What do you think of Hurricane Harbor?

[Bestkicks98]

I went to HH a couple weeks ago and have to agree with one of the previous posts. Before I start going into the negatives, I've gotta say that I AM impressed that the park was able to get most of the area open with little difficulties (as opposed to...say...Deja Vu), as well as some of the smaller details that went into the theme of the area. I also like the way that the wave pool was designed - having so much open space to move around made it much easier to avoid getting run over by runaway rafts or knocked into large, hairy men. That being said...

I've gotta agree that the issue with the unmoving second line of the lazy river needs to be addressed somehow. I started waiting in it initially before moving over to the spot where most people were entering/exiting...by the time that I got around to that second line the number of people in it had easily gone up ten times, with little hope of going down. This could easily be addressed by posting a sign informing guests that there's two entrances (for those who are unaware) or having a host inform them that they would be better off at the other one. Oh, I should also mention that I, too, saw a supervisor milling about the first entrance to the lazy river telling people that they could cut their wait down by renting a raft. Maybe it was a sales pitch, maybe it wasn't...but he was announcing it repeatedly to the crowd (as opposed to a single family) and hadn't gone away in the time it took for me to go around the river. It also seems to me that he would have been better off telling people at the other entrance either that they could rent rafts (come to think of it, these people would have been easy pickings if it WAS a sales pitch) or that they would have better luck at the entrance on the opposite side.

I was a little bit surprised that they didn't place the entrance to the water park closer to the entrance or have an entrance for the water park itself. While I don't neccessarily see how this could be a security concern (aside for the need to keep a closer eye on the turnstiles to ensure the park/waterpark doesn't exceed capacity...but this could easily be done by using a similar method that is currently used in Looney Lodge). There is something to be said about the convenience of being able to walk directly from your car to the waterpark, particularly if you don't want to purchase a locker at $8 a day nor want to trust the honesty of your fellow park-goers by leaving your stuff on a chair (if you can find one available).

This leads me to my final complaint...the outrageous cost for a locker. I realize that this is the same throughout the park, but I think that the cirumstances with the water park are slightly different. With the rest of the park you have the ability walk back to your car if you want to store something for later or pay the cost of renting a locker for the day. Fine...the park is taking advantage of people's unwillingness to trek across a blazing hot parking lot...cheap..er...thrifty people like me are more than willing to make the walk to save the money. Without the option to walk into the waterpark with just a swimsuit on, you can only either pay for the locker or trust in everyone else's honesty. If they are going to force people to go through the main park they should at the very least accomodate people by not charging them such a high rate for a locker! And yes, yes I realize that the logistics of preventing people from walking off with the keys for the day to the cheaper lockers (or people who don't intend on going to the waterpark at all for that matter) are fairly complicated, I would expect them to be able to work something out (without ripping us off).

Oh, and if/when someone decides to argue my points, please stick to the content...leave the grammar/spelling/punctuation alone. Thanks :)

[Ilovthevu']

^How can I not agree with you about the locker thing? If you plan to go to the waterpark, you are almost forced into getting a locker for the reason that you can't wear swimwear in the regular park. The only way to get out of the waterpark is to go out of the regular park.

What else (besides trying to sell tubes) could that supervisor be trying to do? SF has to get there money some way.

[DejaVu The Ride]

^^^Hurricane Harbor was NOT open a couple of weeks ago. And even if you did mean "early in its operating season" then the lazy river problem wasn't too bad by any means.(It wasn't crowded enough.) But yeah, maybe you were there on a busy day.

I basically agree with Timmy on this case "The supervisor realized the long line, and encouraged you buy a tube so you didnt have to wait." I'm pretty sure that they are on a shortage of yellow tubes as of now and are realizing that they have a lot of extra blue ones floating around(no pun intended.) I am truly hoping that they do get more yellow. It is a bad situation. And I'm sure that it will be a lot easier next year when the other entrance will have a new attraction next to it.

You all have valid points, but lets not blow this out of proportion and just have a good time.

[Bestkicks98]

Wow...you're right....it was only this last weekend! God does it feel so far away. Fine fine..."early in its operating season" it is!

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I tried out the water park today, it was completely awesome. I think I might like it more than GAm.

Favorites:
1. Bowl Slides
2. Wahoo Racers
3. Raft Rides
4. Wave Pool
5. Tube Slides
6. Castaway Creek

[Binks Drake]

I Have to put Skull Island at #2 in my list. It rocked so much! I can't wait to go back and try out the rest when it opens!

[SFGA 11]

Oh, I totally agree. Once the whole thing opens it might be on the top of the list for me.

[SFGAm Shock Wave]

Here is my opinion of Hurricane Harbor:

Tube Rental: $7.00 single, $9.00 double. Not too bad, but I don't see the point of renting a tube, if it is that crowded, I'll just come back on a cooler day with less people.

Lockers: $6.00 small, $10.00 big. Not too bad since small can hold three people's stuff and large can hold 6.

Slides: Speed slides hurt. All of the other slides are good, but my favorite is Bubba Tubba. One complaint is the constantly getting stuck at the top of Wahoo and the raft slides.

Theft is exactly the reason why I would never rent a tube. There is no way to keep your tube safe if you want to go on the Raft Slides or Wahoo Racer.

Hurricane Harbor can be great if you go on a day when it is 75-80 degrees and not many people are there, but if you go when it it 85-95 like it has been this week, Hurricane Harbor will be an absolute mad-house and you won't get much done.

[CoasterDave316]

Too whoever made the comment about the water not being heated. I was there Memorial Day and the water was warmer then the air. The water was ALOT warmer then the water at Media Day. If your expecting the water to be hot tub like warm, I think you will be disappointed.

My overall feel of the park was that is was a great waterpark. I really enjoyed it and will be making more stops in it this year. I do have to agree I wish there was alternate entrance as it took me about a half hour to get from the overflow lot, until the time I was ready to swim.

The positives:
-The slides, I pretty much like them all except for the body speed slides which are very hard on your back. Hopefully they can fix those.

The bowl slides and wahoo racers are my favorite. Hurricane Mountain is also a very nice slide complex with some very good slides. And I actually was surprised that I liked the shorter family slide more then the longer one.

-The themeing, palm trees and the rock around all the pools all has turned out better then I expected. The whole park has a really nice atmosphere.

-Castaway Creek is one of the best lazy river's I have been in.

The only negative's about the park I think is the Wave pool. It's just so small, both the pool and the wave's. I found I could have more fun sitting in the shallow water and having the wave's hit me then standing in the 'deep' area...where the waves barely go over my head.

I think the main difference between our wave pools and others is that it's wide but short....all the other wave pools I have been in are narrow but really long. Giving you a larger space to between the shallow area and the deep area. When I was in the very tiny deep area section's of the pool it felt way to crowded and like everyone was jammed into one place. I sort of felt like the fish at Indiana Beach .

But besides that the waterpark is great. And im looking forward to trying out Skull Island next time I am there.

[sxflgshh14]

The park looks really good, but the amount of people in the park is irratating. I had to leave when i went there after an hour. THERE WAS A LINE FOR EVERYTHING! I suggest you go on the blue speedslide, its awsome. The speed slides were the only slides with 15 minute lines!

[Cs6153]

I was there yesterday. There were people there, but it was not so crowded that the lines were atrociously long.

Is HH more crowded on the weekdays than weekends? unless its because the schoogroups went and they decided to go to HH.

Favorites so far

1. Vortex/Typhoon
2. speed slides
3. Castaway Creek

Like above, the wavepool seems tiny meaning not deep enough, and adults/teens will not like it that much because of it, but I think familys will enjoy it more, because they do not have to worry about their kids drowning and also there seems to be a no wave zone in the middle of the pool, I think that is great for people who would rather not be in the waves but still want to be in the pool.

[§ Batman §]

LOL!!! Ilove the whole water park! (except for the long walks from like the wave pool and stuff to skull island the mat race slides and the other slides over there!

[punkbunny24242]

OK so I finally went on the Wahoo Racers.. I was scared to death!! Well while in line I saw a girl flip OVER her mat and land on her back!! I almost turned around and went back down those stairs!! I'm thinking that she must have let go and that's why she flipped over?? She did get up and walk away though.

P.S. I loved them!! I was so scared to go on and then I beat my finace... ah ha I won I won!

[Timmy179]

Its not gonna hurt you to go down without your mat.... not more than any other boddya slide atleast.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

My friend came close to flipping over. I was really scared too, but I found them to be extremely fun. I can't wait to go on them again.

[CoasterDude12-2]

Those are awesome. Yes, they are the scariest things in the park, by far!

[Binks Drake]

I didn't have too much fun on the Wahoo RAcers. I though they wer kind of pointless. A Huge wait for a very mediocre ride...

[Danhockey04]

I think that Wahoo is good if you get a good start on it, then you will get loads of air on that second drop.

[Chitown]

Agreed Dan.

That second drop into the finish provides some pretty cool airtime. Had to keep my eyes closed going down those drops with all the water in my face.

[Binks Drake]

I have to say right when you get out of the tunnel and see the drops, that was a great moment.

[DejaVu The Ride]

Agreed Dan.

That second drop into the finish provides some pretty cool airtime. Had to keep my eyes closed going down those drops with all the water in my face.

Yeah, tell me about it! The water just forces into your face, but the slides are awesome!

[FParker185]

Wahoo Racer is pretty good for us larger folk, with the proper technique you can go completely airborne for the second half of the drop, though the end result is freefalling 25 feet ending with a bellyflop in 6 inches of water, it can still be great fun.

[punkbunny24242]

After the tunnel I had my eyes closed the WHOLE time so I didn't actually see any of the drops but I did defnitley feel them. Even after I stopped I just layed there with my eyes closed My fiance is like "Um OK Robin it's time to get up now" Maybe on Friday I'll try to actually keep my eyes open... that's a big maybe!

[Dmrbug]

^^ try goggles.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I have to say right when you get out of the tunnel and see the drops, that was a great moment.

I definitely agree. That was pretty awesome, and a little freaky. I remember getting a bit of airtime on the second half of the drop, and then hitting my chin. Good thing it didn't really hurt. Wahoo Racers are probably my favorite slides other than Vortex/Typhoon. I didn't really get any water in my face though, only at the very end.