If you have kids, you know they love water rides at theme parks. Parents always make a classic mistake about them. They look at the ride and think “well, maybe if we go on it we’ll be lucky and not get too wet.” HA HA!!! Trust me, you will lose on that bet! You ALWAYS get really wet in the water wrinkles, that’s what they’re designed for.
So these are my tips and tricks to keep you, your camera, and your shoes dry when you’re riding a water ride at a theme park. Let’s say you’re going to Disney and your kids want to take a ride on the water. Okay, go and get those expensive raincoats they sell just outside the water wrinkles. So now you’ll stay dry even if you’re hit by a wall of water. BUT, you forget about the most important part of your body.
Your feet! Think about it, you leave the trip with dry clothes, but now you have soaked and wet shoes and socks. So all the rest of the day you’re squeezing yourself in steaming wet shoes, yuck! Your feet will get soaked, trust me. Some creases have compartments to store things, but do you really want to take your shoes and socks off right there?
This is where my tips for when you go to those theme park water rides come in. When you go to the parks, take a small backpack. Maybe have some of your family members bring one to distribute the volume. Now, inside those backpacks you have a pair of rubber sandals for each member that you picked up at any of those cheap gift shops, there’s one on every theme park block!
Also put an extra pair of socks for each person. There’s more you should bring, but for this post I’m just talking about what you want for water play. Once you get to the water ride they all have little lockers you can store things in. Get one, change out of your shoes and socks and into your sandals, then lock your stuff away. Leave your cameras, bags, and wallet there, too.
Now you can hop on the theme park water ride and not worry about things getting wet, except for your clothes drying in the Florida sun. Once you get off, go to the restrooms and dry off what you can. Then put on your socks and shoes, and now your feet are dry, good! Wait, some of you sandal lovers might be thinking.
Why not wear sandals all day, then you don’t even need to wear shoes? You do NOT want to be wearing sandals all day walking around the theme park. The pavement gets very hot and you do a lot of walking. One of the most common complaints is blisters from people who wear sandals. Plus, they fly over your feet on the open-bottomed roller coasters!
Therefore, wear sneakers that have thick soles and socks that you can change to feel better in the middle of the day. Take sandals in a backpack, maybe small towels if you want too. Your feet will thank you at the end of the day, trust me. And remember that while you’re looking at the ride your kids want to go on, YOU WILL GET WET!
Almost all theme parks have large water rides that are fun. Following my advice will ensure that you have a good time and don’t have sore or wet feet or water damaged cameras. Have fun at the theme parks and stay dry!