Volcano Bay: General Discussion

[Happytycho]

It seems to be a perfect storm of problems coming together to cause these huge waits and guest complaints.

First and foremost, they need to get the slide breakdowns under control. It sounds like the amount of downtime has been insane, when water slides should be having basically none. It totally kills capacity, messes up wait times, and annoys guests who try and plan ahead. Having all rides fully operational, especially combined with improvement in operations as they get better at loading and improve dispatch times, will definitely help to make wait times more reasonable. I also agree that express is problematic, especially now while they are still trying to figure out how to make everything run smoothly.

One of the other major issues is that they haven't had the rivers and play areas fully operational, especially on opening day. They aren't offering all that large of a selection of activities to do while waiting, so having some of them not at 100% really hurts. I believe that getting more of the interactive features up and running would help keep guests busy, as would more live entertainment in the park. These issues are further compounded by the fact that the food lines have also been out of control due to inexperience and payment system struggles, which only adds to the guest sensation of excessive waiting and decreases enjoyment. It's hard to argue that not standing in a long line for a slide is all that great when you end up standing in a super long line food line instead.

It is my belief that we should only really expect average waits for most slides to get down to the 60-90 minute range, or perhaps 90-120 on peak days. The Virtual line system will never allow Volcano Bay to get down to the 20-30 minutes you might see at other waterparks. I really don't think 60-90 minutes is all that unreasonable given that you can do all your river and wave pool time, as well as eating during the waits, without going too long without riding a slide. I expect that the aqua coaster and body slides waits will continue to be higher than that though. I think we should give them time to try and get the waits down as they get more operations experience and accumulate data for analytics, but at some point it does need to get better or the system will be considered a failure.

 

[rhino4evr]

folks should remember that hotels with lazy rivers, wave pools, slides , and live entertainment are becoming the norm. While it's nice, not to wait on the stairs all day, it's also not a huge incentive for folks who can do all of this at their hotel for free. The big slides are the Attraction, and if you can only manage 1 or 2 slides per visit, people will feel ripped off. I know I would.

 

[Brian G.]

One of the other major issues is that they haven't had the rivers and play areas fully operational, especially on opening day.

Just chiming in since this is wrong. The lazy river was only down opening day, the kids area was down for half of opening day. The only area not open in the kids area is the area around the planned Ko'Okiri entrace/Volcanic caves, but for most part is 90-95% open. Both rivers have been open with no issues since.

 

[adjjb]

I think they need to work out a process for right now that if you tap, wait and it says "ride now" and the ride breaks before you can ride it they should be letting you ride something else instantly in it's place. A system like if the ride goes down at Disney when you go to use your FP, they give you another one for some other ride.

Because this review from TripAdvisor was concerning to me. The answer to someone waiting 105 mins and ride breaking before getting to ride should not be to go tap another ride.

We tapped into one, and had to wait 80 minutes before we could ride it. When it came to riding it, there was still a 25 minute wait, at which point the ride stopped working. They did NOT let us ride another ride, but told us to tap on another one, thus another 70-80 minute wait.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

As far as "fixing" the issue, universal still allows way too many people into HHN, and hasn't done much to alleviate that issue.

Watch them introduce TapuTapu to HHN.

 

[MattA]

Watch them introduce TapuTapu to HHN.

That would be hell on earth lol

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Ok, everyone whos complaining about the park, what would you add to it to make it better?

Great question! Here's what I would of done.

1. A real action river with multiple unique sections such as rapids, waves, calm sections, and caves, with conveyors that take you to slide sections that you don't have to wait in line for. You'd choose your path every time you went around.
2. An in-park game/quest that ultimately takes you into the very heart of krakatau to meet the spirit of Vol. This would be integrated into the tapu tapu and operate much like most MagicQuest attractions.
3. A pro slide hydro-magnetic mammoth slide that takes the edge off of the volcano slides - which are low capacity and super popular. This also doubles the capacity of the aqua-coaster attractions in the park.
4. Another complex that looks like the Taniwha Tube slides. Even though they're the most generic of the slides, they're classics that are accessible to most guests.
5. Specialty dining - think the Mythos of Volcano Bay but with a Volcanic twist.
6. Live entertainment - Dancing near the entrance, live bands near the boat bars, and character meet n greets.

