Wet and wild

Disney Kids
© Janna Graber

Watery fun at Walt Disney World Resort

By Janna Graber

I must be insane! What am I thinking? These are the kind of thoughts that drift through your mind when you look down from the top of Summit Plummet, a 120-foot high slide at Walt Disney World's Blizzard Beach. Riders can reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. Frankly, it's not the kind of thrill this mom seeks out. But my kids were behind me, cheering me on, so I took a deep breath and moved forward. Although I was tempted to follow the kid in front of me (he had chickened out and walked back down the stairs), I sat down, closed my eyes and went for it.

The rush was amazing! But there is a reason the park recommends riders wear one-piece suits. Fortunately, all of me arrived intact at the bottom of the slide, and I waited with a grin for my kids to join me.

Blizzard Beach is one of two water parks at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This 66-acre attraction is themed as a snow ski resort, mistakenly placed in Florida. The result of this seasonal dichotomy is a park decorated for snowy fun, yet brimming with watery attractions.

The center of the park is snowcapped Mount Gushmore, which riders can reach via the chairlift or stairs (there is also a gondola for riders with disabilities). From the peak, guests can choose from speed slides, a whitewater raft ride, flumes and an inner-tube run.

There is plenty of fun for every age at Blizzard Beach. Little ones will enjoy Tike's Peak, which features miniature versions of the park's slides, as well as a snow-castle fountain play area.

Preteens will gravitate toward the Ski Patrol Training Camp, where young guests can drop from a T-bar into the water, hurtle over moguls on Cool Runners and walk over broken "icebergs" across the pool. Our family favorite was Teamboat Springs, a six-person whitewater raft ride that had us shrieking all the way down. From there, it was off to one thrilling slide after another.

By the end of the day, we were tired from all the excitement. So we headed over to Melt-Away Bay, a one-acre pool with gentle waves. The kids and I grabbed tubes and floated contentedly until closing time. It seems a water park can actually be relaxing!

Typhoon Lagoon, however, is a whole other story.

The waves come fast and furious at Walt Disney World's other water park. Containing nearly three million gallons of water, Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool is large enough to float a small ship on. Five-foot waves crash across the pool every 90 seconds, so you have to pay attention.

When my kids called for me to come join them in the surf, I groaned inwardly. I've had enough bad experiences at water park pools to know that it often means getting hit in the head or knocked over by someone on an inner tube.

But Typhoon Lagoon doesn't allow inner tubes in the surf pool, and that made for a better experience. My kiddos found a variety of ways to ride the waves, from body surfing to diving under the waves as they crested. I have to admit, it was a lot of fun.

Like most Disney World attractions, Typhoon Lagoon has been given an interesting backstory. According to the imagined legend, Typhoon Lagoon was created when a devastating storm hit a small resort village. The storm and the ensuing volcanic eruption left the village in ruins. But no matter: The locals rebuilt it as a "wateropolis," a community centered around watery fun.

With its lush greenery and island feel, Typhoon Lagoon is reminiscent of Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private island in the Caribbean. Colorful flowers line the walkways and swaying palm trees provide a buffer from the harsh Florida sun. The lagoon itself is surrounded by a white sand beach, with small tide pools for little ones to play in. I brought my book and chair into a tide pool to relax, while my kids continued their play in the water.

At the heart of the park is Mount Mayday. Atop the mountain sits Miss Tilly, a wrecked shrimp boat brought in from Safen Sound, Florida. Every half hour, the ship's tall stack erupts, shooting a massive wave of water into the air and delighting all those underneath.

Dozens of diverse slides and attractions offer something for everyone. Ketchakiddee Creek has slides and games for little tykes, while older kids (and adults!) can soak up the rest of the park.

When we finally had enough of the waves, we made our way to the Crush 'n' Gusher, a water coaster thrill ride that whisks guests through flumes and tubes in an "abandoned fruit factory." There were three different spillways to choose from. We tried all three, and agreed that Coconut Crusher offered the most thrills. After that, we realized we were famished. So we sauntered through the maze of different food stalls until we had each found our cuisine of choice. Guests can also bring their own food and enjoy the picnic areas. Coolers are allowed, although glass containers and alcohol are not.

Happy and content from lunch, we decided to try out the Shark Reef, a 362,000-gallon salt-water coral reef diving environment where guests can snorkel among fish, rays and sharks. No worry, of course, these are friendly Disney sharks. Masks and snorkels are provided free-of-charge to allow guests a good view of the sea life below. The experience doesn't last long (which isn't bad, since the water is cold!). You basically swim from one end of the reef to the other. Still, the lagoon was a fun way to get up close to some of Mother Nature's ocean creatures.

Our last ride of the day was a visit to Castaway Creek, a 2,100-foot circular channel that takes guests through a hidden grotto and misty rain forest. As we floated on our tubes along the channel, the kids and I grabbed hands to keep us together. We chatted happily and my youngest laughed with glee when we floated under a refreshing waterfall. As for me, I was stretched out on the tube, soaking in the Florida sun and the happiness of a family vacation.

Colorado native Janna Graber is a freelance writer, editor and mother of three.

Helpful tips

Rent a locker. Keyed lockers are $5 for the day, with an additional $5 refundable deposit.

Forget your towel? Towels can be rented for $1.

If your little one is not a strong swimmer, you can rent a life jacket for free.

Look for extra Magic Hours. The water parks sometimes open one hour early for guests staying at one of the Walt Disney World hotels. Show your "Key to the World" hotel key.

Wear water shoes! The pavement can get really hot.

Get to the water parks early to grab a chair, as they go fast.

Bring some bottled water and don't forget the sunscreen.

Take the bus. The Disney bus service is a convenient way to reach the parks. Although it's not always the fastest way to get around, the buses are free.