Are you ready for one of the most innovative and exciting water parks you will ever experience? Pack up your swimming gear and head to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon!
Whether you want to ride the crest of a wave in the Surf Pool, swim with the fish in the Shark Reef, plunge down Humunga Kowabunga, or take a leisurely trip in an inner tube around Castaway Creek there is something for everyone at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
Let’s explore exactly what attractions you will find when are the best times to visit, and how you can get the most from your visit to Typhoon Lagoon.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Typhoon Lagoon water park covers 56 acres and is home to a huge surf pool, thrilling water slides, a shark reef, a relaxing raft ride, and places to just sit down and soak up the sun. The focal point of the park is Mt Mayday – a mountain 100 feet in the air with a shipwreck which remains there in the aftermath of the storm!
Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool
There aren’t that many places where you can surf inland but Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is one of them!
Typhoon Lagoon takes the concept of a wave pool to a whole other level – this is a surf pool with waves up to 6 feet high. The wave machine has set patterns and the wave ‘schedule’ is posted on a chalkboard at the side of the beach. The surf waves alternate with more gentle waves. But be prepared for an exciting, if a little turbulent time!
Experts recommend that to catch the best wave you need to go about three-quarters of the way up to the wall at the end of the pool. You will then hear and see the wave coming. Start to swim quickly towards the beach.
This is Disney after all and the waves are not like those you will find in the ocean – these are designed to carry you forward rather than slamming you onto the ocean floor!
But beware. The power of these waves can easily be underestimated. Before you venture out into the surf then observe what is happening with other guests – and you will soon see how to catch the best waves. Also, in my opinion, this really isn’t the place for young children, even at the edge of the water as the waves have enough power to knock them over in the water. My 2 year old really didn’t take very well to this when it happened to him. Lesson learned for me.
When should you hit the surf pool? It gets very busy so the earlier you can get there the better.
Surf Lessons at Typhoon Lagoon
For those guests who want to learn to surf, there is a special program at Typhoon Lagoon. The surfing lesson is given every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 6:45 to 10 a.m. The group will have a maximum of 13 people and costs $140 per person. Soft-sided surfboards are provided.
To book the Surf Experience call 407 WDW PLAY up to 90 days in advance.
Typhoon Lagoon Tickets
How do I get the best value from a Typhoon Lagoon Water Park Ticket?
There are a number of options for your Disney Water Park tickets.
A one day ticket is $42.60 for adults and $36.21 for children aged 3 to 9.
There is also an annual ticket for Disney Water Parks which includes Blizzard Beach too for a rate of $106.45 for adults and $85.73 for children aged 3 to 9.
You can also add a Water Park Fun and More option to your Disney Magic Your Way ticket. To add this option is a cost of $53.25 for all guests aged 3 and over. The Water Park Fun and More option cover a set number of admissions – you choose between any combination of Water Parks, Disney Quest, and/or Disney’s World Wide of Sports. The number of admissions depends on the number of days on your Disney Magic Your Way ticket.
Confused?
Well, the number of Water Park Fun and More admissions generally matches that on your base ticket. So if you have a 4 day Magic Your Way ticket then you get 4 days at the ‘Fun and More’ parks, 5 days you get 5 days and so on. The only exception is that a 1 Day Magic Your Way Ticket with Water Park and Fun option will give you 1 day at a Disney theme park and 2 entry to a ‘Fun and More’ option.
So what does all of this mean?
Well if you are going to visit the water parks (either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) more than once then it will be a cheaper option for you to add the Water Park and More option to your base ticket as this is less than the price of 2 single admissions.
Are there any discounts available at the ticket kiosk of Typhoon Lagoon?
Only for annual pass holders who get $4 off an adult ticket and $3 off a child’s ticket for themselves and up to 3 guests.
Typhoon Lagoon Water Slides
There are plenty of water slides to keep everyone entertained at Typhoon Lagoon.
Looking for the most challenging? Then head straight to Humunga Kowabunga. This is for those less fearless among us who want to plunge 50 feet at 30mph. Or perhaps you will choose one of the 3 Storm Slides.
The Storm Slides and Humunga Kowabunga are ‘body slides’ – so you just launch yourself off the top. Ladies may like to know that sometimes those in a two piece bathing suit are parted from one of those pieces – so be careful that what you wear is tightly fastened!
