Last weekend we made our first-ever trip to Wild Waves in Federal Way, and the timing felt a little bittersweet. The park announced last year that 2026 will be its final season after nearly fifty years in the region. If you grew up around here, you probably have a memory or two tied to this place — maybe an end-of-year school field trip, or a sticky summer afternoon spent cooling off in the wave pool. It’s a shame the Puget Sound area is losing its only outdoor amusement park. It appears that they never really recovered after COVID pandemic shut down, then coupled with high operational costs and a short PNW summer season, the 70-acre property is planning for redevelopment. From what I’ve read, the plan is to convert the site into an industrial complex featuring warehouses and offices.
Season Passes and Parking
We purchased the season pass, which automatically upgraded to a Gold Season Pass with complimentary parking for the rest of the year. Honestly, a great deal. Regular parking costs range from $20 for a motorcycle to $30 for oversized vehicles, buses, and VIP spots. Some would argue that such a high parking rate is ridiculous, since Federal Way is not a dense metropolitan area, and there are plenty of open fields. I feel differently. An outdoor waterpark in Seattle has a very short season, and they need to have multiple ways to generate revenue during their operational days. Paid parking is a common practice in amusement or theme parks. The pass-holder lot sits a little farther from the entrance, but that didn’t bother us one bit. We brought a wagon to haul our drinks, snacks, and extra clothes, so the walk was easy. We could have paid $10 more for preferred parking closer in, but that only saves you about a hundred feet of walking. Not worth it, in my book.
The Cabana Situation
Down by the wave pool, there’s a row of nice-looking cabanas. The prices, though? Not so nice. They run $400 to $650 for a single day — about what you’d pay to rent an actual waterfront home per night. There are few extras with the cabana rental, including free sunblock but this is miniscule compared to the price you are paying. Every single cabana sat empty. Meanwhile, a few smart families had simply brought their own beach umbrellas. Now that’s what I need to bring on our next visit.
A Great Afternoon for the Kids
The two older kids had a blast. The 3-year-old spent most of his time napping. Ivan and Evelyn easily could have stayed longer if we’d packed a real lunch and planned for a full day instead of just an afternoon. Since we live close by and already have the passes, we don’t mind the drive, and I can see us popping in for two or three hours on warm summer days. There are multiple food options, including the typical basic American fare of hot dogs and hamburgers, and recently they have also added a Korean chicken wing food stand. However, it was already late evening, and we had only planned to be there for a short visit.
Plan Your Visit — This Is Your Last Chance
One quick heads-up if you’re planning a visit: as of early June, the park is only open on Fridays and weekends. Daily operation is expected to start the last week of June and run through August. If you’ve been meaning to go, this really is your last summer to do it. The park will be permanently closed after November 1, 2026.