Walt Disney World has introduced that Typhoon Lagoon will reopen in time for Summer 2025 and Blizzard Beach will shut for its annual “refurbishment” (air quotes). This submit covers dates & particulars about what to anticipate from anniversary celebration, chance of each water parks being open concurrently, and potential return of H2O Glow After Hours.
Let’s begin with the enjoyable information: it’s Blizzard Beach’s thirtieth Anniversary in April! Walt Disney World is planning to have fun the water park’s milestone beginning April 1, 2025. That big day pays tribute to 3 a long time of Blizzard Beach historical past of making stress-free days and funky thrills for Walt Disney World friends. Grab your swimsuit, go away your coat at house and are available on out for an anniversary celebration you received’t quickly neglect.
The celebration will function a high-energy DJ spinning some toe-tapping tunes on the deck close to the Polar Pub. There’s going to be snowman bowling and character-themed tubes for floating down Cross Country Creek. Plus, enjoyable interactions with Mickey and Minnie decked out of their winter apparel.
Blizzard Beach’s thirtieth Anniversary celebration will proceed all through April 2025 with dance events, particular anniversary meals & beverage objects and extra frosted enjoyable than ever (no matter meaning). There may even be some family-friendly video games with cool prizes comparable to snowflake tattoos, wintery-themed rubber geese and snowy bubbles.
This all sounds enjoyable, and I recognize that Walt Disney World is definitely celebrating a significant park-specific anniversary, as that doesn’t at all times occur. However, I actually want that Ice Gator have been being emphasised. I like the unique characters created for the water parks (see Top 10 Park IP Characters at Disney World and Top 10 Rare Characters We Wish Disney World Would Bring Back), and this could be the proper alternative to reintroduce Ice Gator and have the character extra prominently at Blizzard Beach.
And not simply to pay tribute to the historical past of the park, however as a result of Walt Disney World has reached a degree the place the fandom appreciates these longtime park characters. See the revival of Orange Bird and ongoing reputation of that character’s pageant merchandise at EPCOT. Bring again Ice Gator’s long-lost meet & greet, and have the character on anniversary merchandise, Walt Disney World!
With this announcement, Walt Disney World has revealed that Typhoon Lagoon will reopen on May 1, 2025. This is over a full month later than it opened final 12 months, after the tip of Spring Break season, through the midst of shoulder season and proper earlier than summer time.
As quickly as I noticed the announcement with no corresponding point out of Blizzard Beach closing, I used to be ecstatic. The logical inference was that, for the primary time since 2019, Walt Disney World would function each water parks concurrently for Summer 2025! Nature is therapeutic!!! Not so quick.
Walt Disney World has since adopted up on this information, confirming that Blizzard Beach could have its final day of seasonal operations on April 30, and be closed as of May 1, 2025. This implies that, as soon as once more, each water parks is not going to function concurrently for Summer 2025. Walt Disney World is continuous its post-pandemic follow of solely working one of many two water parks at a time.
Disappointing as that is perhaps, it’s not an enormous shock. Walt Disney World has began providing the free water park on arrival day as an on-site visitor perk in 2025, and the verbiage of that profit indicated it’s legitimate at whichever of the 2 water parks is working. We had hoped this was simply boilerplate language, nevertheless it has stored showing in newer updates on the water parks.
If pent-up demand wasn’t sufficient to justify each Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon working concurrently in summer time and now this free water park day isn’t sufficient…we are able to’t assist however ponder whether something will ever be sufficient? Maybe as soon as Villains Land opens and Walt Disney World sees renewed curiosity? Perhaps a greater free water park perk will likely be unveiled for 2026? Otherwise, it looks like Walt Disney World’s trajectory is decrease attendance, particularly throughout peak water park season.
Staffing each parks is pricey and Walt Disney World did well-enough with just one water park even through the interval of pent-up demand and excessive warmth over the last couple of summers. It’s attainable that Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando plus an assortment of inns with bona fide mini water parks have lower into Walt Disney World’s water park enterprise, and so they not want each. (I’m skeptical of this and doubt it’s the case.) Another risk is that the price of lifeguards and different labor has elevated to the purpose that it doesn’t make sense to run each. It could possibly be a mixture of the above concerns.
Conversely, it’s attainable that each Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are viable, particularly with a full assortment of Annual Passes and particular ticket promotions for Florida residents. And that it’s going to make sense to employees each sooner or later if Walt Disney World can discover the candy spot on staffing and pulling the appropriate promotional levers to entice sufficient demand (for instance, the free water park day is an effective however not nice perk that might use some tweaking if Disney actually expects extra friends to take benefit).
