A family vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort® offers unique opportunities for those in the teen set. Talk to teens about their interests and plan an itinerary that is sure to please the whole family.
Disney Water Parks
Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are the two main water parks at Walt Disney World, Orlando. Typhoon Lagoon is best known for its wave pool, which is twice the size of a football field. Early risers, over the age of eight, can take body surfing lessons before the park opens. There are also several roller coaster-like water slides, family water slides and a shark reef where visitors can snorkel with sharks, stingray and other fish.
Blizzard Beach was designed to portray a melting ski lodge. Its Summit Plummet is one of the world's tallest and fastest water slides. Other giant water slides at Blizzard Beach allow for white water rafting, slalom-style racing using toboggan-style mats and several inner tube rides.
Planning a day at one or both of these parks allows teens the opportunity to explore on their own and experience several high thrill rides. There is plenty available for smaller children and adults so the entire family can enjoy the waterpark experience.
Entertainment at Downtown Disney
Disney Quest is a 5-story indoor interactive gaming experience. Located on the west side of Downtown Disney, teens (and the young at heart) can enjoy classic arcade games like PacMan, Donkey Kong and Frogger, as well as new cutting edge games that feature virtual reality and 3-D interaction.
Cirque Du Soleil, also on the west side of Downtown Disney, is a theatrical experience featuring over 65 artists performing acro-gymnastics on the stage and high above on the flying trapezes. Night time shows are available Tuesday through Sunday nearly every night of the year.
The other two sections of Downtown Disney include Marketplace and Pleasure Island. Marketplace features a variety of dining and shopping experiences. From the 50,000 square foot World of Disney Store to the Rainforest Café restaurant, teens are sure to find much to see and do.
Pleasure Island has been undergoing massive renovations over the past few years. The nightclubs were closed down on September 28, 2008 and are being replaced with a mix of dining, shopping and entertainment venues. Disney Imagineers continue to work on the project. Several new restaurants and shops have recently opened with more promised in the coming months.
Water Sports in Disney World
From water thrill seekers to those who enjoy a lazy day in the water, teens have many opportunities to enjoy Disney from the water. Sammy Duvall's Watersports Centre, located at Disney's Contemporary Resort Marina, gives watersport lovers the opportunity to rent an inner tube, personal watercraft, sailboat, pontoon boat or canopy boat. They also arrange parasailing or waterskiing adventures.
Mouse boats, small one and two-person speedboats, can be rented at nearly at nearly all of the Disney hotels, as well as the Marketplace area.
Disney World Backstage Tours
Disney offers dozens of "behind the scenes tours". Most programs have minimum ages and are available at an extra fee to the admission price of a park. Teens can take a Segway tour of Epcot, take a dive into the Living Seas to swim with the fish, sea turtles and sharks or embark on a special safari ride through the Animal Kingdom theme park.
Free Family Fun Near Walt Disney World
The area surrounding the Disney resorts offers many options for teens. Check out some free activities in nearby Celebration and Kissimmee, Florida to round out the Disney vacation for teenagers.
Talk to teens before planning a Disney World trip. Discuss the options available to them and find out what they want to do during the vacation. Giving teens choices about activities allows the entire family to have a more enjoyable Disney World experience.
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