Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[Parkscope Joe]

Does anyone else find the whole "Water Theme Park" thing really annoying especially now that it's almost complete and we can see how bad the back side of the Volcano looks with that gigantic opening revealing all the supports and such?
That plus clearly there are no show scenes inside the volcano? So what makes this a "theme park"? The fact that they built a volcano in the middle of it?
Ok... but so what does that make Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon? Those disney water parks have just as much if not more theming and they still acknowledge the fact that it's a water park. They even have an AA on the new slide at the disney park. Something Volcano Bay doesn't seem to have.

Disney advertises their water parks as theme parks for international visitors. And there is full rockwork inside the volcano even if it is blown out. It's not exposed steel inside.

 

[WAJAS]

@alias8703 it's all marketing. I doubt creative believes the name fits (or cares really).

 

[Alicia]

Disney advertises their water parks as theme parks for international visitors. And there is full rockwork inside the volcano even if it is blown out. It's not exposed steel inside.

No exposed steel, inside a theme park mountain, that's visible to guests... Well I never...

 

[Alicia]

Also, while on the argument on the backside of the volcano, I never saw the big deal. For the most part it looks just like the concept art promised since the beginning. I realize some rockwork around the base may have changed, but that can be fixed with more foliage. As far as the open backside, it's always been the plan, as seen in concept art below:

 

[Scott W.]

Disney advertises their water parks as theme parks for international visitors. And there is full rockwork inside the volcano even if it is blown out. It's not exposed steel inside.

I'm sure I posted a photo a while back of the of the volcano without all the construction equipment and it looked a lot better plus more has been added since then.

 

[alias8703]

Also, while on the argument on the backside of the volcano, I never saw the big deal. For the most part it looks just like the concept art promised since the beginning. I realize some rockwork around the base may have changed, but that can be fixed with more foliage. As far as the open backside, it's always been the plan, as seen in concept art below:

ahhh thanks for this! I was searching for concept art of the backside earlier.
Well this makes me feel better about that part at least, although I hope they theme the exposed slide supports inside the volcano.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Also, while on the argument on the backside of the volcano, I never saw the big deal. For the most part it looks just like the concept art promised since the beginning. I realize some rockwork around the base may have changed, but that can be fixed with more foliage. As far as the open backside, it's always been the plan, as seen in concept art below:

You win the internet today!

 

[Scott W.]

Also, while on the argument on the backside of the volcano, I never saw the big deal. For the most part it looks just like the concept art promised since the beginning. I realize some rockwork around the base may have changed, but that can be fixed with more foliage. As far as the open backside, it's always been the plan, as seen in concept art below:

I can't believe I never noticed that.

 

[Alicia]

I can't believe I never noticed that.

I have only ever seen it in the videos, not any released concept art photos, but it's in like all the videos I've seen. We're probably been too busy looking at the water spraying out of the orange slide to notice it in the background.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah it perplexes me (outside of the obvious) when some say that Universal "cheaped out" by not completing the volcano, when having a hallowed backside was always the plan in the design. It takes advantage of the limited space and adds to the mystical aspects of the volcano.

That said, I am so, so eager to see photos of the park on the ground within the park itself. We've been looking at it from a distance for so long that it's going to be so strange seeing it otherwise.

 

[Mike S]

Every time we see water tests I hope for an eruption test...

 

[clsteve]

Yeah it perplexes me (outside of the obvious) when some say that Universal "cheaped out" by not completing the volcano, when having a hallowed backside was always the plan in the design. It takes advantage of the limited space and adds to the mystical aspects of the volcano.

That said, I am so, so eager to see photos of the park on the ground within the park itself. We've been looking at it from a distance for so long that it's going to be so strange seeing it otherwise.

It was hard for me to imagine that it even could be as enclosed as some had hoped, just from the perspectives of logistics, maintenance, and environmental/HHS.

I mean, an incredible amount of water will be constantly flowing outside and inside facility. Add in Florida heat, humidity, and the fact that guests will be in continual, physical contact with this water (stairs, walls, platforms, rides): lots of airflow and a little sunlight isn't a bad thing. With the Volcano home to such a significant amount of the Park's capacity, any environmental or structural/logistical access related shutdown of any duration would just about shut down the whole Park capacity-wise.

Just look at the issues water rides such as Splash Mtn. have had in the past. Gotta minimize those risks...

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Yeah it perplexes me (outside of the obvious) when some say that Universal "cheaped out" by not completing the volcano, when having a hallowed backside was always the plan in the design. It takes advantage of the limited space and adds to the mystical aspects of the volcano.

That said, I am so, so eager to see photos of the park on the ground within the park itself. We've been looking at it from a distance for so long that it's going to be so strange seeing it otherwise.

For me, the exposed purple supports and the exposed stairs completely ruin the illusion. Don't get me wrong, the front side of the volcano is stunning, but to not give the same level of attention to the rear is, in your words, perplexing. That'd be like Magic Kingdom not finishing the castle or Animal Kingdom not finishing the tree of life. Does it work in situations like Everest, ToT, and Forbidden Journey? For the most part yes, because they're tucked away from guest view. But the volcano is the showpiece, the icon, the main event, sitting smack dab in the middle of the park.

I never expected it to be a fully enclosed air conditioned building, but what I did expect was for those Mat slides to wind in and out of volcanic ruins much in the same way the drop slides do on the other side of the volcano.

Hopefully that explanation puts these (valid) concerns to rest. It was never about being negative or nitpicking, it's about the design being balanced.

 

[JPRA513]

Also, while on the argument on the backside of the volcano, I never saw the big deal. For the most part it looks just like the concept art promised since the beginning. I realize some rockwork around the base may have changed, but that can be fixed with more foliage. As far as the open backside, it's always been the plan, as seen in concept art below:

I still would've preferred a more closed in look, but for some reason seeing this, knowing it was planned and not cut last minute, makes me feel better about the volcano.

 

[Disneyhead]

There is more rock work coming.

And we really have no idea what all is going to go on in there.

And as far as I know, nothing has been cut from this project.

 

[GAcoaster]

Bio's latest updates:

 

[Drew]

 

[JPRA513]

There is more rock work coming.

And we really have no idea what all is going to go on in there.

And as far as I know, nothing has been cut from this project.

That's also extremely great to hear! Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[Viator]

Back from the depths I see, without any form of Staff ranking.

I take it your one of us now?

__

IAS, That is beautiful.

 

[Teebin]

There is more rock work coming.

Coming to what? There are tons of rockwork projects happening on the ground around the park. The only thing I see left for the volcano is the staircase supports.