Waterpark Tips Please!

[judeis]

My DH, DD(10), and DD(7) will be traveling to the World the first week of May. Although we are definitely not newbies when it comes to the regular parks, we have never ventured out to the waterparks bc we always visited in December. This year DD(10) has convinced us to go. I would LOVE any and all advice/tips for visiting the waterparks, specifically Typhoon Lagoon. Would especially appreciate feedback on kids footwear: bare feet on the slides versus flip-flops, crocs, etc. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Hootch]

do not wear any shoes at the water parks. I wear water shoes. My son has them also but he opts not to wear them.

We usually go at opening. There is really no need for shoes the first couple of hours and this is usually in mid to late June. After 11, the concrete starts to get hot. If you are on the sand it is not too bad. In the wave pool, they are not needed at all.

There will be some slides where you must take off any shoes. I usually just hold them. Some of the entry points and exit points are not practical for leaving shoes at the bottom of the slide.

 

[mom3teach3]

I agree about wearing water shoes. Also.... I agree you should get there when they open ... otherwise you may not be able to get a chair or umbrella table to set up camp. Typhoon is my fave due to the awesome wave pool! Have fun!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We had water shoes, but only 2 out of 4 of us used them. Our feet didn't get near as hot as they do at the water parks in MO for some reason LOL.

We spent 1 full day in each water park and split 1 additional day between both of them when we were there in 2012. We did pretty much all the rides - there's a review of all the attractions in my trip report (link in my signature) if you're interested.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Decide on a meeting spot, in case you get separated. Also, point out Lost Children to the kids and tell them to find a CM if they get lost and can't find you.

My boys got separated from us in the lazy river at TL last year. We had told them if they wanted to get out, they should stand on the steps so we would see them when we went by and we would all get out. They got out but didn't see us immediately, so they went back to our chairs. Long story short, they couldn't find us, so they went to a CM at the exit of a slide and told him. He had them taken to Lost Children, which embarrassed DS12, but the park is huge, and he did the right thing. We were only separated for about 45 minutes, but it was scary and I had no idea how we would find them. They stayed at LC for a little while, gave their names/ages, and a description of us. When I found them, a CM was walking around helping them look in the area they thought we were. I don't know if that is normal or not, it was getting ready to storm and people were leaving the park in droves.

 

[judeis]

Thanks everyone for the help. Maybe I will nix water shoes in favor of flip flops for the bathroom? Appreciate your time!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I wear water shoes (Lands' End Mary Janes) which are very comfortable although I wouldn't say very stylish. My DD's bring flip flops for lunch and bathrooms.

One thing I don't like about either waterparks is the lack of shady seating. Too much Fl sun.

 

[china mom]

My advice is RENT A LOCKER! I have been to Disney a zillion times and the water parks a half a zillion times. In my mind, Disney is a magical place where there is o crime and is no evil. Plus, I rationalized, who would pay that much money to get into a park to steal.

Well, it turns out that it is a pretty profitable endeavor. I had hidden my camera and smart phone deep in my bag and left it on a chair. When I returned later, the bag was gone - later located, sans belongings, in a men's room trash can. Before I left for the day, we discovered at least five other victims, one of whom was taken for $600 cash.

I was sad that someone stole my camera and phone but they were replaceable. What hurts is that someone stole my magic

Don't be cheap / lazy - get a locker.

 

[seus-mouse]

+1 on the watershoes, at least for us. They really made the tired feet at the end of the day more comfy.
One thing for us was that we had already been to Busch and Seaworld and a few Disney parks and our feet were in a good walking/sore spot groove. YET after we started doing the water parks with our fun visits our callouses really softened up and we started having all kinds of cracked skin and blisters! It took daily use of bandaids and duck tape to get our feet to behave for the long days. YMMV

Don't forget to try the BIG Sandpails of iced cream, the sprinkles are Mickey Ears and it's a great treat for your bucks!


Holly

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My advice is RENT A LOCKER! I have been to Disney a zillion times and the water parks a half a zillion times. In my mind, Disney is a magical place where there is o crime and is no evil. Plus, I rationalized, who would pay that much money to get into a park to steal.

