Wender·Vista
Disney's Blizzard Beach
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileFlorida · United States
at Walt Disney World, west of Orlando

Disney's Blizzard Beach

— — a ski resort that forgot which hemisphere it's in.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A Walt Disney World water park built on the joke that a freak snowstorm hit central Florida and the locals turned it into a ski resort. Mount Gushmore rises in the middle, with chairlift towers and slalom flags above palm trees and chlorinated turquoise. Summit Plummet drops 12 stories at near free-fall speed. A small lazy river called Cross Country Creek loops the whole property.

from the studio
Disney's Blizzard Beach
— bring it home

Disney's Blizzard Beach, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Disney's Blizzard Beach

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Disney's Blizzard Beach is one of two operating water parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, west of Orlando. It opened on April 1, 1995, themed as a ski resort caught mid-melt after a freak Florida snowstorm. Mount Gushmore, the park's central peak, rises roughly 90 feet and anchors most of the major slides. The park spans about 66 acres and sits between the Coronado Springs and All-Star resort areas. Annual visitation has run near two million in typical years.

— informed by Wikipedia, Walt Disney World
— the visit

Park hours run seasonally and shift with Florida weather. Blizzard Beach typically closes during the cooler months while Typhoon Lagoon stays open, and the two parks alternate. A single-day water-park ticket is required and is not included in standard Magic Kingdom admission. The main entrance sits off Buena Vista Drive, with parking on-site, and resort guests reach the park by Disney bus. Guests under 48 inches cannot ride Summit Plummet or Slush Gusher.

— the water

Summit Plummet drops about 120 feet from the top of Mount Gushmore and is one of the tallest free-fall body slides in the world, with reported speeds above 50 mph. Slush Gusher beside it offers a slightly shorter drop. The Melt-Away Bay wave pool sits at the base of the mountain, and Cross Country Creek runs a 3,000-foot lazy loop around the perimeter. The park's water is treated, heated, and filtered to typical resort pool standards.

— where
United States · Bay Lake, Florida
— within
Disney's Blizzard Beach
— position
28.3530° N · 81.5750° W
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
1 km N
Coronado Springs Resort
Disney resort hotel
5 km NE
Typhoon Lagoon
sister water park
2 km S
ESPN Wide World of Sports
sports complex
1 km S
All-Star Movies Resort
Disney resort hotel
N
Disney's Blizzard Beach
Coronado Springs Resort
Typhoon Lagoon
ESPN Wide World of Sports
All-Star Movies Resort
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Disney's Blizzard Beach — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

April 1, 1995. It became the third water park to open at Walt Disney World, alongside Typhoon Lagoon and the now-closed River Country. It cost a reported 100 million dollars to build.

About 120 feet, measured from the top of Mount Gushmore to the splashdown lane. It is one of the tallest free-fall body slides in the world and routinely posts speeds above 50 mph.

Inside the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, about 20 miles southwest of downtown Orlando. The entrance sits off Buena Vista Drive between the Coronado Springs and All-Star resort areas.

Yes. The park closes for refurbishment during cooler months, and Disney alternates open weeks with Typhoon Lagoon. Check the current operating calendar before planning a visit.

A ski resort caught mid-thaw after a freak snowstorm hit Florida. Chairlifts, slalom gates, and ski-jump towers stand among palm trees. The mascot is Ice Gator, who took up residence in the melting snow.

About 66 acres, with Mount Gushmore as the central peak. Cross Country Creek, the lazy river, runs roughly 3,000 feet around the perimeter, and Melt-Away Bay sits at the mountain's base.

— about the piece in your home

It carries well as a gift for families with long Walt Disney World memories. Blizzard Beach is the in-joke park, beloved by people who know which slide their kid first braved. A Small with a note from the studio works well.

The icy blues against tropical greens work in Coastal-modern, Beach-cottage, and brighter Mid-century rooms. It also lands well in a kid's or family room where the colour palette can carry weight.

A Large reads well above a console or reading chair. Above a sofa, a 4-tile Mural fills the wall. For a longer family room a 9-tile Mural carries the whole field.

Yes. For wet rooms or splash zones, choose Dura Satin or Matte. Both are scratch-resistant and hold up to steam and daily wiping. Glossy is best kept for dry wall art.

A microfibre cloth with water handles most everyday dust and fingerprints. In a kitchen install with cooking residue, a drop of pH-neutral soap in warm water is fine. Skip abrasive pads and citrus cleaners.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is original to the studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. We do not license or resell other artists' work, and the same eye chooses every place that enters the atlas.

— if this one stayed with you

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