Orlando is known for its warm and tropical weather. There's no better way to embrace the sun and fun of the Sunshine State than to visit one or more of the many water parks. They offer thrilling slides and rides, colossal wave pools, relaxing lazy rivers, and lots of other aquatic fun. When you're making your itinerary for your next trip, be sure to dig into the best water parks in Orlando and add them to your itinerary. They offer something for every age group and thrill level and are a fun way to beat the heat.
Many of the resorts we offer also have water parks or water features of their own, so when booking, be sure you are aware of what pool amenities your chosen resort has. Orlando is hot for many months of the year, and a water park visit is just what you'll need to cool your jets. You can swim in the water parks any time of year, but some are closed for maintenance during certain months, so the timing of your visit will impact your schedule and your plans. But regardless of when you visit Orlando, you'll always find plenty of Orlando water parks open to dive in. Read more about the best time to visit Orlando.
Walt Disney World Resort Water Parks
Disney is nicknamed the “Theme Park Capital of the World”, but they are also top for water parks. Their water parks offer miles of lazy rivers, thrilling water slides, massive wave pools, and all of the Disney theming we have come to expect. Pack up the sunscreen, swimsuit, and sunglasses, and get ready for an aquatic adventure. Just remember that one of the two Disney parks closes for one to two months at the end of the year or the beginning of the year for maintenance.
Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon are Walt Disney World Resort's outstanding contributions to the Orlando Water Park scene. Like all Disney offerings, the overarching theme for both parks is well thought out and carried out consistently throughout the park. Disney's Blizzard Beach may have a polar theme, but you can count on the water being warm and inviting. The theme is that the park is Florida's only outdoor ski resort. The ski resort is “melting” under the Florida sun and creating a water park as legend has it. The theming, of course, includes a ski gondola hauling visitors to the top of the taller slides. They offer something for all ages, with a couple of areas designed for the toddler set. The thrill-seekers will not want to miss Summit Plummet, which drops 12 stories straight down!
Seven rides have no height requirement, so this is an excellent place for family togetherness and fun. Some of the highlights are runoff rapids, the ski patrol training camp, snow stormers, and toboggan racers.
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is themed upon the park being created by an epic storm that created Mount Mayday with surfboards and trees hurled into the palm trees. The 56-acre topsy turvy tropical paradise is full of waterways, rivers, rapids, and slides. This park has more areas for kids to enjoy but may have fewer thrills for the thrill-seekers. The top thrill ride is Humunga Kowabunga which has a five-story drop in the dark. They also have one of the largest wave pools in the world. You may even take a surf lesson. There are some great attractions with no height restriction like the surf pool, miss adventures falls, ketchakiddee creek, and mayday falls. This is an excellent park for families with younger kids.
Universal Orlando Resort Water Park
Universal Orlando Resort is also masterful at theming, and their Volcano Bay Water Park will not disappoint. This park will help you escape to an island paradise. The immersive theming, interactive elements, thrilling rides, and attractions offer a fantastic day for any age group. Enjoy the aqua coaster, tubing adventures, slides, play at the beach, or cruise the lazy river. The park's most exciting rides, like the Krakatau Aqua Coaster or Ko'okiri Body Plunge that includes a trap door plunge, have a minimum height requirement of 48 inches.
There is plenty to do for kids under that height. The younger ones will love the Runamukka Reef and Tot Tiki Reef kids' area that provides plenty of room to climb, splash, and slide while the parents relax on Waturi Beach. Be sure to get your Tapu Tapu band when you arrive at the park- that is the wristband you'll use for the day. It also serves as your virtual line access and will unlock special interactive elements throughout the park.
Aquatica at SeaWorld Orlando
Aquatica is an excellent choice for families as they offer something for every age child. From the tiniest of tots to teenagers, you'll find slides, pools, beaches, water play areas, up-close animal encounters, and plenty more. Sandy beaches, the most waterslides in Orlando, the world's tallest duel racer, and Riptide Race featuring 650 feet of tight loops and accelerations all promise lots of thrills and excitement.
Experience weightlessness at KareKare Curl as you climb a near-vertical wall and Ray Rush, a wild raft adventure that offers three different ways to slide, splash and soar. Catch your breath on Loggerhead Lane, the lazy river, or wade near a 60-foot fortress at Walkabout Water.
The theme here is bringing animals up close to you while you enjoy your water park adventure. You'll slide through the dolphin and whale pool and enjoy the lazy river as you cruise through the tropical scenery and underwater looks at dolphins and fish. Aquatica is also the world's first Certified Autism Center which speaks to the detail for all.
LEGOLAND Florida Water Park
LEGOLAND Water Park is a theme park focused on kids and their families and is based on creativity because... LEGOS! They will be plenty of time for swimming and cannonballs but be sure they work on their building skills. They'll want to be ready for the Build-a-Raft River, where they can imagine, design, and create their own LEGO raft and then set sail on a 1000-foot lazy river. Creative Cove provides more constructive opportunities with Build-a-Boat, where the kids can race their own self-made LEGO boats or can let them rip on Twin Chasers featuring an intertwining pair of enclosed 375-foot waterslides.
Kids of 48 inches or more can enjoy Splash Out, which offers three slides and a 60-foot drop. There is plenty of gentler fun in the LEGO wave pool, featuring waves that are just right for all sizes. The Joker Soaker offers slides, climbing areas, waterspouts, and a splash from a 300-gallon bucket.
Orlando Watersports Complex
Orlando Watersports Complex is very different from what you will experience at any other park. They offer 40 features of fun and are for those who want an active water sport lifestyle that is family-friendly and safe. The kids will need to be six years or older, and all who participate must be able to swim. This is an ideal space for older kids who enjoy waterskiing, wakeboarding, wakeskating, tubing, and an inflatable aquapark course that is the ultimate water adventure. This will provide an active, memorable day and is affordable too.
Epic Resort Pools
There are tons of resorts in Orlando with great amenities like onsite water parks or great pools. More and more resorts are offering their own epic watersports parks that are included in your stay. Try Reunion Resort for a five-acre onsite waterpark with slides, a lazy river, and lots more.
The Best Water Parks in Orlando await you and your family.
Some tips on finding the perfect water park for you and your family are to consider the weather and time of year.
Make sure to check height restrictions so that you're not leaving out the little ones.
Pack the sunscreen, sunglasses, water shoes, and everything you'll need.
If you are planning a few days in the theme parks, think about making your water park day in the middle of your stay so everyone gets a nice break from the heat, the crowds, and the lines and can take time to relax and play.