Another excellent Documentary Sam, Well put together & also very interesting, Spent many a fun afternoon there & i will never forget having to do the Walk Of Shame when i chickened out of doing the Drop Floor Slide! lol
You were wise to skip on the BombBay drop slide.. I rode it once as a kid, and it's just a few seconds of a free fall, hit the slide, get a wedgie, and awkwardly lay at the bottom while people stare at you and you try to pull your bathing suit back in place😅.
Can’t believe this park closed. This was a good water park. I know it really didn’t aged well but this park was fun. Rest In Peace to this iconic park.
wet and wild holds a special place in my heart! my freshman year of high school our chorus group took a huge trip down to florida and they rented the entire park for us, it was so extra. my two friends and i wernt super into the crazy rides so we decided to explore and ended up accidentally sneaking onto a rooftop of one of the buildings and we got to watch the sunset and see all of our classmates go down the rides. one of the coolest moments of the trip by far. ill really miss it!
Yes! Same for me also, except we were there for a high school band competition. I have no idea how many times I was able to go down der stuka with no line. Fantastic memories!
I think a lot of high school performance groups went to Wet 'N Wild. I remember going there after our high school orchestra competition. I've never been fond of heights, but there was still some fun stuff there for we acrophobes. I remember cheering on my friend when she tried the Dive Bomber.
I miss Wet&Wild already. Yes, the park was starting to show it's age. But, it was cheap(we got year passes for $50 dollars each towards the end.), and had a diverse bunch of rides. I could run around that park for days.
@@Jeramithehuman water mania ... I forgot the name I was born and raised in Orlando ..I remember that China gardens place forgot its name too :( ..I love Orlando I just had to leave to better myself
Tee M don’t feel bad I chose to not live in Orlando. Crime and traffic isn’t really my thing lol. I live in satellite beach, much less tourists and it’s a short 30 second walk to the ocean. Plus we get to see all the rocket launches
What’s Spooky about this is that I’ve been there and visited the park many times, imagine by surprise when coming back one year for vacation discovering it being flattened completely.
I think it was a big mistake hug closing down Wet and Wild that was the symbol of International Drive icon of International Drive the childhood was so many people that could afford to have a good time and not pay a lot
I'll never forgive Universal for closing Wet n' Wild. This was my third favorite waterpark of all time behind Aquatica Orlando and Aquaventure at Atlantis Paradise Island. I loved the slide collection and how each slide had its own unique theming to it and a lot of them like Disco H2O, Brain Wash, Aqua Drag Racer, Storm and Blastaway Beach could've been relocated over to Volcano Bay.
OMG I had no idea this park closed! I was planning on visiting on my upcoming trip to Orlando 😢 I was last there in 2009 and loved the attractions and cheaper admission prices. Guess it's either Volcano Bay or a Sisney water park for us now
There are a lot of water parks in the area. Disney has a few, there is volcano bay, and sea world/busch gardens have a park in orlando and a big water park in tampa called adventure island.
@@smasher.338 Also a new one in Kissimmee called H20 Island Live. A lot of people say it’s Wet n Wilds spiritual successor. Been there a bunch, definitely gives off those vibes.
I came here when I was 5. It was a family trip with my parents and relatives. On our way to Disney World. We stopped by this place. It was like a teaser for me when I came here. I've always wanted to come back but now it's impossible for me now now knowing that this place has been demolished. That was a long time ago. I will miss this place forever now.
That Disco H2O slide blew my mind in this vide! I never knew they could put lights and moving parts in a water slide!! That's just crazy and really does make you rethink what a water slide and a water park can be.
Always remember visiting in the early 2000’s; my family and I were just about to get on the Surge during a shift change and instead of walking down the stairs his replacement had come up the staff member loading us just jumped in the raft with us and rode down. Absolute legend 😂👍🏻
Former lifeguard employee here; that was standard procedure. You pushed the last tube forward then jumped in with them. One time I missed and just went down the slide behind them on my raincoat (it was raining that day.) I usually did deepwater lifeguard, but they'd bump me down to shallow water lifeguard rotations if staffing required it. The idea was the guy would walk from break to the top of a slide, bump that guy, he'd ride down, then bump that guy, and he would go bump another guy, who would go to break. 45 min later, cycle repeated, break every 2 or 3 hours for 45 min.
I’m from Mississippi & I remember visiting this park when I went to Orlando. My aunt took the family to Disney World & being that I had been their before & because of the age difference of my cousins & I, she didn’t think I had too much fun there. So she took me to Wet-n-Wild & I loved every part of it. 🙌🏽 I wanted my boyfriend to get the experience but I just found out this year that it was closed. I was devastated because the waterpark held a special place in my heart.
