Aquarium at the Boardwalk

I could swear I reviewed this already but it disappeared so we will try again. Going to compare it to wonders of wildlife in Springfield as an aquarium . Both are aquariums but are different experiences. Hopefully this will be helpful to others. Both WOW and this aquarium charge the same admission. 35$ at this time. There are some discounts they run at times for about 10 off if you do early bird visit in morning for the aquarium on the boardwalk The aquarium on boardwalk is eye catching, brightly colored with a huge octopus on exterior which gives you the idea this is meant as an attraction made especially for entertainment. Outside,there are also dancing fountains set to music .It would definitely appeal to younger kids especially with its cartoon character mascot and focus on colorful and the magical under the sea feel. I loved the flashlight fish, had never saw them before and the jellyfish room with its many mirrors and lights you can play with on the tanks will fascinate kids. There's a climbing playground for kids near end. There is also a 5 d ride which lasts about 3 minutes so if you are prone to motion sickness, it's endurable. I didn't really see a point to the ride other than to say they had a ride. The seats go up and back and shake. The puffer fish was the highlight of that for me. Word of warning on the ride. There can be a wait for it. I think about 20 people fit at a time. The seats can be somewhat difficult for some with mobility issues to get into. They are little high up and hard plastic. There was a lady with a walker who was not able to get in and had to leave the ride. If you have a child they have to either sit in their own seat or in stroller, you can not hold them. I liked the tunnel of fish, we managed to have it to ourselves for a fragment of time, and they focus on the colorful fish and mantas. I like the feeling of immersion. All in all, took us maybe 45 minutes to get through. It's educational , draws the eye and it's a fast attraction with a decent gift shop at end. Comparatively, WOW is huge has a fountain oitside as well, no dancing fountain or music. Which could be a plus for some. lol. WOW gives you not only an aquarium, but beautiful nature photo gallery ,hall of antlers ( meh) and hall of preserved animals set in very well done panoramas. They are beautiful seriously. It will take you about 2 hours at least to get through the whole thing, with the history and many exhibits. They also have a Hall of artwork for Lewis and Clark. WoW is focused on conservation and while aquarium on boardwalk presented the magical feel of undersea, WOW gives you the realistic beauty of nature and history of human interaction with it in America.. And their tanks are much bigger. I personally prefer the jelly rooms at WOW and they have seahorses, but both are fun. Like I said 2 different experiences. If you have time and desire, visit both. If not, go for what moves you most. Pictures are all from aquarium on boardwalk. Been to wow so many times I didn't get any pics there this time.annual pass at wow is basically cost of 2 visits. Not sure the branson one offers annual.