Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down

RobotMirror · 07-07-2007, 12:22 PM

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1756146.php

"
Wild Rivers Waterpark's 22-year run will come to its end after this season.
The water park's lease with landlord The Irvine Co. expires this fall and will not be renewed, despite Wild Rivers' request for an extension.

...

Wild Rivers employs about a thousand people each summer. More than 400,000 people visit the park each summer for more than 40 rides and attractions. The water park is open for business through Sept. 30. The lease ends October 31, Riedel said. "

The article at the link above mentions that the rides and attractions will be auctioned off. In its place, Irvine plans to build more Orange County homes. Sigh.

hebessica · 07-07-2007, 12:33 PM

Sad day! That's a great park and really accessible, much more so than Raging Waters. Now the only water park left in OC will be Soak City, which is really tiny and fairly sucky.

Why don't they put houses in the hundreds of acres (not even counting the old army base/great park) left in Irvine first and then see if they need to tear down the park.

Hmm..I wonder if those phantom plans for a third park at DLR are for a water park like those in FL? It would be great, especially now with Wild Rivers closing down...If the price were right.

filmfreak11 · 07-07-2007, 04:47 PM

^ Both Wild Rivers and Raging Waters are closing??

Never been to WR.

CoasterMatt · 07-07-2007, 05:39 PM

This is OCR reporting the SAME story again...

Wild Rivers will go in 2017 when the Amphitheater goes, too.

Dutchman · 07-08-2007, 10:03 AM

Hmmm,wasn't Lion Country Safari at this location prior to Wild Rivers?

fujisakimari · 07-08-2007, 12:26 PM

no it cant be

RobotMirror · 07-08-2007, 12:59 PM

Yes, actually it was. Wild Rivers opened on a small portion of the original Lion Country Safari in 1986 or so.

http://www.yesterland.com/lioncountry.html

phruby · 07-08-2007, 03:13 PM

Too bad. Wild Rivers was clean and well kept. It was the Disneyland of waterparks compared to a Magic Mountain-like Raging Waters that we have to deal with now. It will be missed. Maybe they will rebuild it in the Great Park in Irvine whenever that park gets built.

Rex Dopey24 · 07-08-2007, 03:35 PM

oh no

TiaDalmaFan · 07-08-2007, 09:52 PM

Never went there, but I'd been to Lion Country Safari when I was a kid and I'd been to the Irvine Amphitheatre for a few concerts.

I liked what this OC Register reader had to say -

Quote:

For the last 50 years, I have watched Southern California go from a casual, relaxed, friendly atmosphere with Orange Groves, 50 cent parking at Huntington Beach, ability to get a parking spot and fire ring at HB on a Sunday after church, remote picnic areas, skating rinks, drive in movies, miniature golf parks, vacant lots on which we built play forts and a lot of open space to a tense, congested, highly competitive for everything, over built, over shopping shopping shopping centered, over taxed, over priced, no fun, polluted, crime ridden, drug ridden, sue happy, police state of a concrete jungle. It makes me sick. St makes me sad. But that's progress, baby. And business is business. I'm

OuttaHere - Jul 08, 2007 03:08:18 AM

I agree with him.

hebessica · 07-09-2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by filmfreak11

^ Both Wild Rivers and Raging Waters are closing??

Never been to WR.

Oops...apparently I'm less coherent at the end of a post then the beginning. I fixed it....

DisneyIPresume · 07-09-2007, 12:39 PM

Just goes to show how un-popular water parks are in this area when you have something that is absolutely free called the beach.

I took my son there last month. We had a great time and I hate to see it go but to be completely honest it was fun but I wouldn't do it again because I can save a ton of money by just going to the beach.

RobotMirror · 07-09-2007, 02:01 PM

TiaDalmaFan, your avatar scares me, but I totally agree with you and the reader you referenced. Saturday I was near huntington beach and wanted to get a photo of the sun setting below the clouds - no place you can park on the beach less than $10.00.

