Tops Things To Know Before Going To Oceans Of Fun With Small Kids
Here was our question: Is Oceans of Fun as kid-friendly as Worlds of Fun for little kids? I admit to being reluctant taking two beginner swimmers to a water park the size of Oceans of Fun. But when Cedar Fair invited my family to visit for the first time, I decided it was time to see for myself if they can handle it.
The answer to our question: Yes, 100%, they could handle it!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored through a partnership with Blog Meets Brand and Cedar Fair, I was compensated for this post. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.
UPDATED: This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated in April 2025 with current prices and season opening dates.
Tip for other nervous parents: There are free life jackets near most major pool areas.
If you haven’t been to the Kansas City area, please check out some of my guides before planning a trip. I promise, you’ll find enough ideas to fill out the perfect weekend itinerary for your family.
- 35 Things To Do In KC With Kids
- 9 Awesome Pizza Shops In KC
- 10 Fun Things To Do Outdoors In The KC Area
Things to know before you go
One of the best things about Oceans of Fun is that you only need one ticket to enjoy it and Worlds of Fun. Once your child is over 2 years old, they’ll need a ticket to get in (otherwise, they’re FREE!).
Another thing worth noting before you go is that the park lists height requirements for all rides and attractions on their website. I recommend checking the height requirements for all the water park attractions ahead of time so you can plan accordingly (and set expectations for the kids). There’s nothing safer than having a kid set their heart on going down a slide that they’re too little for.
Both Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun have a strict policy on outside food and drinks. You can bring empty reusable water bottles, and then fill them up once you’re inside the park. If you forget to bring water bottles, cups of water are available free of charge at any of the food or drink stations.
For those bringing potty training children, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that there are several restrooms located around the water park. The bad news is that none of them are Family Restrooms. Most people are going to be cool if you’re a mom bringing your son into a restroom (and vice versa with dads and daughters). But, I just wanted to give you a heads up on what to expect.
FYI: There is a Family Restroom over in Planet Snoopy.
Favorite water attractions for young kids
If you are bringing school-aged or older children to Oceans of Fun, the many water slides will be a bigger attraction to you than the kiddie stuff. Our trip was decidedly less thrill and more splash. Here’s what my 5- and 7-year-old loved:
- The biggest hits were Coconut Cove and Aruba Tuba.
Coconut Cove is the pool of every kid’s dreams. Mini slides, rope walk, animals to climb on, and no waves to knock you over.
Aruba Tuba was, hands down, my kids’ favorite slide in the park. You need to be 42 inches to ride. It was quick enough to feel thrilling, but no scares. Both kids did well going down on their own and in a two-person tube.
The area for really little kids, Captain Kidd’s Pirate Ship and Crocodile Isle (as well as Splash Island), were fun and a friendly way to ease into the water park experience. After a little while, though, my bigger kids were ready to move on.
Surprisingly, my kids didn’t like Paradise Falls as much as I expected them to. It’s an awe-inspiring play area. I think the 1,000-gallon bucket of water dumping out every so often was a too much for them. I walked through it myself; it was a lot for the senses to take in.
We also had a fun time at the Surf City Wave Pool. Nab one of the free tubes to make playing in that pool extra fun. If your family is feeling brave, and everyone is tall enough (46 inches), Hurricane Falls is near the wave pool, and being a four-person tube ride, it’s a fun one to take the family on.
Slides and other water attractions we skipped were many, partly because my kids had their favorite areas and simply wouldn’t leave…and if I’m honest, partly because I didn’t want to go down any really big slides. Hurricane Falls was enough for me.
Best slides for young kids at Oceans of Fun
Aruba Tube, the two-person and single tube ride, was the biggest hit with my kids, who are 5 and 7. It had the perfect combo of just-enough speed and dips in the slide to please, but not scare, every thrill seeker in our group.
Hurricane Falls was the lone thrill ride we did at Oceans of Fun. It’s a four-person tube flume, and you should expect a wait to get on it. My younger child enjoyed it, which surprised me. As for myself, it was a bit too much going backwards and fearing the worst. I’m a big baby, it turns out.
My Oceans of Fun Tips
Sure, it was only one visit, but as a mom, I walked away with some tips I think you’ll find helpful:
- If the idea of your little ones in a big water park makes you nervous (it did for me), you can get a life jacket for them free-of-charge.
2. Parents in the know arrive early, nab a spot in the shade before anything else, and leave a towel there before exploring.
3. You can rent a locker all day, since they’re digital. We felt comfortable leaving our bags nearby and going to play, though
4. My kids wore water shoes, but that wasn’t the norm. It made sense, to me at least, to wear them, since the cement does get hot and slides get slippery.
Trying to do two parks in one day: Yay or nay?
Oceans of Fun and Worlds of Fun are one park now, which means you buy one ticket and can get into both. Super deal, if you ask me.
Can you do both in one day with small kids, you’re wondering.
The way I see it, you have two routes to go if you’re trying to fit it in all in one day. If your kids are past the nap time age, I recommend hitting Worlds of Fun first and then cooling off at the end of the day at Oceans of Fun.
My kids needed a break (OK, I needed one). Since we were staying at a cabin on site, we went to Oceans of Fun right when it opened, took a midday break in the cabin, and then in the evening, rode a few rides at Worlds of Fun.
This plan was perfect, in my opinion. The water park was great early in the day because lines were short, there was plenty of room in the pools, and there were loungers galore. After noon, the temperature starts to warm up more and the crowds arrive.
If you go
Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun
Where: 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Worlds of Fun opens on May 3, 2025, and Oceans of Fun opens on May 24; hours and days open vary so check the calendar before going.
Cost: Buy online ahead of time for the best deal. You can get one-day passes for as low as $37 (that’s the pre-season discount and saves you $33). There’s also the option of buying a bundle, which includes admission and all-day dining.
