Waterparks are places where you're meant to get wet fully clothed. Most rides only splash you a bit, just as a tease. Others get you soaked over time, and some get you completely wet within moments and with no escape. Although some parks provide changing rooms, the rides are designed for you to wear proper clothing, not swimwear.

Clothing Tips

Well fitting sportswear or casual clothes are best. You will get soaked repeatedly so dress up warm. Cotton hoodies become almost windproof when wet. If the sun shines on a dark coloured hoody it will warm you up, but if the wind gets you in the shade or a cloudy day, you better add a nylon anorak or jacket to avoid windchill.

Bring more than one change of clothes (maybe 3 or 4) and you can dry off in between and have a bite to eat.

What to say to the Guard Staff to get into Water Parks wearing Jeans

Many water parks prohibit jeans, but here's some info that might help you get in water parks wearing jeans.
1. Phone first about their policy.

2. If they say no jeans, tell them that you are a (scuba) diver (if you aren't, just pick up a scuba manual and learn some of the terminology, you'll get to use this information again and again). Then tell them that you and some dive buddies are in the area diving, and that all that you have with you are Levis Diveskins. Ask: ""Are they OK in the park?"

3. "Do we need to arrive early?"

4. "Will YOU be on duty?"

5. Show empathy for their job. By the way, lifeguards always call themselves 'guards'. Therefore, you should say: "I was a guard once." if you ARE a lifeguard, then say so. The most popular lifeguard certification are WSI: Water Safety Instructor, or OWSI: Open Water Safety Instructor. They'll be too busy to ask you much else, but this will buy you some credibility.

6. It will help that when you arrive, that you are wearing slimfit jeans. Guards that work the beach in jeans wear Levis 512 because they are hydrodynamic.

7. Your jeans need to be CLEAN, you need to look bleached! Tuck your jean legs into dive boots or cuff and roll them if you are barefoot or wearing low-cut water shoes.

8. Also, invest in a SPEEDO T-shirt or Lifeguard T-shirt.

9. If its cool, wear a light neoprene dive top which completes the "Levi's Diveskin" outfit.

10. Finally, guards are cool: let them know that you just GOT TO GET WET:

    "Some of my buddies and I are in the area diving. We're divers / guards / distance beach swimmers, etc. Is it ok to wear a top and jeans diveskins?"

    They'll know what you mean.

11. Don't forget to ask them how long they've been a guard. Really get to know the people at the gate; they determine if you get in.

12. If you look the part, i.e. 'beach' appearance, calm, cool, wrist band, Fossil Watch or dive watch, "T-Shirt - SPEEDO", "SCUBA DIVER" - dive flag shirt, "LIFEGUARD", etc., and hopefully, some tight jeans - Levis 512 Red Tab or 501, etc. that LOOK like they've been diving or such, you'll probably get in. Guard bend the rules all the time for the right people. Now get wet and have fun!

More reader tips for Water Parks from our Community Forum

Posted by LevisDiver on June 22, 1997

I live in Levis 512s. Their real slim-fit shapes to you under water making them so easy to swim in. The good folks at Levis Strauss don't know how good 512 Levis really are. If you are going into the ocean or a lake and the water temp is a little cool, you can add a neoprene wetsuit top and this makes a cool diveskin. I have never been turned away from a pool or waterpark wearing my skins. Wranglers 936s, however, have rivets on the back pockets which the water park people fear will scratch their slides.

Posted by Scott on August 08, 1997

At the Riverside Park, 1623 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001, USA, Phone number: (413) 786-9300 they have this water slide called Riptide, you sit on this sled and shoosh down this steep hill and skim across the water at the bottom. Often, people "crash" into the water and find themselves fully soaked. I went there yesterday and brought my camera. Got some nice shots of a couple of young guys fully dressed that kept crashing (on purpose) into the water. One was in a pair of levis jeans, the other in a pair of black Boss jeans, both had tee shirts and sneakers on. If you are in the area, stop by Riverside and bring your camera!

Posted by wetlevisboy on August 13, 1997
In Reply to: Riverside Park posted by Scott on August 08, 1997

I had a similar experience a few years ago at Australia's Wonderland, west of Sydney, except that I didn't have my camera. When I arrived at the water slide there were already about 6 guys in jeans and T-shirts continuously riding the slide and deliberately falling off to get soaked. I watched for a while and then decided it would be more fun if I rode the slide too. It was extra fun to get behind another guy in his wet jeans and watch his wet butt going up the steps to the platform. I was there about 3 hours and I reckon there were over 30 different guys went for a wet jeans ride during that time. Some only went once, but a lot went down several times. As I was leaving the park, some young kids were playing in a fountain and I managed to talk them into throwing me into it fully clothed, which they thought was great fun.
Australia's Wonderland, Wallgrove Road, Eastern Creek, NSW 2766, Phone: 61/28309100