Disney Park Shuts Gate Indefinitely, What Went Wrong?

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

Credit: @bioreconstruct

Hello, Disney? Is anyone home?

Walt Disney World is easily the biggest theme park empire in the world. Although there are many Disney Parks worldwide, including the original Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California — home to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure — Walt Disney World is nearly untouchable due to it’s sheer size.

Walt Disney World Resort has Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT, which means you have a lot of places to see Mickey Mouse. On top of that, the San Francisco-sized lot has 25+ sprawling resorts, four modes of transportation, an entire shopping and eatery section, Disney Springs, golf courses, mini golf, and sports arenas at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

As of late, we have started to see attendance crumble, with theme park crowds becoming less and less. There have also been big discounts offered by Disney World across the board, from tickets, to Disney VIP Tours, to resort deals — even the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was flooded with discounts before the theme park has to announce its unfavourable closure due to low occupancy. Right now, it seems that Disney has raised their costs so high (a ticket to Magic Kingdom is nearly $200 after tax during peak season), which has caused Disney to begin to panic.

Most recently, we even saw a brand new Disney restaurant at the Swan and Dolphin Resort, located next to EPCOT, shut its doors during lunch as they do not currently have enough customers to keep things going.

One of the biggest upsets for Guests, however, is that one of Disney’s theme parks has closed its doors for quite some time, and we do not know when it will open back up.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach is a water theme park where Guests can experience thrills and immerse themselves into a chilly oasis in one of the hottest spots in America! Blizzard Beach also is now home to Frozen theming! When the water park reopened from the pandemic, kids were able to splash alongside new Frozen characters, Anna, Elsa, Sven, and Kristoff!

Disney’s Blizzard Beach remained closed for quite some time after the other theme parks reopend from the pandemic. Blizzard Beach opened in March of 2021 and shut down in January 2022. Following Blizzard Beach’s closure, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon reopened its doors. In November 2022, Blizzard Beach water park finally reopened to the public, but had a very short run, closing again on March 18, 2023. During Blizzard Beach’s short run, Disney shut down Typhoon Lagoon to do a refurbishment on the water park, which is typically through the winter months. That being said, both water parks typically remained open together during summer months before the pandemic, as that is peak season — and the hottest season — at Walt Disney World.

When looking at Walt Disney World’s page on Blizzard Beach, Guests are greeted with this message: “Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park is currently closed for refurbishment. However, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park is open!” There is no information as to when this ongoing refurbishment will end. That being said, we are beginning to sense a new pattern here: it seems that the water parks will be alternating schedules, with one opening every six months. Blizzard Beach seems to be the “holiday” park, as it housed Santa Claus last year, and will hopefully reopen for the Christmas season again, as its cold theming it fitting.

Although there is now always a water park open, not all Guests are happy to see Blizzard Beach closed so often now. One of our readers said, “That’s pathetic 😒 if the people who took it over couldn’t manage, they should sell it to people who can. They are taking away another of children’s dreams,” after seeing photos of Blizzard Beach’s current state: empty and desolate, almost as if it was abandoned like Disney’s previous theme park – River Country.

The negative thing about Blizzard Beach opening during the winter months is that it tends to close down for cold weather often, making it one of the lesser profitable Disney Parks with low attendance. Disney often provides deals with lower prices tickets for its water parks throughout the year.

So is Blizzard Beach gone for good? No, the theme park will return at some point, but for now, we will have to wait for Disney to give us that date.

In case you didn’t know the backstory of Blizzard Beach, Disney Wiki explains it well: “Its theme is the “Disney legend” of a freak snowstorm in the area, leading to the construction of Florida’s first ski resort. Naturally, the snow didn’t last long, leaving behind a collection of waterlogged but snowless ski jumps and chairlifts. The failed resort was in the process of closing for good when an alligator was seen sliding down a flume and splashing into a pool of water, screaming, “Yahoo!” Thus the “ski resort” was reborn as a water park, with an alligator named Ice Gator as its mascot.’

Let’s take a look at the attractions you can enjoy when you visit!

Summet Plummet

Summit Plummet is the flagship attraction at 120 feet (37 m) tall and speeds 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). It’s the second tallest and fastest free-fall slide in the world. It has a minimum height requirement of 48 in (120 cm). It was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the highest and fastest until the opening of Insano—41 meters (135 ft) tall, with speeds of 105 km/h (65 mph)—at Beach Park in Brazil.

