Kalahari Water Park Round Rock Vlog

Trip Report – Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Round Rock Waterpark

For this visit, we purchased the after-5 PM tickets, which were about $33 pre-tax. We arrived right at 5:00 PM, and the indoor waterpark closed at 9:00 PM that night. We ended up staying until around 8:30 PM, giving us a solid 3.5 hours in the park.

Crowds were very manageable. The longest wait of the night was about 20 minutes, and that was for the mat racer. Most other attractions were either walk-ons or had waits in the 5-10 minute range, which made it easy to re-ride favorites.

Our favorite attraction was Smoke That Thunders, which is a ProSlide Tornado. We honestly didn’t realize it was that ride model going in, we thought it was just a mellow raft ride that wandered around. Since it was dark, the tornado section was pitch black, and when we suddenly dropped into it, it completely caught us off guard. The drop had surprisingly strong airtime, and the element was way more intense than expected. Easily the highlight of the visit.

Staff & Operations

Staff interactions were mixed. We had a few very friendly team members, but others seemed a bit disgruntled or low-energy. Operations are very rule-focused:
• Riders are weighed individually, then grouped together
• You must look at a sign, confirm you understand the rules, and give a thumbs-up to a camera
• Before dispatch, you’re required to give another thumbs-up at a second sign

They are clearly very strict about ride rules and liability. One interesting operational note: on some slides, they do not practice “no load until clear.” Riders are loaded and staged in the bowl section before the previous raft has fully cleared, which is something enthusiasts may notice.

Water & Attractions

The park uses saltwater chlorination, so there isn’t that harsh chlorine smell you usually get at waterparks. That said… if water gets in your mouth, it tastes very salty, almost like ocean water, which definitely caught us off guard.

The FlowRider is included for free, which is a big plus. There’s an instructor on site who helps teach techniques and basic tricks, and you typically get 2-3 attempts per turn, which is awesome for beginners.

The mat racer, unfortunately, was a bit disappointing, and many of the body slides were rough on the back, especially compared to newer or more polished waterparks.

⭐ Overall Thoughts

Despite a few drawbacks, the low waits, strong lineup, and great night atmosphere made this a really solid visit.
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/10)

Would definitely recommend visiting later in the day if you’re looking for short waits and a more relaxed experience.