Friday 15 August 2014

MORE of a SPRITZER THAN A SPLASHDOWN at SPLASHDOWN WATER PARK

This mother of three is taking her job description seriously:


She injects as many different activities into her boy's summer days as she can think of. She makes her boys hike, swim, paddle, cycle or sliding down water slides!
All in the name of adventure, fun and getting them off their computers!
Talk about waters slides. My boys are the real experts when it comes to making a splash.


They already sled down from the highest, steepest, most thrilling slides across the world. They love it fast, furious, steep, scary, twisty, curvy, long...And so do I! If it doesn't give us a serious wedgy it is not a serious ride - for us that is!   

I honestly thought I am doing my boys (11, 14 and 17 years of age) a favour when I took them to Splashdown Waterpark in Tsawassen.


And like good, obedient children they came with me. Although, our youngest refused to go. He already knew what we needed to find out for ourselves. He listened to his hairdresser who told him the park is too small, the water is too cold and its location makes for a rather windy day out. (Splashdown is minutes away from the Tsawassen ferry terminals).


Well, in the name of new experiences I took the plunge and endured the long trip to the far away area called Delta. 
We live in Maple Ridge in the east of Vancouver. If your GPS is updated this ride would take 60 minutes. If your GPS is not, the new road works will add another 30 minutes to your journey!
With all the construction going on it was very easy to miss the sign for this local attraction. Imagine my surprise when we found it:

What was once farm land has been converted into a serious building site. And among the land clearing, building fences, bull dozers, construction signs and traffic wardens we found this family run Water park!

Well, don't judge the park by its appearance!
Rather, judge it by the entrance prices:

With prices ranging from $17.99 for adults or $13.99 for children this park is a winner for sure!

If you judge it by the parking fees the park is another winner: Parking is free! (This is unheard of for any other activities here in Vancouver)!
Here is another bonus point: 
You can bring your own food, snacks and drinks. There is no security guard stopping you at the gate searching through your bags, looking for smuggled goodies!
You can even bring your own meats to put on the BBQ!


Eleven o'clock on a Friday morning was the perfect time to start the day because we didn't have to wait too long in any queues.
I sent my boys off to wet their pants and wandered around the 'vast' open spaces:





My boys left and came back within half an hour (?). Wet, cold and un-thrilled!


Oops, wrong boys! These guys were thrilled by the looks on their faces!

Hmm, could they be right? How can I write about something I haven't experienced myself? So Off I went as well.
I asked for the scariest ride on the property: It is the Black Hole. Sweet!



The attraction is a tunnel ride through twists and turns in pitch darkness. Yeepee, this one was exhilarating and fun! It got my personal thumbs up! 

The next one I tackled was the River Run! It was less thrilling though. The whole run didn't flow, we were bumping into each other constantly and had to wait to continue our journey down into the pool!

I've done four of the six full size body slides (I don't even remember their names, they were that thrilling...), skipped the children's slide for obvious reasons, skipped the pool and hot tub for personal reasons and checked out the children's spray park!


How can you tell it's a scary and good run? 
I already mentioned one of our golden rules earlier on: the slide will give you a wedgy. Here is another rule to go by: The security guy on top of the slide will make you take your hat and sunglasses of-because you are going to lose them! Have I been ask to take these items off? No, I haven't! Did I get a wedgy here in Splashdown? No! Enough said!

When I asked the boys how they liked the park they answered with the most generic word in the English language; they called it nice!
Or boys are polite for sure! I also know they wouldn't brag about their day on social media. Their message would go something like, "Great spot for the little ones, Let's go surfing!"

When my children are right they are right! When it comes to this particular water park I need to agree with them, and with our hairdresser!

Splashdown is not a park to take you thrill seeking teenagers to. Or even your 11 year old who has been there, done it and wants action.
It is also not a spot for parents who want some quiet time for themselves to read a book. The park is too small to escape any of the screaming, young children.


My boys are not ungrateful, they just know what they like and not like.
And I? I should have done my homework before I left home.
Note to myself:"Christina, sometimes it's ok to say no to a day out!"


However,
Splashdown Park is charming in it's own family run way.
They have a small concession stand, a play arcade, lockers, clean bathrooms.

 It is a fantastic spot for parents with small children, let's say up to 12 years old. Or for any child who hasn't experienced the big, steep, long, dark, scary, thrilling water slides from the biggest water parks from across the world.

If you want to convince yourself, please check out this fun video, courtesy of Novus TV:





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