Grab your sunglasses! Slap on some sunscreen! And grab your cutest swimsuit! Because we are getting on all the Aquatica rides!
If you haven’t heard about Aquatica yet, it’s an aquatic wonderland where you can do (almost) whatever you want.
You can relax on the sand next to the wave pools or get on stomach-droppingly thrilling rides.
It’s the ULTIMATE water park.
The place has been voted ‘Best Outdoor Park’ in the USA Today for Pete’s sake! So, are you excited to explore Aquatica with me?
Thought so!
Let’s dive in!
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What is Aquatica?
Before we get into all the cool Aquatica rides I have in store, let’s learn a little bit about the park itself.
Aquatica parks are a chain of water parks in Orlando, Florida, San Antonio, Texas and California.
They are owned and operated by our beloved SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
In Orlando, Aquatica is an extension of SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, often called its ‘sister park’.
The park was themed around Australian and New Zealand flora and fauna. So if you will catch glimpses of a kiwi called Roe or a kookaburra called Kata, don’t panic.
They work there– as mascots.
Now, let’s swim towards the deep end– AKA the Aquatica rides.
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Here is a jumbo list of all the Aquatica rides we are going to explore today.
- KARE KARE CURL
- RIPTIDE RACE
- RAY RUSH
- RIPTIDE RACE
- CUTBACK COVE & BIG SURF SHORES
- REEF PLUNGE
- IHU’S BREAKAWAY FALLS
- TURI’S KID COVE
- LOGGERHEAD LANE
- OMAKA ROCKA
- ROA’S RAPIDS
- TASSIE’S UNDERWATER TWIST – Reimagined for 2024
- TAUMATA RACER
- WALHALLA WAVE
- WALKABOUT WATERS
- WHANAU WAY
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Aquatica Orlando Rides and Attractions
Are you ready? Seatbelt buckled? Let’s go!
1. KAREKARE CURL
Maybe you’ve heard of the Kare Kare beach in New Zealand? It’s the best surf spot on the planet! AKA they’ve got the ginormous waves.
The KareKare Curl at Aquatics takes inspiration from these giant waves and created their own ocean megalith!
It’s just a 30-second ride, but trust me you will be screaming throughout.
You get to sit on a round raft with other adrenaline junkies and then plunge down an (almost) 361 feet long tunnel.
When you emerge, you are flung 35 feet up a mega-wave. Prepare to feel utterly weightless!
When you splash into the pool at the end of the ride, you will still be laughing and screaming.
Height Requirement for KareKare: 48 inches
2. RIPTIDE RACE
Remember those waterslides we used to love as kids? We always wished we could race down them alongside our friends.
Well, Aquatica has heard your prayers. And answered them!
Introducing Riptide Race– your waterslide racing dreams on steroids! You start from a 68-feet tall tower in teams of two. And yes, it’s a family-friendly ride (for the most part).
On your mark. Get set. And race for the next 680 feet! May the best (wo)man win!
Height Requirement for Riptide Race: 42 inches
3. RAY RUSH
Imagine sitting on a raft with your family. Cool water is lapping at the edges of the raft. Everything is quiet.
Then you get a push towards the tunnel in front of you… and you PLUNGE!
Total darkness surrounds you. All you can hear is the water rushing and you screaming. You see a light at the end before you dive into a pool surrounded by “giant-like manta wings.”
The momentum pushes you up one of the wings. You feel weightless for a minute. And then you plunge back down…and up the other manta wing!
Did I mention the Ray Rush ride is 60 feet high?
It’s everything you’ll experience on this attraction named “Best New Water Park Ride” by Amusement Today.
Height Requirement for Ray Rush: 42 inches
4. CUTBACK COVE & BIG SURF SHORES
Ever wanted to jump in a wave pool but the waves were too strong/weak? Well, no more!
Aquatica gives you the option of braving Cutback Cove where the waves are high and strong.
Or you can lounge about in Big Surf Shores where small easy waves and relaxation are the rules of the day.
You won’t find this setup anywhere else in the USA!
And if you’re a weak swimmer, then you’ll want to head to the Big Surf Shores.
Height Requirement: None
5. REEF PLUNGE
AKA the most popular ride is all of Aquatica! I mean who wouldn’t want to get on a ride that plunges them into a pool of fun-loving panda-colored dolphins?
Yes, you heard that right. Reef Plunge has actual dolphins included in the ride.
You start at the top of the ride– a tall tree-house looking thing with two huge water slide-tunnels coming out of it.
After a thrilling ride in the dark tunnel, you slide into one with transparent walls.
If you’re lucky, a dolphin will race you through the glass.
Now that’s something you’ll remember on the other side of the tunnel.
Height Requirement for Reef Plunge: 42 inches
6. IHU’S BREAKAWAY FALLS
Said to be the most thrilling ride in Aquatica, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is not for the weak-hearted.
It’s a whole ordeal. First, you have to walk up 126 steps to the tree-house-looking-thing (are you sensing a theme here?).
Then you have four options– four colorful covered pipes jutting out from under you.
Three of them have a breakaway floor– it gets pulled out from under you faster than you can scream out.