Omg I hated working there as a ride operator but I absolutely loved this water park. I miss it every time I drive by it's old location 😔 I still can't believe it's gone at times. Thanks for a great video documentary! You brought back a lot of memories.
Brought a tear to my eye. As soon as one of my buddies got a car, we would go once a week all summer. I believe an unlimited annual pass for a FL resident was 40 bucks in 06. Thanks for the great vid !
When the capsule drop first opened, there were employees who would add to the excitement of the drop. They would do fake out count downs and launch you unexpected. I remember one had a large screw in his hand and say while you were inside the capsule "this fell off" then drop you. It was great as a little kid!
I'm a native Central Floridian who went to the park once, shortly after it opened, when I was 18. When the creator of the place was designing it he forgot to include one extremely important thing: shade. He also didn't sell sunscreen. I searched for both. I received the worst sunburn I'd ever had, of course. Throughout the years it operated I asked friends, who had been there, if the park had corrected the shade problem but their replies were always no. So I never went back. On the video it looks some of the trees got a little bigger, at least.
I work at the steakhouse across the street and lemme tell you....that hotel is UGLY. I’ve been staring at them building it every day and now that it’s getting closer to being finished I hate it lol
Nice documentary. Brought back a lot of memories. I visited Wet 'n Wild Orlando with my uncle and cousin back in 2016 on stormy Monday in August. DiscoH2O and Derstuka (the tallest ride) were my favorites. Wet 'n Wild will be missed.
Disco H20 was my favorite ride, had annual passes and went to the park every weekend from May to October and Disco H20 was the first to go on. Liked the other ones too, The Storm, Surge, Black Hole and Brain Wash.
I hate how every industry thinks that tech stuff is the future and much better! We miss and want the old fashion way! Volcano bay will be never the same or as great as Wet/n Wild were.
Santinho pelo mundo I agreed I came to the US in 1987 grew up in West Oak Ridge Rd near Wet n Wild. Volcano Bay is literary across from my High School. Wet n Wild is much better than Volcano Bay
My grandparents used to take me and my brother to this park and Wild Waters in Ocala. Sadly, both of them no longer exist. I’m thankful that I got to experience them and that I have the memories of those great times.
There is still one of the Wet and Wild parks in Arlington Texas. It's called Six Flags Hurricane Harbor now. A lot of the original Wet and Wild rides are still there. I'd love to see a video on it's history.
Honestly so sad to hear they closed because I remember loving this place when I went in 2006 and always wanted to go back again but don’t live anywhere close to Florida. So nostalgic seeing all the rides my family and I went on.
I spent the first week of my honeymoon in Orlando (way back in 1990) and have fond memories of Wet'n'Wild. I remember climbing up to Der Stuka, and when we reached the top, my (then) husband decided he didn't want to go on it after all - bless him, I think it probably took more courage for him to walk back down that long climb than it took me to go down the slide!
Went there quite a lot when I was in Florida in the 80s and 90s. Great memories and hard to believe that it is not there anymore. Nothing lasts forever, they say, but the memories remain.
i'm from germany and realized just now that when i stayed in orlando in 2016 my hotel was right across the international drive and the waterpark i saw was wet 'n wild.
Raised in Orlando. Been here over 40 yrs. Wet 'N Wild was the LAST water park I went to. Nothing will ever compare to the great memories this place gave all of us.
I worked at Wet and Wild in 2001, the Bombay is what we called the capsule drop next to the "stuka". I loved that job. We would squeegee down the park in the morning with No Doubt playing on the speakers, testing rides before we opened. Good good times!
Agreed. I've been there twice in the last three years. I live in Greenville, SC. It's growing at an incredible rate and it has burgeoning culinary and art scenes, but there really isn't a ton in the way of entertainment. Obviously the parks are great, though I wish the cost wasn't so murderous (first time I was in Orlando I was five and we went to Disney World, but I remember nothing, and then neither I nor my family was able to afford it again until I was 31) but that city just has a vastly different feeling to it than any other city I've been in. It has the glitz of a big city but without the soulless coldness that often comes with that.
