Wet 'n Wild Orlando closing in 2016

The country's "first water park" will be draining the pools, drying the slides and closing next year after nearly 40 years in business.

Wet 'n Wild Orlando will be permanently closing on December 31, 2016, park officials announced Wednesday.

The park had opened the Aqua Drag Racer™, just a year ago.

The park wrote in a Facebook post, "Thank you to our fans for all of the countless memories."

A blog posted on the company's Facebook called Wet 'n Wild Orlando "America's first water park," and "The birthplace of numerous innovations."

The post also pushes to the development of Universal's new Volcano Bay Water Park.

The park is owned by NBCUniversal.

Wet 'n Wild Orlando has been in business for 38 years, opening its doors in March 1977.

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