Water parks and non-swimmers

[vroomagain]

I am dreaming of our next Disney vacation and were thinking about going to Typhoon Lagoon. Both I and my brother-in-law can't swim. What would we be able to do? I saw some pictures of Castaway Creek and it doesn't look that deep but does anyone know for sure? Aside from us there will be 3 adult swimmers and 3 little ones about 4,5,6.

Thank you!

 

[es45]

You can float on the lazy river in a tube. If you fall out/off, you'll be able to stand up. It was up to my chest (I'm 5'2"). You can also enjoy the surf pool, at least at the outer edges. I spent quite a bit of time in both of these places with a 5-year-old who is nervous in the water. We had a blast.

And don't forget, you've got a great excuse to grab a chair and a drink and then soak up the sun!

 

[lovethattink]

There are life jackets available for free, but requires a room key or driver's license to get one. They have adult size as well as child size.

I am very petite, and I can stand in castaway creek, but the current is pretty strong at places for a non-swimmer.

The wave pool also has a strong current both in the pool, and at the kiddie slides that are off to the left of the wave pool. My son got pulled into the wave pool by the current when he was smaller, and I had to push through people, and swim to get him. I don't think I could have done that if I didn't know how to swim, because the waves make it much deeper. That was probably just a fluke, because we have annual passes and it's never happened since.

 

[Suellen]

I don't mean this in a rude way ~ just curiosity. How do you get to be a grown adult and not now how to swim?

I think for safety reasons I would head on down to the local Y and at least get in some beginners classes.

Sounds like you aren't afraid of the water if you are willing to chance the river on a tube.

 

[vroomagain]

No offense taken. We live in a rural area and don't have a YMCA lol. As far as me I have a skin disease that I was teased for as a kid and I never went to the pool or the lake or beach or anything. Even now I have a complex about it and it takes me about 2 weeks to treat my skin for me to be comfortable with people seeing me in shorts or swimsuit. For my brother-in-law I think it was growing up in an impoverished area without access to a swimming pool.

I don't mean this in a rude way ~ just curiosity. How do you get to be a grown adult and not now how to swim?

I think for safety reasons I would head on down to the local Y and at least get in some beginners classes.

Sounds like you aren't afraid of the water if you are willing to chance the river on a tube.

 

[Hannathy]

If you aren't afraid of the water and are willing to possibly have your head go under once in a while, you could go on the slides and tube rides. The pools they empty into are not very deep at all and you don't have to very far you can stay on your tube for a few feet then get off and bob to the stairs I'm short and I had no trouble getting off and waiting for my DS who really couldn't swim at the time. If you are willing to touch the bottom and kinda bounce to where it is shallow enough to stand and it isn't more than 10 ft you will be fine. There are life guards everywhere. the water in the creek is very shallow easily standable. In fact I often stand in my tube so I can maneuver around the water "obstacles" and I'm very short and it has never been deeper than mid chest.

I'm curious can you not swim at all? or not a true swimmer? If you can float or doggy paddle you will be fine for all but going deep into the wave pool.

 

[vroomagain]

There are life jackets available for free, but requires a room key or driver's license to get one. They have adult size as well as child size.

I am very petite, and I can stand in castaway creek, but the current is pretty strong at places for a non-swimmer.

The wave pool also has a strong current both in the pool, and at the kiddie slides that are off to the left of the wave pool. My son got pulled into the wave pool by the current when he was smaller, and I had to push through people, and swim to get him. I don't think I could have done that if I didn't know how to swim, because the waves make it much deeper. That was probably just a fluke, because we have annual passes and it's never happened since.

Thanks. How do you get to be standing in castaway creek? Just falling over?Does it happen often to people?

 

[Hannathy]

Thanks. How do you get to be standing in castaway creek? Just falling over?Does it happen often to people?

You just stand up off your tube. Or if you are small like I am you just pull your legs thru the tube and stand up. You are just floating in big oversized tubes in about 3 1/2 ft of slow moving water! Or you walk into the creek at the stairs as you are getting into your tube.

 

[vroomagain]

I'm curious can you not swim at all? or not a true swimmer? If you can float or doggy paddle you will be fine for all but going deep into the wave pool.

I can't swim at all. I am hoping I can get my husband to teach me basics but he is not confident that he can teach me lol. I *have* been able to float before but it was from pushing off from the side of a pool.

 

[lovethattink]

I am usually chasing a 5 year old strong swimmer. Often there aren't enough tubes for our whole party, so he will swim it, and I walk.

