Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

When it comes to water parks, Orlando in Florida is the best destination. As the “sunshine state”, this is the reason why Orlando is considered as the water park capital of the world. Whether you prefer to relax in a lazy river, enjoy the water slides, drop slides, tube rides or giant wave pools as well as watch your children play in kiddie play areas, you will surely find the right destination at one of the water parks in Orlando.

As the water capital of the world, there are several water parks in Orlando that range from mediocre to massive along with their unique selection of thrills and aquatic experiences to offer. Let us now take a close look at some of the best and recommended water parks in Orlando.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Based on the Disney World legend, there was once a ferocious storm that boomed throughout the seas, flinging surfboards into trees, tossing a shrimp boat onto the pinnacle of a volcano and blowing small vessels through roofs. Amidst the destruction, it left a water park that is filled with winding tides, wacky waterways, rip-roaring rapids, and peaceful lazy rivers.

Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is the first of Disney’s two water parks which can be considered one of the biggest in the area. If you decide to visit this water park by Disney, there are a variety of aquatic activities for the whole family including the massive wave pool that intermittently dishes up waves reaching up to 6-feet tall.

You can even swim together with live sharks and other types of tropical fish as well as enjoy a variety of body slides as well as raft slides which include the Humunga Kowabunga enclosed slides. For those who kids along, the Ketchakiddee Creek is a child-friendly play area. For a relaxing escapade, you can hop aboard the inner tube and cruise down the 2,100-foot lazy river as you wind through rain forests, grottos, caves, and waterfalls.

The H20 Glow Nights which made its debut last year is a separately ticketed event that brings life to the water park at night with special lighting effects along with DJ dance parties.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

As one of Disney’s water parks, you will enjoy a winter wonderland packed with aquatic treats in Blizzard Beach Water Park. You will find a wider selection of slides which makes it a good option for families with bigger children.

Enjoy a relaxing cruise to the peak of the gigantic Mount Gushmore on flamboyant wooden chairlifts. You can also enjoy the slow, picturesque trip to the top, followed by a variety of energetic thrill rides down to the bottom.

If you want an adrenaline rush, you can enjoy a thrilling experience in Blizzard Beach. As the home of the fastest waterslides in the world, you should not miss out on the Summit Plummet. It is a 120-foot-tall waterslide with an almost-vertical descent. If you want a challenge, you should try out the ride. For young children, Tike’s Peak is an enjoyable play area for them to check out.

When it comes to gastronomic treats, enjoy a wide selection during your stay in Blizzard Beach. Choose from churros, nachos, Mickey ice cream bars, and many more at Frostbite Freddy’s Frozen Freshments. Do not miss out on the Polar Pub to enjoy a wide selection of Blizzard Beach-inspired cocktails.

Enjoy the scenic view of Blizzard Beach by riding the first chairlift in Florida. The vibrant chairlift in Blizzard Beach provides guests with quick access to Summit Plummet, Teamboat Springs, and Slush Gusher.

If you want a tranquil way to unwind in Blizzard Beach, enjoy a relaxing cruise in the Cross Country Creek. It is one of the extensive lazy rivers in the US and it will take 20-30 minutes to finish one journey around the waterway.

Your stay in Blizzard Beach is not complete without trying out the Teamboat Springs. It is one of the longest family whitewater raft rides in the world. As you go through the course of winding rapids, you will encounter remnants of the snowstorm in the form of melting icicles, snowshoes, snowmobiles, and snow shovels.

Tip for adults

Aside from Aquatica and Blizzard Beach, Volcano Bay is considered one of the recommended water parks that adults can enjoy based on visitor reviews. For those who want to engage in an adventurous, heart-pounding thrill, why not tackle one of the electrifying slides in these three water parks.

Aquatica by SeaWorld

As a family-friendly water park, Aquatica is only next door with SeaWorld and close to Discovery Cove. This water park boasts a variety of unique entertainment options such as close animal experiences, high-speed thrills, serene to extreme waters and sandy beaches.

The 60 acres landscape offers vivid colors and stunning flora that will surely make an escapade worthwhile. There are stunningly-blue rivers that meander through secret grottos and invigorating waterfalls along with lush greenery and bright flowers adorning the towering rock formations.

There are also live animals from lands all over the world including macaws, dolphins, and colorful fish that brings life to the park. Aquatica boasts the most thrilling water rides in the world with 36 slides, several rivers, and lagoons as well as more than 80,000 square feet of the beach area.

Among its wild rides that are worth trying out include:

• Ray Rush which is a multi-element slide that includes an enclosed sphere and a halfpipe wall
• Dolphin Plunge is a speed slide that races through an underwater tube and past through the Commerson’s dolphins
• Omaka Rocka which is a mini funnel ride

The most intense ride is Ihu’s Breakaway Falls where guests can select one of the three drop capsule slides. Once the trap doors open, you will be launched into enclosed tubes that begin with steep drops and cruise on winding courses.

Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park

Volcano Bay is the first water theme park by Universal which boasts a tropical paradise theme. Covering a wide area, it can be considered one of the biggest water parks in Orlando that is worth visiting. With the 200-foot tall Krakatoa volcano as the centerpiece, this water park caters to individuals of all ages. There are four-themed areas where each offers unique thrills and aquatic experiences.

Climb to the top to experience the thrilling tube body slides and up to 19 different water attractions. The water park also offers the one-of-a-kind TapuTapu wristband that is tapped on the totem at any ride to save your place in line. Simply return when it is your turn to ride.

For those in search of a thrilling experience, Volcano Bay has several on its sleeve. Some of the rides including Honu of the Honu Ika Moana and Ohyah of Onyah & Ohno Drop Slides can be heart-pounding. One of the most exhilarating slides is within the Krakatau Volcano which is no other than Ko’okiri Body Plunge. This is a speed slide that drops almost straight down.

Final thoughts

When it comes to water parks, Orlando has a variety of choices to choose from whether for families or for a group of friends eager to take on the most thrilling and heart-pounding rides and slides.