Orlando often is the residence of Walt Disney World Resort and theme parks, however since it’s HOT in Florida solar for a lot of months of the yr, you might also wish to add a day at a water park to your subsequent trip. Luckily, there are additionally some terrific water parks and lots of resorts with wonderful swimming pools, lazy rivers, and water slides on property. Over the years, we’ve scouted out the very best water parks in Orlando to select from and stayed at some resorts with superior swimming pools and play areas too!
If you want to discover Orlando space past the theme parks, don’t miss these different issues to do in Orlando.
Best Water Parks in Orlando
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Here are the very best Orlando water parks to incorporate in your subsequent Florida trip:
Volcano Bay
The greatest water park we’ve ever been to — even higher than the one at Atlantis Bahamas — is Universal’s Volcano Bay. The newer water parks are solely getting higher with the infusion of know-how, and Volcano Bay is main the pack with its TapuTapu wristbands and digital queue. Riders can “tap in” to get a spot within the digital queue after which the wristband will notify them when it’s their activate the slide.
Forget the concrete swimming pools you discover in locations like Water Country USA or Perfect Day at CocoCay. Hanging out on Waturi Beach in entrance of the volcano, the huge wave pool at Volcano Bay, feels extra like a tropical island than Central Florida.
You can even discover a lazy river, rapids river, physique slides, tube rides, and the cool Krakatau Aqua Coaster. Young children will take pleasure in splashing round on the Runamukka reef play space. Older children will get a thrill on the the Ko’okiri physique plunge drop slide. As an grownup I appreciated the eating choices from the on-site eating places, making it simple to spend a complete day.
See all my ideas for visiting Volcano Bay and Universal Studios Florida together with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter together with Diagon Alley.
Island H2O
Island H2O water park on the Margaritaville Orlando Resort is among the newer Orlando water parks and I feel it is among the greatest Florida water parks. This is one other park the place know-how enhances the water park expertise. Instead of a digital queue, Island H2O presents guests a cell app that personalizes their expertise.
First up, you’ll be able to choose the music and particular results on the raft experience and faucet in to hyperlink up the app with cameras on the slides to seize images and movies. Visitors can join with others of their social gathering to trace their location all through the park and even set alerts in case your children transfer exterior of designated play areas.
Island H20 has rides of all thrill ranges for the complete household together with a drop slide, toddler space, lazy river, tube slides, dumping buckets for youthful youngsters, and a lot extra at this water theme park positioned simply 10 minutes from the Disney parks and isn’t restricted to resort visitors.
Read my full overview of Island H2O!
Aquatica Orlando
If you’re on the lookout for massive thrills, Aquatica, SeaWorld’s waterpark, delivers after which some. Aquatica is all the time upping the bar with rides which are sooner, scarier, and extra enjoyable, like the primary dueling racer experience, Riptide Race and Reef Plunge, that transports riders via tunnels of marine life, together with Commerson’s dolphins, leopard sharks, sardines, and different cold-water fish. Ray Rush is an superior raft rider and KareKare Curl additionally delivers a vertical wave wall for these weightless-feeling drops.
In addition to its slides, Aquatica presents the Loggerhead Lane lazy river experience, lagoons, and 84,000 sq. toes of sandy seaside. Younger visitors are going to like the brand new Turi’s Kid Cove with tipping buckets and spraying jets. If you don’t wish to wait in traces, you’ll be able to pay additional for QuickQueue and get front-of-the-line entry. To make the entire household extra comfy, you too can hire cabanas or premium lounger seating. And for households with members on the spectrum, SeaWorld Orlando is now a Certified Autism Center.
Disney’s Blizzard Beach
With all there may be to do at Walt Disney World — from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios — many visitors by no means even make it to Disney’s water parks. Blizzard Beach is an OG park that’s scheduled to shut in March 2023 for a renovation.
It is designed to appear like a ski resort melting beneath the recent solar. The theming is what you’d count on from Disney’s magic, full with a ski gondola lifting guests to the highest of the taller slides. Blizzard Beach has one thing for all ages, with a number of areas designed particularly for the toddler set or youthful children. Those looking for thrills will wish to experience the Summit Plummet, which drops a terrifying 12 tales straight down.
My good friend Leslie has a superb overview of Blizzard Beach on her Disney Deciphered podcast. Also needless to say every of the Disney Water Parks closes for one to 2 months on the finish of the yr or starting of the yr and these instances range so test the web site for if you find yourself planning to go to.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park is scheduled to reopen in March 2023 after in depth renovations. At Typhoon Lagoon, the theming is extra beach-like in comparison with Blizzard Beach. The story behind the theme is that it was created by an epic storm that made the storm-soaked Mount Mayday and hurled surfboards and boats into palm bushes. Some individuals like this theming higher as a result of it feels extra “vacation like”.
Surrounding the mountain, a 56-acre topsy-turvy tropical paradise was fashioned—stuffed with waterways, rivers, rapids and slides. While there are extra areas for youths at Typhoon Lagoon, it’s barely missing on the thrills, with the scariest being Humunga Kowabunga with a five-story drop at midnight. Miss Adventure Falls, an exciting raft experience, is one other favourite attraction.
Typhoon Lagoon does have a large wave pool (North America’s largest and the water park’s signature attraction on this planet) the place you’ll be able to even take browsing classes. Altogether, many desire Typhoon Lagoon between the 2 Disney water parks but it surely actually relies on your loved ones and their preferences. Unlike different Disney parks, Typhoon Lagoon doesn’t at the moment require a park reservation, however that’s topic to alter so make sure to test earlier than you go.
