11 Best Blizzard Beach Tips for Families

Heading to Disney’s Water Parks with your kids? Grab your 11 Best Blizzard Beach Tips for Families! This post is sponsored by Walt Disney World. All magical opinions are my own.

11 Best Blizzard Beach Tips for Families

Where can you find snow in Florida? Year-round in Orlando, of course!

If you’re looking to cool off with a little Disney magic, then you’d better grab the family to experience Walt Disney World’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. A sibling to Walt Disney World’s other water park, Typhoon Lagoon, this melting ski resort theme is the perfect water park for all ages. But want to know the best tips from a local Floridian mom? Make the most of your Disney water park visit with the 11 Best Blizzard Beach Tips for Families.

Research the Rides Before You Go

Whether for ride “intensity” or just pure height requirements, I always want to survey the water park rides for kids prior to arrival. The great thing about this water park is that over 50% of the rides are for ALL ages. Check out my Blizzard Beach YouTube video for a look at my 5-year old on the family raft ride, Teamboat Springs! Here’s a rundown of the rides in order of height requirements (and intensity) for Blizzard Beach:

Tike’s Peak (kiddie area) – 48 inches or SHORTER
Cross Country Creek (lazy river) – any height
Melt Away Bay (wave pool) – any height
Ski Patrol Training Camp (big kid play course) – any height
Runoff Rapids (3 open inner-tube water slides) – any height
Teamboat Springs (6-person inner-tube water slide) – any height
Snow Stormers (3 winding open water slides – toboggan mats) – any height
Toboggan Racers (Multi-drop toboggan mats slide) – any height
Chairlift – 32 inches
Downhill Double Dipper (2 enclosed inner-tube water slides with drops) – 48 inches
Slush Gusher (2 drop open water slide – no tube) – 48 inches
Summit Plummet (one of the tallest and fastest freefall body slides – 12 story plunge) – 48 inches

Get There Early

Blizzard Beach hours vary throughout the different seasons. I recommend getting there at least 15-20 minutes prior to opening. This will allow you to grab family essentials – like the prized shaded lounge chairs, kid life jackets and coveted lockers before they are gone. Your family can also enjoy a little “non-rushed” fun before the park opens (staff usually have entertainment such as music and sidewalk chalk) and a fun welcoming reception line too.

Have a Game Plan

It is very easy to get lost and/or separated from your group in a water park. Make sure to have a game plan prior to entering Blizzard Beach. Consider wearing bright and noticeable colors so you can pick your family members out of a crowd. I recommend wearing a waterproof watch and having times to check in with each other throughout the day. And definitely have a specific meet-up location in case anyone gets separated. (Blizzard Beach also has a “lost kids” area too.)

Hydrate & Eat

Cooler Policy. You may think that you’re staying cool under the Florida sun all day, but dehydration can occur quickly especially during those hot summer months. Little known fact is that you can take in a cooler with you into Blizzard Beach (even ones with wheels). Just know that you cannot bring wagons or glass bottles into the parks. So pack a lunch, waters and snacks to stay energized throughout your day.

Purchasing. Planning to eat and drink at Blizzard Beach? There are 9 quick service locations throughout the park. Plan to have money readily available (or a magic band connected to a credit card) for easy purchasing. FYI if you plan on buying any adult beverages in the park, you will also need I.D.

Food & Allergies. One of the most surprisingly best Blizzard Beach tips is making sure to check out all of the different food options. Whether you’re a looking for something salty, light, or even vegan, Blizzard Beach cares about your dietary needs.

Beyond Vegetarian Burgers are a delicious option for vegans.

Customize your rice bowl or watermelon salad with tofu or chicken.

Don’t forget the classic twists too like these loaded tots and a giant mac n’ cheese hot dog. The signature dessert is the Sand Pail – a whole bucket filled with ice cream and toppings.

Rapid Fill Cups. The Rapid Refill cups are a great option if you plan on a) drinking lots of soft drinks and/or b) coming back to Blizzard Beach multiple times. For one price you can have access to all-day fountain drinks. And for a small fee, you can reactivate refills for cheap on your next visit.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen Sunscreen

I cannot stress the importance of sunscreen! The Florida rays can be intense, even on winter days. Be sure to apply, reapply and have sunscreen handy throughout the day. Check out these 10 kid sunscreen tips too.

Wear Water Shoes

Take it from experience! The pool surfaces around Blizzard Beach can be rough, especially in the Melt Away Bay wave pool. The added textured bottom of the pools and hot concrete surfaces can tear up your feet. Add some currents and waves, and your littles can lose their balance easily too. I highly encourage water shoes for the whole family, especially your little ones! Save your sore feet so you can enjoy your water park day (and any possible Disney days following).

Consider a Waterproof Bag

It’s going to be wet at a water park, in case you didn’t know. With so many precious electronic devices in possession these days, the risk of water damage sky-rockets. Consider bringing at least one waterproof bag to store valuable cell phones and other electronics to keep them safe and dry throughout the day.

Bring a Waterproof Camera

Capturing those precious photos during your Blizzard Beach visit is a must. But don’t let your camera go swimming too. Consider bringing a waterproof camera for those priceless smiles and hilarious video moments.

Assess The Towel Situation

It’s tempting to bring in all of the towels for your Blizzard Beach day (“And YOU get a towel! And YOU get a towel!”). But big fluffy towels become heavy sopping burdens faster than you can say water ride. I recommended that you bring one towel into the park for emergencies (like wiping off wet faces). Leave all other towels in your car. Let your clan drip dry in between rides. Don’t worry about the real toweling off until the end of the day.

Grab the Best Blizzard Beach Deals

Want to save big on Blizzard Beach tickets? One of my best Blizzard Beach tips is making sure to stretch your time and dollars further with these offers:

Park Hopper Plus. Want the best deal on a Disney water park? Get the Park Hopper Plus! This Walt Disney World ticker offer adds on a water park to your ticket for a much lower cost than at-the-gate.

Florida Resident After 2 pm Annual Pass. Hands down this is the most affordable annual pass for a Walt Disney World park, if you call Florida home. As of 2018, it’s $79 for an After 2 pm Florida Resident pass. At 1:45 pm, the pass will allow you in until Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon until the parks close – sometimes up to 8 pm! And for my family, about 3-5 hours is plenty of time to experience all of the best water park fun!

Best Season to Visit. Honestly? Any time! Blizzard Beach keeps the water temperatures warm year round, between 75-80 degrees. So whether it’s a hot summer day or a balmy Florida winter, it’s always a good time to visit Blizzard Beach. Keep in mind of peak season dates (usually summer) and later hours (especially after 2 pm) will bring larger crowds.

Enjoy the Memories

At the end of the day, all you have are the memories. Blizzard Beach is an amazing extension of those wonderful Walt Disney World memories and you’ll want to splash down (get the pun?) into the middle of them all. Enjoy those priceless family moments – whether during the summer or late into the winter! Check out my Blizzard Beach IGTV video for more best Blizzard Beach tips for families – including park fun facts, tips from the experts and up-close food experiences! Grab your Blizzard Beach tickets and make a plan for a one-of-a-kind magical water park visit.

What are your best Blizzard Beach tips for families?

I was invited to attend Blizzard Beach media day in exchange for this Best Blizzard Beach Tips for Families post. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for family travel tips, easy recipes, kids crafts and more!