Mattel has zeroed in on an 11-acre parcel along Vineland Road near the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores for its first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark in Orlando, according to filings and company materials. The project is billed as a year-round, brand-driven playland for tourists, combining a large enclosed waterpark with an outdoor slide zone, on-site retail, and a hefty amount of parking aimed at vacation crowds.
Where It Will Sit
New planning documents put the waterpark on State Road 535 (Vineland Road), just south of the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, right in the thick of the hotel, outlet mall, and tourist-service corridor that rings Disney. The location is roughly 10 minutes by car from Walt Disney World, according to the Orlando Business Journal. Orange County pre-application forms describe the project as a "tourist commercial resort" with both indoor and outdoor water-park components.
What The Plans Show
A concept plan filed with Orange County sketches out a 90,000-square-foot indoor water park, a roughly 42,000-square-foot slide zone, a 35,700-square-foot outdoor water area, and about 11,400 square feet of retail space, plus parking for more than 750 vehicles, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The filing, submitted by engineering firm Kimley-Horn on Mattel's behalf, shows a mix of garage and surface parking and a building height of up to about 60 feet. Taken together, those numbers point to a scaled attraction designed to run year-round and soak up heavy visitor traffic.
Who Is Building It
Mattel announced the Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks initiative in November, saying it will develop the parks with Martin Aquatic, American Resort Management, and I-dentity Group, with Orlando set as the first location, according to Mattel. The company said Martin Aquatic will handle design from concept through engineering and that each park will weave in multiple Mattel brands. Designers have indicated the parks will lean into playful visual cues inspired by toys and games rather than traditional character-themed lands, a detail highlighted by PEOPLE.
Next Steps And Timeline
For now, the project is still in the pre-application and permitting phase, and Mattel has not put an opening date on the calendar. County reviews of traffic, drainage, and infrastructure will help determine how fast the project can move. The Kimley-Horn pre-application is the first public planning step, and any formal site plan filings, permit applications, or community hearings will surface in Orange County records and local coverage. We will be watching county dockets and Mattel announcements for construction start dates and more detailed milestones.
