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Waterpark Simulator Save File Location & Backup Guide

Waterpark Simulator save file location on PC (AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator), how to back up .es3 saves, restore .bac1, and transfer to a new PC.

Last Updated: August 14, 2026

Waterpark Simulator Save File Location & Backup Guide (2026)

Waterpark Simulator saves live in a Unity .es3 format under AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots — a location CayPlay's own support staff confirmed in the Steam discussions. Because the game auto-saves constantly and patches occasionally reset expectations, knowing how to back up, restore, and transfer those files is the difference between a ruined five-star park and a saved one. Here's the exact path, what each file does, and the backup routine that protects your progress.

Waterpark Simulator — the save file holds everything: park layout, staff, research, and money.
Waterpark Simulator — the save file holds everything: park layout, staff, research, and money.

Here's what you'll learn:

  • The exact PC save path (confirmed by CayPlay support)
  • What .es3 and .bac1 files are and what they do
  • How to back up saves safely (and why closing the game first matters)
  • How to restore a corrupted save or a .bac1 backup
  • How to transfer saves between PCs and from the demo to the full game
  • Whether Steam Cloud protects you automatically

Where Waterpark Simulator Saves Are Stored

The official save location, confirmed by CayPlay's support account in the Steam discussions and echoed in the game's pinned help thread:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots

The quickest way to get there: press Win + R, paste this, and hit Enter:

%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots

Per CayPlay's pinned help thread: "The save folder is located at C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots."

Notes:

  • AppData is hidden by default — if you browse manually, enable "Show hidden files" in File Explorer, or just use the %userprofile% command above.
  • slots is the folder that matters — it holds one file per save slot.
  • This is the Windows/Steam location. On console (PS5/Xbox) saves are managed by the platform's own storage.

Save Files: .es3 and .bac1 Explained

The game is built on Unity's Easy Save 3 system, which is where the file extensions come from:

  • park.es3 — a park save. The name matches your park/slot name.
  • park.es3.bac1 — an automatic backup of that save. When the game overwrites a save, it keeps the previous version as .bac1 (and sometimes .bac2).

This automatic backup is your best friend after a patch: if a new version loads your park wrong, the .bac1 is the pre-patch state.

The "empty park" trap

If your park loads empty after an update, do not save over it — that overwrites the good data. Exit, copy the whole slots folder somewhere safe, then run Steam's "Verify integrity of game files." Full steps are in our troubleshooting guide.

How to Back Up Your Saves

Backing up is a copy-paste job, but the order matters:

  1. Close the game completely — copying while the game is running risks corrupted or partial backups (and the game may overwrite your copy on exit).
  2. Navigate to %userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator.
  3. Copy the entire WaterparkSimulator folder (not just slots) to a safe place: another drive, a USB stick, or a cloud folder. The extra files in the parent folder (settings, config) keep the restore complete.
  4. Optional: rename the backup with a date, e.g. WaterparkSimulator-backup-2026-08-14, so you can tell versions apart.

A good habit: back up before every major update (the 1.0.x hotfix train has been fast — see updates) and before experimenting with mods or save editors.

Steam Cloud is on, but it's not a backup

The Steam store page lists Steam Cloud support, and the game does sync saves to your account — that's how a pirated-to-purchased save transfer "just worked" for one player (the file stayed in LocalLow and Cloud picked it up). But Cloud syncs both directions: a corrupted local save can sync up and overwrite your cloud copy. A manual copy is the only true backup.

How to Restore a Save (Including .bac1 Recovery)

Restore a backup you made: close the game, copy your backed-up files back into ...\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots, overwriting the current ones, then relaunch.

Recover from the game's own .bac1 backup: if your main save is corrupted or missing, the game's pinned help thread gives the official method:

  1. Go to %userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots.
  2. Find the .bac1 file (e.g., park.es3.bac1).
  3. Copy it somewhere safe first (the thread insists on this).
  4. Rename it to park.es3 (remove the .bac1 extension). Windows will ask about changing the extension — confirm.
  5. Relaunch the game; it should recognize the save.
Saves are one-way from the demo

The free demo (app 3730180) writes to the same folder structure. Demo saves do carry into the full game, but after the full version opens them they cannot return to the demo, and old demo saves are incompatible with the demo's July 31 update. Copy a demo save before crossing into the full game if you want a fallback.

Transfer Saves to Another PC

Steam Cloud normally handles this automatically — launch the game on the new PC and the saves sync. If Cloud sync is off or glitches, manual transfer is the same copy-paste as backup, in reverse:

  1. On the old PC: close the game, copy %userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator to a USB/drive/cloud.
  2. On the new PC: launch the game once so the folder structure is created, close it, then paste your copy over the existing folder.
  3. Relaunch — your parks should appear. If Steam Cloud then asks which version to keep, pick the local one you just restored (and if Cloud fights you, disable Cloud sync temporarily, verify the local save loads, then re-enable).

Save Editors & Modded Saves

There's no official save editor, but the community ecosystem exists: third-party save swap sites host "start with lots of money" saves, and save editing tools target the .es3 format. Two things to know:

  • Check the game version. A save built for an old Early Access build (pre-1.0) can fail to load or corrupt on 1.0. Only use saves posted for the current version.
  • Back up your own save first. Replacing your save with a downloaded one is permanent unless you keep a copy of your original slots folder.
  • A safer alternative to downloaded saves: the in-game sandbox difficulty and research systems already let you shortcut progression legitimately (see our tips & tricks and staff guide).
Never overwrite a save you care about without a copy

The game's own recovery options (.bac1) only keep one previous state. If you're about to test a save editor, a mod, or a downloaded save, copy slots first. There is no in-game trash can for progress.

FAQ

Where are Waterpark Simulator saves stored on PC? C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots — reach it via Win+R and %userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\CayPlay\WaterparkSimulator\slots. Confirmed by CayPlay support staff.

How do I back up my Waterpark Simulator save? Close the game, then copy the entire WaterparkSimulator folder (containing slots) to another drive or cloud location. Label it with a date; re-copy before major updates.

How do I restore a Waterpark Simulator save file? Close the game, paste your backed-up files back into the slots folder, and relaunch. For the game's own backups, rename park.es3.bac1 → park.es3 (after copying it to a safe place).

Can I transfer Waterpark Simulator saves to another PC? Yes — Steam Cloud syncs automatically, or copy the WaterparkSimulator folder manually (launch once on the new PC first so the folder exists). Demo saves transfer to the full game one-way.

Does Waterpark Simulator use Steam Cloud saves? Yes, the store page lists Steam Cloud support. It syncs both directions, so keep a manual backup for true safety — Cloud alone can propagate a corrupted save.

Last updated: August 14, 2026.

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