Question about inner tubes at Castaway Creek in TL

[laurajetter]

My FIL who is in his 70s and not a huge fan of water parks will be tagging along with our extended family when we go to TL in mid June. Probably the extent of his water ride experience that day will be the lazy river. He thinks he *might* try it, but wanted to know if they have inner tubes with bottoms... I'm not sure why he's concerned about it, I think it would be refreshing to be partially submerged. Perhaps he thinks it will be easier to get into and out of, I suppose. Anyway, it's hard for me to tell for sure by looking at YouTube videos... I see tubes with holes in the lazy river, and I've seen tubes with bottoms on certain slides, but do they have the option for tubes with bottoms in the river?

 

[4littleones]

I'm no expert but the tubes that have covered bottoms are usually tiny and designed for little kids. There is no requirement to be "in" a tube as far as I witnessed last week. They even have a few pool "noodle" looking type things in the lazy river that one can use instead of a tube. Maybe that is more suitable than a tube. They are few and far btwn so you may have to wait a bit to get one of the noodles. They are more like foam rectangles rather than a traditional noodle being round just so you get what I mean. Also the water temp in the lazy river is a few degrees warmer than many other areas. So that can be a perk for FIL. The water temp is written on a chalkboard as you approach the wave pool. Many shaded areas for FIL to relax in as well. Just be warned that the big SURF waves at the wave pool are unlike any you may have seen before. This will likely not be your FIL's cup of tea.

 

[Deanie1]

I find it easier to get on the inner tube if I bring it close to the entry stairs. I usually stand on the second stair and then get on. (I have bad knees) There are a few double tubes that might work for him, not sure as I havent used one.

 

[OFF2NVRLAND]

The adult size tubes are open bottom and child size tubes are closed bottom. Like PP said, it does make it easier to get on the tubes standing on the staircase entry. A lot of people get on the tubes that way. Maybe he will be comfortable doing that so he can float all day