LEGOLAND Water Park
Just exterior of Orlando Florida in Winter Haven, you will see that LEGOLAND Florida, residence to the theme park, water park, LEGOLAND Hotel, and LEGOLAND Beach Retreat. This water park is NOT open yr spherical, so make sure to test in case you are visiting within the winter.
The LEGOLAND Water Park features a lazy river, wave pool, physique slides and tube rides, and play areas, together with one for toddlers. While this water park isn’t pretty much as good as among the others as a stand alone park, it’s a good way to beat the warmth if you find yourself spending a day or two at LEGOLAND with a combo ticket.
Read my ideas on whether or not or not LEGOLAND is price it.
Bonus: Discovery Cove
So whereas Discovery Cove isn’t a water park with slides, there may be a lot to do within the water at this all-inclusive day resort. Guests have the chance to swim with dolphins, snorkel amongst hundreds of tropical fish and rays, hand-feed unique birds, and encounter playful otters.
Visitors may chill out and discover rocky lagoons surrounded by lush landscaping, tropical reefs, winding rivers and white, sandy seashores.
Orlando resorts with nice swimming pools!
There are so many resort decisions in Orlando that properties want to supply nice facilities and actions to face out. Many have actually stepped up with regards to elaborate swimming pools, lazy rivers, water slides, and even on-site water parks. These are a few of our favourite Orlando resorts with water parks or wonderful swimming pools:
Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort could also be proper subsequent to Volcano Bay, but it surely presents loads of enjoyable within the water with out leaving the resort property. Guests can take pleasure in two swimming pools, a zero-entry pool with a water slide, a children’ play space, a lazy river, underwater music, a pool bar and cabanas to hire.
The Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
Eric from Travel Babbo likes the Four Seasons Orlando a lot that his children would slightly cling on the market than go to Disney World. The Four Seasons Orlando presents a five-acre water park, Explorer Island.
There are splash zones, interactive fountains, water slides, a lazy river, and swimming pools, together with a shallow infinity pool. The Four Seasons additionally has an space for pool volleyball and basketball.
Reunion Resort
Reunion Resort in Kissimmee presents one, two, and three-bedroom villas. This resort neighborhood presents visitors entry to its five-acre water park when booked direct via the resort. The water park consists of water cannons, a lazy river, 4 waterfalls, water slides, rope bridges, a zero entry pool, water volleyball, water sprays and a large water dumping bucket.
Adjacent to the pool space visitors may take pleasure in ladder ball, billiards, ping pong, foosball, hula hoop video games, relay races, corn gap and big chess.
Encore Resort at Reunion can be close by and presents multi-bedroom trip rental houses with personal swimming pools and in addition has its personal water park. We stayed at an incredible 14-bedroom trip residence in Encore with our prolonged household a number of years in the past and this neighborhood is ideal for teams or multigenerational journeys.
Hilton Bonnet Creek
Just a few years in the past we stayed on the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando, which is subsequent door to its sister property the Hilton Bonnet Creek. While the pool on the Waldorf was enjoyable and swanky — and we particularly loved our personal cabana — we had extra enjoyable strolling subsequent door to benefit from the pool on the Hilton.
The Hilton Bonnet Creek presents a three-acre lazy river advanced in a lush surroundings. Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort
My good friend Monet from The Traveling Child loves the Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort and it’s her favourite resort close to Disney. The resort presents seven swimming pools. The pool at North Village has a small water slide, splash pad and devoted kiddie pool. Meanwhile, the pool at River Island has a bigger water slide and a lazy river.
Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor
Westgate Town Center Resort
Westgate Town Center Resort in Kissimmee presents trip leases from studios to spacious four-bedroom villas. Guests and homeowners can benefit from the on-site Shipwreck Island water park for an added charge.
Shipwreck Island presents a pirate ship, lazy river, and water cannons. Even Shipwreck Island’s palm bushes are geared up with jetted fountains that add to the enjoyable.
Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor
The Grove Resort
The Grove Resort in Winter Garden is simply six miles from Walt Disney World, providing all the pieces from normal rooms to three-bedroom suites. The resort charge consists of entrance to the resort’s water park, Surfari.
Surfari Water Park presents a FlowRider Double surf simulator, twin water slides, a 695 foot lazy river, children’ actions pool and zero-entry pool.
Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor
Coco Key Hotel & Water Resort
CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort is a family-friendly resort with a one-of-a-kind 54,000 sq. ft. canopy-covered/out of doors water park positioned on International Drive. The resort additionally presents a big arcade, three eating places, and shuttle service to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando.
Guests obtain 4 passes day by day to the on-site water park, which presents 14 slides and rides together with a particular lagoon for toddlers and younger youngsters.
Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa
The Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa presents two massive pool areas, the Relaxation Pool and the Pirates’ Plunge Pool. The Pirates’ Plunge Pool has a zero-depth entry, making it very household pleasant. Kids can take pleasure in capturing water cannons, tumbling waterfalls and the wonderful water slide that goes via the Pirate Ship that’s wrecked in the course of the Pirate-themed pool.
Jacuzzi-style scorching tubs, comfy poolside loungers, and hammocks are a giant hit with mother and father.
Check charges and opinions on TripAdvisor