While Disney World is well known for its four major theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios), the two water parks on property often remain unnoticed and overlooked, making them hidden gems in my eyes! :)
Seriously. Just imagine a water park near your home. Then imagine that same water park built using Disney's impeccable design. Our family has fallen in love with Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon, the two water parks in Orlando bearing Disney's name.
For the stage of life we're in right now, Typhoon Lagoon is our clear favorite. The area built for smaller children, Ketchakiddee Creek, is a huge hit with our youngest two, but we also love the fact that our four- and five-year-old can enjoy the majority of the water slides across the property as well.
The select few that they can't ride quite yet are made much more tolerable, however, by the fact that there is typically a pool or smaller water slide built in the immediate area of said attraction. For example, our older kiddos love riding the Crush n' Gusher slides inside the park. Even though our youngest aren't quite tall enough, the splash-down pool is literally attached to a zero-entry pool, meaning that while my husband rides the "water coaster" with our oldest, I can splash & play with the littles...and vice versa! It truly is the perfect set-up, and even with the focus on families, there are still plenty of thrill rides to entice & excite my nine- and eleven-year-olds.
My husband, who is slightly afraid of heights, loves the fact that the stairs leading up to most of the water slides are made out of concrete and securely built into the surrounding landscape--no freestanding towers of stairs to sway in the wind or make him nervous. :) We also appreciate that the walkways and paths are shaded and/or constantly sprayed with water--the soles of our feet are never burnt!
Most importantly, though, Typhoon Lagoon simply "feels" like Disney: the park is clean, the cast members are accommodating (no need to bring your own towels!), the food is good, and, like all great Disney attractions, the backstories to each slide and the theme to the park as a whole is amazing.
And did I mention the character meet & greets?!?!
Lilo and Stitch are available throughout the day for pictures, hugs, and autographs, and in all of the times we've visited Typhoon Lagoon, we've never waited more than 5-7 minutes to meet these highly sought-after favorites.
The water parks are a great way to add a day of fun to a vacation without breaking the bank, too. Water park admission is typically cheaper than theme park admission ($62/adult and $56/child, free for those under three), and can be purchased as a stand-alone ticket or added to the Park Hopper option as part of a package. Both water parks are open for a good portion of the year as well, typically closing from mid-January through mid-March for seasonal maintenance.
If you're looking for a great way to stay cool on your next Disney vacation, be sure to consider a visit to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. As always, please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help your family book & plan a fantastic trip; even if you're not quite sure where to start! I'd love to answer your questions and/or simply talk through the possibility of customizing some magic for your next vacation, all with no obligation! Contact me through email at heather@mmadventures.net or on Facebook at My Magical Mouse Adventures.
