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Is there a better waterpark in the world than Typhoon Lagoon?
- Thread starter Walt Disney1955
- Start date
Korfar
Active Member
I live near the proclaimed water park capital of the world. Wisconsin Dells. We have many great water parks there. The wilderness, Noah's Ark, Mt. Olympus are all great water parks. Since I have these here I have not ventured over to either of the Disney waterparks. I feel like I have those at home already so I don't spend time at them down there.
gonzalezkelley
Banned
Typhoon Lagoon is one of the two water parks operated by Disney. Its a great place to relax. It is the brilliant waterpark with 7ft wave machine. This awesome water park lives up to Disney's high standards as it is clean, well-maintained and enjoyable to kids of all ages.
Chrononymous
Well-Known Member
I have been to those as well...but you need to at least check out the Disney ones.
It's the attention to detail and the theme that makes them unique to any waterpark experience.
I admit, while Blizzard beach has a lot of innovative and nifty things...it always makes me feel...well...cold!
Obviously they are doing something right with the theme!
And I guess it doesn't help that I am always there in late fall, and winter.
As cool as BB is (no pun intended!) I just don't feel relaxed there.
Not like I do at Typhoon...which has the best lazy river I have ever floated!
David S.
Member
Why I LOVE Blizzard Beach
I like Typhoon Lagoon, but I MUCH prefer Blizzard Beach!
Two immediate reasons come to mind - Thrills and Theming!
Blizzard Beach not only has more slides, but more thrilling slides, IMO. Summit Plummit gets all the attention, but my favorite is the one right next to it (Slush Gusher). It's shorter, but there is some MAJOR airtime to be had, particularly going over the last hump!
More importantly, I MUCH prefer the theming of Blizzard Beach. Typhoon Lagoon is themed very well, but it has the same typical tropical island theme most associated with waterparks all around the country. I personally, have never like summer, or hot weather, and am from the south, so the tropical atmosphere is not very escapist or appealing to me, at least when compared to Blizzard Beach!
Blizzard Beach, on the other hand, is themed to my FAVORITE season - WINTER! What an outside-the-box, INGENIOUS concept for a waterpark!
The Winter Olympics has always been my favorite sporting event on the planet, usually set in quaint, winter mountain hamlets, and featuring thrilling sports like bobsledding, ski jumping, and downhill skiing that remind me of my coaster/thrills hobby.
Theming the slides around these Winter Olympic sports is an ingenious, inspired touch!
Then there is the architecture and music. I have always had a love of and fascination with Swiss/Germanic/Alpine architecture and music, dating to the Pinocchio Village Haus in MK, the Germany pavillion in Epcot, the Rhinefeld section at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and the aforementioned habit of glueing myself to the television during the Winter Olympics.
Blizzard Beach delivers the goods in this area as well! There is still some of the waterpark-typical tropical tunes on the loop, but these are blended with some AWESOME Alpine yodeling and acordion-type music!
Just as winter is my favorite season, Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I also really enjoy the fact that some of the music on the loop is Christmas music!
Everything about the place creates a world I'd want to escape to, (compared to Typhoon Lagoon) with the great Alpine theming and Alpine/Winter/Christmas music! There's even a skilift!
I even like visiting the park during the wintertime, usually right after it reopens from rehab. Florida has many days in winter where it is hot enough to go swimming - such as sunny with a high in the low 70's - yet because it's wintertime, the masses are not thinking of swimming season just yet.
So I have short waits where I can go on the slides over and over again to my heart's content! If I visited the park in late spring or summer, not only would the lines be MUCH longer, but the heat would be too uncomfortable, and my feet would feel too hot walking around barefoot on the hot pavement. In other words, the typical "seasonal" waterpark experience that makes me a not-so-frequent visitor of waterparks in general.
I LOVE Disney's habit of keeping one of the waterparks always open, year-round, with BOTH having SOME winter hours, so you can enjoy the slides on a mild, uncrowded day and avoid the dreaded heat!
