Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
One of the best ways to cool off this Summer is to visit a water park. Here in Orlando we are a little spoilt for choice. There’s Wet ‘n’ Wild on International Drive, Sea World’s Aquatica and then the two Disney water parks of Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Today we’ll explore the very popular 56 acre Typhoon Lagoon with its twisting tides, roaring rapids, wonderful waterways and relaxing rivers. As you enter Typhoon Lagoon you walk up a short hilly path past an old beach patrol ‘woody’ station wagon and some live macaws. As you reach the top you’ll see Placid Palms Resort with its storm damaged thatched roof buildings. Leading from here are palm lined pathways that meander off to the left and the right.
It’s now your choice as if you take the path to the right you’ll pass Singapore Sal’s Beachwear Gifts and Sundries where the whole front wall appears to have blown away. Near here is the High ‘N Dry Towel and Locker hut and a small wooden footbridge that leads to Castaway Creek.
The water all over the park is heated to 75 to 80 degrees and on hot days it feels fabulous…but be warned, on cooler days, it can feel a little chilly!
The centerpiece of Typhoon Lagoon is the Surf Pool and it’s here you can have a lot of fun just bobbing up and down as the waves crash into you. Be warned, some of the waves can reach 6 feet tall and can be powerful! As you look up you’ll see Mt. Mayday and stranded on the mountain’s summit is Miss Tilly, one of the shrimp boats that was caught in a storm out of Safen Sound, FL. Streams flow down the mountain and from time to time a 50 foot geyser of water erupts from Miss Tilly’s smokestack as the foghorn from the boat sounds at the same time.
The beach at Typhoon Lagoon literally surrounds the lagoon on three sides and it’s a wonderful area to grab a chair and relax for a while before running off to the next thing to do. On the left side of Mt. Mayday you will find three raft rides, Keelhaul Falls ( tube ride), Gang Plank Falls (family raft ride) and Mayday Falls (the wildest tube ride!)
On the right side of Mt. Mayday you’ll find the body slides. Humunga-Kowabunga is the first and it has three triple slides that drop you 50 feet at roughly 30 mph! Next up are the three Storm slides which wind their way back down the mountain.
Crush ‘N’ Gusher is a white knuckle roller coaster type of tube ride and it has a choice of three different routes… Banana Blaster, Coconut Crusher and Pineapple Plunger and you twist and turn through tunnels and spillways before plunging into Hideaway Bay.
On the more gentle side is Shark Reef…seriously, here’s where you get to swim with real sharks! You probably won’t be allowed too much time in the water in this area but don’t worry too much as the sharks are small and usually harmless.
I jest. I am told the sharks really are harmless and the real reason you won’t be allowed much time in the water is not because they’ll bite you, it’s just the fact the snorkeling experience is usually very popular! It can also be pretty chilly as well because as you enter the water you’ll notice that it’s actually much cooler salt water that you’re entering rather than the warmer water located elsewhere around the park.
Finally, there’s a really cool kids area called Ketchakiddee Creek. It’s located on the far left side of the park and provides wading pools, bubbling fountains, mini slides and raft rides for the little ones. Remember that children under 10 should be accompanied at all times by an adult and if you have kids of diaper age, they are required to wear snug-fitting rubber pants over their diapers or special swimming diapers.
Excited? Want to go? Watch this short video as Rebecca, the Florida Leisure concierge, takes you on a trip to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon…
