The Wave by EPIC Water Park Resort… coming soon!—As Fargo-Moorehad greatly anticipates the completion of North Dakota’s largest water park, let’s take a look at all of the resort’s amazing features and amenities visitors can look forward to coming in 2025.

The Wave won’t just be North Dakota’s largest water park, it will be a destination location for all surrounding areas to visit. Visitors from the surrounding states and even Canada will be eager to visit Fargo’s very own Disney World. Some of the bells and whistles of The Wave will include a 135-room hotel connected to an indoor water park with 50,000-square-feet of net-play area!

The will be many awesome features at the water park including:

5 unique slides – 2 tube slides, 2 mat slides, and 1 body slide.
A kid-friendly splash pad
13 reservable party cabanas – with soft seating, a TV, a fridge, and a ceiling fan, they’re perfect for all gatherings, from family reunions to team hangouts.
Self-use lockers
A ninja cross – an interactive play crossing with various obstacles for people of all ages.

On the hotel side, a wide variety of rooms will be offered, including King suites, double queen, and family-oriented themed rooms.

The hotel and resort will be connected to a 500-stall parking ramp. The Wave
will also feature a bundle package where wristbands are included in each visitor’s stay—this is a unique and successful model that Eric Lund has implemented into other water park projects.

One of the other main highlights of The Wave includes a family entertainment center, which Lund calls the ‘Vegas for kids.’ This area will have a wide variety of “dry play” activities. “You’ll have games for younger kids and activities for teenagers and young adults, and [there will be] something to do for everyone,” Lund said. Additionally, there will be a restaurant and tiki bar as well as a snack and shake bar inside the resort for families to enjoy.

Meet the Water Park Specialist Behind The Wave

To bring such a massive project to life in Fargo, EPIC Companies knew they needed one of the best experts in the industry to help bring their dream to fruition. Meet S&L Hospitality CEO Eric Lund, one of the key masterminds behind The Wave by EPIC Water Park Resort.

As a founding partner in the Great Wolf Resorts chain, a franchise owner of many hotels (including Marriott, IHG, Choice Hotels, and more), and having a combined 60-plus years of experience in the water park and hotel industries, few understand the business of better than Lund.

With his outstanding portfolio in the Wisconsin Dells area, EPIC knew working with Lund on The Wave project was a sure fit for success. And for those who aren’t familiar with the Wisconsin Dells, it’s often referred to as the water park central of the world.

EPIC Companies hired Hotel and Leisure Advisors (a national company) in 2021 to come to Fargo and do a market research study on the need for an indoor water park in Fargo, ND. The results were astounding with close to 7,000 people taking the survey and recommending that we build a family friendly attraction like this! So two years later, here we are making the vision come to reality with The Wave by EPIC Water Park Resort.

McKenzy Braaten, Chief Communications Officer at EPIC Companies

Check out these other water park resorts Lund and S&L Hospitality have helped develop across the nation, stretching from Iowa all the way to Pennsyvania. Water parks aren’t just for the Dells anymore; they’re for everywhere, including North Dakota.

The Kids Club

Not only will The Wave feature the water park and restaurant/bar for families to enjoy, but it will also feature a kids club, a room with arts and crafts not just for kids but the whole family to enjoy. “(For example), we may partner with the (Red River) Zoo, and they’ll come in and have someone that can speak about certain animals that are native to North Dakota,” Lund said. “We will gear things around the different times of the year. It gives kids the opportunity to show and give things back to their parents, and we know that the kids a a big influence on a water park resort.”

Lund’s vision for The Wave is to be like a land cruise, with itineraries of various activities people can enjoy during their stay at the resort.

Nearby Attractions!

When it’s time to dry off and explore some other great options in town, you won’t have to stray far from your water park mecca. Located all within a five minute drive of The Wave by EPIC is:

The Red River Zoo – Fargo’s largest zoological attraction. Come see the adorable red pandas, river otters, and so much more! What’s best is the fact that the majority of the animals at the Red River Zoo can withstand and enjoy the cold, meaning you can enjoy the attraction all year-round!
Thunder Road – In the warmer months, you can bop on over to Thunder Road where you can play mini golf, ride bumper cars, take a swing in the batting cages, and, if the kids are up for it, you can play even MORE arcade games!
Tharaldson Baseball Field – With three beautiful diamonds and a newly-renovated turf field, the complex hosts a variety of leagues throughout the summer, from youth baseball to flag football.

For Lund, it’s an exciting venture to be a part of, and he’s excited to help bring something new and different to the Fargo-Moorhead area. “It kind of gives me the chills, like when we opened up the first one in Sandusky, OH, in 2001,” Lund said. “That was the first one in the United States that opened up outside of Wisconsin Dells, and no one believed that could happen.” Now, indoor water parks are proving to be successful all over the nation, and Lund is ecstatic to be pairing with a team like EPIC Companies on such an endeavor. “I’m just excited to be able to see all the smiling faces of families,” he said. The Wave is sure to be a jam-packed fun experience for the whole family.

EPIC Charities, a nonprofit, will be buying water park passes and giving them to other local organization and underprivileged children to use for entrance into the water park.

Why Fargo?

With the ever-changing climate the Red River Valley brings, finding consistent family activities is a seasonal challenge, since so many local recreational activities are weather dependent. The Wave is a great solution because it provides an experience families can enjoy year-round, and it also brings in a steady stream of visitors from the region. Placing North Dakota’s largest indoor water park in Fargo was no mistake; it was strategically placed to maximize regional reach from neighboring areas while providing sustainable, year-long activities for families across the upper Midwest.

Another important reason why this project is great for Fargo is the unique way EPIC Companies builds communities through their mixed-use developments. With all of the interactive elements EPIC creates through their projects, such as The Lights (West Fargo), The Beacon (Grand Forks), and The Tracks (Minot), there are unique opportunities for bundle packages, concert tickets, and more with the way EPIC is creating their own ecosystem of experiences through building communities.

Additionally, with the EPIC Companies’ involvement in charities, there will be unique charitable opportunities for providing experiences at The Wave for kids and families who may not otherwise have that opportunity. And as part of the American Disabilities Act, The Wave is inclusive and equipped in ways to support people with disabilities to still be able to enjoy all The Wave has to offer in a safe manner. This project isn’t just about boosting the local economy, it’s also about connecting the community through the experiences EPIC is creating.