Etchings on the Attic Wall

This is quite the indoor water park!  Located in Wisconsin, it is the largest indoor water park in the nation, in terms of square footage (250,000 square feet).  Wisconsin, itself, has more indoor water parks than any other state (the first indoor water park in the nation started here).  This particular water park is called Wisconsin Dells Wilderness Territory.  It has 4 indoor waterparks and 4 outdoor waterparks which include all kinds of slides, lazy rivers, wavepools, and other thrill rides.  The combined area that all of these waterparks cover is roughly equivalent to 12 football fields!

Let’s start with the indoor waterparks:

• Wild West – this is a western-themed park.  Brand new for 2009 are the bumper boats.  They also have the “Black Hole” (thrill ride), “Fantastic Voyage” (5-person raft ride), “Ransack Ridge” (play area including slides, cannons, water guns, 750-gallon tipping bucket), 4 speed slides, hot spas, and a toddler pool.  This area also has 2 places to get a bite to eat – Grizzly’s Grill and The Thirsty Buffalo Saloon.
• Klondike Kavern – this is a Klondike-themed park.  It has a 180-foot body slide, two 500-foot tube rides, a lazy river, a hot spa, “Bonanza Bluff” (play area with lots of play and spray features, 14 foot body slide, 4 foot children’s slide, and a 750-gallon tipping bucket), “The Hurricane” (4 person raft ride).  You can get a bite to eat here in the “Kodiak Kanteen”.
• Wild Waterdome – This area contains a tan-through roof allowing guests to tan indoors and for plants to grow inside.  It also has a huge 15,450 square foot wave pool and can generate 5 foot waves.  Other attractions include “Dueling Mammoths” (family raft racing ride), a 2,200 square foot ‘zero-depth’ pool, and “Cuddle Bunnies” (place for kids to build their own stuffed animals).  If you want to get something to eat, you can visit “Survivors Sports Bar & Grill” or “Wooly’s Eatery”.  And then go relax in a private cabana which has A/C, wireless internet, television, a bar, and seating both inside the cabana and out.
• Cubby’s Cove Indoor – this park is mainly for children.  The atmosphere in here is calmer than the bigger areas and has a multi-level aquatic play structure, small body slides, water basketball pool, and lots of play-and-spray features.  There are also some indoor/outdoor hot spas.  You and your kids can get some food in the “Lakeview Eatery”.

Wow!  Certainly a lot to do indoors!  If you visit the waterpark on a nice day, why not hit the outdoor waterparks?  Here they are:

• Lost World – This is a dinosaur-themed area.  New for 2009 is an 18-hole mini-golf course, go-karts, and a zip-line.  They also have the “Lost World Adventure River” (river adventure with lazy rivers, fast rapids, uphill currents, and slides), “Halley’s Comet Racers” (4 lane mat racing slide), and an outdoor spa.  For the little ones, they have several swimming pools, a play-and-spray structure, a water basketball pool, and “Dinosaur Crossing” (activity area).  There are also private cabanas that you can use.  Food options include “Stegosaurus Shack”, “Jurassic Joe’s”, “T-Retreat”, and “Big Dig”.
  
• Lake Wilderness – this area has a 13,000 square foot swimming pool!  They also have a tube slide, 3 body slides, lap pool, water basketball, hot spa pool, and a children’s area (wading pool with water activities).  There are private cabanas for rent and the “Mackinac Tap & Snack Shack” to satisfy your hunger.
• New Frontier – This park has all kinds of things to do.  It has a lazy river, a 400-foot tunnel slide, a fast body slide, “Bear Foot Island” (kids play area), three separate pools with waterfalls, “Toddler’s Cove” (zero-depth play area), two activity pools, and a large hot spa.  Grab some food and drinks at the “Raccoon Saloon”.
• Cubby’s Cove Outdoor – This is the outdoor portion of Cubby’s Cove and is catered towards families.  They have a beach (surrounding Lake Delton), an infinity pool, hot spa, a zero-depth play area, and a large deck for relaxing.  In the evenings, they have a series of firepits that can be used for toasting marshmallows or just gathering around to talk about the day.

In addition to the waterpark, Wilderness Territory also has laser tag, a couple of mini-golf courses, an arcade, and the Timberland Play Park which is a 4-story interactive play area containing attractions like foam ball blasters, crawl spaces, slides, and a soft-foam play area for little ones.  Another attraction opening this year is “Tombstone Town”.  It is basically a haunted hotel also containing the “Mine Shaft Mirror Maze” – both designed to send shivers up your spine

If you are interested in water parks, this place can’t be beat.  It is the Meca of waterparks!  I’m sure I didn’t list everything above.  You could probably spend a week here and not hit everything.  So, come for a visit and see where the nation’s waterparks got their start!