Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom: Grand Carnivale

Have you ever been to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom? I remember going as a kid with the youth group with my church. As I have had my own kid we have ventured many times. However this was the first time going for their Grand Carnivale and here are some of the things that you need to be ready for as you go.

Before you Go to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom

It’s best to get your tickets alone or at a discount place in your neighborhood like grocery stores or community centers. Do not purchase tickets at the door. Another reason to purchase tickets online is the ability to bundle deals. For instance ticket prices can be as high as $70 and you and get a single day purchase for $45 online. A bigger bundle deal is to get the Grand Carnivale Bundle for $39.99 which includes your admission ticket, free parking, and 3 tastings. That is a great price. So please do yourself and your party of fun goers a justice and get tickets online. The Grand Carnivale starts daily from 5-10pm until August 6th. It features so much fun with food, culture, and more.

Don’t forget that you can save even more by going after 4pm. If you want to rent a cabana I would highly suggest you do so online on the day that you are going.

Meal and Drink Deals

Is it worth it to purchase a meal or drink deal? Hands down yes. They have a single meal ticket for $16.99. It comes with an entree and a drink. The all day eat deal is the best. It is $31.99 and you can eat every 90 minutes. When I tell you that my family enjoyed it I truly mean it. In essence it saved me money in the long run. If you eat at least twice in the park you have saved drastically. We were there from 12-10pm we ate several times. I didn’t have to hear the dreaded words, “Mom, I am hungry.” We all had the liberty to eat. There is a premium meal deal that I didn’t see advertised in the park as it was online. This allows you to get a meal or a snack and the drink pass. Had I paid more attention to that online that would have been the one we got.

We ended up getting the drink package too that was $18.99 and included the ability to drink every 15 minutes. Well worth it. The part that sets Dorney Park ahead of its class is that you can elect to get a wristband or a souvenir cup. We chose the wrist band. I didn’t want to lug the cup around or figure out who’s cup was who’s. The wristband was on everyone’s arm and they could choose their drink at the time they wanted to.

Wildwater Kingdom

Let’s talk about the waterpark. It was absolutely a lot of fun and there is so much to do. We spent over an hour in the wave pool. It’s always so relaxing and fun at the same time. We linked up with my brother and sister in love and their kids. I had them bring my other niece and we had a ball. The time spent laughing and letting the little cousins play with one another was magical. We have so many pictures and videos to share with them as they get older.

There are plenty of places to swim, splash and I like that kids also have their own location to play in as well. My kids are a little older however my second oldest niece was adamant about going to the Kids Cove. The Kids Cove is especially geared for their ages. It helps them to be able to have things for their sizings. Although I have to admit for adults it was just as fun too.

Locker Rentals are a Must

I can’t stress enough how much having a locker is convenient. We got the biggest size that is supposed to be able to hold 3 backpacks. We have about 5 big ones in there and it cost about $50 a day. It stored all of our items so that we could splash around securely and hands free. In addition, it helped us as we went from the water park to the amusement park to ride rides. Although the water park closes a few hours before the amusement park, you can still get to the lockers as the amusement park closes.

Is the Fast Pass worth it?

Most parks have a fast pass. It allows thrill seekers the ability to cut the line. However, is it worth it? The answer is absolutely hands down. My family and I was able to get on rides multiple times with it. I will probably always get it. The amount of time you spend in the lines vs getting on the rides cut it down to a mere minutes. We went this past weekend and even the security team told us it was one of the most crowded times. To see that it was the most crowded and yet we were able to get on the ride with the fast pass so effortlessly speaks volumes.

The Grand Carnivale

A celebration of food and cultures it is a must to attend. If you are able to go now until August 6th make your plans. You can get a tasting card for various increments. I recommend the 10 tasting card for $60. It allows you to visit various booths broken down by country and try the food. Not to mention the spirit of the Carnivale is alive and well. From live performances to the parade that happens at 9pm with beads and more make it a fun time. The family enjoyed the food options. So much flavor and goodness was included. I love how decorative everything was. We had a great time.

So add Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom into your amusement park plans. You will not regret it. We had a lot of fun, the day was manageable, and we had a great time overall even with the heat. Don’t forget that there are bars located inside of the park for those of appropriate age. The drinks were delicious too. Thank you Dorney Park for hosting us. We will be back.