Water Park Free Admission

[Lumpy1106]

It's true they haven't been upgraded in many years, but I don't generally go to a water park and expect thrill rides. The original Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, Texas hasn't been upgraded in nearly as long, and they are still really busy.
It just may be a case of all the locals checking out the new guy, as I'm sure will be the case with the new Epic Universe as well. While everyone appreciates new tech, and better themes, not everyone wants roller coasters. There's still a place for for well themed flat rides, trackless rides, and omnimovers.

I don't think I'd classify them as "in trouble" as water parks are pretty cheap to operate once they are paid off, and Disney's should have been paid off long ago. It is just the liability/injury insurance and CM/labor that are major costs, and that is certainly controllable for Disney by having only one water park open at a time.

It could also be that water parks, in general, are not the draw they used to be, except for some locals, as every resort on site has a decent pool, and people are shortening their trips due to cost, that would even be true of Universal.

I think any time you have an entire water park closed due to financial reasons it's not a good thing.

 

[Chuck S]

I think any time you have an entire water park closed due to financial reasons it's not a good thing.

With prices of $65 to $75 per day, per person up to $80 per day, per person at Volcano Bay, to splash around, it is doubtful many families will chose a water park over a theme park day. Especially when you consider the average US tourist only spends 4 to 5 days in Orlando these days, and they probably have a local water park at home that's cheaper...like Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX., that has a coaster like Crush N Gusher is $40. In fact Schlitterbahn BUILT Crush N Gusher for Disney.

 

[MommaKetch]

I have a waitlist that went through once and then member service merged it with my existing reservation automatically.

This happened to me as well last month. I had two nights booked at BWI in the same room category. One was cash, and the other was my DVC points. They had already done it when I stopped at the front desk to request a merge. I still received the check-in and check-out text messages.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In case you haven't seen this, the Disney water parks are in trouble. The attendance used to be double what it is for the single park that is open, for EACH park. Don't get me wrong, both are still great parks, but the video is right - there has been almost nothing done in either park in a LONG time.

My supposition - they've created most of that themselves. Once they decided they'd only have one park open it a) became confusing and b) limited choice. Why get a water park AP when it's only one or the other?
Plus when they changed the park pricing multi day ticket holders are losing a lot more if they decide on a water park for a day vs when the additional day they were skipping was $20-$30 bucks. Then it made it more justifiable to go to the water park early and just an evening in a park.

Our local water parks have done nothing yet remain busy.

A cost cutting measure from Covid that continued because they loved the "savings" and may ultimately take them completely down.

 

[Lumpy1106]

My supposition - they've created most of that themselves. Once they decided they'd only have one park open it a) became confusing and b) limited choice. Why get a water park AP when it's only one or the other?
Plus when they changed the park pricing multi day ticket holders are losing a lot more if they decide on a water park for a day vs when the additional day they were skipping was $20-$30 bucks. Then it made it more justifiable to go to the water park early and just an evening in a park.

Our local water parks have done nothing yet remain busy.

A cost cutting measure from Covid that continued because they loved the "savings" and may ultimately take them completely down.

At least one of them, yes. If you moved the TL water coaster to BB and improved the BB wave pool there would be no need to ever visit TL again IMHO.

Can we talk about the ticket price? $74 is outrageous. Yes, I know that's what Universal is charging, but put those side-by-side and you aren't going to the Disney park. Guessing that's what an awful lot of FL residents have decided too.

 

[Jodo98]

Do you just go to whatever water park and show them reservation? or you have to check in first and get rooms keys etc?

 

[Chuck S]

At least one of them, yes. If you moved the TL water coaster to BB and improved the BB wave pool there would be no need to ever visit TL again IMHO.

Can we talk about the ticket price? $74 is outrageous. Yes, I know that's what Universal is charging, but put those side-by-side and you aren't going to the Disney park. Guessing that's what an awful lot of FL residents have decided too.

Could they even safely move Crush N Gusher, since the company that designed and built it (NBGS) is no longer in business? Cedar Fair, now Six Flags, bought the Schlitterbahn parks, but the design company is long gone, following a tragedy at a park in Kansas.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Do you just go to whatever water park and show them reservation? or you have to check in first and get rooms keys etc?

You just tap in at the waterpark like you do the theme parks. Mickey head and all. You don’t have to go to the hotel first if you already have a magicband or key card or whatever it is you use.

 

[stat]

You just tap in at the waterpark like you do the theme parks. Mickey head and all. You don’t have to go to the hotel first if you already have a magicband or key card or whatever it is you use.

The reason this works is because Disney adds a ticket to your Tickets & Passes for each person linked to the reservation. We forgot our magic bands at the water park but all the tickets were in the Disney World app ready to scan.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

The reason this works is because Disney adds a ticket to your Tickets & Passes for each person linked to the reservation. We forgot our magic bands at the water park but all the tickets were in the Disney World app ready to scan.

Yes. I even had the option to add to wallet so phone is enough.

 

[DeeBee3]

Was about to post my own question and found this thread - so I will be able to use the free water park with my DVC reservation? Sounds like it but I'm trying to get the most recent info
THanks!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Was about to post my own question and found this thread - so I will be able to use the free water park with my DVC reservation? Sounds like it but I'm trying to get the most recent info
THanks!

Yes you can.