I like Typhoon Lagoon, but I MUCH prefer Blizzard Beach!
Two immediate reasons come to mind - Thrills and Theming!
Blizzard Beach not only has more slides, but more thrilling slides, IMO. Summit Plummit gets all the attention, but my favorite is the one right next to it (Slush Gusher). It's shorter, but there is some MAJOR airtime to be had, particularly going over the last hump!
More importantly, I MUCH prefer the theming of Blizzard Beach. Typhoon Lagoon is themed very well, but it has the same typical tropical island theme most associated with waterparks all around the country. I personally, have never like summer, or hot weather, and am from the south, so the tropical atmosphere is not very escapist or appealing to me, at least when compared to Blizzard Beach!
Blizzard Beach, on the other hand, is themed to my FAVORITE season - WINTER! What an outside-the-box, INGENIOUS concept for a waterpark!
The Winter Olympics has always been my favorite sporting event on the planet, usually set in quaint, winter mountain hamlets, and featuring thrilling sports like bobsledding, ski jumping, and downhill skiing that remind me of my coaster/thrills hobby.
Theming the slides around these Winter Olympic sports is an ingenious, inspired touch!
Then there is the architecture and music. I have always had a love of and fascination with Swiss/Germanic/Alpine architecture and music, dating to the Pinocchio Village Haus in MK, the Germany pavillion in Epcot, the Rhinefeld section at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and the aforementioned habit of glueing myself to the television during the Winter Olympics.
Blizzard Beach delivers the goods in this area as well! There is still some of the waterpark-typical tropical tunes on the loop, but these are blended with some AWESOME Alpine yodeling and acordion-type music!
Just as winter is my favorite season, Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I also really enjoy the fact that some of the music on the loop is Christmas music!
Everything about the place creates a world I'd want to escape to, (compared to Typhoon Lagoon) with the great Alpine theming and Alpine/Winter/Christmas music! There's even a skilift!
I even like visiting the park during the wintertime, usually right after it reopens from rehab. Florida has many days in winter where it is hot enough to go swimming - such as sunny with a high in the low 70's - yet because it's wintertime, the masses are not thinking of swimming season just yet.
So I have short waits where I can go on the slides over and over again to my heart's content! If I visited the park in late spring or summer, not only would the lines be MUCH longer, but the heat would be too uncomfortable, and my feet would feel too hot walking around barefoot on the hot pavement. In other words, the typical "seasonal" waterpark experience that makes me a not-so-frequent visitor of waterparks in general.
I LOVE Disney's habit of keeping one of the waterparks always open, year-round, with BOTH having SOME winter hours, so you can enjoy the slides on a mild, uncrowded day and avoid the dreaded heat!
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Uh, no. Everyone who cares about water parks knows about the Schlitterbahn.
Wisconsin Dells is the secret.
Noah's Ark - largest outdoor water park in the US
Wilderness Territory - largest indoor water park in the US
Mt Olympus - largest water and theme park resort in the US
Not to mention that there are some 20 water parks in the immediate area.
Matt and Kelly
Well-Known Member
I don't know...but I think the World Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall can give Typhoon Lagoon a run for it's money! :lol:
Kidding of course. Typhoon Lagoon is definitely at the top of my list. Even though it has been quite some time in between visits, I don't think I've been there in close to 15 years, I still remember how much fun it was.
We went to Blizzard Beach last year and that was a blast as well, but still left feeling like Typhoon was the better park. Next trip, TL will certainly be on our list of parks to visit.
Kidding of course. Typhoon Lagoon is definitely at the top of my list. Even though it has been quite some time in between visits, I don't think I've been there in close to 15 years, I still remember how much fun it was.
We went to Blizzard Beach last year and that was a blast as well, but still left feeling like Typhoon was the better park. Next trip, TL will certainly be on our list of parks to visit.
