2024 Guide for Knott’s Soak City Water Park (With Insider Tips)

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If you are looking for a way to cool off in the hot summer months in Southern California (maybe on a break day from your Disneyland vacation), look no further than Knott’s Berry Farm’s water park – Knott’s Soak City.

Located in Buena Park, adjacent to Knott’s Berry Farm, this 15-acre water park is filled with adventure. Knott’s Soak City boasts 23 speed, tube, and body slides, as well as a one-third-mile lazy river, a tidal wave pool, and more. There is plenty of fun for the entire family.

If this is your first time visiting Knott’s Soak City, don’t worry, my family has done the hands-on (or feet-in) water park research to bring you everything you need to know to have a splashing good time.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Visit Buena Park. All opinions and tips are 100% my own.

Knott’s Soak City Water Park – Things To Know Before You Go

If you are hoping to visit Knott’s Soak City, here are the important things to know before your trip.

When is Knott’s Soak City Open To Visit?

Knott’s Soak City is not open year-round. While Knott’s Berry Farm is open 365 days a year, Knott’s Soak City Water Park is open seasonally. The dates vary each year but the park is usually from late May to mid-September.

The dates and hours are subject to change due to weather or other factors, so be sure to check the calendar in the days leading up to your visit for any changes. These are rare, but if you see some storms, etc in the forecast, I definitely suggest double-checking.

How Much Is a Ticket To Knott’s Soak City Water Park?

A ticket to Knott’s Soak City Water Park is very reasonably priced. They start at approximately $50/person. With that, you will have full-day access to Knott’s Soak City on the day of your visit.

Are There Combo Tickets Available for Knott’s Soak City and Knott’s Berry Farm?

YES! You can purchase Ride and Slide tickets from Knott’s Berry Farm’s website. They have both one-day and two-day options available.

Check out my friend, Julie’s Knott’s Berry Farm Tips if you plan on hitting up that park as well.

Where is Knott’s Soak City Located?

Knott’s Soak City is located just steps away from Knott’s Berry Farm. It is located in Buena Park.

Additionally, Knott’s Soak City and Knott’s Berry Farm are a short 10-15 minute drive from the Disneyland Resort Area. You can make the drive yourself, Uber, or utilize the ART system to visit Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City.

Personally, I love the idea of a water park day as a break from your Southern California Theme Park vacation.

Knott’s Berry Farm & Knott’s Soak City Addresses

If you need the addresses to put in your GPS, you can find them below:

Knott’s Berry Farm Address
8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620

Knott’s Soak City Address
8200 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620

Knott’s Soak City Tips – What To Bring and What To Leave at Home

If you are heading to Knott’s Soak City, you might be wondering what you should bring with you, what you have to leave at home, and what is available to you within the park.

Here is everything to think about when packing for a day at Knott’s Soak City (with some insider tips).

What To Wear To Knott’s Soak City

Heading to a waterpark, most guests know that you will need to wear clothing that can get wet, but the guidelines are actually more specific than you might think.

Clothing

If you plan on getting in the water at Knott’s Soak City, you must wear appropriate swimwear. This can include swimsuits, swim shorts, and rashguards.

Avoid any metal buttons or clips on your clothing (even swim shorts) as these are not permitted on the slides.

Clothing that may be deemed offensive (language, artwork, etc) and pants, denim, thongs, or transparent clothing are not permitted.

If you have swimwear that doesn’t meet these requirements, or if you forgot your swimwear, they do have a shop where you can purchase items. Just be aware that it is not guaranteed that they will have your sizing, etc.

Footwear

Sandals are a good option for footwear. I suggest getting some that are easy to slide off and on. Shoes (of any kind – including water shoes) are not permitted on most attractions.

Aqua socks and aquatic-style footwear are permitted on Banzai Falls and the Wedge.

Don’t Forget To Bring These Items to Knott’s Soak City

While you won’t need a ton of stuff for your day at Knott’s Soak City, here are some items you will want to make sure to bring with you to the water park.

• Admission tickets/confirmation
• Sunscreen
• Towels
• Debit/Credit card
• Phone
• Bottled water or sports drink (see below)
• I suggest bringing a beach/pool safe, but they do have lockers available to rent as well (I have the one pictured below)

Can I Bring Food or Drink To Knott’s Soak City?

If you are a Disneyland regular, you may be used to Disneyland’s Policy on outside food and beverage. However, Knott’s Soak City does not allow outside food into the park.

Regarding beverages, bottled waters, and sports drinks are allowed, but nothing in glass containers or similar material that is prone to shatter.

Coolers are also not allowed. The only exception is as follows:

Small handheld coolers not exceeding 12”x18” in size will be allowed that contain water and sports drinks only.