A beefed up roster like this would eliminate the waits and help compliment the main stars of the show - which are the slides themselves.

 

[Jwhee]

My dream for Volcano Bay-

Add a rethemed version of Waterworld stunt show, and behind the set you can see the Volcano. The set is themed to a Waturi village. Then villians attack etc and you get the whole stunt show kabang. Add some water effects to keep the crowd wet during the show. Could be a cool experience.

 

[quinnmac000]

Actually, I think something we are missing are people trying to relax or are they rushing to do as many things as possible in one day. This park needs lot more entertainment, the lack of entertainment in the park is probably the biggest complaint I would have as it is the cornerstone of allowing people to relax but while keeping them entertained.

For the expansion though, I don't think just a mammoth will cut it if crowds remain high. They need to take that space and all plans they have now and beef it up to allow quite a few more slides (Looking at around 8 unique attractions including the mammoth). Make it a complex entity with a lot more exploring for adults so caves throughout, secret passageways etc essentially Volcano Bay's Camp Jurassic.

 

[tidecat]

Another suggestion would be to add something like Der Stuka - it's just a steep body slide, and it could even be paired with a shorter trap door slide, which would help alleviate the wait for Kala & Tai Nui - perhaps their could be a smaller mountain (about 60 feet) that serves as their platform.

The "action river" suggestion above may cover this, but a lot of water parks outside the US, especially in Latin America, have a slide that resembles a river - very gentle change in elevation, but with the occasional sharp turn and rapids. They are not loops, meaning there is a beginning and end to the ride, but it would pretty easy to integrate into Volcano Bay's theme.

 

[Rico]

This Water Park was a massive letdown for me. Got their at opening and got a few slides in about two before lines were all 90 minutes or up. The rides we went on were great, almost up Noahs Ark level ( with the blue and green body slides exceeding those standards) but the fact of the matter is there is nothing to do and the shortest wait was an hour with some rides up to six hours. Six hours for a waterpark? Are you serious? Definitely not an equal to the theme parks, having the massive centerpiece cant hide the joke of a queue system forever. Cant even get on the lazy river with thirty people pile ups trying to get tubes.

 

[jrn14]

Great question! Here's what I would of done.

1. A real action river with multiple unique sections such as rapids, waves, calm sections, and caves, with conveyors that take you to slide sections that you don't have to wait in line for. You'd choose your path every time you went around.
2. An in-park game/quest that ultimately takes you into the very heart of krakatau to meet the spirit of Vol. This would be integrated into the tapu tapu and operate much like most MagicQuest attractions.
3. A pro slide hydro-magnetic mammoth slide that takes the edge off of the volcano slides - which are low capacity and super popular. This also doubles the capacity of the aqua-coaster attractions in the park.
4. Another complex that looks like the Taniwha Tube slides. Even though they're the most generic of the slides, they're classics that are accessible to most guests.
5. Specialty dining - think the Mythos of Volcano Bay but with a Volcanic twist.
6. Live entertainment - Dancing near the entrance, live bands near the boat bars, and character meet n greets.

A beefed up roster like this would eliminate the waits and help compliment the main stars of the show - which are the slides themselves.

These are some great answers... a live band and a small stage shouldn't be that hard to finagle

 

[USO92]

Great question! Here's what I would of done.

1. A real action river with multiple unique sections such as rapids, waves, calm sections, and caves, with conveyors that take you to slide sections that you don't have to wait in line for. You'd choose your path every time you went around.
2. An in-park game/quest that ultimately takes you into the very heart of krakatau to meet the spirit of Vol. This would be integrated into the tapu tapu and operate much like most MagicQuest attractions.
3. A pro slide hydro-magnetic mammoth slide that takes the edge off of the volcano slides - which are low capacity and super popular. This also doubles the capacity of the aqua-coaster attractions in the park.
4. Another complex that looks like the Taniwha Tube slides. Even though they're the most generic of the slides, they're classics that are accessible to most guests.
5. Specialty dining - think the Mythos of Volcano Bay but with a Volcanic twist.
6. Live entertainment - Dancing near the entrance, live bands near the boat bars, and character meet n greets.

