Universal Orlando Announces New Water Park, Volcano Bay Opening in 2017!

Tons of news out of Central Florida this week and Universal isn't going to sit back and let everyone else have all the fun. It's been rumored and speculated for a very long time, and finally, Universal Orlando Resort has officially revealed the plans for their first ever water park, Volcano Bay!

This new addition will be located just south of Cabana Bay, and while we're a little light on details, the folks at Universal are promising to redefine the water experience for their guests.

No clue what that means, but the concept art definitely makes a statement, no way around that one! From the looks of it, we have a high speed slide that comes out from somewhere inside the central volcano, a wave pool, a kids area, a few tube slides around the backside of the volcano itself and, if you look closely enough, there's another side inside volcano as well!

According to the announcement, Volcano Bay will feature a little something for everyone throughout it's sprawling tropical theme.

The park will feel as if it is set in picture-perfect tropical islands, formed by a massive volcano – and it will have something for every member of the family. It will feature radically-innovative attractions, peaceful moments of relaxation and an experience that we hope will change the way guests think about water theme parks.

I'm sure that more details will emerge as they've already broken ground on the park and we've got a long way to go until that 2017 opening date.

So, stay tuned right here for more info out of Universal Orlando and their newest addition, Volcano Bay. Also, don't forget to follow along with us on Twitter, Google+, Tumblr and Facebook for all the latest as well!

Schlitterbahn Fort Lauderdale- One Step Closer!

Schlitterbahn Fort Lauderdale Moves One Step Closer!

  Good news today for waterpark fans, it seems Schlitterbahn's newest water park which is slated for Fort Lauderdale, Florida is one step closer to being a reality.

 While a tentative opening date of 2017, Schlitterbahn has finally received the approval to rent the land which is owned by the FAA. With an agreement for nearly $810,00 per year, the park is getting ready to move forward with their plans for the space. Opening construction is set to cost around $50 million and will begin with the waterpark portion of the companies plans for the space along with the partial demolition of the old Fort Lauderdale Stadium, some of which will be used by the park.

 The city and park have until July 15h to sign the agreement with the FAA. After that, Schlitterbahn will need to put together all their financing and plans per the terms of the lease. Once these items are complete, they believe it will take around two years to complete the project.

 Information from- Sun Sentinal

Action Park Lives Again..

 Yes Folks,
I'm not kidding when I say that "Action Park" is returning for 2014.

 Often called "Traction Park" or "Fracture Park" by any who spent time at the long gone water park will tell you, it earned it's name a few dozen times over again each season.

 Currently owned by Mountain Creek Resort, who've been operating parts of the park quietly for years has decided to go back to the original name and re-open with a dose on insanity that makes even me cringe slightly.  The famous slide, seen above, which won "Class-Action Park" high internet fame is being brought back from the dead with a modern re-creation.

Image from WhiteWater

 As if having the name "Action Park" revived wasn't enough an omen, They've also decided to put in an 'Aqua Looper' style slide for 2014.

 Details are currently unknown but the president of Mountain Creek has bragged that the "Zero-G" slide will be the worlds only one. Making us believe this could be a fully vertical loop in a waterslide.  He's also stated that they have "kept the thrills but lost the spills" in regards to the parks deadly history.

 They also state that many original attractions will return to the park but don't name them. June 14th will be the opening day when answers will be revealed.

Grand Texas Theme Park- Opening Date Announced

Image from GrandTX.com

 Grand Texas Theme Park has an Opening Date!


 It's Official, the Grand Texas Theme Park which has been dubbed by some as "The New Astroworld" will beginning opening in Summer of 2015.

 The Theme Park is set to open first but no announcements have been made yet as to which parts of the park will be open or if it will be opened in phases. However, an interesting rumor from another blog, The Montgomery County Police Reporter, has posted that the park plans to have one of the "Top 10 largest Wooden Roller Coasters in the Nation". As of this moment I can't find any details of the ride nor who may be building this mystery coaster.

 The same blog has posted that soil tests are fully underway right now and the heavy equipment will begin to arrive in January of 2014, giving the park a very short timeline to work with- only a year and a half.  They also have a timeline of projected opening dates for the many projects which will be engulfed by the 630 acre site.

Big River Water Park- April 2015
Hospitality Village- April 2015
Destination Fields- May 2015
Theme Park- Summer 2015
Event Center- October 2015
Baseball Stadium- 2016 Season

 We have contacted Grand Texas Theme Park to inquire about their media and news releases, more information as we have it!

Cambelback Mountain won't be left out of the Indoor Waterpark Race

Camelback Mountain won't be left out of the Indoor Water Park Race

 Camelback Mountain has had their smaller local "Camelbeach" water park for the locals of the Pocono Mountains since 1998.

 However, with Great Wolf Lodge now in their backyard and Kalahari moving in soon, Camelback Mountain has fired up a new plan. In Spring of 2015 Camelback will open their own $163 million dollar Indoor Wate rpark Resort called Camelback Lodge and Indoor Water Park. 

 The new resort will be located at the base of Camelback Mountain and will be the largest indoor water park in the US constructed at in one phase. It will play host to 453 resort rooms and boast an impressive 442,000 square foot, eight story high building.   This new resort and water park addition represent the largest and most expensive upgrade in the mountains 50 year history.

 No word yet on how many new jobs this will bring in the locals of the Pocono Mountains which at one time was the place to go for honeymoon's and resort hotels. Over the years most of those once famous resorts have been lost due to economic downturn, it's nice to see something new moving in! 

Schlitterbahn Pondering a New Park.. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida!

Concept Art from Screamscape

 Well, it appears some BIG NEWS has surfaced today regarding Schlitterbahn and even more interestingly- Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

 Schlitterbahn is attempting to strike a deal with the City of Fort Lauderdale in order to place a water park on 64 acres of land. The land, owned by the FAA, was intended for aviation use as it's located next to the executive airport but the city appears able to rent this land for a fair market value.  A deal that has been three years in the making is now expected to get a green light very soon- provided the FAA agrees to the land use deal. The Sun-Sentinel reports this could be approved as early as some point in December and then the local approval process has to begin. So this could be a possible nice future project to bring people back to the Fort Lauderdale area. 

Concept Art from Screamscape

The location would be on the land currently used by the Fort Launderdale Baseball Stadium and right beside the Lockhart Stadium. Concept art shows that that Lockhart Stadium would remain and likely be enhanced with the possible new Schlitterbahn park sitting directly next door.

 From the concept art (which was located at Screamscape), the park may well include the stadium into it's plans. Which slides and attractions running beside it as well as under and even possibly through it!  Construction is proposed to be around $110 million and includes not only the park and it's attractions but also a 'tree-house' themed hotel which would line the other side of the resort, opposite the stadium.

 This area hasn't seen a proper water park since Six Flags Atlantis, which was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Resulting damage plus property value of the land prove the park to never re-open after.  Schlitterbahn has plans for the storms which occasionally target the state of Florida, planning all structures to be proof against the required 155 MPH wind forces (the same most buildings are built to withstand).

We'll be watching this proposed now project closely. For now, we'll wait and see if the FAA approves land use. More details coming when possible!