Walt Disney World has introduced that Storm Lagoon will reopen in time for Summer season 2025 and Blizzard Seashore will shut for its annual “refurbishment” (air quotes). This publish covers dates & particulars about what to anticipate from anniversary celebration, probability of each water parks being open concurrently, and potential return of H2O Glow After Hours.
Let’s begin with the enjoyable information: it’s Blizzard Seashore’s thirtieth Anniversary in April! Walt Disney World is planning to have fun the water park’s milestone beginning April 1, 2025. That special occasion pays tribute to a few many years of Blizzard Seashore historical past of making enjoyable days and funky thrills for Walt Disney World company. Seize your swimsuit, go away your coat at house and are available on out for an anniversary celebration you received’t quickly overlook.
The celebration will characteristic a high-energy DJ spinning some toe-tapping tunes on the deck close to the Polar Pub. There’s going to be snowman bowling and character-themed tubes for floating down Cross Nation Creek. Plus, enjoyable interactions with Mickey and Minnie decked out of their winter apparel.
Blizzard Seashore’s thirtieth Anniversary celebration will proceed all through April 2025 with dance events, particular anniversary meals & beverage objects and extra frosted enjoyable than ever (no matter which means). There will even be some family-friendly video games with cool prizes corresponding to snowflake tattoos, wintery-themed rubber geese and snowy bubbles.
This all sounds enjoyable, and I recognize that Walt Disney World is definitely celebrating a significant park-specific anniversary, as that doesn’t all the time occur. Nonetheless, I actually want that Ice Gator had been being emphasised. I really like the unique characters created for the water parks (see High 10 Park IP Characters at Disney World and High 10 Uncommon Characters We Want Disney World Would Deliver Again), and this might be the right alternative to reintroduce Ice Gator and have the character extra prominently at Blizzard Seashore.
And never simply to pay tribute to the historical past of the park, however as a result of Walt Disney World has reached a degree the place the fandom appreciates these longtime park characters. See the revival of Orange Hen and ongoing recognition of that character’s pageant merchandise at EPCOT. Deliver again Ice Gator’s long-lost meet & greet, and have the character on anniversary merchandise, Walt Disney World!
With this announcement, Walt Disney World has revealed that Storm Lagoon will reopen on Might 1, 2025. That is over a full month later than it opened final yr, after the tip of Spring Break season, in the course of the midst of shoulder season and proper earlier than summer season.
As quickly as I noticed the announcement with no corresponding point out of Blizzard Seashore closing, I used to be ecstatic. The logical inference was that, for the primary time since 2019, Walt Disney World would function each water parks concurrently for Summer season 2025! Nature is therapeutic!!! Not so quick.
Walt Disney World has since adopted up on this information, confirming that Blizzard Seashore may have its final day of seasonal operations on April 30, and be closed as of Might 1, 2025. Because of this, as soon as once more, each water parks won’t function concurrently for Summer season 2025. Walt Disney World is continuous its post-pandemic follow of solely working one of many two water parks at a time.
Disappointing as that is perhaps, it’s not an enormous shock. Walt Disney World has began providing the free water park on arrival day as an on-site visitor perk in 2025, and the verbiage of that profit indicated it’s legitimate at whichever of the 2 water parks is working. We had hoped this was simply boilerplate language, however it has saved showing in more moderen updates on the water parks.
If pent-up demand wasn’t sufficient to justify each Blizzard Seashore and Storm Lagoon working concurrently in summer season and now this free water park day isn’t sufficient…we will’t assist however ponder whether something will ever be sufficient? Perhaps as soon as Villains Land opens and Walt Disney World sees renewed curiosity? Maybe a greater free water park perk will likely be unveiled for 2026? In any other case, it looks as if Walt Disney World’s trajectory is decrease attendance, particularly throughout peak water park season.
Staffing each parks is pricey and Walt Disney World did well-enough with just one water park even in the course of the interval of pent-up demand and excessive warmth over the past couple of summers. It’s attainable that Volcano Bay at Common Orlando plus an assortment of resorts with bona fide mini water parks have minimize into Walt Disney World’s water park enterprise, and so they not want each. (I’m skeptical of this and doubt it’s the case.) One other chance is that the price of lifeguards and different labor has elevated to the purpose that it doesn’t make sense to run each. It might be a mixture of the above issues.
