Wet 'n Wild Orlando

Wet 'n Wild Orlando
Wet 'n Wild Logo
Slogan "The Recognized Name in Family Water Fun!"
Location Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Coordinates 28°27′39″N 81°27′53″W / 28.460943°N 81.464841°W / 28.460943; -81.464841Coordinates: 28°27′39″N 81°27′53″W / 28.460943°N 81.464841°W / 28.460943; -81.464841
Owner NBCUniversal (Comcast)
Opened March 13, 1977 (1977-03-13)
Closed December 31, 2016 (2016-12-31)
Previous names Wet n' Wild FunPark
Operating season Open all year long (water heated in winter)
Area 30 acres (120,000 m2)
Pools A single pool
Water slides 17 water slides

Wet 'n Wild Orlando was the flagship water park of Wet 'n Wild owned by NBC Universal, located on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. It was founded in 1977 by SeaWorld creator George Millay and is considered America's first water park.[1] It closed on December 31, 2016.

History

Development and ownership

While developing SeaWorld, George Millay realized the need for a water park, later recalling "being in Florida, with all its heat and hot sun, you naturally think about cooling off in water". In the mid-1970s, he directed his time and money towards the project. The idea of it stemmed from the splash pad at Ontario Place in Canada and the wave pool at Point Mallard Park in Alabama. His desire was to combine these two elements and build upon it in order to achieve a good return on investment. Due to his prior success with SeaWorld, he was able to form a team of investors to fund the project.[2]

The park opened in Orlando, Florida on March 13, 1977. Although it opened to rain and suffered a $600,000 loss in its first year of operation, Millay kept it open. He later claimed it "started making money the second year and never looked back".[2] The success of the park spawned several other Wet 'n Wild-branded parks across the Americas.[3] He was given the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Waterpark Association who named him the official "Father of the Waterpark".[4]

In 1998, Millay sold off his interests in his parks. The Orlando location was purchased by Universal Studios Recreation Group, who continued to lease the land on which it is located.[5] In mid-2013, Universal purchased the 50 acres (20 ha) of land for $30.9 million.[6]

Expansion and later years

Brain Wash

In 1998, the Hydra Fighter was added to the park.[7] Riders were able to control their suspended gondola through the use of high-powered water guns.[8]

In 2000, the park renovated their Kids Park children's area. The original aviation theme was converted into a sandcastle theme. The renovation saw three ProSlide Technology "Kidz" slides added as well as a castle with a tipping bucket which dumped 250 US gallons (950 l; 210 imp gal) of water every three-and-a-half minutes. With the exception of the three slides, it was manufactured entirely by Integrity Attractions.[9][10]

In 2001, the park began a multi-year expansion plan with Canadian water slide manufacturer, ProSlide Technology.[11] It added The Storm, a pair of ProBowls, in 2001;[12][13] The Blast, an inline tube slide, in 2003;[14] Disco H2O, an enclosed Behemoth Bowl, in 2005;[15][16] and Brain Wash, an enclosed Tornado, in 2008.[17][18]

In 2011, the Kids Park was demolished. In 2012, it was replaced by Blastaway Beach, a larger children's water play area, also themed around sandcastles.[17]

In 2014, the Bubba Tub was removed and replaced with the Aqua Drag Racer, a four lane race slide.

On June 17, 2015, it was confirmed that the park would close on December 31, 2016, to be replaced by a Universal Orlando park named Volcano Bay.[19][20]

Attendance

The park was the most-attended water park in the United States until 1999, when Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach surpassed it.[5][21] At the time, it was averaging around 1.3 million visitors for several years.[3][22]

Attractions

Final Attractions

The Storm
Disco H2O
NameTypeManufacturerOpenedNotesRef.
Aqua Drag RacerFour racing mat slidesProSlide2014Replaced the Bubba Tub. It only operated for two years when the park closed in 2016.
Black HoleTwo enclosed inline tube slides1990Replaced the original Corkscrew[23]
Blastaway BeachChildren's areaProSlide2012Replaced the Kids Park.[24]
The BlastInline tube slideProSlide2003Replaced Raging Rapids.[14]
The Bomb BayFreefall body slide2001 [25]
Brain WashEnclosed TornadoProSlide2008Replaced the Hydra Fighter and Hydra-Maniac/Blue Niagara.[17][18]
Der StukaFreefall body slide1984[26]
Disco H2OEnclosed Behemoth BowlProSlide2005[15][16]
The Flyer (originally Fuji Flyer)Two inline tube slidesProSlide1996Replaced the original Mach 5 Beta.[24][27]
Lazy RiverLazy river1984
Mach 5Three mat slidesSurf Coaster1986Formerly Mach 5 Alpha[26]
The StormProBowlsProSlide2001[12][13]
The SurgeMammothProSlide1994[28][29]
The Wake ZoneWater sports1977
Wave Pool Surf LagoonWave pool1977

