MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The developers behind a water park being built at the soon-to-be-open RV and cabin camping facility Camp Margaritaville Resort Orange Lake in Citra are asking Marion County to approve modifications to their planned unit development (PUD) agreement to allow for taller waterslides and the ability to sell day passes to those not actually staying on the premises.
The site, which is part of the Margaritaville-branded chain of resorts, retirement communities and other dining and hospitality destinations, is located along Orange Lake in northern Marion County, and is expected to open in early 2026. According to its website, Camp Margaritaville Resort Orange Lake will feature 430 RV sites and 60 cottages, as well as a host of amenities, including bars, live entertainment and a Barkaritaville Dog Park, as well as the water park.
The owners reportedly want to open those amenities up to the public via day passes, possibly as a way to keep the facility in the black during the tourist off-season. They also want to raise the property’s construction height limit from 40 feet to 145 feet to accommodate a four-slide tower.
The Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission heard the petition on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, and the Marion County Board of County Commissioners is set to vote on it in February.
The last water park-style attraction of note in the area was Wild Waters at Silver Springs State Park, which shuttered in the fall of 2016.