Disney Water Parks To Introduce Virtual Queues

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Virtual queuing… haven’t we written about this already!? Yup hot on the heels of Universal confirming virtual queuing at Volcano Bay and Race Through New York starring Jimmy Fallon, Disney will also be using the system at Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

What?

Virtual queuing is an in park system that selects a time for you to ride an attraction, so instead of standing and queuing you return to the attraction at agreed time. This allows you to enjoy the rest of the park while you wait.

Virtual queuing  is different to Disney’s FastPass+ system as you can’t pre-book virtual queues.

Where?

We are lead to believe that testing for the virtual system has already begun at both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard beach with Typhoons newest attraction Miss Adventure Falls being one of the rides being used along with Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher and Double Dipper at Blizzard Beach.

Anything that cuts down physical queuing is well received by us. It looks like virtual queuing could be the new buzz item at parks.

Smiles included…

Jamie

 

Blizzard Beach Top Attractions 2016

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Topping the Blizzard Beach charts and coming in at the highest it’s the highly popular (if you haven’t guessed it already) Summit Plummet.

The 120 foot tall ride is one of Orlando’s most extreme attractions, as you fly down the almost vertical slope you’ll be able to see over the whole park – that’s if you’re brave enough to keep your eyes open!!

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Second Place: Teamboat Springs – This is a great family slide and fits up to 6 people. Its a fun packed 1,200 foot slide consisting of spins, twists and lots of splashes.

Third Place: Toboggan Racers – As you zoom head first from the top to the bottom of Mount Gushmore be prepared to catch some air as you lift off with every dip, will you be the winner?

Fourth Place: Runoff Rapids – There are three slides to choose from with each one being a totally different experience. One slide is a dark, fully enclosed trip to the bottom, the other two will see you hop in to a inner tube finding yourself weaving over and under the centre slide.

Fifth Place: Downhill Double Dipper – The perfect ride for any competitive person! You’ll almost be able to touch the tension as you and your opponent anticipate the start of the race. You’ll reach huge speeds before plunging into the water at the end. What’s cooler is that your time will be displayed on overhead digital stop clocks.

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Again all you thrill seekers have proved how hardcore you are by voting Summit Plummet as the top attraction in Blizzard Beach. The free-fall, ski jump slide is not one for the faint hearted as you reach mega speeds, zoom through a dark tunnel finally landing in a huge spray of whitewater.

This is a awesome slide and a worthy winner.

Smiles Included…

Jess
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‘Frozen’ Games To Begin At Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park On May 27th

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Anyone ever heard of a little film called “Frozen”? Apparently its quite popular…

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Well starting on May 27 and running through Aug. 21, characters from “Frozen” will invite guests visiting Blizzard Beach to join Team Kristoff or Team Olaf each day to participate in a variety of winter-themed activities including:

  • Ice Pail Relays where teams line up and pass pails of water to one another, trying to be the first to fill a container at the end.
  • A “Snowball” Toss where pairs compete in a snow-themed water balloon toss.
  • Ski Pole Limbo, a snowy twist on traditional limbo—using a ski pole as the limbo bar!
  • Slide Races that allow teams to race down one of the signature water slides at Blizzard Beach.

Here’s the premise; Kristoff and Olaf are on their way from Arendelle to help host the inaugural “Frozen” Games at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park this summer.

Olaf and Kristoff will be on hand, appearing on the Observation Deck near Summit Plummet to take part in the opening and closing ceremonies, and giving updates on their teams’ progress throughout the day.

The “Frozen” Games will be an all-day event that guests can sign up for when they arrive at the park entrance. All activities are included with regular admission to Blizzard Beach.

Eeeeekk!!!! Who’s looking forward to this?

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Disney’s Blizzard Beach Seasonal Closure Dates

Hey Thrill Seekers,

As you’re probably aware during the winter months Disney closes one of its Water Parks  to give it some tender love and care. This year Disney’s Blizzard Beach will be the water park getting a touch up.

The popular Water Park will be closed between the 04/10/2015 and 02/01/2016. Fans of big thrills will be disappointed as Blizzard Beach boasts one of the more adrenaline inducing rides “Summit Plummet” which is rated as the number 1 thing to do by our customers.

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Although this may upset some people, the other Orlando water parks will be up and running. You can discover more information about the other water parks here –

Which is your favourite Orlando water park? Mines Wet N’ Wild…

Smiles included…

Jamie

Orlando Attraction Tickets

Which Water Park Should I Visit?

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Orlando boasts some of the most impressive water parks in the World and visiting one of them should be high on your list of things to do; but if you could only visit one which one would it be?

In today’s post we will look at four of Florida’s most impressive water parks and see what they have to offer.

SeaWorld’s Aquatica

Aquatica is SeaWorld’s Orlando water park and is relatively new, opening its doors to the public in 2008.  In its first year it hosted 950,000 guests, making it the fourth-most visited water park in the United States and eighth-most visited in the world.

It offers something for the whole family including a designated children’s area for the young ones but also boasts 36 water slides for the more adventurous.

