Sandcastle Waterpark — Attraction in Great Britain

I absolutely love this place! If you want a bit of a quieter experience on a weekend, the best time to visit is first thing in the morning. We always stay for the full 3 hour time slot (take the kids with their swimming costumes under their clothes to save time!) and buy food there to keep us going.

The downside to visiting here is the parking. Blackpool is such a popular destination that parking can be difficult. The car park attached to the Sandcastle Waterpark costs £12 for 4 hours. If a short walk doesn't bother you with wet hair, you can park on the street for half the price if it's available (another positive to going to an early session). You can easily pay on an app.

There is something for everyone here. We have been visiting since my son was 1 and he loves the water buckets and fountains in the shallow pool. The wave pool is a huge hit for everyone (the front of this pool is restricted to confident swimmers but everyone can access the pool). There are slides for all levels of bravery and adrenaline-seeking and as someone who loves a thrill ride, the Sidewinder is fantastic fun. The restrictions on height and age are clearly signposted and well adhered to. There's a water cannon that has a 5 minute timer which kids love to set off over unsuspecting swimmers! I love the lazy river for being the main place you feel like you can have a bit of a swim. Due to the popularity and business of the pool, it's not somewhere for an actual swim. It does get very busy but queues moved quickly and people give each other space. You may bump into people in the wave pool due to its popularity but it's nothing unmanageable.

The booking and checking-in systems are really straightforward. You buy splash cash on booking which is added to a wristband so that you can buy food at the food court. Food from outside the venue cannot be eaten on site. The adult meal deals are best value and we tend to share 3 between 4 of us with the price being roughly £7.25 (January 2025) for your usual chicken nuggets/hot dog/ burger and chips with a drink. We find the food quality excellent and always fresh and hot. Lockers are spacious and are easily locked/unlocked with your wristband. Be warned that the changing rooms look very samey and it's not uncommon for people to struggle to relocate their locker. It also feels rather cold once you've got out of the showers (which can vary in quality and temperature). Family changing cubicles are plentiful but more difficult to find in the afternoon sessions.

Safety systems are excellent, the lifeguards are very clear on expectations and unsafe behaviour. My husband has also accidentally tested the shut-off and rescue protocol on one of the faster slides when he lost his rubber ring and had to he rescued! The changing rooms are constantly being 'swept' to clean and dry the floors. Staff are also firm on rules such as infants not being allowed to be nude outside of the changing cubicles.

Once you're finished, all unspent money on your wristband is put back on to your method of payment on the way out...

I visited Sandcastle Waterpark Blackpool yesterday with my family, and it turned out to be one of the worst and most disappointing experiences we have ever had. The entire place was filthy and dangerously overcrowded. You genuinely didn’t even feel safe or comfortable putting your foot in the water. The changing rooms were absolutely disgusting; the strong smell of urine was overwhelming, the walls and benches looked as though they hadn’t been cleaned in months, and the whole area felt unhygienic and neglected. The toilets were just as bad, in a revolting condition that was completely unacceptable for a facility that charges such high entry fees. For the amount of money we paid, we could hardly use any of the attractions because the park was so packed and chaotic. There was clearly no control over the number of visitors being let in, and it honestly felt like they had crammed in far beyond the safe capacity, with no regard whatsoever for the customer experience.

On top of that, there was absolutely no supervision or enforcement of basic swimwear and hygiene rules. People were walking into pools and showers in everyday clothes, shoes, or completely inappropriate attire, and staff didn’t seem to care in the slightest. I completely understand that people may have personal or religious beliefs about what they wear, but even in majority Muslim countries such as Egypt and Turkey there are clear standards — and nobody is allowed to enter swimming pools dressed in unsuitable clothing. Here, however, it seemed anything was allowed, with people stepping into the water in T-shirts, shorts, pyjama bottoms or even with scarves wrapped around their necks. Even the men’s swimwear was questionable, with some entering the pools in vests and casual shorts instead of proper swimwear. This is not only unhygienic but also deeply unfair to paying customers who expect at least a clean and safe environment.

If staff levels are low, then more staff must be hired, because the lack of management, supervision and basic cleanliness here is shocking. Overall, Sandcastle Waterpark scores zero for hygiene and zero for control. The entire place felt mismanaged from start to finish, and the only thing they seem to care about is taking as much money as possible while delivering the bare minimum. This was a disgraceful experience, absolutely not worth the money, and I will never return. I would strongly urge others to avoid this place if they value cleanliness, safety and a proper day out for...

We visited Sandcastle Waterpark during our weeks holiday in Blackpool. Is it expensive...yes ..yes it is. Would I go more than once... no, but if I could afford it, I would have.

It's an amazing experience for the kids. My review is based on our experience travelling with a wee one in a wheelchair.

It is a very expensive trip for not a lot of time. However, I decided to give it a go. My girl has autism and needs a lot of stimulation. We struggle to find an interactive water park within the UK. For this reason, we tried it out.

I have to admit the service was...standard.. no over and beyond, just good. We, as disabled people, obviously had to wait for assistance, which didn't come until all the able bodies were admitted into the pool. I have no idea if this is common practice or not, but this does bother me. By the time a member of staff came to show us to the disabled cubical, it was time away from our slot.

However the staff were nice. They showed us the new wrist bands that are electronic and waterproof lol 😆 (phew right lol), so you just scan them over your lockers for it to open and close. Which I have to admit was very time saving.

The pool it's self was lovely. The pool had lots to keep my sensory seeker occupied and alert. She loved the kiddies' pirate ship, the lazy river, and the sprinkles of water. She had a ball. I found the disabled cubical and pool side clean and spacious. Lots of lovely flumes and rides everywhere I couldn't fathem which lines were for which rides but they looked cool. Obviously, we couldn't go on them as I am a single mum, and I need two people to help on slides with my girl, and we are restricted when it's just me. That being said, she didn't miss out on anything, and she loved the interactive pool, and she had lots of fun.

The cafe by the pool looked clean and nice to. I saw families come out of the water and order n eat still in swimwear.

The point of adding extra money to your oder is to save you from going back to your locker for money. So if your wee one is thirsty, you can pop out, order a drink or chips from the poolside cafe, scan your band, and go back in the water easy and convenient. We did add money but didn't actually buy any food there. Our money was eventually refunded once we got back home from our holiday.

If you can afford it I would recommend a visit but as I said it's...