Disney's Blizzard Beach Reaching Capacity as Free Resort Guest Entry Boosts Water Park Crowds

7 days ago in "Blizzard Beach"

Posted: Tuesday April 8, 2025 11:30am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

If you're heading to Walt Disney World's Blizzard Beach this spring or summer, expect larger crowds—especially ahead of Typhoon Lagoon's May 1 reopening.

Blizzard Beach overview

Blizzard Beach has been hitting capacity more often than usual, and a few factors are driving the increase:

Rising temperatures are pushing more guests to seek out water park options.
Disney's first-day-of-stay water park offer is being widely used. This perk gives Disney Resort hotel guests free water park access on their arrival day, and it's catching on fast.

As a result, Blizzard Beach is seeing heavier attendance, particularly in late morning and early afternoon.

Guide to Walt Disney World's Free Water Park Day Benefit for 2025 Resort Hotel Stays

Blizzard Beach overview

What to Expect at the Water Parks

Blizzard Beach remains the only open water park through April 30, and it's busy.
Once Typhoon Lagoon reopens on May 1, both parks will operate through September 7, helping to spread out the crowds.
Blizzard Beach will temporarily close May 1–20 for maintenance, then reopen May 21.

Tips if You're Visiting Blizzard Beach Before May 1

Arrive early. Capacity is often reached by late morning.
Use mobile ordering where available to avoid food lines.
Consider visiting on weekdays, which are generally lighter than weekends.

Once both water parks are open, capacity pressures should ease, making it easier to plan flexible, lower-stress visits. But until then, plan ahead if Blizzard Beach is part of your spring break or early summer plans.

Typhoon Lagoon reopening

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Tha Realest4 days ago

This, $99 rates at the All-Star resorts, Goofy Movie love, Justin Timberlake relationship drama… The 90’s are BACK baby!

Keladry844 days ago

I'm doing a 1-night stay at All Stars Music at the beginning of my Epic Universe trip end of May, and this perk was what ultimately made me elect for All Stars over a couple of the hotels nearby that have lazy rivers but were about 40-50 dollars more expensive. Factoring in the free water park, granted everything goes smoothly with flights, is what sold me. So for at least some people, it's adding a booking that wouldn't have otherwise been there.

Disone4 days ago

In the case on BB, yes. It's already happening. BB has reached capacity and sometimes they are parking cars across the street.

ToTBellHop5 days ago

They HAVE needed both water parks this month. They just couldn’t pull it off.

Comped5 days ago

I'm pretty sure it was the hanging out bit. At least from what I've seen.

Epcot82Guy5 days ago

If I were to bet, I think they are representative of the same things. I don't think Epic is getting the numbers hoped - though the feedback is pretty positive, so that will likely spell a longer-term upward trend. Disney, like Universal, is not seeing the bookings they need - so this is a fairly aggressive perk in an underutilized asset. I do agree they probably saw a bigger response than they expected, and that is driving this. The question is whether it is driving additional room inventory use (the likely goal) or just cannibalizing what would otherwise be bodies at Disney Springs, hotel restaurants or - a good chunk - just hanging out at the hotel/hotel pool. I think it's a good idea on Disney's part. I just wonder if it is driving additional numbers or just adding to potential guest satisfaction.

plutofan155 days ago

Staffing, qualified lifeguards especially, is a big issue in the spring and fall when colleges/schools are back in session.

DisneyFanatic125 days ago

Here’s the way that I see it… Free waterpark perk? Response to the low bookings from Epic Universe (and to get people to start going to the waterparks again) Two waterparks being open? Response to Blizzard Beach closing frequently to capacity (and finally being able to find enough cast, although staffing will still be a challenge) No, I don’t think Disney saw Epic Universe opening and said “You know what’ll get people over to WDW? Both waterparks being open!”. I think they’re opening both because the perk brought in too many people and made the experience at the waterparks worse. Is it indirectly a response to Epic Universe? Yes, but it’s not like it’s a direct response.

LSLS5 days ago

So you think despite them needing to discount rooms under $100 a night over the summer, they are anticipating crowds so large they will need both parks open? Something they didn't feel needed for Spring Break crowds?

Disone5 days ago

I don't. They're closing it in September. This is not part of their strategy against epic. It's just to get through the summer crowds for the water parks.

LSLS5 days ago

Eh, I think Epic is a large part of it, even in a round about way. They always expected Epic was going to be a net positive for them in that more people would come down and spend at least some time at Disney. I think they've seen their summer numbers are way worse than even in their nightmare scenarios, and they are throwing anything they can to get people to spend at least some time at the park.

Disone5 days ago

Not sure why you discount that. They already announced that Blizzard Beach was going to close and then changed their course on that. I guess you could assume they changed due to epic opening, something we've known about for years. OR they changed their mind because they realized they were leaving money on the table with how busy the water park was due to the new resort benefit being in play. I just don't think there's a world where opening both water parks is the official strategy to combating the opening of Universal Epic Universe. But that's just me. You do you.