Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Tacky? You guys are acting like this is what they are building.

Instead of this:

And I really find the "tacky" talk humorous especially when comparing it to...

There isn't one thing Tacky about Volcano Bay. We're lucky to even get anything so glorious.

 

[sonoma15]

If it's like aquatica then I'm very happy - it's probably my favorite park in Orlando, very relaxing and has nice slides.

 

[Disneyhead]

From today:

Power washing the rock work before adding more details.

They have added the big yellow bowed thing to the entrance building.

 

[Cheezbat]

While I'm not thrilled that the slide towers are all going to be covered with rock formation, I could honestly care less about the colors of the slides. I personally like the vibrant colors. I happen to think that Blizzard Beach has many tacky elements too.

What I care about most is not just the immersiveness but the amount and quality of rides. While I love Disneys water parks for their theming, I hate the lack of slides. They get too crowded. Typhoon has been around 28 years and they are just now building their 13th big slide? Really?
Took 12 years to build something again. That's crazy. At least Volcano Bay is starting out with about 18 big slides.

 

[Mad Dog]

Just received my Feb. issue of AAA Motorist in today's mail. Universal has a full page ad featuring Volcano Bay. Ad looks great...........................From the script"THREE PARKS. ENDLESS AWESOME. Vacation at the next level of awesome with three amazing theme parks- Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal's Volcano Bay water theme park"....and so on.....Well, that really sounds a whole lot better than the original name, "WonderSea"

 

[Scott W.]

Just received my Feb. issue of AAA Motorist in today's mail. Universal has a full page ad featuring Volcano Bay. Ad looks great...........................From the script"THREE PARKS. ENDLESS AWESOME. Vacation at the next level of awesome with three amazing theme parks- Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal's Volcano Bay water theme park"....and so on.....Well, that really sounds a whole lot better than the original name, "WonderSea"

You're spot on. I think as a collective of all three parks it fits better as well.

 

[JPRA513]

I'm really looking forward to seeing them fill in the landscaping to see how well they drown out the extremely nearby "real world". I have no doubts that Volcano Bay will feature one of, if not THE, best lineup of slides in the area, I really do still worry about some of the visuals people will see when waiting in line for slides. I'm not talking about from the top of the volcano either, I get that that's going to be impossible to block out outside views from, but when I go to a world class vacation destination, I really don't want to see a house, a gas station, an outlet mall, or a high school when I'm climbing the stairs to a water slide.

Sorry, I know I'm beating a dead horse (I know I'm late to the game, because I'm new to the board) and again don't get me wrong, I absolutely can't wait to visit Volcano Bay - because the addition of VB and SNW have made Universal a lock for our next Orlando vacation, instead of Disney - I just hope they can make this place as immersive as possible.

So far, so good.

 

[rcoasterdude]

Aquatica at the moment is my favorite water park at the moment. Although I usually say quality over quantity, I feel like water parks are an exception. Blizzard Beach doesn't have one special slide (by that I mean no toilet bowl, drop capsule, tornado, wave wall, etc) while Universal has some of the best god damn lookin water slides right now. Volcano Bay isnt gen close to being tacky. You have a freakin 200 foot volcano as the centerpiece for god sakes. They have water slides taller than any Disney roller coaster. I honk the colorful water slides fit the theme of Volcano Bay. Most of the slides and theming aspects are puns anywho. Tapu-Tapu, Ohno, Waturi Beach, Runammuka Reef, Ohya? It's supposed to be a fun spirit. And not only that, but the amount of shading it will have compared to Disney's concrete slabs, its already better. And you also don't have to CLIMB FREAKING HILLS TO GET TO EVERY RIDE. Besides the volcano but that's gonna offer amazing views so who cares bout that. Anywho end rant

 

[Frank Drackman]

I hope I'll be able to enjoy this park at night. I'm thinking being able to stay on-site, morning in the park, big lunch, nap, night at the water park.

I thinking lighting could change the look of the park, what of the slides you will be able to see...maybe no lunch, nap, early dinner, night at a water park...all without leaving property..

 

[adjjb]

Tacky? You guys are acting like this is what they are building.

Instead of this:

The top picture (other than the volcano which people have pointed out) is what they're building. This is what you see from the Sand Lake exit.

 

[Disneyhead]

The top picture (other than the volcano which people have pointed out) is what they're building. This is what you see from the Sand Lake exit.

Really? I'm not seeing any neon striped toilet bowls or checker board giant tornadoes. All plopped down in a concrete parking lot.

But maybe that's just me.

 

[xxbrothawizxx]

Definitely would have been nice if they'd spent more time theming the outer slides, but I'm still fairly happy with what we're getting.

At $99 a day though, I really shouldn't have any complaints. Hopefully Universal actually gets somewhere close to the incredibly dense vegetation seen in the renders. It would go a long way.

 

[quinnmac000]

Volcano bay isn't even done and people are already complaining about theming? Secondly, while you are complaining about immersion, all those slides open areas face the inside of the park meaning 96% likely as you go down the slides, you won't even see I-4 except on the stairs up which based on Tapu Tapu means like for 2 minutes tops.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Volcano bay isn't even done and people are already complaining about theming? Secondly, well you are complaining about immersion, all those slides open areas face the inside of the park meaning 96% likely as you go down the slides, you won't even see I-4 except on the stairs up which based on Tapu Tapu means like for 2 minutes tops.

Great points. Foliage is easy. Volcano Bay is no where ear done and scenery theming is getting people rowed up. It's baffling. Reminds me of Transformers before it was totally painted out.

 

[Dan B]

So another week off and some huge updates to come back to which was great to see, just remember one thing with slides too, if landscape was built up around them like they are built into the landscape there would appear to be less height which would also reduce the fun factor. I don't generally like heights but I like the adrenaline, I wouldn't get any adrenaline if everything appeared to be built in the ground. I know we are all different its just another perspective to look at it from so not always a bad thing if the supports are showing. Some theming of the supports would be nice though.

Also for a couple of questions I noticed no one answered:

I'm pretty sure the platforms at 17:00 minutes are diving boards. /s

I don't think so. My guess is they are the bases for a walkway that would connect the two. OR additional frames for extra rock work to help theme up the back of the volcano. I recall a balcony being in the concept art so it could be either as far as I know. Someone I'm sure can clarify.

Those platforms in the volcano are for the stairs, you can even see the stair stringers (outside supports for the steps) leading up to the platforms in the video. Also concept video shows platforms with stair leading too them. I would post screen grabs but I did this a while back and haven't got the time to dig them up right now.

Oh and some Bioreconstruct updates:





and finally a Wildgravity Travels video update and a tweet with more photos in the web link:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

About those bare support slides: Universal has more slides than Blizzard Beach, which would make it difficult to add all those slides into the Volcano. And second, Water parks don't make as much capital as a normal theme park would, so investing too much money on theming would be a silly move.

 

[SeventyOne]

Not sure why anyone's ragging on Aquatica. I feel much more relaxed and immersed there than somewhere like Blizzard Beach. Aquatica feels more spread out, lush, and relaxing to me. With the exception of while you're at the very top of some of the stairs for slides, I never even notice the outside world there.

For the record I like Aquatica a lot, not ragging on it (that and Shark Bar the only reason I bought a SW AP). But the theme isn't really integrated like at the Disney parks. Slides aren't incorporated into a mountain--they look like candy-colored plastic slides, complete with supports holding them up. While I agree it's relaxing, they do little to hide the fact it's a water park, not some vaguely nondescript equatorial utopia.

 

[Disneyhead]

I just drove by. More scaffolding is down on the I-4 side of the volcano. And they are doing water dummy tests on the Blue and Green slides near the new Cabana Bay Tower.

 

[Mad Dog]

I just drove by. More scaffolding is down on the I-4 side of the volcano. And they are doing water dummy tests on the Blue and Green slides near the new Cabana Bay Tower.

Sounds like they are really booking to get this open. Everything seems to be accelerating.

 

[Nick]

There isn't one thing Tacky about Volcano Bay. We're lucky to even get anything so glorious.

While I'm not thrilled that the slide towers are all going to be covered with rock formation, I could honestly care less about the colors of the slides. I personally like the vibrant colors. I happen to think that Blizzard Beach has many tacky elements too.

What I care about most is not just the immersiveness but the amount and quality of rides. While I love Disneys water parks for their theming, I hate the lack of slides. They get too crowded. Typhoon has been around 28 years and they are just now building their 13th big slide? Really?
Took 12 years to build something again. That's crazy. At least Volcano Bay is starting out with about 18 big slides.

Aquatica at the moment is my favorite water park at the moment. Although I usually say quality over quantity, I feel like water parks are an exception. Blizzard Beach doesn't have one special slide (by that I mean no toilet bowl, drop capsule, tornado, wave wall, etc) while Universal has some of the best god damn lookin water slides right now. Volcano Bay isnt gen close to being tacky. You have a freakin 200 foot volcano as the centerpiece for god sakes. They have water slides taller than any Disney roller coaster. I honk the colorful water slides fit the theme of Volcano Bay. Most of the slides and theming aspects are puns anywho. Tapu-Tapu, Ohno, Waturi Beach, Runammuka Reef, Ohya? It's supposed to be a fun spirit. And not only that, but the amount of shading it will have compared to Disney's concrete slabs, its already better. And you also don't have to CLIMB FREAKING HILLS TO GET TO EVERY RIDE. Besides the volcano but that's gonna offer amazing views so who cares bout that. Anywho end rant

Really? I'm not seeing any neon striped toilet bowls or checker board giant tornadoes. All plopped down in a concrete parking lot.

But maybe that's just me.

Volcano bay isn't even done and people are already complaining about theming? Secondly, while you are complaining about immersion, all those slides open areas face the inside of the park meaning 96% likely as you go down the slides, you won't even see I-4 except on the stairs up which based on Tapu Tapu means like for 2 minutes tops.

Is everyone done? Got it out of your system? Good.

I never said that I don't like Aquatica, go read back my post that started this stupid conversation. I simply said called the slide colors "tacky" as I don't prefer the colors, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the park. Hell, Adventure Island is one of my favorite water parks due to the calmness of it and it's surrounded by pedestrian roads.

I am 100% sure I will love VB, but that doesn't mean I will love everything ABOUT it. There's no park i've ever been to that I love everything about.