GENERAL STATS:
- Number of waterparks in North America: More than 1,000*
*These numbers comprise all waterpark facilities, including municipal/city-owned pools
with waterpark features, as well as corporately owned waterparks, independently owned
waterparks and indoor waterpark resorts/hotels.
- Estimated attendance at North American waterparks during the Summer 2006
season: about 78 million (includes United States, Canada and Mexico), with growth
average 3-5 percent each year.
- Estimated attendance at Top 20 worldwide waterparks in 2007: about 18.5 million,
up nearly 6 percent from 2006. (These statistics compiled by TEA and ERA for the
Attraction Attendance 2007 report.)
- Number of waterparks throughout the rest of the world: about 600
- Average attendance growth per year (North America over last 5 years):
3 to 5
percent
FUN FACTS:
(Note: The information that follows has been compiled from facts supplied to the WWA
by outside sources. If discrepancies are noted, please contact the WWA).
- First "official" waterpark created: Wet 'N Wild, Orlando, Fla., by George Millay
(b.1929, d.2006) (creator and founder of Sea World); WWA officially proclaimed Millay
as "Father of the Waterpark Industry" in 2004 and awarded him with the Association's
first-and only, to date-"Lifetime Achievement Award."
- First U.S. Indoor waterpark: Polynesian Resort Hotel & Suites, Wisconsin Dells,
Wis., 1989
- First U.S. wave pool: Point Mallard Park, Decatur, Ala., 1970
- Longest indoor leisure river in the U.S.: Zambezi River, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin
Dells, Wis.
- Tallest, fastest single-person, free-fall waterslide in the world:
120-foot tall
"Summit Plummet," Blizzard Beach, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Tallest raft-ride waterslide: 11-story tall "Insane" at Beach Park, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Largest wave pool in the U.S.: Typhoon Lagoon, Orlando, Fla., at 115 feet wide by
about 395 feet long, it is the largest in terms of bather capacity, annual visitors, water
volume and wave height.
- Largest wave pool in the world: Dino Beach Water Park, Shanghai, China, at 181 feet
wide by 360 feet long.
- Largest indoor waterpark in the United States under one roof: Kalahari Resort,
Sandusky, Ohio (173,000 square feet)
- Largest indoor waterpark square footage at one resort in the United States:
Wilderness Hotel, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (three waterparks at one resort totaling 250,000
square feet).
- Largest indoor waterpark in North America: World Waterpark, West Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada (5 acres and 3.25 million gallons of water)
- Largest indoor waterpark in the world: Ocean Dome, Miyazaki City, Japan
(322,752 square feet-about the length of three football fields)
- Largest outdoor waterpark in the United States: Noah's Ark Waterpark, Wisconsin
Dells, Wis. (70 acres)
- "The Waterpark Capital of the World" (largest concentration of waterparks in
one area): Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (18 indoor waterparks and 3 outdoor waterparks within
18 square miles, with more than 200 waterslides and 16 million gallons of water) Source:
Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau
- Fastest-growing segments of the waterpark industry in North America:
Indoor
waterpark resorts and municipally owned/city owned waterparks
- Fastest-growing regions of the world:
Eastern Europe, Middle East, specifically the
United Arab Emirates, and Far East/Pacific Rim
POPULAR TOP-WATERPARK LISTS:
Best waterparks in U.S.
(according to The Travel Channel, 2006)
- Schlitterbahn Waterpark, New Braunfels, Texas
- Blizzard Beach at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Raging Waters, Sam Dimas, Calif.
- Water Country U.S.A., Williamsburg, VA
- Splish Splash, River Head, N.Y.
- Knott's Soak City, Buena Park, Calif.
- Water World (Hyland Hills), Federal Heights, Colo.
- Six Flags White Water, Marietta, GA
- Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
U.S. waterparks with the highest attendance*
(according to TEA/ERA Attendance Report 2007)
- Typhoon Lagoon (2,080,000), Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Blizzard Beach (1,910,000), Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Wet 'n Wild (1,370,000), Orlando, Fla.
- Schlitterbahn (865,000), New Braunfels, Texas
- Water Country USA (773,000), Williamsburg, Va.
- Raging Waters (650,000), San Dimas, Calif.
- Adventure Island (615,000), Tampa, Fla.
- Noah's Ark (561,000), Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
- Hyland Hills Water World (558,000), Federal Heights, Colo.
- Schlitterbahn, Galveston (550,000), Galveston, Texas
- Dollywood's Splash Country (491,000), Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
- Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe (470,000), Greensboro, N.C.
- Six Flags White Water (469,000), Marietta, GA
- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (435,000), Arlington, Texas
*Attendance estimated for calendar year 2007.
Top waterparks in the World with the highest attendance*
(according to TEA/ERA Attendance Report 2007)
- Typhoon Lagoon (2,080,000), Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Blizzard Beach (1,910,000), Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Caribbean Bay (1,400,000), Korea
- Wet 'n Wild (1,370,000), Orlando, Fla.
- Wet 'n Wild Water World (1,025,000), Gold Coast, Australia
- Sunway Lagoon (995,000), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Summerland (921,000), Toyko, Japan
- Ocean World (900,000), Gangwon-do, Korea
- Schlitterbahn (865,000), New Braunfels, Texas
- Wild Wadi (845,000), Dubai, U.A.E.
- Doeksan Spa Castle (800,000), Chungcheong, Korea
- Water Country USA (773,000), Williamsburg, Va.
- Seorak Waterpia (670,000), Gangwon-do, Korea
- Raging Waters (650,000), San Dimas, Calif.
- Adventure Island (615,000), Tampa, Fla.
- Noah's Ark (561,000), Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
- Hyland Hills Water World (558,000), Federal Heights, Colo.
- Schlitterbahn (550,000), Galveston, Texas
- Dollywood's Splash Country (491,000), Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
- Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe (470,000), Greensboro, N.C.
*Attendance estimated for calendar year 2007.
This information has been compiled by the World Waterpark Association (WWA) from a variety of
sources. Please credit WWA for its use unless otherwise indicated.
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