Wild Rivers: A full day of fun for families, friends

Summer in Orange County gets a little bigger this year as Wild Rivers adds a growing lineup of entertainment and summer programs to its familiar mix of slides, wave pools and lazy river fun.

Guests will still find popular attractions, including Bombay Blasters, Bora Bora Boomerango, Aquaconda, Cook’s Cove, Castaway River and Shaka Bay Wavepool. This year, Wild Rivers is putting more emphasis on the off-slide, full-day experience, from live music and DJs to steel drum bands, foam parties, waterproof face painting, glitter tattoos and themed events such as Christmas in July.

“We’re focused more on getting more variety in our entertainment every weekend,” says Susan Kruizinga, director of sales and marketing for Wild Rivers. “We’re trying to bring in some extra people who can add to the fun of the water park, but still the water park is definitely number one.”

For families looking to spend the whole day there, Wild Rivers offers private cabanas – including new premium cabanas – along with group packages for birthdays, school trips, company outings and other celebrations. Kruizinga said attendees can save by planning ahead, since tickets, cabanas and season passes are dynamically priced.

One of the park’s intriguing offerings is its Junior Lifeguard Camp, a weeklong summer program for children ages 6 to 12. The camp offers half-day and full-day options, with activities that combine water safety, first-aid basics, teamwork and supervised play inside the park.

Campers begin the day before the park opens, giving them dedicated time on slides and attractions before returning to camp for lunch, crafts and water-safety activities. They also practice with rescue tubes, learn how to assess emergency situations and build confidence in the water.

The water slides at Wild Rivers are the big draw, but there’s also a Junior Lifeguard Camp and new premium cabanas available this year.

Camp director Kristen White says the change in some campers is clear by the end of the week.

“When they walk up that tower on day one, they’re a bit intimidated,” she says. “And then by Wednesday, by Friday, they’re going down by themselves. I see development in their courage and in their confidence.”

Single-day tickets at Wild Rivers start at $39.99, and children 2 and under are free. Season passes are also available.