Universal Orlando will spend about $3 million demolishing Central Florida’s first water park, which spawned a trend of copycat parks around the world.
The demolition of Wet ‘n Wild will run through February, according to documents filed with the City of Orlando.
Many of the rides, including The Wake Zone, Lazy River and Wave Pool Surf Lagoon date back to it’s 1977 opening. The project includes tearing down 13 structures on the 30-acre International Drive site.
Wet ‘n Wild was the most-attended water park in the United States until 1999, when Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach surpassed it.
The iconic water park closed in December to make way for Universal’s new Volcano Bay water park, which opens May 25.