So this might be the most expensive photograph I've taken so far (my Disney photos average out with my annual pass cost). I call it the "ten dollar photo":

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiaDalmaFan

Never went there, but I'd been to Lion Country Safari when I was a kid and I'd been to the Irvine Amphitheatre for a few concerts.

I liked what this OC Register reader had to say -

I agree with him.

07-07-2007, 12:22 PM	#1
RobotMirror Neep meep beep Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Seven miles from Disneyland/DCA! Posts: 7,688	Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1756146.php " Wild Rivers Waterpark's 22-year run will come to its end after this season. The water park's lease with landlord The Irvine Co. expires this fall and will not be renewed, despite Wild Rivers' request for an extension. ... Wild Rivers employs about a thousand people each summer. More than 400,000 people visit the park each summer for more than 40 rides and attractions. The water park is open for business through Sept. 30. The lease ends October 31, Riedel said. " The article at the link above mentions that the rides and attractions will be auctioned off. In its place, Irvine plans to build more Orange County homes. Sigh.

07-07-2007, 12:33 PM	#2
hebessica Former Loiterer Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yorba Linda, CA Posts: 202	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down Sad day! That's a great park and really accessible, much more so than Raging Waters. Now the only water park left in OC will be Soak City, which is really tiny and fairly sucky. Why don't they put houses in the hundreds of acres (not even counting the old army base/great park) left in Irvine first and then see if they need to tear down the park. Hmm..I wonder if those phantom plans for a third park at DLR are for a water park like those in FL? It would be great, especially now with Wild Rivers closing down...If the price were right. __________________ All I needed to know in life, I learned at MiceChat. And kindergarten. Last edited by hebessica; 07-09-2007 at 11:49 AM. Reason: Wrong park listed as closing...

07-07-2007, 04:47 PM	#3
filmfreak11 ...TWO BITS! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Disneyland, USA Posts: 3,103	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down ^ Both Wild Rivers and Raging Waters are closing?? Never been to WR. __________________ "You're not thinking fourth dimensionally!" -Back to the Future "With this place, I wanted to give them something real, something that wasn't an illusion, something they could see and touch. An aim devoid of merit." -Jurassic Park

07-07-2007, 05:39 PM	#4
CoasterMatt Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 844	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down This is OCR reporting the SAME story again... Wild Rivers will go in 2017 when the Amphitheater goes, too.

07-08-2007, 10:03 AM	#5
Dutchman Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 169	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down Hmmm,wasn't Lion Country Safari at this location prior to Wild Rivers?

07-08-2007, 12:26 PM	#6
fujisakimari New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 21	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down no it cant be

07-08-2007, 12:59 PM	#7
RobotMirror Neep meep beep Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Seven miles from Disneyland/DCA! Posts: 7,688	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down Yes, actually it was. Wild Rivers opened on a small portion of the original Lion Country Safari in 1986 or so. http://www.yesterland.com/lioncountry.html

07-08-2007, 03:13 PM	#8
phruby Sector Two Droid Repair Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Disneyland Spaceport Posts: 581	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down Too bad. Wild Rivers was clean and well kept. It was the Disneyland of waterparks compared to a Magic Mountain-like Raging Waters that we have to deal with now. It will be missed. Maybe they will rebuild it in the Great Park in Irvine whenever that park gets built. __________________ http://www.endorexpress.net/ Disneyland - It's better than drugs.

07-08-2007, 03:35 PM	#9
Rex Dopey24 Goofy Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: in wonderland. Posts: 10,004	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down oh no

07-09-2007, 12:39 PM	#12
DisneyIPresume Beach Expert Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A beach town that Harbor Blvd was named after Posts: 7,688	Re: Wild Rivers Water Park to shut down Just goes to show how un-popular water parks are in this area when you have something that is absolutely free called the beach. I took my son there last month. We had a great time and I hate to see it go but to be completely honest it was fun but I wouldn't do it again because I can save a ton of money by just going to the beach.

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