5 Reasons Why Disney in July is Fun!

Summer is the most popular season for family travel in the U.S.  While the kids are out of school in most parts of the country, families take advantage of the warm weather to spend some quality time together on some amazing vacations.  For some though, Walt Disney World is immediately removed from the list of summer vacation destinations.  I understand.  Some worry about how hot and humid Florida summers can be while others are fearful of facing large crowds.  Well folks, as someone who has travelled to Walt Disney World during the summer twice before and about to embark on another trip in less then a week, I can reassure you that you can indeed have fun in Walt Disney World in summer.  Check out these 5 reasons why your Walt Disney World vacation is still fun - even in July!  

5. Great water parks! - Walt Disney World is home to, not one, but two amazing water parks.  Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach provide lots of family entertainment and a great way to beat the heat.  If you visit Walt Disney World outside of the summer months, you may not get to experience both as in the "off-season" they typically only have one water park open at a time.

Typhoon Lagoon is the perfect place to take a break during your summertime Disney vacation!

4.  No school guilt - While my two are still too young to be missing school when we travel during the school year, I know as an educator how difficult missing a week of school can be for students.  Traveling to Walt Disney World in the summer means that you can have all the Disney fun you can manage without any of the guilt associated with pulling your kids from a week of school!

3.  Later park hours - This is something I didn't really appreciate until our November trip this past year.  I'm just used to parks staying open later and was amazed to see regular park closing times of 8PM for Hollywood Studios or 10PM for Magic Kingdom.  When you add in the early Magic Kingdom closings for special events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (7PM closing time) you have less time to fit in your favorite attractions.

2.  Your Resort Pool - Disney resorts (an even the off property resorts I've stayed at) have some amazing pools.  The pools are not-to-be missed essentials on a summer vacation, but are often overlooked when traveling in the cooler off season months.  Of the Disney property resorts I've visited, my favorite pool so far as been at Port Orleans Riverside.  The water slides are great - even for big kids!

1. It's Disney! - And who can say no to a Walt Disney World vacation anytime of year?!?! Regardless of when you travel, the parks offer a great variety of activities and even in the Florida heat you can find ways to stay cool and have a great vacation.

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5 Reasons to Visit Walt Disney World Resort Water Parks

I have a feeling our Mid-Atlantic winter is setting up to be a long one.  This cold, ice, snow, and other nonsense is only made worse when I check my weather app and find that it's a balmy 39 degrees in Orlando.  Whoa!  What???  With those kind of cold temps in the "Sunshine State," Disney's Blizzard Beach is really living up to it's name.  Since everyone is probably missing summer right now, let's take a few minutes to talk about Disney's two water parks.

In general, I feel like these two parks are very similar and they are often left off of itineraries for people visiting Disney.  And to a certain extent, I can understand why.  Water parks seem to be a dime a dozen.  So why visit Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon?  Let me give you my top 5 reasons to squeeze in a quick trip to these parks on your next visit.

A view of Typhoon Lagoon's famous shipwreck

1.  Convenience 
These water parks don't need to be an all day visit so they can fit easily into a trip by pairing them with a half day visit to another park.  In fact, Blizzard Beach is located right by Animal Kingdom.  Many people choose to only spend a partial day at AK so this would fit well into your itinerary.  If you're booking a trip though in cooler months, check availability.  During the summer, Disney keeps both parks running, but as the weather turns cooler they usually only have one open each day and may close entirely during a cold snap.

2.  Nobody Does It Like Disney
You may feel like a water park on your Disney vacation is "been there, done that."  But Disney always does it one step better.  Like the parks and rides throughout WDW, theming is done top notch at both of these.  At Typhoon Lagoon, you are taken to a shipwreck on a topical island and at Blizzard Beach you are stuck in a freak South Florida snowstorm.  While many of the attractions may resemble other water parks, you can't beat the Disney storytelling.

3.  Crush 'n' Gusher
At Typhoon Lagoon, you will find an awesome water ride!  In your tube, you will travel through a slide and actually go uphill in places!  This ride is unique and a lot of fun!  If you've been on a DCL cruise on either the Fantasy or the Dream, you've had the chance to experience something similar with AquaDuck.  A great family-fun ride!

A view of Crush 'n' Gusher at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

4.  Relief from the Heat
Let's face it. . .Disney can be hot!  2 of my last 3 trips have been in July and sometimes you just need to cool off.  What better way to beat the Florida heat while still enjoying your Disney vacation.  By adding the Water Park and Fun option to your Park Hopper tickets, you can visit the water parks once or every day of your trip.  If you're traveling with kids this could also provide a change of scenery from your resort pool.

5.  Thrill Rides
Yes, I said it.  Some of the water slides at these water parks provide great thrills for even the seasoned water park veteran.  In fact, Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach is one of the tallest and fastest watersides in the world. It's a 12-story plunge at a near vertical angle!  This one was too scary for me, but I've heard amazing reviews from those who have done it and the screams coupled with big smiles at the bottom show just how much fun this slide can be!

So there you have it!  A few reasons to check out the Disney water parks on your next visit.  I'd love to hear your opinions of Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon in the comments in you have insight to share!  Hope this post helps you beat the winter blues and think warm thoughts during these cold days!  

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