Conversely, it’s attainable that each Blizzard Seashore and Storm Lagoon are viable, particularly with a full assortment of Annual Passes and particular ticket promotions for Florida residents. And that it’ll make sense to workers each sooner or later if Walt Disney World can discover the candy spot on staffing and pulling the suitable promotional levers to entice sufficient demand (for instance, the free water park day is an efficient however not nice perk that might use some tweaking if Disney actually expects extra company to take benefit).
My cash is on this. I’d in all probability go a step additional and say it won’t occur till there’s new management at Walt Disney World that’s extra motivated. Discovering a solution to function each water parks from April by September can be the sensible transfer, particularly after how brutally scorching the previous couple of summers have been. Walt Disney World having the capability to push extra folks in the direction of the water parks can be a welcome reprieve from the excessive warmth and humidity–and doubtless assist with visitor satisfaction.
It’s actually unlucky that it isn’t taking place in Summer season 2025. Between the free water park perk and debut of Disney Starlight Night time Parade, we had hoped that Walt Disney World lastly had a successful recipe for each Blizzard Seashore and Storm Lagoon working concurrently.
In the previous couple of years, Walt Disney World has introduced the reopening of Storm Lagoon alongside dates and particulars in regards to the specially-ticketed occasion, H2O Glow After Hours. Normally, tickets for H2O Glow After Hours at Storm Lagoon go on sale shortly thereafter, and the occasion itself begins round Memorial Day weekend.
Walt Disney World has not but introduced something in regards to the 2025 H2O Glow After Hours, or whether or not they’ll occur in any respect. However, our expectation is that they occur, and pretty in step with final yr’s schedule. Then once more, it’s attainable Walt Disney World will need to push company in the direction of the theme parks at night time, with longer hours at Magic Kingdom and past. (That’s our honest hope!)
See our Information to H2O Glow After Hours at Disney’s Storm Lagoon: Dates, Particulars, Suggestions & Assessment for related particulars from final yr–anticipate ~90% of them to be correct for 2025. For these unfamiliar with it, H2O Glow After Hours permits households to spend time at Storm Lagoon for a number of hours after it closes, with quick waits at common points of interest all through the illuminated park. This particular occasion additionally options an electrical DJ dance get together, complimentary ice cream treats, popcorn and choose drinks, a ‘glow’-rious environment and past.
In the end, we’re upset by the closure of Blizzard Seashore for the summer season season. Nonetheless, we’re trying ahead to the water park’s thirtieth Anniversary in April and excited for the reopening of Storm Lagoon. We extremely advocate that you just go to one of many water parks on a “down day” throughout your Walt Disney World trip. Whereas we love each, my private favourite is Storm Lagoon.
I’ve gushed about it over time, imploring Walt Disney World followers to provide Storm Lagoon an opportunity, because it’s criminally underrated. On the floor, Storm Lagoon looks as if a reasonably “secure” idea for a water park. It’s tropical, laid again and is conducive to sitting on the seashore, swimming, and different water actions. That’s true. However, there’s extra to it than that.
Storm Lagoon tells the story of a rogue storm and its ensuing tidal wave that wreaked havoc on a previously pristine waterside paradise. From topsy-turvy structure and storm-strewn nautical gear to the stranded shrimping ship, Miss Tilly, impaled upon the summit of Mount Mayday, every element brings the legend to life.
Along with the laid again tropical seashore vibe, there’s wealthy theming all through Storm Lagoon, and the Imagineered tropical surroundings has the added parts of a tropical resort and the large storm that decimated it layered on high. That is all simply conveyed by the park’s particulars, and it coalesces very well. Every thing about it’s distinctive, from the environment to the main points to its underutilized mascot, Lagoona Gator. Because of this, Storm Lagoon has an important sense of place, and it’s nice to only be there.
This is way and away the largest cause why I believe Storm Lagoon is a must-do for Walt Disney World followers. It’s a masterclass of cohesive design and one of many few parks at Walt Disney World that maintains full thematic integrity so lengthy after its opening. Storm Lagoon truly is what so many followers wished World Celebration at EPCOT to be (or nonetheless faux that it’s). Don’t let the truth that it’s a water park discourage you—even for those who don’t care about water slides or the rest, Storm Lagoon is a superb place to waste a morning…or night…at Walt Disney World!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited that Storm Lagoon is reopening on Might 1, 2025? Or upset that Blizzard Seashore will likely be closed as of that very same date, and each water parks as soon as once more won’t be working for summer season concurrently? Wanting ahead to Blizzard Seashore’s thirtieth Anniversary celebration in April 2025? Desirous to return to Storm Lagoon, or are you not a water park individual? Will you be doing H2O Glow After Hours if supplied at Storm Lagoon in 2025? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!