Just Keep Swimmin

Hello everyone, get ready to get pumped in this week’s Disney Magic Monday entry!

For the past few weeks, I have discussed the mystical Walt Disney World theme park. I have touched upon helpful tips, renovations, and Fastpasses for those monstrous mobs of ride lines. Today, I will be talking about one topic that has not surfaced: The water parks.

Walt Disney World has two large water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Both of which you have to purchase a separate ticket for called Water Park, Fun, and More. This ticket costs $53.00 and will allow you to get into the water parks more than once. It’s basically a Park Hopper but for Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. They are not considered part of the Park Hopper option because that only covers theme parks, not water parks.

Blizzard Beach is the result of a freak snow storm being melted by the blazing Floridian sun and Typhoon Lagoon is a surfer’s paradise struck by a hurricane. Originally there was a third water park called River Country which was themed to look like an old swimming hole that Huckleberry Finn would visit.  It closed in 2002 and was rumored to re-open if there was enough public demand. However, the public did not respond to this condition which made River Country shut down permanently.   

River Country was not only the first water park at Disney World but it was often featured in old Disney programs like The Mickey Mouse Club and Camp Out at Walt Disney World. Personally I remember seeing it in the Camp Out at Walt Disney World   VHS which is probably in my attic right now. Back then I wanted to visit River Country in hopes of joining Goofy water skiing and slipping down the slides.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adVPIB5mKEQ

To this day, River Country is abandoned and lurking somewhere on Disney’s property. As for the other two water parks, they are up and running throughout the year except for the winter. These parks are mostly visited throughout the summer due to the intense Floridian weather.  However, despite these two water parks’ different themes, it is a matter of which one is worth the Water Park, Fun, and More ticket. Given the weather and time they are staying, most people tend to go to the theme parks, and one water park. Some go to both water parks if the heat is ungodly and if they have enough time.

Below are a few comparisons between Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon to help you decide which water park is better:

          1)      RIDES – both of these parks have tons of water slides, a children’s play area (with even more slides), a wave pool, and a lazy river. From how it appears, they are almost designed in the same fashion but given a different color scheme and name. To fit their melted ski resort theme, Blizzard Beach also has a chairlift which takes you above the bustling bikini and board short clad crowd. Its final destination is Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, and Teamboat Springs. Summit Plummet also happens to be the nation’s tallest water slide.

The Black Diamond Slope of Blizzard Beach.

At the highest point of Blizzard Beach, this wintry monster of a slide sends you down on your back at a 120 foot slope (12 stories). Shooting through a dark tunnel you feel the water on your back, only to emerge from the darkness and see your final speed as you come to a watery halt. The chairlift and Summit Plummet are not replicated at Typhoon Lagoon because it would clash with the surfer’s paradise theme. However, Typhoon Lagoon boasts the world’s largest outdoor wave pool.

          2)      FOOD – at some point during the day, one needs to get off the slides and satisfy the stomach. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach offer fast food like burgers, salads, hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza, fries, chicken tenders, and other quick meals. All of these snacks are cheap ($15 and under) and also include theme park specialties like Hurricane Rum Amber and Garbage Pail sundae at Typhoon Lagoon and the Blizzard Dog (or Tropic Dog) and unique doughnuts at Blizzard Beach. Both parks also serve alcohol and refillable souvenir cups in some eateries.  Some places in Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach accept the Disney Dining Plan. 

           3)      OTHER ACTIVITIES – Typhoon Lagoon offers other events that do not require a tube, patience, or your back. To accompany their surfer’s paradise theme, Typhoon Lagoon has a totally righteous event called Teenage Beach Movie: Beach Party. Throughout the day, remixes of classic music are blasted on the beach with tons of fun things to do like a radical dance contest, hula hooping, and more. But for those who find beach party activities boring, there are a few more daring events that can be done. Deep in Typhoon Lagoon, lies a coral reef infested with sharks ready to make your aquatic acquaintance.  For no extra cost and no certification, you can snorkel with nurse and bonnethead sharks along with stingrays and blue tangs.

Blue tangs just like Dory. That's right, you get to swim with Dory. Don't forget to swim, swim, swim.

       
Typhoon Lagoon also gives surfing lessons on select days before the water park opens. To take part in learning how to hang ten on the nose, you must make reservations before your trip because the lessons tend to fill up quickly. They only take twelve people per session.

Sadly, Blizzard Beach does not offer any other activities.

         4)      CROWDS  - Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach have their fair share of crowds, especially during the summer. Though I would have to say after twelve years of Disney water park experience (during my last year I did not go to either water park because of nonexistent rain), Typhoon Lagoon is the most popular. There’s something about the nautical surfer theme that the crowd can relate to. It reminds them of summer on the beach with sea salt in the wind or the Beach Boys’ hit, "Kokomo". 

Hotstays.com
Well at least you're six and a half hours from Kokomo, let alone Key Largo....

          5)      EXPLORATION  - Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach nearly have the same amount of things to do. While it takes more than one day to explore the theme parks, the water parks are different. You can usually see and do everything in one day, regardless of what water park you visit. The best times are to visit are when the park opens and when it’s almost time to close. Throughout the day. both water parks are immensely crowded. However, the first few days of the week are not that packed. Both parks also have extra magic hours so you can squeeze in a few more water slides before going to your next destination.

Between these two parks, Typhoon Lagoon is my all time favorite because it was the first water park I ever went to. However, as I grew older I began to favor Blizzard Beach due to its theme and their endless playlist of Christmas music. But after twelve years at these water parks, I would have to say Typhoon Lagoon is still my favorite for the narly nostalgia, the righteous theme, and their excellent relaxing area.

If you want to know any other Walt Disney World aspects or information on the other parks, feel free to comment. Also, don’t forget to follow my blog for more Disney Magic Mondays and Friday entries. Until then, stay cool.