Water Parks or Not

[Mrsdennison]

Okay our first trip is in July. We will be there seven days and with 7 other people.

My girls are 5 turning 6 and just turned 3. Neither one can swim and my oldest hates water for the most part. She does not enjoy water on her face. My 3 year old is much better about it.

My dh really wants to do the water parks too. My oldest does okay in the pool with a floatie and she will be taking swimming lessons this summer before the trip.

So do you think the water parks will be worth it?

Mrsdennison

 

[bubba]

The first time we went to Typhoon Lagoon, Ds's were 7 and 3. The 7 yo was very timid, but had a great time in the kids area and floating around the river with me. The 3 yo was much more timid, rode around the river in a tube with me and splashed around the one of the little runoff pools by the wave pool (can't remember what it's called, but it has a stationary boat in it called L'il Squirt). When we went last year, our oldest was a fish and went everywhere and rode everything he could. The youngest was a little more adventurous, but avoided the wave pool. What we noticed, though, was that when we got back from vacation, our youngest was really eager to get back to swimming lessons so that he could try all the "big-boy slides" on our next trip.

 

[liznboys]

We've taken our boys to WDW many times, and we have yet to take them to the waterparks. We feel the resort pools are plenty of water fun for them for now.

If I were you, I'd skip the waterparks.

 

[here757]

i am planning a trip at the same time..
and was wondering the same..
we have a pool at the hotel.. and one at home.
and i live near 2 water parks that i dont use..
im a redhead and burn like a crispy critter.. but my son doesnt understand mom doesnt dig pools.. LOL
i dont think we are gonna do them.. mainly cuz my newborn will only be 5 - 6 weeks..

 

[NU2WDW]

Unless they enjoy (and are old enough to go on) the slides and things -- which it doesn't sound like would be the case for your kids -- IMO it would be a waste of $$$. You would probably get more out of the swimming pool at the hotel. AND, you will probably need the down time!

Our first WDW trip was in 2007 with a 2, 4 & 5 yr old. Resign yourself that you will not be able to "everything". For me, the water parks are way down the list of priorities. JMHO!

 

[Mrsdennison]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm starting to rethink it and still feel undecided.

I think we will be plenty busy with the parks but others in my group are real fish and they wanted to go.

I will keep checking the boards and think it over some more.

Mrsdenniosn

 

[Tricia's mom]

First trip..only 7 days...Forget the water parks.

 

[3_disprincesses]

We tried the water parks the first trip. Stayed about 3 hours then were ready go. Water Parks are fun if that's the main reason for a trip. They are all over the country but there is only one WDW! You will have plenty to do without going to them.

 

[christa112]

OP--

For those ages, I would not do water parks. We went in Sept and our kids are 7, 9 & 4. My 7 & 9 year olds had a blast. My 4 year was really limited on what she could do, so she was bored and of course one of us had to wait with her, while the other went on the slides with the boys.

 

[crisi]

Let other people in your group go and go back into the parks to reride your girl's favorites. If your husband really wants to go to the waterpark, let him go while you take your girls back to Fantasyland for the morning. Happy group trips are made by being willing to split up - it isn't like you will see the rest of your party if your kids are watershy anyway - you'll be at the far small end of a huge waterpark while they run around.

My kids LOVE the waterparks - but they are older, grow gills at Disney, and we definately get our money out of it.

 

[JackJack08]

We LOVE the waterparks. Especially TL with younger kids. We find it a nice break after a few days of rushing around at the other parks. We will never go to DW without going to TL!!

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I'd skip it. There is SOOOO much to do at Disney, not including the waterparks, especially since this is your first trip.

If the others want to go, let them, it's hard going with a group and trying to please everyone, so I'd just split up that day.

If you do decide to go, make sure you get there EARLY. The waterparks fill to capacity early, especially in July.

 

[dayzemair]

We LOVE the water parks - nothing like them anywhere near us. However, I went with my family and my then 3 month old baby and that was a nightmare - While I was in the regular parks I had tons of help from my family, but we got to the water parks and most of them were OFF and I didn't hardly see them again the whole time we were there. My husband lives for water parks so I set him free and spent the whole time with my baby floating in the lazy river - which actually was really really nice and relaxing - when I become a billionaire I am installing my own lazy river!

Anywho for us the water parks are a MUST DO - hubby loves them and he puts up with the rest of disneyworld for us so we do them and I love the lazy river so I get enough enjoyment out of that.

7 days and its your first trip... I would let hubby go with one of the more adventurous kids and take the rest to a park you want to return to.

 

[ILuvMulan]

We tried the water parks the first trip. Stayed about 3 hours then were ready go. Water Parks are fun if that's the main reason for a trip. They are all over the country but there is only one WDW! You will have plenty to do without going to them.

I agree! We forced ourselves to go our first trip... "after all, we paid for them" . Too crowded, hard to keep track of the kids, too much stress. Try them later when the kids are older and it is not your first trip. Have a great time either way!

 

[EthansMom]

Skip it.

My DS7 and DD5 are excellent swimmers (take lessons year-round and oldest is on Swim Team) and we've never done the WDW water parks for several reasons. First, they are an extra expense and would take away from our time in the four major parks. We have waterparks here locally, if we feel like going to the waterpark.

Also, WDW waterparks can get VERY busy. In July, the waterparks can easily be twice as busy as during the off-season. And a really, really crowded wave pool is no place for a young child, IMO.

That said, many of the WDW resorts have wonderful themed pools (often with small waterslides) that are just right (!) for younger kids. We usually leave the park in early afternoon and take a break back at our resort pool for a couple hours!!!!

 

[Mrsdennison]

Well I have been thinking about it and I think we have decided to pass. My dh read the posts and agrees now that it might be best to pass on it.

My sister and her family will still go and that will just be our family time.

Mrsdennison

 

[StitchFanZ]

I agree with skipping. The pool at the hotel should be more then enough fun if they want to swim at that age.

On another note, if you oldest hates to get water in her face and doesn't make progress in group swim lessons, look into private. After a year of group lessons, DS would not put his face in the water and still could not swim. In desperation, we did private lessons and with the right attention, he was swimming across the pool with face in the water after 5 or 6 sessions. Yeah! The private lessons were more expensive per hour but had we done it to start with, we would have spent a lot less as the group lessons were a waste of time for him.

 

[squirrel]

I'd skip it also!

We went last year to TL and my niece was 4.5 and doesn't really like the water too much. It was a waste of $.

This year we are not adding the WPAM option onto our tickets. She was much happer floating around the resort pool with a lifejacket than at the waterpark. It will be more relaxing just hanging out at our resort for our down days-instead of trying to get to the waterparks and DQ to make the most out of the WPAM.