In all the water parks I’ve been to in my lifetime (and it’s a few…I like water parks), I’ve never seen anything quite like Shark Reef. At the entrance, cast members hand you a face mask, snorkel and life jacket. You then sit on a ledge while another cast member tells you how to use the face mask, snorkel and life jacket. You then enter the water (be prepared…it’s cold!) and swim across a pool where you can look at tropical fish and, hence the name, sharks. They’re little sharks. They only nibble on toes, not take off your leg. Just kidding…the sharks are completely harmless.
The downside to Shark Reef is that it does get crowded, so cast members require you to swim straight across to the other side. Of course, you can get in line and swim across again if you want to. It’s a fun experience, especially for kids (and adults) who don’t get the chance to snorkel or scuba dive on a regular basis.
Obviously, this isn’t an attraction for very young children. My youngest son was seven the last time we attended Typhoon Lagoon, and he was old enough to enjoy it. He did have a little trouble with the snorkel, though. You know your kids and their abilities better than anyone, but I’d say that seven is about as young as you’d want to go, unless they already have experience snorkeling. Older children will love it.