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Top Five Water Parks to Check Out This Summer

Kids play at Blizzard Beach in Walt Disney World.

Courtesy of Disney

Water parks used to be nothing more than fancy swimming pools with a slide and maybe even a water cannon. Nowadays, you can take a plunging nose-dive down a spiraling chute and get drenched as you splash into a pool of pounding tidal waves! If getting soaked sounds like a good way to cool off on a hot day, then grab your swimsuit and waterproof sunscreen and follow Kidzworld to the coolest H2O playgrounds in North America.

5. Water Parks - Raging Waters (San Dimas, CA)

Get ready to scream your lungs out on the Dropout, one of the tallest vertical drops in the US. The thrilling, seven-story ride hurls you down in just four seconds! California's largest water park even has a sandy beach for peeps who want to frolic on the sand and soak up the sun.

4. Water Parks - Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA)

Experience a blast from the past at this '50s and '60s surf-themed water park - your 'rents will totally get a kick out of it! Raft down the twisting, turning tunnel of Big Daddy Falls, or chill out at Cow-A-Bunga, a water playland featuring gushing fountains and waterfalls.

3. Water Parks - Disney's Typhoon Lagoon (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

Welcome to tropical paradise, where a wild storm and giant waves stranded a ship on top of a mountain peak. Get a taste of the Caribbean while snorkeling with real live sharks and tropical fish in the Shark Reef, or hang ten at Ketchakiddee Creek, where pint-sized peeps can play in pint-sized pools.

2. Water Parks - Water World (Denver, CO)

Travel back in time to the land of the dinosaurs or compete against other kids in a friendly game of target shooting with water cannons. And get ready for heart-stopping, mind-boggling fun on the Speedslides, the highest water slides in the world!

1. Water Parks - Disney's Blizzard Beach (Kissimmee, FL)

Legend has it that a freak winter storm created Florida's first ski resort. When temperatures soared and the snow melted, ski hills turned into waterslides and chair lifts carried swimmers instead of skiers. Now, you can splash down watery slopes of the snow-capped Mt. Gushmore and surf the Toboggan Racer at this rapidly melting ski resort!

Now that you have the 411, pick your fave water park, slather on the sunscreen and have a splashtacular good time!