Disney World is only worth visiting in the summer if you're going to its water parks

Advertisement
Disney World is only worth visiting in the summer if you're going to its water parks
Disney's Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are perfect for summer trips.Sarah Gilliland
  • Disney World's theme parks can be unbearable in Orlando's scorching summer heat.
  • Disney's water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, are worth the extra cost and time.
Advertisement

I love Disney World, but I find that it's only worth visiting in the summer if I'm going to its water parks.

The park's located in Orlando, Florida, which can be brutally hot during the height of summer. The average high for June, July, and August is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because of the heat, I avoid Orlando during the summer unless I know I'm spending time near water.

Luckily, Disney World has two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

I've been to each multiple times over the years, though both are not always open at the same time due to alternating maintenance schedules.

Advertisement

I don't think one is better than the other — the biggest perk of both is that you can stay cool just about anywhere in them.

For starters, the admission is reasonably priced

Before tax, a one-day water-park ticket currently costs $69 for adults and $63 for kids aged 3 to 9. Annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members save around $20 per ticket on each of those prices.

You can also add water-park access to existing Disney World tickets, which can cost around $15 extra but depends on the date of your visit.

For context, tickets to just one Disney World theme park start at over $100.

Plus parking at both water parks is free, which is becoming rarer at Disney World.

Advertisement

The lines are shorter and crowds are more manageable

Disney World is only worth visiting in the summer if you're going to its water parks
Getting to wait in fewer lines means more time enjoying attractions or relaxing in the shade and less time standing in the blistering Florida sun.Sarah Gilliland

As most park blogs will tell you, Disney World can get particularly crowded in the summer, and be extra packed in June and July. It's no surprise since it's when most kids in the US are out of school.

But although Disney World is usually packed with people during our summer visits, I've found the water parks to have more manageable crowds and shorter lines.

In my experience, the water parks are somehow even less crowded during special events such as Disney H20 Glow After Hours. The parks have cool attractions, like giant body slides, lazy rivers, and surf pools.

And unlike at the theme parks, you don't have to deal with hard-to-get restaurant reservations and costly, confusing systems for jumping the lines for rides. Plus none of the character interactions require advanced planning.

I also enjoy the food at the water parks

Disney World is only worth visiting in the summer if you're going to its water parks
You can get meals, snacks, and cocktails in the water parks.Sarah Gilliland

Even though they only have quick-service restaurants, the parks serve much more than chicken nuggets and fries. In fact, some of the best eats I've had in a theme park have come from Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

Advertisement

I've enjoyed tasty dishes like a Korean barbecue chicken flatbread and a grilled chicken salad with dried cherries, nuts, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Pro tip: If you wait until near park closing to order scrumptious mini doughnuts from Joffrey's Coffee & Tea stand in Blizzard Beach, you might find a few extras thrown in your bag for the ride home.

Overall, I like getting Disney-level service and quality while cooling off

Most importantly, I love that the Disney water parks match the level of quality and service I've come to expect from the brand.

All of our interactions with characters and cast members – what Disney calls its park employees — in the water parks have been relaxed and enjoyable. And I find the cost of a water-park ticket is worth it every time.

{{}}