HELP!! Water Park Questions - Lap Riding, EM Hours, Crowded?

[DocSooner]

Hello All,

My wife and I will be visiting Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon for the first time ever this summer with my daughters - 4 year old (who loves to swim with a vest on) and my 2 year old (who is just getting used to pools)

As I have never been I have all sorts of questions:

What rides can two or more ride together on? I know the 2 family raft rides we can all do, and that there are some kiddee slides in those areas of the parks but can my 4 yo and I ride anything else together?

Will my 4 yo be able to ride any of the slides that don't show height restrictions? I was suprised how few actually did have restrictions??

How do the extra magic hours work at the water parks? It looks like morning hours are about every day, does that mean we get in just one hour early? Two of the evenings have extra magic at Typhoon Lagoon, is that an extra 3 hours??

We plan on going to each upon opening and I've heard that the parks often shut out new visitors by mid day in the summer (we're going early June) How long due wait lines get at busy times? Do the crowds thin out later in the day?

Are the refill cups you buy there only good for the day of purchase or can I take them back the next day if we go two days in a row? How much are they?

At typhoon lagoon are there any rafts you can body surf on in the wave pool, can you bring one/rent one? Is it so crowded in summer that you can't move in the wave pool?

Finally at typhoon lagoon there is a shallow "extension" of the wave pool around some small fake islands I've seen in some of the pictures. This area looks great for my girls, is this a sand bottom area (like stormalong bay) or are these all concrete?

I know this is a lot of questions but I just don't know much about these 2 parks. Thanks all - have a great day,

Doc

 

[DocSooner]

Just bumping - I know its a lot of questions -- SORRY!!

 

[joyeric]

Hi, we just decided to do typhoon lagoon too and I have some of the same questions.

 

[mmmears]

We just got back from our WDW visit -- so I'll try to answer your questions.

For little kids, the kiddie areas are great. The lazy river is a great "family" ride, since you can share a raft for 2 or hold on to your little ones.

If there are no height restrictions, then your 4 year old should be allowed to ride. We started small and built up to the bigger slides with our DD 9.

We got to each park before opening and it paid off -- no crowds for a couple of hours. Then the lines were LONG, but we were done with the slides and played in the wave pools. Get there early!!! We didn't stay until closing, so I dont know how it is in the last hour or so.

As for the mugs, if you buy one that day, you can use it that day. Any day after (at either park -- doesn't matter where you buy the mug) you purchase a bar-code sticker ($6 I believe) and stick it on your mug for that day. You scan the mug and then you can refill it all day.

No rafts are allowed in the big wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon, but they provide inner tubes for the one at Blizzard Beach. The shallow areas by the islands are concrete, but there is sand where all the beach chairs are and lots of little kids play there.

Hope this helps!

 

[Taratink]

We went to both parks this past March. My kids are 4 and 6. Blizzard beach is a lot better for kids in my opinion. The kiddie area is much bigger and there is a great intermediate section that your kids will love. There are rafts in the lazy river that are solid intertubes with no holes for your 2 yr. old. There are rides at BB that 2 people can go on. Typhoon Lagoon has a much larger and rougher wave pool. It made me nervous with my 4 year old. I did not notice any double tube rides at Typhoon Lagoon. BB is the way to go. You can get free vests to borrow in the gift shops. We have never been to the parks in the summer so I don't have any info. for you about that. Have fun!
Tara

 

[PrincessNED]

great info!!

 

[DocSooner]

Thanks all for the info. We are getting a 10 day pass and with the free upgrade we get 6 plus options. I don't think a 4 and 2 year old would get much out of wide world of sports or disney quest so we'll be hitting both water parks and maybe more than once. I'm really looking forward to the water parks!! Thanks again -

BTW - so the refill cup is only $6??

Thats a pretty good deal - is that soda only or do they have slushes like POP Century - love the Coke Slushes!!