Wednesday 28 June 2017

Sandcastle Waterpark - Blackpool Has It All Review 2017

The second of my 3 posts from our day in Blackpool is Sandcastle Waterpark - the UK's largest indoor waterpark. We were guests for the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlin Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We've been intending to go for ages, but never quite managed it before...


Sandcastle is really easy to find, a huge building on the seafront just South of the South Pier. There is a busy car park nearby, the tram stop is very close and it's a nice 1 mile walk from SEA LIFE Blackpool and Madame Tussauds, the two other attractions we reviewed. We went by tram, included with our Blackpool Resort Passes.


Sandcastle Water Park care massively about accessibility. They have dedicated changing rooms, a wheelchair-friendly viewing platform with lockers, plus places to store your towel poolside. The pools have long ramped edges and there are water-accessible wheelchairs and a hoist that guests can use.


You enter the building and go immediately through/past the Waterfall Cafe Bar to the ticket registers for swimmers. When you pay for the pool, you are given the option to add credit to a rubber wristband, any unspent money is refunded before you leave. The rubber wristbands also lock and open your clothes locker - technology at it's finest.


Changing rooms are downstairs and fairly open plan, with several large family changing rooms. There are separate male/female areas to either side of the more mixed area in the middle and plenty of lockable changing cubicles.

We forgot to arrange where to meet once changed, so don't do that because it's frustrating! You are welcome to take a towel in with you at your own risk to leave poolside. There is a fairly large cafe area with plenty of tables and chairs for a coffee break or even some lunch.


The pool area is MASSIVE - and the water temperature was perfect for comfort. There are not only big and little slides, but a wave pool, a treehouse with cannons and spilling troughs of water, a flowing river, a fort with cannons, waterfalls, more water cannons....just loads. My favourite part was the Caribbean Storm Treehouse, where you can walk through a curtain of water, or drop it on someone unsuspecting walking below...


Four of the biggest slides are part of the Hyperzone and have an extra charge plus age, weight and height restrictions. They are Aztec Falls, Masterblaster, Montazooma and Sidewinder, and my partner loved them all. There are so many rides though, that my 7 year old still went on 3 big slides with a grown up, plus all of the children's slides and didn't feel he missed out at all. You are given a coloured wristband corresponding to which rides you are allowed to use.


Some of the rides end in deeper water, others are more suited to young children riding with parents. Some longer rides are on mats or inflatable rings, and the Sidewinder (6+) has a double inflatable for pairs. The longest we queued was 10 minutes, mainly it was less than this and room temperature was warm enough you didn't get cold while you waited.


We had a really excellent time and actually stayed in the water for 4 hours. The four of us loved it and the boys' confidence in the water really improved no end. For less confident children and infants there are masses of floatation rings and other floats around the pools.

I don't know if Sandcastle Waterpark is family run, but it has that feel and is incredibly friendly. All of the staff were lovely and used to people visiting for their first time, so we weren't made to feel daft asking questions or not knowing where to go!


Your admission to Sandcastle is for all day and opening times vary a lot, so check online before you choose your day. We arrived after lunch, stayed 4 1/2 hours and could easily have stayed longer if it hadn't been closing, and we hadn't been swimming in 4 years. The price is very fair and I'd recommend it, definitely.


Entry to Sandcastle Water Park costs £16 age 12+ / £12.75 age 3-11/ children under 3 are free. 
Reductions for families of 3 or more.
Guests with disabilities / Carers / Senior (60+) £10.00

The Hyperzone Slides wristband costs £6.25pp 8+ and £2.75 age 6-7 (Sidewinder only)

Find out more on the Sandcastle Waterpark Website.

For even better value you can get the Blackpool Resort Pass - (Sandcastle Water Park can be added to the pass for only £11 per person).

The Original Blackpool Resort Pass costs £55.00 per person, is valid for 7 days and includes 6 attractions:
Madame Tussauds Blackpool
Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Ride Wristbands)
Nickelodeon Land
SEA LIFE Blackpool
The Blackpool Tower Eye & 4D Experience
The Blackpool Tower Dungeon

You can add extras to the pass at reduced prices, including:
Tickets and Attractions: e.g. Sandcastle Waterpark £11 or Ascent Trampoline Park £8.00
Shows and Events: e.g. Viva Blackpool £16.00/7.50, Funny Girls Ticket £3.50
Transport and Parking: e.g. Blackpool Transport 7 Day Ticket £11.00/5.50, 4 Day Parking Pass £14.00
Food and Drink: e.g. £30 Coral Island Food Voucher £25.00


Find out more on the Visit Blackpool website.




We were given our Blackpool Resort Passes in order to review. Poolside photos courtesy of Visit Blackpool.

4 comments:

  1. Despite living near Blackpool when I was young and having visited Blackpool so many times over the years, I have never been to the Sandcastle. It looks and sounds like you had a fab time and I expect Mini Me will want to go in the holidays!

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    1. Do you know what? You'd genuinely love it. I'm not a swimmer really, but I had the best time :D

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  2. I haven't been here for years, but it looks fantastic. We are going to Blackpool the middle of July, must have a look x

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    1. It really was excellent, your boys would have a whale of a time. I can't believe how long we were in there. I was stunned when it was closing already :D

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