Blizzard Seaside is a well-liked water park at Walt Disney World that may have lengthy strains for its slides and rides. This information presents technique to keep away from crowds & excessive wait instances to get probably the most out of your go to and expertise the points of interest extra effectively, and have a ton of enjoyable within the solar/on the slopes. (Up to date August 26, 2024.)
Let’s begin with a standard query we’ve been receiving from readers, which is: when will Storm Lagoon shut and Blizzard Seaside reopen in 2024? We lastly have a solution to this, which is definitely a bit sooner than final 12 months. Based on the newest official Walt Disney World calendar replace, Blizzard Seaside will reopen on November 4, 2024. The water park will function from 10 am to five pm, which can probably be its schedule all through the colder months.
Storm Lagoon’s final day open for 2024 shall be November 3, which means there’s no hole in water park operations. Remember the fact that though official these dates are topic to alter. Walt Disney World has shifted across the water park changeover schedule previously by a number of days, so it’s value checking again later to verify this date continues to be correct. Additionally remember that water park operations are topic to climate, and Blizzard Seaside will undoubtedly shut for a number of chilly days all through Winter 2025.
With that, the subsequent query that naturally arises is: when will Blizzard Seaside shut in 2025? This 12 months, Blizzard Seaside closed and Storm Lagoon reopened in mid-to-late March, proper after Central Florida faculties had their spring breaks. We’d anticipate Blizzard Seaside to shut and Storm Lagoon to reopen proper across the identical time in Spring 2025.
The opposite huge query is whether or not each Blizzard Seaside and Storm Lagoon will function concurrently in 2025? Truthfully, we’ve got no clue. It’s secure to imagine this gained’t occur earlier than Summer season 2025 on the earliest. There isn’t sufficient demand till round Memorial Day. Even then, it’s 50/50 at greatest, as Walt Disney World hasn’t operated each concurrently since 2019.
The excellent news is that Walt Disney World Resort resort company can get pleasure from FREE water park admission in 2025 to Storm Lagoon or Blizzard Seaside on their check-in day. This can be a new perk that’s included in room-only reservations, trip packages and Disney Trip Membership stays on factors. This can be a large perk and we’re optimistic it’ll create sufficient demand for each water parks to be open concurrently throughout peak water park season in 2025.
That is nice information, and follows Walt Disney World trying different efforts to make each Blizzard Seaside and Storm Lagoon viable that haven’t actually labored–resembling a full assortment of Annual Passes and particular ticket promotions for Florida residents. Walt Disney World has been working to scale up operations throughout the board, and allocating assets and Forged Members to each water parks simply didn’t make sense given ongoing staffing shortages the previous couple of years, however will sooner or later with the School Program and extra again to regular. My cash is on this, and that each Storm Lagoon and Blizzard Seaside shall be open on the identical time by Summer season 2025. So keep tuned!
Now let’s flip to all the pieces it’s good to learn about Disney’s Blizzard Seaside Water Park. This information will aid you get an thought of what it’s best to plan to do at Blizzard Seaside, and what it’s best to skip. As an alternative of spending 45 minutes of your day ready in line for Summit Plummet, by following the following tips you are able to do that with little wait, after which spend the remainder of your day having fun with the lazy river and ambiance of the park.
We love each of the Walt Disney World water parks. I favor Storm Lagoon, whereas Sarah favors Blizzard Seaside. Whereas it’s potential to quibble over which is best, each are undeniably glorious themed water parks, with an emphasis on theme. Actually, these are two of Walt Disney World’s most spectacular feats of Imagineering, and it’s a disgrace extra individuals don’t go to…
Like our Storm Lagoon Planning Information, for individuals who have by no means been to Blizzard Seaside and are apprehensive about spending a trip day there, this could remove a number of the thriller, and provide you with an thought of whether or not the Walt Disney World water parks are best for you.
Blizzard Seaside FAQ & Ideas
Listed here are tricks to get probably the most out of a visit to Blizzard Seaside, introduced in FAQ kind.
