We recently visited Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon for the first time and it was so fun. Here I am sharing all my best tips based on experience and what we learned during our visit.
Typhoon Lagoon Tips Based on Our Experience
These tips are based on our first experience at Typhoon Lagoon and what I would share with a friend after going. Since we an annual pass, I’ll be sure to keep this updated when we go again if any of my tips change or if I have more!
Get there early, the parking lot fills up fast!
A friend suggested to us that the parking lot is small and fills up early, and I am so glad they did. We planned to get there at 9:30am but we were ready early so we got there at 9:20am and it was already half full with a long line at the gate.
The good news is, parking is free!
And then, be prepared to wait until 10am.
So the line is long and the parking lot is small with nowhere for this long line to go. So to keep the line from standing in the parking lot where the shuttle buses pull in, they actually open the gates and start letting people in around 9:30am (or at least when the line is long enough to flood into the parking lot).
But then, you can’t actually get into the water park. You can however go to several different areas of the park before you’re stopped by a rope and an attendant, blocking off the actual water park area and seating. This is where you’ll have to wait until 10am.
Be strategic and try to get to one of these roped areas right away so when they open the ropes, you can get right to a seat and claim it. Even better if you get close to a seat with umbrellas.
Head to your highest priority rides/slides first
One thing I wish we had done was to prioritize heading to some of the rides/slides first, before we got caught up playing in the wave pool and exploring. Then we would have shorter line times.
Mind you, we went on a Saturday so it was a busier day, but we waited between 20-35 minutes in line for a couple of them and almost 40 minutes for one. Others were quick with basically no line.
Bring your Disney Popcorn Bucket
They do sell popcorn bucket refills for $2 at Typhoon Lagoon, just like they do at the other Disney parks!
You can bring a cooler (with some rules)
I love that Disney parks let you bring a cooler with your own snacks and drinks. I think it’s such a family and budget-friendly perk of Disney! Typhoon Lagoon is no different, so feel free to pack those coolers.
Coolers just have to be a size that can be safely carried and cannot contain loose ice (use ice packs instead) and cannot contain any glass. And no alcoholic beverages.
Speaking of food, use mobile ordering!
When we were ready for some food, I spent longer in line waiting to get my kids some chicken tenders than I did for the rides! When we go back, I will definitely mobile order my food and continue having fun while we wait, and just swing by and pick it up when it’s ready.
Bring a waterproof phone pouch
The reason you don’t see a bunch of photos in this post is because I did not have my phone with me because water. But I did see lots of people with lanyards on that had waterproof phone pouches on them and I thought, well that was smart.
This what I saw others had and what I will take next time so I can snap more pics on slides and while we’re having fun: No products found.
Except, I don’t recommend bringing anything into the wave pool.
People, the wave pool is legit. It was our 6 year old’s “most favorite thing ever”, and he basically stood towards the back and let the water wash him up to “shore”.
The waves are huge. My husband and oldest son would swim out and body surf the waves, while me and our younger two stayed back and played in the tail-end of the waves, which still majorly swept us away.
But I say I don’t recommend bringing things in because the waves are strong and everyone was losing sunglasses and other random things.
Also try to stay away from other people if you can, because they will get washed on top of you!
Listen for the sirens in the wave pool
This Typhoon Lagoon tip is all about safety – listen for the sirens. Every so often (I couldn’t figure out the timing) you’ll hear it going off at the wave pool and when it does, a “super wave” is coming. My husband estimated it’s 10-12 feet, but their website says their waves are 6 feet high. They seemed way higher than 6 feet!
There are lockers for your valuables
There are lockers you can rent for your valuables, but we didn’t do this. I don’t want to call this a “Typhoon Lagoon tip” because I hold no responsibility for your belongings, but we left our phones and wallets, etc in the bottom of our towel bag by our chairs and it was totally fine. Of course, do this at your own risk.
I saw a lot of water shoes
I was surprised to see so many people wearing water shoes. However, I understand why they were. We were totally fine barefoot and will probably never buy water shoes just for Typhoon Lagoon. But with all the different surfaces, rides, lines, etc, I see why some people prefer shoes.
You can rent cabanas, but we didn’t need one
You can rent Beachcomber Shacks (cabanas) for an additional fee, but I honestly don’t recommend it if you are going to get there early enough to get a seat.
We barely sat at all, except for here and there to have a snack or regroup. Most of the time we were out enjoying the park and the cost of a cabana would not have been worth it.
If you have small babies or elderly in your group who may need to spend more time sitting, maybe it would be worth it.
The best days to visit are weekdays (especially the beginning of the week)
We went on a Saturday, which was really busy. Honestly it didn’t feel too crazy, but if you want a smaller crowd weekdays are the way to go.
There is a dress code
Just like any Disney park, there is a dress code. Most people don’t need to stress about it, but here are the guidelines: Family friendly swimwear, no buckles, rivets, zippers or sharp objects work on any rides. No jeans or wetsuits on most of the rides. Babies in diapers need to wear swim diapers, of course.
I hope these Typhoon Lagoon tips help you prepare for and enjoy your time there!
More Disney Tips:
- Standby Skipper: The App that Books Lightning Lanes (at Disney)
- 10 Disney Tips That Made Our Trip Amazing
- The 10 Things I Will Always Bring to Disney
Hi, I’m Jessica! I am wife to Chris, and mom to Kaip, Alana and Koa. I am a website developer and blogger. In this space, I share about everything from parenting, making money from home, recipes, mom lifestyle, and things for kids! Learn more about me here.
