Disney Vs. Disney: Ranking Every Disney Water Park

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Disney Water Parks are stand-alone theme parks containing water slides, pools, floats and various other attractions, shops, and food & beverage outlets.  The parks can both be found at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.  We’ve experienced every Disney Water Park in person.

Major Similarities & Differences

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You can watch fantastic videos of both parks online, so we won’t spend time re-hashing the details of each experience.  Instead, we will just point out the major similarities and differences we feel are worth calling out:

• Both Water Parks have heavily themed backstories:
  • Typhoon Lagoon was formed when a typhoon wreaked havoc on a pristine beach resort, resulting in ships, gear, and other maritime equipment scattered throughout.
  • Blizzard Beach was formed after a freak snowstorm fell in central Florida, and the results were turned into Florida’s first ski resort, which is currently in the process of slowly melting away.

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• Both Water Parks have an alligator mascot:
  • Laguna Gator at Typhoon Lagoon
  • Ice Gator at Blizzard Beach
• Both Water Parks have a central mountain:
  • Mount Mayday at Typhoon Lagoon
  • Mount Gushmore at Blizzard Beach
• A third water park at Walt Disney World called Disney’s River Country existed from 1976 to 2001. The water park was demolished and a future hotel is planned for the site.

The Rankings (from least favorite to favorite)

2. Blizzard Beach (Florida)

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On theming alone, Blizzard Beach wins this battle, hands down. The concept of the snowstorm-melting ski resort is fantastic, and the details abound in true Disney fashion. But theming is not everything, and as far as attractions are concerned, this park falls just a bit short. Yes, it contains Summit Plummet, a truly terrifying speed slide, and one of the tallest and fastest in the world, but at its core it’s just another speed slide. And yes, it contains the incredibly long Cross Country Creek lazy river, full of melting (and freezing cold) glacial leaks within Mount Gushmore, but again, just a lazy river when all is said and done. The park also contains a chair lift attraction, completely unnecessary, but a blast to ride and great for kinetic energy. However, beyond these standouts, the remaining slides and attractions, while fun, don’t really move the needle. Melt-Away Bay is a decent wave pool, but fairly standard for what one would find at many non-Disney water parks. Teamboat Springs is long, and a nice family slide, but there’s nothing really thrilling or exceptional about it. The remaining body and tube slides provide adequate thrills, but again, not much to write home about. And to us, the park is really lacking that standout feature or attraction that has that “do not miss” wow factor. It’s still miles ahead of 99% of the world’s water parks, but until it gets that truly jaw-dropping headliner (or two), Blizzard Beach will have to settle for second place.

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1. Typhoon Lagoon (Florida)

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When the wave is generated with a thunderous sound every 90 seconds at Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool, it’s almost impossible not to stop and watch what’s about to happen. This wave pool and its resulting 6-foot waves are a one-of-a-kind thrill that demands praise at every level. It is the centerpiece of all centerpieces – massive, thrilling, and fascinating all at the same time. And it’s one thing to watch the wave form, carrying dozens of guests across the pool and under its rapidly forming barrel. It’s another thing entirely to get into the water and experience it. The thrill factor is so great here, the park could almost survive on this one attraction alone. Fortunately, that’s not the case, as Typhoon Lagoon is also home to Crush ‘n’ Gusher – three of our all-time favorite water slides – the perfect length with just enough thrills and variety to keep the re-ride factor high. And finally, there’s Miss Adventure Falls – a heavily themed family raft slide with ties to the Society of Adventurers & Explorers (otherwise known as S.E.A.) – with an animatronic to seal the deal. Typhoon Lagoon also has the great Castaway Creek lazy river, and several other tube, body, and family slides that help round out the experience. And while it’s not quite as charmingly-themed as Blizzard Beach, the theming here still runs full force, with every possible inch convincingly touched with just the right amount of Disney magic. It’s a well-rounded park with a few key headliners – including that jaw-dropping wave pool – that make Typhoon Lagoon the best Disney Water Park in the world.

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YOUR THOUGHTS?

Agree or disagree with our rankings? Have you experienced either of these parks – either in person, or virtually via the internet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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