Wet 'n Wild
A water-park brand first introduced by George Millay in Orlando in 1977 and subsequently used for parks in the United States, Brazil, and Mexico.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Wet 'n Wild is a water-park brand whose first major use dates to the opening of Wet 'n Wild Orlando in Orlando, Florida, in 1977. The park was established by George Millay, the founder associated with SeaWorld, and became the foundation of a broader group of water parks using the Wet 'n Wild name. The brand should not be confused with similarly named parks operated by other businesses, including the Wet'n'Wild parks associated with Village Roadshow Theme Parks and CNL Lifestyle Properties, or Wet N' Wild Waterworld in Anthony, Texas. During the late twentieth century, the Wet 'n Wild name was expanded beyond Orlando. Millay opened or developed additional parks in the United States, Brazil, and Mexico. The international expansion included Wet 'n Wild Salvador in Bahia, Brazil, which opened in 1996, and Wet 'n Wild São Paulo, which opened in October 1998. A Rio de Janeiro park followed in October 1999. A Cancun, Mexico, location opened in June 1997 and was later incorporated into the VenturaPark complex, which closed indefinitely in January 2025. A Brasília project was also planned, but construction complications involving residential water pipes beneath the proposed site led to cancellation. The parks did not remain under one unified ownership structure. In 1997 and 1998, Millay sold the water parks to different owners, including Universal Destinations & Experiences, Palace Entertainment, and private companies. The reported aggregate consideration for those transactions was $77 million. Following these sales, the Wet 'n Wild name continued to be used by parks with different operators and ownership histories, making the brand a shared water-park identity rather than a single centrally controlled operating company. Wet 'n Wild Orlando remained one of the best-known locations. It was operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences after the ownership transition and closed permanently on December 31, 2016. Universal replaced it with Volcano Bay, which opened in 2017. Other former locations were rebranded, closed, demolished, or absorbed into different park developments. The Arlington, Texas, site became Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington after its 1997 acquisition by Six Flags. The Rio de Janeiro park closed in 2004 after attracting more than 300,000 visitors in its first year but producing limited financial gains. The Salvador park subsequently went bankrupt. The brand therefore represents a historically important water-park naming platform rather than a conventional consumer-goods brand. Its significance lies in the early development and popularization of large-scale themed water parks, its international extension into Brazil and Mexico, and the later fragmentation of its locations among major destination operators and private owners. At least some locations continued operating under the name, including Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Wet 'n Wild São Paulo, although ownership and operating arrangements have varied by site.
History
Wet 'n Wild originated as the name of a water park opened by George Millay in Orlando, Florida, in 1977. Millay was also associated with the creation of SeaWorld, and the Orlando park helped establish the Wet 'n Wild name in the emerging large-scale water-park industry. The concept emphasized aquatic recreation and thrill attractions and became sufficiently recognized for the name to be extended to further properties. Millay subsequently opened six additional parks using the name in the United States, Brazil, and Mexico. The first international location was Wet 'n Wild Salvador in Bahia, Brazil, opened in 1996. The park represented a substantial investment and occupied approximately 18 acres, but later entered bankruptcy. A Cancun, Mexico, park opened in June 1997. It eventually became part of VenturaPark, a multi-attraction complex that operated the location from 2017 until the complex's indefinite closure in January 2025. The brand's ownership structure changed significantly in 1997 and 1998, when Millay sold the parks to several buyers. The reported total value of the transactions was $77 million. Buyers included Universal Destinations & Experiences, Palace Entertainment, and various private companies. Consequently, Wet 'n Wild became a name used by parks with separate operating histories rather than a unified chain under one continuing owner. Expansion in Brazil continued with Wet 'n Wild São Paulo, which opened in October 1998. The park cost a reported $42 million and covered approximately 29 acres. Wet 'n Wild Rio de Janeiro opened in October 1999 and attracted more than 300,000 visitors during its first year, but closed in 2004 after generating relatively limited financial returns. A proposed Brasília park, budgeted at $32 million and planned for a 42-acre site, was cancelled after residential water pipes were discovered beneath the proposed development area during construction. In the United States, Wet 'n Wild Orlando was eventually operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences. It closed permanently at the end of 2016 and was replaced by Volcano Bay in 2017. The Arlington, Texas, park was acquired by Six Flags in 1997 and rebranded Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington. Other former sites included parks in Garland, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada; the Las Vegas operation ran from 1985 to 2004 and the site was later cleared for proposed development that did not proceed. The name remains associated with operating locations such as Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Wet 'n Wild São Paulo. Because the name has been used by multiple operators, the history of Wet 'n Wild is best understood as the history of a water-park brand and family of sites, not as the uninterrupted corporate history of one company.
