Volcano Bay: General Discussion
- Thread starter Parkscope Joe
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How were the wait times in the summer last year? With them losing their only mat racer it seems like a no brainer for their next expansion to include a high capacity mat racer that, you know, actually races.
- Feb 15, 2012
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I noticed that too, I think it might be a typo.
Reach out, they updated it. It was a typo. 10am-6pm again
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This park doesn’t seem to be picking up on tripadvisor reviews at all. I thought the 2017 opening glitches would be ironed out, but a higher than proportionate amount of people just aren’t impressed.
It’s currently ranked a whopping 107 on the list of things to do in Orlando. Typhoon 12th, Blizzard Beach 15th
It’s a gorgeous park so I can only assume this is an operations problem...still.
It’s currently ranked a whopping 107 on the list of things to do in Orlando. Typhoon 12th, Blizzard Beach 15th
It’s a gorgeous park so I can only assume this is an operations problem...still.
- Aug 17, 2009
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I'm willing to drop what might be a hot take: VBay as a whole is an incredibly gorgeous park and Wet n' Wild was a trash heap. However, I'd take the rides that were at Wet n' Wild any day of the week.
The ride selection is incredibly lackluster and keeps me from going to the park as often as I'd like. I'd take Disco H2O, Brainwash, and Black Hole over the VBay rides any day of the week. VBay's redeeming rides imo are the Fearless River and Krakatau. Especially now that Punga is no longer a mat racer, they're just missing too many essential slide types for my taste. There's no big, unique standout attraction either really, especially for a modern day park.
Not to say that's what's affecting the reviews or anything, just my personal take after sitting on the park for a few years now. It's also not to say I don't have a fun time in the park. I just find the attractions incredibly average.
While VB certainly has a list of issues, it’s by far my favourite water park.
What else is kind of astonishing is that this is Universal’s first outing. When the inevitable second water park comes in 30 years, it’s going to be something special.
What else is kind of astonishing is that this is Universal’s first outing. When the inevitable second water park comes in 30 years, it’s going to be something special.
- Mar 1, 2017
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I have a somewhat different take.
Volcano Bay does have big, unique standout attractions: three of the tallest waterslides in North America and Krakatau, which is one of the best aqua coasters anywhere. Additionally, the double wall of Honu and the drops on Ohno & Ohyah are pretty unique and good elements as well. I'd hardly call the ride collection "lackluster" compared to most waterparks in the US.
I'll admit that VB is missing some slide types, but most of the other water parks in Orlando have similar gaps in their lineups so that shouldn't be a huge factor.
I almost feel like the initial perception issues, tapu problems, and capacity struggles have made them feel like they can't actually promote the big rides and park for how great they are, and that has resulted in the park being perceived as mostly just an add on for guests who are already at universal rather than a standalone attraction.
- Aug 17, 2009
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I totally understand that perspective 1000%.
For my personal taste though, I'm not big on the main "tallest" body plunge slide. It just hurts
I miss the tall, thrilling tube slides and VB lacks them in spades. Honu is fine, but doesn't do much for me personally especially compared to something like Disco or Brainwash. I'd kill for something similar to Black Hole as well.
I also think for a company that thrives on theming, something executed along the lines of Schlitterbahn's Dragon's Revenge or Water World's Voyage to the Center of the Earth would've killed, especially with that Universal touch.
I just feel like most of my fun at VBay comes more from atmosphere (and liquor
) rather than thrills and I would love to get to the point where I get both.
I feel like Universal should take a stab at the indoor resort/water park idea
- Jul 13, 2018
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I'm telling ya, an indoor, highly themed Madagascar area/water slide would work perfectly.
I think they could kill the Gaylord Palm type model with a water park in the center
- Mar 1, 2017
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I'm not sure about the Gaylord model, but I think an indoor hotel water park could do really well as long as they don't price themselves out of the family market and the water park is for resort guests only.
Yes, I meant the Gaylord type "Florida" feel...Aka an Everglades, St. Augustine, Key West type areas with water rides in an atrium
I suppose a better example would be the Great Wolf Lodge
- Mar 1, 2017
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Ah, okay. I agree that a Florida theme for an indoor water park is a good idea, but was thinking that having rooms overlook the water park like the Gaylord atriums do would be a pretty bad idea.
Either way, the biggest challenge for Universal in doing a water park resort is making the business case such that it doesn't compete too much with the main theme parks. At Great Wolf Lodge type places, the water parks are designed to be the main attraction around which to have a few days of weekend getaway fun. At UOR, they would want the water park to be more so just an extra hotel amenity so guests still spend plenty of time in the normal theme parks buying food and merchandise.
While it would be different. The cost would be insane to accommodate the size of park needed for this market.
Visually, it would be incredible to see an open air building that size.
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- Jul 8, 2019
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Its ranking is still impacted by that flood of terrible reviews at opening. If you filter down to one star and start clicking through pages, there’s a definite skew toward opening for the bad reviews.
Businesses can petition to have TripAdvisor reassess their scores and ranking, but there has to be a viable reason and I don’t know if “we opened too early and didn’t have Tapu Tapu worked out for the first few months” is good enough. It may be, but usually that’s reserved for businesses that get sold and completely renovated, like the old version of The Castle Hotel on I-Drive versus the newer Autograph Collection version of The Castle Hotel.
- Jun 21, 2016
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I get that Volcano Bay may not have the slide variety of the best regional water parks in the country but I don't really think it was meant to compete with places like Schlitterbahn where innovative slide design is king. VB is a 3rd park offering for resort guests and thus should be compared to places like Blizzard Beach and Aquatica.
To me Volcano Bay is a perfect blend of thrilling regional water park and Disney water park. The three drop-slides are enough to terrify even the most seasoned water park junkies while the lush landscaping, signature Volcano, and laid-back atmosphere provide an elevated water park experience for the entire family.
All that said, we really need a mat-slide replacement for Punga Racers in that expansion pad ASAP.
To me Volcano Bay is a perfect blend of thrilling regional water park and Disney water park. The three drop-slides are enough to terrify even the most seasoned water park junkies while the lush landscaping, signature Volcano, and laid-back atmosphere provide an elevated water park experience for the entire family.
All that said, we really need a mat-slide replacement for Punga Racers in that expansion pad ASAP.
If I'm not mistaken I heard that CB sees at least 2 million guests per year
So really, VB serves to be an attractor for onsite guests.
I know for us, walking into VB from CB feels so seamless, almost as an extension to the hotel itself
