Wet but Not So Wild

Lots of the hotel pools at the Walt Disney World Resort have waterslides that twist and turn and splash riders into the water below. But if you have a kiddo like mine who’s not known for being brave, the pool area at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a great place for little ones to test the waters when it comes to slipping and sliding.

The children’s water play area includes three waterslides sized just right for kids under 48 inches tall, two standard slides and one tube-style slide. Kids splash down into a shallow, contained area, so there’s no need to worry about them navigating deeper waters or crowded pools.

There’s water squirting out from all over the pirate ship–themed play structure; kids can even control the level of spray in most places by turning wheels that reduce or increase the flow. The whole time they’re playing, a huge bucket fills up with water overhead. When a bell starts ringing, that signals that the bucket is about to tip over, spilling its contents all over anyone below. Some kids relish this soaking; others (like my daughter in her younger days) run away from the dousing.

On our most recent trip to Caribbean Beach, Lindsay braved the slides at the main pool area, including an 80-foot-long one that traveled inside a faux fort. But she still spent lots of time skipping and splashing through the children’s play area, even standing in the path of the spilling bucket a few times. She may be getting bigger, but she’s still able to appreciate when good things come in small packages.