Chill out at Blizzard Beach

POSTED: Thu, 01/27/2011 - 13:00 | POSTED BY: Kristen Heptinstall

If you're a fan of Disney Imagineering, Disney World's Blizzard Beach water park is a must-do. In our opinion, it houses one the most creative and well thought out themes on Disney World property!

Blizzard Beach is the newest water park at Disney World, opening in April 1995. It's located closest to Animal Kingdom, not far from the Coronado Springs Resort.

The Blizzard Beach story is that a freak Florida snowstorm caused some forward-thinking entrepreneurs to build a popular ski resort; but when the warmer temperatures came back and the snow began to melt, they turned the resort into a massive water park. Brrr! The centerpiece of the park is Mount Gushmore, with ski lifts and a ski jump that's been "turned into" a water slide.

Blizzard Beach is the faster-paced water park, known for its multiple thrill water slides. Be sure to take the Chairlift to the top of Mount Gushmore before each trip down! Here are a few of our top picks:

At 1,200 feet long Teamboat Springs is one of the world's longest family raft rides, with rafts that hold 4 to 6 guests. So grab a group of friends and take the plunge together.

Not for the faint of heart, the Summit Plummet is a 120-foot slide where guests can reach 50 to 60 MPH as they plunge toward the pool below (did someone say "water-wedgie?").

Up for some competition? Race your friend to the bottom of Mount Gushmore on the Downhill Double Dipper (in tubes) or the Toboggan Racers (on mats).

Several other thrilling water slides call Blizzard Beach home. Blizzard Beach also boasts the Cross Country Creek lazy river, the one-acre Melt-Away Bay wave pool, and two different children's play areas.

What's your favorite Blizzard Beach attraction? Do you prefer Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, or love both equally? Leave a comment below!

In:

caitiesus wrote on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 18:16:

I prefer Typhoon Lagoon, but really enjoy this one. My only problem is that I need to wear goggles on slides and you can't for body slides, so there is a whole section I can't do, which sucks. But it is a fun waterpark!

worldfanatic wrote on Mon, 01/31/2011 - 23:26:

I used to prefer Typhon Lagoon. But now that the trees and foilage have grown up more at Blizzard Beach, I prefer it.
The longer lazy river gives it the edge in my book.