Wet ‘n Wild Orlando to close
Wet ‘n Wild Orlando will close next year after nearly 40 years in business.
Universal Orlando had confirmed that the planned closure will make way for the recently announced Volcano Bay water park project, which is due to open in 2017.
"Wet ‘n Wild Orlando has been a place where guests have created wonderful memories. As America’s first water park, Wet ‘n Wild has been the birthplace of numerous innovations that are now considered a common part of the water park experience," a Universal statement said.
The attraction was created by SeaWorld founder George Millay and opened in 1977.
It remained the nation’s top water park until the late 1990s when Walt Disney World Resort launched Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
Last year it attracted about 1.3 million visitors, making it the fourth most visited in the country after two Disney water parks and SeaWorld Orlando’s Aquatica.
According to Universal, the new Volcano Bay next generation water park will ‘completely redefine the water park experience’ with ‘radically-innovative attractions and peaceful moments of relaxation.’
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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