July 28, 2018
Last night we were invited to Disney’s H2O Glow Nights at Typhoon Lagoon. It’s an after-hours event at the Typhoon Lagoon that features all the slides and attractions, a DJ dance party on the beach, characters, and an H2O Glow Nights exclusive food and drink menu.
The event takes place from 8–11pm with admission to Typhoon Lagoon available at 7 pm where you can mix in before the event officially begins. After 8 the party kicks off and Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie come out to meet guests.
The Atmosphere
Next to the wave pool, Disney set up a large Partysaurus Rex and a DJ booth. The DJ did a great job of interacting with the guests and provided upbeat music to the whole park since it was pumped into the speakers throughout Typhoon Lagoon. Outside of the beach area, things were what you would imagine. It was a much less crowded waterpark at night. Most people had glowsticks, and the lazy river was packed with animal floats much like the Toy Story float that inspired the event. We spotted penguins, dragons, flamingos, and of course rubber ducks.
Things are just a lot less crowded during H2O Glow Nights and that’s because it’s a separately ticketed event. Just look at the lazy river during and before the event started.
The Rides
As far as wait times on the main attractions the longest we had to wait was 10 minutes for Crush n’ Gusher’s Banana Slide.
Everything else moved quick enough to the point where there were only one or two parties ahead making virtually no wait. Even Miss Adventure Falls had no wait and we were able to complete it three times in a row thanks to H2O Glow Nights.
The lazy river was very relaxing during the party as well. Most of the spray effects were turned off during our outing at Typhoon Lagoon. The random sprays when you’re laid back and taking it easy have the tendency of jolting you back to reality.
The Food
Earlier in the day, we met with Chef Hal who helped create the menu for H2O Glow Nights. He went over some of his favorite dishes and how the more popular ones came to fruition.
He recommended the Gelato Ice Cream sandwiches and the Backyard Barbecue Sampler since they were his favorite offerings. So those were among the things we tried during the event.
The barbeque is smoked especially for the H2O Glow Nights event so it’s worth trying because you won’t be able to find it anywhere else. It’s smoked all day over a hickory and oak blend. Kielbasa, ribs, Texas toast, and your choice of brisket or pulled pork come to $10.29.
The Vivo il Gelato (from Disney Springs) cookie sandwiches were excellent. The chocolate one verged on the side of almost being too chocolatey, but it’s a must for anyone who loves chocolate confections. The raspberry cheesecake one was the best item we had at the event. The sugar cookies and cheesecake gelato were perfectly balanced and it wasn’t too much of one flavor over another.
For drinks, we had the Black Light Cherry Lemonade which was deliciously tart and very refreshing. The splash of tonic water was a great addition to a beverage that would have been too sweet without it.
Summary: Is H2O Glow Nights Worth It?
If you’re looking for a different way to end your night, or don’t have time to fit in an entire waterpark day then H20 Glow Nights is an excellent choice. It’s also a great way to be able to ride and re-ride the main attractions at Typhoon Lagoon without having to wait. Just keep in mind that you’ll be running up and down stairs back-to-back since almost nobody else is in line.
Be sure to wait for the park to clear a little when you first get there. Remember, there are still day guests in line for the slides when the party first begins. It’s best to hit the lazy river, meet some characters, or grab something to eat until a little after 8 pm when only party guests are in the park.
With exclusive food and beverage options, and the ability to get all the attractions at Typhoon Lagoon completed in a few hours H2O Glow Nights is a solid after-hours party with the benefit of seeing the park at night and the ability to re-ride your favorites without any worries on whether you’ll be able to see and do it all.