The first breakaway ride will plunge you 28 feet (green slide), the blue slide is the steepest with a breakaway box, 420 feet (orange slide), and the purple slide in an open air.
Will you be the lucky one to not step into the breakaway ride?
Height Requirement for Ihu’s Breakaway Falls: 48 inches
7. TURI’S KID COVE
Aquatica is one of those waterparks where you can leave your kid in the cove for hours (don’t do it though) and come back to find them still laughing and playing without you.
Turi’s Kid Cove is…well, kooky as it replaced the former Kata’s Koo Kaburra Cove!
It’s fun in an eccentric kind of way. Nothing fits with anything else, but everything together makes an attractive theme. Go figure.
Your kid is going to want to spend hours on the slides and the silly spilly rides.
One look at their cute happy face and you’ll want to splash around int eh cove with them!
Height Requirement: None
8. LOGGERHEAD LANE
This one is for the retired adrenaline junkies. Those who are ready to kick up their feet and float down a lazy river.
Because that’s exactly what you do in Loggerhead Lane!
Give your feet a break from all the walking and dangle them in the cool water. Float under bamboo bridges and through a curtain of water.
Go ahead and sip a pina colada while you’re at it. Complete and utter relaxation is the motto of the ride!
Height Requirement for Loggerhead Lane: Under 48 inches strongly recommend a lifejacket
9. OMAKA ROCKA
At Omaka Rocka, they always, always keep you guessing.
It’s a water-slide tunnel-ride like no other. Remember the first ride we talked about– the KareKare Curl?
Also, remember how you blasted out of the tunnel and were pushed up into a giant wave?
Well, Omaka Rocka is exactly like that, except there are at least three (smaller) “waves” at different parts of the tunnel.
No two tunnels are ever the same.
Height Requirement for Omaka Rocka: 42 inches
10. ROA’S RAPIDS
I was a weird kid. I dreamed of relaxing in a creek under the sun for ages.
Just bobbing along with the waves and playing with the strands of light in the water. Endlessly…
If you were a weird kid like me, you’re going to love AND hate Roa’s Rapids. Because that’s the opposite of what you’ll get, lol!
And good news for all the parents out there– there are wooden decks built around the “rapids” for you to relax while keeping an eye on your kid.
Word of caution: this isn’t your granny’s lazy river. It is intense so be careful! But it’s one of the best Aquatica rides you MUST DO!
Height Requirement for Roa Rapids: Under 51 inches strongly recommend a lifejacket
11. TASSIE’S UNDERWATER TWIST
Remember the Loggerhead Lane and the lazy river?
Well, if you want to take it up a notch, you can float to the middle of the lazy river, to the island.
Here you will find Tassie’s Underwater Twist formerly known as Tassie’s Twister.
You essentially get blasted into a giant bowl where you keep spinning till you’re back in the lazy river.
The kids will love it!
Height Requirement for Tassie’s Underwater Twister: Under 48 inches strongly recommend a lifejacket
12. TAUMATA RACER
I know I said Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the most-thrilling ride in the park. But I’m going to have to take that statement back.
That honor belongs to Taumata Racer.
It brings eight supreme adrenaline junkies into fierce competition. They each have to race down steep water slides before the others do.
I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.
Height Requirement for Taumata Racer: 42 inches
13. WALHALLA WAVE
How long does it take a person to slide down six stories? Here’s Aquatica’s answer– 40 seconds.
That’s right! In a series of twists and turns, Walhalla Wave takes you down six whole stories in record time.
But don’t be scared, it’s only super-fast in the dark tunnels (*Aquatica laughs evilly*). And did I mention that it’s a family-friendly ride?
Height Requirement for Walhalla Wave: 42 inches
14. WALKABOUT WATERS
What’s that you’re hearing? Is that laughter? And what sounds like happy splashes?
Then you’re probably heading towards Walkabout Waters.
It’s a 60-feet kids’ watery playground modelled after the rain-drenched rainforests of the South. You could spend hours on different walkabouts!
Don’t get lost though– it sprawls 15,000 square feet!
Height Requirement: None
15. WHANAU WAY
Four different mega water slides. Eight people zipping through them. Now that’s some wholesome family ride!
It’s your average twisty tunnel that ends with a splash. But all the other people screaming around you make it way more fun!
Don’t forget to wave to the other Whanau Way-ers. They are probably right below you!
Height Requirement for Whanau Way-ers: Under 48″ require a lifejacket
Phew! That’s the whole list of Aquatica rides!
Now you can move on to the second-best part of going to a theme park– the planning!
Since you know exactly what to expect, you can plan which of the Aquatica rides you want to ride first (and last and in between).
Go ahead and plan your meals while you’re at it.
Hipster Power Tip: check out the usual queue times for each ride. This way you will know which ride to line up for first thing in the morning.
And trust me, all this effort will be sooooooooo worth it! Enjoy your visit to adrenaline-fueled paradise, folks!
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Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!
WATCH NEXT: 10 Best Things to Do at SeaWorld Orlando! 🎢💦🐬
(Original Article Date: May 26, 2021/Updated on February 7, 2024)
All the water rides are fun but I like the purple ride of the thrill rides
That’s a good one!