Editor's note: Know Before You Go is an occasional series exploring Denver metro area attractions. Next up: Manitou Incline
If you grew up in Denver in the 1980’s, 1990's and early 2000’s then Hyland Hills Water World north of Denver was likely a staple of your childhood summers. With smaller lakes and chilly mountain river water, where do Coloradans go to spend their summer days at the beach? None other than the ‘bay’ at Water World — one of best water parks in America, according to Newsweek.
Parking – The Water World parking lot, 8801 N. Pecos St., Federal Heights, is large and free, so parking for the family, even if you have multiple vehicles, is a breeze. Plan to arrive early for a spot towards the front of the lot or in the shade of a tree, but know that you will likely not have to fight the crowds to find a spot to park at Water World, even if you arrive later in the day. We like to come about an hour before the park opens to get a good spot in the parking lot, and a good spot in line so we can choose where in the park we want to set up for the day.
Coming early and parking close makes lugging that cooler and your towels a lot easier. Thankfully, Water World does not open until 10 a.m. for guests so you’ll still have time for your breakfast before you head out.
Disability Accessibility – Although Water World is a participatory water park with some activities that are physically demanding, a day at Water World can be relaxing and enjoyable for those with disabilities, minus so much of the hassle of going to the beach.
The park sits on 70 acres with paved sidewalks and ramps, connecting all attractions. The park is well-maintained, with beautiful gardens and manicured grass to set up on for a picnic. There are plenty of picnic tables and chairs throughout the park, or you can bring your own picnic blanket for more room away from the crowds.
There is something for everyone at Water World, no matter your abilities. There are limited number of park-friendly wheelchairs available for guests who need them, and Water World asks that guests visiting the park “assess their physical capabilities and swimming skills prior to participating” and be sure they are able to be safely seated in rides and be able to hold the handles.
There is more than just "theme-park" rides at Water World, so thankfully people of all abilities can enjoy the water. Thunder Bay is one of the more popular spots to set up "camp" at Water World because it is right next to a wave pool. Wheelchair accessible ramps allow visitors to enter the wave pool and sit on the beach and let the waves crash into their feet, just like at a real beach! Or if you are like my grandma, you bring a book and pretend you are at the beach by the ocean, who can tell the difference anyways?
There are multiple wave pool attractions at the park, allowing people of all abilities to enjoy the water in different ways, without it being crowded. There is also a heating pool for those days where the weather changes, or the wind starts blowing.
The theme park has plenty of accessible bathrooms located throughout the property, with showers and rooms for changing available in some locations.
Water World is the first theme park in the state to earn the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation, with team members trained in sensory awareness, motor skills, communication, emotional awareness and other areas.
Using the park map online, you can determine which areas of the park are best suited for the needs of your family based on their Sensory Guide, which offers a thrill rating and sensory rating for each attraction.
There are plenty of areas with shade for free throughout the park, but if you are looking for more amenities and are not worried about cost, Water World offers Cabanas for an extra fee which include a locker, dining table, chairs, a cooler (with ice upon request) and free soda refills throughout the day.
Food and Drink – While there is plenty of food and drink available on site, Water World allows you to bring your own snacks, lunch and coolers into the park. If you are dietary restricted and know the pain of navigating through theme-parks, then you are probably screaming from the rooftops!
While Water World has plenty of dining options to satisfy various food restrictions, there is just nothing quite as nice as being able to bring your own food to an activity that you know the family will be expending tons of energy.
There are restrictions on cooler sizes, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited from entry as well as glass of any kind.
We packed a cooler full of sandwiches and to-go snacks from Costco in addition to some frozen plastic water bottles, which kept our items chilled and were a refreshingly cool drink as they thawed out. We always treat ourselves to a funnel cake and dippin’ dots toward the end of the day, but there are so many delicious treats to enjoy at the park. We also go out for McDonalds after a long day at the park — a tradition from our childhoods.
A guide to food options for people with dietary restrictions can be found here.
Other considerations – It was immediately noticeable how clean this theme park is. From the parking lot, to the grounds, the water and even the food stands were sparkling clean. The park feels frozen in time from my childhood yet had all the right modern upgrades in all the right places.
The water was clean and refreshing in every area of the park, even the areas with high traffic and lots of kids. In addition to clean water, the grounds were well-kept and clean from any trash or leaf litter, and all of the food and restroom facilities were top-notch.
There are also lockers for rent in various places throughout the park if you would like to leave your wallet and keys or phone, but we also noticed that many people were being respectful and watchful of the people around them.
Kid Friendly – Water World is kid friendly for children of all ages since there are water attractions for youth of every age group. There is an area for toddlers and babies, or we saw many families enjoying the “beach” at Thunder Bay and Cowabunga Beach as an area for their toddlers and babies to splash.
There are no height restrictions at the fun house at Carribean Family Adventure, so if you have children who are under 48” then Calypso Cove is a great place to set up camp for the day. Be sure to head over to checkout the gondola as well!
Many of the thrill-seeking rides do have height restrictions so check out an interactive map here. One recommendation we have for kids at Water World is to bring the whole family and bring grandma along with you!
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