Wild Waves Theme Park in Federal Way will close at the end of the 2026 season.
Oklahoma-based Premier Parks LLC, the park’s operator, made the announcement Dec. 10. The park will open for its last season on May 23, 2026, and will close to the public on Nov. 1, 2026.
“Unfortunately, the rising cost of ongoing operations since reopening after the Covid shutdown has generated millions in losses, which forces us to discontinue operations at the end of our 2026 season,” according to Kieran Burke, president and owner of Premier Parks.
Located on Enchanted Parkway South, the 70-acre theme park’s land is owned by Jeff Stock of EPI Realty Holdings Inc. In a prepared statement, Stock said the goal for the site is to plan “a project that will bring meaningful, lasting benefits to the area.”
“Plans for the site are currently in preliminary stages, with goals beneficial to the city and surrounding areas. Additional details will be released as the project moves through planning and community review processes,” Stock said in a news release.
Wild Waves opened in 1977. It has about 35 full-time employees and about 800 seasonal employees.
In a statement to the Federal Way Mirror newspaper, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell also noted attendance at the theme park never recovered after the Covid pandemic, and said the park has operated at a loss for several years.
“The City of Federal Way wants to thank Jeff Stock and Wild Waves for their decades of commitment to our community. Wild Waves has been part of the fabric of Federal Way and a place where countless families have made memories that will last a lifetime,” said Ferrell. “Looking ahead, the city will work closely with the owners of Wild Waves to determine the best path forward for the property. Federal Way is a community on the rise, and we remain committed to working collaboratively to help guide a future use of the site that supports the needs and interests of our community.”
King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, who represents Federal Way, also issued a statement in response to the announcement:
“Economics overcame enthusiasm! The fiscal impact of Covid and the financial hole it left for Wild Waves shuttered a unique South King County gathering place enjoyed by families since 1977. Given our unpredictable wet climate, outdoor parks are an endangered species because families want predictability in planning, and our weather rarely provides it.”
Background
• Wild Waves Theme Park opened in 1977 as the Enchanted Village, and owner Byron Betts built the adjacent Wild Waves Waterpark in 1984.
• In 1992, Betts sold the parks to Jeff Stock, who merged them into one park. Stock is a retired professional soccer defender who played for the Seattle Sounders, Golden Bay Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps, Tacoma Stars and Seattle Storm.
• Stock then sold it in 2000 to Six Flags for about $19.2 million. Six Flags sold the park to CNL Lifestyle Properties in 2007. CNL is a real estate investment trust (REIT) based in Orlando, Florida, and had been leasing Wild Waves to PARC Management. CNL reached an agreement in 2011 for Stock’s company NorPoint Entertainment to manage the park.
• In 2016, the park was sold to EPR Properties and has been managed by Premier Parks since 2017.
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Wild Waves Theme Park is at 36201 Enchanted Pkwy. S., Federal Way. Courtesy photo
