Like many Colorado kids, I celebrated boatloads of birthdays at Water World. My superfan résumé, however, continues into adulthood: I bought my first house near the 46-year-old Federal Heights water park, and I recently threw a party there for my 40th. Gleaned from 250-some lifetime visits, these are my top tips to ensure your next trip goes swimmingly.

Read More: The Best Rides at Water World, Ranked

5280 June 2025
More From The Issue

1. New for 2025, Water World is opening its gates at 9 a.m., giving visitors an hour to stake out the 70-acre park’s lawn chairs (you can also BYO) and get everyone slathered in sunscreen before rides start running at 10. Beeline to the bottom of the giant hill it’s built on to avoid the crowds that form at the attractions near the entrance at the top.

2. Wear water socks or flip-flops to walk around in—but not your favorite pair, as you’ll need to leave them behind in shoe cubbies for some rides. The park offers free life jackets for kids. To store other belongings, you can rent a locker.

3. Pack a lunch cooler (see size restrictions online; no booze, glass, or metal utensils; bagged ice only) to avoid concession lines. Covered picnic tables throughout the park get snapped up quickly, but you’ll always find a patch of grass on the shaded hill near the Wave, a surf simulator. Grab a Dole pineapple soft-serve cone at Coconut Point Desserts on your way out.

4. For an extra $85, at six rides—including the popular Voyage to the Center of the Earth (the one with animatronic dinos)—staff and conveyor belts will haul your inflatable to the takeoff points for you, so you don’t have to drag your tube through the line. One Tube Valet wristband covers up to four people.

5. Want a shorter dose of fun? Show up at 1:45 p.m. and snag a discounted ticket for $29 (full-day, walk-up admission is $56 for adults). Then, tube through chutes and whirling pools on Tortuga Run and zoom headfirst down a magic-carpet-style raft on Sunset Racer, two underrated rides that rarely draw lines.