What’s the associated fee, and is it value it?
A single day ticket to Blizzard Seaside prices over $50. Contemplating that you just’re not prone to spend a full day at Blizzard Seaside, that’s some huge cash. Luckily, it’s impossible that you just’ll pay that a lot to go to Blizzard Seaside, since (when you plan properly) you gained’t have to purchase a single day ticket.
One of many purpose we advocate shopping for Park Hoppers with the “Park Hopper Plus Choice” in our Walt Disney World Ticket Shopping for Ideas article is as a result of it’s a low price add-on and makes visiting the water parks and different non-theme park areas actually low-cost (as little as $10/go to). Alternatively, locals or different frequent water park guests should purchase Annual Passes that embody the water parks, or separate water park annual passes that price about as a lot as 2 single day water park tickets. So actually, your solely price when considering a water park go to is your finite trip time.
“Trip time” is kind of precious to many company, so whether or not Blizzard Seaside is value your time is a crucial query value asking, even when the tickets are comparatively low-cost. I’ll reply that within the evaluate part under.
How is Blizzard Seaside themed?
Blizzard Seaside is themed as a melted-away ski resort in Central Florida that has since grow to be a water park. Based on the park’s backstory, one balmy day, a freak winter storm developed over a part of Walt Disney World Resort and blanketed the world with snow. Opportunistic people then rapidly created Florida’s first ski resort in that spot, with ski and toboggan runs.
Sadly, as development was accomplished, Florida climate returned to regular, and the snow started melting. Round this time, Ice Gator (who got here to be the park’s mascot) got here flying down the Summit Plummet launch on skis, and crashed into the village. Desirous to take advantage of their funding, the park was remodeled right into a water park, with a lot of the ski areas retrofitted into being areas for “water journey.”
Blizzard Seaside executes this backstory flawlessly, with the park actually wanting like a failed ski resort. Upon strolling by means of the doorway, the park instantly appears like a quaint Swiss chalet ski village. As somebody who grew up going to small ski cities (a lot of which additionally borrowed this architectural model), I’ll say that Disney nailed that theme with Blizzard Seaside.
What points of interest are there at Blizzard Seaside?
So far as formal points of interest go, Blizzard Seaside has slides, raft rides, kiddie play areas, a large bobbing wave pool, and a lazy river. Arguably, lounging round and having fun with the ambiance is an attraction (presumably the most effective one!), too.
Blizzard Seaside is organized in order that all the pieces is oriented by way of slopes, and every of the three slopes have colours with numerous points of interest. In contrast to an precise ski slope, the colours don’t actually prepare points of interest by depth, simply by location. Visitors can use their ft to stroll to the highest of Mount Gushmore, the place the Inexperienced Slope and Purple Slope are situated, or use the (much less environment friendly, however cooler) chairlift to get them from the highest to the underside.
The Inexperienced Slope comprises Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, and Teamboat Springs. Teamboat Springs is a household raft experience with a capability of 6 riders per raft (teams of lower than 4 shall be mixed). I’ve heard Disney tout it because the world’s longest household raft experience, and that wouldn’t shock me one bit. It goes on and on, and is a ton of enjoyable. Additionally, due to its excessive capability and environment friendly loading system, we’ve seen that it by no means has an extended wait. Each Sarah and I fee this as our #1 attraction at both water park. (Simply barely edging Crush ‘N’ Gusher for me.)
Slush Gusher is a physique slide that’s pretty intense (considerably similar to Humunga Kowabunga in that regard), however not almost as intense as Summit Plummet. It’s “hook” is that you’ve the feeling of “air time” on account of it not being a straight-down shot. In actuality, it’s simply Summit Plummet-light: a quick water slide for individuals who think about Summit Plummet too intense.
Summit Plummet is Blizzard Seaside’s most intense attraction, reaching speeds as much as 55 MPH, and one of many quickest water slides on the earth. After I first did this again within the Nineties, I used to be terrified, however I wished to be robust (I used to be 11 on the time…minimize me some slack), so I did it anyway. Afterward, I purchased a shirt stating that I conquered Summit Plummet and wore it in all probability till I wore it out.
