Tips For Planning a Disney World Water Park Trip

Walt Disney World Resort is home to four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But that’s not all the Orlando Resort has to offer because they also have two incredible water parks on property — Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon!

In this article, we are breaking down everything you need to know about both water parks before visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, some of these offerings may not be available. It is always best to check the official Walt Disney World website regarding updated protocols and entertainment offerings during this time. Additionally, Inside the Magic will continue to update you as we get information. 

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

The story of Blizzard Beach is that a one-time ski Resort melted away into a watery wonderland — Now, it is known as Blizzard Beach! You and your family can discover frosty fun while visiting this ice-filled water park located at Walt Disney World.

When is Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park open?

Disney’s Blizzard Beach is typically open year-round, aside from if cooler weather hits Florida. If so, the water park will close for the day so that families remain safe.

There are also certain months during which Blizzard Beach may close due to annual refurbishments, so it is always best to check the official Walt Disney World website for up-to-date hours of operation.

What Characters Can You Meet at Blizzard Beach Water Park?

Though characters may not be as out and about at the water parks as they are at the theme parks, Guests have spotted Goofy roaming around Blizzard Beach, so be sure to keep those eyes peeled.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Goofy may not be visiting Blizzard Beach. However, you may be able to catch him at a safe social distance at one of the four theme parks or even at a Resort hotel!

Attractions Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

Disney’s Blizzard Beach is filled with one-of-a-kind and unique attractions, fun for all ages! From the relaxing lazy river — Cross Country Creek — to the iconic Summit Plummet, there are a wide variety of experiences for everyone.

The official descriptions of each attraction are listed below.

Chairlift

Every ski resort has a chairlift to ferry Guests up the mountain, and Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park is no exception! This slow-moving experience is an effortless way to access the entrance to attractions like:

• Summit Plummet – The most thrilling waterslide at Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, with a 120-foot long, 12-story drop.
• Slush Gusher – A tamer, 90-foot-long waterslide for those not quite ready to take the “big plunge.”
• Teamboat Springs – A family-style whitewater raft ride that fits up to 6 Guests per inner tube.
  Beach umbrella canopies provide shade as you ride up.

Cross Country Creek

Grab an inner tube and paddle gently down the stream as you glide through mysterious caves and illuminated grottoes, under bridges and past a lush green forest. Bask in the refreshing spring water that’s made its way down Mount Gushmore—and look out for bubbling geysers, waterfalls and leaky pipes along the way.

Pay a quick visit to Ice Gator, who’s at home sick with a cold. Just watch out for his sneeze!

Guest can pick up an inner tube at any of the 7 landings along the route.

Downhill Double Dipper

A retractable starting gate is all that stands between you and victory. Anticipation builds as you and your opponent wait on inner tubes at the top of twin enclosed waterslides. Suddenly, the gates retract—and you’re off!

Disappear into a black hole and plummet 50 feet downhill at exhilarating speeds. Hurtle through darkness, then emerge just in time for the big splashdown.

May the fastest racer come in first!

Melt-Away Bay

Listen to the sound of gentle waves lapping the shore—or grab an inner tube and bob in the warm swells.

Mount Gushmore’s waterfalls cascade into massive Melt-Away Bay, creating short waves perfect for leisurely floating, with just enough excitement. Swim out to the rocky outcrops and bask under a refreshing waterfall.

Then, luxuriate in a lounge chair on the white-sand beaches.

Runoff Rapids

Get ready for some splash-tastic fun as you launch into a trio of one-of-a-kind flumes—no 2 are the same!

Big kids, teens and adults can experience 3 times the thrills and spills as they careen 600 feet down the mountain on the following paths:

• The center slide: head out on a darkened, fully enclosed trip to the bottom with just pinpricks of light peeking through.
• The 2 outer slides: hop into an inner tube before traveling over, around and under the snaking coils of the center slide.

• No matter their unique differences, all 3 high-speed slides come to a similar conclusion—a splash!

