
A lot of things changed at Walt Disney World Resort in the wake of COVID-19, but one of the most frustrating has definitely been the way it operates its water parks.
Prior to the pandemic, Disney World guests could – for the most part – enjoy both of its water parks. With the exception of scheduled refurbishments (when one park would typically close in winter each year), Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon were typically in operation at the same time most of the year, giving the Florida resort a grand total of six parks.
Sadly, that’s no longer the case. Since the parks reopened post-COVID, Disney has shifted to a one-on, one-off operating schedule for its water parks.
Typically, Blizzard Beach is open from November to March, while Typhoon Lagoon (which has historically always been the more popular water park) takes over from March to November.
The biggest downside to this plan is that Florida—despite its status as the Sunshine State—can and does get very cold in the winter. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, we saw Blizzard Beach seemingly spend more of the winter season closed than it did open.
January 2025 has proven particularly problematic. Thanks to a rare winter storm, snow scattered several areas of Florida, with Orlando hitting a low of 39 degrees Fahrenheit on January 22. Not exactly water park weather.
Generally, Disney – and Universal – close their water parks when temperatures dip below 70. That leaves Blizzard Beach in a pretty precarious position (ironic, considering its snowy theme), raising the question of whether it’s even worth opening the park during the winter.
A bigger question is why Disney puts in the effort (and money) to refurbish a water park annually when it only opens for a few months, giving few people the chance to visit.
We don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of Disney’s operating decisions. However, its plans for Blizzard Beach continue to prove pretty baffling. There have been whispers in recent years about big changes hitting the park, with some even theorizing that Disney may axe the park and its iconic slides – including Downhill Double Dipper, Summit Plummet, Teamboat Springs, and Slush Gusher – altogether.
Personally, we think the odds of that happening are slim. Ideally, Disney would revert to its pre-COVID approach to operating its water parks. While attendance hasn’t fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, it still seems logical to axe Blizzard Beach’s winter-only schedule—and rethink the entire water park system.
What do you think of Disney’s current water park system?
I’m not very happy about it!