EaglesfanNJ
Active Member
Yeah, although I have never been to Shlitterbahn, it was featured as #1 on the Travel Channel special that runs all the time "Extreme WaterParks" It looks really cool! Oddly enough, Blizzard Beach was featured on that special, but not Typhoon Lagoon. Out of the 2, i would have picked Typhoon to feature, what with the Shark Reef and everything.
NutsForFlorida
Well-Known Member
Disney has great theming for pretty much everything they do. So, they'll always blow everyone out of the water on that. But, for water parks in general, Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells beats the Disney ones. Their water slides/rides are much better. I've never been to Schlitterbaun (sp?). I've only seen it on TV and that park looks fun.
Pepper's Ghost
Well-Known Member
Here's cool indoor water park called Ocean Dome in Japan (now closed)
This looks so awesome! Just one dumb question. Why build an indoor ocean atmosphere type park so close to the ocean??? Does that make any sense whatsoever?
Sorry to go off topic, but the concept is to bring something to the area that is not immediately available, like below which is the ski resort in the middle of desert (Dubai). Just sayin.... 
NutsForFlorida
Well-Known Member
That Dubai Ski Rsort thing is cool. I've never seen or heard about this.This looks so awesome! Just one dumb question. Why build an indoor ocean atmosphere type park so close to the ocean??? Does that make any sense whatsoever?
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
I've never been to a Disney waterpark (strange, I know, considering how many times I've been over the years). I have, however, been to 2 of the Schlitterbahn waterparks: Galveston which is nearest to us at just over an hour drive away (including the lovely ride on the ferry) and the original in New Braunfels. The Travel Channel rates the original in New Braunfels as the #1 park but I disagree completely. Even though it's bigger overall than Galveston we really didn't like it that much. The way everything is so spread out is a pain in the tookus. And having to ride a bus when you're all wet to travel between halves of the park totally blows. That's a huuuuge detraction for me. We love the Galveston park! The layout is awesome. It's small enough that you can relax and not go nutty trying to get at least 1 ride on everything. The "river" goes all the way around and thru the park so you can literally ride from point A to point B instead of scurrying along the hot pavement. The part of the river where the waves comes out is waaaaay better in Galveston because the waves are much bigger. Also, the way the river is laid out makes the waves much, much more fun. We love that. Then there's the conveyor on the river that lifts you up to the rapids section. And can I say the rapids section by Surfenburg at Galveston is a ton of fun? I swear, I could spend all day just looping on the river there. It's such a blast! Relaxing and easy-going in some sections then exciting and thrilling in others. Aaaaand, I like that they keep at least a portion of the park (Wasserfest) open year round with it all enclosed in the "winter". We've not been during the Wasserfest season but I'd like to do it sometime just to say we have.
Another big thing to point out about all Schlitterbahn parks is that you are invited to bring in your coolers, pack a lunch, etc. We always bring a big ol' horkin' wheeled cooler with plenty of drinks, sandwich fixins, etc. It's just such a nice thing to be able to do.
I'd really like to go see the Kansas City park when they get all that done. The way they're approaching that one is quite interesting. I'm afraid the recession has taken it's toll on that project, tho. It seems to have slowed things considerably. Anyone been there or have any recent updates?
There are 3 Schlitterbahn parks in Texas (if you don't count the 2 halves of the original as 2 separate parks which is how that one is laid out). There's the original w/it's 2 halves (can you tell that's a big pet-peeve of mine?) in New Braunfels (sorta between San Antonio & Austin), the Galveston Beach park (we'll be there this Saturday to celebrate my father-in-law's 60th birthday...sshhh...it's a surprise!), and the location at South Padre (never been to that one...it's kinda far for us).
And no, I've never felt like Schlitterbahn was the "Six Flags" of water parks. Naturally, it doesn't have a "Disney" feel. It's not Disney. Schlitterbahn is it's own thing and really a looooot of fun. :wave:
Matt and Kelly
Well-Known Member
Me neither...that is very cool!