How much time do you spend at TL/BB?

[mindy lou]

We have never been to a full waterpark, Disney or otherwise, as a family. (DH used to go to TL when he was a kid, so 20+ years ago.) DH thinks we need to plan on the full day, open to close, at TL or BB. I am thinking it is more of a partial day thing, open to mid afternoon How long do you typically spend?

DS will be 10 and loves swimming, but isn't super adventurous or daring.

Thanks!

 

[siskaren]

4 hours is enough for me.

 

[Pkltm]

We do between 3 and 5 hours but we go a few times each trip.

 

[BigredNole]

4-5 hours is plenty for us. That puts us at mid-afternoon, back to the resort to enjoy it, cook dinner, and then to a park/DS for the evening

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We do half a day because the lines get really long by lunchtime and there is no FP+ to avoid the lines. We typically go to BB as soon as it opens, do all the big slides as many times as we can before the lines build, then do the wave pool and lazy river, lunch, shower/change, mini-golf at WinterSummerland, then back to the resort to regroup for an evening activity.

 

[Mainemama]

We just went for our first visit to BB. It was likely a low crowd day (December), but hot! It was a last minute decision on our "rest day," as we had a ticket included due to convention ticket. We arrived about 20 minutes past opening and left 5 hours later. It flew by, and if we didn't have a dinner ADR we wanted to change for, we would have stayed longer. Your 10 year old will love it! I am not what I would consider a fan of water parks, and I only did the raft rides, but even I never stopped to sit on chairs. In the water except for a quick lunch. I will say, next time, I plan to avoid having to eat a meal there, as it was meh. I will eat breakfast and dinner as larger meals, and we will just snack. I would plan a minimum of 4 hours.

 

[Klayfish]

We're frequent visitors to both of the water parks. We typically arrive at park open, which is 9am and stay until about 1 or 2pm. That's simply because we go so often and know we'll be back. If you like swimming, slides, etc... I could easily see staying for at least most of the day. Maybe not open to close, but certainly until 3 or 4pm. If you're not a water park fan, you'll be done earlier.

Yes, the big slides get crowded by late morning, and they have no FP+. But the strategy is to hit the big slides right at park open, then do the smaller slides and pools mid-day. The lines start to go down again towards park closing.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

There is plenty to keep an active, if not super-adventurous, 10 year old really busy in both water parks! We have approached the water parks several ways, through the years.

Long ago, when it was adults only, we used them as our afternoon break. We'd hit the theme parks at RD and head to a water park when we were getting tired, footsore, or too hot. We'd swim, do some slides, and snooze in the shade. We'd freshen up before closing, figure out where we were going to dine and enjoy evenings in the theme parks. I don't have that kind of stamina any more.

Now, travelling with grandchildren, TL and BB merit almost full days. Our DGSs, who will be 12 and 13 this fall, just love those days, and we pack a picnic lunch and arrive near opening. We supplement our picnic with a few snacks, Sandpail Sundaes and mini donuts have gained tradition status! We stay as long as everyone is happy, and spend the evenings exploring Downtown Disney, or enjoying our own offsite resort. The boys love the little private theatre, pool tables, ping pong etc. This gives us a nice change of pace and we try to alternate days.

Essentially, we do try to go with the flow. One hotter -than-you-know-what day at AK, we called it quits before noon when we realized that everyone would be much happier at TL. In less than an hour, we were enjoying the waves. We Being off site guests, we pack our van to cover any spontaneous plan changes, but we don't carry much into a park!

You really can't go wrong. You could easily spend a whole day in a water park, if you were all having fun. The atmosphere is different and you don't feel compelled to try every "attraction". Relax and enjoy your time, both parks are beautiful and fun.

I would suggest bringing comfy water shoes, though... the walkways get hot and hard on the feet!!! Also, I am sure you will hear/read warnings about the bottom of the TL wave pool. It can't be stressed enough... if you get knocked down and rub against it, it WILL be just like going over a cheese grater and people wind up with nasty abrasions there every day. The worst ones happen in very shallow water, where gravity is your enemy. We are very, very careful about being caught in the shallows when a big wave rolls in. The power of the water is amazing. Still, it is the best pool ever.

 

[mindy lou]

Thank you for all the great advice and opinions! Maybe we can compromise on late afternoon and then dinner at DS.

 

[Klayfish]

Also, I am sure you will hear/read warnings about the bottom of the TL wave pool. It can't be stressed enough... if you get knocked down and rub against it, it WILL be just like going over a cheese grater and people wind up with nasty abrasions there every day. The worst ones happen in very shallow water, where gravity is your enemy. We are very, very careful about being caught in the shallows when a big wave rolls in. The power of the water is amazing. Still, it is the best pool ever.

I can testify to this. Been scraped and bumped many times in TL wave pool. My kids think it's hysterical for us to go to where the water is about 3.5' deep without the waves, then when the wave comes I lift them up over my head so that the waves slams right into them. Of course, that leaves me arms up and defenseless to the wave. Got a nasty abrasion on my left knee last summer and still have a visible scar to this day.

 

[bweagle]

We try to get an early resort character breakfast on water park days and then still get there when it opens and stay until 4 or 5. We typically stay longer at BB than TL. We usually head to Disney Springs in the evening on those days.

 

[Octoberbaby]

We usually spend six or seven hours at the water parks. Normally, we won't even book an adr on our waterpark days, but if we do it is at 8:00 or so.

 

[Anal Annie]

Since we have the DVC Gold AP's without water parks and have to pay extra for the day we go at opening and stay all day. We only do 1 waterpark per visit and only on our summer trips. I would say we stay until close to 5:00 if we're not rained out. We stay to get our money's worth out of it while we're at it. It's a good day then to plan dinner at our resort or at DS.

 

[AllieBoo]

We typically do 4-5 hours, we've never done a full day.

 

[seelyt2]

Usually 9:30 to 4 or so. We've gotten a cabana so we can eat lunch in the shade when the lines are the longest and the heat is the worst, and again when the storms roll through. If we didn't have the cabana we probably wouldn't make it that long, though.

 

[BrianL]

About 4 hours I'd say, but getting there right at open. It is less crowded and you can get most of the slides done, then I just relax in the lazy river until I'm ready to go.

 

[brockash]

We have never been to a full waterpark, Disney or otherwise, as a family. (DH used to go to TL when he was a kid, so 20+ years ago.) DH thinks we need to plan on the full day, open to close, at TL or BB. I am thinking it is more of a partial day thing, open to mid afternoon How long do you typically spend?

DS will be 10 and loves swimming, but isn't super adventurous or daring.

Thanks!

We spend the whole day at whichever water park we're at, however a lot of that is just relaxing and taking it easy. We're pretty commando in the regular parks, so we all look forward to our water park days, because while we kinda commando the first half to get everything done...we really relax in the afternoon, which is nice. It would only take 1/2 day most likely if you were just interested in getting in, everything done, and out, but the full day can def. be spent there.

 

[kaybird]

It's our afternoon break. We go nearly every day, weather permitting, and stay 2-4 hours. One trip, I went over after the 5K, and just rode around the lazy river once! Very relaxing, and we love the slides!