To this date, Summit Plummet nonetheless scares me (the one attraction at Walt Disney World to have that distinction). This attraction is usually a “say you’ve completed it” novelty. The wait instances are lengthy, it’s over rapidly, and it’s painful. I’ve completed it a number of instances in my life when wait instances have been quick (mainly simply to “show” I can), however in any other case, it’s “been there, completed that” for me.
Subsequent are the Purple Slope points of interest, all of that are the “racing” slides. First right here is Downhill Double Dipper, which is a twin tube racing slide with a number of heats and launch gates. Subsequent is Snow Stormers, which has company lie on mats as they race down an extended slalom model course. Lastly, is Toboggan Racers, which permits as much as 8 company to race facet by facet each other, additionally on mats. Snow Stormers and Toboggan Racers are situated proper subsequent to at least one one other, and share a mat retrieval system.
The final slope is the Purple Slope, which isn’t situated proper subsequent to the opposite slopes on the prime of Mount Gushmore, however continues to be shut. Right here there’s just one attraction: Runoff Rapids. This can be a internal tube experience, and it’s form of like Crush ‘N’ Gusher, besides with out the propulsion. Right here, there are additionally three choices, and two of these choices additionally permit for a number of riders.
On the bottom, there’s Soften Away Bay, Blizzard Seaside’s massive principal pool that options bobbing waves; Cross Nation Creek, the lazy river; Ski Patrol, a pre-teen play space; and, Tike’s Peak, a youngsters’s play space. There’s additionally the chairlift, which is as a lot an attraction as it’s transportation from level A to B. It’s the closest factor Walt Disney World nonetheless has tot he Skyway, too!
I’m not a giant fan of Soften Away Bay. Bobbing waves aren’t as enjoyable as rolling ones, and this pool is just too small for the crowds Blizzard Seaside attracts (there are by no means sufficient internal tubes to go round). Cross Nation Creek is similar to Storm Lagoon’s lazy river (Castaway Creek), and I’d even give the slight edge to Blizzard Seaside, as its lazy river has extra theming and a cool cave.
The play areas for teenagers are undoubtedly higher at Blizzard Seaside. Whereas Storm Lagoon has one play space concentrating on small youngsters, Blizzard Seaside has a pair areas every concentrating on a spread of ages. Whereas I personally really feel that the larger youngsters would simply as quickly benefit from the precise points of interest within the park, this combine is good.
The sensible actuality is that each areas are in all probability going to enchantment to small youngsters, it simply relies upon upon whether or not these youngsters (and their mother and father) are adventurous or not. The precise goal demographic for Ski Patrol goes to wish to do the “grownup” points of interest. Children are cussed like that about desirous to be extra grownup.
What ought to my technique be for Blizzard Seaside?
You wish to arrive barely BEFORE Blizzard Seaside opens. As soon as it opens, prime precedence ought to be grabbing lounge chairs within the shade–I might advocate not losing any time having to go looking and as an alternative instantly going to the world by The Warming Hut. This space is slower to refill as a result of it’s a bit deeper within the park and company are lazy and go to spots that they see as quickly as they enter the park.
There are three distinct benefits to this space: 1) it’s closely shaded; 2) The Warming Hut is the most effective restaurant at Blizzard Seaside, making the stroll quick for carrying your meals to your chairs at lunch; and, 3) this space is centrally situated to the principle pool and the steps to the highest of Mount Gushmore. The primary benefit is crucial.
Since there was some confusion about this within the Storm Lagoon publish, I like to recommend “claiming” your spots by leaving a few of your junk on lounge chairs after which leaving the chairs unoccupied. Don’t be silly and depart a half dozen iPads in plain view, however leaving your sandals, t-shirt, towels, and sunscreen shouldn’t be an issue.
