It’s been a slow return to normalcy for Disney Parks since reopening following the global pandemic. Of the long list of things that guests at Walt Disney World could not do when the parks first reopened, nearly everything has returned. Fireworks shows are back and Character hugging has returned. But there is one area of Disney World that has seen a significant change since the pandemic, and the latest news on that front has only indicated that the current state of things may be the new normal. We may never see two water parks open at the same time ever again.
Yesterday it was announced that Blizzard Beach, which had been closed for refurbishment at Disney World since March, would be reopening on November 6. Along with that news, it has now been confirmed that November 5 will be the last day of operation for the other water park, Typhoon Lagoon before it closes to undergo its own refurb. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon have now swapped places three times since they first reopened. While both locations were normally open year-round, we have yet to see them open at the same time since the pandemic closures ended.
With both parks now having gone through significant months-long refurbishments over the last year, one would expect they are both in a state to be open at the same time and yet that won’t be happening. It certainly feels like Disney World is happy with the new model, of only having one park open at a time, so this may very well be the plan going forward.
It was interesting to see Blizzard Beach close earlier this year because its previous refurbishment had been significant. It added significantly more Frozen at Disney World by redesigning the Tykes Peak area into a play pool featuring Anna and Elsa. It was therefore only open for about six months before it closed again.
It makes some sense. If the water parks aren’t filling to capacity when only one of them is open, then maybe there isn’t a need to have both of them open at the same time. While you could close one park entirely if that was the case, that one park will always need to close for refurbishment now and then, and this way you always have one open.
There are certainly water park fans who would love to still have both parks open. Sometimes you want to visit a water park frequently and you may want to hit one on one day and the other the next, but it’s increasingly looking like that simply isn’t going to be an option anymore.
So as it stands now, Blizzard Beach is open from November through March, and Typhoon Lagoon is open from March to November. That’s the pattern that is currently established. Perhaps next March, or earlier, we’ll be surprised and Typhoon Lagoon will open without a Blizzard Beach closure, but that just doesn’t feel like the way things work anymore.