A beefed up roster like this would eliminate the waits and help compliment the main stars of the show - which are the slides themselves.

That sounds amazing on all levels; especially the in-park game!

 

[sonoma15]

Great question! Here's what I would of done.

1. A real action river with multiple unique sections such as rapids, waves, calm sections, and caves, with conveyors that take you to slide sections that you don't have to wait in line for. You'd choose your path every time you went around.
2. An in-park game/quest that ultimately takes you into the very heart of krakatau to meet the spirit of Vol. This would be integrated into the tapu tapu and operate much like most MagicQuest attractions.
3. A pro slide hydro-magnetic mammoth slide that takes the edge off of the volcano slides - which are low capacity and super popular. This also doubles the capacity of the aqua-coaster attractions in the park.
4. Another complex that looks like the Taniwha Tube slides. Even though they're the most generic of the slides, they're classics that are accessible to most guests.
5. Specialty dining - think the Mythos of Volcano Bay but with a Volcanic twist.
6. Live entertainment - Dancing near the entrance, live bands near the boat bars, and character meet n greets.

A beefed up roster like this would eliminate the waits and help compliment the main stars of the show - which are the slides themselves.

This quest thing would be great, while waiting for slides you get to explore volcano bay, the quests should probably be around medium difficulty so they takes awhile to solve but it should be fun.

 

[Rico]

Has anyone else went to VB yet?? I am a huge theme park buff and thought that me being salty would be one of the minority, but nearly every person i spoke to or walked by was fed up too. Its rediculous. Sorry for being negative but i just think they had to have missed something when planning how Tapu Tapu would work.

 

[snayberry]

This Water Park was a massive letdown for me. Got their at opening and got a few slides in about two before lines were all 90 minutes or up. The rides we went on were great, almost up Noahs Ark level ( with the blue and green body slides exceeding those standards) but the fact of the matter is there is nothing to do and the shortest wait was an hour with some rides up to six hours. Six hours for a waterpark? Are you serious? Definitely not an equal to the theme parks, having the massive centerpiece cant hide the joke of a queue system forever. Cant even get on the lazy river with thirty people pile ups trying to get tubes.

Doesn't sound like something I want to do.

 

[ush.hacker]

I'm a Volcano Bay "newbie" and have done little to no research on the subject so I apologize in advance but,

This


Is supposed to look like

This, right?



Did they scrap the idea or are they just not finished with the tunnel? Is there something that we cannot see since a UV light isn't turned on?

Reminds me of the inside of the volcano from surfs up

 

[Bobharlem]

Just chiming in since this is wrong. The lazy river was only down opening day, the kids area was down for half of opening day. The only area not open in the kids area is the area around the planned Ko'Okiri entrace/Volcanic caves, but for most part is 90-95% open. Both rivers have been open with no issues since.

I went by the kids areas today, MOST of the interactive things there aren't working, and the toddler area has a slide and a few spitting fish, and that's it, none of the tikis and other areas except right by the sidewalk are working. The other kid area has none of the interactive things (tapu or just the water guns) even working. It's pretty bad right now.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Another suggestion would be to add something like Der Stuka - it's just a steep body slide, and it could even be paired with a shorter trap door slide, which would help alleviate the wait for Kala & Tai Nui - perhaps their could be a smaller mountain (about 60 feet) that serves as their platform.

The "action river" suggestion above may cover this, but a lot of water parks outside the US, especially in Latin America, have a slide that resembles a river - very gentle change in elevation, but with the occasional sharp turn and rapids. They are not loops, meaning there is a beginning and end to the ride, but it would pretty easy to integrate into Volcano Bay's theme.

Basically Shlitterbahn with more theming. I was so hoping for the Action River to have waves like a Shlitterbahn park. People spend hours in theirs.

But they need to fast track capacity, asap. That'll have the unfortunate effect of building out the park very quickly though.

 

[ush.hacker]

With all of this complaining about Volcano Bay we should remember how on Disneyland's opening day there was: A huge traffic jam, broken rides, no food and a lack of water all on a 100 degree day in July.

John Hammond: All major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked!

Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but, John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.


The same can be said with Volcano Bay. There were no soft openings and nobody knew how the park would react to the vast amounts of people. Just like every park Universal will improve based on the various mistakes.