Economy of Wisconsin Dells

Since the late 1970s the Dells area (Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton) has become a water park mecca. Noah's Ark Water park opened in Lake Delton in 1979, and has become the largest and the eighth most visited water park in the U.S. Other outdoor amusement and water parks followed, featuring water slides, mini golf, roller coasters, go-karts, and other attractions.

The Polynesian Resort Hotel opened the United States' and the Dells area's first indoor water park in 1994. Since then, the number of combination resort/indoor water parks in the Wisconsin Dells area has swelled, with each new indoor water park trying to have the latest innovations in waterslides and to be able to claim the title of America's largest park. The Big 5 Dells resorts with large indoor water parks are the Wilderness Territory, Kalahari Resort, Chula Vista Resort, Great Wolf Lodge, and Hotel Rome at Mt. Olympus. The three indoor water parks at the Wilderness Territory have more square feet of water park space than any other resort in America. Kalahari Resort's indoor water park is the Dells' largest indoor water park under one roof, and is also America's second largest indoor water park at 125,000 square feet (11,600 m) square feet. Additionally, there are other smaller hotels with water parks such as the Atlantis Resort as well as Bluegreen Odyssey Dells which is adjacent to Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park but does not offer an on-site water park. These are generally marketed to families with younger children.

In 2005, Big Chief Karts and Coasters merged with the former Family Land Water park and Treasure Island Hotel to create a large theme park on the border of Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells, with a resort called Hotel Rome, an indoor water park, outdoor water park, theme park, and the area's first indoor theme park. The park, which has roller coasters, go-karts, and