When you think of Disney World or Universal Orlando, your mind inevitably goes to the theme parks. Disney World is home to four: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Universal Orlando has two: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure (a third gate, Epic Universe, is slated to open in 2025).

With all these theme parks, you may not have realized something big: Each resort is also home to its own water parks. You have two water parks at Disney: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Universal Orlando’s water park, Volcano Bay, is a bit newer, having opened in 2017.

Each of the water parks offers a variety of different water attractions, pools, and exquisite theming. But that comes at a cost — each of the water parks has a separate price tag from the high cost you’ll already be spending at the theme parks. With money and time from your vacation on the line, the big question you may be asking is this: Is it actually worth going to a water park at Disney World or Universal?

Disney World Water Parks

First, let’s take a look at the water park options. Disney World has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Blizzard Beach has, as you may have guessed, a ski resort-themed setup. Typhoon Lagoon is the exact opposite, offering guests a tropical paradise.

For the past few years, Disney has alternated opening dates for each water park, so only one has been open at a time while the other goes through annual maintenance. While things could change in the future, you should keep in mind that you’ll only be able to do one while visiting Disney World as it is now.

Typhoon Lagoon

Theming: a tropical parade featuring an island feel

Ticket Cost: 1-Day Tickets are $69 for ages 10+, $63 for ages 3 to 9

Dates Open: typically open in late spring to early fall, alternating with Blizzard Beach (as of 2023)

Attraction Options:

• Bay Slides: twin body slides (for 60″ or shorter)
• Castaway Creek: lazy river
• Crush’ n’ Gusher: coaster-like raft ride (for 48″ or taller)
• Gangplank Falls: oversized inner tube ride
• Humunga Kowabunga: near vertical body slide with a 5-story drop (for 48″ or taller)
• Keelhaul Falls: one-person inner tube ride
• Ketchakiddee Creek: shallow pools with play area for younger kids (for 48″ or shorter)
• Mayday Falls: highest and longest waterslide at the park
• Miss Adventure Falls: 4-person raft ride
• Storm Slides: three body slides
• Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool: surf pool that features up to 6-foot waves

Blizzard Beach

Theming: The story behind Blizzard Beach is that a freak snowstorm created a ski resort in Florida. The ski resort began to melt, creating the water rides of Blizzard Beach.

Dates Open: typically open in late fall to early spring, alternating with Typhoon Lagoon (as of 2023)

Ticket Cost: 1-Day Tickets are $69 for ages 10+, $63 for ages 3 to 9

Attraction Options:

• Chairlift: a scenic chairlift ride up to the summit of Mount Gushmore
• Cross Country Creek: 3,000-foot-long lazy river
• Downhill Double Dipper: side-by-side high-speed slides with inner tubes (for 48″ or taller)
• Melt-Away Bay: heated wave pool
• Runoff Rapids: three different innertube waterslides
• Ski Patrol Training Camp: waterslides, obstacles, and more for younger guests
• Melt-Away Bay: a heated wave pool
• Slush Gusher: 90-foot high-speed water slide (for 48″ or taller)
• Snow Stormers: three water slides that you can ride on a toboggan-style mat
• Summit Plummet: a body slide with a near-vertical drop-down 12 stories
• Teamboat Springs: long, winding waterslide with innertubes that can fit up to six riders
• Tike’s Peak: Frozen-themed play area for younger kids (for 48″ or under)
• Toboggan Racers: water slides with toboggan-style racing

Universal Water Park

Over at Universal Orlando, you cannot miss the water park Volcano Bay, with a giant 200-foot-tall volcano that’s as eye-catching as it sounds. Located next to Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort, Volcano Bay has tropical theming and an innovative queuing system.

When visiting Volcano Bay, you’ll be given the TapuTapu, a waterproof wearable that can hold your place in a Virtual Line for each attraction. You can scan in at the attraction of your choice and then relax and do other things instead of waiting in line. Once it’s your turn to go back, TapuTapu will let you know.

Volcano Bay

Theming: tropical-themed water park centered around a 200-foot-tall artificial volcano called Krakatau

Dates Open: year-round

Ticket Cost: 1-Day Ticket starts at $70 (goes up to $90) for ages 10+, $65 (goes up to $85) for ages 3 to 9

Attraction Options:

• Honu of the Honu ika Moana: five-passenger raft on an open flume (for 48″ or taller)
• Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides: two body slides with twin trap doors that plunge riders down the tubes (for 48″ or taller)
• Ko’okiri Body Plunge: a body slide with a 70-degree drop through a drop door (for 48″ and taller)
• Kopiko Wai Winding River: lazy river
• Krakatau Aqua Coaster: four-person canoe water coaster (for 42″ or taller)
• Maku PuihiRound Rafter Ride: five-person raf ride with high speeds (for 42″ and taller)
• Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides: drop slide with a six-foot drop into a pool (for 48″ and taller)
• Puka Uli Lagoon: leisure pool with playful elements like bongo drums and spraying water
• Punga Racers: body slide through underwater sea caves (for 42″ and taller)
• Raki of Taniwha Tubes: two twisting water slides with inner tubes (for 42″ and taller)
• TeAwa The Fearless River: whitewater river ride (all guests required to wear life jackets)
• The Reef: peaceful leisure pool
• Tonga of Taniwha Tubes: two curving water slides with inner tubes (for 42″ and taller)
• Waturi Beach: relaxing beach overlooking the park.

When the Water Parks Are Worth the Cost

While the water parks cost less per day than the theme parks, the tickets still certainly aren’t cheap. For that reason, you will really want to consider how much you’ll get out of a day at the water parks when visiting Disney World or Universal.

Each of these water parks has incredible theming and top-tier attractions unlike water rides you’ll find anywhere else. These aren’t your regular pool slides — these are water rides in their own right. Each of the parks also has attractions for all ages and levels of thrill seekers. You can choose to sail away on a lazy river or take the plunge with a full drop-down water slide.

There are a few things to think about when deciding whether to go to one of the water parks or not. One of those things is the length of your vacation. If you’re going to Disney World for just a few days, you likely would have to give up valuable time in the parks to be able to do a water park as well. However, if you plan on staying for a longer vacation, you can probably fit in a day at the water park more easily.

Universal is a bit different since there are only two theme parks, making it easier to get more done in a shorter amount of time. Universal’s Volcano Bay also has the benefit of the TapuTapu system, making it easier to get to all the attractions you want and get the most out of your day at the water park.

Another thing to consider may seem obvious, but it’s just how much you and your party would enjoy a day at the water parks. If you could see yourself spending the full day, or close to it, at the park, maybe it’s worth the per-day cost. But water parks are divisive. I’m not naming names, but I know plenty of people who avoid water parks like the plague, loathing the idea of spending an entire day in a bathing suit swimming in pools that, in all likelihood, someone has peed in. Water parks are the Wild Wild West of theme parks — you either love ’em or hate ’em.

Ultimately, whether you’ll enjoy the water parks at Disney or Universal comes down to your budget and how much you think you’ll get out of them. All three parks have incredible thrills you won’t find anywhere else, with immersive theming that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a whole new world. Plus, let’s get real: When Orlando is sweltering hot, what sounds better than a day of pools?