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Mattel, the toy company behind iconic brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and UNO, is moving forward with plans to build its first indoor water park in the Orlando area. The company announced the plans late last year, and a pre-application permit filed on January 14, 2026, reveals new details about the project’s location and scope.
Orange County records show the proposed site is 15845 State Road 535, roughly 10 minutes from Walt Disney World and adjacent to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores outlet mall. The 11-acre property is slated for a “tourist commercial resort development.”
The land is owned by Countyline Properties LLC, a St. Petersburg-based investment firm. The filing indicates the plan was prepared for “Project Play Holdings LLC,” a company that appears to be linked to Mattel’s themed attraction projects. Countyline acquired the property in 2012 and had previously explored adding a second phase to the neighboring outlet mall, though that project never materialized.
Conceptual plans filed this week outline a 90,000-square-foot indoor water park with a retractable roof, an outdoor water park with an event lawn, a “slide zone,” and 11,400 square feet of retail space. The building could reach 60 feet high.
The Orlando location will serve as the first of five planned Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks, with creative and operational development already underway, led by Martin Aquatic. Each park is designed to bring Mattel’s brands to life, featuring 12 or more unique properties. When Mattel initially announced the concept in a news release on November 18, 2025, the company said each park would incorporate its brands across attractions such as lazy rivers, wave pools, and thrilling water slides.
Discussing the upcoming Orlando water park, Josh Martin, President and Creative Director of Martin Aquatic, told the Orlando Sentinel, “The beauty of their building is it’s not like the traditional Great Wolf Lodge or some of the old legacy indoor water parks. It has natural light. It’s got a roof that lets natural weather come in. In Florida, it’s going to be weatherized and protect us. We’re not going to run the risk of afternoon thunderstorms clearing out our water park.”
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