Disney World faces theme park war as brand new indoor water park attraction to be located just 10 minutes away
Plans to build a new indoor water park just minutes from Disney World have been revealed.
Planning documents filed in Orlando, Florida, show that toymaker Mattel is planning to build a water park just down the road from Disney’s own water park and next to Universal’s brand new Epic Universe park. The company announced its plans for the park, named Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, in November.
The park will have themed lazy rivers, wave pools, and water slides based on Mattel brands such as Barbie and Hot Wheels. Documents say the 11-acre site will have “indoor/outdoor water park features, an outdoor gathering area, a retail store, and a family entertainment center,” according to Orlando’s local Fox affiliate.
A concept plan shows a mockup for a 90,000 square foot indoor water park, a 35,700 square foot outdoor water park and event lawn. Plans also show a 11,400 square foot retail area and a 42,000 square foot slide zone.
The outdoor water park will feature a state-of-the-art retractable roof, giving the park an edge over Disney’s and Universal’s water parks, which have to close for thunderstorms. The concept also features a parking garage with 368 spaces and a surface lot with 384 spaces.
In December, Mattel revealed the locations of two more water parks. Mattel plans to construct water parks in Bellevue, Nebraska, in the suburbs of Omaha, and Bradley, Illinois, which is an hour south of Chicago.
The final two of the five planned locations have not been announced. The company has also unveiled plans to build theme parks, both called Mattel Adventure Park, in Glendale, Arizona, and Kansas City, Kansas. Plans for Mattel’s Adventure Park were revealed in 2024.