Question about Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon

[angelat]

I posted this on another board too, but wanted to post here as well.

Ok, so while this is a little embarassing, I have to ask those of you who can actually answer the question...

I can't swim. (yes, I'm 34 and can't swim - I almost drowned at group swimming lessons in 3rd grade and never learned after that) With that said, my DH , DS and DD can all swim. I feel like I'm always holding them back from having fun as a family in the summer because of this.

My question is, I've heard Blizzard Beach is better then Typhoon Lagoon for kids. So, I'm assuming that it'll be better for me too! How deep are the pools at the bottom of the rides? Do you have to swim out of them, or can you just stand up?

Thanks everyone!

 

[hildarumpole]

Most of the rides end in about a 3-4 foot pool of water. I don't go on the giant fast slides, but I think they're deeper and you'd probably need to be a decent swimmer to go on them given the speed you hit the pool. The wave pool at BB is much nicer if you're a non-swimmer than TL. BB's wave pool is calmer and has inner tubes for floating.

 

[angelat]

Thank you!

Another question...do they have (or allow) any kind of life jackets on the rides? I know most places don't because of the false sense of security they give, but I thought it was worth asking.

 

[perpetualplanner]

Per the Disney Web Site:


Life Vests

* Guests may not bring their own flotation devices to Disney Water Parks.
* Life vests are provided free of charge; must leave driver's license or credit card as deposit.
* Life vests and water wallets are available a Snowless Joe's, turn right after entering the Park

So I would believe you can wear one of Disney's Life vests without a problem.

 

[Hannathy]

You won't have any problem on any slide. None of them empty into a deep pool. The highest, fastest slide actually has the shallowest pool.
I'm very short and had no problem coming off the slides and standing right up.
You can stand in the lazy river so you don't need to be able to swim.

Just don't go out past your knees in the wave pool and you will be able to do anything you want to at either park

 

[angelat]

Per the Disney Web Site:


Life Vests

* Guests may not bring their own flotation devices to Disney Water Parks.
* Life vests are provided free of charge; must leave driver's license or credit card as deposit.
* Life vests and water wallets are available a Snowless Joe's, turn right after entering the Park

So I would believe you can wear one of Disney's Life vests without a problem.

Thanks! I didn't even think to look at the web site.

 

[angelat]

You won't have any problem on any slide. None of them empty into a deep pool. The highest, fastest slide actually has the shallowest pool.
I'm very short and had no problem coming off the slides and standing right up.
You can stand in the lazy river so you don't need to be able to swim.

Just don't go out past your knees in the wave pool and you will be able to do anything you want to at either park

I knew that there would be people on this board willing to help me out with this...thanks SO much!!!

 

[Hannathy]

My DS was just barely a doggy paddler when we did the slides and he was only 48 inches w/shoes and he did all the slides but the huge tall fast one, wasn't tall enough. What you need to do and like we told him is if when you come off the slides/tubes is if you do go under stay calm and bounce up and if you aren't close enough to the edge just touch the bottom and bounce over to the edge. you won't have any problem because your head will be above the water (his was borderline) but it is the same idea for you to get to the steps to get out. just kind of bob over no need to actually swim.

 

[indimom]

I was looking into this not too long ago because DS is not a strong swimmer. I believe I read that there is a play area for tween aged kids at BB that is a deep pool. It has ropes and floating icebergs and a T-bar that you drop from. I think this area is deeper??? I forget what the area was called, sorry.
Can anyone confirm this???

 

[disneypolybride2008]

none of the kid areas are going to be deep enough to cause any problems, so i think he'll be fine.

Typhoon Lagoon has the big wave pool, but Blizzard Beach is calm.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

and even that wave pool isn't that bad I sat in the shallow end and watched the kids have fun.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

You won't have any problem on any slide. None of them empty into a deep pool. The highest, fastest slide actually has the shallowest pool.
I'm very short and had no problem coming off the slides and standing right up.
You can stand in the lazy river so you don't need to be able to swim.

Just don't go out past your knees in the wave pool and you will be able to do anything you want to at either park

^^^ This ^^^

The only area of concern for a non-swimming adult is the wave pool. We go with many friends who cannot swim and they have a blast, but they don't go in past waist deep in the wave pool at TL...

 

[Tiggs14]

Our son is 5 years old and 49" tall he isn't a strong swimmer at all...is he able to wear a lifejacket (provided by the park) down the slides? Are there lifeguards at the bottom of the slides to help with any issues people have getting up and out of the water at the end of the slide?

 

[indimom]

I found what I was referring to earlier. Here's the quote from wdwinfo on Blizzard Beach, talking about the Ski Patrol Training Camp area....

Just above the main pool area in Ski Patrol there is a T-Bar that zips children down into 8 ½ feet deep water, and a short, steep, enclosed slide that shares the same catch pool. T-Bar is only for children under 60”, but there is no height restriction for the adjacent slide. Lifeguard rescues happen here several times a day because children and parents have no clue the water is so deep.

I just wanted to make sure the OP was aware of this area of the water park as well. Hope this helps.

 

[MamaJessie]

I found what I was referring to earlier. Here's the quote from wdwinfo on Blizzard Beach, talking about the Ski Patrol Training Camp area....

Just above the main pool area in Ski Patrol there is a T-Bar that zips children down into 8 ½ feet deep water, and a short, steep, enclosed slide that shares the same catch pool. T-Bar is only for children under 60”, but there is no height restriction for the adjacent slide. Lifeguard rescues happen here several times a day because children and parents have no clue the water is so deep.

I just wanted to make sure the OP was aware of this area of the water park as well. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for this!! We'll be going to BB as TL will be refurbed when we go in December and DD and DS didn't try this last time, they chickened out at the last minute and both have been talking about it doing it this time. DD is a great swimmer but I am not so sure about DS. Thanks so much!

 

[angelat]

You guys are the greatest!This has helped to allay my fears quite a bit.
Thanks again!!

 

[NotUrsula]

I found what I was referring to earlier. Here's the quote from wdwinfo on Blizzard Beach, talking about the Ski Patrol Training Camp area....

Just above the main pool area in Ski Patrol there is a T-Bar that zips children down into 8 ½ feet deep water, and a short, steep, enclosed slide that shares the same catch pool. T-Bar is only for children under 60”, but there is no height restriction for the adjacent slide. Lifeguard rescues happen here several times a day because children and parents have no clue the water is so deep.

I just wanted to make sure the OP was aware of this area of the water park as well. Hope this helps.

DH struck up a conversation with one of the lifeguards in the ice floe area, and he said that the rescues in the T-bar pool were most often of adults, who freak when their kids don't pop up as quickly as they expect, and they jump in themselves without warning. Then another kid comes off the T-bar and lands on the foundering adults, causing more confusion.

The signage clearly states the depth of the water, but a lot of the kids running loose in that area are too young to read well. They DO allow kids to do the drop wearing a life jacket, though, and DS always did when he was younger.

 

[ptheiss]

I can attest to the t-bar dangers. I was a lifeguard for disney at blizzard beach for awhile and well everyone knows when you go to t-bar, atleast in the summer, your going in every 10 min.... literally. When you get there get a lifejacket at the locker rentals and ask any lifeguard or ride opeartor how deep the ending pool is. Most are 3-4 feet. Have fun and good luck