So after along time, I have gone to 2 different pools, one that is a true water park, and another that is under construction and renovation: Magic Waters Water Park, and the Bartlett Aquatic Center. I am also changing my rating system a little bit. I am adding a new category: Facilities, which will include changing rooms, food, and general services, while removing the general overview.
Bartlett Aquatic Center
This is my hometown's pool and it used to be a nice little pool. Now, however, they are renovating it to include more slides and a lazy river. So, until construction is done, I will postpone giving a final rating to this pool in the hope that the new additions to it will make it even better.
Magic Waters Water Park
Price: 6/10
24$? A bit much for a water park, even a good one! The price is somewhat high, and that is for one person. A family of four, planing to eat and get a cabana, can easily spend over 200$ due to the extremely overpriced food. 2 pizza meals, a chicken sandwich, and a small burger with 4 drinks cost over 30$! The only thing that redeems it is the fact that ever Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the price is cut in half. The problem with these days is it can take over a half hour to get on one tube slide.
Attractions: 10/10
Why do you go to a water park? To go on slides and waves pools. In this category, Magic Waters excels. With 11 slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool, there is little this place doesn't have. The Double Dare drop slides are great for thrill seekers, the rafting ride is great, even for a 2 hour wait, and they have multiple tube slides as well. The lazy river is slightly broken, and is just a river, with only a few squirters . The splash playground is good, but once again, the squirters and things are mostly broken. A little more care would do this place good. But the one thing that really got me mad is that, on a crowded day, (Almost every weekday or weekend,) You can only go with a tube on the lazy river once before having to give it to someone else. EDIT: this is not as bad anymore, as I have seen other pools that do it to.
General Swimming: 7/10
Now, most people don't go to a water park to swim. But If you do, this place has options the wave pool is gigantic, but is almost always to crowded to swim in, and the lazy river is open to swimmers. While it could be better, this is what I excepted.
Facilities: 3/10
If I could tell one thing to the owners of this place, it would be: Quality is better than quantity. There are restraunts within 10 feet of each other, but the food is mediocre. And this is the only place I have ever been to that needed to ask me 5 times what drink I wanted, and take another 5 minutes to pour a cup of lemonade. And it took my mom another half hour to get a dollar refill. And life jacket and tube rental fees are to high. Bring your own stuff for this place. The only problem with this advice is only season pass holders are allowed to bring their own lunch.
Overall Rating: 8/10
While it has it's fair share of problems, if you live in Rockford, this is a great place to visit for a day. If you live in Bartlett, Rainbow Falls is a better choice for a relaxing weekend.
