Which water park needs more time to explore?

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

After many trips to WDW, we are finally trying the water parks (silly requirement to purchase water park fun and more for FD!!).

On one of our water park days, we will have all day to use the water park. On the other one, we will only have about 4 1/2 hours.

My husband and I will have a four year old and a nine year old (who likes water slides, but will not ride the really scary ones like Summit Plummet).

Which one should we choose on our all-day water park day?

 

[BrianL]

Blizzard beach is a little more compact, so I think Typhoon Lagoon needs more time. That said, you could cover TL in 4.5 hours if you get there at opening. I like BB more so I'd be inclined to stay there longer, but TL has more to do really and a better wave pool which can be a time killer.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Blizzard beach is a little more compact, so I think Typhoon Lagoon needs more time. That said, you could cover TL in 4.5 hours if you get there at opening. I like BB more so I'd be inclined to stay there longer, but TL has more to do really and a better wave pool which can be a time killer.

Thanks! One day we will arrive by 9:45 and stay until 5. The other we will arrive by 9:45, but we have to leave by 2:30, so we may be able to see most of both parks (that is assuming no thunderstorms, which for late September, may be a big assumption).

What is it that you like more about BB?

 

[BrianL]

Thanks! One day we will arrive by 9:45 and stay until 5. The other we will arrive by 9:45, but we have to leave by 2:30, so we may be able to see most of both parks (that is assuming no thunderstorms, which for late September, may be a big assumption).

What is it that you like more about BB?

I like the theme of BB and the view from Summit Plummet (and the ride down). As you said you aent interested in SP, so that's why TL is the better bet for you.

 

[stm61]

With a 9 and 4 year old I'd say BB is the better park for you. Check out the Ski Patrol area, it's designed for kids from about 4-12ish. Plenty to keep them busy in there most of the day. BB also has a family raft ride that's a little better, with the added plus of not having to carry your own raft up to the top. The lazy river is longer, and the wave pool is much calmer then TL's. My kids have always hated the wave pool at TL until they were big enough/able to swim well enough to get out into deeper water. When they were small they hated it because they kept getting knocked over by waves or, more frequently, by adults who either got knocked down or were trying to body surf into the shallow water. The bottom of the TL's wave pool is very rough and getting knocked down means getting scraped up. BB has a smoother bottom and the waves are much calmer.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

With a 9 and 4 year old I'd say BB is the better park for you. Check out the Ski Patrol area, it's designed for kids from about 4-12ish. Plenty to keep them busy in there most of the day. BB also has a family raft ride that's a little better, with the added plus of not having to carry your own raft up to the top. The lazy river is longer, and the wave pool is much calmer then TL's. My kids have always hated the wave pool at TL until they were big enough/able to swim well enough to get out into deeper water. When they were small they hated it because they kept getting knocked over by waves or, more frequently, by adults who either got knocked down or were trying to body surf into the shallow water. The bottom of the TL's wave pool is very rough and getting knocked down means getting scraped up. BB has a smoother bottom and the waves are much calmer.

This x2, couldn't have said it better. Although I'm not sure that either really require a full day unless you just like to lounge around and enjoy the park (which I totally get). I can't totally explain it but we just like BB a bit more and would rather spend more time there than TL. I was a touch disapointed in TL actually, mainly due to the fact that it felt like there was more for DS (then 4 and 5) to do at BB. All that being said, we're going to hit both on our trip next week.

 

[stm61]

This x2, couldn't have said it better. Although I'm not sure that either really require a full day unless you just like to lounge around and enjoy the park (which I totally get). I can't totally explain it but we just like BB a bit more and would rather spend more time there than TL. I was a touch disapointed in TL actually, mainly due to the fact that it felt like there was more for DS (then 4 and 5) to do at BB. All that being said, we're going to hit both on our trip next week.

We tried TL's kiddie area with various combinations of kids when they were around 4/5 (we have a big family). All of them informed me that the kiddie area in TL was "for babies". There really wasn't much for bigger little kids to do, it was all designed more for toddlers. Now we haven't been to TL's kiddie area in several years so it might have changed, but as of about 5 years ago it was still for toddlers. Oh and the shark pool that they couldn't wait to do? All but one of my younger kids chickened out because "there's sharks in that water!" lol. My older kids might have had something to do with that tho...

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We tried TL's kiddie area with various combinations of kids when they were around 4/5 (we have a big family). All of them informed me that the kiddie area in TL was "for babies". There really wasn't much for bigger little kids to do, it was all designed more for toddlers. Now we haven't been to TL's kiddie area in several years so it might have changed, but as of about 5 years ago it was still for toddlers. Oh and the shark pool that they couldn't wait to do? All but one of my younger kids chickened out because "there's sharks in that water!" lol. My older kids might have had something to do with that tho...

I wondered about that shark pool, too. To me, that is what I am looking forward to the most, and I was hoping my 9 year old, who is a competitive swimmer, would want to do it with me. I am afraid she is going to chicken out because there's sharks in that water.

It seems like BB may be best for our family for the longer day. I think I may prefer TL just because I love shade and tropical foliage, but with a four year old and nine year old girl to keep me and my husband busy, we will probably have to go with man-on-man coverage and won't be spending much time just lounging around.

 

[cgattis]

I wondered about that shark pool, too. To me, that is what I am looking forward to the most, and I was hoping my 9 year old, who is a competitive swimmer, would want to do it with me. I am afraid she is going to chicken out because there's sharks in that water.

It seems like BB may be best for our family for the longer day. I think I may prefer TL just because I love shade and tropical foliage, but with a four year old and nine year old girl to keep me and my husband busy, we will probably have to go with man-on-man coverage and won't be spending much time just lounging around.

I think BB is your best choice for the longer day, for sure. Just more slides to do.

 

[stm61]

I wondered about that shark pool, too. To me, that is what I am looking forward to the most, and I was hoping my 9 year old, who is a competitive swimmer, would want to do it with me. I am afraid she is going to chicken out because there's sharks in that water.

You might be alright with a 9 year old. I think my older kids were between 9 and 12 the first time we tried TL and they all enjoyed the shark pool. The only complaint they had was the water is cold. They keep it colder to keep the fish happy. It's not freezing, but it is definitely colder then the water in the rest of the park. My older kids are part of the reason the younger ones refused to go in the water.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

You might be alright with a 9 year old. I think my older kids were between 9 and 12 the first time we tried TL and they all enjoyed the shark pool. The only complaint they had was the water is cold. They keep it colder to keep the fish happy. It's not freezing, but it is definitely colder then the water in the rest of the park. My older kids are part of the reason the younger ones refused to go in the water.

Hm. That cold water might make me think twice about going in . . . I have a much greater fear of cold water than of sharks.

 

[BrianL]

You might be alright with a 9 year old. I think my older kids were between 9 and 12 the first time we tried TL and they all enjoyed the shark pool. The only complaint they had was the water is cold. They keep it colder to keep the fish happy. It's not freezing, but it is definitely colder then the water in the rest of the park. My older kids are part of the reason the younger ones refused to go in the water.

On my first time at TL when I was about 14 I ended up with a brutal sunburn on my back. My sister and I didn't discover the Shark Reef until later in the day, but that COLD water felt so good on my back. We kept just going back around to do it again and again and I would just slowly float across and let the salt water wash over my back.

That sunburn was the LAST one I ever got in my life. It was so bad, blisters and everything! I use ridiculous amounts of sunscreen now, but I'm never letting that happen again!