The Disneyland Resort has two theme parks, three hotels, and a shopping, dining, and entertainment district. Oddly, it does not have a water park. Granted, the resort has limited space in which to expand, but Disney has been talking about developing a nearby strawberry field forever (sorry Beatles devotees, I couldn't resist that one), and a water park would be a likely project. Disney certainly does well with its Florida water parks. It turns out, there is a water park under development right next to Disneyland--but Disney isn't building it.
The Great Wolf Lodge, in conjunction with a California developer, will be building one of its Northwoods-themed indoor water park resorts in the InternationalWest area of Garden Grove, within howling distance of Disneyland. At 100,000 square feet, it will be one of the largest indoor water parks in the world. According to the park chain, building will get underway next year, and the resort is scheduled to open in 2013. Read more about Great Wolf Lodge California.
Photo: ©Arthur Levine, 2009. Licensed to About.com.
I've always been fascinated by amusement parks in the off-season. It's such a collection of odd contrasts: Instead of throngs of park visitors milling about, it's a vast, empty space; the sounds of screaming riders, blasting music, and spinning mechanical rides are replaced by silence save for the occasional gust of winter wind; muted shades of gray stand in for the bright, sun-dappled colors of mid-summer. No matter how forlorn a padlocked park may be amid winter's chill, however, there's always the glimmer of life and hope that spring and a new season is around the corner.