water parks compared to Wisconsin Dells

[PRINCESS VIJA]

We live near Wisconsin Dells and have never considered going to Disney's waterparks because we have some great ones so close to us.

I did just recently see some videos of Typhoon Lagoon and have my curiosity peaked. Looking for new things to do at Disney and am wondering how do the water parks at Disney compare to the Dells? Is it worth going to them?

 

[What-r-ya Goofy?]

We used to take our kids to the Dells every summer as part of our annual camping trip to Devils Lake. The kids are grown now, so we haven't been to the water parks in a few years. While we have fond memories of both Noah's Arc and Mt. Olympus, they don't compare to the Disney water parks.

Nothing against the Dells parks, they do a nice job with those, they are just not in the same league as Disney parks. Hope you have the chance to visit. You won't be disappointed.

 

[_19disnA]

I would also take into consideration the cost of transportation (fly/drive) as well as hotels when trying to decide. Never been to the Dells, so I can't comment on what you have locally. Even if Disney has good water parks, will the extra time/travel costs be worth it compared to something you can do locally?

 

[john7994]

We used to take our kids to the Dells every summer as part of our annual camping trip to Devils Lake. The kids are grown now, so we haven't been to the water parks in a few years. While we have fond memories of both Noah's Arc and Mt. Olympus, they don't compare to the Disney water parks.

Nothing against the Dells parks, they do a nice job with those, they are just not in the same league as Disney parks. Hope you have the chance to visit. You won't be disappointed.

I have incredibly fond memories of the Dells (having lived in Chicago for 30 years), and I miss them a ton now living in Georgia.
Even with all that nostalgia baked in, you are right, I don't think the OP would be disappointed with either Disney's or Universal's Water parks. But glad to have thought about the Dells today!

 

[Minniedap]

We live in Wisconsin and go to the Dells and Disney often. We have been to mostly all the water parks in the Dells and have also been to Typhoon Lagoon. I would definitely recommend going to Typhoon Lagoon.

 

[Boopuff]

The Dells doesn’t hold up against either TL or BB . go enjoy a beautifully themed park.

 

[NavyDad]

We live near Wisconsin Dells and have never considered going to Disney's waterparks because we have some great ones so close to us.

I did just recently see some videos of Typhoon Lagoon and have my curiosity peaked. Looking for new things to do at Disney and am wondering how do the water parks at Disney compare to the Dells? Is it worth going to them?

I have been all over the world visiting water parks and Typhoon Lagoon is probably the best in the world IMO. Especially if you are fan of large wave pools because theirs is amazing.

Blizzard Beach is very unique and has some awesome drop slides.

Both have fantastic theming and high quality lazy rivers.

As teens and tweens, our kids actually much preferred our waterpark days to regular park days. The two Disney water parks are world class - especially Typhoon Lagoon. I suggest you give them a try.

My advice for visiting TL: get there before park open, don't take any valuables other than phone, keys, ID Card and aa credit card and bring your own towels. Head to the back of the park on the right pathway and find some seats in a shady area. Lay down some towels to claim a home base for everyone to meet up and get out of the sun. You can always go back and grab a locker at this point or we actually just take minimal stuff and hide it in a bag under our towels and clothes. Never had an issue in 20+ times visiting the water parks. Do some of the big slides like Crush N Gusher early in the morning an then spend the rest of they day rotating between wave pool, lazy river and relaxing back at your seats.

You will have a great day!

 

[john7994]

I have been all over the world visiting water parks and Typhoon Lagoon is probably the best in the world IMO. Especially if you are fan of large wave pools because theirs is amazing.

Blizzard Beach is very unique and has some awesome drop slides.

Both have fantastic theming and high quality lazy rivers.

As teens and tweens, our kids actually much preferred our waterpark days to regular park days. The two Disney water parks are world class - especially Typhoon Lagoon. I suggest you give them a try.

My advice for visiting TL: get there before park open, don't take any valuables other than phone, keys, ID Card and aa credit card and bring your own towels. Head to the back of the park on the right pathway and find some seats in a shady area. Lay down some towels to claim a home base for everyone to meet up and get out of the sun. You can always go back and grab a locker at this point or we actually just take minimal stuff and hide it in a bag under our towels and clothes. Never had an issue in 20+ times visiting the water parks. Do some of the big slides like Crush N Gusher early in the morning an then spend the rest of they day rotating between wave pool, lazy river and relaxing back at your seats.

You will have a great day!

So based on that description alone - I think I am adding a water park day to the next trip!

 

[NavyDad]

So based on that description alone - I think I am adding a water park day to the next trip!

We did a trip about 10 years ago where we had 8 park days. I got 4 day tickets with the waterpark option. We ended up doing 4 regular park days and 4 water park days. We alternated between regular parks and water parks and were able to do 2 days in each waterpark which was great. We didn't regret 1 minute of it.

