12 abandoned water parks around the world and the stories behind them
Water parks offer a fun way to cool off on a summer day , but some have seen better days. From Lake Dolores Waterpark in Newberry Springs, California, to Aquaria Park in Ravenna, Italy, many have simply been abandoned .
Keep scrolling to learn about 12 abandoned water parks around the world — and the stories behind them.
Lake Dolores Waterpark in Newberry Springs, California, United States
Lake Dolores Waterpark, located off of Interstate 15 in the Mojave Desert, was constructed in the early 1960s by a local businessman for his family, and named after his wife. Rides and other attractions were added over the years. By the early 1970s, the site had become a popular water park for the general public. However, attendance tapered off by the late 1980s, and the park closed.
It reopened in 1998 as a 1950s-themed water park called Rock-A-Hoola . The retro-inspired Renaissance was unfortunately short-lived — an after-hours accident that allegedly made an employee a paraplegic was just one factor in Rock-A-Hoola’s downfall. The park had its last hurrah between 2002 and 2004 under the name Discovery Waterpark.
The park’s legacy lives on since its empty, graffitied pools have made it a desirable (read: edgy) location for filmmakers. A 2012 skate film called “Kilian Martin: Altered Route” was shot there, and, in 2015, it was the setting for a Mini Cooper car commercial
Hoy Thuy Tien in Hue, Vietnam
Hoy Thuy Tien is one of the world’s most famous abandoned water parks. In fact, backpackers making their way through Vietnam have popularized it as a tourist destination in its own right.
The park, which reportedly cost $3 million to build, opened in 2004 before construction was complete — only to close a few years later.
For an up-close look at Hoy Thuy Tien, check out Nathan Peauril’s haunting images of its desolate attractions.
Ebenezer Floppen Slopper’s Wonderful Water Slides in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, United States
When Ebenezer Floppen Slopper’s Wonderful Water Slides opened in the early 1980s, the park provided a thrilling alternative to front-lawn sprinklers for kids in the Chicago suburb of Oakbrook Terrace.
Closing by 1989 for unknown reasons, this former landfill returned to its garbage-strewn roots.
Disney’s River Country in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States
River Country, Walt Disney World’s first water park , opened in 1976. Along with Discovery Island, it was one of two Disney parks to close permanently .
The once-thriving water park, which shut down for good in 2001 (after multiple deaths and the tourism effects of 9/11 ), has become overrun with weeds and moss in the years since its closure.
Despite its defunct status, River Country’s mystique attracts urban explorers and photographers seeking to investigate the site’s forlorn grounds.
Those who remember the park in its heyday can at least console themselves with the fact that the property might house a Disney resort in the near future .
L’Aquatic Paradis in Sitges, Spain
Located in Spain’s Catalonia region, L’Aquatic Paradis opened in the early 1990s. After two years, a tragic accident — rumor has it that a child was pulled under water by the engine of a wave machine — and large sums of debt forced the water park to close its doors.
After shutting down, the decaying park became a counter-culture hub . While graffiti artists left their colorful mark on slides and buildings, skaters practiced tricks in the empty pools.
Atlantis Marine Park in Two Rocks, Australia
When it opened in 1981, Atlantis Marine Park was envisioned as Western Australia’s alternative to the Gold Coast, a region of Australia famous for its beaches.
The park — which featured pools, pedal boats, and live dolphin shows — closed in 1990 due to financial trouble.
Atlantis’ old statues remain as symbols of its early promise. The most iconic effigy, a likeness of King Neptune, was restored in 2015 thanks to an online petition.
Macassar Beach Pavilion in Cape Town, South Africa
Macassar Beach Pavilion, built in 1991 on South Africa’s False Bay coast, is located within a 2,760-acre conservation area dedicated to safeguarding the area’s sand dunes and endemic fynbos (a type of vegetation). Before it was abandoned due to financial trouble, the Pavilion used to be a popular resort.
South-Easter winds and shifting dunes have caused sand to encroach upon the park’s fading blue and green structures. The result is an otherworldly landscape that intrigues photographers and sightseers alike.
Water Wonderland in Midland-Odessa, Texas, United States
When it opened in 1980 , Water Wonderland was a bustling summer destination for families in the Odessa area.
Due to financial woes — the park filed for bankruptcy in the ’90s — and a subsequent lawsuit regarding a child who was allegedly injured on a ride , Water Wonderland changed hands before shuttering once and for all in 2003
Safari Lagoon Waterpark in Pandan, Selangor, Malaysia
Safari Lagoon — which is located on the rooftop of a shopping center — was billed as one of southeast Asia’s largest theme parks when it opened in 1998.
Two factors resulted in the water park’s eventual closure in 2007 . In addition to authorities learning that Safari Lagoon had been operating without a license for eight years, an employee was reportedly killed after being trapped in a high-pressure water pump compartment.
Fun Park Fyn in Aarup, Funen, Denmark
Fun Park Fyn, a Danish amusement park that boasted water slides and small rides , opened in the 1980s.
However, like so many parks, it had to shut its doors after allegedly going bankrupt in 2006. The bright-colored attractions, grimy with age, make the abandoned locale seem even bleaker.
At one point, there was talk that Fun Park Fyn would be revitalized as a Hans Christian Andersen-themed park (the author was born on the island of Funen) but the plan was never actualized.
Wet n’ Wild in Vineland Station, Ontario, Canada
Since it closed in 2002 , this abandoned Ontario water park — part of the Prudhommes Landing recreation and entertainment complex — has become a canvas for graffiti artists.
In its heyday, the park had water slides, a tube rapid ride, and a lazy river , according to a Canadian blogger who recalls visiting it.
Aquaria Park in Pinarella di Cervia, Ravenna, Italy
Thanks to its water slides, swimming pools, and whirlpools, Aquaria Park was all the rage in Ravenna in the ’90s . It offered amenities that other water parks lacked, such as beach volleyball and tennis courts. At night, Aquaria Park also operated a disco. It closed in 2004 .
