No joke, both of Disney World's water parks are open this summer!

It’s no joke: For the first time in six years, both of Disney World’s water parks will be open at once this summer!

April 1 is, of course, April Fool’s Day, but it marks a big anniversary for Disney World. It was on this date in 1995 that the resort opened Blizzard Beach, at the time its third water park following River Country and Typhoon Lagoon. 

All three water parks were hits with guests, particularly in the summer. River Country closed down in 2002 amid various issues, with the area long abandoned until plans for the new Lakeside Lodge resort opening in that area next year. 

For a while, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach were the top water parks operating at once. They had different vibes with Typhoon themed as a tropical island while Blizzard Beach took the goofy story of a freak snowstorm creating Florida’s first ski resort. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, both water parks closed down with the rest of Disney World. Due to obvious safety restrictions, those parks opened later, with Blizzard Beach reopening in 2021. 

Due to a combination of safety concerns and economics, Disney made the decision that only one water park would be open at a time. It’s been that way, with one park opened roughly six to eight months before closing for refurbishment and the other opening to pick up the slack. 

However, that’s changing to mark a big anniversary!

The schedule for the dual parks

Noting the day, Disney’s press release openly said “This is no April Fool’s Joke.” It confirms that beginning May 21, both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon will be open at the same time this summer. This means for the first time since 2019, all six WDW parks will be open at once.

Right now, Blizzard Beach is open and scheduled to close for maintenance on May 1. Typhoon Lagoon will reopen on that day, with Blizzard Beach then reopening on May 21. It states it will last until September 7 with no confirmation yet which park then closes.

On top of that, Typhoon Lagoon will have a special "H20 Glow" event where the park will be open on select evenings with special snacks, dance parties and character meet-and-greets. Tickets for the event go on sale April 4 with the dates announced then.

Disney recently instituted a special bit, as guests at any WDW resort can visit a water park for free on the day they check-in. It’s another of the exclusive perks you get staying on property, which Disney is pulling for thanks to the coming opening of Universal’s Epic Universe parks. 

Having both water parks open will be a boon to Disney. Given the infamously hot and humid Orlando summers, each park was pretty packed early on and kept folks from fully enjoying the fun. Not to mention, some guests might prefer one park over another, given their different vibes.

So any guest hoping to cool off at Disney World this summer is in for a treat as both their first-class water parks will be open for some fun times!

Which park are you hitting first?