Amusement Park News

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is investing some $85 million into a large new indoor expansion. Covering 75,000-square-feet, the water park expansion will feature WhiteWater attractions and a design by Martin Aquatic, along with a retractable roof provided by OpenAire.

The new expansion is set to open in the fall of 2026 and will offer a wide range of attractions from waterslides to pools and attractions focused on smaller kids, too.

Kalahari Resorts founder and CEO Todd Nelson says the Kalahari is “excited to announce” the new expansion, and relates that it will feature “new slides, pools, a swim-up bar, spas…there's something for every member of the family…”

Working in conjunction with Martin Aquatic and WhiteWater, the park will feature two brand new waterslides featuring six-person rafts: the water coaster slide Green Python, with a thrilling uphill area; and the Wild Wildebeest, billed by the park as the “the world's first covered Bommerango.” The latter ride will reach beyond the glass walls of the park itself, providing more room for fun.

Popular at other Kalahari water parks, the Cheetah Mat Racers will be present at the new Wisconsin Dells location, too. Here the head-first ride will include something new: two parallel pursuits that include low walls separating guests so that the riders on both sides can get a look at those racing against them. The two parallel pursuits offer unique curves, providing a ride experience that will differ for each slide.

All thrill slides will originate from a 70-foot platform, but there will also be rides geared toward the kiddie set at the indoor expansion. These will be located at the Coral Cove Kiddie Slide Pool, where seven differently themed slides will each terminate into a shallow pool that's comfortable and safe for little ones.

WhiteWater president Onno Meeter worked in conjunction with Kalahari to create “surprising ride experiences” that would be unique to the Wisconsin Dells location alone, and experiential for guests in terms of both theme and thrills.

Martin Aquatic's design for the indoor park includes a vast 10,000-square-foot pool, dubbed The Watering Hole. There, park guests can enjoy tanning ledges, in-water loungers, and a zero-entry to the water, which provides a gradual slope for guests to walk right in, just as they would at a beach.  

Martin Aquatic president and creative director Josh Martin explains that the amenities at The Watering Hole pool were designed to “create an incredible aquatic experience for Kalahari guests,” one that “raises the bar in Wisconsin Dells” when paired with the existing waterpark.

The pool serves as the heart of the new expansion and includes cabanas for rent along the water's edge. For adults only there are additional pools: the Lost Lagoon Spa Pool and The Grotto, with its swim-up bar. The latter offers an area that can be open to the outdoors during warm weather.  

Speaking of the weather, while Wisconsin Dells is home to several different outdoor water parks during the summer, Kalahari's new indoor expansion makes it ready for fun all year. The retractable roof allows the park to open it at will, providing an environment that can easily invite in fresh air, seasonal sunshine, and warmth.

And of course, when the weather is less than perfect, the roof can close and keep the indoor climate warm and comfortable even if it's snowing outside. The retractable roof is the largest at any Kalahari Resort, and the first to be in the Wisconsin Dells.



The park building itself will be structured entirely from aluminum, making it another first in the area. It will include a 90-foot enclosed cupola that allows guests impressive views through large glass walls.

OpenAire terms the construction materials uniquely free of maintenance needs, and says the building will be corrosion proof. “While we have worked with the Kalahari team on other sites, this project…marks a turning point for our team,” OpenAire president Mark Albertine explains.

This is not the first time that WhiteWater, OpenAire, and Martin Aquatic have worked together on a water park project. The three companies also collaborated on Atlantic City's Island Waterpark, located at the Showboat Hotel. That location offers 100,000-square-feet beneath a retractable roof. It opened in 2023 and has already claimed awards.



Kalahari has cleared the ground for its new indoor-outdoor expansion, which will be constructed by Neuman Pools. That company also built water parks at two other Kalahari Resort properties, Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania, which opened in 2015; and the company's most recent water park addition located in Round Rock, Texas, built in 2020. The company is set to build another Kalahari water park located in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, which is also scheduled to open in 2026.

The large new indoor-outdoor expansion in Wisconsin Dells follows extensive renovations of the resort's existing property, including its 237 guest rooms. Kalahari now features a new Hillside Suites expansion of its accommodations and has revamped the lounge and Halotherapy Salt Room at its Spa Kalahari.

Also new: Sands Splash Oasis, an outdoor splash pad and playground; two recently added restaurants, including Sortino's Italian Kitchen; and a renovation of the waterpark's lobby with new changing rooms and lockers at the entrance.

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is also making plans to open the fifth iteration of its renowned African-themed resorts in 2026 in the state of Virginia. Construction is already underway for a $900 million project in Spotsylvania County just off Interstate 95 near the Thornburg exit. The company said the resort will be the perfect adventure destination for families in the DC-Maryland-Virginia metro area. The 175,000-square-foot facility will include the largest indoor water park in Virginia, along with a massive convention center and a 900 family-friendly suites hotel.