Disney water park advice

[Cyrano]

On our first visit to WDW we only visited one water park (Typoon Lagoon) on one day, near the end of the holiday as DW is not a water lover.
Anyway the entire family had a great time. Whether it was Lazy River or Crush n Gusher it hit all the buttons.
We arrived for opening and stayed until 3.00pm.

How do you do the water parks - mornings, afternoons, evenings?
How many times do you go on a trip ? We are going for 3 weeks again
Do you visit both Blizzard Beach and Typoon Lagoon, or stick to a favourite?

 

[wayneg]

We used to spend full days in water parks but not for last 3 years.
For 2 years we bought AP's which did not include them so had to pay, just went in TL once in the 2 years.
This year we had a 21 day ultimate so could go in as much as we wanted, just went in for a dip in the wave pool and 1 round of the lazy river, 3 hours max.
My problem is with water parks they are too hot in August too cold at Easter and Xmas.
We used to do both but tend to stick with TL now. Prefer wave pool in there.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Very difficult for me to explain but Joshua loves water, but prefers the privacy of a private villa pool to the water parks.
Don't know what it is but his mood over the years has been very unpredictable at Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. As a consequence we still have a couple of days left on tickets that are several years old.

May be in the minority also, but I don't actually think the Disney one's are that good for kids, though naturally we are talking about Josh who has special needs so the rules are kind of different.

Aquatica seems to have a lot going for it.

Have always gone in the morning and avoided weekends and generally no more than 1 visit over the whole holiday.

 

[scottish mum]

we tend to go for opening and stay till mid afternoon. We usually do both disney waterparks and then if we have a free afternoon at the end of the holiday the kids choose and we go back to our favourite.

last year our favourite was blizzard beach, but it has been known to change each holiday

 

[VailaTigger]

... too cold at Easter and Xmas.

Anyone else think it's too cold at Easter? I'd planned on at least one visit each to TL and BB...

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Anyone else think it's too cold at Easter? I'd planned on at least one visit each to TL and BB...

Depends. We went this Easter in April and the weather was glorious, perfect in fact. Lovely bright sunshine, temperatures in the low 80s with the occasional breeze.
It all comes down to when Easter falls, in March 2005 it was very unpredictable and often quite cold, especially in the mornings.

April would be perfect in my opinion and fine for water parks.

 

[wayneg]

As Johnny says it depends when it falls and if any cold fronts are passing.
Last 2 Easters (07 & 08) we have had mixed weather, approx 7 good days and 7 cold each trip. Chances are in a 2 week hol you will get enough time. If we had wanted to we could have gone in both Easters but water parks have lost there appeal to me over past few years.

 

[WiganTony]

Depends. We went this Easter in April and the weather was glorious, perfect in fact. Lovely bright sunshine, temperatures in the low 80s with the occasional breeze.
It all comes down to when Easter falls, in March 2005 it was very unpredictable and often quite cold, especially in the mornings.

April would be perfect in my opinion and fine for water parks.

We also visited over Easter, and did get lucky with all three days we visited - decent warm weather and not too crowded. That said, we had several consecutive days of overcast, cold weather (the week before Easter) and one day of torrential rain (when we were at EPCOT and DHS) after Easter, so I guess you may have to be prepared to change plans at short notice.

We visited TL for 2 afternoons the week before Easter, and one morning the week after. All three days were combined with some other activity (Universal Studios and Shopping in the 2 mornings and a trip over to Clearwater on the third day) to make the most of our 2 weeks.

 

[tinks_1989]

I think its down to the family when is best for you

personally I cant spend more the 3 hours max at a water park last time we went lazy river was so over grown its was cold in August because it was just shade too many people shoving

I think with the amazing pools hotels (especially disney) I would rather go there

 

[Janine1983]

We're going next week for 3 weeks!!!!!!!!!!

And ive allocated a day each for TL, BB and Aquatica (never been to Aquatica before) We generally get there for opening and leave early afternoon. Depends how were feeling. We tend to use the water park days as rest days to recharge your batts for the theme parks! xx hth xx

 

[Cyrano]

Thanks guys. I think we will probably plan three days at the water parks. One day, each week and then see if the troops want to visit the water park on one of the empty days.

We have been debating about doing a water park on the last day.

Doesn't sound like anyone favours going late in the afternoon or evening to the water parks

 

[The Disney Dad]

On our first visit to WDW we only visited one water park (Typoon Lagoon) on one day, near the end of the holiday as DW is not a water lover.
Anyway the entire family had a great time. Whether it was Lazy River or Crush n Gusher it hit all the buttons.
We arrived for opening and stayed until 3.00pm.

How do you do the water parks - mornings, afternoons, evenings?
How many times do you go on a trip ? We are going for 3 weeks again
Do you visit both Blizzard Beach and Typoon Lagoon, or stick to a favourite?

Mornings are definitely the best time to do the water parks ... unless you enjoy standing in long lines in the hot Florida sun. How many times you visit is definitely up to you, but I would try to spend at least part of a day at each water park. If you've never visited Blizzard Beach, you need to try it. We like Typhoon Lagoon best and try to spend at least most of one day at that water park.

 

[wayneg]

Doesn't sound like anyone favours going late in the afternoon or evening to the water parks

I think that will depend on how you enjoy doing your holidays, for us evenings are for a table service meal so if in a water park or any park we get in for opening then like to leave mid afternoon, go back to hotel for a rest before getting ready for our meal. I am sure others would prefer to get up later and go in parks afternoon to evening.

