WHAT IS IT?: Blizzard Beach is a 66-acre themed water recreation attraction -- inspired by the mythology of a snow ski resort that didn’t exactly find a suitable climate in Florida!

WHERE IS IT LOCATED?: Disney’s Animal Kingdom resort area between Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Disney’s All-Star Resorts at Buena Vista Drive/Osceola Parkway intersection -- Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

HOW DO I GET TO THIS WATERPARK?: Vehicle parking lot is located off of Buena Vista Drive and is next to park entrance; buses operated from the Transportation and Ticket Center and Walt Disney World resort hotels.

WHAT ATTRACTIONS ARE OFFERED?:

• Mt. Gushmore: The snow-capped, 90-foot-high peak that is the park’s visual centerpiece, on top of which sits the platform “launch pad” for the park’s most-talked-about attraction, Summit Plummet
• Summit Plummet: Thirty feet above the peak of Mt. Gushmore is the platform for a thrill ride that sends the daring on a high-speed adventure down a 350-foot slide. At 120 feet high and up to 55 mph, it is one of the world’s fastest free-fall water slides. 
• Downhill Double Dipper: Side-by-side racing water slides that begin 50 feet high on the slopes of Mt. Gushmore and plunge riders along a hilly 200-foot-long course at up to 25 miles per hour. 
• Slush Gusher: A double-humped water slide that drops guests through a snow-banked mountain gully from a start 90 feet up Mt. Gushmore (next to Summit Plummet). 
• Teamboat Springs: The world’s longest family white-water raft ride takes six-passenger rafts down a twisting, 1,200-foot series of rushing water falls. 
• Toboggan Racers: An eight-lane water slide that sends guests racing over exhilarating dips as they descend on a 250-foot course along the “snowy” slope.
• Snow Stormers: Three flumes descending from the top of the mountain and following a switchback course through ski-type slalom gates.
  
• Runoff Rapids: An inner tube run where guests can careen down three different twisting, turning flumes -- one in the dark. 
• Chair Lift: Wooden-bench chair lifts sporting colorful overhead umbrellas and snow skis on their underside, converted from ski-resort to beach-resort use, carry guests over the craggy face of Mt. Gushmore, from its base at the beach to its summit. 
• Tike’s Peak: A kid-size version of Blizzard Beach for children ages 2 to 5 (under four feet tall), including scaled-down elements of Mt. Gushmore. In addition, this area features a snow-castle fountain play area. 
• Melt-Away Bay: One-acre pool at the base of Mt. Gushmore and fed by “melting snow” waterfalls. 
• Cross Country Creek: A lazy creek circling the entire park, carrying floating guests through a bone-chilling ice cave. Once inside the mysterious cave, guests will be splashed with the “melting” ice from overhead. 
• Ski Patrol Training Camp: Designed for pre-teens with a T-bar drop, crinkle slide and a challenging ice-flow walk along slippery, floating icebergs. Cool Runners is the camp’s twin inner tube slide.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?: Contact White Glove Destinations at 281-380-3437!

Going Up or Down? -- Water park thrill seekers will be in for a
surprise as they defy gravity on Crush 'n' Gusher, a water
coaster ride at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon at Walt Disney World Resort
in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Three dilapidated spillways left over
from the washed-out remains of a fruit exporting plant challenge
guests to hang on as they are swept away by torrents of gushing

Contact White Glove Destinations at 281-380-3437 for more information on this and other Disney water park attractions or book your complete Disney World vacation package online!

Typhoon Lagoon Waterpark at Walt Disney World is a great way to stay cool in the hot summer months!  This 61-acre themed water recreation attraction is full of things to keep even the youngest guests busy, including sandy beaches and specially designed kids area at the Typhoon Lagoon water park. But remember: with all that Florida sunshine, bring extra sunscreen!

Typhoon Lagoon Waterpark admission is included with Disney's Waterparks Fun and More ticket option or you can purchase a one day admission to this waterpark right at the gate.

Contact White Glove Destinations  at 281-380-3437 to learn more about Typhoon Lagoon and other ways to stay cool at Walt Disney World Resort

Today's blog post comes to us courtesy of Michael at Explore the Magic.com!  Thanks Michael for these great waterpark tips for Disney's Blizzard Beach!

-Biggest advice, go after 2pm, there is no rush, much shorter lines, more "home bases" to choose from, cheaper lockers

- Polar Patio's go half price after 2pm but even at half price they are $175 and not worth it (yes, these patios are a whopping $330 for the day). Polar Patios are private patios located throughout the park usually in prime locations along the river or near bathrooms etc. These are not like the cabana's you see at the deluxe resort.They do not offer a fridge, a fan, or even comfortable seating. You get refillable mugs and an assistant but that's about it.

- Bring a big cooler! Yes, you can, even the large coolers with wheels. I am personally and going to try to find a cooler with a lock and a dry side to store our more expensive items like camera's or see the next point below.

- Water camera, invest in one. Target has one $159 that is small like a phone and can go in the water. Just tuck it in your hand before you get on a slide so you are not stopped.

- Lockers are $13 for a small or $15 for a large which includes $5 deposit for the key. Again these lockers are cheaper after 2pm.

- There are smoking areas, some of which have areas that could become home base.

- Beer, glorious beer, is sold in the park although it's rather expensive (around $5 per bottle). There is also a full service bar.