Be sure to bring swim goggles for the kids. I suggest kid size speedo goggles, because the water really can burn the eyes. Also, the sidewalks get hot. I recommend some kind of swim shoe that fits securely.

Goggles, sunglasses, or glasses are not permitted to be worn on some of the slides. The one I know for sure is Slush and Gusher.

 

[Hannathy]

I think a weekend away at a hotel just the 2 of you with a pool is in order then

seeing the age of your kids, you could volunteer to stay with them while they are in the kiddy part while the others go on the big rides and all of you could go on the family raft ride- you step out into 1 foot of water and all go on the lazy river. You could also stay in the shallow part of the wave pool. Someone has to stay with the little ones anyway right? and there is enough for them to do that it will keep them busy for a long time and then there is playing in the sand by the wave pool.

My Mother never learned to swim and we used to vacation at the lake every year. I never knew either until she was a very old Lady! She just never went in past her waist and always told us she didn't want to mess up her hair! I hope you have the chance to learn enough to go on the tube/slides they are a lot of fun and like I said you don't have to be a true swimmer, my 5 yr old went on them when he could only doggy paddle.

 

[lovethattink]

I can't swim at all. I am hoping I can get my husband to teach me basics but he is not confident that he can teach me lol. I *have* been able to float before but it was from pushing off from the side of a pool.

I highly recommend the wading pool near Slush and Gusher for you and the small children. It is a walk in swimming area, not very deep, but perfect for small kids. It starts out at 0 depth and goes up to my chest by the ropes. It's located near the lockers, and there is plenty of sand for digging (they sell buckets and shovels there, or you can buy a pail of icecream and get a souvenier bucket and shovel. The kid's meals use to come in a bucket, but we haven't eaten there in years, so not sure if they still do.

For some reason, not many people are as excited about that area as me, which usually works to my benefit and we almost always find chairs there! There is a hot dog and drink stand right there too. It was a great area for him to practice swimming under water, or just meeting other kids to play with. He likes it here better than the kiddie area, and it's easier to keep my eye on him.


Word of warning, the bottom of the wave pool and the bottom of the wading pool area near slush and gusher are very rough. My 5 year old got brush burns on his knees and chest before he learned how rough it was.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Other than the deeper area of the main pools and at Shark Reef, there is no water deeper than 3 feet at any of the park locations. This icludes the lazy river as well as all the ending ponds for the slides.

 

[Hannathy]

Other than the deeper area of the main pools and at Shark Reef, there is no water deeper than 3 feet at any of the park locations. This icludes the lazy river as well as all the ending ponds for the slides.

thank You for the official word! I knew it was shallow because I'm only 5ft barely and I could always stand easily in the ending pools but didn't want to name a depth for sure!!!!

I only mentioned the going under in case they tip off the tube but if you stay calm and just stand up you are more than fine, people just panic.

 

[pickles]

can you do slides at the resort pools? if so then you will be ok on most the stuff .
I dont like the ones that squirt water at you as you go down. I just dont like that sensation and I can swim. So, you may wish to check which slides have those
when you go to get on your tube ask someone to help hold it for you and use the staircase to get on. Then, there is no reason you should fall off on the way around the river

 

[B-Ride]

Unless you are a very short adult you won't have a problem.

 

[jmkjr72]

my wife is a non swimmer (and she has lived less then a mile away from a lake her whole life)and we have enjoyed tl we also go to wi dells water parks a lot
you can do just about any thing you want there the slides are fairly shallow where you dump out the river is shallow and just dont go too far into the wave pool
even as a good swimmer i get a life jacket to swim with the sharks

the thing is you have to know your limitations dont go into the wave pool for the first time when the waves are going go in when they are off
figure out how far you can go in and get good bearings as to land marks to say hey dont go past this marker on the side as deeper then that is waist deep

 

[adamlatham smith]

if a life jacket will make you fell safe in water i will see wear one

 

[Baptist]

Just don't go too far out in the wave pool. You need to be a good swimmer to be out there. Especially when the giant waves start!

Practice floating in the hotel pool. Then, you could do Shark Reef. You basically just float on the top and watch the fish. It's a cool experience.

 

[Allison]

Just don't go too far out in the wave pool. You need to be a good swimmer to be out there. Especially when the giant waves start!

Practice floating in the hotel pool. Then, you could do Shark Reef. You basically just float on the top and watch the fish. It's a cool experience.

This was 6 years ago.