Volcano Bay: General Discussion

[UNIrd]

What was the price to enter before for non Florida residents?

$67 for Adults/$62 for Children.

 

[Mad Dog]

What was the price to enter before for non Florida residents?

different prices for different days....anywhere from $67 to $80

 

[Scott W.]

Couple things to mention:

• Universal apparently has been very happy with attendance and revenue, even with all the hiccups from opening.
• Things are happening with the expansion.

This obviously seems like a move to control crowding. I'm not going to argue with anyone whether they feel the price is justified because everyone's view of value is going to be different. At this point, it also serves no purpose to complain about tickets at Universal or Disney. It's going to keep going up if people still pay. I know the old "if you don't like it, don't go" excuse is a cop-out, but it's ultimately the only thing that will cause the prices to reduce, or at least stop increasing.

Universals reaction to the opening year is telling. I think they’re getting the confidence and confirmation that the resort is ready to take the next step and go full speed on site B.

 

[Mad Dog]

Universals reaction to the opening year is telling. I think they’re getting the confidence and confirmation that the resort is ready to take the next step and go full speed on site B.

Comcast/Universal has a good plan. Even when they make missteps, it ends up turning out OK. I think it's full steam ahead for them.

 

[Disneyhead]

After the park opened, the expansion that was ready to go was sent back to Creative to be augmented. The first expansion has now moved into pre-production and should start ground prep fairly soon.

 

[Brian G.]

Of course they’re happy with attendance and revenue- how could they not be? The dang thing hit capacity every day by 9am. What more could they want? Hah

Well...

Universals reaction to the opening year is telling. I think they’re getting the confidence and confirmation that the resort is ready to take the next step and go full speed on site B.

Comcast/Universal has a good plan. Even when they make missteps, it ends up turning out OK. I think it's full steam ahead for them.

Yup. Which goes back to the larger point I was trying to make. The board can complain all they want. Yelp can have 2 to 2.5 stars and the theme park community eat up the bad press and mock it, but the people still went and Universal came out ahead and surpassed even their expectations. Raising the price to $80 may be a number to ridicule, but they obviously have yet to really strike out.

Internally, they were aware of the missteps of the Bay and have handled it appropriately. Externally, expansions are coming, Tapu is getting refined.

 

[Andysol]

Tapu is getting refined.

What are your guesses or thoughts on how they could refine it?

I’m drawing a blank thinking of anything they can do without increasing slide capacity.

 

[Scott W.]

Well...





Yup. Which goes back to the larger point I was trying to make. The board can complain all they want. Yelp can have 2 to 2.5 stars and the theme park community eat up the bad press and mock it, but the people still went and Universal came out ahead and surpassed even their expectations. Raising the price to $80 may be a number to ridicule, but they obviously have yet to really strike out.

Internally, they were aware of the missteps of the Bay and have handled it appropriately. Externally, expansions are coming, Tapu is getting refined.

I think this is a slippery slope. I think it’s yet to be determined if the success since opening is because the park is a winner or because it’s new. They can always reduce the price back at the cost of pissing off their guests but it’s only going to be a small percentage. With Aventura opening soon and the WnW hotel adding a massive boost of resort guests, it could take Universal years to determine if there is any negative effects. By the time they realise they’ve made a mistake, Disney will have matched their pricing anyway so it doesn’t really matter.

 

[Teebin]

I absolutely loved this project and outcome, so it makes me happy to see it doing so apparently well.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

different prices for different days....anywhere from $67 to $80

No, it was always $67. Now it's always $80.

 

[Mad Dog]

No, it was always $67. Now it's always $80.

Last month I checked Universal's web site for VB May pricing for my upcoming vacation a couple of times. They had three different prices on their calendar depending on the day. Most weekdays were $67, phrased "value", weekends and the days closer to Memorial day were $75 or $80. It was right there on the Universal site. That was right after they changed most closing hours from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM in second half of May ...And, I wasn't eating funny mushrooms those days.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Okay so real question is.....how do you expand Volcano Bay? What do you add? How Many more attractions?

 

[Ryan]

After the park opened, the expansion that was ready to go was sent back to Creative to be augmented. The first expansion has now moved into pre-production and should start ground prep fairly soon.

Hope they're:

A) plussing it thematically
B) adding more than just the Mammoth coaster

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Last month I checked Universal's web site for VB May pricing for my upcoming vacation a couple of times. They had three different prices on their calendar depending on the day. Most weekdays were $67, phrased "value", weekends and the days closer to Memorial day were $75 or $80. It was right there on the Universal site. That was right after they changed most closing hours from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM in second half of May ...And, I wasn't eating funny mushrooms those days.

Ok something is up then because I check pricing for Touring Plans and they had $67 listed as the anytime pricing for the tickets.

 

[Evan]

I'm more saddened that any Waterpark could justify such a price... They're approaching full theme park territory with fully fleshed out and themed attractions/rides with that price, without the fully fleshed out and themed product... I still remember when Disneyland hit $100 a day and peoples jaws were on the floor... now a waterpark is only $20 away from that figure... :ack:

 

[Mad Dog]

Ok something is up then because I check pricing for Touring Plans and they had $67 listed as the anytime pricing for the tickets.

Could be they were testing the concept on line and it didn't go over well. It certainly was confusing. Kind of like Disney's WDW one day stuff. Seems like it could be something they go back to once the slower Sept pops up.

 

[bob albert]

I'm more saddened that any Waterpark could justify such a price... They're approaching full theme park territory with fully fleshed out and themed attractions/rides with that price, without the fully fleshed out and themed product... I still remember when Disneyland hit $100 a day and peoples jaws were on the floor... now a waterpark is only $20 away from that figure... :ack:

I think in general certain parks are able to leverage free advertising on social media and the fact that going to these parks has become a status symbol. We are seeing a ridiculously large gap between local and destination parks on pricing.

 

[Brian G.]

I think this is a slippery slope. I think it’s yet to be determined if the success since opening is because the park is a winner or because it’s new. They can always reduce the price back at the cost of pissing off their guests but it’s only going to be a small percentage. With Aventura opening soon and the WnW hotel adding a massive boost of resort guests, it could take Universal years to determine if there is any negative effects. By the time they realise they’ve made a mistake, Disney will have matched their pricing anyway so it doesn’t really matter.

Regardless of whether it will or won't - they had projections for the first year, and despite all the negativity online it surpassed it by a good amount. That's a win.

What are your guesses or thoughts on how they could refine it?

I’m drawing a blank thinking of anything they can do without increasing slide capacity.

I don't know specifics. I'd guess a more interactive interface with a slimmer design. The idea of TapuTapu really isn't the problem itself. I think once Universal gets their own version of MM+, this should help cut the learning curve for the wristbands.

But yeah... Wait times will go down though when they add more to do.

I've heard a few other fixes they have planned in general, but don't know if I have the clearance to clarify yet.

 

[JoeCamel]

Okay so real question is.....how do you expand Volcano Bay? What do you add? How Many more attractions?

Ummm, all of them. They really need another 20 acres to support this but I am sure they will continue to experience capacity closures throughout the summer. It is a success despite the open back of the mountain and tapu-tapu imbroglios . Hope 2018 is sweet for the parks and VB.

 

[bob albert]

Ummm, all of them. They really need another 20 acres to support this but I am sure they will continue to experience capacity closures throughout the summer. It is a success despite the open back of the mountain and tapu-tapu imbroglios . Hope 2018 is sweet for the parks and VB.

The demand is based on a lack of product to offer. Even increased day prices are not enough to fix the issues during peak times given the on site hotel capacity coming online. They really need a 3rd main park and possibly a second waterpark to fix this.