Wet and Wild to close in favor of new Volcano Bay water park

[networkpro]

The announcement read: "Today, we are announcing that the park will close permanently on December 31, 2016. However, the groundbreaking spirit that has defined Wet ‘n Wild will continue in the development of Universal’s Volcano Bay, a next-generation water theme park that reimagines what it means to be a water park. We’re grateful to our countless fans and team members for making Wet ‘n Wild such a special place for so very long."

This announcement came nearly one month after Universal Orlando announced a new water theme park set to open in 2017, Volcano Bay.

 

[Bairstow]

Now just to clarify, Volcano Bay is going into a different site than Wet n' Wild, right?

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Now just to clarify, Volcano Bay is going into a different site than Wet n' Wild, right?

Yes.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

That's the big question. More hotels? A Casino? 3rd gate?

 

[Bairstow]

That's the big question. More hotels? A Casino? 3rd gate?

Or something more oblique and back-of-house.
Employee parking? Offices? Storage?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Or something more oblique and back-of-house.
Employee parking? Offices? Storage?

I doubt they would squander such a location in such a manner.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Or something more oblique and back-of-house.
Employee parking? Offices? Storage?

55 acres along I-Drive won't be offices and storage. There is plenty of non-prime real estate in the area for those kinds of facilities.

 

[JT3000]

Still kinda sad to see the original water park close just because a new one is opening. It might not be the best park, but it has historical value none of the others do. Whatever replaces it needs to be worthy. And not just more hotels.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Still kinda sad to see the original water park close just because a new one is opening. It might not be the best park, but it has historical value none of the others do. Whatever replaces it needs to be worthy. And not just more hotels.

It is being replaced with Volcano Bay, which will be a much nicer water park.

What comes to that piece of real estate most likely will be a resort area (hotels/dining/entertainment).

 

[Bairstow]

I doubt they would squander such a location in such a manner.

Maybe that depends on whether the people making the decisions are the ones who would get the offices on the lake.
There's only 52 acres there after all- not a whole lot of room by Universal standards.

 

[BrianV]

Now we need....wait for it...a monorail!!!

 

[Dead2009]

Now we need....wait for it...a monorail!!!

 

[lazyboy97o]

Maybe that depends on whether the people making the decisions are the ones who would get the offices on the lake.
There's only 52 acres there after all- not a whole lot of room by Universal standards.

That also assumes the planning authorities would be behind offices in that location. I image they would like to see the renewal/redevelopment of International Drive spread north.

 

[BrerJon]

Hotel on one side, new parking structure on the other, and a transportation center to be a bus hub to shuttle guests between the hotel and the main resort, as Sea World shuttles guests to Aquatica and back.

And if they did that, the Wet 'n' Wild land is also nicely positioned between the existing resort and the vacant land (Lockheed etc.) that Universal could purchase for a potential third gate, so it could connect the plans up nicely.

 

[JT3000]

I disagree.
For argument's sake- Let's assume Volcano Bay is going to be a great water park- particularly for it's size. An improvement from Wet-N-Wild. They also need more hotels to push people to stay on site.
Now- they have to put it somewhere. Would you rather them expand the cabana bay resort and put Volcano Bay where Wet-N-Wild is currently? Or would you rather they use the spot by Cabana Bay that they decided on? And they can put a hotel where Wet-N-Wild is.

Think about it like this- you get a water park instead of a resort expansion at the prime Cabana bay location that's walking distance to over 60% the hotel rooms. That's a huge win.

Has it been demonstrated that Universal still needs more hotels with another one already under construction? They already have more than Disneyland, a much busier resort of similar size. And while they may not be (direct) benefactors, it's not like there's a shortage of off-site hotel rooms in the area. I'm not convinced they wouldn't benefit more from building actual attractions for those people staying in currently existing hotels to visit.

It is being replaced with Volcano Bay, which will be a much nicer water park.

What comes to that piece of real estate most likely will be a resort area (hotels/dining/entertainment).

I'm certain Volcano Bay will be nicer, but that's beside my point. Besides, their competitors have no problem operating multiple water parks.

 

[Communicore]

Good riddance to this 80's relic. It has overstayed its welcome. There was a time that they served burgers there that could very well have E. coli.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Has it been demonstrated that Universal still needs more hotels with another one already under construction?

Sapphire Falls is not the end of Universal's near term hotel plans.

 

[BrerJon]

I think the real big deal will be when Universal announces a 'Potter Express' bus to take people for free from the airport to the hotels. That would be a real 'this means war!' declaration, and a few thousand extra hotel rooms could provide the impetus for just that to happen.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Now we need....wait for it...a monorail!!!

There was a rumor that the monorail was being looked at. How nice it would be if the monorail went to all hotels and parks? Game changer. Universal isn't afraid to do something that bold. That's Disney's biggest complaint - transportation ( taking busses )

 

[Sped2424]

I thought it was well assumed that if wet and wild died a 3rd gate would be looked into seriously.