave pool
- rapids
- Lilly pads
- Relaxation areas
- Outdoor pool (seasonal)
- Interactive jungle house for smaller children
Waterworld Review
Based on the above I was really hopeful that this would work for all three children and I am so pleased to say that it definitely did. There was something for everyone with fast slides and a wave pool for the older ones and a dedicated toddler are for the three year old. But what I found even better was that the way Waterworld has been designed means that it is compact (without feeling small) so as a parent you feel you can let you older, competent swimmers go off on their own to ride the slides without worrying they might get lost because everywhere is pretty visible and you can easily locate them again.
Another of my concerns was whether or not Waterworld could keep all 3 children entertained for a decent amount of time or if the three year old would be bored and cold after an hour. I am happy to report that all three of my children stayed in for just short of 4 hours and all three would have happily stayed in longer, however we needed to hit the road to reach our next stop, Alton The Star campsite, for glamping weekend.
The eagerness of the children to stay in for so long made the price of £22 per person seem much more reasonable too.
The Young Swimmers Area
The way the younger children’s area has been designed is brilliant as there is so much for the them to do. There are three standard open slides where they climb the steps and slide down to the pool where you can hold them, see them or guide them as you see fit, then there is the Interactive Jungle House which is a built up area that looks like an indoor play area with a secret hidden tunnel, hanging ropes over the water and two larger sliders for those that are a little more adventurous. These particular slides are tunnel slides and look more like the water slides you expect in an aqua park and require your child to be a bit more independent as they much slide alone. Across from this area there is an additional slide that is slightly steeper but still not too fast and lands in the pool but you can reach the child at all times and hold there hand if needed.
This childen’s area alone is fab for little ones but the fun doesn’t stop there as with adult supervision they can still access the main area of the pool, including the wave pool (up to a certain point) and they can ride 4 of the big slides if sitting on an adults knee.
With all of these options the three year old was just as happy to stay in the water as the older two who were spoilt for choice with so many slides to choose from and who rushed to the wave pool every time the klaxon sounded.
The main slides
The two older boys (10, 13) tried every slide in Waterworld and assured me that they were all brilliant. The two clear favourites were the Cyclone and Thunderbolt. The Cyclone requires riders to be a minimum height of 1.2m and is classed as a thrill ride. It takes you through a tunnel that leaves the aqua park, travels around the outside of the building and re-enters again. The Thunderbolt requires riders to be 1.4 meters and is classed as an adrenaline ride as you enter the ride and stand up straight and then the floor beneath you is removed and you drop into the slide – it is not for the faint hearted!
Is Waterworld worth a visit?
So, to answer the question “Is Waterworld worth a visit? “The answer is a resounding yes, no matter what age your children are if they are a fan of swimming, water slides or love an adrenalin rush then get yourself some tickets for what we can only describe as an awesome family day out!
Points to know
The car park is £3.50 for 8 hours
The lockers are £7.50 but you get £5 back when you leave
You are not allowed to take food and drink in to the pool area with you, however, there is a cafe by the pool and a subway at the entrance for before or after your session.
