What can a toddler do at Blizzard Beach without a life jacket?

[DisneyRegulars]

I'm contemplating going to a water park, but my 2.5 year old son has issues with coats, hats, and shoes so I know he will never tolerate wearing a life vest. What would he be able to do at Blizzard Beach without a life vest? He can't swim. Would he even be able to go down the kiddie slides or do those land in a pool of water?

Do you think the cast members would let me attempt to get him to wear a life vest before paying for one? I'm nearly 100% certain it will not fly, but I'd still like to try.

Anyone have any thoughts? Should we just wait until he's older. We'll be back often. I've just been having water slide withdrawal since being pregnant so I'm itching to go.

 

[sturowski]

My son was the the same way the first time we brought him( he was 2.5 also). He would not wear the life jacket. they have a great toddler/kids areas that has mini slides just for their age.We stayed all day and he did not want to leave! He also went down one of the family raft rides with us.. Other family members and I just alternated going on the larger slides while the little one stayed at the kids area... We have gone the past few years also and have had a great time

 

[DisneyRegulars]

My son was the the same way the first time we brought him( he was 2.5 also). He would not wear the life jacket. they have a great toddler/kids areas that has mini slides just for their age.We stayed all day and he did not want to leave! He also went down one of the family raft rides with us.. Other family members and I just alternated going on the larger slides while the little one stayed at the kids area... We have gone the past few years also and have had a great time

Thanks! Good to know that he could play in the toddler area without a life jacket. My son loves water so he'd probably have a blast too.

 

[jcemom]

The Blizzard Beach toddler area is terrific! My DD always loved it. She could easily spend 5 hours there. The slides do end in water, but it's shallow. The slide where they are sitting in a tube always has a CM at the bottom to catch them and make sure they get out to the side. The larger pool area at the bottom of the area is quite shallow. DD never had a problem negotiating it on her own. There is a set of very small slides up at the top, like a play structure with a few kiddie-playground sized slides coming off it, that all empty into the same small pool. You can stand right there with your little one.

 

[Bonniec]

The toddler area is really cute and no lifejacket needed. They even have some cute little slides.

The family raft (not sure if it has a height requirement but I've seen some tiny kiddos on there).

And the lazy river. You can put your child on a raft and either hold onto it while you ride, or hold it while you walk in the water.

 

[dsneprincess]

No child is required to wear a lifejacket at Blizzard Beach. (or Typhoon Lagoon). Obviously, there is a lot they can't do, but you CAN take them in the Lazy River, Wave pool, kiddie area for slides &tube rides, down the family raft, and in the pool at the teen area. We have NEVER used a lifejacket at either Disney waterpark, just watch our children & use good judgement for their safety, abilities & fears. I know some places require the life jackets, Disney doesn't. Hopefully, someone won't come along and wreck that for us. BTW, when we were at watermarks in August, lifejackets were hanging on a self service rack outside changing rooms, so you could definitely care one with you & try on him prior to carrying around all day. Enjoy, my little guy 2 had a blast at both waterparks!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Here are a few pictures of the features at TL:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And BB:

the very-small-child slide structure at the top/back of Tike's Peak:

There's a great write-up with pictures of BB on allears. There's a section with more pictures of Tike's Peak. Unfortunately, I can't find a similar blog about TL which I think has the better kiddie area for toddlers/babies.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Thanks for the pictures and all the info! I'm really leaning towards going now. Especially since it will still be quite hot in September. I didn't realize we would be able to do the family raft ride, that will be so much fun.

 

[Bonniec]

Thanks for the pictures and all the info! I'm really leaning towards going now. Especially since it will still be quite hot in September. I didn't realize we would be able to do the family raft ride, that will be so much fun.

I love the family ride, it's awesome!

here's a video of my pasty white kid on the slides in the toddler area so you can see what they are like.

video



And if those are even too deep, there is a little area behind both of those slides for babies.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Hi - Just wanted to throw out the fact that the life vests are actually free. (You just leave a driver's lisence or credit card while you have it.) So, if you do decide to try a life jacket and it doesn't work, you won't be out any money.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Hi - Just wanted to throw out the fact that the life vests are actually free. (You just leave a driver's lisence or credit card while you have it.) So, if you do decide to try a life jacket and it doesn't work, you won't be out any money.