I’m positive that theft has occurred at Blizzard Seaside, however we all the time depart our stuff unintended, and it has by no means been a difficulty for us. After all, we lease a locker for our cameras and telephones and solely depart issues that nobody would actually wish to steal on our lounge chairs (though thieves would in all probability steal my rad tie-dyed Humunga Kowabunga Goofy shirt and River Nation towel if they’d any sense of favor). Comply with this recommendation at your personal threat.
Prime precedence at Blizzard Seaside after that ought to be Summit Plummet. Actually, since not everybody in your occasion will wish to do that, Summit Plummet ought to be completed simultaneous to grabbing lounge chairs. Ship somebody who doesn’t wish to do Summit Plummet to seize chairs, and whoever needs to do Summit Plummet ought to try this. Summit Plummet varieties strains rapidly, and it’s low capability. On our most up-to-date wait, we noticed its wait time hit 45 minutes by 10 a.m., and peak at 60 minutes later within the day. It’s not value that.
After Summit Plummet, hit Slush Gusher. From there, head to the Purple Slope and do Downhill Double Dipper, adopted by Toboggan Racers and Snow Stormers. Toboggan Racers technically has larger capability than Snow Stormers, however for no matter purpose, we’ve seen Toboggan Racers’ line transfer slower. Alter your plan on the fly if this isn’t the case. Spherical out your first hour at Blizzard Seaside by doing Runoff Rapids and Teamboat Springs. The primary three points of interest are actually those that matter right here, and people are positively Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, and Downhill Double Dipper.
At this level, your first hour ought to be about over. Repeat any points of interest you wish to do once more, as strains will get longer later within the day. Comply with this up with most leisure within the lazy river and consuming.
When ought to we go to Blizzard Seaside?
This is identical for each water parks. Greatest instances of 12 months are when it’s colder out, however not chilly sufficient to shut the park. We additionally like doing water parks on wet days. Because you in all probability aren’t going to plan your total trip round a go to to Blizzard Seaside (though avoiding summer season months, if potential, is an efficient basic technique for visiting Walt Disney World), the most effective time to go to Blizzard Seaside is true when it opens–or barely earlier than that.
It is because you’ll wish to seize seashore chairs in shady areas (that may STAY shady because the solar strikes) and hit Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, and the “racers” points of interest earlier than strains kind. Spots within the shade are claimed immediately, and when you haven’t gotten your chairs inside the first half-hour of the park being open, you may have little likelihood at a great spot.
Moreover, strains at Blizzard Seaside for the slides and racers “rides” will be lengthy, and there’s little or no shade in these strains. Aside from random umbrellas right here and there and a portion of Summit Plummet’s queue that’s lined, the strains at Blizzard Seaside will be actual scorchers.
“Finish of the day” is a well-liked advice for when to go to Blizzard Seaside, and it might work out relying upon while you go to and the way a lot time you wish to spend at Blizzard Seaside. Even when it’s open till 8 p.m. in the summertime months, Blizzard Seaside nonetheless commonly has lengthy strains nicely into the late afternoon. The best way this “go late” technique works is when you present up a number of hours earlier than closing, which might will let you do most rides and slides with minimal waits. With that mentioned, we normally favor rolling off the bed early, going to the water parks, going again to the resort within the early afternoon to prepare, and heading out for a night within the parks.
If shade is so essential, is it value it to lease a cabana at Blizzard Seaside?
Polar Patios (cabanas) or an umbrella with a lounge chair are your rental choices at Blizzard Seaside. In contrast to the cabanas at Storm Lagoon, Polar Patios don’t have roofs, however they’re closely shaded and have umbrellas. This will not appear essential, however it is going to be if it rains.
The cabanas embody towels, a cooler stocked with ice and bottled water, your personal locker, refillable mugs (for every visitor–as much as 6), and an attendant who will deliver you meals, drinks, and so forth. These begin out within the high-$200 vary and improve to the mid-$300 vary relying upon season. Chairs with umbrellas can be found for rental at round $50 every and embody solely towels.