Ski Patrol Training Camp

Encounter tricky obstacles, waterslides and more that offer action and adventure for aspiring alpine athletes.

The frosty fun includes:

• Thin Ice Training Course – Test your balance by walking across ice floes.
  Fahrenheit Drops – Drop in on the “T-Bar,” a zip line that ends with a splash in 8.5-foot-deep water (for Guests 5 feet tall and under).
• Frozen Pipe Springs – Thaw out on an enclosed body slide.
  Cool Runners – Coast on an inner tube down curved slides flanked by melting snow.
• Snow Falls – Make a splash on a downhill body slide.

No summer camp was ever this fun!

Slush Gusher

Slide straight to the bottom on this swiftly moving, snow-banked slide—and experience the thrill of the gushing waters. Zip over 2 rolling hills that give you an invigorating lift on the way down!

Snow Stormers

Lay on a toboggan-style mat on your belly and careen down a zigzag course headfirst to the bottom of Mount Gushmore.

Bank through twists and turns as you fly past the flag markers of the slalom gates—like in a real downhill ski race!

Each of the 3 snow-capped flumes is 350 feet long, so you can race your friends to the big splashdown at the bottom.

Summit Plummet

Plunge 12 stories almost straight down, rocketing through a darkened tunnel and into a massive spray of whitewater after a 360-foot-long, high-speed descent.

Hardcore thrill-seekers won’t want to miss this slide so steep, you can’t see where you’re going—until you’re there!

Do you dare experience the most extreme attraction at Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park?

Teamboat Springs

Get ready to be propelled through 1,200 feet of twists and turns on this super-long, super-wide waterslide.

On this epic whitewater journey down the mountain, you’re at the mercy of gravity—and unpredictable rapids.

Hang on to the handles as your oversized inner-tube raft banks left and right and rotates randomly, putting your whole team in the path of drenching sprays.

Tike’s Peak

Little ones get to have big fun on these scaled-down thrills, including:

• Miniature snow-banked slides
• Side-by-side downhill slides
• A junior inner-tube ride
• Snow chutes

Watch your little squirts splash out in wading pools featuring “melting” snow sculptures—or start a water fight at an igloo fortress with pop-up water jets.

Ready to dry off? The sandy areas around Tike’s Peak are perfect for sunbathing and making sandcastles!

Toboggan Racers

Grab your mat, take your mark and zip headfirst on your belly to the bottom of Mount Gushmore on a 250-foot-long “toboggan” race that features 3 exhilarating dips and hills.

Feel the rush as you crest each rise. May the best mat win!

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

The other water park located at Walt Disney World Resort is Typhoon Lagoon. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park is a tropical oasis at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring waterslides, a surf pool, a lazy river, and more.

At this time, due to the ongoing pandemic, Typhoon Lagoon remains closed. However, Inside the Magic will keep you updated as we get information about the property’s official reopening date.

When is Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park open?

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is typically open year-round, aside from if cooler weather hits Florida. If so, the water park will close for the day so that families remain safe. And again, at this time, due to the ongoing pandemic, Typhoon Lagoon remains closed. However, Inside the Magic will keep you updated as we get information.

There are also certain months during which Typhoon Lagoon may close due to annual refurbishments, so it is always best to check the official Walt Disney World website for up-to-date hours of operation.

What Characters Can You Meet at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park?

Though characters may not be as out and about at the water parks as they are at the theme parks, Guests have spotted both Lilo and Stitch roaming around Typhoon Lagoon, so be sure to keep those eyes peeled.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Lilo and Stitch may not be visiting Typhoon Lagoon right now. However, you may be able to catch other Disney characters at a safe social distance at one of the four theme parks or even at a Resort hotel!

Attractions at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is filled with one-of-a-kind and unique attractions, fun for all ages! From the iconic Crush ‘n’ Gusher to the fun-filled Ketchakiddee Creek, there are a wide variety of experiences for everyone.

The official descriptions of each attraction are listed below.

Bay Slides

Children get to join the fun on these beginner waterslides, which are mini versions of the thrilling Storm Slides.

