Slidewaters is a family favorite for those in Chelan, Manson, and the Wenatchee Valley. Since 2015, they have significantly raised their ticket prices. A day pass back then would have cost around $19, now it’s $35.99. Season passes have also gone up a lot. 

These rising costs may mean fewer visits for some families. The community hopes to find creative ways to keep Slidewaters affordable and enjoyable. There are many people in the valley who may not be able to afford taking their families to slide waters as often as they would 5 summers ago. 

Many factors play into the higher cost of the tickets. Inflation has impacted everything, including water park operations. Supply chain issues make maintaining the park more expensive. The park also needs to keep up with competitors’ prices and cover other costs like cleaning and safety. The need for upgrades and new attractions to make it more enjoyable can also make prices higher. With more and more people wanting to have fun, parks need to figure out how to keep things affordable for everyone while still making enough money to stay open.

Evyn Webb, Senior at Eastmont High School, said, “I think that the fact that the ticket prices for slide waters are getting raised is outrageous. There is no reason it should be anywhere near 40 dollars for one person to get in. I understand that with inflation, prices of food and taxes are going up, but for ticket prices to jump from 19 dollars to almost 40 is not okay.” 

Urias Carbajal, Junior at Eastmont High School, says, “In my opinion, they raised the prices because they spend a lot on water and to fix the games and pools.”