- Home base options, look over the park before deciding on a spot, there are some really nice secluded places. Also pay attention to were bathrooms are at, lockers and drink refills stations. I think the $10 refillable mugs are worth the price if you are not bringing a cooler.

- Towels, well, you can rent them for $3 but really, I didn't even use mine. You are getting off/out of one attractions and going to another and the walk back to home base usually is long enough that you are dry by the time you get there anyway. I say skip the towel.

- Have a look at the map: http://www.explorethemagic.com/images/maps/Blizzard-Beach-Map.pdf

- Don't be over whelmed, when you walk in you are going to feel like it's huge, over crowded and you'll never be able to find your way around. The front area is basically a shopping area and the rest is a big loop.

- The line for the chair lift eventually gets down to about 5 minutes (or less) and the walk to the top of the mountain takes much longer. I walked to the top twice and decided riding the chair lift is worth the wait up to about a 15 minute wait plus it's a relaxing ride to the top.

- We road Teamboat Willy 4 times because all 5 of us could ride it together and my kids loved it. By 5pm we were literally walking right on with no wait.

- You are going to be sore the next day. I've never done so much climbing. The park itself is not very big but you will be climbing more stairs than you probably ever have. Bonus, my kids were asleep within 10 minutes of getting home... refer back to "glorious beer" on how to enjoy this quiet time.

Blizzard Beach is worth every dime and was one of those rare things that made everyone in my family happy. I don't think we have ever had such a great time all at the same time. I felt the park was clean, well managed and most importantly, I felt save letting my kids swim. The life guards are very alert and are everywhere.

To learn more about the waterparks at Walt Disney World, contact White Glove Destinations at 281-380-3437 or visit us online!

With temperatures rising and summer fast approaching, it's the perfect time to consider a visit to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, one of the two water parks on Disney property.    Swimmers can enjoy a slower-paced life on Castaway Creek at Typhoon Lagoon in the Walt Disney World Resort. Though the 53-acre water park has speed slides, body slides and the world's largest man-made wave lagoon, many visitors prefer the relaxation and enjoyment of a tube ride around the water park.


Contact us for more information on Typhoon Lagoon or to book your Disney vacation package.

The Magic Your Way ticket system lets guests decide what ticket features best fit their Disney vacation plans.   Guests decide the number of days and whether optional features – park hopping, visits to Disney attractions outside the theme parks, and “non-expiration” of tickets – are important.  As a Disney Vacation Specialist, I can recommend which park ticket will best suit your vacation needs.  To help you navigate the different Magic your Way ticket options, here are some price and value considerations when purchasing your Magic Your Way theme park tickets:

1. Per-day ticket costs decrease for longer stays.  A seven-day ticket without optional features brings down the per-day cost to less than half the price, per day, compared to seven individual one-day Base Tickets.  These tickets are good for one visit to any Disney theme park per day. You can "come-and-go" from the theme park you chose to attend all day long!   The Base Ticket does expire 14 days after the first use.
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2. The Water Park Fun & More option can produce significant savings for recreation and entertainment outside the theme parks.  It costs $54 plus tax per ticket no matter when you add this option. You can add it prior to your vacation or you can add while you are at Disney (even on the last day of your vacation) and the cost is still $54 plus tax per ticket.   The number of admissions it provides to the guest’s choice of Disney water parks, DisneyQuest, Disney’s Oak Trail golf course and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex varies depending upon the number of days of the Base Ticket (the option on a one- or two-day Base Ticket provides two visits to the guest’s choice from among the listed attractions; with a 10-day Base Ticket, it provides 10 visits).  Considering that one-day admission to a water park is $40-$46 or to DisneyQuest is $36-$42, substantial savings are possible.  If you plan to visit a Disney water park more than once during your visit or you plan to visit a Disney waterpark and perhaps DisneyQuest or go golfing, then the Water Park Fun & More option is a definite money saver.

3. The Park Hopper option can enhance the value of the vacation.  This park ticket option allows guests to take advantage of more than one park per day. The Park Hopper option lets Disney guests experience all that Disney has to offer. So perhaps you want to start your day at Magic Kingdom but you want to finish up your day with dinner and Illuminations show at Epcot, then the Park Hopper option is the ticket option for you. Like the Water Park Fun and More option, the Park Hopper option costs $54 plus tax per ticket no matter when you add this option. For first time guests to Walt Disney World, I do recommend purchasing a Base Ticket allowing you entrance into one theme park day per day as there is so much to do at each of the 4 Disney theme parks  that you may not have the desire to park hop (and I can help you build an itinerary that will best suit you and your family), but keeping in mind that my clients can always add the Park Hopper option at any time during their vacation. I hate for my clients to purchase an option on their park tickets if they are not sure they will actually use that option.  To add the Park Hopper option or any other ticket option to your Magic Your Way tickets while you are at Walt Disney World, just visit any guest relations window at the theme parks or the concierge at any Disney resort.

4.Kids under age 3 are provided free admission to all Walt Disney World theme parks!! Who doesn't like free!! I always recommend to my clients that they take their child to Disney before they turn 3.....because, well, they are FREE!  I brought my now 16 year old daughter to Disney World for the first time when she was 2 1/2 years old and it was one of the most memorable family vacations we have had!

Contact us for more information on the Magic Your Way ticket system or to book your Disney vacation package!