@@notyouagain7220 Sorry, I was just reading over it and realized that I made that very unclear. I was referring to the entertainment here in Greenville, not Orlando. I'm going back to Orlando for vacation in a few months, though, so I'll be sure to check those out :)
We visited Orlando and went to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, and our hotel came with passes to the Wet n Wild park. Wet n' Wild was our favorite part of the entire trip. I am SO sad it's closed now
I can really feel your affection for this place as you speak. I remember passing it so many times when my grandma took me to Florida in the 90s, but we never went there. At least I got to experience it a little bit with this video, thanks! :)
I first went to this park in 1982 when I was 7, all the way until 1994. It is too bad it closed. It was a lot of fun. I fell in love for the first time there.
I remember going to Wet n' Wild when I was a kid growing up in central Florida, but I had no idea that it opened the year before I was born! That blows my mind!
I grew up in Orlando and I LOVED going to Wet 'N Wild! building up the nerve to go on The Bombay was one of the greatest accomplishments of my young childhood and I learned how to kneeboard on the cable that went around the lake!
I used to stay n the hotel down and across the street from Wet n Wild next to KFC on International Drive. What a historical and fun landmark Wet n Wild was to Orlando. Will not only be missed every summer, but everyday 🥺❤️
Despite bad reviews, the replacement Volcano Bay is still pulling in visitors. I stayed at Cabana Bay and many of the kids there were angry that it was closed because of unusually cold weather. One perk you get staying at that hotel is there is a hidden back entrance to the park so you can avoid the crush of summer crowds. Depending on where you stay, however, it can be a bit of a walk.
There were 3 Wet n Wild's in Brazil. 1 in Rio, 1 in Bahia and the other in São Paulo. The Rio one has been closed due to financial losses, and has been abandoned since then. The Bahia one has been closed due to the same reason as the Rio one, but has been transformed into an event stage, then transformed into a pop-up hospital. The São Paulo one remains there, neighbor to Hopi Hari.
Went there in 1987 on holiday from the UK as a 21 year old, spent 3 weeks there in Florida - Disney World, Space Centre, Sea World and driving down from Daytona Beach to Fort Lauderdale (Got several RON JON Surf Shop Tee-Shirts), fantastic Holiday, the days of our youth :)
My band visited Wet n Wild in 97. We had such a ball and my fave ride was the Black Hole. I rode that slide with my friend several times. Really sad to hear that it was shut down. Sadly I will never visit Volcano Bay just for the shear fact I don't believe it will ever hold a candle to Wet n Wild.
I loved going to this place when I lived in central Florida as a kid. Shame to hear it closed down, though judging from your videos, half the places I loved as a kid don't exist anymore. =/
I was at Wet 'n wild in 1988 when I was 12. We spent 5 weak in Florida. The family and I loved it there. I remember how sun burned my father got, despite repeated reminding by mom for him to put on sunblock.
You should cover Splendid China, it was an attraction in Kissimmee not far from Disney and was closed and abandoned for 10 years before it was demolished.
I live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, 130 miles northeast of Wisconsin Dells, the "Water Park Capital of the World," home to America's largest water park, Noah's Ark.
I lived in Illinois in the Chicago area back in the '80s and '90s and have gone to Wisconsin almost every summer from the Dells to Door County. I been to Noah's Ark twice and really liked the park. It's been 25 years since I been there, I'm sure many changes have happened there, new and bigger rides and such and such.
I won't even ride coasters; I'm terrified of them, but your videos are absolutely fascinating to me for some reason. They are VERY well done! I wish I were in a position to send you even $1 via patreon but I'm a widowed mom and broke as a joke.
As a central FL native, I am here to tell you that Wet N Wild was the best water park. Volcano Bay is fun, but it just doesnt have the same character. The knee boarding around the pond was so fun, I forgot about that one!!! You would never see something like that now in any water park!
My dad sold the land the land and retention pond on International Drive when he was VP of Gulf Oil Real Estate to George Millay. Our family later bought the rest of Gulf's vacant commercial land and I still own some today.
I really miss this park. It was my second home for years during the summer. It was so convenient to have a great safe place to hang out for cheap compared to parks now days.
-I lived in Orlando for 8 years. During those 8 years, I went to Animal Kingdom twice and Epcot once. When I was a 10 year old child growing up in Michigan, my parents took me to Walt Disney World, but that is the only time I have ever been there. People who live in Orlando only go to the theme parks if they work there, or friends from out of town drag them there. "Water Mania" was popular with locals because it was cheap, but that's the only exception.
