Accessibility Information
Safe, enjoyable, and inclusive family fun! Our Accessibility Guide is a helpful resource to assist in planning your day and making informed decisions about the various attractions, rides, services, and amenities in our park.
Accessibility at Waldameer & Water World
Waldameer & Water World is dedicated to providing safe and inclusive experiences to as many guests as possible. For those in need of helpful accessibility accommodations and detailed health/physical criteria for attractions, we strongly encourage reading through our Accessibility Guide below as well as general facility information found Park Amenities and Polices page also linked below.
Ride Accessibility Program
Guests in need of helpful accessibility accommodations at rides are encouraged to visit Guest Service by Merry-Go-Round or the Park Office by the Cookie House in Kiddieland. Those who need alternative access to rides due to disability that prohibits the use of the standard entrance queue will be issued a yellow wristband. A guest with a yellow wristband is granted access to rides in the amusement park via the accessible entrance (typically the ride exit) and may be accompanied by up to three additional members of their party.
Policies for guests for using a Yellow Wristband at accessible entrances of rides.
- A guest with a yellow wristband may access rides using accessible entrances and may be accommodated by up to three additional guests with their own paid admission.
- The guest wearing the yellow wristband must ride for members of their accompanying party to also access the attraction utilizing the accessible entrance.
- Guests needing assistance to transfer to and from ride vehicles must make necessary arrangements with their accompanying party.
- Guests using accessible entrances are subject to the same safety policies as those utilizing the standard entrance queue.
- At the end of a ride, guests must leave their seats to allow the next group of riders to enter. See re-ride policies below for more detailed information.
- A yellow wristband does not allow a guest to bypass queues in Water World.
Yellow Wristband Procedures at Rides
-
When a guest with a yellow wristband arrives at a ride’s accessible entrance, the ride operator will unlock the gate when it is safe to enter the ride area. Doorbells are provided at accessible entrances away from Ride Operator’s view to signal arrival. Based on crowds, there may be a short wait until guests using the accessible entrance are instructed to board the ride. If a standard entrance queue has been closed to accommodate guests in line in time for park closing, guests with yellow wristbands will not be admitted to rides using the accessible entrance.
-
Upon arrival to Ravine Flyer II, Ride Operator will ask which row(s) a party prefers. If no other guests are in line for the desired row(s), the group will be directed to those seats when safe to do so. If there are guests in line for the preferred row(s), the group will have to wait until the guests in line for their preferred row have ridden before being directed to those seats. Please note: preferred seating requests may not be honored within last hour of the day.
-
Once a ride cycle has finished, all guests, including those who entered through the accessible entrance, must leave their seat to allow the next group of riders to enter. If a Guest with a yellow wristband wishes to immediately ride again, they may do so if seating remains after all guests in the standard entrance queue have been admitted for the next ride cycle. If the standard entrance queue has been closed while guests using the accessible entrance are riding, they will not be able to re-ride.
-
Guests who used the accessible entrance may immediately re-ride if no one is in line for their row at the end of their first ride, or seating is available in other rows after all guests in the station have been admitted. If no seating is immediately available for a re-ride, a group who used the accessible entrance must wait for all guests in line for their preferred row to ride before taking their next ride. Please note: preferred seating requests may not be honored within the last hour of the day.
-
If more guests are in line than seating for the next train or ride vehicle, guests with a yellow wristband must wait for all ride vehicles in service to cycle through (or all guests in line at the time their first ride ended) to immediately re-ride.
Riding with Missing or Prosthetic Limbs
On many attractions, safety restraints utilize the presence of naturally formed limbs (arms, legs, and shins) to keep a guest in a safe riding position while experiencing the attraction. Based on the restraint and/or seat design of each attraction, guests missing one or multiple limbs or those with prosthetic limbs may not be able to be accommodated at all rides. Specific physical requirements for each ride are found in the link below. Some larger attractions require a rider to have multiple naturally formed arms, legs, or shins, so guests with multiple missing limbs may not be able to be accommodated at all rides.
Sensory Information
By nature, amusement and water parks are active environments with varying exposures to loud noises, flashing lights, and crowds. Attractions and areas with higher and lower exposure to these environmental factors are listed below:
-
- Whacky Shack: Sounds and flashing lights
- Pirate’s Cove: Sounds and flashing lights
- Thunder River: Strobe lights in fog tunnel and on-ride photo
- Ravine Flyer II: On-ride photo flash (most impactful in evening)
-
- Picnic areas West of and behind Rainbow Gardens
- Picnic areas behind Mega Vortex
- Picnic areas near Peninsula Drive Admissions
-
- Seating areas near Sundeck Café and Giant Slides (Lake Erie Dip and Presque Isle Plunge)
- Seating area near Rally Racer entrance
Service Animal Policy
Service Animals
Certified service animals are welcome throughout Waldameer & Water World. Service Animals must always be under the owner’s control and cleaned up after.
For health and safety reasons, service animals are not allowed on any rides or into the water in Water World. While experiencing attractions, service animals may not be left unattended or in the care of Waldameer Team Members. It is recommended guests visiting with a service animal are accompanied by a companion who can take care of the animal while they use an attraction.
Emotional Support and Therapy Animals
Emotional support animals, therapy animals, and pets are not permitted inside Water World.