Looking for slides that use a raft? If you want to start with the most intense then ride Mayday Falls. Gang Plank Falls is a slightly less intense experience for a raft with 4 people. Don’t worry if you don’t have that many daring guests at your party – a Cast Member will find someone to share with you. Keelhaul Falls is the most sedate of the 3 raft slides – much more my kind of thing!
Typhoon Lagoon Shark Reef
Disney’s Version of Swimming With Sharks
No visit to Typhoon Lagoon is complete without stopping by the Shark Reef. But beware – this is a very popular attraction so to get the most benefit to arrive earl could y in the morning as soon as the park opens or your encounter with the marine life rather more crowded with humans than you want it to be!
So what is the Typhoon Lagoon Shark Reef?
It is a chance to get up close and personal with some tropical fish and even if you are very lucky you may see some small leopard and hammerhead sharks.
A Cast Member will hand you, free of charge, a life vest, face mask, and snorkel. You will then be given some short instruction and be invited to get into the Shark Reef. Unfortunately, this is not going to be a slow lingering swim – it gets pretty crowded and Cast Members will make sure that you don’t take too long on the 60 feet swim.
The Shark Reef is a lot of fun but the crowds can be heavy. Get there early or if the line looks too long then you might want to just take a look in the underwater viewing chamber.
For those guests who would like a longer encounter with the Shark Reef then they can sign up for the Surface Air Snorkeling Adventure. This costs $20 for a half-hour which will include instructions on how to use the “pony’ tank and SCUBA equipment. Guests must be at least 5 years old to take part. This can’t be pre-booked – just sign up at the Typhoon Lagoon entrance kiosk.
Castaway Creek at Typhoon Lagoon
Relax at a Disney Water Park
Do you want to float all your worries away? Well, the perfect place for you is Castaway Creek at Typhoon Lagoon!
Float right the way around the park on an inner tube raft and all your cares will drift away.
Typhoon Lagoon Crush N Gusher
The Crush N Gusher is best described as a water coaster. Get ready for one of the most innovative water park attractions ever created!
Guests choose either Banana Blaster, Coconut Crusher, or Pineapple Plunger. The story behind the names? The back story is that the ride is built around an old fruit processing plant.
Get ready to board your 2 person raft. If you can’t persuade a friend to go with you don’t worry as a Cast Member will assign you one! Whichever slide you choose your 410 to 420-foot journey will take you through many turns, drops, slides, and thrills before finding yourself plunged into the waters of Hideaway Bay.
Crush N Gusher is a lot of fun! There is a minimum height requirement of 48 inches. This is a very popular attraction so to avoid standing around in line arrive as early as you can.
Typhoon Lagoon Places to Eat
There is a picnic area in Typhoon Lagoon where you can bring your own food. Just don’t bring glass containers or alcohol into the park.
Typhoon Tilly’s has sandwiches, soft beverages, and beer. Leaning Palms is the place to get your usual fast-food favorites of burgers, pizza, sandwiches, and salads. Lowtide Lou’s Snacks serves ice cream and sodas and visit Let’s Go Slurpin’ for frozen drinks.
Typhoon Lagoon Tips
Typhoon Lagoon is a popular water park. The lines to the slides can be long, the wave pool can get crowded and the Shark Reef can have more humans than fish. But it is a wonderful place to spend the day!
How do you beat the crowds?
Arrive early or stay late. Simple but true. Most people arrive mid-morning to lunchtime so if you want fewer people in the park then arrive early! Sometimes the park does reach capacity so if you arrive too late then you will be turned away.
People also tend to leave the park mid-afternoon. So this can also be a good time to arrive.
Typhoon Lagoon will close due to rainstorms. When the park reopens it will likely be very light on visitors – so take advantage of this if you can.
Bring your own towels?
You can rent them at the park but they cost $2 and are way too small. Remember that lockers are available for rental at $5 for a small one and $7 for large. These are a great idea to store your stuff during the day.
For $9.99 you can pick up an All Day Sports Bottle which gets you free soft drink refills all day.
General tips for your Typhoon Lagoon visit? Use sunscreen and keep hydrated. It can get very hot out there.