Kids can get their feet wet on 2 slides that offer gently curving downhill slopes and, of course, a final splashdown!

Castaway Creek

Bob along through refreshing cool mists, shady grottoes, thundering waterfalls, overhead rope bridges and lush rainforest landscapes on your gentle journey through the cavernous tunnel carved into Mount Mayday.

Guests can pick up an inner tube at any of the 5 landings along the 2,000-foot-long route and ease into the continuous, flowing river that winds all the way around Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park.

Crush ‘n’ Gusher

Enter an abandoned fruit-processing plant and prepare for a thrilling “water coaster” ride down a 400-foot-long tube slide.

Find a partner and choose from 3 “fruit chutes”—the Pineapple Plunger, Coconut Crusher or Banana Blaster—or go bananas and crush it solo!

Slide down sudden drops and snake around sharp turns through darkened and open sections. Propelled by powerful water jets, your raft takes you on a wild ride through uphill climbs—and surprise after surprise.

Finally, you’ll take the plunge and skim across Hideaway Bay!

Gangplank Falls

Whoosh through rocky caverns, drenching waterfalls and under rustic wooden bridges on this 300-foot long waterslide—all while spinning and banking from side to side.

Humunga Kowabunga

Brace yourself for the ride of your life as you race down Mount Mayday at a 60-degree angle.

These 3 side-by-side enclosed body slides make for some high-octane thrills. You won’t know what’s coming as you zoom 214 feet downhill in the dark and spray your way to a surprise ending!

Keelhaul Falls

Feel the force of whitewater rapids as you rush along a course lined with boulders and palm trees. Whoosh through caverns and spin below waterfalls—before an exhilarating splashdown at the bottom

Ketchakiddee Creek

Kids under 4 feet tall can frolic in shallow pools populated by whimsical crocodiles, squirting seals and playful elephants. Let them explore mini waterslides, splash in a cave with a waterfall and take aim with a water cannon aboard the leaky tugboat S.S. Squirt.

Kid-friendly tunes and a small, sandy beach make this the perfect playground for water-loving kiddos.

Mayday Falls

Hang on tight for a fast, turbulent trip down Mount Mayday on a single-rider inner tube.

Big kids, teens and adults will enjoy the gritty thrills of this medium-wild ride that begins in the shadow of Miss Tilly, the shipwrecked shrimp boat atop Mount Mayday and the icon of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park. Swerve through caves, under bridges and past thundering waterfalls—this one’s a rush!

One of 3 Falls raft rides that include Keelhaul Falls and Gang Plank Falls, Mayday Falls is the most intense. Help!

Miss Adventure Falls

Gather your crew and climb aboard for a thrilling, white-water voyage you won’t want to “Miss.”

Just beyond the pineapple fields of Crush ‘n’ Gusher awaits a family-raft attraction owned by Captain Mary Oceaneer—a sea-faring treasure hunter whose haul was caught in a rogue typhoon… and scattered across this tropical paradise years ago.

From your 4-person raft, feel a rush of excitement with family and friends as an aquatic conveyor belt chutes you into action. Then, hold on tight as you spy precious artifacts collected from all around the globe.

If you’re lucky enough, you may even meet the captain’s old diving partner—a talking parrot who’s still hunting for treasures at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park to this day!

Storm Slides

Choose from one of 3 bodacious body slides: Jib Jammer, Stern Burner or Rudder Buster.

No matter which you pick, you’re in for an aquatic adventure as you zip, twist and turn your way past rocky outcrops and lush greenery, through grottoes and down into an epic 3-story-high waterfall finale.

Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool

Wade into the warm water where gentle waves lap the white sandy beach. Swim out and listen for the thunderous “sonic boom” and the squeals of delighted swimmers as little ripples become big kahunas. Keep watch and feel the excitement build as a cresting wave heads your way—and get ready to paddle!

Enjoy an epic body surf ride as you’re propelled to shore. With a continuous set of swells, you’re sure to catch a gnarly wave!

