New Permit Filing Hints at Possible Changes Coming to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

30 days ago in "Typhoon Lagoon"

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Typhoon Lagoon Backstage Parking Lot: Plans and Site Maps

Posted: Tuesday July 14, 2026 7:43am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has filed a new application with the South Florida Water Management District for a project titled "Typhoon Lagoon Backstage Parking Lot," and while it may not sound like a big deal on the surface, it could be a sign of something bigger coming to the water park.

Typhoon Lagoon Backstage Parking Lot: Plans and Site Maps

The permit application covers the construction of a new backstage area adjacent to Typhoon Lagoon, located near 1199 E Buena Vista Drive in Orlando. According to the filing, the project includes:

A new driveway and entrance gate
A fenced-in gravel parking lot
A new sidewalk
Two dry retention ponds
Treatment swales for stormwater management

The site sits just north of the Typhoon Lagoon park boundary, with access off East Buena Vista Drive. The plans, prepared by engineering firm KPMFranklin, show the lot fitting within a clearly defined CFTOD leased area boundary.

Typhoon Lagoon Backstage Parking Lot: Plans and Site Maps

On its own, a backstage parking lot isn't what gets Disney fans talking. But when Disney moves or adds parking, it often signals something else is in the works.

Typhoon Lagoon's guest parking lot regularly hits capacity on busy days. When that happens, guests spill into the cast member lot. Cast members then have to park off-site — not an ideal situation for anyone.

By adding a dedicated backstage lot, Disney could free up the existing cast parking area for guest use, or expand the current guest parking footprint entirely.

What's less clear is why now. This could simply be Disney finally addressing a long-standing parking crunch at the water park. Or it could be connected to something more — a new attraction, increased attendance expectations, or a broader expansion that hasn't been announced yet.

Disney has made no public statements about any planned changes at Typhoon Lagoon.

Typhoon Lagoon reopening

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Jon81uk28 days ago

and they added one new attraction at Typhoon Lagoon at the time Volcano Bay opened.

disney fan 1328 days ago

If anything would've motivated changing something at the water parks, it would have been Volcano Bay, but that was almost a decade ago at this point.

Biff21528 days ago

I think the thought process here is that if you free up the current CM parking for more guest parking, perhaps they are planning to add more capacity to the park (hence needing more guest parking). It’s wishful thinking at this point. Anything is possible but Disney hasn’t made meaningful investments in the water parks for years, and I’d argue it’s finally Blizzard’s turn if they were!

Mr. Sullivan28 days ago

I’d love to visit these one day but I need to get way more comfortable in this body of mine first

Jon81uk28 days ago

New slide Miss Adventure Falls was added 2017, so almost one decade ago. Before that it was Crush’nGusher in 2005 so that was two decades. Blizzard Beach however has had even less investment, only real change is adding a conveyor so you don’t have to carry the tubes.

Brisco28 days ago

Yeah I know there are definitely non-water park folks and they are going to react to this as no big deal. But honestly there are a lot of families who treat them as another park. I know we always did before I was a local and now as a local I probably frequent the water parks for a few hours just as much as the other parks. So I'll admit that it wouldn't be like the headliner announcement for D23 but I could see it being announced there as a small throw in. On a personal note id rather see a Moana addition to Typhoon lagoon where the theming is literally Pacific Island rather than her shoehorned into the middle of Epcot (even though I do frequent the Journey of Water on a hot day) In the end if I had to bet this may really all just be about a new parking lot.

Smoky29 days ago

I love the water parks and they are criminally neglected. I really hope they're planning on some sort of expansion even though that seems really unlikely. Typhoon Lagoon was my favorite park growing up and I think it still holds up really well today even though it's been virtually unchanged for what, 2 decades now at least?

kaos29 days ago

Doubt Brightline has anything to do with this as they are BK and it's not happening

BrianLo29 days ago

Not necessarily. They did have that highlights reel segment last time where Darren Criss and Skyler Astin sang through the ho hum announcements like the new lounges and various opening dates, seasons or years.

HakunaMatata8929 days ago

finally getting that Moana wave pool

gorillaball29 days ago

Yes, see “Hatbox ghost addition to HM” making the cut one year.

tonymu29 days ago

The location of the current cast member parking lot does not seem to lend itself to park expansion or guest parking lot expansion. Isn't that location close to one of the spots for a Brightline station? Could this project have something to with that? Clearing space for a Brightline station in the future.

KDM3109129 days ago

The Frozen addition was unnecessary. The gator area was cute as it was. I love the water parks as is. You just show up and have fun. No lighting lanes, no screens, little to no IP, no nothing. It’s just classic and charming. Not to say they couldn’t add any IP but I just don’t think it’s necessary. It’s one of the only things left at WDW where it’s just pure simple fun. That and the mini golf.

DisneyFanatic1229 days ago

They have tested Fastpass at the waterparks before (notably Blizzard Beach), but I don’t know as though there would be enough demand the majority of the year to justify it!