Team Boat Springs

Teamboat Springs is the world’s longest “family white-water raft ride” at 1,400 feet (430 m) long. It sends guests down a twisting series of rushing waterfalls. Guests sit in large blue rubber rafts, which can hold a minimum of 4 and maximum of 6 people, equipped with handles to hold on while the gushing water takes you down the slide. No infants and other health restrictions are advised.

Slush Gusher

Slush Gusher is a 90-foot-tall (27 m), 250-foot-long (76 m) snow-banked mountain gully body slide attraction that reaches speeds up to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). It has two places where it almost levels off, only to drop back down again. As such, it is one of only a few water slides where “air time” is achieved. If you want to reach maximum air, raise your crossed legs just before you reach the second hump and keep straight.

Downhill Double Dipper

Downhill Double Dipper is one of the world’s only side-by-side racing slides. It is located next to Snow Stormers on Mount Gushmore. Its slides are 50 feet (15 m) high and are 230 feet (70 m) long. Guests travel up to speeds of 25 mph (40 km/h) on these twin inner tube runs as they race past internationally recognized ski racing graphic elements and flags. Time clocks count-off each downhill heat and the runs are outfitted with automated audio equipment that signals the start of each race. Also, it is one of the few racing slides where push-off speed is not a factor, as gates hold back riders until it is time for the race to begin. It has a minimum height requirement of 48 in (120 cm).

Snow Stormers

Snow Stormers is a “mat slide” consisting of three flumes that are 350 feet (110 m) long. It sits between Downhill Double Dipper and Toboggan Racers on Mount Gushmore. It descends from the top of the mountain and follows a switchback course through ski-type slalom gates. Guests lay on their stomachs on the toboggan-style mat as they ride down the flumes. Mat pickup at the top (Shares mat conveyor with Toboggan Racers).

Toboggan Racers

Toboggan Racers is an 8-lane, 250-foot (76 m) water slide next to Snow Stormers on Mount Gushmore. It sends guests racing over exhilarating dips as they descend the “snow” slope along the side of Mount Gushmore. Guests lay on their stomachs on the toboggan-style mat as they race to the finish line. Mat pickup at the top (shares mat conveyor with Snow Stormers).

Runoff Rapids

Runoff Rapids is a 600-foot (180 m) inner tube run featuring two open and one enclosed tube slides. It careens guests down twisting, turning flumes, passing through corrugated steel pipes. Tubes are available at the bottom of the attraction. The Red Slope stairs are the only way to access this attraction.

Cross Country Creek

The Cross Country Creek is a 3,000-foot (910 m) slow-moving water attraction commonly known as a “lazy river”, that travels around the perimeter of the park. It carries floating guests (in inner tubes) through a bone-chilling ice cave. Once inside the mysterious cave, guests will be splashed with the “melting” ice from overhead. There are 7 entrances and exits located throughout the park for it, and at any of them, guests may pick up tubes and leave them as they exit. The journey takes between twenty and thirty minutes to complete depending on crowd levels.

Guests can also enjoy Ski Patrol, the iconic chairlift, and Tike’s Peak!

What do you think about Blizzard Beach remaining closed for so long throughout the year?

If you are looking to visit Walt Disney World Resort for a magical vacation, the Walt Disney World Website can be a great tool to begin planning your trip! You can begin exploring their theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. You can also take a look at their water parks where you can splash around in the chill of Disney’s Blizzard Beach (alongside new Frozen characters, Anna, Elsa, Sven, and Kristoff), or hit the waves at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. When you get hungry or want to go shopping, Disney Springs is the place to be, especially with World of Disney there ready to help you pick up some souvenirs! You can also begin looking for your Disney World Resort! If you are looking to stay at a Deluxe monorail Resort like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa or a Value Resort where you can hop on the Skyliner like Disney’s Pop Century Resort, it is always fun to begin looking for a room that would best suit you and your party. Plus, it has all the information you need to know on Disney Genie+ so that you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

Orlando theme park lover who loves thrills and theming, with a side of entertainment. You can often catch me at Disney or Universal sipping a cocktail, or crying during Happily Ever After or Fantasmic.