Getting To Disney World Water Parks

If you are wanting to visit either of the two water parks at Walt Disney World Resort, you can do so by either driving or taking a Disney World Resort bus (if you are staying on property during your stay).

Which Resorts Are Closest To Disney World Water Parks?

Disney World Resorts are spread out across property so getting to one destination from another can vary on time depending on where you are staying and where you are wishing to go to.

If you are traveling to Blizzard Beach, the closest Disney World Resort hotels are the All-Star Resorts — Consisting of All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies. Another nearby Resort hotel is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Art of Animation and Pop Century are only a short drive away as well.

If you are traveling to Typhoon Lagoon, the closest Disney World Resorts include Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

Tips For Planning Your Visit To a Disney World Water Park

If you are planning to visit Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, there are a few things you should keep in mind!

How Much Is a One-Day Disney Water Park Ticket?

Currently, a one-day ticket to Blizzard Beach costs $69 plus tax for ages 10+ and $63 plus tax for ages 3-9. If you are looking for a one-day ticket to Disney’s Blizzard Beach without blockout dates, those tickets will cost you $64 plus tax for ages 10+ and $58 plus tax for ages 3-9. For more information and to purchase tickets to Blizzard Beach, visit Disney World’s official website here.

As a reminder, at this time, due to the ongoing pandemic, Typhoon Lagoon remains closed. However, Inside the Magic will keep you updated as we get information.

Related: Guests Can Now Park Hop to Theme Park or Water Park

Additionally, Guests can purchase the Park Hopper Plus ticket option, which allows them to park hop from theme park to water park. Park Hopper Plus is officially described as:

…visit more than one park on the same day, plus enjoy a certain number of visits to a water park or other Walt Disney World fun. A 1-day ticket allows one visit, a 3-day ticket allows 3 visits and a 4-day ticket allows 4 visits. Guests must make a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass reservation system for the first park they plan to visit. After entering that first park, Guests will be able to visit the next park starting at 2 PM until each park’s regularly scheduled closure. The ability to visit a park is subject to the park’s capacity limitations. At this time a park reservation is not required after the first park, however, reservation requirements are subject to change.

For each visit, you can choose one of the following:

• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park (Currently Unavailable)
• NBA Experience (Currently Unavailable)
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Currently Unavailable)
• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course – FootGolf 
• Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course
• Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course (Currently Unavailable)

What Kind of Park Pass Do You Need To Go To the Water Parks in Walt Disney World?

In case you aren’t familiar, when Disney World reopened to Guests in July 2020, the Orlando resort implemented a new reservation system that requires those who wish to visit a Walt Disney World theme park — Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom — to have both a valid ticket and a reservation for the park they wish to visit on that day. The new reservation system is called the Disney Park Pass system.

Click here to read our Disney World crowd calendar.

However, Disney’s official website states that Disney Park Pass reservations will not be currently required for water park entry. Therefore, the only thing you need to enter a water park at Disney World is park admission.

What Can You Bring Into Disney Water Parks?

Disney World will let you bring in a variety of different items including sunscreen, goggles, and coolers! The official Walt Disney World website states:

If you plan to bring a cooler into the park, you will be asked to show the contents to a Cast Member who will inspect it for prohibited items. Loose or dry ice, glass and alcoholic beverages may not be brought into the water park. Reusable ice packs are an acceptable method for chilling items. View additional details about prohibited items and property rules.

In regard to the dress code, Disney World states:

Swim attire must be appropriate for a family environment.

Inappropriate swim attire, swim attire with buckles, rivets, zippers or exposed metal, and other sharp objects are not allowed on any of the attractions.

Jeans (denim) and wetsuits (neoprene) are not permitted on Slush Gusher and Summit Plummet at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

For safety, diaper-age children must wear plastic pants or swim diapers in pool areas.

Planning a Disney Vacation?

If you want to visit Walt Disney World on your next family vacation, but aren’t sure where to begin planning then don’t hesitate to contact our friends over at Academy Travel. They will be with you every step of the way! Get your free quote today.