May 20–Universal Parks and Resorts is looking at building two or three branded hotel properties on the site where its Wet 'n Wild water park had operated, according to documents the company submitted to the city.
"Hotels will be branded/themed to complement existing on-site Universal hotels," a presentation given to city officials says. Features will include "resort style" landscaping and pools, along with retail and food and beverage outlets.
Universal in March submitted plans for about 4,000 hotel rooms on the site of Wet 'n Wild, which closed last year. The latest filings give more details.
A resort-to-theme-park shuttle service operated by Universal will bring guests between the hotels and the Universal Orlando theme parks across Interstate 4.
The hotels will have both ground and garage parking. Plans show three parking garages, two to three stories each, on the property.
The resort is proposed to be split between Universal Boulevard with 1,200 rooms on the west side and the remaining 2,800 on the east side. There will be three driveways, off Universal Boulevard and International Drive. The main entrance will be on Universal Boulevard south of International Drive.
Universal has asked for traffic concurrency approval for the project, known as Project 566. The proposed development at full build is expected to generate 17,720 daily trips. The development will promote transit and alternative transportation modes, a traffic study says.
Wet 'n Wild operated for 39 years, developed in 1977 by George Millay — who also created SeaWorld. Universal's parent company bought the water park in 1998, when Wet 'n Wild was an international chain.
Universal effectively is replacing Wet 'n Wild with a new water park called Volcano Bay, set on its core property adjacent to the Cabana Bay hotel and set to open Thursday with technological innovations for park visitors.
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