Free water park admission on arrival day for Disney World resort guests in 2025
Guests staying at any Walt Disney World resort hotel in 2025 will receive free admission to Disney water parks, valid on their check-in day.
Disney has announced that Walt Disney World resort guests can enter Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park for free on the day they arrive to their hotel. After arrival day, Disney resort guests can purchase water park tickets or visit the water parks if their vacation package includes admission.
Guests must be registered on the room reservation to receive free water park admission. The perk is valid for check-in dates from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2025.
Over the past few years, Disney has only operated one water park at a time while it refurbishes the other. For example, Blizzard Beach is currently open while Typhoon Lagoon is closed; the tables will turn March 17, 2024, when Blizzard Beach closes and Typhoon Lagoon reopens.
Continuing Amenities for 2025: More Time in Parks, Dining Perks
In addition to the free water park admission, guests staying at any Disney resort in 2025 can enter the theme parks 30 minutes before opening time every day (“early theme park entry”). Guests staying at a Disney resort in the deluxe category can also remain in select parks after closing time on select nights (“extended evening hours”).
The Disney Dining Plan, which returned last month for the first time in four years, will continue in 2025 as a purchasable add-on to vacation packages. For the time being, it’s still exclusively available to Disney resort guests.
All Disney resort guests, regardless of Dining Plan, can make dining reservations for their entire vacation 60 days before their arrival day. Other guests have to wait until 30 days before their intended dining date.
Amenities Not Mentioned: Lightning Lane Head Start, Magical Express, MagicBands
Disney’s announcement did not mention specifics about Disney Genie+, the feature within the My Disney Experience app through which guests purchase and select Lightning Lane return times. Currently, Disney resort guests have first dibs on most of those (except a few a la carte options), beginning at 7 a.m. Everyone else has to wait until the parks open.
Other amenities from years past seem to be staying extinct, namely the Disney’s Magical Express airport shuttle and complimentary MagicBands for resort guests. Guests flying into Orlando now need to arrange their own transportation to Disney World, and resort guests desiring a MagicBand must purchase one.
For an interview with a former Disney executive who championed Magical Express and MagicBands, check out our previous story.
2025 Disney Resort Hotel Reservations Now Open
Beginning today, Feb. 27, 2024, guests can reserve their overnight stays at a Walt Disney World resort hotel for 2025 vacations. Request a free quote from our sponsor, Mouse Fan Travel.