 

[john7994]

We did a trip about 10 years ago where we had 8 park days. I got 4 day tickets with the waterpark option. We ended up doing 4 regular park days and 4 water park days. We alternated between regular parks and water parks and were able to do 2 days in each waterpark which was great. We didn't regret 1 minute of it.

In all fairness, ain't no one wanting to see me at a water park for four days

 

[gharter]

Having done most of the water rides at the Dells, BB and Typhoon Lagoon are in an entirely different league. Most of the rides are bigger, longer, but most of all, themed. Summit Plummet isn't just a tall structure with a track. It is fully themed mountain. Same at Typhoon Lagoon. They have better, longer family raft rides.
They do not have any with a scorpion tail loop.

 

[Shughart]

Midwestern middle aged Mom who just got back from the Dells last week (and who goes every year) and goes to Disney every three years who simply cannot imagine something being better than the Dells. I'm gonna go lay down now dontcha know.

 

[IndyToThere]

I don't know about the Dells area, but comparing Volcano Bay vs Typhoon Lagoon (having done both water parks in the same week), Volcano Bay is much better. Bigger park, more water attractions, has some really great thrill rides, the Hawaiian theme is very cool, the Tapu Tapu ride checkin system works very well. Just a great park. Now, I haven't been to Blizzard Beach, so I can't tell how it compares to VB, but VB beats TL easily.

 

[Boopuff]

The Dells used to be a great place to go - about 20 years ago, now it's become a bit of a terrible shadow of it's former self. The place cant hold a candle to all that the Disney water parks are - theming, size, everything.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Ironically and coincidentaly we are going to Noah's today. We call it the ghetto water park since we started visiting BB and TL. They do maintain things but nothing compares to the clean lazy rivers of WDW.

 

[gharter]

Ironically and coincidentaly we are going to Noah's today. We call it the ghetto water park since we started visiting BB and TL. They do maintain things but nothing compares to the clean lazy rivers of WDW.

I enjoy both. Noahs Ark has a couple of big thrill rides that TL and BB don't have like the scorpions tail, but lacks the background theme of both parks.

 

[SmileEar2Ear]

We get to WI Dells at least once a year, but only get to Disney every two years or so. While I haven’t done Disney water parks in awhile, I agree with your concerns. Disney definitely themes their water rides better and it’s cleaner, but to me it’s still just water slides. Now I will say we did a Universal/Sea World/Discovery Cove trip and really enjoyed our trip to Volcano Bay!! The Wild River especially and a few of the other slides were a lot of fun. But we also had a day at Aquatica, since it was included with our tickets, and we all agreed we would have rather been in a park. If we have a longer trip in the summer sometime I might add a water park, but I have a hard time justifying the extra cost.

 

[Brian Noble]

wondering how do the water parks at Disney compare to the Dells? Is it worth going to them?

It’s been a while since I was in the Dells, but we spent a good bit of time at Noah’s Ark and Mt. Olympus. We also had a water park AP around the same time, and I’ve been to Typhoon as recently as this spring. I’ve also been to about a dozen other water parks around the US.

The Dells have better water parks, but TL and BB are more Disney. The slides themselves at TL/BB are okay-to-good compared to what you find in the Dells, but they are themed, exceptionally lush, and create an overall sense of place.

IMO, Typhoon does this better than Blizzard—the “snow” is just never particularly convincing when it is hot as blazes in a FL summer, so it doesn’t feel like a themed environment so much as fake snow scattered around a very pleasant water park. Typhoon has the best wave pool I’ve seen (and I’d put it above Poseiden’s at Mt. O). On the other hand, the slides at Blizzard are a little more thrilling than Typhoon’s. So, they might be both worth a visit if you have time.

One very cool feature of the Disney parks is that the lazy river in each one circumscribes the park, so it is both a “transportation” mechanism and a lazy river.

So, definitely pay one a visit, remember that it’s not going to be super-thrilling the way the Dells’ parks might be, but enjoy the very lush landscaping and the relaxed vibe of the park.

You are reminding me that I need to make a visit to Schlitterbahn one of these summer…

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I enjoy both. Noahs Ark has a couple of big thrill rides that TL and BB don't have like the scorpions tail, but lacks the background theme of both parks.

Noah's was as expected. We went to do Scorpions tail next to point of no return and someone has not made the turn. That just scares the hell out of me they have to open it up like that. The wave was closed. Most secondary entrances to rides were closed. Time warp belt bringing rafts up broke as we just got to the top. It was not too busy. It made we cry for TL all the more as I saw the brown lazy river and weeds growing throw all the fencing. It's a whole new world in the Dells too.

 

[pigletgirl]

Think of it as a DISNEY park vs a water park. We have many water parks nearby but the entire experience of TL for my daughter and I last month was incredible. We had just the best day. I can't wait to take my other kids.

Do yourself a favor and go visit TL!!