Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[Alicia]

Have we seen the Tapu Tapu yet? Cause pictures have shown up on Universal's official site: Universal's Volcano Bay™ Water Theme Park | Universal Orlando Resort™

And a cute instructions on how to use is:

 

[UNIrd]

So it's pretty much what I paid extra for at Dollywood's Splash Country, TimeSaver H2O. It worked great but interested to see how it would go when everyone in the park has it.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I was at work with some co workers and Volcano Bay came up in conversation. They kept referring to the Volcano itself. How from I-4 it's inviting and sort of puts excitement of a looming adventure in your head as you drive past. They all said they wanted to go simply because of the theme. I think it's a great thing when your pedestrian park goer is willing to dish money and time at your park that isn't even opened yet.

Also, the new foliage on the southeastern/southern side of Volcano Bay looks wonderful from I-4.

Why do all of the waterslides at Volcano Bay have weird, unpronounceable names? Ko'okiri? Kala & Tai Nui? Kopiko Wai? Nobody is going to remember these names. The Tapu Tapu reservation system will only work well if everyone knows the names of the slides. Sure, there will probably be pictures in the reservation machine, but just walking around the park people will refer to slides based on their color. The general public will resort to saying things like "let's go on the big blue one."
At wet n wild, everyone knew most of the slide names. The park was filled with legends like Disco H20, Brainwash, and the Black Hole. These were unique, easily identifiable, and memorable rides. I'm afraid Universal tried to be too cute with Volcano Bay. In trying to iron out everything wrong with the modern waterpark, they lost the quirkiness that made the park's predecessor so lovable.

Interesting enough I don't remember any of the names of anything at Aquatica , Typhoon Lagoon, or Blizzard Beach. But I had the most fun with the people I was with messing names up and just creating a good time. We never forgot the slides we enjoyed. I feel Volcano Bay will do the same, if not even more.

 

[UNIrd]

Interesting enough I don't remember any of the names of anything at Aquatica , Typhoon Lagoon, or Blizzard Beach. But I had the most fun with the people I was with messing names up and just creating a good time. We never forgot the slides we enjoyed. I feel Volcano Bay will do the same, if not even more.

I know Summit Plummet.. that's about it. And I know the Crush 'N Grusher slides have some fruit-related names.

 

[Chase3]

Man oh man I have had so many ideas for a highly themed waterpark for years...I really think I need to get on Universal's creative team and show 'em how to REALLY blow away ALL the competition!

I think the same thing sometimes! The new slides at Volcano Bay look just as intense and fun as the ones at WetnWild, which is good, but they are horribly generic. In order to have all the slides fit into the overarching theme, they had to deprive them of any personality.

My favorite theme park commentator, Roller Coaster Philosopher, wrote a fantastic piece about Wet'n'Wild. It's a longish read, but it's worth it.
Wet ‘n Wild - Roller Coaster Philosophy

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I know Summit Plummet.. that's about it. And I know the Crush 'N Grusher slides have some fruit-related names.

To be fair I've only been to Typhoon once and Blizzard once. My absolute favorite part of Typhoon is the Wave Pool, Followed by the River. Just wasn't thrilled with the slides there.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Most people when at a water park don't bother with the name. People just refer to slide color and/or height. "Let's go on the tall one" or "circle red one".
And remember, people are not carrying paper maps in park, so names are just a bonus really to the "theme".

 

[twebber55]

I was at work with some co workers and Volcano Bay came up in conversation. They kept referring to the Volcano itself. How from I-4 it's inviting and sort of puts excitement of a looming adventure in your head as you drive past. They all said they wanted to go simply because of the theme. I think it's a great thing when your pedestrian park goer is willing to dish money and time at your park that isn't even opened yet.

Also, the new foliage on the southeastern/southern side of Volcano Bay looks wonderful from I-4.



Interesting enough I don't remember any of the names of anything at Aquatica , Typhoon Lagoon, or Blizzard Beach. But I had the most fun with the people I was with messing names up and just creating a good time. We never forgot the slides we enjoyed. I feel Volcano Bay will do the same, if not even more.

great point. the volcano is such eye candy it cant help but pull people to the parks

 

[anihilnation]

Funny enough, when I go to Aquatica I always use the slide's name lol

 

[Disneyhead]

I will only use the slides official names:

"The big green and blue ones by the hotel"
"The green and blue ones in the back"
"The Orange and Green ones by I-4"
"The Lazy River"
"The Crazy River"
"The Drop Slides"

 

[adjjb]

Look for totems throughout the park and tap your TapuTapu wherever you see this symbol.