I worked at the hotel across the street as a bellman in 77 and 78 saw it develop knew Mr Millay was a tough sob was a ex US Navy boxer but had a heart of gold always enjoyed his war stories was a true visionary
One of my favorite waterparks. I spent a day there back in 1990. Der Stuka was WILD - and when I exited my bra top had been pushed off what it was supposed to cover. I guess that's why there was always a crowd gathered at the bottom of Der Stuka LOL - anyway, the park back in 1990 was amazing! so many great rides!!
I was lucky to visit WET N WILD in October 1994 in Orlando Florida, during trip to Orlando for DISNEY UNIVERSAL. I didnt know that 1994 was the first year of Wet N Wild. Nice I formative video
I remember going here in 1991 as a fresh faced 12 year old and stayed in the cylindrical shaped hotel that was close by on the opposite side of International Drive. Didn't know it had closed until I saw this video
I remember visiting this park when I was little. My family was driving to Key West and my brothers and I were begging to stop at Disney World on the way. That didn’t happen, but my parents spontaneously surprised us with this park. Best day ever! loved the Bubble Up! 😂
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Another excellent Documentary Sam, Well put together & also very interesting, Spent many a fun afternoon there & i will never forget having to do the Walk Of Shame when i chickened out of doing the Drop Floor Slide! lol
Haha Dave! Thank you again.
Disney Dave that ride scared the crap out of me the first time I went on it
You were wise to skip on the BombBay drop slide.. I rode it once as a kid, and it's just a few seconds of a free fall, hit the slide, get a wedgie, and awkwardly lay at the bottom while people stare at you and you try to pull your bathing suit back in place😅.
@@AlexLee-fp9cd It's the realizing your not touching the slide for most of the ride that did it for me.
Disney Dave lol
Can’t believe this park closed. This was a good water park. I know it really didn’t aged well but this park was fun. Rest In Peace to this iconic park.
Go to Brazil, São Paulo, you'll find one
It was honestly my favorite water park.... It's a shame it's gone
wet and wild holds a special place in my heart! my freshman year of high school our chorus group took a huge trip down to florida and they rented the entire park for us, it was so extra. my two friends and i wernt super into the crazy rides so we decided to explore and ended up accidentally sneaking onto a rooftop of one of the buildings and we got to watch the sunset and see all of our classmates go down the rides. one of the coolest moments of the trip by far. ill really miss it!
Aw that sounds amazing! At least you will always have the memory :)
Yes! Same for me also, except we were there for a high school band competition. I have no idea how many times I was able to go down der stuka with no line. Fantastic memories!
I think a lot of high school performance groups went to Wet 'N Wild. I remember going there after our high school orchestra competition. I've never been fond of heights, but there was still some fun stuff there for we acrophobes. I remember cheering on my friend when she tried the Dive Bomber.
ChurchOfTheHolyMho loved the Stuka
@@doryna_sira Ditto!
I miss Wet&Wild already. Yes, the park was starting to show it's age. But, it was cheap(we got year passes for $50 dollars each towards the end.), and had a diverse bunch of rides. I could run around that park for days.
Me too...:(
Bonnie Howell frfr
Same here
lets make a bigger more expensive place to go have fun in the water where less ppl can afford to go ??? yea that's a great idea ?
R.I.P to my childhood being swiped away every year😢
R.I.P Wet n Wild
R.I.P Toys R Us
msgigglesbaby don’t forgot water mania. I live near Orlando and the loss of water mania was more depressing
Theres still a wet n wild park its just in every pants of every Wahmen.
Toys R Us is coming back just under a different name.
@@Jeramithehuman water mania ... I forgot the name I was born and raised in Orlando ..I remember that China gardens place forgot its name too :( ..I love Orlando I just had to leave to better myself
Tee M don’t feel bad I chose to not live in Orlando. Crime and traffic isn’t really my thing lol. I live in satellite beach, much less tourists and it’s a short 30 second walk to the ocean. Plus we get to see all the rocket launches
As a local who grew up with wet n wild the park is missed, I'm happy to have been there it's last day open. Loved the video ❤🦅
Yeah it was a fun place! I didn't get to go to the last day unfortunately, wish i could of!
Wet n Wild was my first job EVER. I met my my husband there and everything
Cookiedamonster1 that’s amazing!! Did you work anywhere specific?
Expedition Theme Park Yes. I was a dishwasher and my hubby was a cashier!
....and everything, what? I got cut off
Wet n Wild phoenix was my first job! My boyfriend and I worked there as lifeguards and now we're married!
@@taelormayo951 so your husband?
What’s Spooky about this is that I’ve been there and visited the park many times, imagine by surprise when coming back one year for vacation discovering it being flattened completely.
