Orlando has some of the best themed and most beautiful water parks in the country. Though most people view water parks as just a series of tube slides through a concrete landscape, Disney and Universal in particular have pushed the limits of water parks and created genuinely interesting and fun places to be – even for people who don’t want to go down the slides.
When you’re visiting Orlando for the theme parks, I highly recommend adding the water park option to your theme park tickets. Disney, Universal, and Sea World all have them, and it’s a relatively good deal for what’s inside the parks.
The following is an overview of all the top water parks in Orlando. Due to the locations and cost, I recommend visiting the one at the resort you’re visiting (likely Disney vs Universal). If you’re visiting multiple locations, or have extra time to drive around, then it might be a good idea to visit a couple of different spots!
Disney Water Parks Summary
Disney has two different water parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Though they used to both be open simultaneously, it’s been a few years since this was the case.
At the time of this writing, Typhoon Lagoon is open. Just a few months ago, it was Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon was closed.
If you have a large preference for one park over the other (such as for Typhoon Lagoon over Blizzard Beach due to the more family-friendly atmosphere), be sure to check which one is open and buy tickets accordingly.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Photo: Chad Sparkes, Flickr. Aspect Ratio edited.
Typhoon Lagoon is the most beautiful water park I have ever been too, bar none. Universal’s Volcano Bay has attempted to re-create the tropical atmosphere and theming, but Typhoon Lagoon does it better in my opinion due to its “story”.
The tale is that a giant typhoon (hence the name) swept up ships and dropped them all at the park, which is why the centerpiece of the park is a boat atop a mountain!
The entire park is full of lush tropical plants and foliage, which creates a far better atmosphere than traditional “cement jungle” water parks. Disney as a whole is great with their landscaping, but it feels even more immersive in a water park.
The trees and plants are situated right up against many ride queues and overhang most of the lazy river which encircles the entire park. The river even has set elements for theming, such as grounded boats, jungle mist, and rockwork.
Lazy River
Ivan Curra, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The lazy river has exits/entrances throughout the park, making it easy to use as a mode of transportation to traverse the park. The river has multiple types of tubes, so you can float and relax, or swim along with the current. It’s an awesome lazy river but be warned: if you are planning to use it completely for relaxation, there are a few points with water spraying out that needs to be dodged.
Additionally, there’s a waterfall behind Miss Tilly, the central icon of the park. To keep your head dry, you can grab a spare tube and block the water flow. These elements keep the whole thing a little bit interesting and make you keep your eyes up on the beautiful sights throughout the river.
Inland Wave Pools
Aside from the lazy river, Typhoon Lagoon boasts one of the largest inland wave pools in the world. The wave pool used to be #1 when the park opened but has since been surpassed by other parks. However, the wave pool is still huge, and an impressive element that serves as the central area of the park.
The wave pool is much more than just a normal pool, too. It cycles between two modes: one that sends out 5-foot waves every 5 minutes, and one that produces continuous smaller waves.
The big waves are absolutely massive, and surprisingly powerful for what you’d expect from Disney (being a “safe” and “family-first” company). The waves are so large that Disney offers surf lessons in the mornings in their wave pool!
Slides
Typhoon Lagoon has numerous slides to keep you busy. You can hop on both family raft rides, do one of the multiple body slides, or even enjoy a few rides on the Crush and Gusher watercoaster.
Crush and Gusher has 3 different slide versions, so you can ride multiple times and get a little bit of a different experience every time. This, in my opinion, is the best ride in the park, and can have very long waits on busy days. The Pineapple track is my personal favorite, which requires two riders to go together.
Unfortunately, the park’s signature attraction which made it an incredibly unique experience has been closed for a few years. The park used to have “Shark Reef”, an area where you could snorkel through a tank with sharks and other sea creatures.
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
Photo: Tristen Rider
Blizzard Beach, as the story goes, was formed after a freak snowstorm buried central Florida under a ton of snow. A ski resort was built, but obviously the snow started to melt fast. What remained was Blizzard Beach, a water park themed after a mountain ski resort!
The theme across the park is great. There’s snow all over the mountain, a fully functioning ski lift to take you to the top where most slides begin, and all sorts of little elements that supplement the atmosphere.
