If you grew up in the Midwest, you probably have a mental postcard of it. The sun is setting over Lake Delton. The smell of outboard motor exhaust and popcorn hangs in the humid air. Suddenly, five women on each other's shoulders—a human pyramid on skis—glide past a 5,000-seat amphitheater while a deep, radio-style voice booms over the speakers.
That was the Wisconsin Dells Tommy Bartlett Ski, Sky, and Stage Show.
For 68 years, it wasn't just an attraction. It was the heartbeat of the Dells. If you didn't see the jumping boats or the Polynesian dancers, did you even go on vacation?
But things look a lot different in 2026. The boats are quiet. The amphitheater is gone. In May 2025, a massive deal changed the skyline of the Parkway forever when the Diehl family officially sold the 37-acre property and the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment.
It was the end of an era. Honestly, it was a gut punch for those of us who remember the "Tahitian" drum beats and the sight of a boat literally jumping over a ramp while a guy in a clown suit did a backflip.
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What Actually Happened to the Show?
People still ask if it’s coming back. Short answer: No.
The Wisconsin Dells Tommy Bartlett water show didn't fail because people stopped liking it. It was a victim of timing. When the pandemic hit in 2020, the show lost its entire three-month revenue window. For a business that makes 90% of its money between Memorial Day and Labor Day, missing one summer is bad. Missing two is fatal.
Tom Diehl, the longtime visionary who ran the show for over 50 years, had to make the hardest call of his life in September 2020. He shuttered the show permanently.
Think about the numbers.
- 115 seasonal employees lost their jobs.
- 20 million people had seen the show since 1952.
- 18,700 performances were logged over nearly seven decades.
The show had survived the 2008 Lake Delton breach—where the lake literally drained away into the Wisconsin River—by pivoting to a stage-only show. It was resilient. But the financial risk of 2021 was just too high. Tom passed away in 2024, and his daughter Jill Diehl took the reins to find a buyer who would respect the land’s history.
The Ripley’s Takeover: What’s Next for the Site?
By early 2026, the transition is in full swing. Ripley's didn't just buy the land; they bought the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, that quirky interactive science center we all retreated to when it rained.
The good news? The Exploratory is staying open.
It’s a weirdly nostalgic place. It still has the Russian Mir Space Station core module and the "Van de Graaff" generator that makes your hair stand up. Ripley's has hinted at major upgrades, but for now, it remains the last physical link to the Bartlett legacy.
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Why the Parkway is Changing
The 827 feet of lake frontage is prime real estate. Rumors have swirled about everything from a massive aquarium to a new themed resort. While Ripley’s has been tight-lipped about the "big" project, the 1,500 feet of shoreline where the skiers used to dock is being reimagined for modern crowds who want more than just sit-and-watch entertainment.
Why We Still Talk About Tommy Bartlett
Tommy Bartlett himself was a radio guy from Milwaukee. He was a master of "The Spectacle." He didn't even know how to water ski—he only tried it once, on his 70th birthday.
But he knew how to sell an image. He took his skiers to the USO, to World's Fairs, and even to Tokyo. He made Wisconsin Dells a household name by branding it as the "Water Ski Capital of the World."
Without Bartlett, the Dells might have stayed a quiet town known for rock formations and boat tours. He brought the "Vegas on the Lake" energy that paved the way for the massive waterpark resorts like Noah's Ark or Mt. Olympus.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Dells Trip
If you’re heading to the Dells in 2026 and want to capture that old-school vibe, here’s how to do it:
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- Visit the Exploratory Now: While it’s open under Ripley's, nobody knows how long the "retro" exhibits will last before they get a high-tech makeover. Go see the space module while it still feels like 1982.
- Check Out the Ski Museums: The Wisconsin Water Ski Hall of Fame often features Bartlett memorabilia. It's the best place to see the vintage wooden skis and sequined costumes.
- Support the Lake Delton Waterfront: Even without the show, Lake Delton is the soul of the area. Rent a pontoon or grab a meal at a lakeside restaurant to see the frontage where the "Dancing Waters" used to spray.
- Look for the "Bartlett Alumni": Many former skiers still live in the area and run local businesses. The culture of precision and showmanship hasn't left the Dells; it's just shifted into new ventures.
The era of the "Ski, Sky, and Stage" show is over, but the Wisconsin Dells Tommy Bartlett name is literally etched into the sidewalk. It's a reminder that even in a town of 10-story waterslides, a guy with a microphone and some talented kids on skis started it all.
Future Planning for Visitors
Keep an eye on the Ripley’s announcements throughout 2026. The redevelopment of the old amphitheater site is expected to be one of the largest tourism projects in the Midwest. If you're a fan of the legacy, visiting the site now allows you to see the "before" of what will likely be a very different, very modern attraction by 2027.