My daughter is two steps ahead, all the time. She is ready to plan her next birthday the morning after the one she’s just had.
This year for her 8th rotation around the sun, she had her heart set on going to OWA in Foley, Alabama. She had gone once in December and the waterpark wasn’t up and running at the time. Their group enjoyed the roller coasters and amusement park rides despite the colder time of year.
I’d been hearing about “The Alabama Wama” for 8 months.
It was all the hype leading up to our OWA trip. From what I had heard and researched it seemed well priced for what you get, and no one had a negative thing to say about cleanliness or customer service.
We haven’t traveled over to Foley much, and I’m a sucker for a single-lane road and open land kind of drive. That was the first green flag of the journey.
We planned to spend most of the Saturday there and the park opened at 10 AM. Across the Alabama line by 10 on the dot – we pulled up and walked right in.
Granted it’s still hot as the dickens in mid-August, I thought there would be more people there trying to get in. The whole park is laid out like a Disney-style resort. You’ve got little shops and restaurants that are a stone’s throw away from the amusement rides and waterpark!
We had a 4-pack pass under $250, we bought lunch and were there till dusk. The all-access pass lets you in and out of the waterpark. So it can be a day packed with roller coasters and lazy river floats, back to back.
The coolest part about the waterpark is how it is contained. The overhead sunroof is retractable and provides an ample amount of shade. There is plenty of seating in all areas indoors and out. The wave pool brings you right to that coastal feel, while you sip a virgin Pina Colada garnished with an orange peel.
The lockers in the waterpark are $12 for the day, and you are able to access them as many times as you need while you are going back and forth throughout the day.
It is actually impressive how many good things I could say about this place. Amusement parks and waterparks tend to always have some kind of flaw that wacks you in the face. Like a dirty lazy river, slippery floors, or the staff being unkind.
The staff was personable and actually went out of their way to be nice. The lines were long in some areas, but even those places were shaded and kept steady moving.
As the day went on the park had more people arrive. We left closer to dinner time and it seemed like the park was going to be really cool with all the lights on at night.
We will be back OWA! Thank you for such a great time. I scored big birthday points this year for the day trip and rode a terrifying roller coaster for the very first time.
To get more information on what OWA has to offer – You can visit their website here!
Local Pulse Staff Writer & Roller Coaster Ridin’ Mom of the Year, Makenna Curtis
