Thanks for Choosing Tropical Amity

We wrap up this visit to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park with a stop at the newest addition to the attraction roster, Crush 'n' Gusher. This water coaster is a thrill for riders and storytelling detail seekers alike.

The setting of Crush 'n' Gusher is an old fruit washing and packing plant damaged in the storm that created Typhoon Lagoon. Tropical Amity brand Fruit Exporters, "Your Friends from the Tropics," once boasted that "Our juices are crushed with flavor... Our produce is gushing with taste!" Today, though, the sign outside the plant has broken in two, adjusting the name to read Tropi Calamity instead.

Other remnants of the original facility are strewn about the property, from the conveyor belts overgrown by the jungle to an old tractor dropped on the roof.

Getting closer, we see that those who came around after the storm have painted over some of the original signs at the facility. They've turned the old produce wash chutes into a blast of a water adventure ride.

Judging by this list of Produce Wash Facility Guidelines, it would seem Tropical Amity had challenges with employees riding the flumes even before the storm. Number two on the list: "Wash flumes are not to be used for recreational purposes. No horseplay!"

For those coming by these days, riding the wash flumes is actually encouraged. Just grab one of the inflatable fruit bins (aka rafts), and you're on your way to being crushed and gushed!

Thirst for Detail

Typhoon Lagoon is comprised of three main styles of architecture: early Key West-style resort (as seen at Leaning Palms), the thatched roof indigenous style of the lagoon-side village (Singapore Sal's is a great example), and an eclectic style comprised of flotsam and debris found after the storm.

The bar down by the shore, named Let's Go Slurpin', is of the thatched variety. It looks right at home by the water. Since the storm, the owners have enhanced the decor of their establishment with items that blew in from as far away as California and Hawaii.

The coffee and pastries stand definitely falls in the eclectic category. From the ship's shutters used to make the back wall to the corrugated tin slapped on top, the entrepreneurs behind this little shack have made the most of everything... including space. They've put the stove up on the roof!

One of my favorite details here? This wind chime made of an old teapot and spoons:

Making Waves

Typhoon Lagoon is many things, but to quote an article on the opening of the park from the Summer 1989 issue of Disney News magazine, "probably the most spectacular attraction at the park is the lagoon itself."

"Permanently agitated by the storm, it has become the largest inland surfing lagoon in the world - twice the size of a football field, and large enough to encompass an ocean liner - with the world's largest artificially created waves - up to 6 1/2 feet high."

"The focal point of the lagoon is a shipwrecked fishing boat, Miss Tilly out of Safen Sound, FL, teetering 95 feet in the air atop Mt. Mayday."

Typhoon Boatworks

Exploring Typhoon Lagoon, you'll come across several places of business, among them the Typhoon Boatworks. Of course, it's all a facade. The various sheds and structures that make up this boat repair facility actually enclose the pump house and other mechanics behind the enormous Typhoon Lagoon wave pool.

On the surface, though, are hundreds of details that help tell the story of this place, from the collection of tools in the work area to the boat for sale (with the sign stating the obvious... "Needs Work"). There are bits and pieces here, blown in from all over the world.

One particularly interesting item is the plaque displayed for Pilot International. Pilot International is a service organization, founded in 1921. Today, Pilot International works to promote awareness and prevention of brain-related disorders. The group takes its name and inspiration from river boat pilots of the period, who were known for steering a "true course" through challenging conditions (a perfect thematic fit for Typhoon Lagoon as well).

Exploring Typhoon Lagoon

There are many things to do at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park, from diving at Shark Reef and splashing in the surf lagoon to the thrills of rafting down the falls or braving the speed slides of Humunga Kowabunga. The park also offers more tranquil options, each offering their own rewards.

Castaway Creek flows around Typhoon Lagoon, carrying swimmers on a relaxing current. The river passes through a misty, tropical rainforest, into an ancient cave, and under the occasional leaky, makeshift aquifer.

Along the way, you'll catch a glimpse of many of the sights of Typhoon Lagoon. You may even spot bits of wreckage left from the storm, like this Happy Days Cruises pontoon boat (note the S.O.S. put out by the castaways) or the remains of a pirate galleon.

Those who choose to explore the area on foot may come across some of these same discoveries and more. The Forgotten Grotto (which someone at least remembered to mark with a sign) leads to hidden pathways, lush gardens and rushing waterfalls.

More adventurous hikers can opt for the Mountain Trail, leading across a suspension bridge and along the volcanic face of Mt. Mayday.

It can be a demanding trip, with lots of stairs and uneven pathways, but it's worth it for an up close look at the marooned Miss Tilly and spectacular views of the sparkling lagoon below.

Ketchakiddee Creek

The corner of Typhoon Lagoon designed primarily for smaller children is known as Ketchakiddee Creek. The name naturally identifies this as a kids' area, but it's also an allusion to the sort of Native American names attributed to many places throughout Florida, such as Lake Okeechobee and the Econlockhatchee River.

The Ketchakiddee Creek itself winds from the raft slide at one end down to a shallow wading area at the other, where toddlers can splash around, climb on "wooden" animal totems and be surprised by bubbling fountains. This waterway divides the play area in two. On the west side, kids who came before us have built an enormous sandcastle ship and fortress (above), now forever engaged in a watery battle.

