Walt Disney World offers two fantastically themed water parks to help you beat the heat during your Florida vacation. Whether you hit one or try two, these parks are a great way to fill out your theme park vacation. With sandy beaches to relax on, wave pools to wade through, and plenty of water slides to enjoy, you’ll have ample attractions to fill a full morning or an entire day. Use these tips to make the most of your time at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach.
1. Take more sunscreen than you’ll need
Image: Disney
The Florida sun is brutal, even if you’re used to spending a lot of time outside. Take far more sunscreen than you think you’ll need and plan to reapply every two hours. While it may seem glamorous to return from your vacation with a glowing tan, there are few things worse than getting sunburned on vacation. It’s far better to play it safe, particularly at the water parks. You have a lot of skin exposed, and you’re more likely to spend long stretches exposed to the sun here on the beaches or in the pool than you are in theme parks where you’ll go in and out of buildings all day.
Sunscreen is available in the parks, but it’s predictably overpriced. Save your vacation budget by taking plenty of sun protection along and slathering it on with abandon.
2. Don’t lug along floating devices
Image: Disney
Floating devices are great for keeping little ones safe at a water park, but there’s no need to bring one along at Disney. A life jacket or water wings can add a lot of bulk to your bag, and you can save yourself the hassle by simply using the life jackets provided by Disney. The water parks have plenty of floating vests in all sizes so you can keep your kids safe. Best of all, you can take them off and hang them back up while you’re eating lunch or playing on the beach and simply grab another one when you want to head back to the water. No need to carry them along when they’re not in use.
3. Avoid the peak seasons
Image: Disney
The water parks are predictably packed during the height of summer and Spring Break. If you can avoid these seasons, do so. Florida is warm year-round so you can swim in nearly any season. The only down side to visiting over the winter is that you may have only one water park open for you, since these close in turn during the winter months for maintenance. Even with just one park open, however, the crowds are light and the lines are generally short.
4. Stash your valuables in one locker
There are lockers available at the water parks for your things, but you will have to pay for them. To save your vacation budget, plan to try and stash all your things together in one locker. Wallets, phones, and keys are the most important items to keep safe. You’ll find plenty of room to leave a bag of towels and sunscreen on a lounge chair beside the pools while you play, so you don’t need to keep every item you bring locked up.
5. Wear a suit that won’t move
Image: Disney
If you’re planning on riding any of the water slides at the water parks opt for a suit that’s stable rather than skimpy. Many of the slides are quite intense and your suit can easily shift if you’re not careful. Ladies may want to wear one-piece suits for the intense water slides. Tops have been known to come off or shift in embarrassing ways. Thongs and string back suits are not permitted in the park at all. Swimwear with buckles, rivets, or other metal accessories is not permitted on the water slides.
6. Arrive early
Image: Disney
The crowds are thinnest at the water parks early in the morning, so arrive as early as you can. In Florida, it will still be plenty warm most mornings. In fact, the water parks are often much more enjoyable before the heat of the day. If you’re visiting in summer, you’ll want to avoid the afternoon showers, giving you one more reason to show up in the AM.
7. Know which park is which
Image: Disney
Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are two very different water parks. If both are open during your visit, it’s important to know which is which before you decide which one to visit.
Perks of Blizzard Beach
- The Ski Patrol Training Camp caters to older children and tweens with a floating iceberg obstacle course and T-bar line to glide down
- Tike’s Peak offers small waterslides and splash pads for small children
- The Summit Plummet waterslide shoots down 12 stories vertically, offering a great pick for thrill seekers
- Teamboat Springs is a raft ride spanning 1200 feet with room for 6 people per raft
- The chilly theme and snowy atmosphere offers a unique option in Central Florida
Perks of Typhoon Lagoon
- Ketchakiddee Creek offers an extensive play area for small children and is larger than Tike’s Peak
- Shark Reef offers snorkeling with live aquatic life including sharks
- The Surf Pool is the largest wave pool in the world and even offers surf lessons
- The Crusher Gusher water slide rides more like a roller coaster
- The tropical surf theme is perfectly suited to the weather, offering a beach-like escape in the middle of the state
Both water parks have unique offerings and plenty to enjoy. Do your research before arriving to make sure you’re headed to the one that best suits your tastes.
A day at a Disney water park offers a nice break from the exhausting routine of making your way around one of the theme parks. Kick back and relax or enjoy some watery thrills at Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon to round out your stay.
