Fun in the sun at Knott’s Soak City and then…
In late August, I made good on my promise to take my daughter to Soak City, the sister water park to Knott’s Berry Farm theme park in Buena Park. I went expecting big crowds and long lines on a busy end-of-summer weekend. I left with a mix of fond memories and a lasting last impression.
Hannah, 7, enjoyed splashing and snorkeling in the laid-back Gremmie Lagoon, a knee-deep wading pool for the toddler set. And she thrilled at the gazillion-gallon drenching delivered every 5 minutes by the big bucket towering over The Beach House.
Like any respectable father, I eventually steered Hannah to the mid-thrill slides at the Laguna Storm Watch Tower. Surprisingly, my favorite ride of the day turned out to be the lazy Sunset River, a 10-minute loop around the park on an inner tube. In all, our visit proved a cool respite on a hot afternoon.
Unfortunately, our final Soak City experience lingered the longest. At closing time, we went into the men’s bathroom near the entrance to change out of our bathing suits. In each stall, we found the toilet full to overflowing. In the handicapped stall, someone had defecated on the floor. In the next stall, somebody else had done the same. Disgusted does not begin to describe our reaction. After we’d changed, Hannah recalled that the bathrooms throughout the park had gotten increasingly dirtier throughout the day.
To make matters worse, Hannah spent the next day in bed with the stomach flu. Was it the incredibly marginal food at Longboards? The diaper-clad gremmies in the kiddie lagoon? The foul bathrooms? Or none of the above? We’ll never know, but it certainly spoiled our experience.
What’s your experience with SoCal water & amusement park restrooms? Sparkling? Dirty? So-so?
— Brady MacDonald, Amusement & Theme Parks Sleuth
[Photo: Knott's Soak City, Orange County]
4 Comments on “Fun in the sun at Knott’s Soak City and then…”
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September 18th, 2007 at 12:33 am
I just went to Disneyland/Disney’s California Adventure a few days ago, and I must say, their restrooms are always clean. There may be a few things here and there (as expected), but overall very clean. My restroom experience at Knott’s Berry Farm was not as pleasant as Disney’s, but not nearly as bad as your experience (however, I’ve never been to their sister waterpark).
September 18th, 2007 at 10:02 am
As a former Buena Park resident, I’ve been to Knott’s Berry Farm a zillion times over the years (never to Soak City, however). With the money Knott’s makes, the fact that they don’t prioritize keeping their facilities pristine, as Disney does, is extremely disappointing.
September 21st, 2007 at 4:57 pm
I have been to Soak City on several occasions and have never experienced what Brady is describing. I have encountered nothing but positives from that park. The employees are courteous and every time I have been the park is kept nice, neat, and in order. The lifeguards are much better than Raging Waters or Hurricane Harbor’s. I will continue to support Knott’s and its waterparks based on my outstanding experiences. I would hope that you would consider your experience a fluke and go back to see the greatness that I have experienced.
September 6th, 2008 at 11:53 am
IT WAS FUN!!!!!!!!