Waterpark during and after thunderstorm?

[kyomagi]

Curious, we are going in two weeks for a weekend trip just for TL, and it says its going to "rain" every day for the next two weeks. I know not to trust anything beyond 5 days, but i wonder, if we get there and they shut down the WP due to thunderstorms and the storms stop, do they reopen? how does that work if you're already there?

 

[Fangorn]

They don't close the water parks, but they will make everyone get out of the water and off the slides of there is lightning within an x-mile radius (not sure of the exact number).

We were at TL once when this happened and though the park was officially open, it cleared out very quickly even though they said it was expected to "re-open' in just a few minutes. We stayed, had lunch and waited it out. It took a bit more than a hour, but they eventually reopened all the slides and let people back in the water. There might have been a hundred people in the park they rest of the afternoon. It was great!

If it's just raining, everything goes on as normal, except there will be far fewer people there.

Steve

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Curious, we are going in two weeks for a weekend trip just for TL, and it says its going to "rain" every day for the next two weeks. I know not to trust anything beyond 5 days, but i wonder, if we get there and they shut down the WP due to thunderstorms and the storms stop, do they reopen? how does that work if you're already there?

Don’t stress it. I’m sure it will say it’s going to rain everyday for the next 4 months.

 

[Klayfish]

They don't close the water parks, but they will make everyone get out of the water and off the slides of there is lightning within an x-mile radius (not sure of the exact number).

We were at TL once when this happened and though the park was officially open, it cleared out very quickly even though they said it was expected to "re-open' in just a few minutes. We stayed, had lunch and waited it out. It took a bit more than a hour, but they eventually reopened all the slides and let people back in the water. There might have been a hundred people in the park they rest of the afternoon. It was great!

If it's just raining, everything goes on as normal, except there will be far fewer people there.

Steve

Yes, this. I will also add that it depends on the time of day. If it storms at 1pm, they park will officially remain open though nobody can go in the water. If it storms at 6pm (with an 8pm park close), they will likely officially close the park and herd everyone out. We've had that happen many times.

And like the other PP said, they may predict rain every day for the next several months, but it may or may not happen. It doesn't rain every afternoon. It's hit or miss. You can go 10 straight days w/storms or 10 straight w/out them.

 

[Shanti]

Curious, we are going in two weeks for a weekend trip just for TL, and it says its going to "rain" every day for the next two weeks. I know not to trust anything beyond 5 days, but i wonder, if we get there and they shut down the WP due to thunderstorms and the storms stop, do they reopen? how does that work if you're already there?

You wait around under cover while it rains, and hope that the slides reopen. Lines will be shorter after they reopen, but you might have to wait 2 hours for the reopen, and then everything could possibly close again for more lightning within the hour, so...your call.

 

[kwdw]

Disney definitely has a strict policy they follow on this - and it's related to lightning within so many miles. And the communication with the pool folks seems pretty good.

While I've never been at a waterpark in the rain - I've been able to stay in a resort pool in the rain - and I've been kicked out of a resort pool in sunny skies (but dark clouds on the horizon) - and that's been because of the lightning threat.

 

[PattnFmly]

We have been in the waterpark during a thunderstorm before. As others have said, they close all the water features but the food venues remain open. We ate a leisurely meal under the umbrellas, yes rain did hit our backs but we had our bathing suits on anyways! By the time we finished eating the slides were back open and there were so few people there it was well worth it! If we had left, we would only have gone back to our room anyways, since waterpark days for us are usually the whole day. When we are done with a waterpark we go back to our hotel and shower and do the game room or the movie under the stars or such. So waiting it out was a non-issue for us and paid off with less crowds for the last couple hours!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Closed on us too. A beer later all good and a lot emptier.

 

[North of Mouse]

Curious, we are going in two weeks for a weekend trip just for TL, and it says its going to "rain" every day for the next two weeks. I know not to trust anything beyond 5 days, but i wonder, if we get there and they shut down the WP due to thunderstorms and the storms stop, do they reopen? how does that work if you're already there?

We had two days of different experiences (different trips).
On one, there was a very bad thunderstorm with lightning, but was over in 30 min. We had to take shelter, but at abt. 45 min. the park reopened.

The second time, the storms came through - we were huddled under shelters, (everything was shut down and couldn't leave our shelter spot) but the lightning activity stayed strong in the area and they eventually closed the park. We waited about 2 hours, couldn't leave the shelter except with a CM escort to leave for exit, during the wait, to see if we could reenter the water. Several left, but we waited, hoping they wouldn't need to close. They are super careful if lightning is in the area - I think within 10 mi.

 

[blackpearl77]

We went to Typhoon Lagoon last Wed. It started raining around 1:00. We put our stuff under one of the structures at the kiddie area since it has a hard roof not an umbrella and it was a good dry place. We got a good half day in. They closed blizzard beach and had TL open. Then the next day they closed TL and BB was open. They alternated. I think because of this rain storm going on - they wanted to just have one open at a a time to get all the people to one park. It was empty. We didn't wait for anything. There was no lightning so everything stayed open.