Upon arrival, you purchase your day passes from the front desk clerk. You head on over to the waterpark area and enter through the arcade. There you will find the change rooms that have approximately 5 single change rooms and 2 family sized change rooms. It would be nice if they had a couple more family sized change rooms as when we were there, there were a few families waiting in line to use them. If you have older children who can change on their own, they can take advantage of the single rooms which would speed up the changing process. There are 2 types of lockers in the change room area. The medium sized ones cost $2 per locker (as pictured) and the smaller ones cost $1. The smaller sized locker would easily accommodate one person's belongings for the most part.
Being a family of 4, and with it being winter, we required 4 of
Being a family of 4, and with it being winter, we required 4 of
the smaller ones to put all of our stuff in. One of those was for the diaper bag that we needed. We could have gotten away with 2 of the medium sized ones but they were all taken. During peak times, you might run the risk that they might all be taken as there were only a few left when we were there. It would be nice if they added another row of medium sized lockers especially for the winter months when everyone has so many more layers. Be sure to bring a beach bag or something similar to hold your essentials such as diapers, cash for the snack bar, etc, as the lockers are one time use only. If you need to get something out of your locker, you will need to pay again. Fortunately, there are change machines in the area to get loonies and twoonies for the lockers should you not arrive with the proper change.
In addition, I would strongly suggest bringing some flip flops or other footwear such as Crocs to wear between the change rooms and the waterpark, as you do walk through the arcade area to get back and forth. Day pass holders need to supply their own towels as hotel towels are for staying guests only, so don't leave those at home!
All of the water features at Waves are nestled closely together, which makes it easy for you to monitor your older children and/or to reunite or meet up with your friends and family throughout the day. The waterpark is best explained as these 5 areas:
#1 - The hot tub area accommodates approximately 16 people.
#2 - The main water slide area contains 4 slides. The first two features a body slide and a tube slide. Most kids approximately 5yrs and up (& adults!) would enjoy these 2 slides. These were my personal favorites! Then there are 2 higher tube slides that are about 3 stories high. I didn't have the guts to brave these 2 in particular, but my husband and son did and they loved it! They described it as flying through a pitch black tunnel on a large inner tube and then getting spit out into the landing pool! This is a great area if you've got older kids!
#3 - The infant and toddler area is located in the back corner, which is a great place for it, in my opinion. Having 2 children who are a few years apart, my toddler will often want to copy what the older one is doing whether it is an appropriate activity for him or not. Having the larger play area for school aged children placed at the other side of the waterpark was great thinking. This way, the younger ones can play in this particular area without being tempted to utilize the playground structure designed and used by older kids. The infant and toddler section features bouncy swings within the water, toddler slides, and small toys such as balls for the kids to play with in this pool.
#4 - The main pool area is where the waves happen. Literally and figuratively! It has graduated beach style entry, which is great for toddlers, and also includes basketball nets and balls for school aged kids or adults to play with. This pool becomes the wave pool at alternating intervals so that people who prefer the water without the waves can enjoy their time as well. The waves are quite strong, so be mindful of this when having younger ones such as toddlers and infants in the water at that time.
#5 - The playground structure mentioned in #3 is a great place for school aged kids to burn off some steam! There are smaller sized water slides, sprinklers, small water cannons to spray people with and a large tipping bucket that spills over and splashes everyone when it fills to the brim with water. They also had a number of activities planned in the waterpark throughout the day to entertain the children.
For your comfort, you will find a number of patio tables and chairs around these areas. You can even rent a private cabana for approximately $70-$140. Cabana rentals feature a TV, a mini fridge, towels, lounge chairs, and a hostess. Lifeguards were everywhere the day that we attended. It was comforting that have all those extra sets of eyes and ears even if it is ultimately a parent or guardian's responsibility to watch over their children. Lifejackets were available as well should you need one for your child or other non-swimmer.
We found the temperature in the waterpark to be a bit on the cool side when we were there. It wasn't freezing by any stretch of the imagination and was warm enough for everyone to enjoy themselves. We were just expecting it to feel warmer than it did. Their website indicates that they keep the waterpark at a year round temperature of 84F, which it may have actually been. It was overcast for the time we were there and probably feels hotter when the sun is beaming through the retractable roof. With that being said, it was definitely warm enough.
Waves Snack Bar is open for typical snack bar items and is fully licensed. Restaurant and snack prices at venues such as these are always pricey. Needless to say, I found the prices there to be the going rate for any type of family attraction. We had the pizza and it was quite good! I saw someone else ordering a salad and it looked fresh and appetizing as well. No outside food or drinks are permitted inside the waterpark, so you will either have to come prepared, or bite the proverbial bullet and spend the extra money on snacks and/or meals while there. To view menu items and costs associated, click here.
Waves typically opens at 10am and closes around 9pm. Times can vary throughout the year and they do set aside some days for maintenance, which forces a full waterpark closure. Be sure to call ahead so that you can plan to attend when the waterpark hours are amenable to your needs.
There are 3 indoor waterparks in Niagara Falls, Canada. Only 2 of them allow you to buy day passes and Americana's Waves Indoor Waterpark is definitely the most cost effective. An All Ages Full Day Pass costs $26.95 per person 12 months of age and up. Children under 12 months of age are free. If you are a Niagara Falls Canada local, you can get your day pass for $15.95. If anyone plans on attending after 5pm, you can get a pass at a discounted rate of $19.95. These prices do not include taxes and may vary slightly during peak times. As always, check for promo codes or other discounts before you book. After all, my motto is "why pay more if you don't have to?" LOL
All in all, my family and I think this is a great choice for families with younger kids, or those on a budget. You will have a splashing good time and you will kick the winter blahs to the curb! Happy splashing!
***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****
***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****
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