What is There for Small Kids to Do at Disney’s Water Parks?
If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation over the Summer months, a visit to one of Disney’s two water parks Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon should be hight on the Disney priority list. Both parks have a delightful array of slides, rides and attractions and are the perfect way to cool off in the Orlando heat. But what about families with very small children? If you’re traveling with tiny tots you may be wondering whether there’s enough to do to keep tiny kids occupied. That’s why here at MickeyBlog we thought we’d give you taste of what little ones can do at both water parks!
Ketchakiddee Creek- Typhoon Lagoon
Built especially for pre-schoolers (ages 42″ or smaller), this is the perfect place to frolic in a shallow pool where you’ll find whimsical crocodiles, squirting seals and playful elephants. There are mini waterslides which are perfect for little ones, a splash cave with a waterfall and even a water cannon aboard the leaky tugboat S.S. Squirt!
Tike’s Peak – Blizzard Beach
Created especially for kids 48″ or under, little ones can take it “ice and easy” in this fun play area featuring a variety of scaled down thrills. This includes miniature snow-banked slides, side-by-side downhill slides, a junior inner tube ride, show chutes. Kids will love splashing around in the wading pools featuring melting snow sculptures or starting a water fight at an igloo fortress with pop-up water jets. There are also sandy areas perfect for relaxing and making sandcastles.
Awesome Eats Small Kids are Sure to Enjoy
Visitors of all ages are sure to love the fun treats you’ll find at both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Highlights include the mini donuts which come with yummy chocolate and fruit toppings as well as the legendary Sand Pail Sundae (pictured above.) This treat comes in a pail perfect for sharing and is made up of vanilla and chocolate soft serve and topped with waffle cone pieces, Oreos, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream and a cherry. It comes with a shovel making it useful for playing in the sand when you’re done!
Kids Love a Cabana
The thing to remember about visiting the water parks with little ones is that you’ll want to allow yourself lots of downtime. A great way to do this is by arranging for a personal cabana! They come with a locker, towels and refillable mugs and are the perfect place for an afternoon nap. You’ll even have a cabana attendant who can bring the amazing eats we mentioned above right to you! Rentals are about $350 and can comfortably accommodate 6 guests. For more information contact your travel agent or Disney directly at 407.WDW.PLAY.
Beat the Crowds with H2O Glow Nights
If you have tiny tots that don’t mind staying up late you may want to consider attending one of Disney’s H2O Glow Night events. Held at Typhoon Lagoon these special ticketed events offer a HUGE dose of Toy Story theming with dance parties, characters, special treats and more! However, what makes this party so popular for families with small kids is the fact that Disney caps the amount of guests in the parks on these nights. This means that you can enjoy many of the play areas, lazy rivers and wave pools without the heaving crowds.
For more information on H2O Glow Nights check out this article.
Can You Meet Characters at the Water Parks?
Yes! If you’re travelling to Disney with small children, chances are that meeting characters is pretty high on your priority list. Though character meet and greets aren’t plentiful at the water parks there are usually a few on offer. At Typhoon Lagoon you can meet Lilo & Stitch at various times throughout the day near High ‘n’ Dry Rentals. At Blizzard Beach Goofy has been known to make the rounds so be sure to stop by and say “Hi!” For those attending one of Disney’s H2O Glow Night parties at Typhoon Lagoon, you can also meet Toy Story characters like Woody, Buzz and Jessie.
Can Small Kinds Go on the Lazy Rivers?
Yes. You’ll find lazy river attractions at both of Disney’s Water Parks. At Typhoon Lagoon, Castaway Creek has no height requirements and 5 drop off points along the 2,000-foot route. Over at Blizzard Beach visitors of all ages can enjoy Cross Country Creek which has 7 landings throughout the water park. However, families opting to take their little ones on either of these attractions should keep a close watch. It’s not uncommon for kids to get a bit jostled or bumped by other rafters especially on busier days. There’s also flowing water and some waterfall elements which really require a parent’s supervision.
What About the Wave Pools?
The same rules would apply for the wave pool attractions at each park. At Blizzard Beach, you have Melt Away Bay where your kids can grab inner tubes and bob in the warm swells or splash around as the waves lap to shore. This area of the park comes complete with white sandy beaches and lounge chairs perfect for relaxing. At Typhoon Lagoon you have the Surf Pool with cascading waves. Stick nearer the shore and shallows for gentle water and sandy white beaches. There aren’t any height restrictions but avoid swimming too far out with tiny tots as waves and crowds can bet a bit intense.
Are Life Preservers Vests Available?
Yes. You can leave your floaties at home. Both parks have life vests that you can pick up for kids of all ages. The sizes are as follows: Small Child (under 30 lbs), Child (between 30 – 50 lbs) and Youth (50-90 lbs.). Though the life vests are distributed free of charge there are limited quantities and they are distributed on a first-come, first served basis.
How Much Does It Cost to Visit the Water Parks?
For stand-alone tickets to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, the cost is $63 per child (ages 3-9) or $69 per adult. Similarly to the theme parks the children under the age of 3 are FREE.
Water Park admission is also included as part of Disney’s Park Hopper Plus ticket add on. You can find out more about this here.
We hope you’ll give the water parks a try during your next Walt Disney World visit. And if you haven’t started planning your vacation there is no time like the present! Simply fill out our form below to get your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels.
Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to assist you with everything from finding your perfect package to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your visit truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook
