Volcano Bay: General Discussion

[Frank Drackman]

I stepped on one of those...very painful...You know with Universal's extremely strict safety protocol you'd think something like this would have raised a red flag or two..

Yep, I get where you are coming from. I've seen some things I care not to post in public, but things like that are caused by people who might not be in the correct job.

You'd like to think someone would notice, but, all in all, I think upper management preaches the right message, but I imagine some do not know how to execute.

 

[Andysol]

I'm thinking once that huge 4,000 hotel expansion opens up near Wet N Wild, they will have to remove early entry for hotel guests at Volcano Bay because to have the park to be at capacity within an hour after opening is already an issue. Now add 4,000 rooms to the already 5,000+, and Aventura...it would be a resort only water park.

So? If it ends up being a resort only water park, it ends up being a resort only water park. Disney, with all of its rooms can't even sustain a resort only water park- so if universal could, all the better for them and all the better reason to stay on-site.
I'm sure two things will happen- crowds will slow a little and capacity will increase with the future expansion.
The new hotel rooms will offset some of that- but a 4th park will offset it even more.

The bottom line is, with 3 parks- UOR hasn't even gotten close to what all they could do with extra hours.
1- expand hours to VB/IoA/USF beyond just Christmas week and middle of summer instead of just VB/IoA or VB/USF.
2- expand to an extra evening hour in addition to the morning hour
3- expand the number of attractions. Open more of- or even the entire park instead of just HP.

Tons of flexibility.

If it ends up that Universal needs 2 water parks- they aren't land locked anymore and can easily put another park at site b.

Again- flexibility. Space. Land. A plethora of resort guests. All luxuries that are new to Universal.

They just might end all of those partnership deals with non Universal parks. They won't really need them after the hotel expansions.

For sure.
As it stands now- partner hotels get early entry- but only if they book a vacation package through universal. There are several hotels involved- so I'm sure it's a decent amount that come in via that option. Although I'd have a hard time believing they book 4600 (wdw rooms+ aventura) of those packages each trip.

 

[1up]

Oh boy blackout dates are over tomorrow!

 

[Disneyhead]

I think Universal under estimated the appeal of having a water park adjacent to so many rooms. They knew it would be a great selling feature, but totally unprepared for how popular.

It's like, neither Disney or Universal, has read the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. The most popular thing in all of Disney World for kids is the hotel pool. Well, Universal built a jaw dropping hotel pool. I think they may want to rethink the pools at the new WnW resorts. Each one should have a lazy river and a multi slide tower.

And I do expect for Universal to drop the partner hotels. Maybe after the WnW resorts open. Maybe after the south campus.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think Universal under estimated the appeal of having water park adjacent to so many rooms. They knew it would be a great selling feature, but totally unprepared for how popular.

It's like, neither Disney or Universal, has read the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. The most popular thing in all of Disney World for kids is the hotel pool. Well, Universal built a jaw dropping hotel pool. I think they may want to rethink the pools at the new WnW resorts. Each one should have a lazy river and a multi slide tower.

And I do expect Universal drop the partner hotels. Maybe after the WnW resorts open. Maybe after the south campus.

This!!!

Convenience is the key. Location, location, location....Something even Disney doesn't have.

 

[LieutLaww]

It could almost be CBBR's Pool area it is so close

 

[Andysol]

I think Universal under estimated the appeal of having a water park adjacent to so many rooms. They knew it would be a great selling feature, but totally unprepared for how popular.

It's like, neither Disney or Universal, has read the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. The most popular thing in all of Disney World for kids is the hotel pool. Well, Universal built a jaw dropping hotel pool. I think they may want to rethink the pools at the new WnW resorts. Each one should have a lazy river and a multi slide tower.

And I do expect for Universal to drop the partner hotels. Maybe after the WnW resorts open. Maybe after the south campus.

I'm sure they knew- Heck, I knew. I could dig up old posts of me saying this will be the most attended water park in the US simply because of convenience factor being right there in the tiny (related to WDW) resort complex.
But what could they do about it? How could they be better prepared? Well- outside of having the park actually completed in May .
It's an "it is what it is" situation.

As for the WnW resorts having slide towers- That's also what I also said when it was first announced. I was hoping they'd reuse a couple of WnW's slides, but that's highly unlikely- unless the plans they submitted will change significantly. If Cabana Bay and Adventura are values at $100-200/nt- why would I even consider staying at the much less convenient WnW at the same price unless there was something incredibly appealing there- like, say, a mini water park included with my stay?

It'll be interesting.

 

[rhino4evr]

I'm not seeing the correlation between Tapu Tapu and cutting back the menu...

People not waiting in line for slides, means more people waiting in lines for food instead = longer lines, and higher demand for quick turn around items, that a monkey could prepare. I would say almost all of the unique items have been replaced with "generic cheeseburger" or "generic nachos".

If they are indeed temporary that's good, and I understand some items selling better than others, but it's not like they took off 1 or 2 items here. They basically decimated the entire menu.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

Can anyone confirm express passes have been reinstated at volcano bay!!?? I'm so excited if this is true. I'm Staying on site in September!

 

[Alicia]

Can anyone confirm express passes have been reinstated at volcano bay!!?? I'm so excited if this is true. I'm Staying on site in September!

No. Still not for sale yet. Only people that purchased them already can use them. Sorry.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

No. Still not for sale yet. Only people that purchased them already can use them. Sorry.

Darn! They have VB listed on the UOR website under express now, I was hoping they changed it, thanks though

 

[Ejones81]

It could almost be CBBR's Pool area it is so close

It will be for us when we are there in 17 days.

 

[Magic-Man]

By a multi-slide tower, how much are we talking?

 

[UNIrd]

I'll be there in 2 weeks to celebrate my bday with a big group. My friends made the mistake of checking out TripAdvisor and seeing the God awful reviews that keep pouring in daily and are SO nervous. We even talked about changing it to another park but.. I really think we'll have a great time if they stick with me.

 

[Yabbadabba Doh]

Any changes or updates recently, other than the painting of the steelwork on the staircases and stripping down the menus? I was hoping/thinking they would be pushing to get the nighttime volcano work done to extend people's stays, or have they given up on this for now and are concentrating on the cabanas and other basic infrastructure items?

 

[Brian G.]

People not waiting in line for slides, means more people waiting in lines for food instead = longer lines, and higher demand for quick turn around items, that a monkey could prepare. I would say almost all of the unique items have been replaced with "generic cheeseburger" or "generic nachos".

If they are indeed temporary that's good, and I understand some items selling better than others, but it's not like they took off 1 or 2 items here. They basically decimated the entire menu.

Lunch time is lunch time though. TapuTapu has its issues, but I don't think the menu changes are any indication of its shortcomings. Not enough people ordering the food combined with that when guests DO order it, it takes a while, is not an indictment on TapuTapu.

Any changes or updates recently, other than the painting of the steelwork on the staircases and stripping down the menus? I was hoping/thinking they would be pushing to get the nighttime volcano work done to extend people's stays, or have they given up on this for now and are concentrating on the cabanas and other basic infrastructure items?

From about 2 week ago.

Photo Update: July 18, 2017 – Universal Orlando Resort | Inside Universal

 

[MiddKid]

Is the wording on the site new about pre-booking Cabanas through Aug 4? Found that interesting that there was an exact date. Last I checked there was no date. I wonder if they are going to do it on a week by week basis skipping the weekends. Book now through Friday. Next week it will say to book through 8/11. I booked my cabana months ago so doesn't impact our trip in two weeks, but I thought it was interesting to see that.

 

[mcusi]

Please no!! DCP seems like a nightmare from all the stories I here.

I believe that those stories definitely exist, but for the most part, alum and people that I did the program with loved it.

 

[WelcomeHome]

Lunch time is lunch time though. TapuTapu has its issues, but I don't think the menu changes are any indication of its shortcomings. Not enough people ordering the food combined with that when guests DO order it, it takes a while, is not an indictment on TapuTapu.



From about 2 week ago.

Photo Update: July 18, 2017 – Universal Orlando Resort | Inside Universal

We ordered the tacos when we went in June. Longest wait for tacos in my life. They were preparing each order individually (a few people manning the meats on the grill, someone in charge of setting up and filling the tortillas, someone in charge of topping with pico, etc.) rather than having them ready to go to fill the lunch order. I actually waited about 10 minutes at the register because the cashier wanted to let the team catch up. It doesn't help that most people ordering had really specific requests (e.g. one chicken taco with no onions, one steak taco with just lettuce, etc.)

Regardless, I didn't really mind waiting, and now I'm bummed the chicken pizza is gone without being able to try it!

 

[rhino4evr]

We ordered the tacos when we went in June. Longest wait for tacos in my life. They were preparing each order individually (a few people manning the meats on the grill, someone in charge of setting up and filling the tortillas, someone in charge of topping with pico, etc.) rather than having them ready to go to fill the lunch order. I actually waited about 10 minutes at the register because the cashier wanted to let the team catch up. It doesn't help that most people ordering had really specific requests (e.g. one chicken taco with no onions, one steak taco with just lettuce, etc.)

Regardless, I didn't really mind waiting, and now I'm bummed the chicken pizza is gone without being able to try it!

why not try "insert generic food item" instead?