Well, it turns out that it is a pretty profitable endeavor. I had hidden my camera and smart phone deep in my bag and left it on a chair. When I returned later, the bag was gone - later located, sans belongings, in a men's room trash can. Before I left for the day, we discovered at least five other victims, one of whom was taken for $600 cash.

I was sad that someone stole my camera and phone but they were replaceable. What hurts is that someone stole my magic

Don't be cheap / lazy - get a locker.

We're just not that trusting. Have always gotten a locker at any water park we've visited. Disney's are half the price of those at Six Flags, and much larger to boot. Do wish they had the more modern auto unlock system like Six Flags instead of keys though.

 

[burberryplaid]

Renting a locker is essential!

Also not essential but just fun...get some of the mini donuts to snack on! So yummy!!

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

I agree, rent a locker for valuables !

The bottom of the wave pool is ROUGH! Just be aware! Many people get scraped up from the big waves pushing other people on top of them. The waves are strong so just be prepared! We LOVE LOVE the wave pool!

If you get there at rope drop go to crush n gusher first! The slides are the best in the park IMAO!

You MUST MUST try the doughnuts! They aren't on the dining plan, but so worth paying OOP!

 

[lucyem]

Watershoes! We have only been in late April and really needed them. Pavement gets hot and stuff falls off the trees and toes easily get scraped in the wave pools. Dh goes barefoot but the kids and i wear watershoes. Lockers are so handy. I wish there was more shady seating. We always go later in the day and stay for a short while so its not so bad.

FYI twice we went to BB and twice found ourselves near the smoking sections. They are in the middle of the park for some reason and not obvious. Both times i found myself waiting at the chair for the rest of the family to return, very unhappily smelling the smoke. I would recommend looking at a map before claiming a chair if smoke will be an issue.

 

[BubblesNH]

We only have time for 1 water park. DS is 10 and doesn't like wave pools. DD and her friend are 15. I love water parks. I have been to TL but many years ago. Maybe 20 years ago Which one should we try?

 

[brennicksmom]

None of us are comfortable in water shoes, we opt for flip flops or crocs. Yes we have to take them off on the slides, but to hold them in our hands is not bad. In summer the pavement gets hot, even though there are a lot of sprayers. In BB it isn't as bad, but at TL the pavement is more decorative and less smooth. It kinda hurts to walk on. If we are getting in the lazy rivers or wave pools we leave them at our chairs.
We have never had a problem with items being stolen. We always leave our phones at the resort in the safe, and my underwater camera stays with us at all times. We have one of those plastic boxes that my husband keeps money and room cards in, always in his pocket. I guess with the new magic bands that may not be necessary. I can see where theft could easily happen when no one may be near your area for hours at a time, we just leave nothing valuable there.
Lots and lots of sunscreen!!!!!
Take snacks with you. We have a can of Pringles, packages of nuts, plastic bottles of soda in our bags for quick snacks between rides if we get hungry.
SUNGLASSES!! Sometimes they have to be held during rides also. My son wears his regular glasses, if he has the strap that tightens to his head he usually does not need to take them off.

 

[maryu03disney]

Thanks for the tips. We are going next week. Is typhoon lagoon going to be open? My DS wants go to the wave pool and swim with the sharks.

 

[siskaren]

Both water parks are open right now. They close one in October and November, and the other one in December and January.

 

[siskaren]

We only have time for 1 water park. DS is 10 and doesn't like wave pools. DD and her friend are 15. I love water parks. I have been to TL but many years ago. Maybe 20 years ago Which one should we try?

I'd say that if your DS doesn't like wave pools, you should go to BB.

 

[itradehilton]

We love typhoon lagoon, get there when it opens, get a locker, then a nice shaded chair near the wave pool. We hit all the slides first since the lines are shorter then wave pool it after a snack or lunch. So much fun!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We only have time for 1 water park. DS is 10 and doesn't like wave pools. DD and her friend are 15. I love water parks. I have been to TL but many years ago. Maybe 20 years ago Which one should we try?

IMO, if you only have time for one, go to Blizzard Beach. It just has a lot more to do.

It's a tough call because TL has Crushin Gusher (best water park ride at Disney), the wave pool (which is unlike any other), and shark reef ( again, very unique feature). But, the rest of the rides at TL are very so-so. And with your son already nixing 1 of the 3 main features of TL, all the more reason to do BB IMO.