Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[maxairmike]

Closed in less than a year, FWIW. Granted, horrible location.

Oh wow, didn't realized it had closed. It was still up and running before I moved last year.

 

[Brian G.]

Yeah, water parks work differently from regular theme parks. The Online Theme Park Community doesn't seem to get that. Guests want a fake beach, a wave pool and some slides. I'd love an IP-heavy 10-minute water coaster whizzing past animatronics but the vast majority of guests going to "a water park" just expect a lazy river and are ok with that.

Sure, but 1 addition between the 2 water parks in 27 years is a bit toooo long. Couple that with this news about the E-Ticket slides are not even open. Seems it's just due to lack of caring.

 

[Nick]

I disagree with that. Yes, they were great line-ups, but you still need to pay a little more attention to them than every 20 some-odd years and give a new reason for people to come to the parks. It obviously doesn't need a new slide every year, but as you said something would be nice.

lol, that's why I said it'd be nice to see something every now and then, meaning not just one expansion in the history of the two parks.

 

[Brian G.]

lol, that's why I said it'd be nice to see something every now and then, meaning not just one expansion in the history of the two parks.

Right, that's why I agreed with that, but disagreed with "it had great line-up so it wasn't necessary".

 

[Nick]

Right, that's why I agreed with that, but disagreed with "it had great line-up so it wasn't necessary".

I was more meaning they could get away with it for a few years. There's no excuse that they just let them sit with nothing new for so long now.

 

[WAJAS]

I have a feeling that the refurbishment was extended simply so they didn't have to pay for the parks to be open for some more time. a.k.a. It was cheaper to keep in closed.

 

[Mike S]

Sad to hear the cuts have reached the water parks now. Can't wait to see just how much VB one ups both of them.

 

[IzzyB]

Aquatica has been the #1 choice among large segments of locals since opening. I think it will continue to be #1 for families with preteens even after VB opens. But yeah, reasonable AP prices help.

Agreed. Everyone I know with AP passes to water park has Aquatica passes. Even my one friend who's husband works at Disney has Aquatica passes instead of going to Disney. I am in my own little island when talking to people as I prefer Disney over Aquatica. But only because of the life jacket rules Aquatica has. Aquatica is a very nice park and has a lot to offer for kids and adults. A good mix of rides. Once my daughter is 48" which will be next summer then it will be much nicer for us since I won't have to worry about life jackets for her. But then again we will then have our 1 year old which I am sure will have the same issues with life jackets. I will also say I am the only one among the people I know that never put any kind of flotation device on our kids when they were little. So I am sure that is the reason my 5 year old hates life jackets.

 

[Jon84]

Yeah, water parks work differently from regular theme parks. The Online Theme Park Community doesn't seem to get that. Guests want a fake beach, a wave pool and some slides. I'd love an IP-heavy 10-minute water coaster whizzing past animatronics but the vast majority of guests going to "a water park" just expect a lazy river and are ok with that.

I guess I personally just feel it's at the bottom of my list of things to do in Orlando, so I'm not bothered that it's not even on Disneys Radar to do anything with

 

[BamaToTheBone]

To me, that's all the more reason to do more. What better way to differentiate yourself than to do more than has ever been done before? Islands of Adventure made history by making the most immersive attraction in history in Hogsmeade, and look at the benefits. Universal Studios did the same thing as a working movie studio, even though they've moved beyond that now. If someone wanted to do the same with a water park, I'm sure they would reap some serious benefots.

Yeah, water parks work differently from regular theme parks. The Online Theme Park Community doesn't seem to get that. Guests want a fake beach, a wave pool and some slides. I'd love an IP-heavy 10-minute water coaster whizzing past animatronics but the vast majority of guests going to "a water park" just expect a lazy river and are ok with that.

 

[Mad Dog]

To me, that's all the more reason to do more. What better way to differentiate yourself than to do more than has ever been done before? Islands of Adventure made history by making the most immersive attraction in history in Hogsmeade, and look at the benefits. Universal Studios did the same thing as a working movie studio, even though they've moved beyond that now. If someone wanted to do the same with a water park, I'm sure they would reap some serious benefots.

Sounds like that's kind of what Universal is trying to do with Volcano Bay, hit the next level. It will be really interesting to see how VB turns out. I'm not a huge water park fan, though I was when I was younger. But I definitely plan on spending at least two, half/days at VB on next year's Universal trip. Maybe even more if it turns out "someplace special".

