As spring break season arrives, it's no surprise that Florida is a top destination for vacationers. From packed parks to congested airports like Orlando International, the crowds are making their presence known. Walt Disney World Resort, known for its enchanting experiences, faced unexpected frustrations over the weekend when certain guests were denied entry.
The influx of visitors was no surprise, as Orlando's theme park scene is always a popular draw this time of year. With four major parks and a water park, Disney World's expansive 25,000+ acre property often absorbs seasonal crowds with relative ease. Yet this time, the surge of guests was overwhelming.
From the iconic Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom to EPCOT's thrilling Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Hollywood Studios' Tower of Terror, and Disney's Animal Kingdom's immersive World of Pandora, there’s plenty to explore — but even with such variety, disruptions stretched across the resort.
Disney World is undergoing a year of transformation, with multiple closures and refurbishments in progress. Magic Kingdom is preparing for major changes to its Frontierland area, while Animal Kingdom's former DinoLand U.S.A. is being reimagined. Over at Hollywood Studios, closures are expected to make way for Monstropolis — signaling a year of big changes for Disney fans. The beloved “It's Tough to be a Bug!” attraction is among those recently shuttered.
In addition to its four parks, Walt Disney World operates two water parks: Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Following pandemic closures in 2020, Disney adopted a rotating schedule between the two locations. At present, only Blizzard Beach is open, with Typhoon Lagoon set to reopen on May 1, 2025.
This upcoming reopening coincides with Blizzard Beach's 30th anniversary celebration in April. However, following the festivities, Blizzard Beach will once again close indefinitely. While this alternating schedule has been in place for several years, the strain on Disney’s resources is becoming increasingly evident.
To manage anticipated spring break crowds, Disney extended Blizzard Beach’s hours by an extra hour, now operating from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Despite this adjustment, reports surfaced over the weekend that non-resort guests were turned away from Blizzard Beach after the park reached capacity. Overflow parking was redirected to locations such as Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and Disney's Animal Kingdom lot to handle the crowd spillover.
Guests took to social media to voice their frustration. @JamesIaniro posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“Wow… @DisneyParks @WaltDisneyWorld really needs to have both waterworks open right now…. Right now Blizzard beach is only open for resort guests. Non resort guest? They are turning you away.”
Similarly, @ChrisCJRobinson commented:
“@DisneyParks @WaltDisneyWorld
Let me get this straight.
Blizzard Beach closed and denied entry to people who paid to go but allowed entry to people who got to visit for free?
If only both water parks were open so that everyone who wanted to visit a water park, could.”
Another user, @TheLeisureProf, noted that a recent guest perk may have contributed to the crowd surge:
“So that free water park ticket on the day of resort check-in is WAY more popular than I ever expected.. haven't seen the water parks this busy in YEARS.
The upside is we should see improved food/beverage items and availability because the food spots were SLAMMED.”
This new perk, announced by Disney Parks Blog last February, is set to roll out in 2025 and allows Disney Resort hotel guests complimentary admission to a Disney water park on their check-in day.
“Disney Resort hotel guests arriving in 2025 can enjoy admission to one of our water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, on their check-in day – included in their stay,” the post explained. “The fun can start on day one at a Disney water park when you stay in the Disney Resorts Collection! And, yes, to all the Disney Vacation Club Members, Annual Passholders, and cast members, you can enjoy this benefit on check-in day for your Disney Resort hotel stay, too!”
The combination of this new offer, spring break crowds, and only one operational water park appears to have created the perfect storm of issues at Blizzard Beach this past weekend. Whether Disney will adjust its operations moving forward to prevent similar problems remains to be seen.
How do you feel about Disney only having one water park open at a time? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments down below!