We have now not tried different of those choices, so our evaluate is predicated solely upon commentary. As a result of shade is pretty straightforward to seek out at Blizzard Seaside with out spending any cash, the $50 umbrella chair doesn’t look like it will ever be value it to anybody. When you’re value-conscious, arrive early and snag a seashore chair in a shaded space at no cost. If worth doesn’t matter, go all out and get the a lot nicer Polar Patio.
As for the Polar Patio, it doesn’t enchantment to us, however I may see a celebration of round 6 (making it round $50/individual) with cash to blow having fun with it. The massive profit could be the attendant and the great seating, and it will imply not having to scramble for chairs very first thing. Personally, we’d relatively splurge on one thing like a pleasant meal, but when cash is not any problem, I may positively see this being a pleasant luxurious.
What about eating places at Blizzard?
Eating at Blizzard Seaside is all counter service, and sadly, it’s all fairly commonplace stuff. Don’t anticipate an unique eating expertise a la the World Showcase while you head to Blizzard Seaside.
That mentioned, there are a number of standout choices, together with a few glorious desserts. For the carnivores in your group, we extremely advocate The Warming Hut, which is the secondary eating choice to Lottawatta Lodge.
For extra data, take a look at our detailed Blizzard Seaside Eating web page.
What else is value understanding earlier than visiting Blizzard Seaside?
Convey a digital camera! Few individuals take cameras to the water parks (simpler but, waterproof telephone baggage), which is a big mistake, as there’s loads to {photograph} at Blizzard Seaside. There are a number of PhotoPass photographers scattered round, however taking your personal digital camera is so a lot better of an possibility for getting images in additional than simply 2-3 areas.
So far as different issues to deliver, towels price $2 to lease, so deliver your personal. Don’t deliver something superior, simply seize one out of your resort room. We additionally extremely advocate is affordable water footwear. Nothing fancy is important–as ought to be evident from our beneficial pair.
We forgot to take our water footwear, and as I sit right here scripting this, my ft are nonetheless throbbing from strolling round barefoot on that sizzling pavement. You may put on water footwear on the points of interest, and your ft don’t get burnt. Win-win! Oh, and the flooring of the restrooms on the water parks are spectacularly gross, so that you’ll positively need water footwear for these.
Reasonably than bringing a refillable mug to the water parks (as we noticed many individuals do), purchase one at the water parks. Your resort refillable mugs gained’t work on the water parks anyway, and though you should purchase the reader-sticker to place in your resort mug and use at Blizzard Seaside, that methodology is only some {dollars} cheaper than buying the (larger-sized) water park mug outright. Plus, the water park mug is a neat-looking memento!
Blizzard Seaside Evaluation
In our Information to Storm Lagoon Water Park at Walt Disney World, I discussed that I believed that Storm Lagoon was as near perfection as any of the Walt Disney World parks got here. From this, it ought to be straightforward to surmise that I favor Storm Lagoon to Blizzard Seaside. That is true, however that shouldn’t be sufficient so that you can go for Storm Lagoon and skip Blizzard Seaside. Blizzard Seaside simply doesn’t enchantment as a lot to me personally. That mentioned, it’s additionally nearer to perfection than the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s simply not as shut as Storm Lagoon.
Very like Storm Lagoon, Blizzard Seaside nails its theme. Sadly, and that is in all probability largely a private factor, however the theme simply doesn’t resonate in addition to Storm Lagoon’s for me. Don’t get me unsuitable, I completely love Christmas and snow, however these are simply not issues that usually come to thoughts when fascinated with water parks.
The alpine village at Blizzard Seaside may be very nicely completed and rife with Easter Eggs which can be enjoyable to seek out, however it’s the full antithesis of a water park. Conceptually, this stark distinction is why Blizzard Seaside’s theme is so good. By no means would you anticipate finding a water park with this theme, however right here it’s. Ski bums are these almost definitely to like Blizzard Seaside, because the theme (particularly the doorway space) nails the look of a quaint ski resort.