 

[Thisguynamedlee]

To me, that's all the more reason to do more. What better way to differentiate yourself than to do more than has ever been done before? Islands of Adventure made history by making the most immersive attraction in history in Hogsmeade, and look at the benefits. Universal Studios did the same thing as a working movie studio, even though they've moved beyond that now. If someone wanted to do the same with a water park, I'm sure they would reap some serious benefots.

Yes nobody has ever seen a totally imersive water park and with all the money they got rolling in sky's the limit this could really take the water park game to another level and make current ones look outdated

 

[mainejeff]

Volcano Bay just might get me back into a waterpark after many years of absence on my theme park agenda.

 

[Thisguynamedlee]

Volcano Bay just might get me back into a waterpark after many years of absence on my theme park agenda.

I can only imagine how crazy it's going to be once it's opens and a company like universal is know for making a lot of amazing ride in very little space

 

[UNIrd]

Yeah, water parks work differently from regular theme parks. The Online Theme Park Community doesn't seem to get that. Guests want a fake beach, a wave pool and some slides. I'd love an IP-heavy 10-minute water coaster whizzing past animatronics but the vast majority of guests going to "a water park" just expect a lazy river and are ok with that.

Not the best line of thinking. That's the reason why I haven't been back to Typhoon Lagoon since Crush 'N Gusher opened 10 years ago. Yes, I could have chosen it for a day I just wanted to splash around but...there's quite a few places in Orlando with a lazy river. Like Aquatica, Wet 'N Wild, or even Cabana Bay if you're a guest.

It's not about the parks just being maintained, and from the sounds of it, they're not even doing a great job of that. At some point, you have to consider having a draw, and stuff like Teen Beach Movie parties at Typhoon Lagoon are not it (yes, that was a real thing). Aquatica's Breakaway Falls for the win.

 

[UAN17]

For what it's worth we love both Typhoon Lagoon and Aquatica but have yet to do Blizzard Beach; I think the theming doesn't appeal as much but we will give it a go along with Volcano Bay in 2017. New additions to us just add a bit of excitement to the day, but we would go regardless I think. In fact next time I go to Typhoon Lagoon I plan on doing nothing but the wave pool and lazy river. Breakaway falls and Roas Rapids are headliners which we will actually schedule a day around just to experience, along with Typhoons Pool.

I'm fascinated by Unis take on a fast lazy river as it's the absolute highlight of Aquatica.

 

[Mad Dog]

For what it's worth we love both Typhoon Lagoon and Aquatica but have yet to do Blizzard Beach; I think the theming doesn't appeal as much but we will give it a go along with Volcano Bay in 2017. New additions to us just add a bit of excitement to the day, but we would go regardless I think. In fact next time I go to Typhoon Lagoon I plan on doing nothing but the wave pool and lazy river. Breakaway falls and Roas Rapids are headliners which we will actually schedule a day around just to experience, along with Typhoons Pool.

I'm fascinated by Unis take on a fast lazy river as it's the absolute highlight of Aquatica.

The Tycoon Lagoon Surf/Wave pool is fantastic. I had many happy hours battling those wild waves. So much better than any other Wave Pool I've experienced. Like you, I spent all my time on the pool & lazy river.

 

[UAN17]

The Tycoon Lagoon Surf/Wave pool is fantastic. I had many happy hours battling those wild waves. So much better than any other Wave Pool I've experienced. Like you, I spent all my time on the pool & lazy river.

We got there for opening and got into a relatively empty pool....needless to say every wave pool we have all ever been in has given bobbing waves, the 3 others who hadn't done their research didn't know what hit them

 

[Mad Dog]

We got there for opening and got into a relatively empty pool....needless to say every wave pool we have all ever been in has given bobbing waves, the 3 others who hadn't done their research didn't know what hit them

Yeah, one of those waves ate my shades. I had more fun than on the beach at Virginia Beach or Wilmington NC.

 

[Scott W.]

The weird thing about Blizzard Beach to me is that I still consider it a new water park in the same way as I still consider Islands of Adventure a new park even though they've been there for longer than they hadn't been in all my trips to Orlando. It's only been over the past few years that I've started to prefer Typhoon Lagoon over it.