I think it was a big mistake hug closing down Wet and Wild that was the symbol of International Drive icon of International Drive the childhood was so many people that could afford to have a good time and not pay a lot
I'll never forgive Universal for closing Wet n' Wild. This was my third favorite waterpark of all time behind Aquatica Orlando and Aquaventure at Atlantis Paradise Island. I loved the slide collection and how each slide had its own unique theming to it and a lot of them like Disco H2O, Brain Wash, Aqua Drag Racer, Storm and Blastaway Beach could've been relocated over to Volcano Bay.
That was never in the cards. Volcano Bay has some amazing slides.
Underwater zoo? Really? Sounds innovative! Oh, wait...aquarium.
Hahaha my exact reaction.
Lol not even close enough to be funny but I laughed at the attempt, crash n burn baby.
I.e. SeaWorld
Lion with a scuba tank.
@@wolfchacer0139, Wow, what constructive and needed insight.
OMG I had no idea this park closed! I was planning on visiting on my upcoming trip to Orlando 😢 I was last there in 2009 and loved the attractions and cheaper admission prices. Guess it's either Volcano Bay or a Sisney water park for us now
There are a lot of water parks in the area. Disney has a few, there is volcano bay, and sea world/busch gardens have a park in orlando and a big water park in tampa called adventure island.
@@smasher.338 Also a new one in Kissimmee called H20 Island Live. A lot of people say it’s Wet n Wilds spiritual successor. Been there a bunch, definitely gives off those vibes.
I came here when I was 5. It was a family trip with my parents and relatives. On our way to Disney World. We stopped by this place. It was like a teaser for me when I came here. I've always wanted to come back but now it's impossible for me now now knowing that this place has been demolished. That was a long time ago. I will miss this place forever now.
Yeah! :( Wish i could go now too
That Disco H2O slide blew my mind in this vide! I never knew they could put lights and moving parts in a water slide!! That's just crazy and really does make you rethink what a water slide and a water park can be.
PoseidonXIII that slide was definitely one to remember, it had speakers playing music inside that part too!!!
I went to wet n' wild Orlando in 1980, I was 10-years old .... memories from that day are engraved in my brain
RIP wet n wild. Had some great times there as a kid, and as a teenager. Miss that place
Always remember visiting in the early 2000’s; my family and I were just about to get on the Surge during a shift change and instead of walking down the stairs his replacement had come up the staff member loading us just jumped in the raft with us and rode down. Absolute legend 😂👍🏻
Hahaha amazing
Former lifeguard employee here; that was standard procedure. You pushed the last tube forward then jumped in with them. One time I missed and just went down the slide behind them on my raincoat (it was raining that day.) I usually did deepwater lifeguard, but they'd bump me down to shallow water lifeguard rotations if staffing required it. The idea was the guy would walk from break to the top of a slide, bump that guy, he'd ride down, then bump that guy, and he would go bump another guy, who would go to break. 45 min later, cycle repeated, break every 2 or 3 hours for 45 min.
I’m from Mississippi & I remember visiting this park when I went to Orlando. My aunt took the family to Disney World & being that I had been their before & because of the age difference of my cousins & I, she didn’t think I had too much fun there. So she took me to Wet-n-Wild & I loved every part of it. 🙌🏽 I wanted my boyfriend to get the experience but I just found out this year that it was closed. I was devastated because the waterpark held a special place in my heart.
I miss this park so much, it had by far the best rides.
Omg I hated working there as a ride operator but I absolutely loved this water park. I miss it every time I drive by it's old location 😔 I still can't believe it's gone at times. Thanks for a great video documentary! You brought back a lot of memories.
Brought a tear to my eye. As soon as one of my buddies got a car, we would go once a week all summer. I believe an unlimited annual pass for a FL resident was 40 bucks in 06. Thanks for the great vid !
When the capsule drop first opened, there were employees who would add to the excitement of the drop. They would do fake out count downs and launch you unexpected. I remember one had a large screw in his hand and say while you were inside the capsule "this fell off" then drop you. It was great as a little kid!
If I remember right they used to have a camera and the people at the bottom of the side could see your face mind due it was 24 years ago
Man I miss Wet n Wild, I'll check out Volcano bay eventually, but it'll never be the same...
I'm a native Central Floridian who went to the park once, shortly after it opened, when I was 18. When the creator of the place was designing it he forgot to include one extremely important thing: shade. He also didn't sell sunscreen. I searched for both. I received the worst sunburn I'd ever had, of course. Throughout the years it operated I asked friends, who had been there, if the park had corrected the shade problem but their replies were always no. So I never went back. On the video it looks some of the trees got a little bigger, at least.
