The indoor water-park resort located in Collier County has turned heads with a surprisingly strong debut season, marking an exceptional first year of operations for Great Wolf Lodge South Florida.

First-Year Milestones

Since opening in September 2024, Great Wolf Lodge South Florida has welcomed over 500,000 families through its doors.

Its indoor attractions logged approximately 6.5 million rides down water slides, and the massive bucket in the water park dumped roughly 300,000 gallons of water as part of its regular splash feature. Meanwhile the indoor “Adventure Park” zip line soared more than 36,000 times as guests took flight.

Another striking detail: about 80% of visitors came from outside Collier County—including families from Georgia, northern Florida and Florida’s east coast—underscoring the resort’s regional draw.

Why the Success Matters

  • Tourism boost for Naples area: A large influx of out-of-town guests means more lodging nights, dining, shopping and ancillary spending in the region—exactly the type of economic multiplier effect local stakeholders like.

  • Positioning of Collier County: This resort positions the county not only as a destination for beach- and nature-based tourism, but also for family entertainment and indoor-park stays—expanding its brand beyond traditional seasonal beach traffic.

  • Residential-and-community spillover: With the resort’s success, nearby businesses—restaurants, retail, hospitality and real-estate developers—can leverage increased visitation patterns. Local homeowners may see value uplift from improved amenities and destination visibility.

What to Watch

  • Expansion or enhancements: Given how strongly the first year performed, announcements of additional features, new attractions or expanded room inventory are likely on the horizon.

  • Local infrastructure and services: As visitation grows, impacts on transport (road access, parking), staffing, and community services may increase. Local planning teams may start evaluating support for resort-adjacent growth.

  • Marketing momentum: The out-of-state guest majority signals that the resort’s marketing is effectively reaching beyond local and seasonal markets, which suggests a shift in how Collier County entertains and attracts families year-round.