What We Know: Water Park Perk for Eligible Disney Resort Guests in 2025
Earlier this year, Disney announced a new water perk for eligible guests visiting Walt Disney World in 2025. This perk applies to guests staying in what’s considered the Disney Resorts Collection.
To help guests prepare for this perk, we’ve begun sharing a series with tips and planning for Disney’s Blizzard Bleach. Blizzard Beach is scheduled to re-open in November and will likely be the only water park open at the beginning of 2025. (We’ll get to that.)
However, I was surprised by the outpouring of questions regarding the new water park perk. Unfortunately, I couldn’t answer every question because no one has been able to experience this perk yet. But I wanted to address what we know and ensure you’re aware of it.
Here is the statement from the Disney Parks Blog when this announcement was made earlier this year:
Start Your Vacation at a Disney Water Park
Disney Resort hotel guests arriving in 2025 can enjoy admission to one of our water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, on their check-in day – included in their stay. Our water parks have something for everyone: big thrills, lazy rivers, wave pools, interactive play areas for younger kids and even water slides the whole family can enjoy together. The fun can start on day one at a Disney water park when you stay in the Disney Resorts Collection! And, yes, to all the Disney Vacation Club Members, Annual Passholders and cast members, you can enjoy this benefit on check-in day for your Disney Resort hotel stay, too!
Tip: Be sure to check the water park operating hours closer to your 2025 arrival to plan your check-in day.
Okay, so we know if you’re staying at a hotel that’s part of the Disney Resorts Collection in 2025, you are eligible for this benefit. Let’s break this down a little further. Here is the list of hotels in the Disney Resorts Collection:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort
- The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Many people asked about Shades of Green, Disney’s Swan and Dolphin, and the Swan Reserve. Unfortunately, those hotels and Disney’s Good Neighbor Hotels are not on the list. But as you know, things can change. So, always check before your visit if something interests you.
We also received a good deal of questions about the eligibility of guests. Disney has provided more clarification about this benefit on their site:
- This benefit is exclusive to registered overnight Guests staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel with a check-in date from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
- This benefit is only for registered overnight Guests listed on the Resort reservation for the eligible Disney Resorts Collection hotel.
- This benefit is only on the day of check-in, and is valid for admission to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park (whichever is open). This benefit cannot be transferred to a different day. Check the park calendar and operating hours closer to your 2025 arrival to plan your check-in day.
- Usage of this benefit is subject to availability.
- Water parks are subject to extended rehabilitation, seasonal, capacity and weather closures, or may close for other reasons.
- Each of our water parks is refurbished annually. These routine maintenance periods are staggered, so Guests with valid water park admission should be able to enjoy at least one water park experience year-round.
- Water park admission is nontransferable, nonrefundable and has no cash value, and excludes activities/events separately priced or not open to the general public.
- Parks, attractions and other offerings subject to availability, closures and change or cancellation without notice or liability. No refund or credit given for any such changes or cancellation. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.
Therefore, you must be a registered overnight guest staying at one of the Disney Resort Hotels listed above to take advantage of this perk. Additionally, you must be able to take advantage of this benefit on your check-in day, and the water park must be available. Here are a few examples:
Say you’re flying in on February 1, 2025, and you’re scheduled to arrive at 4:00 p.m. You won’t be able to take advantage of this perk because the water park will likely have closed by then.
For another example, you’re flying in on February 1, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. and the water park is closed that day due to low temperatures. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t get to take advantage of this perk because the water park is unavailable.
I haven’t kept track of how often the water parks were closed during the winter months over the last few years. But I’ve lived in the area for two years and can say they are open more than closed. We have found that the water parks are typically okay (but a little chilly) when the weather is in the upper 70s. They are more than pleasant when the weather is in the 80s.
The water is heated to approximately 82 degrees. So naturally, the water feels warmer when the temperature drops. But if you’re anything like me, it might feel like it’s freezing when you exit the pool. Also, it tends to cool off substantially as it gets later in the day during the cooler months. But you could just as easily visit on a 90-degree day in mid-December. You never really can tell how it will be until you get here.
Okay, the last popular question we received was when Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon would open. As of this time, Typhoon Lagoon is scheduled to close in early November, and Blizzard Beach’s 2024 opening date is the following day. So, it is likely that Blizzard Beach will be the only park that’s open come January 2025. In the past couple of years, Typhoon Lagoon has reopened in mid-March; at that time, Blizzard Beach usually closes.
However, it’s important to note that before the pandemic, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach were open simultaneously year-round, except for brief refurbishment periods for each park during the winter months. We would love to see the water parks return to this type of schedule. Both water parks are incredibly fun and often a much more laid-back experience than the regular parks.
As someone who visits the water parks often, I encourage you to take advantage of this perk if you are able. If you are flying in, I would suggest packing swimsuits, sunscreen, a pair of sandals or slides, and water park shoes in a separate bag toward the top of your luggage. That way, you’ll have everything together and can quickly retrieve it when you arrive. You might also consider bringing a change of clothes and a couple of plastic bags to stick your wet swimsuits in when you leave the park.
Both water parks have restrooms with changing areas, showers with Disney toiletries (body wash, shampoo, and conditioner), complimentary towels (for resort guests), and hair dryers. So, if need be, you can change and freshen up at the water park. I mention this because Disney Springs is across the street from Typhoon Lagoon, and some plan to have dinner there before returning to the hotel. We’ll have more details and tips for planning your day in an upcoming article.
For more on Disney’s Water Parks, try the following:
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In the Comments
What do you think of this water park perk? Will you try to take advantage of it? Let us know in the comment section below.
