At the start of 2025, Disney rolled out a new perk for guests staying at Disney World hotels: FREE water park tickets on check-in day! According to Disney, these tickets are non-transferrable and cannot be used on a different day, even if the water park is closed due to weather or other factors. However, one of our readers recently had a different experience.

Blizzard Beach

A DFB reader named Ken recently reached out to us with an interesting experience they had regarding this water park perk.

They wrote in part, “We are in Disney World this week and I thought I would let you know that because the [water park] was closed on our arrival day they gave us a special pass that we can use it [sic] anytime during our stay.” Along with this information, Ken attached a photo of a “Water Park Arrival Day Benefit (Extended Recovery Pass)” in their Disney World app, showing dates valid through the length of their trip.

Blizzard Beach

We immediately checked Walt Disney World’s official website and found that it still reads “This benefit is only on the day of check-in, and is valid for admission to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park (whichever is open). This benefit cannot be transferred to a different day. Check the park calendar and operating hours closer to your 2025 arrival to plan your check-in day. Usage of this benefit is subject to availability. Water parks are subject to extended rehabilitation, seasonal, capacity and weather closures, or may close for other reasons.”

Typhoon Lagoon

This would seemingly indicate that, as the “free” water park ticket perk is integrated into the resort’s operations, Disney may handle instances of a water park being closed on a case-by-case basis, and there’s no in-writing guarantee this type of pass will be offered if the resort’s water park is closed on the day of your check-in.

Typhoon Lagoon

That being said, if you do arrive at Walt Disney World to find either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon shuttered due to inclement weather, we’d definitely recommend checking the app ASAP to see if you’ve received the same type of pass. Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney World’s latest perk.

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Do you plan on taking advantage of Disney World’s new water park check-in perk on your next visit? Let us know in the comments below.