- 2025
VenturaPark complex closes indefinitely
[1]The Cancun location is affected by the indefinite closure of the VenturaPark complex on January 28.
- 2017
Orlando site is replaced by Volcano Bay
[1]Universal opens Volcano Bay on the former Wet 'n Wild Orlando site.
- 2016
Wet 'n Wild Orlando closes
[1]The original Orlando park closes permanently on December 31.
- 2004
Rio de Janeiro park closes
[1]The Rio de Janeiro park closes after limited financial gains despite strong first-year attendance.
- 1999
Wet 'n Wild Rio de Janeiro opens
[1]The Rio de Janeiro location opens in October and attracts more than 300,000 visitors during its first year.
- 1998
Wet 'n Wild São Paulo opens
[1]The São Paulo park opens in Brazil in October after a reported $42 million development.
- 1997
Cancun park opens and Arlington site changes ownership
[1]The Cancun park opens in Mexico, while the Arlington, Texas, site is acquired by Six Flags and later rebranded.
- 1997
Water-park assets are sold to multiple operators
[1]George Millay begins selling the Wet 'n Wild parks to Universal Destinations & Experiences, Palace Entertainment, and private companies.
- 1996
First international park opens in Salvador
[1]Wet 'n Wild Salvador opens in Bahia, Brazil, as the brand's first international location.
- 1985
Wet 'n Wild Las Vegas begins operation
[1]The Las Vegas location operates under the Wet 'n Wild name until its closure in 2004.
Products and positioning
A mass-market, family-oriented water-park brand centered on aquatic attractions, water slides, leisure swimming, and destination entertainment. The name has been applied across independently owned or differently operated parks rather than managed consistently as a single corporate chain.
Water parks · 1977
Wet 'n Wild water parks
The core offering is a destination water park combining swimming and leisure areas with water slides, aquatic attractions, and family entertainment. Individual parks have differed in size, ownership, facilities, and operating model, but they share the Wet 'n Wild identity and focus on outdoor water-based recreation.
Water park · 1998
Wet 'n Wild São Paulo
Opened in October 1998, Wet 'n Wild São Paulo is one of the brand's principal Brazilian locations. The park was developed at a reported cost of $42 million and occupies approximately 29 acres, offering a large-scale aquatic leisure format for the São Paulo market.
Water park
Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe
Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe is a Greensboro, North Carolina, water park operating under the brand name. It is one of the locations identified as continuing to use the Wet 'n Wild identity after the original group of parks was divided among different operators.
Brand decisions
2016
Closure and replacement of Wet 'n Wild OrlandoStrategyBackground
Universal ended operations at the long-running Orlando water park after December 31, 2016.
Action taken
The park was permanently closed and the site was redeveloped as Volcano Bay, which opened in 2017.
Aftermath
The original location no longer operated under the Wet 'n Wild name, while the replacement became part of Universal's themed-resort portfolio.
1997
Sale of Wet 'n Wild parks to multiple operatorsM&ABackground
George Millay divested the water parks during 1997 and 1998 as the original group of properties moved into different ownership structures.
Action taken
The parks were sold to buyers including Universal Destinations & Experiences, Palace Entertainment, and private companies. The reported aggregate transaction value was $77 million.
Aftermath
The brand ceased to function as a single consistently controlled park chain, and individual locations developed separate ownership, operating, rebranding, and closure histories.
Aggregate reported sale value. $77 million (1997-1998)
Sources1 sources
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