Does this mean we can be in multiple lines at once? What happens when I start tapping my TapuTapu at every totem I pass like these instructions suggest?

 

[Chase3]

Look for totems throughout the park and tap your TapuTapu wherever you see this symbol.

Does this mean we can be in multiple lines at once? What happens when I start tapping my TapuTapu at every totem I pass like these instructions suggest?

There are too many unanswered questions about this technology.

How exactly will TapuTapu notify you that you can get in line? Will it just vibrate, or will there be something on the screen? How long will the system hold your place in line after you get the notification? Will there also be a traditional standby line?

While I really hope Universal pulls this off, I'm still bearish.

 

[KFCbowlcombo]

I think alot of it is really straight forward and some of us may be looking too hard into. Totems sound like interactive locations and not ride reservation spots. Something tells me the ride reservation areas will be clearly marked. And swiping more than one/two rides will create a vibration or audible rejection tone with accompanying message. The units clearly display text so instructions will be on screen without a doubt. Yes there are some unanswered questions. I think the most important is the time frame for which you need to return to a given a ride. But I'm sure these will all be answered very soon.

 

[GadgetGuru]

How accessible will these totems be? I can't help but think of all of the Fastpass + Sorcerors of the Magic Kingdom logistics issues.

* Lines to enter the Fastpass line (so lines for the totems)
* Lines for the Sorcerors things that are supposed to be "hidden" but the crowds make them mini attractions (more lines for non-ride totems)
* An unbelievable amount of staff to explain things to people (which sadly slows everything down)

 

[Alicia]

How accessible will these totems be? I can't help but think of all of the Fastpass + Sorcerors of the Magic Kingdom logistics issues.

* Lines to enter the Fastpass line (so lines for the totems)
* Lines for the Sorcerors things that are supposed to be "hidden" but the crowds make them mini attractions (more lines for non-ride totems)
* An unbelievable amount of staff to explain things to people (which sadly slows everything down)

Some of the interactive elements are just squirting guns in the kids area. Instead of a lever or button you hold your taputapu to it. I don't think any more line will form for that than normally does.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Some of the interactive elements are just squirting guns in the kids area. Instead of a lever or button you hold your taputapu to it. I don't think any more line will form for that than normally does.

I hope that's true! Maybe it was just opening year jitters, but the interactive wand things at HP seem to have lines + staff . It didn't seem as spontaneous as I was hoping. I was thinking something similar would emerge at VB.

Or, if they've fixed it, they could bring some fixes over to HP and the wands.

 

[Alicia]

Sometimes small lines might form for the interactive wand windows at the Wizarding World, but often times nowadays I see them with no one using them so you can just walk up and do it. And the ones with lines usually go fast. The point is, those people waiting in line want to do it. Because it's fun and unique.

I love that Universal is thinking up new fun things for me to experience. Yea, they'll be growing pains as people get used to new tech, but I'm happy to see Universal attempting to do something new.

(I wrote this post before I saw you post about interactive wand stuff, lol. And I rarely ever see Staff helping guests with wands now, only on the busiest days if ever now.)

 

[epcyclopedia]

Potters "Wand Magic" positions roam and aren't assigned to particular spells from what I understand. They just happen to be at the more popular and difficult spells to help people.

So remove the difficult spells and you don't have the helpers - and maybe even reduce the lines since it'll work.

And why not get multiple rides at once like FP? You just get paged to return at various times. The computer can figure the logistics out.

The issue I see is groups. What if you get paged to return but your other half is waiting longer because of a gap in the time it took you to tap and register or a sudden jump in returns?

 

[Dan B]

Not much new to see this morning, just one post from Bioreconstruct:



Latest video update I could find **Too see testing of the large green slide skip to 5:30 in the video and slow the video down to its slowest on YouTube and watch how close that tube gets to the edges of the slide upon exit, much faster than I had expected considering it looks quite mellow**:

 

[graspthesun]

And why not get multiple rides at once like FP? You just get paged to return at various times. The computer can figure the logistics out.

That could work. Say the first slide is a 20 minute wait and the second one is a 30 minute wait. Just start stacking them. The first slide in 20 minutes and then the second slide at the 50 minute mark.