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We've found 15 water parks in your own backyard. Before the dreaded \"are we there yet?\" echoes from the back seat, you'll be in the parking lot.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Wilderness Territory Waterpark Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide1.hmedium.jpg","","Wilderness Territory Waterpark Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Wilderness Territory Waterpark Resort", "273", "393", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Madison, Wis. (55 miles)
The Wilderness Territory's most popular ride is the Hurricane: Riders experience the eye of the storm as they rapidly descend through a four-story funnel. Flashes of lightning, rumbling thunder, and drifting fog convey the sense of a full-blown natural disaster.
Details: 511 E. Adams St., Wisconsin Dells, Wis., 800/867-9453, wildernessresort.com. Kids eat free with adult purchase.
Other Wilderness locations: A new, 150-acre Wilderness resort in Sevierville, Tenn.
Parks nearby: Other water parks in Wisconsin Dells: Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park and Noah's Ark.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Kalahari Waterpark, Sandusky, Ohio","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide3.hmedium.jpg","","Kalahari Waterpark, Sandusky, Ohio", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Kalahari Waterpark", "273", "411", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Toledo (60 miles)
Kalahari doubled the size of the park in December 2007. The highlight is the Swahili Swirl. In a four-person inner tube, you'll be ejected from a steep tube slide into a 60-foot-diameter bowl; it's a dizzying three times around before you're sucked down the drain and dropped into a 50-foot-long landing pool. It's like a really fun toilet bowl. To mellow out, relax under the 40,000-square-foot clear Texlon roof, which houses tropical plants and allows guests to catch sun year-round.
Details: 7000 Kalahari Dr., Sandusky, 877/525-2427, kalahariresort.com. Look for \"Beat the Clock\" lodging specials on the Web site.
Other Kalahari locations: Wisconsin Dells Wis. And a new water-park resort is under development in Fredericksburg, Va.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom, Geauga Lake, Ohio","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide4.vmedium.jpg","","Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom, Geauga Lake, Ohio", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Wildwater Kingdom", "298", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Cleveland (25 miles)
Older children and teens flock to the 60-foot-tall, 253-foot-long Liquid Lightning tornado slide. The ride launches you—at speeds of up to 24 mph—from a tube slide into a giant funnel, before spitting you into the calm waters of the finishing pool. Tamer settings include the Splash Landing family activity center, with waterslides, soaker hoses, bubbling geysers, and a raining umbrella, and Coral Cove, an activity pool with three basketball hoops and huge climbable animals.
Details: 1100 Squires Rd., Aurora, Ohio, 330/562-8303, wildwaterfun.com.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Aquatica by SeaWorld, Orlando, Fla. ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide5.hmedium.jpg","","Aquatica by SeaWorld, Orlando, Fla. ", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy SeaWorld", "273", "289", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Tampa (85 miles)
The signature experience here is the Dolphin Plunge, 250 feet of clear underwater tubes that plunge riders into a lagoon populated by charismatic black-and-white Commerson's dolphins. For a split second, you'll feel as if you're swimming with them. Aquatica's attractions include something for everyone: 36 slides, six rivers and lagoons, and more than 80,000 square feet of white-sand beaches.
Details: 5800 Water Play Way, Orlando, 888/800-5447, aquaticabyseaworld.com.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Daytona Lagoon, Daytona Beach, Fla.","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide6.vmedium.jpg","","Daytona Lagoon, Daytona Beach, Fla.", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Daytona Lagoon", "264", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Orlando (55 miles)
Daytona Lagoon's most hair-raising experience is Blackbeard's Revenge. After you climb the 62-foot tower and mount an inner tube, you'll take a 15 mph, six-story tumble down a twisting, pitch-black tunnel slide. Don't miss the brand-new Kraken's Conquest, either: It's a four-lane, 55-foot-long ProRacer-series speed slide. Friends and families can challenge each other to high-speed, watery showdowns.
Details: 601 Earl St., Daytona Beach, 386/254-5020, daytonalagoon.com. The park offers a different special each day; for example, every Thursday you can get unlimited use of miniature golf, the carousel, and the rock-climbing wall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $10.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Splash Island Water Park, Winter Haven, Fla.","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide7.hmedium.jpg","","Splash Island Water Park, Winter Haven, Fla.", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Splash Island Water Park", "273", "412", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: St. Petersburg, Fla. (74 miles)
At the interactive water-play area, the towering Tikki Head—basically a massive, dressed-up bucket—dumps more than 300 gallons of water over bathers every few minutes. The variety in the surrounding Cypress Gardens theme park is impressive, too, with a concert venue, picturesque gardens, and numerous animal exhibits.
Details: 6000 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven, 863/324-2111, cypressgardens.com/splashisland.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Water World, Denver, Colo. ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide8.hmedium.jpg","","Water World, Denver, Colo. ", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Water World", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: Boulder (30 miles)
The 67-acre Water World's calling card is the Voyage to the Center of the Earth. Brave riders hop onto inner tubes and journey into the dark—where they're confronted by large, animatronic dinosaurs, including a 15-foot T. rex. If you're scared of the dark, but not much else, the TurboRacer might be more your style: Jump headfirst onto toboggan mats and race your friends down four stories, eventually launching—at more than 20 mph—onto a straightaway to the finish line. Each rider's time is recorded, so you can tell if you're the fastest waterstud in Denver.
Details: 1800 W. 89th Ave., Federal Heights, Colo., 303/427-7873, waterworldcolorado.com. Families can bring a picnic into the park; parking is free.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i++] = new Array("","Gulf Islands Waterpark, Gulfport, Miss. ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/______EDIT/WaterParks_slide9.vmedium.jpg","","Gulf Islands Waterpark, Gulfport, Miss. ", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Courtesy Gulf Islands Waterpark", "297", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_TopWaterParks[i-1].body = "
Near: New Orleans (77 miles)
The most popular ride here is the Horn Island Blaster water roller coaster. The attraction ferries two riders at a time through more than 500 feet of twists and turns, including some thrilling uphill blasts at angles greater than 45 degrees. Families with young children might opt instead for the Ship Island Wreck, a slide for kids as young as 2.
Details: 13100 16th St. Gulfport, 866/485-3386, gulfislandswaterpark.com.
See more photos of the top water parks!";
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