Knotts.com 6/2023

I will note that while this is the official policy, we did see several people bring large coolers and other foods in, but I think it was because they had toddlers.

Can I bring a Tent, Canopy, Beach Chair, etc To Knott’s Soak City?

This is another area where the website and what we saw did not quite match. I have requested verification from Knott’s on their policy, and will update this if needed. Until then, I will use the website’s information as the “official” policy.

There is nothing on Knott’s website excluding beach chairs from being brought in (that I could find) and we saw plenty of beach chairs, camping chairs, etc being used by guests.

Personally, if you are traveling from out of town, bringing your own beach/camping chair would be a hassle. Instead, I suggest bringing a large beach blanket. You can get ones that are able to seat multiple adults. I personally use this one and it works great.

The Shade Debate

And this is where what I witnessed did not match the website. As far as tents, umbrellas, and other pop-up shade items, the website states:

The following items are not permitted inside the park: large coolers, food, beverages, glass, pop-up shade structures, playpens, or tents.

Knotts.com 6/2023

We did see several pop-up shades and umbrellas in use throughout the park. Again, I will be seeking clarification on this matter from Knott’s.

Life Jackets, Floaties, Snorkels, and More

In general, all those fun pool items you might take to your neighborhood pool… need to stay home. This includes floaties, snorkel masks, dive toys, and beyond.

Life jackets are allowed but must be Coast Guard-approved. That said, there were plenty of life jackets available for use throughout Knott’s Soak City.

Tips For Planning Your Day at Knott’s Soak City Water Park

So you have everything you need to take with you, and you have purchased your discount tickets, now let’s make sure you are able to make the most of your day at Soak City.

Arrive early for The Best Seating Options

There are TONS of lounge chairs available at Knott’s Soak City, but very few of them are under umbrellas or in the shade. To get the best locations you will want to arrive at the park by 10 am.

I personally suggest finding a lounge chair in the area you think you will spend the most time.

Cabana Rentals

If arriving that early isn’t your thing, or maybe you want to have your own private space, look into cabana rentals.

Cabana Rentals start as low as $199 (plus taxes and fees) and seat up to 8 people.

Not only will you get a shaded canopy, a hotel room-style safe to lock your stuff in, and a patio set, but you will also get all-day use tubes with your rental. This is great because sometimes Sunset River (the lazy river) doesn’t have many tubes available.

Staying Hydrated at Knott’s Soak City – Insider Tip

You will be in the sun at a water park, and while you may not think about it, staying hydrated is super important. I suggest bringing in refillable water bottles that are vacuum sealed to help keep water cool. The Owala Brand is my favorite one to use.

There are soda stations throughout the park that you can utilize to fill your water bottle with ice and water.

Additionally, if you like Powerade, or want the occasional soda, my family loves to purchase the all-day refillable cups. You can refill them every 15 minutes throughout the day, so you can stay hydrated and even change up which drinks you get.

The all-day-refill cups are available at both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City for under $20.

Food at Knott’s Soak City

If you are staying all day, you will definitely get hungry during your day at Knott’s Soak City. There are two dining options inside of the park.

Portside Pizza

As the name implies, Portside Pizza (located near the park entrance) serves pizza. This location also has funnel cakes and salads. There are vegan and gluten-free options available.

Longboard’s Grill

If pizza isn’t your thing, Longboard’s Grill offers burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish and chips, wraps, and more.

All-Day Dining Deal

Both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City also offer an all-day-dining deal. With this deal, you can get an entree and a side every 90 minutes. If you have hungry teens, or if you plan on eating more than one meal at the park, this is a great deal.

The current cost of the all-day-dining deal is $32 for the food-only option of $43 for the food and drink option. It is really easy to spend that much on just two meals, so I definitely suggest getting it.

INSIDER TIP 1: These are for adult-sized meals, and we found that our twins were easily able to share meals. We just ended up getting a few extra “meals” throughout the day and sharing them all.

How Does The Dining Plan Work?

When you use the dining plan for the first time, you are given a waterproof wristband that has a QR code on it. When you order your food, for payment you simply show them your wristband. They scan it. If you are early, they can also tell you when you can use it again.

DINING PLAN INSIDER TIP 2: Set a timer as soon as you sit down with your food to know when you are eligible for another meal.

Knott’s Soak City Tips – Everything Related to Slides, Tidal Pools, and Lazy Rivers

You might be wondering what there is to do at Knott’s Soak City, especially for your kids. Don’t worry, we are breaking it all down.

Also, be sure to check out the FAQ section that will be at the end of this article.

Knott’s Soak City Height Requirements

Knott’s Soak City has some important height requirements. From minimum heights to ride, then another height to ride alone, to height requirements related to the need for a life jacket.

Here is everything to know about Knott’s Soak City height requirements.