 

[bigbear]

We did TL and BB in August. We arrived between 2pm and 3pm and stayed until closing. As has been said in previous posts, lots of people leave at around 3 to get ready for a evening meal. Because we used the water park days as rest days this worked really well. On our other park days we always did rope drop so it was great to have a lie in then head for the water park. We, too, enjoy our evening meals but had nice lunches on the water park days instead

 

[igk]

I'm another afternoon fan. We tend to be up early to get to one of the 4 main parks in good time, then leave early afternoon, get back, change and head off to the waterpark for 2:30-3:00 ish. 2 or 3 hours is enough for us. I haven't done this in high summer though. My recent trips have been Easter or Oct/Nov, and the afternoons are warmer so that is an advantage.
We tend to eat about 8pm so there's plenty of time to get ready after the waterpark closing time.

 

[T16GEM]

We always go in Dec / January and this year we went for 2 weeks, the weather was really glorious so we ended up using 4 days at Blizzard Beach - or Lizard Beach as DD3 calls it!

We would have breakfast and then get there at about 10.30 and usually stay until about 4 ish, or whenever the sun started to go off. The kids love to float round the lazy river and go up and down the kiddies slides. We found the wave pool to be too strong for them though, I struggled to stand up in waist depth with the waves on so didn't let the little ones venture into that.

I think that you can get some great days at Easter and Christmas time, we don't tend to plan that much what we are doing each day as we tend to go with the flow, so if it's a hot day we just do a water park and if not go to another park.

 

[madmumof2]

We went to TL today from about 11-3. It was hot in the morning then cooled down a lot, but that was due to a storm (first one of our trip so good going!). I wouldn't go to BB until the kids are older. There's not enough for the kids to do there IMO.

I was always planning on going to TL late morning rather than opening, and didn't plan to stay all day either. We may go back again next week but I'm not sure.

 

[disneyholic family]

On our first visit to WDW we only visited one water park (Typoon Lagoon) on one day, near the end of the holiday as DW is not a water lover.
Anyway the entire family had a great time. Whether it was Lazy River or Crush n Gusher it hit all the buttons.
We arrived for opening and stayed until 3.00pm.

How do you do the water parks - mornings, afternoons, evenings?
How many times do you go on a trip ? We are going for 3 weeks again
Do you visit both Blizzard Beach and Typoon Lagoon, or stick to a favourite?

we go to both BB and TL every trip.

We go to BB usually only once a trip and to TL multiple times - maybe 5 or 6 times.

BB we always go to first thing in the morning, arriving before rope drop.
At rope drop, we race to the back of the park where we ride the double dipper about 3 times, then head on to the other tube slide - forgot the name - the one that has 3 choices. we'll go on that one about 5 times (as many times as we can run the stairs without dropping dead from a heart attack).
Next comes the toboggan run - usually only once.
Then on to teamboat springs, for two rides.

After that is the lazy river for about 3 circuits around.

By this point, it's about 11:30 AM. We get out of the water, dry off, have snocones (mmmm) and then out of the park by noon.

We do TL differently. There we're only interested in crush and gusher and the lazy river.

So we usually get into TL about 2 hours before closing.
We do about an hour on crush and gusher - how ever many times down that means (usually there's no line at that hour).
Then on to the lazy river.
Then an ice cream cone at whatever that place is called (i'll look it up).

By that point, it's closing time and we're out of the park.

Occasionally, we'll also do the wave pool at TL, swimming deep in to where the source of the wave is, so we can really ride the wave.

We'll do TL multiple times. We have APs so it doesnt matter how little time we spend - it's not as if we 'paid' for the entrance.

Keep in mind that we're from a very hot climate with lots and lots of sun. The last thing in the world we're interested in doing is lying in the sun. We're there for the slides/rivers/waves - and that's it.

by the way, my kids have also taken the surfing course at TL twice and LOVED it!!

 

[Cyrano]

we go to both BB and TL every trip.

We go to BB usually only once a trip and to TL multiple times - maybe 5 or 6 times.

BB we always go to first thing in the morning, arriving before rope drop.
At rope drop, we race to the back of the park where we ride the double dipper about 3 times, then head on to the other tube slide - forgot the name - the one that has 3 choices. we'll go on that one about 5 times (as many times as we can run the stairs without dropping dead from a heart attack).
Next comes the toboggan run - usually only once.
Then on to teamboat springs, for two rides.

After that is the lazy river for about 3 circuits around.

By this point, it's about 11:30 AM. We get out of the water, dry off, have snocones (mmmm) and then out of the park by noon.

We do TL differently. There we're only interested in crush and gusher and the lazy river.

So we usually get into TL about 2 hours before closing.
We do about an hour on crush and gusher - how ever many times down that means (usually there's no line at that hour).
Then on to the lazy river.
Then an ice cream cone at whatever that place is called (i'll look it up).

By that point, it's closing time and we're out of the park.

Occasionally, we'll also do the wave pool at TL, swimming deep in to where the source of the wave is, so we can really ride the wave.

We'll do TL multiple times. We have APs so it doesnt matter how little time we spend - it's not as if we 'paid' for the entrance.

Keep in mind that we're from a very hot climate with lots and lots of sun. The last thing in the world we're interested in doing is lying in the sun. We're there for the slides/rivers/waves - and that's it.

by the way, my kids have also taken the surfing course at TL twice and LOVED it!!

Thank you, this is really helpful.

Based on other posts I can see that there is a bit of pressure to make sure BB features in the plans