Gives me goosebumps, I was a lifeguard there right after highschool, 808 life was so fun
I only went to this place ONCE and never went back. But the memories will always be there.
Spent many days over the years at Wet 'N Wild. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Yeah it was good fun!
*Wow, Year round attraction with heated pools, that sounds amazing*
My childhood waterpark. Went here all the time from the mid 1990s to 2008 or so when I left Florida. Sad to hear it's gone.
I'm glad that the wet n wild here in North Carolina is still open, besides Carowinds it's one of the best places to go in the summer
I have not actually been to Carowinds yet but it is on my list of parks i would like to visit.
Expedition Theme Park well if your into the big thrill rides the top 3 roller-coasters to go on are the 360 Fury, the Intimidator, and the Nighthawk
I work at the steakhouse across the street and lemme tell you....that hotel is UGLY. I’ve been staring at them building it every day and now that it’s getting closer to being finished I hate it lol
Maybe you also hate your job? Lol
Black Angus?!
LOL! I live in College Park so I don't drive out to I-Drive that often but it kinda sucks seeing the area change so much :(
Nice documentary. Brought back a lot of memories. I visited Wet 'n Wild Orlando with my uncle and cousin back in 2016 on stormy Monday in August. DiscoH2O and Derstuka (the tallest ride) were my favorites. Wet 'n Wild will be missed.
Disco H20 was my favorite ride, had annual passes and went to the park every weekend from May to October and Disco H20 was the first to go on. Liked the other ones too, The Storm, Surge, Black Hole and Brain Wash.
I hate how every industry thinks that tech stuff is the future and much better! We miss and want the old fashion way! Volcano bay will be never the same or as great as Wet/n Wild were.
Santinho pelo mundo I agreed I came to the US in 1987 grew up in West Oak Ridge Rd near Wet n Wild. Volcano Bay is literary across from my High School. Wet n Wild is much better than Volcano Bay
you gotta admit the aqua coaster is pretty sick tho
I miss seeing Wet n Wild. Great park
Yeah, was alot of fun!
I am so happy you included Blue Niagra. Those slides were surprisingly rough and I wondered where they went the last few years we were there.
My grandparents used to take me and my brother to this park and Wild Waters in Ocala. Sadly, both of them no longer exist. I’m thankful that I got to experience them and that I have the memories of those great times.
There is still one of the Wet and Wild parks in Arlington Texas. It's called Six Flags Hurricane Harbor now. A lot of the original Wet and Wild rides are still there. I'd love to see a video on it's history.
I still call it Wet n Wild and always will despite the attempts to ruin it by Six Flags
We still have a Wet n Wild here in El Paso Tx And it's still called Wet n Wild!
I think there’s one in Hawaii too that’s still open
I live about 40 minutes from Arlington and can confirm that Hurricane Harbor is still there.
I thought it was in Spring Texas
Honestly so sad to hear they closed because I remember loving this place when I went in 2006 and always wanted to go back again but don’t live anywhere close to Florida. So nostalgic seeing all the rides my family and I went on.
There was a giant bounce ball with ropes for climbing it in the middle of the large pool/wave Pool and it was fantastic. Most fun water park ever.
Spent all of my high school years here. Started college in 2016 so I was only able to go a few times before It closed. I miss It so much.
I spent the first week of my honeymoon in Orlando (way back in 1990) and have fond memories of Wet'n'Wild. I remember climbing up to Der Stuka, and when we reached the top, my (then) husband decided he didn't want to go on it after all - bless him, I think it probably took more courage for him to walk back down that long climb than it took me to go down the slide!
Went there quite a lot when I was in Florida in the 80s and 90s. Great memories and hard to believe that it is not there anymore. Nothing lasts forever, they say, but the memories remain.
Wet and Wild was such a huge part of my summers growing up. A season pass was pretty cheap in the early 2000's and we would go every weekend
Man... I remember going there when I was 6. My favorite ride was the Mach 5! It was so fun racing my dad and brothers!
I loved Wet n Wild Orlando 🥲 that big bubble was everything
My wife started bouncing up and down on the couch when she saw you did a video on this. She grew up in Winter Park and went here ALL the time :)
i'm from germany and realized just now that when i stayed in orlando in 2016 my hotel was right across the international drive and the waterpark i saw was wet 'n wild.
This brought back many memories of many days spent in Orlando! Greensboro NC had a Wet'n Wild named Park for many years.
