Is it a water park, or a ski resort? The Blizzard Beach water park brings the chills and thrills of a Colorado winter to the warm Florida sun. Ski jumps, toboggan rides, and slalom runs zip you past snow that never melts in Disney’s most action-oriented water park.

AMBIENCE AT BLIZZARD BEACH

Disney’s Imagineers scattered magic white stuff over the rocks and pines of towering Mount Gushmore to create a water park that’ll make you shiver on the hottest August day. Oh, don’t worry, the water is always a warm 80 degrees, but just a look at some of those water slides can freeze your insides. Luckily, Disney never abandons the idea of family fun—even the meekest snow bunny will have a ball!

ATTRACTIONS AT BLIZZARD BEACH

Before you “hit the slopes” you’ll discover the park’s “base lodge” facilities—the major food, merchandise, and locker room areas. Then, as you face the mountain, the Tike’s Peak children’s area will be to your right. Straight ahead are two bridges over Cross Country Creek, the drift-along tube ride that encircles the mountain and most of the fun. Additional lockers can be found close to the action, near Downhill Double Dipper on the left and Ski Patrol on the right. Of course, Mount Gushmore dominates the park in every way. Its slopes are home to nearly two dozen lanes of slides and flumes. Most slides can be seen from the Lodge area, but Runoff Rapids is tucked away on the back slope of the mountain. You can also watch your daredevils in comfort, from shaded grandstands at the bottom of many slides. Three footpaths and a chairlift scale the 90-foot (9-story) mountain. After your first ascent on foot in the hot, Florida sunshine, you’ll know why folks wait patiently for the chairlift, which takes you to the top in the comfort of a three-person, umbrella-shaded chair (32”/ 81 cm height restriction; under 48”/122 cm must be with an adult).

EATING AT BLIZZARD BEACH

Water park meals are never fancy, which is fine when you’re only wearing a swimsuit. Lottawatta Lodge serves up a Black Diamond Burger ($12.49), harvest salad with chicken ($9.99), grilled chicken sandwich ($10.99), chicken nuggets ($9.49), chicken wrap ($9.99), and kosher selections. A kid’s meal is $7.99–$8.49 with a choice of PB&J or turkey sandwich, plus grapes, applesauce, yogurt, drink, and a sandpail. Avalunch and The Warming Hut offer hot dogs, sandwiches, ice cream, and usually close before dinnertime. The thirsty line up at Frostbite Freddie’s Frozen Freshments, Polar Pub, and The Cooling Hut. There are also picnic areas.