The secret way to skip the lines and get free snacks at Disney – H2O Glow at Typhoon Lagoon

Walt Disney World Resort in the summertime can be hot, sticky and crowded. Whether it's an afternoon at the hotel pool or an air-conditioned meal at one of Disney's table service restaurants, I am always looking for a way to beat the heat. While planning my most recent Disney trip, I found a way to stay cool and avoid the crowds and long lines while also enjoying free snacks, free drinks and short wait times.

I'm not one to keep Disney secrets to myself, so I will tell you all about my newfound discovery. Here is everything you need to know about this "splashy" new way to experience the magic of Disney: H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon.

What is H2O Glow After Hours?

H2O Glow After Hours is at Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney World's two water parks. Ticket prices are $75 for adults and $70 for children ages 3 to 9 (though discounts are available for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members). Kids under 3 years of age do not need a ticket.

The three-hour event technically occurs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., but ticketholders can get into Typhoon Lagoon as early as 6 p.m. to begin enjoying the attractions. Disney only sells a limited number of tickets to this event, so the park is much less crowded than it is during the day. Also, there are shorter (or nonexistent) waits for the waterslides.

When the event officially kicks off, Typhoon Lagoon transforms into a glowing, music-filled party. There's a DJ-led dance party on the sand with Goofy, Chip 'n Dale, Captain Hook and other Disney characters joining the crowd on the dance floor.

Also, because the event starts after the heat of the day has passed, the temperatures are much more pleasant outside (all the better for dancing the night away with Goofy and his pals).

What is included in the price of H2O Glow After Hours?

It's hard to find anything free at Disney, but H2O Glow had a giant beach bag's worth of goodies that were all included in the ticket price. When we entered the park, Disney cast members handed us reusable glow-in-the-dark cups to use at fountain beverage machines throughout the evening. I've never seen my kids so happy when they found out they could have all the soda they could drink .. until they found out they could also have unlimited ice cream and popcorn.

There were carts stationed all around the park with popcorn and ice cream bars. Many of the quick service restaurants were also open if you wanted to purchase a meal, snack or alcoholic beverage.

My kids did tear themselves away from the free food and drinks long enough to enjoy the included entertainment and attractions, too. We danced barefoot in the sand to the DJ's tunes. There were even cast members in the crowd handing out hula hoops and leading conga lines.

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Not every attraction is open during the event, but the most popular ones are. My family spent a lot of time riding the large surf waves in the wave pool (they alternate with smaller bobbing waves) and floating along the lazy river. We also checked out some of the park's best waterslides, Crush 'n' Gusher and Miss Adventure Falls.

What are the crowds like at H2O Glow After Hours?

The small crowds are among the best things about Disney's after-hours events. Disney sells a limited number of tickets to these events, and the capacity is much lower than what you would find on a typical day.

I'm not always a huge fan of wave pools because I get nervous trying to watch my kids in a sea of people, but the wave pool wasn't crowded at all during our visit. The lazy river wasn't either, and we had no trouble finding empty tubes to float around in.

The waterslide waits were what I was most interested to see. Wait times during the day can be 30 minutes or more for some of the bigger slides, but we didn't wait more than 15 minutes all night. In fact, most slides had wait times closer to five minutes or no wait at all.

Waiting in line can be tough, especially when you visit Disney with kids. Not having to keep them entertained while waiting in line was practically worth the ticket price on its own.

Is H2O Glow After Hours worth it?

In a word, yes! Tickets for H2O Glow After Hours cost only slightly more than a regular one-day water park ticket at Disney, and you get so much more. My family loved the included treats and the low crowds, which gave us more time to enjoy the attractions even though we didn't spend the whole day in the park.

There was one thing we couldn't get during this event, though, no matter how hard we tried — a sunburn. I guess that's just another point in favor of visiting Typhoon Lagoon after the sun goes down.

Related reading:

• Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?
• The best Disney World hotels for your 2023 stay
• How you can save hundreds of dollars by renting Disney Vacation Club points
• How to use points to buy Disney tickets
• New swan on the block: A review of the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve