After what will be an eight-year hiatus, Wild Rivers Water Park returns to Orange County in 2019.

The Irvine City Council recently approved an agreement with Wild Rivers to build a 30-acre water park in Orange County Great Park (located in Irvine). Wild Rivers’ new location will be created within the Cultural Terrace area, which has been a hot topic for development by the city. The City Council polled residents on top priorities for the 248-acre space, and ideas ranged from an amphitheater and botanical garden to a water park and museums.

Wild Rivers was previously located in Irvine as well, about six miles southwest of the new location, on the opposite side of the U.S. Interstate 5 freeway. It was open from 1986 through 2011, when its lease ran out in that location.

Since Wild Rivers closed six years ago, South Orange County has largely been without a water park of this size. The closest current alternatives are Garden Grove’s Great Wolf Lodge (an indoor park) and Knott’s Soak City in Buena Park. Smaller aquatic parks exist in Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel, however.

Construction on the new Wild Rivers Water Park should begin during the summer of 2018, eyeing an opening the following summer in 2019.

To see more California water parks, check out or list of 8 water parks you will want to visit.