Walt Disney World has announced it is adding a Water Park Perk for 2025 resort bookings as an included benefit. The Details Disney Resort hotel guests arriving in anytime in 2025 can enjoy admission to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach… Read More »Walt Disney World Adds Water Park Perk for 2025 Resort Bookings Which Open February 27, 2024
It’s time once again for the swapping out of water parks at Walt Disney World as Typhoon Lagoon reopens for the season, and Blizzard Beach closes for rehab. Typhoon Lagoon Reopens On Sunday, March 17th, Typhoon Lagoon will open for the 2024 spring and summer… Read More »Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon to Reopen For Season at Walt Disney World March 17, 2024
The winter season is almost upon us at Walt Disney World…Disney’s Blizzard Beach is set to reopen November 6th offering a winter wonderland of fun for guests. The Details Disney’s Blizzard Beach is located near Disney’s Coronado Resort, and features water-based rides from the thrills… Read More »Disney’s Blizzard Beach at Walt Disney World to Reopen Nov. 6, 2023
Fans of Walt Disney World’s water parks will be excited to learn that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will reopen to guests on January 2, 2022. It has been closed since the park-wide pandemic closure in March 2020. Popular attractions such as Crush ‘n’ Gusher,… Read More »Walt Disney World to Reopen Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Close Disney’s Blizzard Beach in Jan 2022
Back in June we revealed the plans for a new ride coming to Typhoon Lagoon. Disney has officially announced the name for that attraction – Miss Fortune Falls. The new attraction will clock in at around two-minutes of water-splashing fun, making it the lengthiest attraction… Read More »New family style raft ride at Typhoon Lagoon will be its longest
It is now more expensive to put on those water-wings and enjoy Disney’s Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon with new seasonal pricing that just rolled out for the popular water parks. Today marked the first day for tiered pricing at Walt Disney World’s theme parks.… Read More »Seasonal Pricing comes to Walt Disney World water parks too
Normally at this time of year, I write a retrospective piece looking back at the year in Disney, but for personal reasons, I’ve decided now is the time to look forward, not back. Instead of recollections, I’m writing prescriptions.These are the things I believe will help Walt Disney World continue to compete for the hearts and wallets of their fans while fending off challenges from other entertainment options both near (Universal Orlando) and far (changing TV viewing habits at home, for instance)
I’ll try and limit myself to one or two recommendations each and something that can at least get started in 2014. I don’t intend each prescription to solve every woe, but it will at least make a significant difference in one or two major problem areas.
Magic Kingdom
The oldest theme park in Central Florida is showing its age more and more and suffers from serious stagnation in both attractions and entertainment (translation: a serious capacity issue). There is something they can do quickly to make a dent. As part of an overall project to update Tomorrowland, I prescribe for the park an indoor air-conditioned high-capacity theater capable of hosting shows similar to the Hyperion Theater at California Adventure. With multiple shows a day, this adds a lot of capacity, gives guests a place to cool off in the heat and humidity, and allows for a showcase for Disney’s latest animated musicals (Rapunzel Stage show anyone?). This is also something that could be accomplished quickly and with minimal in park disruption by setting the theater outside the berm. Additional revenue can be raised by hosting events in the space, something the Magic Kingdom is currently lacking.
EPCOT
This park has the highest capacity of all four parks. It has two wonderful festivals and an enjoyable Christmas overlay. These are wonderful for what they do to attract guests. However, the mission and vision of EPCOT has been ignored for too long, and many areas of the park are in serious need of rejuvenation. Let’s tackle the two sections of the park separately.Read More »Dr. John’s 2014 Prescriptions for Walt Disney World
Do you feel that? It feels…sticky and humid, or as us Floridians call it, the indication of the return to summer weather. Do you know what else that means? Water Parks! One of the best things about Florida is the abundance of water parks in Orlando and across the state. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some great water parks not on Disney property, (Try Adventure Island, Wet N’ Wild or Aquatica!), but Disney Water Parks are piece de resistance. Two highly themed worlds that transport you into a world of liquid goodness. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are wonderful additions to the Walt Disney World Resort that should NOT be ignored while you are on a vacation to the area. Here is a brief synopsis of the two parks “back stories” (Those imagineers…always wanted to tell a story!).
Typhoon Lagoon is how it is now after a (shockingly) typhoon ripped though a tropical paradise… well… used to be a tropical paradise. Boats, Cargo, everything was thrown all over the area, creating the rides and landmarks seen throughout the park. For example, Miss Tilly is the name of the shrimp boat atop Mount Mayday. (P.S. Remember, every half an hour, Miss Tilly shoots a 50 foot water geyser!) It opened in 1989.
Blizzard Beach has a more detailed story behind its creation. On this tiny sliver of the Disney property, a freak snowstorm hit. This, of course, launched the creation of Florida’s first ski resort. Amazingly, (That was sarcasm) the snow melted. The entrepreneurs had no idea what to do with themselves, until they saw an alligator (The park’s mascot, Ice Gator) sliding down one of the old slopes. They decided to turn the area into a water park…the smarter choice. The park opened in 1995.
Typhoon Lagoon has the world’s largest wave pool, while Blizzard Beach has the world’s tallest and fastest water slide. Typhoon Lagoon has a free to swim in Shark Reef, while Blizzard Beach has a really cool ski lift. They both have their own unique style.