Blizzard Beach vs Typhoon Lagoon

[Carriesouthard]

So my dd's want to visit a waterpark this august. I am not the biggest fan of them and have only been to BB many, many years ago when I was 18. I always find them way too crowded and chaotic. Anyway, thinking about biting the bullet and doing a half day or so at one or the other. Which would you choose for 3 girls ages 7, 8 and 9 and why? Will it be crazy crowded the week of august 20th?? Help, i need to know the ins and outs of doing a waterpark! All opinions are greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Happy99]

my kids weren't thrill seekers when we went to a water park years ago and they liked BB better because of the ski patrol area which had everything on a kids size. I don't see anything like that at TL other than the area for very little kids 0-3 year old age group but I may be missing it

It really depends on what your children will like both will have a wave pool, TL is more intense and results in a lot of scraped knees but great for others that love the intensity. both have a lazy river.

do a google search and read up on height restriction areas and what will work best for your family

 

[detarica]

I gotta tell you, when we bought our APs and I added the water park option, I did it entirely for the kids. I hate being in a bathing suit in public, I hate intense sun with no shade, and I had a 3 year old that I was afraid was not big enough for a lot of the slides.

Well, after 5 or 6 visits to the water parks over the course of the year, I love them. Both of them. BUT Blizzard Beach is my favorite. I love the slow pace of the layout (winding paths, Christmas music (tropical style), and lots to look at while walking (snow men!)), the shade that is designed into the park with natural trees and structures, and most of all, I love all the things that we can do as a family. BB has the most amazing family slide that up to 5 people can ride in. It is so much fun. We hang out in the lazy river, bob in the wave pool, and hit the ski patrol training area where the kids can do the slides by themselves. We finish the day off with funnel cakes and snow cones.

Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool is intense. There is no casual bobbing because the waves are big enough to surf on at certain times. But they have surf pools off to the side of the wave pool where smaller kids can play. The family slide at TL is shorter and holds less people at one time. There was also a longer line when I went (who knows if that is normal). The little kids (less than 3) area is bigger at TL, but my 3 year old is adventurous and wanted to be on the bigger slides with her older sister.

 

[kaybird]

Like detarica, we love them both, and while I agree the family ride at BB has it hands down, other than the Wave Pool at TL, we find TL the more relaxing. BB seems to have more "thrill" slides and rides, the ones at TL are slower, and more tubes. Also love swimming with the sharks.

Guess the thing at BB that drives me the craziest is the ice water falls in the Lazy River. Does NOT calm me down. But as they say, love them both and never miss either one!

 

[HopperFan]

Blizzard Beach:
Fun cartoon theme
Ski Patrol Area (when my kids that age we camped out in that area)
Family Raft Ride
Gentle but fun Wave Pool
Depending on their adventure level several slides they will enjoy

Typhoon Lagoon:
Slides are much tamer overall so they should be fine on most of them

 

[heidijanesmith]

So my dd's want to visit a waterpark this august. I am not the biggest fan of them and have only been to BB many, many years ago when I was 18. I always find them way too crowded and chaotic. Anyway, thinking about biting the bullet and doing a half day or so at one or the other. Which would you choose for 3 girls ages 7, 8 and 9 and why? Will it be crazy crowded the week of august 20th?? Help, i need to know the ins and outs of doing a waterpark! All opinions are greatly appreciated!!!

We LOVE TL, it's our kids favorite and has been since they were 8 and 12. TL has an amazing surf pool. We spend hours playing in the surf pool. TL has a salt-water snorkeling experience that we also really enjoy. There are plenty of thrill and moderate thrill rides at TL that keep us busy.

Aug will be HOT and the sun intense. We get to TL early and find a shady spot to call home for the day by the surf pool. You can rent chairs with umbrella's or a shaded patio at TL as well.

We went Aug 12th last year and found both waterparks very crowded as the day went on. Get there early and get a good spot. You can bring your own cooler with drinks and food. We usually stay until noon-1 and then go back to our hotel for a break and to get out of the heat/sun.

 

[mm1971]

We are heading to Blizzard Beach this year right around that time. While we like both, we really decide based on the wave pool. If you want the giant waves and more intense pool then it's TL. The kids voted for the better slides and theming with the normal (but fun) wave pool.

TL has the swim with sharks as well.

 

[Suellen]

Given the ages of your kids I say.... BB. The Ski Patrol area will keep them all pretty busy.

As a matter of fact... I think I will pack my kids up now and head over there.

 

[Suellen]

Oh and the local kids will be back in school already... so it will be a little less busy.

 

[musicluvr40]

We just got home this morning after being at Disney for ten days. We did both waterparks for the first time. I have two girls - DD10 and DD14. We loved Blizzard Beach - the family ride was amazing, you can use tubes in the wave pool, lots of fun slides. We liked Typhoon Lagoon, but the intensity of the wave pool was too much for all of us. My 10 year old was holding on to my husband when the waves would start. The family ride was OK at TL, the girls said that the Crush N Gusher was the best part of TL.

Also - just a hint - do not sit down on the surface of either wave pool no matter which park you are at. I ruined my suit as did my daughter. The surface is rough - probably for no slipping - which is great for safety but not for a bathing suit!

No matter which one you choose you will find it enjoyable. We got there at park opening for each one and had no problem getting chairs, and the longest line was Summit Plummit at BB for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

[jlatina32]

So my dd's want to visit a waterpark this august. I am not the biggest fan of them and have only been to BB many, many years ago when I was 18. I always find them way too crowded and chaotic. Anyway, thinking about biting the bullet and doing a half day or so at one or the other. Which would you choose for 3 girls ages 7, 8 and 9 and why? Will it be crazy crowded the week of august 20th?? Help, i need to know the ins and outs of doing a waterpark! All opinions are greatly appreciated!!!

We have been to the world a few times but this will be our first time at the waterparks. Its great to come across this useful information. We will be there the week of the 20th too.

 

[KELLY]

We will be at the WP 4 days this trip and will do both twice. But I pefer TL for crush n gusher.

 

[Carriesouthard]

LOVE all the replies!! Thank you all so much! Leaning towards BB at the moment, I just think the theming is so cool

 

[KTMEMOMMY]

We did TL last year and BB this year. My DDs are 8 and 10. They LOVED the tween section at BB and I think that that pushes it ahead into their favorite, though the shark/ snorkeling made a huge impression. They both loved the big body slides at both parks but we felt there was more that we did as a family at TL. I prefer the theming at TL, personally.

All this said, in general I loathe the whole water park concept, which is why we never went until my husband really pushed for it last year. But as I learned, Disney water parks are not like any other, in the same way that you can't consider Magic Kingdom or another park just an "amusement park"...