The Luxury of a Typhoon Lagoon Beachcomber Shack

Updated on May 6, 2022. Why? Because it looks like prices are lower than when we wrote this original post!

If you’re visiting Disney in the summer, it’s great to carve out some time for a water park—either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach.

Both water parks have fun themes and a whole day’s worth of activities. (By a vote of 3-1, my family prefers Typhoon Lagoon, but that’s another story. Click here to read more.)

This past August, we spent one whole day at Typhoon Lagoon, and we could not have had more fun. A freak 20-minute downpour even hit when we were in line for the Crush N’ Gusher slides. Since there was no thunder or lightening, the lifeguards said it was okay to plunge down rain and all. Now that’s the ultimate in theming!

Obviously, the Florida sun is pretty intense in August, and I wanted to guarantee that I’d have a home base with some protective shade for the family. I also wanted space where we could spread out and an area with a little quite for beach reading and maybe a nap.

I got all of that by calling ahead and reserving a Beachcomber Shack. (But you can also rent day-of, if available, at High and Dry Rentals.)

Shade, privacy, and refillable mugs are some of the Beachcomber Shack perks.

So, what is a Beachcomber Shack?

Beachcomber Shacks are private shelters with cabana-like service for parties of six (although you can grant access to up to 8 guests if you pay a little extra). Each shack has six cushioned chairs and some side tables, a high-top table with two stools, a locker, tons of towels, a cooler filled with ice and bottled waters, a refillable drink mug for each guest, and a personal attendant.

The locker on site was very handy. It’s not waterproof, but our attendant gave us a plastic bag to wrap our wallets, phones and other valuables in to keep them protected.

Staying hydrated is really important when visiting the water parks in August. The cooler was kept full of bottled water and plenty of ice.

The personal attendants are a great perk. Not only are they there to check on you to make sure all is well; they also take your food, drink, and ice cream orders and have them delivered right to your Shack.

Food delivery from the Leaning Palms was all part of the experience.

The Shacks are also shelters if a quick storm pops up (which happens a lot in the summer). Even if the pools and slides must temporarily close for thunder and lightning, you’re allowed to shelter in your Shack until the weather clears.

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There are many different advantages to renting a Beachcomber Shack. If you have young kids or elderly people in your party, it’s an excellent way to keep them sheltered and cool while the rest of the group is enjoying the Surf Pool (a wave pool), Castaway Creek (a lazy river), or the numerous water slides.

Typhoon Lagoon’s massive wave pool is the highlight of the park. You’re likely to spend hours here dodging waves.

As a parent, I liked being able to read in the shady location while my kids went off exploring. The kids also loved the unlimited access to the Coke Freestyle machines and made sure they tried as many Fanta flavors as possible during the day. Because we had a birthday person with us, our attendant, Dennis even surprised us with a sand pail filled with ice cream.

The ice cream pail is soft serve ice cream with sundae fillings in the buried in the middle. — The ice cream pail is soft serve ice cream with sundae fillings buried in the middle.

Now, a Beachcomber Shack is a splurge. On this trip in 2019, we paid $360 for six people (in addition to the price of admission). Believe it or not, prices have GONE DOWN since then and there are three options to choose from. On the low-end is the standard Beachcomber Shack for up to six guests (like the experience described in this post) for $225 plus tax. If you would like to have seven or eight guests, the price increases. For the ultimate Beachcomber Shack experience, there is a Premium Plus option for $340 plus tax. The plus option is for up to six guests and adds on the luxury of a TV, fan, and a refrigerator.

Remember, you also have to buy water park tickets for entry to Typhoon Lagoon in order to use your Beachcomber Shack. Tickets are $69 for those 10 and up, and $63 for those 3- to 9-years old. Children under three are “Mickey’s special guest”. That’s Disney-speak for “free”.

I was really sad to leave Typhoon Lagoon and our Beachcomber Shack when the day was done. The service was excellent and the setup very comfortable. Blizzard Beach offers a similar private space to rent called Polar Patios. However, the Patios aren’t covered—so I feel the Beachcomber Shacks are the superior choice.

As a Disney fan that loves to visit in August, I think there will be many Beachcomber Shack visits in my future.