Credit: Inside the MagicDisney World’s operational rhythm includes seasonal patterns that longtime visitors recognize but first-time guests often find surprising. Among the most significant of these recurring transitions is the annual rotation between the resort’s two water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, which alternate operations throughout the year to allow for necessary refurbishment and maintenance while ensuring at least one water park remains available to guests at all times. This staggered schedule has become standard practice at Walt Disney World, reflecting the reality that maintaining water attractions requires extensive behind-the-scenes work that cannot be completed while parks operate at full capacity serving thousands of daily visitors.
The water park rotation serves multiple operational purposes beyond simply providing guests with aquatic entertainment options year-round. Extended closures allow Disney to conduct comprehensive maintenance on complex water filtration systems, ride mechanisms, wave pools, and the extensive plumbing infrastructure that keeps these attractions functioning safely and efficiently. Slide surfaces require inspection and resurfacing, lazy rivers need thorough cleaning and system checks, and the theming elements that make each park distinctive demand regular refurbishment to maintain the immersive environments guests expect from Disney properties. Without these extended closure periods, the accumulated wear from millions of annual visitors would quickly degrade both safety standards and guest experience quality.
For guests planning Walt Disney World vacations during the winter and spring months, understanding when the water park transition occurs becomes essential trip planning information. The timing affects decisions about resort bookings, ticket purchases, and daily itineraries, particularly for families who specifically want to include water park visits as part of their vacation experience. While both parks offer similar core attractions including wave pools, water slides, lazy rivers, and family raft rides, they feature distinctly different theming and unique signature attractions that appeal to different preferences. Knowing which park will be operating during your visit allows for more informed planning and helps avoid the disappointment of arriving at Disney World expecting to experience a specific water park only to discover it’s closed for seasonal refurbishment.
The 2026 Water Park Transition
Disney has confirmed that Typhoon Lagoon will close on February 14, 2026, with Blizzard Beach reopening the following day on February 15. This back-to-back transition maintains Disney’s commitment to keeping at least one water park operational while the other undergoes its seasonal closure for maintenance and refurbishment. This is very interesting as Blizzard Beach is typically open during the holiday season, even having their own Santa meet and greet due to the winter theming, but now, this will not be the case this year.
The announcement came as part of Disney’s promotion for the returning Water Park Seasonal Pass, which is now on sale for $89 for adults and $83 for children ages 3-9. The pass provides unlimited visits to whichever water park is currently operating from now through May 9, 2026, with blackout dates from March 28 through April 5, 2026.
The February 14 closure date for Typhoon Lagoon means guests visiting during Valentine’s Day weekend will need to plan around the water park being unavailable. However, Blizzard Beach’s February 15 reopening ensures minimal disruption, with water park access resuming immediately for guests staying at the resort during that transition period.
What the Seasonal Pass Includes
Beyond unlimited water park admission through early May, the seasonal pass includes several perks that add value for frequent visitors. Passholders receive 20 percent off cabana rentals at both water parks, though this discount is available only as a walk-up deal when first arriving at the park rather than through advance booking.
At Blizzard Beach, the discount applies to Polar Patios cabanas, providing a private retreat after riding Summit Plummet or other attractions. Typhoon Lagoon offers the same discount on Beachcomber Shacks cabanas, which provide island-themed relaxation spaces with views of North America’s largest wave pool.
The pass also includes one complimentary round of miniature golf at either Winter Summerland Miniature Golf or Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf, valid for visits before 4 PM. This perk is limited to a single use throughout the entire season, so passholders should plan when they want to take advantage of it.
Typhoon Lagoon’s History and Design
Typhoon Lagoon opened as Disney’s second water park and has become one of Walt Disney World’s most recognizable aquatic attractions. The park’s distinctive centerpiece is Miss Tilly, a giant cartoon-style shrimp boat perched atop Mount Mayday, the park’s central mountain structure. Every 30 minutes, Miss Tilly shoots a 50-foot geyser of water, creating a visual landmark that reinforces the park’s tropical storm theme.
According to lead concept designer Chris Runco, the design team visited water parks throughout America gathering inspiration before developing Typhoon Lagoon. Interestingly, the park’s name came first, with all other design elements following from that initial concept. Runco’s very first drawing included the boat-on-mountain idea that became Miss Tilly, and the concept immediately resonated with Disney executives. Then-Disney Parks Executive Producer Randy Bright reportedly declared “This is it!” after seeing that initial sketch, cementing the design direction that would define the park.
The tropical storm theming extends throughout Typhoon Lagoon, with attractions and areas designed to look like the aftermath of a massive typhoon that scattered beach equipment, surfboards, and maritime debris across a formerly pristine tropical paradise. This cohesive storytelling approach distinguishes Typhoon Lagoon from typical water parks and demonstrates Disney’s commitment to immersive theming even in aquatic environments.
Disney’s Water Park Evolution
While Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are the only two water parks currently operating at Walt Disney World, they were not the resort’s first aquatic offerings. River Country holds that distinction, having operated from 1976 through 2001 as Disney’s original water park.
River Country featured an outdoors-themed design and was located at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort alongside Bay Lake. The park utilized the natural lake water filtered through Disney’s systems, giving it a rustic, natural swimming hole aesthetic that contrasted sharply with the highly themed environments that would later define Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
River Country’s closure in 2001 came after 25 years of operation and marked the end of Disney’s first-generation water park design philosophy. The park remained standing but closed for years before finally being demolished, with its footprint now part of the expanded Fort Wilderness property. The closure reflected changing guest expectations, evolving safety standards, and Disney’s recognition that the highly themed, attraction-focused approach of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach better served contemporary visitors.
The annual rotation between Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach represents Disney’s current water park operational strategy, balancing guest access with necessary maintenance requirements. The February transition date allows Typhoon Lagoon to close during the cooler winter months when water park attendance naturally decreases, while Blizzard Beach’s winter theme makes its February reopening feel seasonally appropriate even as Florida temperatures begin warming toward spring.
For guests planning visits around the transition period, the key consideration is simply knowing which park will be open during your stay. Both offer excellent water park experiences with different theming approaches, so while some guests may have strong preferences, most families will find either park provides a full day of aquatic entertainment regardless of which one happens to be operating during their vacation dates.