Former Attractions

NameTypeManufacturerOpenedClosedNotesRef.
CorkscrewEnclosed slide19771990Replaced by The Black Hole
Whitewater SlidewaysTwo open body slides19771986Replaced by the Mach 5
Banzai BogganTwo sled slides1977 1986Replaced by the Hydra Maniac
Hydra ManiacTwo enclosed slidesWhiteWater West19861994Replaced by the Surge
Hydra FighterSuspended ride19982007Replaced by Brain Wash.[7][8]
Blue NiagaraTwo enclosed corkscrew slides19882007Replaced by Brain Wash.[26]
Canadian Water CaperChildren's Area19771992Replaced by the Kids's Park
Kids ParkChildren's area19922000Replaced by the new one of the same name (now Blastaway Beach).[30]
Kids ParkChildren's areaProSlide, Integrity Attractions20002011Replaced the original one of the same name, closed and replaced by Blastaway Beach.[9][10][17]
Mach 5 AlphaTwo inline tube slidesWhiteWater West19861995Replaced by The Flyer.[26]
KamikazeFreefall body slide19791992Replaced by the Bubba Tub
Raging RapidsInline tube slide19862002Replaced by The Blast.
Bubba TubFamily Raft SlideProSlide19922014Replaced by the Aqua Drag Racer.[24][30]

The park was featured on Travel Channel's Extreme Waterparks and was also the setting for the music video for "Se A Vida É", by the Pet Shop Boys.

The park was featured for Puerto Rican band Menudo for their video Nao Se Reprima in Portuguese.

References

  1. ↑ "Wet n Wild, Americas First Water Park closing". Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 O'Brien, Tim (November 16, 1998). "George Millay: From Sea World to Wet'n Wild, the father of the modern waterpark has definitely made a splash". Amusement Business. 110 (46): 19.
  3. 1 2 Guier, Cindy Stooksbury (November 16, 1998). "Wet'n Wild". Amusement Business. 110 (46): 23.
  4. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (October 8, 2001). "Waterpark officials address variety of industry concerns". Amusement Business. 113 (40): 18–19.
  5. 1 2 Zoltak, James (October 12, 1998). "Universal dives into waterparks industry". Amusement Business. 110 (41): 1.
  6. ↑ "Universal Orlando buys Wet 'n Wild land". Orlando Sentinel. June 27, 2013. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Powell, Tom (July 6, 1998). "New ride, promos keep Wet 'n Wild at the top of waterpark industry". Amusement Business. 110 (27): 13.
  8. 1 2 Thomas, Rebecca (April 10, 1998). "Hydra Fighter Makes Splash". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  9. 1 2 O'Brien, Tim (March 18, 2002). "Orlando Waterpark plans to let kids get 'Wild'". Amusement Business. 114 (11): 6.
  10. 1 2 Mooradian, Don (April 8, 2002). "M&S news". Amusement Business. 114 (14): 4.
  11. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (October 29, 2001). "Riley talks 'Circle of Life' at WWA confab". Amusement Business. 113 (43): 21.
  12. 1 2 Zoltak, James (April 2, 2001). "Parks & fairs: Tourism season bodes well". Amusement Business. 113 (13): 21–22.
  13. 1 2 "The Storm (Wet 'n Wild Orlando)". Parkz. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  14. 1 2 Swain Vadnie, Rebecca (April 25, 2003). "Watery Fun At Full Blast". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  15. 1 2 Barbieri, Kelly (January 2006). "Waterparks catch a nice wave". Amusement Business. 118 (3): 12.
  16. 1 2 "Disco H2O (Wet 'n Wild Orlando)". Parkz. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Bevil, Dewayne (June 7, 2012). "It's playtime at Wet 'n Wild's Blastaway Beach". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  18. 1 2 "Brain Wash (Wet 'n Wild Orlando)". Parkz. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Thank You to All Our Fans for Decades of Wet 'N Wild Orlando". Universal Orlando Blog. June 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  20. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne (June 17, 2015). "Universal closing Wet 'n Wild Orlando at the end of 2016". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  21. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (November 6, 2000). "Waterparks growth rate leads industry". Amusement Business. 112 (45): 1, 20.
  22. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (March 15, 1999). "Ogden Corp. purchases Wet'n Wild". Amusement Business. 111 (11): 1.
  23. ↑ Weiss, Devi (February 16, 1990). "Black Hole Water Slide Makes Debut At Wet 'n Wild". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  24. 1 2 3 "Rides on Every Continent". ProSlide Technology. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  25. ↑ "The Bomb Bay (Wet 'n Wild Orlando)". Parkz. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Gilbert, Paul (August 3, 1986). "Wet 'n Wild Water Park An Orlando Oasis". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ Thomas, Rebecca (March 22, 1996). "Fuji Flyer: A Wild New Way To Get Wet". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  28. ↑ Shrieves, Linda (April 29, 1994). "Worth Wading For". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  29. ↑ "The Surge (Wet 'n Wild Orlando)". Parkz. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  30. 1 2 "The Bubba Tub". Orlando Sentinel. February 14, 1992. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
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