A LOT is changing in Disney World in 2025. Now, we’re not even talking about the construction that’s started in Animal Kingdom or the construction that will start soon in Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
Blizzard Beach
No, we’re talking about some big policy changes. One of the BIGGEST changes, though, is a new perk Disney just started offering to visitors staying at Disney World hotels. This perk gets you one free day at Disney World’s water parks on your arrival day. However, this new perk has started to create some BIG complications at those parks.
Because people are getting to go to the water parks for free, well, they’re GOING to the water parks in numbers we may have never seen before. And although Disney provides transportation to and from the water parks from Disney World hotels, a lot of people are driving to the parks. And that’s where we run into a BIG problem.
A lot of people are driving to the water parks
We recently took a trip to Blizzard Beach, which reopened in late 2024 (Disney usually has only one of its two water parks open at any given time of the year). When we arrived, we were told that although Blizzard Beach itself might not reach full capacity, the parking lot reaches capacity fast, especially on weekends. This usually happens between noon and 1 PM. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t visit the park, but it does mean you’re encouraged to park elsewhere or take a Disney bus or rideshare.
Blizzard Beach parking lot
If for some reason, you do still choose to drive to Blizzard Beach and the parking lot is full, you might be instructed to park at Animal Kingdom and take a shuttle bus from there to the water park instead. So if you DO choose to drive to the water parks, your best bet is to come very early or around 4 PM, when people are starting to leave (but that only gives you a few hours in the water park because it closes at 6 PM).
Full parking lot at Blizzard Beach
However, as we stated, this is more likely to happen on the weekends when more people are driving to the water parks. Your best bet is to take the bus from your hotel or use Uber or Lyft.
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This is really a nothing perk for staying on property if you fly in. By the time you leave the plane, get transportation to the hotel and then to the water park. How much time do you really have left? I still have a family set of tickets with 2 unredeemed visits on each. When my kids were young, they hated those parks. Nothing like getting slammed into by idiots in the wave pool and hitting cement.p
Getting to go for free on our first day was great. Since My Husband and I cannot go on may of the slides, it doesn’t pay to buy a ticket. We arrived in time to eat lunch. After the lunch crowd was done. Found a table in the back nice and quite, food was great. Took our time and headed for the lazy river, what fun. Just floating in the cool water. 3 times around and it was closing time. This is the best Perk Disney has offered in a long time. Thanks Disney. Yes we parked at our hotel and took the bus, only way to go.