The east side of the area represents a local boat cleaning and maintenance area. There are little skiffs hoisted up in the air for repairs (one of them is named C. Worthy, but looks far from it). Here, a big rusty tank spews water from every pipe fitting and seam, and other props form a series of speedy slides for the kids (above and below).

Once again, the close observer is rewarded with fun details and a bit of humor. This trailer for the boat wash company advertises, "Keels Hauled. Hulls Cleaned. Decks Swabbed." Of course, they also throw in the caveat... "Sorry, No Sailors Washed."

Soul Food for Surfers

Surf culture is pervasive at Typhoon Lagoon, from the Beach Boys tunes playing in the air to the "hang loose" atmosphere on the shore. Every element helps reinforce this idea, even down to the detail of this cart. Essentially, it's an outdoor vending cart offering hot dogs, turkey legs, cold drinks and other snacks. It's made to be part of the story, though, as if a retired surfer has put together his own little meals-on-wheels-style jalopy and driven it down to the beach to serve the local crowd. As they say, "Surfing affects your lifestyle like no other sport... it becomes your lifestyle."

A Real Dive

As the story goes, a small harbor was cut off from the sea in the big storm that created Typhoon Lagoon, trapping an overturned boat and thousands of tropical fish... along with a few sharks. Today, this little corner of the village has become known as Shark Reef.

Hammerhead Fred's Dive Shop has anything would-be explorers might need to check out the sea life on the reef. There are lots of great details in and around the shop, along with plenty of humor. The dimensional marquee for Hammerhead Fred's is a riot, with the shark sculpture outfitted with dual dive masks.

Also hanging nearby is a crate bound for Acme Taxidermy in Dearborn, Michigan, but it looks like the sawfish specimen inside is too large for the box. The sawfish's toothy snout has busted right through the front.

Whether native to the area or not, many such species (and large examples at that) were deposited in the waters around Typhoon Lagoon as a result of the storm. This pair of jaws from a Sharkus Gigantus were found washed up on the beach. (Sharkus Gigantus is fictional, but not far off from the scale of the Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark.)

The wall of the dive shop displays a whole collection of shark jaws, including those of a Great White, Tiger Shark and Bull Shark reportedly found in the area. There's even a lone tooth attributed to "the BIG one that got away..." "almost caught in the catch basin of Humunga Cowabunga." That one's estimated to have been 25-30 feet long, but you know how fish tales go.

With all the sharks sighted in the area, it's a wonder anyone would actually want to get in the water. Then again, that's part of the thrill. (Actually, the sharks found in Shark Reef are relatively small and well-fed by the Animal Programs team, so there's no real risk for the snorkeling Guests.)

The slightly less adventurous can climb down into the hull of the overturned ship in the middle of the reef for a look out the portholes at the undersea environment.

It's a beautiful site, filled with tropical fish, rays and sharks (it's hard to make out, but there's a shark in the upper left portion of the photo below). The animals here are real and cared for by some of the same Cast Members who look after the collection at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. While opportunities exist for a qualified few to dive the tank at Epcot, Shark Reef gives every Guest the chance to swim with the fishes.

The Gator. The Myth. The Legend.

Lagoona Gator is a surfing legend around Typhoon Lagoon. No one else can "hang eight" like he can!

When Disney's third water park, Blizzard Beach (the now-closed River Country was first), opened in 1996, it came with a bit of mythology about a cartoon critter named Ice Gator. Ice Gator was so popular (and ripe with merchandise potential), a similar character was developed for inclusion at Typhoon Lagoon. For a period in the late-90s, Guests at the park could even meet Lagoona Gator in person. Today, he's typically "Gone Surfin'," but plenty of references to him can still be found.

Lagoona's main hangout is the Board Room, under the clock tower at the beach. There are a few details on the outside of this old shack, like the oars standing in for the hands of the clock and the diving gator carved into the tiki totem on the porch, but the really fun stuff is tucked inside.

Here, we discover Lagoona Gator's home, complete with makeshift kitchen and hammock. Notice the issue of Surfin Reptile magazine hanging on the wall. It's the one with Cathy Cayman on the cover. Main squeeze? Or dream girl? In either case, Lagoona has his guitar ready to serenade her should she swing by.

Lagoona is a bit of a celebrity himself. The newest issue of Surfin' Reptile is on the table, this one featuring Lagoona riding a pretty massive swell. Look around, and you'll also spot posters recalling Lagoona's glory days, like when he was part of the Beach Gators... "They're so cold blooded, they're hot!"

Lagoona was even a movie star, with roles in such classic films as Bikini Beach Blanket Muscle Party Bingo! Look closely at the poster for this one. It's full of sly references. "Starring Lagoona Gator as Freddie & Annette Crocochello as Bee Bee" is a nod to the Beach Party films Mouseketeer Annette Funicello did with Frankie Avalon after her work with Disney. In those movies, she played Dee Dee to his Frankie. "Bobcat Shaw as Braindead, Sandra Deer as Idjit & Troy Greeno'hue as Moonfroggie" are further references to this film genre.

That's not all. There are also some Hidden Disney references here. Swampywood Records recalls Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned music label. The credits on the poster refer to Imagineers who worked on the Lagoona Gator enhancements to the park. There's Ron Scaly (former Imagineering Show Producer Ron Chesley), Croc Buzoo (Artist and Art Director Chuck Ballew) and Cayman Lafferty (Senior Show Writer Kevin Rafferty).