water park with a 1 year old

[snoopy5386]

My DD will turn one on our trip this april. We are thinking of doing one of the water parks with her. Which one? Any tips or suggestions?
Thanks!

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

My opinion would be..save your money! The water parks are okay. But I am yet to be impressed by them I think that you should save your money and pool hop! The pools are so nice and well themed. You could even just realx for the day at your Disney pool. (I am assuming you are staying on Disney) If your not..then try Typhoon Lagoon.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I have been to both BB and TL with my son. I personally like the theming better at TL, but found that BB was a much better water park for him. He loved Tikes Peak and they let me ride the little slides with him. At TL they made him go down himself and I think they were too big for a 1yr to do on his own.

He totally freaked out on the kiddie tube ride and so did I watching him...I actually ran through the shrubs, rocks, trees and whatever else was around there trying to catch him and pull him out!!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

We had a great experience at TL with my little girl when she was 2. She wasn't able to walk yet, but really enjoyed the kiddie area. I also brought along her own floaty tube to ride in the lazy river--that was the biggest hit of all. enjoy!

 

[NY Disney fan]

My opinion would be..save your money! The water parks are okay. But I am yet to be impressed by them I think that you should save your money and pool hop!

Has the pool-hopping ban been lifted??

 

[Gillian]

We liked Tike's Peak at Blizzard Beach because it's a self-contained area. Very easy to watch your kids, very attentive life guards. While the kids area at Typhoon Lagoon is fun, I just found it too spread out. It seemed there were many older/bigger kids there, spraying people and just being annoying (to me, anyway). Tikes peak at blizzard beach would be boring for any but the youngest, so it's relatively quiet.

 

[AngieWin]

IMO I wouldnt do a water park with a 1 year old at Disney.

But we have season passes to a local theme park and water park in Kansas City and I took DS1 and 2 several times this last summer. At the beginning of the summer DS2 was only 9 months old. Because it was close to our house we only stayed for 2-3 hours at a time and most of that was just sitting in the super shallow (4 inches) part of the kiddie area and DS2 loved splashing in the water. I didnt get to do much more than that because of him. But I went expecting and planning on that.

At Disney I would want to do more and experience the slides/bigger pools and I wouldnt feel comfortable doing that with little ones there. I would save the options (if you have them anyway) for on down the road when he can be more involved at the waterparks (BTW, I have never been to the Disney waterparks, this is just my opinions from the water parks at home)

 

[HopperFan]

Blizzard Beach has a great kiddie area ! Whole park is a cartoon theme that kids love. Tikes Peak is apart from the other areas, close to lazy river, food and facilities. Slides, water squirting, small shallow areas. The wave pool is calm enough you can carry them in and enjoy it.

 

[DreaGirl]

I would say save your money. I haven't been since '97 so things may have changed, but I think it would be a better experience to stay at the hotel and use those pools. Your DD doesn't know the difference and it will be more relaxing for you.

 

[hannah's dad]

We went with our DD3 and DD1 last March (the younger child was 14 months) and went to both water parks. They both have nice children's areas, but with only a one year old you likely won't experience other parts of either park (unless one adult when on their own). With a three year old, she did the long tube slides in the kiddie area, we went to the wave beachers, etc - things a one year old can't so yet. So, while our one year old had fun splashin gin the kiddie area, if it were just her I don't think either park is worth it.

At what resort are you staying? Most of them have very nice pools that might be enough for a one year old (and some have kiddie splash areas)

 

[snoopy5386]

thanks for the advice. We are definitely going to go. DH hates water parks and he will be at a conference for part of our vacation, so I finally get to go to one! I love water parks and haven't been in a looonnnggg time. We have more pluses on old tickets then we know what to do with, so we aren't really wasting anything. It will be me, DD, SIL, MIL and FIL, so plenty of people to take turns watching DD.