Stratagies for keeping warm at waterparks in winter

[Johnnie Fedora]

I have not been there in the winter months, but I'm not picturing the water being very warm. Is a wetsuit a good option? Any ideas/experiences for making the most out of the waterpark (without freezing your butt off) would be appreciated?

Thanks...Johnnie

 

[Golf4food]

As for this native Floridian, my advice would be: never get in the water once the temperature drops below 80 degrees!!!! Otherwise there is no way to avoid freezing my butt off. But I'm guessing a Chicagoan might be better suited to sub-80 degree temperatues.

Disney couldn't pay me enough to get in the water this time of year - cool air plus low humidity = insta-freeze upon leaving the water. No thanks. Wake me up when it is May again... then I'lll swim.

 

[CherCrazy]

Drats!! We're going in January and the kids are hoping for a day at BB. I guess that won't be happening.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

I'm OK with swimming especially if our room is close to the pool or if there is a hot tub available, but being at a water park for an extended time could be too chilly, even for someone from the northern states.

 

[S.Poppins]

Find a hot tub and stay there!

Seriously, last year we were there the week after Thanksgiving and decided to try Typhoon Lagoon on the one cold day - I think it was like 60ish! Good news, no crowds - as matter of fact it was about us and 10 other idiots. Bad news - very cold! And the water coaster thing - not heated (I was not told this until I hit the pool at the bottom and came up screaming, the lifeguards laughed and said, "Oh this one is not heated!" Maybe you could have mentioned this before I climbed all the stairs and went down! )
Nope, we won't do that again!

 

[seashoreCM]

Keeping warm at water parks in winter -- An incongruous oxymoronic idea.

You go to water parks in winter for the purpose of being showered with or being dunked into cold water and shivering when you get out.

They probably do it in many places but in Boston it is the "L" Street Bathhouse Club which has a short swim (everyone in regular swimsuits) in the ocean every winter. Since salt water has a lower freezing point, sometimes the water is well under 32 degrees F. when the event is held.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Cheshire Figment]

We keep the water in all the slides and pools around 80F (27C) except for Shark Reef which does not have filters, pumps or heaters. What you want is a day that will be bright and sunny and preferably not windy.

If you go on a day that is heavily overcast you will not be able to take advantage of any radient heating (from the sun) or on a windy day (especially with a dry wind from the North) you will gety hit by wind chill.

But a day with the highs in the mid-50s or above which is sunny and calm most people (at least from Northern climates) should be comfortable.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sit in a lounge chair in the sun with a blanket wrapped around yourself. That's what I did while my son and husband went swimming.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We're leaving in 10 days and wanted just one warm day to do the waterpark (I think it's TL open in December) -- plans are completely flexible around it!

We'll see!

 

[kaabost]

We keep the water in all the slides and pools around 80F (27C) except for Shark Reef which does not have filters, pumps or heaters. What you want is a day that will be bright and sunny and preferably not windy.

If you go on a day that is heavily overcast you will not be able to take advantage of any radient heating (from the sun) or on a windy day (especially with a dry wind from the North) you will gety hit by wind chill.

But a day with the highs in the mid-50s or above which is sunny and calm most people (at least from Northern climates) should be comfortable.

I can agree with this. I would say that you should try to go to a water park but have a pretty sturdy Plan B in place for that day as well. We went in January and were comfortable. However, if we had gone any other day of our trip, it would have been chilly (and I'm warm natured).

 

[jensen]

We are northerners and were in the world last January. Luckily, the weather was beautiful all week reaching 80 every day. On our last morning it rained, so we left the parks, but then the sun came back out and it was warm again, so we headed over to BB in the afternoon. The park was empty and we had a lot of fun. The water wasn't cold, at all and there was no breeze that I recall. I'd suggest you keep a loose schedule and try to throw in the waterpark on the first nice afternoon.