Mattel water parks announced with Barbie, Hot Wheels | Locations revealed
Mattel water parks are coming to multiple locations across the U.S., including a location in Orlando, with attractions based on Barbie® and Hot Wheels®, and other iconic Mattel toy brands. The first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark is now planned to open in Bellevue, Nebraska, in late 2027, with a Barbie activity pool, Hot Wheels slide tower and a lazy river inspired by Mattel games.
The park will be called Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark [sic]. The future locations include Orlando, Fla.; Bellevue, Neb. (near Omaha); and Bradley, Ill.
Mattel revealed the project for Orlando on Nov. 18, 2025, and announced the additional cities on Dec. 17.
Photo by Blake Taylor
Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks will integrate Mattel’s well-known brand portfolio into water park attraction staples such as lazy rivers, wave pools, and slides. Water park management consultant American Resort Management will join developer I-dentity Group and aquatic design firm Martin Aquatic in bringing these properties to life with immersive aquatic destinations across the U.S.
Image courtesy of Mattel
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2025 and is updated periodically. The most recent update was made Oct. 1, 2026, by Dani Meyering.
Bellevue Mattel waterpark planned to open in late 2027
October 2026 update: Bellevue, Nebraska, is now slated to welcome the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark at the end of 2027, Mattel announced Oct. 1. Construction is underway within the city’s Good Life District, where the approximately 100,000-square-foot destination will feature a retractable roof and climate-controlled interior for year-round operation.
Bellevue is one of four confirmed locations, alongside Orlando, Florida; Bradley, Illinois; and Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Mattel plans five locations across North America.
New renderings preview Bellevue’s attractions, including a Barbie activity pool and FlowRider surf simulator, a Hot Wheels “Challenge Accepted” multi-slide tower and a Fisher-Price water play structure.
Courtesy of Martin Aquatic
Courtesy of Martin Aquatic
Below we have zoomed in on the Barbie and Hot Wheels attractions concept art. Notice the Barbie-themed cabanas, ice cream shop, bar or smoothie bar, and live band.
Below we have also zoomed in on Hot Wheels attractions concept art. Notice the elements that look like a Hot Wheels race track, slide floats that look like chckered flags, clear portions of the slides, and photo opportunities.
A lazy river will draw inspiration from Mattel Games brands, including UNO, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots and Magic 8 Ball, with themed food and beverage offerings also planned. Mattel says the waterparks will share a common vision while offering unique experiences at each location.
The Fisher-Price concept art features an oversized rainbow stacking-ring fountain, with water cascading over the colorful rings, alongside a smiling hippo wearing a snorkel mask.
A lion holding a striped ring, a purple monkey with red floaties and a blue elephant add toy-inspired details throughout the splash area. Rainbow spray hoops, flower-shaped fountains and a multilevel water play structure with colorful slides complete the playful setting.
Mattel water park near Disney World expands plans with 100-foot tower
August 2026 update: The proposed Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark off State Road 535 has expanded from approximately 11 acres to more than 13 acres, according to plans submitted to Orange County. The latest proposal includes a 95,000-square-foot indoor water park with a retractable roof, slides that extend outside before returning indoors and a tower rising as high as 100 feet — nearly double the height shown in earlier plans.
A separate 45,000-square-foot entertainment building, wave tower and nearly 900 parking spaces are also planned, while the broader development is expected to include restaurants and a hotel. Orange County must still approve the requested height increase, and no opening date has been announced.
April 2026 announcement: A new partnership between WhiteWater West Industries and Mattel is set to bring branded indoor waterparks to life.
Julie Freeland, VP of global location-based entertainment at Mattel, had this to say about the collaboration: “Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks will encompass many iconic Mattel brands that span generations of play, offering innovative water-based attractions and amenities in an exciting new format for Mattel.” She then went on to state, “We are thrilled to collaborate with these incredible industry leaders in waterpark development to create an unparalleled experience for guests to make connections with their favorite brands in an entirely new way.”
“As experts in waterpark management and hospitality development, our team is primed to create one-of-a-kind guest experiences at every Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark location,” Rick Coleman, CEO of American Resort Management, stated. Coleman has 25 years of experience in his field that he’ll be bringing to the project.
Chris Schroeder, CEO of I-dentity Group, added, “We are excited to bring Mattel’s brands to life within this new entertainment-based destination, and with the diverse portfolio of iconic brands from Mattel, there is no limit to the fun and excitement that each and every Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark will offer its visitors”
More details on the Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks will be announced soon. As for what to expect from the experience, the president and creative director of Martin Aquatic says, “Blending our innovative experiential design with Mattel’s family of brands is like a dream come true … We can’t wait to inspire that same childlike awe for kids and adults alike as they cross the threshold into every Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark.”
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