A Smashing Time at Splash Mania

By Desiree Kaur

Some of us know too well about our autistic child’s love affair with water. It’s an unbreakable bond which I sometimes find hard to understand. On the other hand, I also feel, if it is something that brings my son much joy, how bad can it be? Our son turned 8 on 27 July 2023. Since we had previously visited SplashMania a couple of months ago, and saw what a wonderful time our son had, we thought that this should be his birthday treat this year. This time around, I decided to pay a bit more attention and make mental notes for fellow parents to consider, should they wish to bring their child for a smashing time at SplashMania.

A Warm Welcome by Mascots

We were pleasantly surprised with the warmest greetings from Max the Otter and Zoomi the Orang Utan, who came to greet our son Haans, with an Emcee singing Happy birthday out loud to him. He was a little confused at first – granted there was also loud music on the stereo, but when he realised everyone was singing “Happy Birthday” to him, he was very pleased.

Fun, fun, fun all the way!

Next, we got changed and headed right to the water slides! Having been there before, Haans knew exactly where he wanted to go. His favorite space was Treasure Tower! Boasting open and closed water slides with many surprises like mini water guns along the way, and to top it off – a large splash of water from a large bucket way up top, every now and then. We spent many hours just in this area.

Another major attraction for all of us was the Omba’ King’s Cove! Situated in a picture perfect area with SplashMania’s iconic ship in the background, this is essentially a wave pool with all the effects of the oceans minus the sand in the pool. For those sand sensory seekers, the beach sand is available just outside the pool area, with long beach chairs and large umbrellas.

This area was perfect for the 5 of us. Haans’ grandparents, father and I, could all enjoy the effects of the ocean inside this wave pool with spurts of entertainment from SplashMania’s mascots. We managed to catch two dance performances on the large stage just beneath the magnificent ship.

One more area which we managed to bring Haans to was the Ravage River. It has a mini wave pool with a large floating ball. The waves here are quite strong, so adult supervision is highly recommended, especially for children. Our son being the sensory seeking adventurous boy he is, thoroughly enjoyed the motions of large and strong waves.

What about food?

There are many spaces to eat all over SplashMania. The area is quite huge, but rest assured one will not starve with ample supply of French fries, cheezy wedges, burgers, hot dogs, pop corn and I even saw a sign to a “mamak”. Cold drinks such as fresh juices, ice creams, snacks and even donuts are available. It is important to note that SplashMania does not allow outside food onto their premises. The personnel will inspect all of your bags before you enter (see tips below).

Some tips for planning your trip to SplashMania

Ticket prices for OKU card holders are the same as Senior Citizens, which are discounted from the regular rates. Tickets can be purchased online here. Walk-in purchases are available too. Maybank card holders enjoy a 15% discount for walk-in purchase of tickets. Do note the T&Cs, for tickets purchased online as they are non-refundable, even due to bad weather.
You need to park some distance from the main entrance. There is a large car park just down the road from the main entrance, which currently imposes a fee of RM 5 per entry during weekdays and RM 8 per entry during weekends and Public Holidays (Operating Hours : 9am – 7pm daily). Free parking is available at Discovery Park some distance away. E-tram are available to ferry you up and down from the entrance to both car parks.
The music at the main entrance is quite loud. Don’t forget those noise cancellation headphones or ear buds for those who are highly sensitive to loud noises. Also, do note in certain areas of the park, there tends to be spurts of loud music / performances such as at Omba’ King Cove. The whistling sounds from the lifeguards could overwhelm some too, so be sure to prepare yourselves ahead for this.
Outside food is not allowed on the premises. Your bags will be checked upon entry. Those with food sensitivities may need to produce a Doctor’s letter or appeal to the kindness of the people checking your bags. Bottles of water are permitted.
Turn taking at the slides are very important due to safety reasons. There are many lifeguards stationed all over SplashMania for everyone’s safety. Everyone must wait for the cue from the assigned lifeguard at each slide before proceeding. Also, each slide has a height limit and lap sitting is not allowed on all slides.
In an emergency situation, the lifeguards will have to make physical contact with the person in danger. Important to note this for those who are highly sensitive to touch.
Ensure to put on enough sunscreen or cover up! Especially those with skin sensitivities to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, I would highly recommend covering up – yes, long sleeves and long pants. Otherwise, ensure you have the best sunscreen you can find to avoid sunburns.
Hydrate constantly. We tend to not get too thirsty when engaged in water activities. Nevertheless, we are still at risk for dehydration due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Remember to drink up and remind your children too. Not to worry, there are many toilets within the park.
There is no shampoo or soap in the shower rooms. Bring along your own towels, change of clothes and toiletries you might require.
If you like taking pictures be sure to bring along your own Plastic Water Proof Phone Pouch. These can be purchased at Decathlon for RM29 or at SplashMania’s merchandise store, Maniac’s Closet upon entry.

Safety first!

At SplashMania, while having a good time goes without saying, they do not take safety measures lightly. In fact, their lifeguards will not hesitate to “blow their whistle” the minute they see someone even remotely close to an area which could be dangerous. Here are some facts about safety measures at SplashMania:

The lifeguards are trained first aiders. They have bronze medallion training, supplemented with basic occupational first aid.
At the medic bay, they have 2 certified practicing nurses, 1 certified medical assistant, 1 basic trauma life support personnel and 1 first responder.
They have 5 Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs in the park as well as1 ambulance on standby throughout park operations.
The park adheres to safety standards of Malaysian Department of Safety and Health (DOSH), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions Industry (IAAPA) & TUV Nord Standards.

The Attractions at SplashMania

Since our trip was very much focused on what the Birthday Boy wanted, we did not get a chance to visit other parts of the park. In fact, I joked that we must be the only family to visit SplashMania, twice but not make it to the iconic ship! SplashMania prides itself on being a one-of-a-kind waterpark set amidst nature. It is home to 24-thrilling water slides and 15 key attractions that cater to people of all ages – be it thrill seekers, families with children of all ages; and even seniors. SplashMania is open from: 10am – 6pm daily (closed on Tuesdays, except during Malaysian School Holidays & Public Holidays). The park features some of Malaysia’s first waterslides – including the AtlantisVR waterslide and it is also where Nature Meets Fun since 70% of the waterpark consists of green landscaping.

Meet their 4 friendly Mascots!

The Park Map

SplashMania’s attractions are categorised by these four themes that you can find in the park
map:

Extreme Adventure
Thrill Adventure
Family Adventure
Kids Adventure

Pictures are free

SplashMania has friendly personnel walking throughout the park with cameras snapping beautiful pictures to capture those lovely moments. They even do underwater shots! You do not need to pay to get a soft copy of these pictures. All you need to do is download the GL Play App (Google Play Store / Apple App Store) for free, upload a picture of yourself, and you will be able to download the pictures for free with a digital SplashMania frame of your choice!

Get in touch and follow their updates

To get in touch with SplashMania, you may drop them an email at hello.glplay@gamudaland.com.my. For more updates on their attractions and promotions, visit their website here. They are also on Instagram here and Facebook here.

Thank you SplashMania

Last but not least, we would like to thank SplashMania and their friendly personnel for a wonderful day spent at the park. When I got in touch with their team, ahead of our visit, the were very helpful in answering all of my questions and ensuring our son had a pleasant experience at the park. Haans even received a gift bag of goodies courtesy of GL Play by Gamuda Land. Thank you for your generosity.