As you read this post I do ask that you please be mindful and respectful. I understand that not everyone will feel comfortable going out to places like the water slides during a pandemic. In some areas around the world, this is not even an option currently. I’m sharing our recent experience living in BC where we are in Stage 3 and have the opportunity to do something like this during the summer. My inbox on Instagram was flooded with questions as soon as I shared that we were there, so I decided to make this post as a reference for others considering going.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT AT THE WATER SLIDES
As soon as you arrive at Cultus Lake Waterpark it is easy to see that things are different at the water slides. There are new rules in place so that everyone can enjoy their time there. It starts as soon as you make the decision to go. Why? You can no longer slide all day. Instead, there are two different time slots. You can either slide in the AM session from 9 am to 1:30 pm or the PM session 2:30 to 7 pm.
Our family went with the AM session on a weekday, knowing from previous experience that the weekends get very busy. With Cultus Lake Waterpark running at limited capacity, we wanted to make sure we could get in without any fear. We arrived around 8:40 am and joined the line to wait shortly after. You are asked some questions by the staff before joining the fenced-in line and handed a card to fill out. The card asks for your license plate, name, date, phone number, and how many are in your group. Group sizes are restricted to 6.
You cannot miss the red footprints that have been spray-painted on the ground. These are so you know where to stand while waiting to go in to maintain physical distancing. The line moved very quickly at 9 am for purchasing tickets and entering. We were in shortly after 9 am and were able to get a table near the family washrooms. Now, please note that you no longer receive a hand stamp and there are no re-entry privileges. If you leave, you are done for your slide time.
One huge difference is that you are asked to arrive ready to go. This means arriving in your bathing suits and being “swim-ready”.
OUR BEST EXPERIENCE AT CULTUS LAKE WATERPARK
All of my memories, including back to when I was a kid, of going to Cultus Lake Waterpark involve it being very busy with lots of people and long lines. Our recent experience was completely different from this. Since the park is running at decreased capacity, it was glorious! I asked a couple of staff members and they all said they are currently running at 35%.
Picture what you may recall of the waterpark if you’ve gone before, now start subtracting people. The lines were nonexistent while we were there. I think the longest my husband and kids waited to go down a slide was 2 minutes. Often they were able to go down a favourite slide multiple times in a row! This was unheard of before for any of our previous visits.
All of the guests did a fantastic job of physically distancing while in the waterpark. There is plenty of room to spread out with many picnic table areas available. We got our favourite spot easily.
Everyone that goes pays the $25 rate. Previous summers, if you were over a certain height you paid more. While some are not happy that they cannot slide all day, we got everything done that we wanted to and then some. We were going on slides the whole time we were there.
DID YOU FEEL SAFE WHILE THERE?
This was the main question I was asked repeatedly on Instagram. “Did you feel safe while there?” The answer is yes! We really did feel safe. You can see that Cultus Lake Waterpark has put in a lot of effort so that they can be open and allowing guests to make summer memories.
The only time I found things a little questionable was while waiting in line to enter and we noted that the group of young people immediately behind us and a few other groups of young people were not staying on the red footprints like they were supposed to. A few times we had the group behind us right smack behind us. Guests are encouraged to wear masks while not in the water, so the lineup to get in is a perfect example of where to have your mask on just to be sure.
When you are going on the slides you’ll notice markers for where to stand to maintain physical distancing. There are plenty of reminders of the rules around, plus the staff are doing a great job of enforcing these rules.
I was thoroughly impressed with how clean the waterpark was. I think it’s never looked better. The bathrooms had someone on staff checking on them and cleaning them often. If you had gone on a tube ride each tube was dunked in the chlorinated water and then sprayed down by the lifeguards. High contact areas were also getting cleaned. Everywhere I looked, things were being cleaned!
The splash pads, hot tubs, and any other areas where you would normally see large crowds all had numbers spray-painted nearby indicating how many people were allowed at a time. The lifeguards did a great job of ensuring these numbers were followed.
WE WANT TO GO BACK
Honestly, I am considering going again this summer because we had such a positive experience while there. I think going on a weekday worked best for us to ensure that the crowds were at a minimum. Plus arriving early for the first slide time. If we were to do a weekend, knowing that traffic can get a bit busy out at Cultus, I would be making sure to arrive extra early.
My whole family had a great time. The girls went to bed talking about how much fun they had and what rides were their favourite.
Thanks! So much good info!