Sunday, April 17, 2011

Kalahari Resort Sandusky, OH

Resort attractions:
Lazy River is 920 feet long.
Water Playhouse Leopard's Lair - net crawls, dumping bucket, water guns, slides in a zero entry to 1 ft deep pool.
Wave Pool 12,000 sq ft. wave pool.  This Wave pool is pretty fun.  The waves are not constant they ring a buzzer before they start the waves so you have warning.  Deepest point is 4 feet.  Children under 48" require adult supervision
Crocodile Cove Activity Pool - Basketball, Lily Pad (48" min), Kiddie Pool (52" max or guardian)  The kiddie pool is pretty good and I like the car with 3 steering wheels to minimize conflict.  The swings may be a fun idea but putting a child in it with a life jacket on is a Sisyphean task because their head float blocks it entirely.
Spa - both indoor and outdoor hot tub.
Shooting Star basketball pool 3,700 sq. ft..

Slides with 42" height minimum requirement:
Victoria Falls is a long ride for 2-3 adults but it is pretty mild and not too exciting a group raft ride
Zip Coaster:  2 person tube ride with a conveyor belt propulsion with speeds of 20 mph.  This ride is not very wet and is a little painful on your rear because you hit the bottom hard.
Cheetah Race - is a 4 lane mat racing slide with 55' decline.  This is one of the few rides you can go head first on.  Make sure you hold your raft against your chest so you don't hit your neck or face with it.
Rippling Rhino a long group tube slide 400' long. This holds 2-4 adults and is my favorite ride because it is dark and ends in a big bowl.
Zig Zag Zebra - body slide This body slide like the Zimbabwe Zipper is VERY uncomfortable on your back because all the little joints in the ride rub against you.
Zimbabwe Zipper - pipe-style body slide with 40 mph and the Zimbabwe Zipper is VERY uncomfortable on your back because all the little joints in the ride rub against you.
FlowRider is a separate attraction with fee for lesson with water shooting up a ramp to simulate surfing or body boarding

Slides with 48" minimum height requirement:
Tanzanian Twister is a body slide with funnel into 6' deep pool.The best body slide even though a little uncomfortable it is worth the thrill.  If you don't want to go in butt first make sure you sit up a bit just before you go through the bottom of the funnel.
Swahili Swirl - 2-4 riders in a tube bowl funnel slide.
Wild Wildebeest tube ride This is a fun tube slide.  You have to carry up your own raft.  It is right next to Elephant's Trunk and is pretty similar but has an open roof section and tighter curls so it is a little more "wild."
Elephant's Trunk a 2 person tube slide nearly 400 feet long.This is a fun tube slide that can be one or 2 people.  You have to carry up your own raft.



Saturday, April 16, 2011

Fort Rapids Columbus, Ohio

Attractions:

Kiddie (Korral) Pool: zero depth entry pool with 2 small slides and play structures.
Water Playhouse:  Rascal Round Up - 40' tall interactive water play structure with 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, 4 slides and water cannons.
Lazy River Cowboy Creek - 40" height requirement with 2 options to either go under tumble buckets or over mini rapids.
Activity Pool:  4' deep with 5 basketball hoops, snake and raft floats with a lily-pad type path.
Hot Tub - 18+ only.  30 person large.
Slide Tower: 4 slides
Ambush Alley and Raging Bull:  48" height requirement.  Tube slides go in and out of the building
Black Out Pass:  48" height requirement.  Tube around a funnel until you go out to the lazy river.
Racing mat slides:  Shoot Out Racer:  42" height requirement.

Great Wolf Lodge Ohio

There are 2 Great Wolf Lodges in Ohio both near amusement parks.  The older one is in Sandusky near Cedar Point and the newer one is in Mason (Cincinnati) near King's Island.  Because admission to the water park is limited to hotel guests you can expect the crowds to be smaller during peak season than other resorts selling day passes. The resorts offer similar attractions but the Mason location has more thrilling slides.

Water activities at the GWL Sandusky, Ohio:
Kiddie activity pool Soak n' Oak Springs:  Zero entry with max depth of 1'6" with kiddie tree.  Less than 54" or with a child.
Kiddie body slide Whooping Hollow: for children 54" and under or adult guests with child. 
Activity Pool Chinook Cove:  water basketball, floating snake, Parents should accompany small children.
Lily Pads Big Foot Pass:  Children under 48" need an adult and life jacket.
Lazy River Caribou Creek:  Children under 42" need an adult.
Water Playhouse Ft. Mackenzie:  4 story interactive treehouse with bridges, cargo nets, spray and 1,000 gallon tipping bucket.
Tube Water Slide Alberta Falls:  42" requirement or accompanied by an adult.  Tube slide 4 stories in and out of lodge.
Whirlpool hot tubs Manitoba: one for adults 21+ and one for the family but children under 12 need an adult.

Water activities at the GWL Mason, Ohio:
Kiddie activity pool Cub Paw Pool:  Zero entry with max depth of 1'6".  Less than 48" or with a child.
Wave Pool Slap Tail Pond:  3 foot waves zero entry goes to 5 feet deep.
Activity Pool Chinook Cove:  water basketball, floating snake, Parents should accompany small children.
Lily Pads Big Foot Pass:  Children under 48" need an adult and life jacket.
Lazy River Crooked Creek:  Children under 42" need an adult.
Water Playhouse Ft. Mackenzie:  4 story interactive treehouse with bridges, cargo nets, spray and 1,000 gallon tipping bucket.
Whirlpool hot tubs North and South Hot Springs: one for adults 21+ and one for the family but children under 12 need an adult.
Family Slides:  
Kiddie body slide Whooping Hollow: for children 48" and under or adult guests with child.
Tube Water Slide Alberta Falls:  42" requirement or accompanied by an adult.  Tube slide 4 stories in and out of lodge.
River Canyon Run™
Family going down raft ride in the water park
Guests must be at least 42" tall or accompanied by an adult to ride.
Totem Towers™
These twin three-story slides leave the tree house.  Guests under 42" tall must be supervised by an adult.
Slides with Height Requirements:
Coyote Cannon™
Bowl water slide with exit pool
A 436-foot enclosed slide. Pair up with the kids, or send them solo.Guests must be at least 42" tall to ride.
Hydro Plunge™
Roller coaster style waterslide in the water park
Let the motorized track hoist you  to the precipice of a water slide with a 52-foot vertical drop. Guests must be at least 48" tall to ride.

Triple Twist™
Exterior view of the funnel shaped water slide
At night, the Triple Twist takes the fun up a notch as you are immersed in a full-sensory LED lighting experience.  Guests must be at least 48” tall to ride.