I grew up in central florida. We would get the yearly pass pretty much every year. We loved going to wet n wild! Those were good times!
I lived in Orlando and did shed a tear when Wet & Wild was lost to us.
One of my most fond childhood memories 😭
Raised in Orlando. Been here over 40 yrs. Wet 'N Wild was the LAST water park I went to. Nothing will ever compare to the great memories this place gave all of us.
I worked at Wet and Wild in 2001, the Bombay is what we called the capsule drop next to the "stuka". I loved that job. We would squeegee down the park in the morning with No Doubt playing on the speakers, testing rides before we opened. Good good times!
Orlando is lit to the point where u don't wanna go back home that's all I'm saying
Agreed. I've been there twice in the last three years. I live in Greenville, SC. It's growing at an incredible rate and it has burgeoning culinary and art scenes, but there really isn't a ton in the way of entertainment. Obviously the parks are great, though I wish the cost wasn't so murderous (first time I was in Orlando I was five and we went to Disney World, but I remember nothing, and then neither I nor my family was able to afford it again until I was 31) but that city just has a vastly different feeling to it than any other city I've been in. It has the glitz of a big city but without the soulless coldness that often comes with that.
@@ryanahr2267 you are point because I was thinking the same
Facts
@@ryanahr2267 Entertainment is hot downtown Orlando, city walk at universal, etc
@@notyouagain7220 Sorry, I was just reading over it and realized that I made that very unclear. I was referring to the entertainment here in Greenville, not Orlando. I'm going back to Orlando for vacation in a few months, though, so I'll be sure to check those out :)
We visited Orlando and went to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, and our hotel came with passes to the Wet n Wild park. Wet n' Wild was our favorite part of the entire trip. I am SO sad it's closed now
Move to Orlando In 77. Never once went to Wet & Wild. We were season pass holders to River Country... loved that water park...
Wet n wild is a great memory of my childhood. My family went over 10 times......wish it was still open.
I can really feel your affection for this place as you speak. I remember passing it so many times when my grandma took me to Florida in the 90s, but we never went there. At least I got to experience it a little bit with this video, thanks! :)
I first went to this park in 1982 when I was 7, all the way until 1994. It is too bad it closed. It was a lot of fun. I fell in love for the first time there.
Never realised Wet N Wild had so much history. Thanks for making this.
Miss this place so much! Disco H2O was just so much fun! 😻🤙🏄♀️
I remember going to Wet n' Wild when I was a kid growing up in central Florida, but I had no idea that it opened the year before I was born! That blows my mind!
Went there in 1985 alone, I was only 10. Had a great time!
I grew up in Orlando and I LOVED going to Wet 'N Wild! building up the nerve to go on The Bombay was one of the greatest accomplishments of my young childhood and I learned how to kneeboard on the cable that went around the lake!
I used to stay n the hotel down and across the street from Wet n Wild next to KFC on International Drive. What a historical and fun landmark Wet n Wild was to Orlando. Will not only be missed every summer, but everyday 🥺❤️
Despite bad reviews, the replacement Volcano Bay is still pulling in visitors. I stayed at Cabana Bay and many of the kids there were angry that it was closed because of unusually cold weather. One perk you get staying at that hotel is there is a hidden back entrance to the park so you can avoid the crush of summer crowds. Depending on where you stay, however, it can be a bit of a walk.
I went to this park over and over and over and I never got tired of it, I will always miss it.
There were 3 Wet n Wild's in Brazil. 1 in Rio, 1 in Bahia and the other in São Paulo. The Rio one has been closed due to financial losses, and has been abandoned since then. The Bahia one has been closed due to the same reason as the Rio one, but has been transformed into an event stage, then transformed into a pop-up hospital. The São Paulo one remains there, neighbor to Hopi Hari.
Was there in 1992 when i was 12, it was unforgettable.
Wet 'n' Wild was my young childhood water park. I remember some good things about it
Went there in 1987 on holiday from the UK as a 21 year old, spent 3 weeks there in Florida - Disney World, Space Centre, Sea World and driving down from Daytona Beach to Fort Lauderdale (Got several RON JON Surf Shop Tee-Shirts), fantastic Holiday, the days of our youth :)
My band visited Wet n Wild in 97. We had such a ball and my fave ride was the Black Hole. I rode that slide with my friend several times. Really sad to hear that it was shut down. Sadly I will never visit Volcano Bay just for the shear fact I don't believe it will ever hold a candle to Wet n Wild.
