Typhoon Lagoon

What's one of the many benefits of visiting Disney in the warmer months? Access to two of the best waterparks ever built! You can't go wrong with either waterpark but today I'll discuss a few highlights of Typhoon Lagoon and what makes it so special.

As you drive up the winding road to the parking lot, you'll see from the beautiful landscaping that you're headed for tropical paradise.  As you enter the park, surf music begins to float in from every direction. Following the path up a slight hill, through a gap in the palms the surf pool and Mount Mayday come into full view.

The legend behind Typhoon Lagoon is that it is a tropical island after being hit with a hurricane. Up ended boats, fishing shacks and fruit washing stations are just a few of the details Disney has included to set the scene.

A feature of both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon is that neither is built like a traditional waterpark. There are almost no stairs, rather the majority of the slides are built on a mountain in the center of the park and several sloped paths will take you to them. Getting around these waterparks is so quick and easy, largely because of the lazy rivers that run along the perimeter of each of them, looping the entire park. They're a great way to relax and enjoy the sun and you'll get some good views of the park.

While Blizzard Beach may look more exciting at first glance, a walk through Typhoon Lagoon will reveal plenty of tucked away adventures. (The fact that many of the attractions are hidden helps trim the lines and creates a sense of privacy among the hundreds of other guests.) A few of the best treats that take a bit of exploring to find are Humunga Kowabunga - enclosed free fall tube slides with more than a fifty foot drop, Mountain Walk - my favorite place in the park filled with waterfalls and sights - and the Crush n' Gusher - three heart dropping water coasters.

Humunga Kowabunga

Mountain Walk

The Surf Pool has its name for a reason. If you've been itching to try surfing (like I have!) then wait no longer! Typhoon Lagoon offers surfing lessons for ages eight and up before the park opens, but do keep in mind that you have to book the lesson in advance. The lesson lasts approximately two and a half hours, with two of these hours being in the water at a price of about 150$. If you're not looking to stretch your budget, fear not! The huge waves at Typhoon Lagoon are fantastic for body surfing and can carry you several meters. Be careful about your choice of swimsuit!

My shoddy video of the crowd being swept away in the shallows. I promise to get a better camera!

During a long day at Typhoon Lagoon, it's nice to kick back on a lounger in front of the Surf Pool. I love to grab a pulled pork BBQ sandwich or funnel cake during the middle of a hot day and sit on the beach. Which brings me to my next point..

Sometimes it's easy to forget to stay hydrated while swimming. Both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach sell really handy mugs that you can refill as many times as you want at several stations throughout the park. (There are also sinks) They were around eleven dollars a year ago and if you like soft drinks, they're a great buy. The only catch is that you need a new scannable sticker every day that you visit, but this costs less than the full price of a mug. I think you'll notice that there's a way around this, but I'll let you figure that one out.

For tips on what to bring, I will be posting an entry about that very soon, so stay tuned!