Schlitterbahn Galveston Island water park will be constantly compared to the original Schlitterbahn site in New Braunfels, no doubt... I've never been to that huge park in central TX as of yet, but still know it is hugely popular state and region-wide.\r
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The Galveston park on its own, however, seems to provide a great amount of summer day fun...that is, until noon rolls around...\r
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Here's the deal: the variety of attractions are great - there are many slides, more than a few of which are intense and thrilling. There are attractive zero-entry ""beaches"" connected by NBGS Internationals popular Transportainment river system. \r
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If you and your family and/or friends are smart, arrive at the park no later than 8:30am (on the days the park opens at 9am), and buy your tickets ahead of time online. I think the season passes are frankly about $25.00 more than they should be, unfortunately, but if patrons who have them trek to the park enough times, the cost is obvously worthwhile... I think the day tickets/two-day packages are reasonable.\r
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On more than a few occasions, my friends and I arrived very early in the morning, we spent about 2 hours enjoying all the attractions without any or much of a wait, and would leave just before or after the lunch hour. The park got pretty swamped by 11am, which forced us to really only be able to enjoy the river system (definitely the most relaxing, enjoyable attraction, worth the price of admission anyway in and of itself...). When we left around the lunch hour on more than two different occasions, the line to buy tickets/enter the park extended past the property grounds - HUNDREDS of people in line, coolers and whining kids in-tow, just to enter. A really miserable sight. \r
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Bottom line - great, clean, fun, attractive park. Come early. Leave early.
Pros: Clean, attractive, and thrilling
Cons: HUGE crowds after 11am
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