Planning a family day at DreamWorks Water Park inside the American Dream Mall in New Jersey? Our family recently spent the day splashing, sliding, and exploring every corner of this massive indoor water park — and we’re breaking it all down for you.
From thrilling rides and lazy rivers to little kid zones and helpful packing tips, here’s what you need to know to make your visit smooth, fun, and totally worth it.
📍 Where Is DreamWorks Water Park?
DreamWorks Water Park is located inside American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey — about 20 minutes from New York City. It’s the largest indoor water park in North America, with over 8.5 acres of water attractions and slides all under a giant glass dome.
Because it’s indoors, it’s the perfect weather-proof activity whether you’re visiting during a cold Northeast winter or a rainy summer afternoon.
🎢 Rides and Slides: A Closer Look at the Top Attractions
There are 15+ slides, a massive wave pool, and plenty of other attractions. Here are some of the standout experiences and what to expect.
🌀 Dream Works Dream Runner (Water Coaster)
This hydromagnetic water coaster was the favorite ride for both the adults and the older kids in our family. You get in a multi-person raft (up to 4 people) and speed through tunnels, twists, and even uphill sections powered by magnets.
- Height Requirement: 48″ minimum
- Thrill Level: High
- Parent Tip: If your kids meet the height, ride this early before lines build up!
🌈 Trolls Rainbow Racers
This is a multi-lane mat racing slide where you can race your family side-by-side. It’s competitive, super fast, and a blast for older kids and adults.
- Height Requirement: 42″ minimum
- Thrill Level: Moderate to High
- Parent Tip: Hold your breath at the drop—it’s a rush!
🐼 Kung Fu Panda Temple of Awesomeness Play Structure
This is a huge interactive play zone perfect for younger kids (but fun for older ones too). It includes:
- Sprayers and geysers
- Mini-slides
- A massive dumping water bucket
- Height Requirements: No minimum, but supervision required for little ones
- Parent Tip: Bring water shoes for your little ones — the ground here is wet and slippery.
💦 Shrek’s Sinkhole Slam
This 2-4 person raft ride sends you down wide, winding turns in a giant enclosed tube and into a huge funnel. It’s not too scary but still exciting enough to make your heart race a little!
- Height Requirement: 48″
- Thrill Level: Moderate
- Parent Tip: Great for families with a mix of brave and hesitant riders.
🌊 Wave Pool: Far Far A Bay
The wave pool is enormous and the waves come frequently but aren’t too rough, making it perfect for kids. It’s surrounded by shallow edges where toddlers can splash safely while older kids jump into deeper waves.
- Life jackets are provided and required for younger children.
- Parent Tip: It’s a great mid-day break after slides. Bring goggles if your child doesn’t like getting splashed.
🛟 Lazy River: Bubbly Lazy River (But Not That Lazy!)
We expected a gentle float, but the lazy river at DreamWorks Water Park actually has a little bit of a current and some fun surprises. There are spray features, small wave surges, and tunnels themed with characters and glowing lights.
- Tubes are provided (single and double)
- No height requirement
- Parent Tip: Go early before it gets too crowded. It’s relaxing but still playful enough to keep the kids interested.
Both areas are well supervised by lifeguards and had plenty of kids under 6 having a blast.
🧒 Little Kid Zones: Tons for Toddlers & Preschoolers
If you’re bringing little ones, you won’t be stuck just watching from the sidelines. DreamWorks Water Park has two areas perfect for younger kids:
- Penguin Frozen Fun Zone – Smaller body slides with gentle slopes
- Toddler Play Area – Shallow splash zones with no major drops or scary surprises
- The newly opened Gabby’s Dollhouse: Kitty Splash Garden– this wasn’t opened yet when we went but it sounds like an awesome addition for the little ones!
Both areas are well supervised by lifeguards and had plenty of kids under 6 having a blast.
Character Meet and Greets
One fun surprise during our visit was the DreamWorks character meet and greets! Throughout the day, we spotted characters like Shrek, Poppy from Trolls, and King Julien roaming around the park for hugs, photos, and high-fives. It was such a sweet touch, especially for the younger kids — and a great way to sneak in a break between slides. Keep your camera handy and check the digital screens or ask a staff member for the character schedule!
🥶 One Downside: It Was a Bit Cold
We’ve been to several indoor water parks, and the temperature at DreamWorks Water Park felt noticeably cooler, especially on the lower level near the kids’ play structures and lazy river.
While it’s not freezing, we found ourselves chilly when not in the water, especially after walking between slides or waiting in line.
- Parent Tip: Pack a towel wrap or lightweight hoodie to keep warm between attractions. Even our kids were shivering at times.
👣 Ouch: The Mats Hurt Our Feet
We weren’t expecting this, but the floor mats throughout the park were surprisingly uncomfortable — especially when wet. The textured rubber started to hurt our feet after about an hour.
- Pack water shoes or secure flip-flops you can wear on certain rides.
- You’ll thank yourself later.
🍕 Food, Lockers, and Amenities
Food is available inside the park, but it’s basic (think pizza, chicken tenders, nachos). You can’t bring outside food in, but we brought snacks to leave in the car for after the park.
Lockers are available for rent in three sizes. We used a medium-sized one to store our towels, snacks, and phones, and it was plenty for a family of five. There are multiple large lockers rooms including family ones, just beware we had a slight difficulty finding our way out of the locker room and into the water park upon arrival.
🎟️ Tickets, Hours, and Tips
- Open year-round, 7 days a week (hours vary — check the official site)
- Ticket prices vary based on the day and time — we recommend buying weekday or twilight (late afternoon) tickets for better pricing
- Kids under 2 are usually free
- Bring your own towels or prepare to rent them
🏨 Where to Stay Near DreamWorks Water Park
If you’re planning an overnight stay, Homewood Suites by Hilton East Rutherford – Meadowlands is a fantastic family-friendly option just a short drive from the American Dream Mall. This all-suite hotel offers spacious accommodations with full kitchens, perfect for preparing quick meals or snacks for the kids. Guests can enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast each morning, and there’s an indoor pool to keep the little ones entertained after a day at the water park. With free parking and a convenient location, it’s a comfortable and practical choice for families visiting DreamWorks Water Park.
🧳 What to Pack for DreamWorks Water Park
Here’s a quick checklist to make your day smoother:
- ✅ Water shoes (seriously, don’t skip this)
- ✅ Towels for each family member
- ✅ Swimsuits + coverups
- ✅ Waterproof phone pouch
- ✅ Goggles for wave pool
- ✅ Change of clothes for after
- ✅ Small bag with dry snacks for the car
- ✅ Hair ties, deodorant, toiletries (if showering after)
👨👩👧👦 Final Verdict: Is DreamWorks Water Park Worth It?
Yes — especially if you have kids ages 5–12 who love slides and splashy fun. There’s something for every comfort level, whether you’ve got tiny toddlers, fearless tweens, or cautious parents.
It’s clean, well-staffed, and full of family fun — with just a couple of things we’d prep better for next time (cold air and sore feet!).
Would we go again? Definitely. But we’ll be rocking water shoes and towel ponchos next time.
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