Thanks! That's great news.

 

[justhat]

We did BB and TL when we were in WDW this past July. My daughter was almost 2.5yo at the time and did not wear a life jacket. She can swim well (survival swim, so I have little fear of her in water), but she wouldn't have needed to. She LOVED the family raft rides and the toddler areas in both parks. Also loved the wave pools. The water parks were the highlights of the trip for all 3 of my kids so definitely go!

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We did BB and TL when we were in WDW this past July. My daughter was almost 2.5yo at the time and did not wear a life jacket. She can swim well (survival swim, so I have little fear of her in water), but she wouldn't have needed to. She LOVED the family raft rides and the toddler areas in both parks. Also loved the wave pools. The water parks were the highlights of the trip for all 3 of my kids so definitely go!

Ok I'm sold! Well check it out and report back. So excited to do something new!

 

[justhat]

Ok I'm sold! Well check it out and report back. So excited to do something new!

They were new for us too, and we decided to make them a staple in the future. We preferred BB cause the rides were generally longer and waits were shorter overall, but both were fun.

 

[MScott1851]

We were there today, and life jackets were free...just all hanging on a rack between the lockers & the changing rooms, no CM there, just take one if you need it, they told me when I asked at time of locker rental. We put it on our just turned 3 year old, but she didn't need it at all while in the kiddie area at BB. She rode all the body slides & tube slides there with no issue, they dump out into about 5-6inches of water. She wore it on Teamboat Springs with us, but didn't need it, really. She wore it while she was in her own tube in Castaway Creek, but DH walked beside her the whole time and when she ended up getting in the tube with me, she took it off. We went to the Ski patrol training area and she wore it on some of the tube slides there, but again, no need. Lifeguards everywhere, DH at one end of slide and me at the other, it was really not an issue like I thought it would be.

 

[DISNEYWITHCHILDREN]

The kids area, family ride and lazy river are all great. I have been taking my daughter since she was 2.5. Do note-to get to the family ride you can walk up a long staircase or take a chairlift. to ride the chairlift the child must be 32 inches or taller. My dd is very petite-at 4.5 she barely makes 40 inches, but she was able to ride the chairlift at 2.5. Did want to point that out. It's a great place-really love it.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

The kids area, family ride and lazy river are all great. I have been taking my daughter since she was 2.5. Do note-to get to the family ride you can walk up a long staircase or take a chairlift. to ride the chairlift the child must be 32 inches or taller. My dd is very petite-at 4.5 she barely makes 40 inches, but she was able to ride the chairlift at 2.5. Did want to point that out. It's a great place-really love it.

Good tip about the chair lift! I think my son will love that.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We were there today, and life jackets were free...just all hanging on a rack between the lockers & the changing rooms, no CM there, just take one if you need it, they told me when I asked at time of locker rental. We put it on our just turned 3 year old, but she didn't need it at all while in the kiddie area at BB. She rode all the body slides & tube slides there with no issue, they dump out into about 5-6inches of water. She wore it on Teamboat Springs with us, but didn't need it, really. She wore it while she was in her own tube in Castaway Creek, but DH walked beside her the whole time and when she ended up getting in the tube with me, she took it off. We went to the Ski patrol training area and she wore it on some of the tube slides there, but again, no need. Lifeguards everywhere, DH at one end of slide and me at the other, it was really not an issue like I thought it would be.

Thanks for the input. But the real question is...did you guys have a good time?

 

[MScott1851]

Yes! Until it was time to go, and I had to forcibly carry a 38-inch, 32 pound kicking, screaming Tasmanian devil out of there. So if you heard or saw that, it was us.

We ended up changing an ADR and commando touring today to clear Thursdays schedule so we can go back then!

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

My lil man dosen't like lifejackets either,

he says they "bend him" meaning he can't bend in them.

Have you seen the Puddle Jumpers ? It's a certified lifejacket, but it's just the band around the chest with attached arms that actually move

Both of my boys lloovveeeeeeeee theirs. I actually wish they made them with longer back straps so my older lil man could still wear his.

Do you think he'd be willing to even try one on ?

Either way, have fun and have a great trip