Water Park experts....need your help

[monica9]

When we go back to Disney we will have an 11year old and a 2 1/2 year old. Both love the water. Older DD loves the slides but also loves watching our little one enjoy herself in the water. I read Blizzard Beach is better for toddlers. I also read though that the kids area at blizzard beach is only for kids under 48 inches and even adults can't be in there? So I wouldn't be able to be with my little one even though she can't swim and DD11 won't be able to play around with her? Also read its off to the side away from the other areas so will be hard with both kids.

If anyone has advice, suggestions, pictures, etc. please share!!
We are assuming both will be open in September when we go.
Thank you!

 

[DLgal]

No, you are mistaken. The kiddie area says "anyone over 48" must be accompanied by a child under 48"

However, the slides and attractions within the kiddie area are strictly for kids under 48." Parents and siblings are permitted to accompany little ones, but not actually go down the slides and stuff. Don't worry, there are plenty of cast members on hand to assist the kids on the slides and you can wait at the bottom. There isn't any actual pools in the kiddie area. Just splash areas and slides.

Blizzard Beach also has a great "tweens" area with specific attractions designed for kids up to 60." Stuff like a T bar zipline, some tube and body slides, a plunge slide, and a floating iceberg challenge. This area does have an actual pool, but adults can be In there and they offer free lifevests for the 2 year old.

 

[DCLPrincess]

We didn't do Tikes Peak but did do Ski Patrol Training Camp with my 5 yr old nephew. He really enjoyed it and us adults were allowed to do the slides. It all depends on your little ones comfort level with the water. At 2 1/2 my nephew was doing water slides.

 

[monica9]

No, you are mistaken. The kiddie area says "anyone over 48" must be accompanied by a child under 48"

However, the slides and attractions within the kiddie area are strictly for kids under 48." Parents and siblings are permitted to accompany little ones, but not actually go down the slides and stuff. Don't worry, there are plenty of cast members on hand to assist the kids on the slides and you can wait at the bottom. There isn't any actual pools in the kiddie area. Just splash areas and slides.

Blizzard Beach also has a great "tweens" area with specific attractions designed for kids up to 60." Stuff like a T bar zipline, some tube and body slides, a plunge slide, and a floating iceberg challenge. This area does have an actual pool, but adults can be In there and they offer free lifevests for the 2 year old.

Have you been to typhoon lagoon? How do the two compare? Would you suggest blizzard beach instead? I’m assuming they both have a lazy river as well?
Thanks for the help

 

[monica9]

We didn't do Tikes Peak but did do Ski Patrol Training Camp with my 5 yr old nephew. He really enjoyed it and us adults were allowed to do the slides. It all depends on your little ones comfort level with the water. At 2 1/2 my nephew was doing water slides.

Oh good to know about your 2 1/2 year old nephew. Can he swim on his own? Is t something you need to be able to swim or is it only inches of water on the bottom?

 

[DLgal]

Both water parks are great but Blizzard Beach has the better kids areas, definitely. The Tween area is the Ski Patrol Training Camp a previous poster mentioned. And yes, adults can do the slides there, and you can hold onto your 2.5 year old in the pool. They will not allow your 2 year old to sit on your lap or anything on the slides, but most slides are okay for a toddler in this area as long as they are fairly bold and willing to do them. If your 2 year old is the scared, clingy type, stick to the Tikes Peak toddler area and the lazy river.

Go to You Tube and search " Blizzard Beach Ski Patrol Training Camp" and "Blizzard Beach Tikes Peak" and you will get a good idea of what it is.

 

[monica9]

Both water parks are great but Blizzard Beach has the better kids areas, definitely. The Tween area is the Ski Patrol Training Camp a previous poster mentioned. And yes, adults can do the slides there, and you can hold onto your 2.5 year old in the pool. They will not allow your 2 year old to sit on your lap or anything on the slides, but most slides are okay for a toddler in this area as long as they are fairly bold and willing to do them. If your 2 year old is the scared, clingy type, stick to the Tikes Peak toddler area and the lazy river.

Go to You Tube and search " Blizzard Beach Ski Patrol Training Camp" and "Blizzard Beach Tikes Peak" and you will get a good idea of what it is.

