What We Love Most About Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
“A furious storm once roared cross the sea, catching ships in its path, helpless to flee. Instead of a certain and watery doom, the winds swept them here to Typhoon Lagoon.”
Welcome to our post/podcast on what we love most about Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. We’ve been around the world talking about the various parks and what we love most. We’re taking a dive into Disney’s water park masterpiece, Typhoon Lagoon. Join us for this post and podcast.
You can find our podcast here on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, MyTuner, and ListenNotes.
Ahoy Matey!
There is nothing pretentious when you arrive at the water park. Flags decoded spell out “Welcome to Typhoon Lagoon”. The entrance includes scrap materials found on in the wake of a major typhoon.
A picture perfect picture taking setting awaits you when you enter. Perfect, because you’ll probably put your phone and/or camera into a locker shortly.
A winding trail takes you into the park itself. Like Disney’s Animal Kingdom, this park does not reveal itself at first. But when it does, it is amazing.
The view is stunning when you arrive. And the cries that call out when a wave cuts loose is a total sensory experience.
The main retail space is more about sundries needed while in the park, rather than souvenirs.
Still, expensive shades sold by Sunglass Hut still make for an expensive souvenir.
Another total sensory experience is the smell of the mini donuts from the nearby snack stand.
Hit the Beach
There are two types of waves, but the surf wave is a favorite any day over the bobbing wave.
The wave machine is capable of getting waves up to 12 feet in height. Fortunately for the life guards on patrol, they don’t usually set it to that height.
Castaway to Leaning Palms
One of the best ways to get around is on a tube sailing around Castaway Creek. As we move clockwise, we come across Happy Landings, home of the Sand Pail Sundae.
Just beyond is the Placid Palms–I mean the Leaning Palms Dining. This is Typhoon’s major counter service restaurant.
Not too far down our lazy river is the Ketchakiddee Creek, perfect for the toddler group.
Just above on Mount Mayday are a set of slides to include Gangplank Falls, pictured here.
Continuing down Castaway Creek, we head into a grotto, and to the valley floor below Mount Mayday. This is paradise.
Catch the foot bridge and you can ascend toward the top of Mount Mayday near Miss Tilly.
Miss Tilly likes to blower her stack every now and then, with water running down all sides of the mountain.
It’s from here that you catch a beautiful view of the entirety of Typhoon Lagoon.
Not just one of my favorite places in Typhoon Lagoon, but perhaps in all of Walt Disney World. Did I mention this was the epicenter of paradise?
On this side of the mountain we catch the Storm Slides and the Humunga Kowabunga, which is an enclosed slide dropping 51 feet at speeds around 30 miles per hour.
Shark Reef–RIP
Shark Reef is to Typhoon Lagoon like Horizons is to Epcot or Great Movie Ride is to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It is a great lament that it is no longer here. But in her day, it was a terrific experience.
Step inside the toppled ship (sub?) and you get to view divers along with the marine life.
This image showcases the sea life available at Shark Reef.
Miss Adventure Falls
All is not totally lost. As a nearby replacement, Miss Adventure Falls was incorporated into the park.
Like nearly all members of S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) the are unique artifacts found along the way.
Part of the fun of this family raft ride is not only being taken up the ramp…
…but meeting up with Captain Mary’s parrot, Duncan
Tropical Amity
Next door is another great attraction. In the setting of a destroyed citrus packing plant we find a unique one-of-a-kind water park attraction.
This setting has a beautiful relaxation pool in the front, but beyond it is one crazy set of slides.
Welcome to Crush ‘n’ Gusher. Grab a tube. You can take a single or double.
All of this feels overgrown and fallen apart.
Rest assured, though, this is one serious trio of roller-coaster style slides.
Heading Out
Castaway Creek leads us toward our exit.
Need a quick shower?
Or do you just need to wash the sand off your feet?
Lilo bids us aloha as we head out of the park. Plan on the better part of a full day at Typhoon, to include a nap, either on the beach or at your hotel when you get back.
More Water Parks to Enjoy
Stay tuned to more posts, photos and podcasts of Typhoon Lagoon in the days to come, Plus we’ll visit Blizzard Beach. Meanwhile, please subscribe to our podcast, to our YouTube Channel, and if possible send us a positive rating on iTunes. Thanks!
Has all this chat made you hungry for a Disney adventure? Now is the time to dream and plan for your future travels. Be sure to reach out to David Zanolla, owner and agent of of Out The Door Travel, LLC to make arrangements. There’s no cost–but it could save you a lot of time–and even money–especially when you put it in the hands of someone who really knows Disney and travel. Call today at 309-863-5469 or reach out to him via zanolla@otdtravel.com