On paper, Blizzard Seaside’s theme looks as if a terrific, intelligent thought. When really strolling by means of it, it simply doesn’t do a ton for me. I don’t really feel the identical emotional connection for Blizzard Seaside as I do for Storm Lagoon. It’s unimaginable to articulate why, however let’s name it the x-factor. Storm Lagoon has that, and Blizzard Seaside doesn’t.
Loads of Blizzard Seaside followers would strongly disagree with me on this, so you could very nicely really feel otherwise about Blizzard Seaside. It’s nonetheless a terrific park that’s actually neat. I don’t intend for this to sound like I don’t get pleasure from Blizzard Seaside, as a result of I do. But when I may solely go to one water park on a visit, that park could be Storm Lagoon.
The place Blizzard Seaside excels greater than Storm Lagoon is in its slide and raft experience lineup. Blizzard Seaside inarguably has higher slides and raft rides than Storm Lagoon. Its lineup is rather more various, with slides starting from household pleasant racers to the extreme (and scary even for adults like me!) Summit Plummet.
Blizzard Seaside’s raft rides are simply flat out higher (by way of each period and enjoyable issue) and extra environment friendly. When it comes to “rides,” about the one place Storm Lagoon has it beat is with Crush ‘N’ Gusher, and I believe that was added to Storm Lagoon to make the attraction lineup rather less lopsided.
That the incongruity within the slide and raft experience lineup might be on account of two elements: first, Storm Lagoon opened about 6 years earlier than Blizzard Seaside, and in these 6 years, water park know-how superior, and Disney had time to judge what it wanted to enhance upon. Second, Storm Lagoon is geared toward a extra relaxed expertise, so slides and raft rides merely aren’t its focus.
This distinction of focus is partly why Blizzard Seaside doesn’t fare as nicely on this evaluate. Whereas Storm Lagoon has Shark Reef, the wonderful Surf Pool, and different issues to do exterior of its slides, the slides and raft rides are the massive draw at Blizzard Seaside. When you don’t get pleasure from these, your huge draw is the lazy river, as Blizzard Seaside’s principal pool, Soften Away Bay, leaves loads to be desired.
Soften Away Bay has some mild bobbing waves, however they aren’t something that may maintain your consideration. I can spend over an hour in Storm Lagoon’s Surf Pool with out losing interest, however I lose curiosity in Soften Away Bay after about quarter-hour, and that’s assuming I don’t first grow to be agitated by not with the ability to seize one of many elusive internal tubes in Soften Away Bay.
Since the entire slides at Blizzard Seaside will solely take you an hour or so when you arrive very first thing within the morning (and don’t repeat any of them), it’s a bit troubling that the methods to spend the majority of your day aren’t as entertaining at Blizzard Seaside.
Finally, the massive query is whether or not Blizzard Seaside is value your restricted trip time at Walt Disney World. That relies upon. When you’ve made up your thoughts that you just’re solely going to do one water park, I’d advocate Storm Lagoon. It’s extra well-rounded (besides presumably for babies) and extra prone to enchantment to the entire household. Nevertheless, when you’re happening a week-long plus trip to Walt Disney World and have time to do each water parks, do them each.
When taking a look at “exterior the theme park” actions, I’d rank Storm Lagoon and Blizzard Seaside #1 and #2, forward of issues like spending a day at Disney Springs. Whereas I can’t spend as lengthy at Blizzard Seaside as I can Storm Lagoon, it’s nonetheless a terrific half-day exercise with a number of enjoyable points of interest. Plus, Blizzard Seaside is a superb place to discover, and followers of the “Disney Particulars” may have a variety of enjoyable there even when they don’t get pleasure from swimming or water slides.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Lodges Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it’s good to know!
Your Ideas
What do you consider Blizzard Seaside? Do you want its theme higher than Storm Lagoon’s? What about its points of interest? When you’re planning a primary go to to Blizzard Seaside, do you may have any questions? Do you agree or disagree with our water parks planning recommendation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