My cash is on this. I’d most likely go a step additional and say it is not going to occur till there’s new management at Walt Disney World that’s extra motivated. Finding a solution to function each water parks from April by way of September can be the sensible transfer, particularly after how brutally sizzling the previous couple of summers have been. Walt Disney World having the capability to push extra folks in the direction of the water parks can be a welcome reprieve from the excessive warmth and humidity–and possibly assist with visitor satisfaction.
It’s actually unlucky that it isn’t taking place in Summer 2025. Between the free water park perk and debut of Disney Starlight Night Parade, we had hoped that Walt Disney World lastly had a profitable recipe for each Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon working concurrently.
In the previous couple of years, Walt Disney World has introduced the reopening of Typhoon Lagoon alongside dates and particulars concerning the specially-ticketed occasion, H2O Glow After Hours. Usually, tickets for H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon go on sale shortly thereafter, and the occasion itself begins round Memorial Day weekend.
Walt Disney World has not but introduced something concerning the 2025 H2O Glow After Hours, or whether or not they’ll occur in any respect. Nevertheless, our expectation is that they occur, and pretty according to final 12 months’s schedule. Then once more, it’s attainable Walt Disney World will need to push friends in the direction of the theme parks at night time, with longer hours at Magic Kingdom and past. (That’s our honest hope!)
See our Guide to H2O Glow After Hours at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon: Dates, Details, Tips & Review for related particulars from final 12 months–anticipate ~90% of them to be correct for 2025. For these unfamiliar with it, H2O Glow After Hours permits households to spend time at Typhoon Lagoon for a number of hours after it closes, with brief waits at common points of interest all through the illuminated park. This particular occasion additionally options an electrical DJ dance social gathering, complimentary ice cream treats, popcorn and choose drinks, a ‘glow’-rious environment and past.
Ultimately, we’re upset by the closure of Blizzard Beach for the summer time season. However, we’re trying ahead to the water park’s thirtieth Anniversary in April and excited for the reopening of Typhoon Lagoon. We extremely suggest that you simply go to one of many water parks on a “down day” throughout your Walt Disney World trip. While we love each, my private favourite is Typhoon Lagoon.
I’ve gushed about it through the years, imploring Walt Disney World followers to present Typhoon Lagoon an opportunity, because it’s criminally underrated. On the floor, Typhoon Lagoon looks like a fairly “safe” idea for a water park. It’s tropical, laid again and is conducive to sitting on the seaside, swimming, and different water actions. That’s true. But, there’s extra to it than that.
Typhoon Lagoon tells the story of a rogue storm and its ensuing tidal wave that wreaked havoc on a previously pristine waterside paradise. From topsy-turvy structure and storm-strewn nautical gear to the stranded shrimping ship, Miss Tilly, impaled upon the summit of Mount Mayday, every element brings the legend to life.
In addition to the laid again tropical seaside vibe, there’s wealthy theming all through Typhoon Lagoon, and the Imagineered tropical atmosphere has the added parts of a tropical resort and the large storm that decimated it layered on prime. This is all simply conveyed by way of the park’s particulars, and it coalesces rather well. Everything about it’s distinctive, from the environment to the main points to its underutilized mascot, Lagoona Gator. As a consequence, Typhoon Lagoon has an important sense of place, and it’s nice to only be there.
This is way and away the most important cause why I believe Typhoon Lagoon is a must-do for Walt Disney World followers. It’s a masterclass of cohesive design and one of many few parks at Walt Disney World that maintains full thematic integrity so lengthy after its opening. Typhoon Lagoon truly is what so many followers wished World Celebration at EPCOT to be (or nonetheless faux that it’s). Don’t let the truth that it’s a water park discourage you—even when you don’t care about water slides or the rest, Typhoon Lagoon is a good place to waste a morning…or night…at Walt Disney World!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited that Typhoon Lagoon is reopening on May 1, 2025? Or upset that Blizzard Beach will likely be closed as of that very same date, and each water parks as soon as once more is not going to be working for summer time concurrently? Looking ahead to Blizzard Beach’s thirtieth Anniversary celebration in April 2025? Eager to return to Typhoon Lagoon, or are you not a water park particular person? Will you be doing H2O Glow After Hours if supplied at Typhoon Lagoon in 2025? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we will help you reply? Hearing 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!