Top Attraction – Dolphin Plunge – the park’s signature attraction, these two enclosed tube slides pass through a pool containing a pod of Commerson’s dolphins.

What People Say – 

Top choice for water parks in the Orlando area. Had greater expectations for the dolphin slide but the transparent length is too short to really see anything. Plan to arrive early to enjoy shorter lines. The bathroom facilities were very good and functional. Nice to get a hot shower right after your water slides.

Great water park. Arrive early for short wait times. River rapids were awesome

If you go in the off-season (e.g. in the fall or winter) this place is great because all the rides have very short lines for most of the day, and no lines at all for the last hour of the day. Aquatica is open year round as long as the weather is decent (today it was great – high of 82 F in late December). The food isn’t very good – it’s fast food quality but it’s not always fast and sometimes you can be stuck waiting in line 20 minutes for a cheeseburger. But you don’t go to Aquatica for the food. You go there to ride some waterslides, and they have lots of good ones. My favorite is HooRoo Run. My seven year old likes Taumata Racer and wants to ride it over and over again. My three year old is into Kata’s Cove and wants to keep riding the slides there over and over until you drag her away kicking and screaming after she’s ridden them about a hundred times.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach

Opened in 1995 Disney’s Blizzard Beach is based on the “legend” of a freak snow storm hitting Orlando. According to the Legend once the snow had melted the Ski resort that had been built was redundant, just as the resort was about to be bulldozed an Alligator slid down a flume and splached in to the water, so much fun was had that the resort became Disney’s 3rd water park!

In 2009, the park hosted approximately 1.89 million guests, ranking it the second-most visited water park in the world.

The park boasts some of the best scenery of any water park including Mount Gushmore where most of the rides begin.

Top Attraction – Summit Plummet is the flagship attraction at 120 feet (36.6 m) tall, and speeds 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). It’s the second tallest and fastest free fall slide in the world.

What people say – 

Leave it to Disney to perfect water fun” say fans of this “relaxing” aquatic playground, where the “well-executed” “blizzard-hits-Florida” theme brings together “the look of ice with the warmth of summer activities”; it’s “spread out enough to not seem too crowded”, so even if it’s a “bit expensive”, it’s still “one of the best ways to stay cool.

Great family day out in the water.

a really fun water park. just don’t try slusher gusher or summit plummet unless you enjoy having your bathing suit wrapped around your neck, having water up your nose, or feeling like you aren’t gonna live to tell about this!

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon has been on many occasions the most visited water park in the World boasting annual visits of over 2 million people. The “legend” surrounding this water park is based on a Typhoon hitting a tropical Lagoon.

Top Attraction – Crush ‘n’ Gusher the only Water coaster I can think of. One to two person rafts are propelled by water jets through hairpin turns and drop-offs. This attraction includes a choice of the water coaster slide “Banana Blaster”, “Coconut Crusher”, or “Pineapple Plunger”.

What people say – 

You’ll “feel like you’re in the islands” at this “family-friendly” water park where visitors can “stay cool and wet” by snorkeling with sharks, braving “roller-coaster type slides” or taking a dip in the “best wave pool on the planet”; “beautifully landscaped”, “lush” grounds lend a “tropical vibe” and further make it a “relaxing break from the parks

I had the time of my life with one of my best friends there. I’ll never forget that place!

The wave pool is AWESOME! Disney waterparks are fantastic. I also enjoy Blizzard Beach very much. I live in Florida and never get tired of Disney waterparks! BEST IN TOWN!

Universal’s Wet N’ Wild

Funnily enough Wet N’ Wild was founded by SeaWorld creator George Millay in 1977 and is considered the first major water park in the USA.

Although a new kids area is currently being built the park has the reputation of being more suited to the thrill rider and boasts the most amount of dual person rides at any water park.

Top Attraction – Bomb Bay – The ride for all dare devils is right here. Go inside the rocket awaiting unknowingly for the trap door to open that sends you down a 76-foot (23 m), nearly vertical slide to the depths below.

What people say – 

A “perfect escape on a hot day”, this “classic” International Drive water park is “packed full” of “rides for kids of all ages”, plus “killer slides” and “relaxing” “hangout spots” like a wave pool and lazy river; it costs “less than other” nearby places, and a new addition, the sandcastle-themed Blastaway Beach, adds about an acre of additional tot-friendly fun and may help alleviate “crowded” conditionsThis place is awesome! I’ve went in summer 2005-2006. Had a blast! Especially that day was the Puerto Rican Festival. Great live music and food was delicious. I greatly recommend it! Great to enjoy with family. This time I’m going with my young one

We’ve been to all the water parks in the Disney-Universal area and W&W is one of the best! We love the “vintage” feel, enjoy the older and newer attractions, and most of all, some of the food vendors are now offering vegetarian options (the other parks don’t). Just one suggestion – please add more lounging areas…we make sure to come in early enough to get nice seating, but lounge chairs are gone shortly after opening time and you see people fishing for any open space…Keep up the good work.

So there we have it four of the top water parks in Orlando. For me I personally enjoyed Wet N’ Wild the most as I’m a bit of an adrenaline junky.

Which is your favourite?

regards,

Jamie