A great video of history of the wet and wild park now a mystery and memory
I went in the early 2000s, thanks for the memories.
I loved going to this place when I lived in central Florida as a kid. Shame to hear it closed down, though judging from your videos, half the places I loved as a kid don't exist anymore. =/
Yeah :(
I was at Wet 'n wild in 1988 when I was 12. We spent 5 weak in Florida. The family and I loved it there. I remember how sun burned my father got, despite repeated reminding by mom for him to put on sunblock.
I worked here from 1986 until 1991. Was the best time ever. R.I.P.
You should cover Splendid China, it was an attraction in Kissimmee not far from Disney and was closed and abandoned for 10 years before it was demolished.
It’s on the list! :)
I loved splendid china
They put something 10 times better there im down the road from it
I live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, 130 miles northeast of Wisconsin Dells, the "Water Park Capital of the World," home to America's largest water park, Noah's Ark.
I lived in Illinois in the Chicago area back in the '80s and '90s and have gone to Wisconsin almost every summer from the Dells to Door County. I been to Noah's Ark twice and really liked the park. It's been 25 years since I been there, I'm sure many changes have happened there, new and bigger rides and such and such.
Yesss. This is the Wet'n'wild of the Midwest. Grew up going to the Dells or the area attractions annually. From Illinois. Memories.
I won't even ride coasters; I'm terrified of them, but your videos are absolutely fascinating to me for some reason. They are VERY well done! I wish I were in a position to send you even $1 via patreon but I'm a widowed mom and broke as a joke.
Just watching is thanks enough!
I used to go to the Orlando one in the late 2000's and early 2010's As A Kid I Always Loved It
As a central FL native, I am here to tell you that Wet N Wild was the best water park. Volcano Bay is fun, but it just doesnt have the same character. The knee boarding around the pond was so fun, I forgot about that one!!! You would never see something like that now in any water park!
My dad sold the land the land and retention pond on International Drive when he was VP of Gulf Oil Real Estate to George Millay. Our family later bought the rest of Gulf's vacant commercial land and I still own some today.
I remember going here many times. Loved the knee boarding on the lake.
Born and raised in Orlando ...I miss the old Orlando and im not 80 lol on 30s
I really miss this park. It was my second home for years during the summer. It was so convenient to have a great safe place to hang out for cheap compared to parks now days.
Best memories as a teen we’re made at wet’n wild... shame it’s gone
I visited this park. Black Hole was dope.
-I lived in Orlando for 8 years. During those 8 years, I went to Animal Kingdom twice and Epcot once. When I was a 10 year old child growing up in Michigan, my parents took me to Walt Disney World, but that is the only time I have ever been there.
People who live in Orlando only go to the theme parks if they work there, or friends from out of town drag them there.
"Water Mania" was popular with locals because it was cheap, but that's the only exception.
I worked at the hotel across the street as a bellman in 77 and 78 saw it develop knew Mr Millay was a tough sob was a ex US Navy boxer but had a heart of gold always enjoyed his war stories was a true visionary
One of my favorite waterparks. I spent a day there back in 1990. Der Stuka was WILD - and when I exited my bra top had been pushed off what it was supposed to cover. I guess that's why there was always a crowd gathered at the bottom of Der Stuka LOL - anyway, the park back in 1990 was amazing! so many great rides!!
I miss Wet 'N Wild, it was a great day out!
I miss this park a lot. I used to spend my birthday there every year when I was a kid.
I was lucky to visit WET N WILD in October 1994 in Orlando Florida, during trip to Orlando for DISNEY UNIVERSAL. I didnt know that 1994 was the first year of Wet N Wild. Nice I formative video
Being an Orlando native wet n wild was our go to summer spot, glad I was able to go there one more time during the last splash.
I remember going here in 1991 as a fresh faced 12 year old and stayed in the cylindrical shaped hotel that was close by on the opposite side of International Drive. Didn't know it had closed until I saw this video
Great video! I noticed you missed a slide called "Flash Flood". It was located under the black hole & took tube riders underground.
Oops sorry! Thank you
Thank You Sam ,I actually work there in the 1980's it was the greatest job I had.
I remember visiting this park when I was little. My family was driving to Key West and my brothers and I were begging to stop at Disney World on the way. That didn’t happen, but my parents spontaneously surprised us with this park. Best day ever! loved the Bubble Up! 😂
I miss Orlando so much, as well as wet n wild. I worked security there during the demo. Great times I’ll always look back on ☺️
Spent my 8th Birthday party at Wet n Wild. I miss it 😩