It is hard not to be intrigued by SoundWaves, the new 4-acre water park at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

The expansive $90 million indoor/outdoor music and water attraction boasts a wave pool with a giant LED movie screen, indoor surfing, a 45-foot slide tower, kids pool, activity pool with rock climbing, rapid and lazy rivers, two adults-only pools and 11 water slides, including two for serious adventure seekers.

The SoundWaves experience is designed for hotel guests, so the question is: How do locals get to enjoy this upscale wet and wild fun?

Two ways for local access

No matter where you live, you can make a reservation to stay overnight at the hotel and opt for a package that includes SoundWaves wristbands. There are packages that include up to five wristbands per room.

You can also reserve one of three SoundWaves party rooms for groups from six to 30 guests.

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Unless you are eager to spend the night at the hotel, a party room is the best option for locals. Reservations start at $40 per person Monday through Thursday; $50 per person on weekends; and $55 per person on holidays.

The price includes a wristband that gives you all day access to everything in SoundWaves, plus three hours in the party room, including pizza, soda and cake for your group. Parking passes are also included, which is quite a savings in itself. Children ages 3 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

The overnight guest room rate varies by date, number of people in the room and the package chosen, but there are discounts for locals. Davidson County residents get up to 40% off with the L9Z code, and Tennessee residents get up to 25% off room rates with the M16 code.

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Hotel spokeswoman Tammy Henry said the prices for a family of four in one room with four SoundWaves wristbands starts at $259 with the Davidson County resident discount and $279 with the Tennessee resident code.

That price does not include tax, resort fees or parking, but guests who book rooms can time their visit to enjoy SoundWaves all day on the day they check in and through checkout time the following day.

Henry noted there are a number of available dates this summer at the discounted rate.

"We are not a general admission water park, and SoundWaves is primarily for our hotel guests. But we know that a lot of locals want to come out," she said.

"The party room is a great way to go because you could use it as home base and have all park access all day for $40 a person on weekdays and $50 on the weekend," Henry said, adding that with the food, drinks and parking included, it is a good value.

Opryland attraction

The SoundWaves project broke ground in January 2017. The indoor portion opened in December 2018, and the outdoor pools and slides opened this month.

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Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, which opened in 1977 with about 600 rooms, now has 2,888 rooms and 9 acres of indoor gardens, plus the 4 acre SoundWaves area, making it the largest non-casino hotel in the continental U.S.

Details and reservations: soundwavesgo.com

By the numbers

4: Acres SoundWaves occupies

84: Indoor air temperature at SoundWaves

89: Water temperature they try to maintain

11: Slides (5 indoor and 6 outdoor)

23: Cabanas for rent ($250)

37 feet: Width of the LED screen at the wave pool showing music videos

$90 million: SoundWaves project cost

What to know about SoundWaves

SoundWaves is open seven days a week. Hours vary.

Anyone 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

A minimum of one to three lifeguards are on duty at all-ages attractions. There is no lifeguard at the adults-only areas.

Thrill seekers will want to try the Beat Drop, where the floor drops out from under you to plunge you down a tunnel into a looping water slide, and the Bass Drop, a high-speed body ride that includes a 6-story free fall into the water.

The Groovin' Lagoon activity pool includes a rock wall, lily pad walk and 30-foot water "curtain."

The Rock 'n' Racer slide has four lanes where riders can race each other through 360 degree loops to the bottom.

There is a "human dryer" guests can walk into and get instantly dry before leaving SoundWaves for the air conditioned hotel corridors.

The wave pool alternates between 10 minutes of waves and 10 minutes of calm waters.

There are bars and food vendors throughout the complex. Beers start at $6. You can buy a reusable $10 souvenir Pepsi cup and get free refills in SoundWaves.

No smoking and no outside food or drink is allowed.

Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or mscheap@tennessean.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”