Let’s talk about the other Walt Disney World Parks, the ones my own kids had never been to until this summer. I’m talking about Disney water parks! If your family hasn’t visited Blizzard Beach, now is the perfect time to rectify that situation. Blizzard Beach is the coolest place to be on a hot Florida day for tons of family fun.
Thank you to Disney for inviting us to Blizzard Beach for this sponsored post.
Earlier this summer we visited Typhoon Lagoon H2O Glow Nights and this time we had cool fun in the hot sun at Blizzard Beach. Although I visited Disney water parks a number of times as a kid, even my husband (native Floridian) had never been to them until this summer. My excuse is that our oldest has always been fearful of slides, so we waited until we thought she might actually try them. But really, it’s a poor excuse because Disney water parks are so much more than just slides. Everyone, including our 18 month old loved the water parks, now the only question is when do we go back?
Disney Blizzard Beach
While visiting Disney theme parks is my favorite way to spend a day, it is also downright exhausting. Blizzard Beach has a much more laid back day with less of the hustle and bustle and all of the fun. There are no FastPasses (one of the first things Sissy asked upon our arrival), the crowds are considerably smaller and you get to cool off in the water.
Compared to other Disney Parks, Disney water parks is a more budget-friendly day with tickets starting at $65 and free parking. It’s a great add-on day for visitors and a fun spur-of-the-moment day for locals. We surprised the kids and took them the day before school started for one last hoorah.
Blizzard Beach Melt-Away Bay
The centerpiece of Blizzard Beach is Melt-Away Bay, the giant wave pool surrounded by a sandy beach. If you are looking for a place to kick back and relax, this is it. As a toddler mom, I love that there is even a tide pool just in front of Melt-Away Bay for little ones to splash without getting knocked over by waves.
On busy summer weekends, you will want to arrive early to claim some lounge chairs here to park your belongings. But you don’t find an area right up front, don’t fret. There are many little beaches around the park as well.
Blizzard Beach Kid Areas
There are two areas especially designed for kids — Tike’s Peak for little ones under 48 inches and Ski Patrol Training Camp for bigger kids and tweens. Both areas were a hit with my family.
P (18 months) found water slides just her size in Tike’s Peak. The toddler-friendly slides are like park slides with water, and she was a smiles and giggles as she marched up the stairs to slide again and again and again. In addition to the mini slides, there is also a kiddie raft ride and body slide. Since Sissy is just 48 inches, she was able to enjoy those slides, but we decided P needs to be a bit older for those.
Sissy and K both loved the Ski Patrol Training Camp. They both wanted to do the Thin Ice Training Course over and over. And because there was little to no wait at each slide in this area, they were able enjoy things again and again. It’s a great place for photos of the kids having fun or for parents to sit back and relax while older kids explore the area.
Blizzard Beach Ski Lift
Unfortunately, the one thing we missed doing was riding the ski lift to the top of the mountain. We hiked up the mountain while exploring and later the chairlift was closed due to incremental weather. Let me tell you, the steps up the mountain to the slides is quite a hike. I was reminded just out of shape I am. Take the chair lift.
At the top of Mount Gushmore we enjoyed the family raft ride, Teamboat Springs. With room for six on the raft, our whole family can ride together — even P. (No infants allowed, but anyone who can sit up and hold on is welcome.)
Blizzard Beach Cross Country Creek Lazy River
My family’s favorite part of a water park is always the lazy river and Blizzard Beach’s Cross Country Creek didn’t disappoint. At nearly a mile long, it is the longest one in the country. We enjoyed floating lazily around as well as using it as a means of transportation to get to another area of the park.
For little ones, look for the smaller white rafts that have a solid bottom. P liked the lazy river so much she cried every time we made her get out.
Blizzard Beach What To Pack
You should pack for Blizzard Beach very similar to a day at the beach. I even recommend bringing your own towels, which will save you $2 per towel rental. Sunscreen, sunglasses and snacks are all necessities. Yes, snacks. While there are plenty of yummy dining options at Blizzard Beach, you can also bring in your own food. We like to do a mix of purchasing food and having our own snacks on hand for kids who get the munchies all day.
One thing we will do differently next time is to bring water shoes. We all had flip flops, but those have to be left at the base of the slides and the walkways are HOT. Even with water sprinkled here and there, our little toes got scorched waiting in some lines. Next time we will invest in some cheap water shoes. And we won’t care how silly they look.
If you have a waterproof camera or GoPro, bring it. After taking some pictures of Blizzard Beach with my good camera, we locked my camera and our cell phones in a locker for safe keeping. The rest of the day I relied on my little water camera that I took on every ride with us.
I also recommend getting one of the Rapid Fill Mugs. For $11.99 you can enjoy free refills throughout the park. And save that souvenir cup because you can reactivate your cup next time you visit for a small fee.
My family had a great day at Blizzard Beach. When a typical Florida thunderstorm rolled in, we took shelter under an umbrella and enjoyed snack time until the park was reopened for play. We will be back again soon.