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What to expect at the new Wild Rivers water park in Irvine – Orange County RegisterSkip to content
Workers help test ride the Bora Bora Bomerango at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A new $60 million Wild Rivers water park that has been in the planning stages for more than a decade will finally open after a number of starts and stops in a new location that offers more space, water slides and summer fun.
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Workers help test ride Aquaconda at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Bora Bora Bomerango, left, and Aquaconda dump in to the same pool as workers test the waterslides at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A worker tends to Typhoon at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Tomcat Racers at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers help test ride Aquaconda at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cook’s Cove features a tipping bucket at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers help test ride the Bora Bora Bomerango at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Tomcat Racers stands behind cabanas at the Wave Pool at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers help test ride Aquaconda at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The original Wild Rivers debuted in July 1986 at the Lion Country Safari animal park in Irvine. The former water park closed in 2011 when the Irvine Company decided to build the 3,700-unit Los Olivos Village neighborhood at the location. The old Wild Rivers attracted 10 million visitors during a quarter century of operation.
Wild Rivers owner Mike Reidel has worked tirelessly over the past decade to develop and build the new water park, overcoming a series of obstacles and delays along the way.
At 20 acres, the new water park will be 50% larger than the original Wild Rivers with 3 acres set aside for future expansion. The new Wild Rivers will have a 1940s South Pacific theme that pays homage to the former El Toro Marine Corps air station that operated from 1943 to 1999 at the Great Park location.
Construction continues at Wild Rivers waterpark at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The waterpark is expected to open June 20th. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A worker assembles the Tahitian Toucan at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Parts of Kontiki Cove sit on an island inside Castaway Rivers lazy river at Wild Rivers Waterpark in the OC Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Water is in the wave pool at the new Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Water is in a pool below a slide at the new Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Water is in a pool below a slide at the new Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Water is in a pool below a slide at the new Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The entrance to Wild Rivers in Irvine, CA, on Monday, June 27, 2022. The water park postponed its grand opening to July 10, officials for the much-anticipated water park said, citing delays in construction caused by supply chain troubles. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers at Wild Rivers put finishing touches on one of the slides in Irvine, CA, on Monday, June 27, 2022. The water park postponed its grand opening to July 10, officials for the much-anticipated water park said, citing delays in construction caused by supply chain troubles. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Construction continues at Wild Rivers waterpark at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, June 9, 2022. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wild Rivers waterpark under construction at the Great Park in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The return of Wild Rivers water park to Irvine is almost, finally, here. The $60 million park will open at the Great Park June 20, and season passes are already sold out. Since the original Wild Rivers closed in Irvine in 2011, the park’s CEO had been trying to find a new location in Irvine to bring back the water slides and lazy river that were a fixture of the park that held a spot in the city for 25 years. After some struggle to secure financing, the money was squared away last summer, and construction began in October. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
About half of the 20 new attractions will be open during the technical rehearsal while employees test and adjust water park operations. Admission prices will be reduced and attraction availability will vary by day and hour during the soft opening. An official grand opening will be announced at a later date.
Let’s take a closer look at all the slip and slide attractions at the new Wild Rivers water park.
Pelican Plunge – A 550-foot-long Master Blaster water coaster with water jets that power riders up slopes
Shaka Bay – The 25,000-square-foot wave pool that reaches a depth of 6 feet
Tomcat Riders – A 6-lane mat racer slide with a 360-degree spiral tube at the start
Cook’s Cove – A 30-foot-tall rain fortress play structure with an 800-gallon tipping bucket
Castaway River – A quarter mile-long lazy river with inner tubes
Aquaconda – A 600-foot-long slide with six-person circular rafts
Bora Bora Boomerang – Raft slide with a 25-foot-tall wave wall
Tortuga – Raft slide that travels through oscillating spheres in the 90-degree corners
Typhoon – Raft slide with a 20-foot-diameter mega tube
Tiki’s Revenge – A 225-foot-long tube slide with a super bowl element
Samoan Serpent – A 400-foot-long serpentine tube slide
Fiji Falls – A 350-foot-long double tube slide
Pipeline – A 350-foot-long tube slide
Tahitian Toucan – A remake of the side-by-side Sweitzer Falls body slides at the original Wild Rivers with a 4-foot drop into a splash pool
Bombay Blasters – A pair of enclosed drop body slides
Tala & Mano – Side by side body slides
Kontiki Cove – Tiny tots pool with five kiddie slides
What attractions are expected to be open during the technical rehearsals? Shaka Bay, Tomcat Racers, Cook’s Cove, Castaway River, Aquaconda, Bora Bora Boomerango, Tiki’s Revenge, Samoan Serpent, Fiji Falls and Pipeline.
What remains closed during the soft opening? Pelican’s Plunge, Tortuga, Typhoon, Tahitian Toucan, Bombay Blasters, Tala & Mano and Kontiki Cove.
Only one of the three food and beverage locations will be open during the soft opening. The Pacific Grille quick service restaurant will offer a limited menu of burgers, hot dogs, pizza, chicken tenders, tacos, pulled pork barbecue sandwiches and Philly cheesesteaks. Island Sweets — serving ice cream, churros and funnel cakes — and the Mustang Bar — with craft beer, wine, frozen concoctions and tropical cocktails — will open at a later date.
Wild Rivers will be open daily from July 10 through Aug. 21 and on weekends through Sept. 25 during the 2022 season.
During the soft opening, admission is $65 for visitors 48 inches and taller and $40 for kids under 48 inches. Children 2 and under as well as seniors 62 and older get in free.
Season passes are sold out for the 2022 summer season.
Tickets will be available by advance reservation and at the front gate if the water park hasn’t reached attendance capacity. Season passholders are required to make advance reservations.
Parking is $20 to $25, lockers are $18 to $23 and private cabanas start at $350.
