In two completely unrelated stories, Wet 'n Wild will be shutting down permanently, and Volcano Bay will be opening its doors for the first time.  Well, maybe not totally unrelated, although Universal Orlando is not linking the two stories together.


Wet 'n Wild first opened 43 years ago, back in 1977.   During the 43 hot and sticky summers since, the water park has been an absolute staple in Orlando, sitting smack dab in the middle of International Drive.  Multiple generations of the same families have fond memories of growing up with trips to the water park, and refreshing rides down their many water slides.  Universal Orlando, which owns Wet 'n Wild, will be shutting down the park at the end of next season, on December 31st, 2016.  Although they have not yet made a statement about what they plan to do with the 23 acres the park sits on, they have said that they plan to "absorb" as many of the 300+ Wet 'n Wild employees into other Universal Orlando parks.  

But, times change, and often for the better.  We're setting the bar pretty high for Volcano Bay.  There have been several incredible new water parks, water rides, and attractions that have opened in the past few years, such as, at SeaWorld and Disney World, and we're pretty sure that Universal is looking to compete.  Volcano Bay is scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2017 season.

Orlando offers many water parks and all of them are a great way to beat the stifling summer heat. But for family members who aren't strong swimmers or who don't know how to swim at all, pool time isn't always an option. But now it can be -- Aquatica, Orlando's newest water park (and my personal favorite), is offering Red Cross-certified swimming lessons for children as young as 6 months old.

Children need to be enrolled 48 hours before the class begins -- June 14th is the start of level one, with more advanced lessons (level 2) beginning on June 28, with 8 half hour sessions for each level. Parents attending class with their children must have their own Aquatica Pass. Classes are $199 for the entire session; Sea World Annual Pass holders get $100 off that price.

While Aquatica swim lessons are best for people on long Orlando vacations or locals who love the parks, there are plenty of basic water safety tips you can follow to beat the heat without worry.

• Never, ever let kids use pools or slides without supervision. All the water parks have lifeguards and employees on duty, but there is no substitute for your eyes on your child. You can get swim vests for young swimmers, too, and some parks will also allow outside floatables (like "water wings" or "swimmies") -- check with the individual parks to see what they offer and what they allow.
• Read all posted signs. Check height requirements and health requirements. Follow instructions for how to ride the water slides. Be sure to pay extra attention when moving from attraction to attraction -- even shared pools may have different depths.
• Pay attention to employees and life guards. They are there to offer assistance and answer questions. But they are also there to ensure safety and, in case of am emergency, act quickly.
• Reapply sunscreen often. A bad case of sunburn or sun poisoning can ruin your entire vacation and even result in a trip to the ER.
• Hydrate! Being in the water doesn't get the water into you. It's hot out there so be sure to drink plenty of fluids.
For specific information all the Orlando area Water Parks, call the park directly so you can get your questions answered before you arrive.

Aquatica: 888-800-5447
Blizzard Beach: 407-934-7634
Coco Key: 407-351-2626
Typhoon Lagoon: 407-934-7634
Wet n Wild: 407-351-1800