Wild Waters was a beloved 6-acre water park in Silver Springs, Florida, opening on April 28, 1978. Built by ABC Television as a sister attraction to the adjacent Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, it ranked among the first parks in the American South to use fiberglass flumes — a technology that became the industry standard for water slides nationwide.
The park welcomed families for nearly 38 years before closing permanently on September 5, 2016, when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced it would make way for a new entrance to Silver Springs State Park. Demolition began in December 2018, and by spring 2019 the site had been largely cleared — though a rebuilding petition drew around 12,000 signatures, reflecting just how deeply the park was woven into Central Florida childhoods.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Silver Springs, Florida
- Opened: April 28, 1978
- Closed: September 5, 2016
- Demolished: December 2018 – April 2019
- Area: 6 acres (2.4 ha)
- Wave Pool Capacity: 450,000 gallons
- Tallest Ride: 80 ft — The Hurricane
- Years of Operation: 38 years
Rides and Attractions
The park’s signature thrill was The Hurricane, an 80-foot-tall figure-eight double flume that sent riders through a darkened tunnel before a splashdown landing. The Silver River Flumes complex offered several variants — Osceola’s Revenge, Bunyan’s Bend, Silver Bullet, and the gentler Mini Monster — catering to a range of ages. The centerpiece of the lower park was a 450,000-gallon wave pool that generated waves up to four feet tall at its deepest end, simulating a beach experience deep in inland Florida.
A 2008 expansion added Alligator Ambush, an enclosed tube slide that spun riders through a swirling funnel bowl before depositing them in a splash pool. Younger visitors had Cool Kids Cove, a dedicated children’s water play zone. The wooded Silver Springs setting kept the grounds naturally shaded — a rare comfort during Florida’s scorching summers and a defining charm that set Wild Waters apart from larger, more exposed parks.
History and Legacy
Wild Waters launched under ABC Television, which also operated Silver Springs, and quickly gained recognition as one of the South’s first purpose-built water parks. Ownership eventually passed to Palace Entertainment, which managed the property from 2002 until 2013 when Florida’s governor terminated the contract and the state assumed control of the broader Silver Springs corridor.
The closure drew significant public backlash: more than 3,400 people signed a petition opposing the shutdown, and a later campaign to reconstruct the park attracted roughly 12,000 signatures. Wild Waters is remembered today not only for its rides but for its technological legacy — its early adoption of fiberglass flume technology helped shape the design of water parks across the United States for decades to come.
Explore more: Water Parks.
Wild Waters FAQs
When did Wild Waters open and close?
Wild Waters opened on April 28, 1978 and closed permanently on September 5, 2016, after nearly 38 years of operation in Silver Springs, Florida.
What was the signature ride at Wild Waters?
The Hurricane was the park’s most iconic attraction — an 80-foot-tall figure-eight double flume that ended with a plunge through a dark tunnel and a splashdown at the base.
What happened to Wild Waters after it closed?
After closing in September 2016, the park sat idle before demolition began in December 2018. By April 2019 most structures had been removed, and the land was folded into Silver Springs State Park as part of a new park entrance.
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Photo: SchautMaster98 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.