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Water park (closed) · Negril

Kool Runnings Water Park, Negril: a local's guide

By Michael RainfordBorn and raised in JamaicaPrices & hours checked Sources

Closed permanently. This attraction isn't open. The guide below explains what happened and where to go instead.

Laughing child splashing down an orange water slide
On this page
  1. My local take
  2. How to get there
  3. What to expect
  4. Local tips
  5. Before you go
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

My local take

Kool Runnings Water Park has closed for good. The park posted a notice on its own social media saying it had closed permanently, which the Jamaica Observer reported in April 2024. Since then, the Gleaner has reported that the property was sold, and the Observer has described the site as closed and being redeveloped; Dream Weekend, which used to hold its biggest party there, moved to Montego Bay partly because it lost the venue. I found no reopening plan.

For a generation of Jamaican families, Kool Runnings was the summer treat: slides with Jamaican names, a lazy river and a day by the beach road in Negril. Nothing in Negril has replaced it as a public water park. My take: if a water park is a must for your children, choose a resort that has one inside the gate. Beaches Negril on Seven Mile Beach includes its Pirates Island Waterpark, with waterslides, a lazy river and kid-friendly pools, open daily from 10 am to 6 pm for guests.

For a day out in Negril instead, the cliff jumping and sunset at Rick’s Café on the West End is the classic. For a public water park, the nearest is Margaritaville in Montego Bay, about an hour and a half away, which lists a water park in the sea off its deck with a water trampoline. If you’re willing to travel further, Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios is the island’s best-known water day for families. For everything else in the area, see my Negril guide.

How to get there

The park was on Norman Manley Boulevard, the road behind Seven Mile Beach, but the site has been sold and there is nothing to visit.

What to expect

Nothing, for now: the water park is permanently closed. I could not confirm what will be built on the site, or when.

If that changes and anything opens there, this page will be updated with the official details.

Local tips

  • Ignore old tour and ticket listings that still sell Kool Runnings, and don’t book a tour or taxi that promises a day there.

  • For a water day in Negril, the beach itself is the free option.

Before you go

  • The water park at Beaches Negril is for resort guests, not a public day attraction.

Questions people ask

Is Kool Runnings Water Park in Negril still open?

No. The park posted a notice saying it had closed permanently, reported by the Jamaica Observer in April 2024. In August 2025 the Gleaner reported the property had been sold, and the Observer described it as closed and being redeveloped.

Will Kool Runnings reopen?

I found no reopening plan. The site has been sold and is being redeveloped, according to Jamaican media, and what replaces it hasn’t been confirmed.

Is there a water park in Negril now?

Not a public one that I could confirm. Beaches Negril on Seven Mile Beach has its Pirates Island Waterpark, with slides, a lazy river and kids’ pools, but it is for resort guests. The nearest public option is Margaritaville in Montego Bay, which lists a water park in the sea with a water trampoline.

What can families do in Negril instead?

Seven Mile Beach is the obvious free day out. Older children and adults can watch or try the cliff jumps at Rick’s Café on the West End, which has jumping levels from 10 to 35 feet and is open daily from noon.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — Rewritten as a status page: the water park has closed permanently and the site was sold. Old visit details, slide list and prices removed.
  • — Removed repeated advice

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.

Where to stay nearby

Where to stay in Negril