Sliding To Hell: Abandoned Water Parks Turn A Summer Dream Into Eternal Hell

Water parks are the perfect place to spend some family time. A place where you can escape the scorching heat, ride (more or less) scary slides, take a dip in refreshing pools, and enjoy other surprises, depending on the facilities of a specific park. In our family, a trip abroad cannot be complete without at least one water park or thermal complex, and woe to those who refuse and get involved with my girls.

Although there are water parks around the world that offer many adrenaline-pumping attractions, in the following article, we will not address them. As part of our reviews of abandoned places that, over the years, have become especially creepy, we will present everything you need to know about abandoned water parks that look like they came out of an apocalyptic horror movie. Empty water parks, among the most sought-after attractions for lovers of abandoned buildings, photographers, and urban explorers. Or just people who enjoy visiting places with a glorious past, whose present has become very bleak.

We will explain why water parks are closing, what could happen to them over the years (including, among other things, the dismantling of the facilities and the takeover by nature, animals, and other disasters), and, of course, whether you should visit them.

Why Do Water Parks Get Abandoned?

Unfortunately, there are several possible reasons for the closure and abandonment of water parks. Each park has its own sad story that, in many cases, lasts for decades until the park is closed. In general, in most cases, it is a combination of economic, logistical, and bureaucratic factors that make the operation of the park impossible, or at least unprofitable.

Economic Challenges

The most important reason for the closure of water parks is a lack of profitability. You don’t have to be an expert in the field to know that a water park requires a massive investment in infrastructure: slides and swimming pools, water filtration systems, safety systems, buildings, electricity, and so on. A substantial workforce is needed to operate the park, including lifeguards, security personnel, and maintenance staff. If you add the costs of ongoing maintenance, insurance, permits, and clauses, you can easily understand why it is tough to run a water park financially.

To make the picture even more complicated, water parks are seasonal. In most places in the world, water parks only operate during the summer months – usually between May and September – that is, only a few months a year. Of course, this excludes indoor and outdoor water parks, such as those you will find in abundance around the world, for which the picture is more optimistic because they can be open almost all year round.

When a water park operates only a few months each year, its revenues are significantly smaller. Expenses remain high, which means the road to financial disaster may be short. Some parks try to solve the problem with astronomical entrance fees, but when they do, the audience may exclude themselves from the park, or at least wait for discounts, for closed days, and more. Some parks also face competition, mainly from other attractions for the whole family (and it could also be a free beach), which makes their financial situation even more difficult.

Management Problems

Managing a water park is a complex challenge, and reality shows that many have closed over the years due to poor management. Sometimes the problem is in the early stages, when the park’s planning is wrong. For example, choosing the wrong location – too far from large population centers, a lack of accessibility by public transportation, or an area with fierce competition from other attractions – can increase the chances of failure.

There are also cases in which entrepreneurs have made a considerable investment without conducting sufficient market research and have discovered that demand is insufficient.

Other possible problems in park management include lack of funding for further development and renovation of the facilities, which makes the park look outdated and unattractive compared to competitors; Difficulty finding employees, especially for a short season; Partner or owner disputes; and more.

Security Incidents

Serious safety problems can lead to the closure of a park at a glance. Serious accidents, or even a fatality, can result in license revocation and legal action, forcing the park to close. You can also consider sanitary issues, failure to comply with health and safety regulations (for example, regarding water filtration levels), and other failures that can result in significant compensation, penalties, or sanctions against the park staff, up to and including its possible closure.

Geopolitical Crisis

Geopolitical and environmental crises also play a role. Security situations in the region, as seen in many locations across the globe, can cause a sharp decline in visitor numbers and, of course, the closure of the park for an indefinite period due to a ban on gatherings and other restrictions. Around the world, we have seen parks left orphaned for months following macroeconomic shocks, such as the Covid-19 crisis a few years ago, and some have not recovered.

Changes In Audience Preferences

Over the years, public preferences have changed. Parks that do not invest in ongoing renewal and upgrades become outdated, so the audience tends to avoid them. A new generation of visitors is looking for more extreme experiences, advanced technology, and new, more exciting attractions. A park that fails to adapt loses its audience to innovative competitors.

What Makes Scary Abandoned Water Parks?

Entering an abandoned water park is an experience that is difficult to describe in words. It is not just a deserted place, because there are many of them. It is a place that was once full of life and is now completely “dead”. Similar to the case of abandoned amusement parks that we have already written about on the site, this strange feeling of a place designed for noise, joy, and bustle, but now where complete silence reigns, creates an almost apocalyptic atmosphere. And the apocalypse is rather creepy.

The Contrast Between Before And After

One of the most frightening aspects of an abandoned water park is the stark contrast between what it used to be and what it is now: If you wish, the perfect example of before and after. The colorful slides, the enthusiastic signs, and the childish designs were all meant to create a sense of happiness and joy. But when they stand desolate, covered in dust and rust, the image becomes dystopian and anxiety-provoking. Imagine a faded billboard of a smiling clown, or cartoon characters whose colors have faded and whose faces have peeled off. What should have conveyed childish joy suddenly seems ominous and almost sinister.

Scary abandoned water parks evoke a sense of sweet nostalgia, and the encounter with decay and abandonment creates a specific psychological effect, some would say frightening. We recall happy childhood days, but at the same time, we may remember that nothing lasts forever, that the things we loved and grew up with can end. This is one of the reasons abandoned water parks, in particular, and abandoned places in general, attract people.

For many of us, visiting an abandoned water park where we used to spend time is an unpleasant, even sad, emotional experience. You see the place where you laughed as a child, where you had fun with your family, and now it is dead and abandoned. This nostalgia can be combined with sadness or even a particular anxiety about the transience of life or our lack of eternity in the world, if we were to be extreme for a moment.

Fear The Silence

One of the scariest things about an abandoned water park is the eerie silence, which stands in stark contrast to what it once was. In an active water park, there is constant noise: music, laughter, children’s excited shouts, the sounds of running water, the lifeguard’s shouts, stupid people cursing each other, and so on.

When all this is gone, you can almost physically feel the silence that remains. There’s something unnatural and even scary about seeing a place meant for noise and congestion that has become quiet and empty.

Signs Of Decay And Neglect

So far, we’ve addressed some of the psychological aspects of abandoned water parks. Now it’s time to acknowledge that, even without those factors, visiting a water park that hasn’t been open for years can be horrific. The primary role here, similar to other abandoned places, is that the signs of neglect tend to be greater the longer the park has been abandoned.

Vegetation takes over every available space, and you can see it pretty easily inside what was once a swimming pool, or even on the water slides. The signs are full of rust, other surfaces are moldy, and the rides themselves are undergoing a dramatic transformation. Rust eats away at the metal structures, the paint on the plastic facilities peels off, the slides crack and break, and the water in the pools – if there is any left – turns green, musty, and damp.

It looks like a post-apocalyptic landscape, as if the world had endured some disaster, and this place is one of its remains. As if from every corner, you could meet Cillian Murphy, who would hypnotize you with his eyes, or Will Smith, smacking the sheet out of you for insulting his wife.

The Unwanted Company

Scary abandoned water parks often become a haven for marginalized populations: homeless people, drug addicts, and silly teenagers, who are looking for a secluded and “forbidden” place to enter. Sometimes you will meet the gruesome sides of such a human presence, such as syringes and contraceptives on the floor, discarded clothes, empty cans, food leftovers, and so on.

In addition, abandoned parks attract wildlife. Stray dogs, feral cats, birds, and even snakes and other harmful animals find a home in them. Encountering an unexpected animal in such a place can be extremely frightening, and sometimes very dangerous since some of them are violent or even sick. If you come to such places, it is of course essential to be careful and stay away from all released animals.

Should You Visit Abandoned Water Parks?

You may have recently seen an article about a nostalgic but now-abandoned water park, or you may have come across a video of abandoned-place researchers visiting a park that closed decades ago. These videos are engaging and sometimes even entice us to visit these places, but in the vast majority of cases, this is not recommended and is even legally prohibited.

The Physical Obstacles

An abandoned water park is, first of all, a physically dangerous place. The buildings are not maintained, and there is a high probability that some of them are in a state of partial or complete collapse. Broken slides may collapse under your weight, walls may fall, and other dangers lurk around every corner. So even if you’ve seen videos of parkourers all over the world sliding down an abandoned slide or jumping from one to another when they encounter an obstacle, or cyclists going down what used to be a water slide, try to remember to save those actions for videos. Or for those who prefer to risk their lives for a few thousand likes on social media, and sorry in advance for the hassle.

Abandoned pools are hazardous. If water remains in the park pools or collects after rain, remember that standing water is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, bacteria, and fungi. If you enter such water, you risk serious illness. In addition, the pools themselves can contain sharp objects, broken glass, or hidden obstacles that can cause injury.

Rust is another potential problem. Rusty metal can cut, and if you get a cut from rusty metal, there is a risk of diseases like tetanus. It is essential to ensure you are up to date on your vaccinations or to seek immediate medical attention if something happens.

The Health Hazards

Beyond physical injuries, an abandoned water park can pose other health hazards. Abandoned parks are often full of hazardous materials, such as asbestos in older buildings, lead in peeling paint, and mold and mildew in damp areas. Exposure to these materials can cause severe respiratory problems and long-term illness. However, it usually takes prolonged exposure rather than a few hours at the park for you to experience the damage.

Additionally, as we mentioned earlier, abandoned parks are home to animals that can carry diseases. Mosquitoes that breed in standing water can carry malaria, dengue, or the Zika virus. Encountering an injured or sick wild animal can be dangerous.

Human Dangers

Not all dangers come from the place itself. Abandoned parks attract all kinds of people, and they are not always the people you want to meet. An unexpected encounter with someone under the influence of drugs can be frightening and sometimes dangerous. In addition, criminals find abandoned places to be an excellent place for illegal activities such as drug trafficking.

Is It Legal To Visit An Abandoned Water Park?

In most cases, entering an abandoned water park is trespassing – that is, a criminal offense. Even if the gates are open or you can climb over the low fence, the place usually belongs to someone (whether an individual, a local authority, or another entity), and you are essentially entering without permission. Such an illegal entrance can lead to arrest, fines, or even indictment.

There are places around the world that offer organized tours or allow entry with advance notice. Journalists, photographers, and urban researchers may get permission to visit the park. There are some famous water parks in this manner. One can mention, for example, Disney’s Abandoned Water Park, River Country, which was opened in 1976. It was the first Disney water park and closed permanently in 2001. Another example among many is Lake Dolores Waterpark in California, United States, which opened in 1962 and was closed in 2004. And the short goes on and on.