Dear Tabitha,
I'm so glad that you decided to come back to visit us again here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your great question about planning ahead for your upcoming visit to the Walt Disney World Resort!
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is one of my family's favorite destinations, and we also love the water slides, so I understand their desire to jump right into that cool welcoming water! The great news is that there are complimentary life vests available for anyone who would like one, and I have frequently taken advantage of those for my children if they are on one of the more thrilling slides. Any of the slides in which you are sitting in an inner tube is absolutely fine for life vests. Any of the slides that is considered a "body slide" (where there is no inner tube) does not allow a life vest (or anything else with buckles).
Every family is different, but be sure to check out the end of each of the slides that they would like to go on, because some of them (like
Humunga Kowabunga, for example) end in only a few inches of water as opposed to a large pool.
Hope that helps with your magical planning!
- Jan K.