Height Requirements Regarding Life Jackets at Knott’s Soak City

Guests under 48″ tall may be required to wear life jackets on many attractions or experiences.

Tidal Wave Bay (the tidal wave pool) requires guests under 52″ to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

Remember, life jackets are available throughout the resort for guests to use free of charge.

Side note for plus-sized guests: they just have a general adult size that I could see, so if you are plus-sized, I suggest bringing your own life jacket.

Attraction Height Requirements – Quick Reference

Here is a quick reference for the attractions at Knott’s Soak City. These are current as of the date of the latest update to this post.

Please note that many attractions have a minimum to ride, as well as a minimum to ride without an adult.

Attractions With No Height Requirements

• Beach House Water Play Area
• Gremmie Lagoon
• Sunset River (kids< 42″ with an accompanying adult)
• Tidal Wave Bay (kids< 42″ with an accompanying adult)

Attractions with a 42″ Height Requirement

• Banzai Falls
• Beach House Slides
• Laguna Storm Watch Tower
• Sunset River (without an adult)
• The Wedge
• Tidal Wave Bay (without an adult)

Attractions with a 48″ Height Requirement

• Malibu Run
• Old Man Falls
• Shore Break

Knott’s Soak City Tips – Park Strategy

To get the most out of your day at Knott’s Soak City, and avoid the longest lines, there are a few simple things you can do.

Unlike Knott’s Berry Farm, there is no Fast Lane option, so you will have to wait in standby lines.

But don’t worry, these tips will help you spend less time standing, and more time enjoying the water park.

Hit the Big Rides During These Hours

If you are interested in the larger thrill rides or slides, be sure to hit those up earlier in the day or later in the evening. We noticed that starting around 1 pm until close to dinner, the lines for the thrill rides were much longer.

I suggest starting the day in one area, tackling the big slides, then taking a break and hitting up the attractions that are less popular, or more relaxed. Then after dinner, head to another section of the park and finish up the thrill rides.

Wear Your Shoes To The Attractions

While shoes are not allowed on most attractions, you can wear your shoes to the attraction entrance. Some even allow you to hold your shoes on the ride, but that varies from ride to ride.

The one thing I disliked about the water park was that the pavement was so hot that everyone was wearing their shoes to the attraction entrances. Which should be fine…

But most people wouldn’t take them off and set them to the sides.

This creates a hazard, and I felt like the grumpy mom, pushing everyone’s shoes out of the walkways.

Dear Knott’s – if you ever read this, I strongly suggest adding shoe cubbies or hammocks at the attraction entrances. This was a huge hazard, and it wasn’t even super crowded during our visit.

Put sunscreen On Right Before Hitting Up Sunset River

Sunset River is the amazingly relaxing lazy river at Knott’s Soak City. My family loved it. It is really long, moves slowly, and they offer many sizes of inner tubes on the river (the blue ones are the largest and plus-size friendly).

That said, it is very easy to not realize how long you have been floating along, and many parents were pulling kids off because they noticed them turning pretty red.

Be sure to put on sunscreen throughout the day, but definitely before heading to Sunset River. Give it a few minutes to be absorbed by the skin before getting in the water.

Beach House & Gremmie Lagoon Are Great Places To Let Little Ones Play

The Beach House is an amazing area with lots of splash pad features, dump buckets and so much more.

This is a great area for parents to let little ones have more freedom to play and explore. They also have plenty of lounge chairs surrounding the area where you will be able to keep on eye on your kiddos, without having to be in the splash pad yourself.

Gremmie Lagoon is another play area, but in my opinion, is aimed more towards toddlers and young children. While The Beach House attracts older kids, tweens, and even some teens, Gremmie Lagoon was filled with a much younger crowd.

Grab Food At “Off Times”

With only two dining locations, the lines could get pretty long for food. To help avoid the line, hit up lunch at either 11:30 am or wait until around 2 pm.

For dinner, I suggest hitting up a dining location around 4 pm, or possibly right before leaving the park (check the operating hours for both the park and dining locations).

Money Saving Option – Eat Outside the Water Park

If you are looking to save money, or maybe the food at the park doesn’t appeal to you or your family, you can leave the park for a meal and come back in.

Maybe that means packing a cooler you keep in your car or actually going back to your hotel, or another nearby restaurant.

Your ticket allows you in and out privileges for the day. Just make sure to keep your tickets dry and somewhere safe if you plan on leaving and coming back.

READ MORE: Things to Do In Buena Park (including dining options)

Answers To Your Knott’s Soak City Frequently Asked Questions

This wouldn’t be a complete guide to Knott’s Soak City without tackling some of the frequently asked questions. I asked for what questions you had on my Instagram Stories (psst… follow me over there). If I missed one that you think should be on here, let me know.