Tell me why I'll love a Disney water park

[PolyAddict]

I am not a big fan of water parks but figure Disney must be nice?

I don't like losing park time but would consider it for Summer 05 trip for DD's 4, 12, 13.

What park is the best for those age groups?

TIA

Michele

 

[PolyAddict]

bump

 

[bethbuchall]

I love Typhoon Lagoon, because I feel like I'm on an entirely different vacation while I'm there. My 3 kids (ages 5, 11, and 13) could spend hours in the wave pool. That is so much fun. Then there is the lazy river that is so relaxing to float around. I practically fell asleep in my innertube. Also, we snorkeled with the sharks.

We had 7 day hoppers and 10 days at Disney World, so we were "forced" to take a couple of non-park days. I am so glad that we did! We went to Typhoon Lagoon twice. We originally planned to go to Blizzard Beach for the second water park day, but everyone loved Typhoon Lagoon so much that we changed plans.

Beth

 

[Kimberle]

OMGosh, you should really try one! We tried TL for the 1st time last year. We returned this year. For one thing, don't "feel" like you're "missing" out on a park. These truely are parks, just the kind you wear your swimming suit too. I would schedule a day in the middle of your trip. Your feet will welcome the break from walking.

We loved loved loved TL. The big wave pool is so cool. The lazy river is neat to relax. There is a pool where you can swim with the sharks (*lol* just tiny harmless ones). You get snorkeling gear. Plus many water slides. (I've never done them as I'm to afraid. )

I want to try BB next trip.

 

[PolyAddict]

Wow, 2 votes for TL and BB was voted 2nd best water park in
the country!!

Do you guys know the main differences between them?

Thanks so much.

Michele

 

[Sporty]

We love both parks - we go to at least one every trip. Blizzard Beach has better slides (especially the thrill type slides) while Typhoon Lagoon has a small snorkel area and a great wave pool (which might be a little intense for a 4 year old). Blizzard Beach has an area for very young children, a pre-teen area and areas for all and the wave pool is much calmer. Both have Lazy River rides and slides.

 

[CVW]

Been to both. TL has a better wavepool and the snorkeling, but
BB is definitely better, especially with a 12 and 13 year old. BB has better, more varied slides, the biggest lazy river I've ever seen, the biggest family slide in the world (six people in one raft) and more elaborate kids' areas. But you'll have a great time at either one.

I can recommend both parks over AK. AK is fine if you've never seen it before, but it hardly rates a second visit. Especially if it means giving up a water park.

We plan on going to BB instead of AK until Expedition Everest is done. Even then, we'll probably visit AK in our swimsuits and head over to BB afterwards.

I'm a huge roller coaster fan, but I'm getting to the point that I like a good water park better. The simplest equation for it is this: How many times did you smile in a given day? The theme parks, whether Magic Kingdom or Six Flags, are a few minutes of major thrills interrupted by long stretches of planning, walking, and standing in line. (All of which I love, by the way, but it's as much a quest for entertainment as it is entertainment.)

At a good waterpark you spend your time DOING, not planning and strategizing. Walk through a well-designed waterpark (which includes both BB and TL) and the smiling to standing-in-line ratio is much more favorable. Less walking around, thrilling slides, relaxing lazy rivers, and a great kids' area where we can get each other wet.

We left this park in a better mood than any of the main parks. And I would swear that, at any given moment, there are more people smiling at BB than at any of the four major parks

 

[popeyeohoh]

My family left BB with tired smiles after about 6 hours. It's the best with a hot day.

 

[Rongt101]

is it too cold for the water parks in February?

 

[4boys4me]

We just returned 10/6 after 8 days at WDW, and we loved BB so much we went back twice. We had intended to do Typhoon Lagoon but ran into a family that had tried both and liked BB much more. They said the shark swim was cool but very short with a really long wait. Our kids are 12, 10 & 6 and they all loved it! My 12 year old is pretty geeked that he did Summit's Plummet! We first tried it on a Saturday and the place was mobbed with teens. Went back during the week and it was much better, so I would try to avoid the weekends if possible.

Have fun!

 

[Rhongepooh]

Our last family trip to Disney we went to TL. I had always had the idea also of why go to the water parks when the parks of WDW are out there. We also have our own pool so I always said I didn't drive 12 or 13 hours to go to a pool. However when we went it was VERY, VERY disneylike. They put alot into the theme just like the parks. The best part to us was the snorkling pool. My DH and 2 DD and I LOVE fish and have always talked about snorkeling but I was kinda scared at how well my DD7 at the time could handle it. Come to find out the vest they have you put on helps you float in the water. It was an EXTREMELY magical moment for us. We went back and back to this because it was one of those things that the more you do it the more you get to see. We also enjoyed just riding the river that goes around the whole park. There are alot of rides too for familes or parent/child mats or floats.

 

[PolyAddict]

I guess I kind of look at it like this.

We belong to a country club down the block from us, the only person in the family that goes regularly is my 13 year old. Probably mostly to hang out.

I can honestly say I've probably only take my 4 year old less than 10 times this past summer.

However we have a water park about 1 hour from us and the girls seem to like it ok.

I don't want to spend the money if it's not going to be for us.

BTW we went to AK for the 1st time last thanksgiving and my 2 older girls DO NOT want to go back!! It was unbelievably crowded!! We did early entry and left at noon. The only things we did were the safari (boring) Bugs life (pretty good).

Thanks for the responses.

Michele