Summit Plummet
Photo: Tristen Rider
The park’s central feature is Summit Plummet, an old ski jump repurposed into a water slide.
Summit Plummet was once the world’s fastest body slide, though that title has been taken by newer parks. That does not take away from the thrill of the slide, though. The first time I went down the slide, I was absolutely terrified. The slide still is, in my opinion, the most thrilling ride at Disney World. There’s just nothing quite like free falling down an extremely steep slide going almost 60 miles per hour with nothing to protect you.
The ride is not for the faint of heart but is an awesome experience for any thrill-seeker.
Lazy River
The park features its own lazy river, and a series of other slides and raft rides that ensure there’s something for everyone to do. You can even race against your family on the carpet ride, which is set up to run 8 people at a time straight down a slide on a toboggan-like sled.
The key to finishing first in this one is to get a good push when the ride operator says go (it also helps to be heavier – sorry kids).
All in all, the park is excellent, especially for thrill-seekers. However, families with younger kids may not enjoy the park as much as Typhoon Lagoon due to its lack of smaller rides for kids and less impressive wave pool and lazy river.
The park has a lot of concrete required to fulfill the mountain and snow theme but is still fun and unique in its own way.
Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Park
Paulo Guereta from São Paulo, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Universal opened their Volcano Bay water park just a few years ago to add additional fun for its visitors. As the name suggests, Volcano Bay is themed after a tropical Polynesian island resort area, complete with the park’s large volcano centerpiece. The volcano is beautiful, and it does a great job making visitors feel like they’re not in Orlando anymore.
Much like Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, the park is filed to the brim with beautiful tropical plants which enclose guests into the island feeling. These plants surround the edges of the lazy river and create a nice and relaxing environment for those looking to simply enjoy the sun.
The Fearless River
Note that Volcano Bay also has a river that’s not quite so lazy – a “Fearless River” is what they call it. The river includes a strong current and waves – so much so that a life jacket is required. I personally think it’s an absolute blast, and anyone who likes a little excitement would surely agree.
Slides and Rides
For guests looking for even more thrilling rides, Volcano Bay has you covered too. My favorites are the large slides which careen down the top of the volcano. These slides, Kala and Tai Nui, in addition to Ko’okiri Body Plunge, feature a “drop the door out from under you” start to the ride. That sends you speeding through the tubes on your way down to the base of the volcano. They are very exciting and nerve-racking, making them extra fun for any thrill-seeker.
One thing to note when visiting Volcano Bay is that many of the rides have a virtual queue – meaning you effectively sign up to ride a ride then wait around until you’re called. The system works pretty well to keep you from standing and waiting around.
Sea World’s Aquatica
Photo: Simon17964, Flickr. Aspect ratio edited.
Sea World’s Aquatica is the cheapest option for Orlando’s Water Parks. It’s a great deal for what you get. Collectively, the park lacks the same significant theming of Disney and Universal’s parks, but that’s to be expected when compared to the most highly-themed and immersive water parks in the world. It does, however, have tons of fun rides, slides, and pools that are sure to leave everyone smiling.
My favorite rides at Aquatica were the “drop the floor out from under you” tube slides similar to those I enjoyed at Volcano Bay. However, there are also other slides with unique features, including one that sends you straight through a fish-filled pool.
Overall, the park is more akin to a traditional water park you may find in your city, but the total amount and quality of attractions is far better at Aquatica. If you’re someone who doesn’t care as much about things like theming, and simply wants to go down the most slides in a day, Aquatica could be the best option among all of the water parks in Orlando.
Sea World’s Discovery Cove
Discovery Cove is not a water park, but a luxury experience featuring animal encounters, lazy rivers, and unlimited food. If you’re looking for a more luxurious water experience in Orlando and have the money to back it up, this could be a great value for your family.
The Bottom Line
Orlando is home to some of the best water parks in the world, and it’s unfortunate that they’re sometimes overshadowed by their bigger theme-park counterparts. I highly recommend planning a bit of extra time in your vacation to spend outside the theme parks themselves, and having a relaxing or thrilling day at a water park can make your vacation great!