Thank you!!

 

[DLgal]

Have you been to typhoon lagoon? How do the two compare? Would you suggest blizzard beach instead? I’m assuming they both have a lazy river as well?
Thanks for the help

I like them both, but my boys are older now (12 and 14). When they were little, we preferred Blizzard Beach. Now that they are older, we like Typhoon better, but that's because they like the body slides there as well as the water coaster and new family raft ride. If you can only do one, do Blizzard Beach. Arguably, it has the better wave pool for younger kids, as it's gentle bobbing waves. Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool is basically off limits for a 2 year old. It is INTENSE. But, Typhoon has the better lazy river, in my opinion. So they are both great overall, but BB gets extra points when it comes to little ones.

 

[DCLPrincess]

Oh good to know about your 2 1/2 year old nephew. Can he swim on his own? Is t something you need to be able to swim or is it only inches of water on the bottom?

At 5 he could swim great. At 2 1/2 he could swim but used a bubble. He wore that at the water park and pool for safety. Plus adults always with him of course.

 

[Klayfish]

Have you been to typhoon lagoon? How do the two compare? Would you suggest blizzard beach instead? I’m assuming they both have a lazy river as well?
Thanks for the help

We're huge water park fans, love them both. They are both great water parks for kids. As previously noted, BB has Tykes Peak, which will be great for your 2.5 year old. It also has Ski Patrol, which the 2.5 year old could also do some of. Your 11 year old is borderline too old for Ski Patrol. In Ski Patrol, even parents can go down the little slides...they do it all the time. But you can't do the zip line (your 2.5 year old obviously is too young, but the 11 year old isn't), or the iceberg crossing with them.

However, I wouldn't rule out TL. It has dedicated kid areas as well, just not quite as "organized" as BB. It also has two family tube slides, where BB only has one. TL has Crush n Gusher, which your 11 year old would probably like. It also has a phenomenal wave pool. The waves are HUGE, but since it's a zero entry pool, you can easily bring your 2.5 year old in too.

Both parks have a lazy river, which is a lot of fun.

You won't go wrong either way.

 

[markb681]

I always liked Ketchakiddee Creek at TL....well because I like saying Ketchakiddee Creek!

 

[monica9]

I like them both, but my boys are older now (12 and 14). When they were little, we preferred Blizzard Beach. Now that they are older, we like Typhoon better, but that's because they like the body slides there as well as the water coaster and new family raft ride. If you can only do one, do Blizzard Beach. Arguably, it has the better wave pool for younger kids, as it's gentle bobbing waves. Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool is basically off limits for a 2 year old. It is INTENSE. But, Typhoon has the better lazy river, in my opinion. So they are both great overall, but BB gets extra points when it comes to little ones.

Yes I remember being in the typhoon lagoon wave pool for hours as a tween and being exhausted the next day. Lol. Intense

 

[monica9]

We're huge water park fans, love them both. They are both great water parks for kids. As previously noted, BB has Tykes Peak, which will be great for your 2.5 year old. It also has Ski Patrol, which the 2.5 year old could also do some of. Your 11 year old is borderline too old for Ski Patrol. In Ski Patrol, even parents can go down the little slides...they do it all the time. But you can't do the zip line (your 2.5 year old obviously is too young, but the 11 year old isn't), or the iceberg crossing with them.

However, I wouldn't rule out TL. It has dedicated kid areas as well, just not quite as "organized" as BB. It also has two family tube slides, where BB only has one. TL has Crush n Gusher, which your 11 year old would probably like. It also has a phenomenal wave pool. The waves are HUGE, but since it's a zero entry pool, you can easily bring your 2.5 year old in too.

Both parks have a lazy river, which is a lot of fun.

You won't go wrong either way.

I’m thinking of getting the park hopper plus water park fun instead of paying fully price for one day since we were going to get the park hopper anyway. If I get that then I’ll be able to go to both. Since you seem knowledgable about the water parks, do you think both will be open in September? We usually go later in the fall and one is always closed for refurb

 

[DCLPrincess]

Yes they are both open in September.