Volcano Bay: General Discussion

[Brian G.]

Anyone else?

 

[CowMissing]

I think it's time for another VB video!



But seriously, a friend of mine went a few days ago and he says TapTu will probably not last. You wait your 300 minutes and then head to the attraction where you then wait for 15-20 in the queue. If you want to swap out for a different ride, you can do that but then you have to start to wait for that new ride at its currently posted wait time. So even if you opt out of a ride 5 minutes before it's your turn, you can't swap that for another ride and get on in 5 minutes. You have to wait it's currently posted wait time.

I know its new and I'm willing to give it time, as anything brand new it takes the time to work on. He also told me that slides are already starting to fail. The have the slide vendor onsite and posted at most of the exits of the slides. In addition, construction is still going on with workers (with hard hats) roaming the (on-stage) areas. Also, man lifts (not in use) are also found on-stage and not backstage which is a shame. It really ruins the themed experience when you see that.

Again, it's a new park and working out the kinks is what is happening. I'm glad UP&R decided to make this and it will take some time to perfect.

 

[Latveria]

Okay let me rephrase since Brian took offense to my previous VB comment

LOL... yet another part of this park that was advertised to people coming on day 1 would get to experience and they can't get it working so they cut hours.

 

[Brian G.]

Okay let me rephrase since Brian took offense to my previous VB comment

LOL... yet another part of this park that was advertised to people coming on day 1 would get to experience and they can't get it working so they cut hours.

Since you wanna get smarmy with it... 1st warning.

3 strikes and you're out.

Anyone else?

 

[sjago13]

Does the park clear out later? Because if it is still busy it sucks to close it earlier and stop people from riding the slides just to save face on the Volcano effects not being active. My pass is up for renewal in September and I will wait til then to make the jump. Just isn't worth it now until they sort everything out.

 

[wizwit]

Just read on Twitter that Volcano Bay changed their closing hours next week...sounds as though the volcano light display is not yet ready for primetime:

#VolcanoBay hours have changed (again) the 9pm & 10pm close times next weekend have switched to 8pm.

So now it looks like June 12 is first night they can attempt a lava light/eruption nighttime show.

 

[Latveria]

Since you wanna get smarmy with it... 1st warning.

3 strikes and you're out.

Anyone else?

Sorry man I was only elaborating on my previous comment that you deemed inappropriately short. For discussions sake are you okay with them cutting hours since the show isn't ready? They advertised it was going to be ready to rock and roll on day one (among other things as well) but still hasn't debuted to paying guests.

 

[Alicia]

I figured they're cutting hours to have more time to work on the park. Is that a possibility? They probably need all they can get to get work done without guests in the park.

The volcano eruption isn't a show right? Just nightly eruptions with lighting effects. We've seen eruptions the first two nights the park was open, right at closing time. I'm hoping they have some more lighting effects coming to simulate lava flowing down the front too, but there's not gonna be much more to it than that right? I don't think Universal ever called it a show, did they? That was the media extrapolating (or exaggerating for more interesting reporting.)

 

[GadgetGuru]

Earlier open suggests that they're using those extra hours to test the lava eruption show. If anybody's near the park after hours next week, I bet you'll get some cool pictures!

 

[Cheezbat]

They really need to get moving on some of these things. I know the park has only been open about a week and a half, but there is so much left to iron out to get the park to where it should be...what they have been advertising to the public.
I plan on visiting in a week or two...I really hope more of the issues they've had are worked out by then. Of course if they aren't, it's not the end of the world to me since I'll be adding it to my annual pass, but it would be nice to first experience it as it was meant to be experienced.

The past two nights after I got off work I've hoped to see worklights on and construction crews working on things in the park...last night I drove by around midnight, tonight 1am...and I saw nothing. Maybe the rain has something to do with it, but if I was Universal, nobody would be getting bonuses or extra cash until this park was 100% done.

 

[Brian G.]

Sorry man I was only elaborating on my previous comment that you deemed inappropriately short. For discussions sake are you okay with them cutting hours since the show isn't ready? They advertised it was going to be ready to rock and roll on day one (among other things as well) but still hasn't debuted to paying guests.

I mean, obviously we all wish for it to be done day 1; but that's not what's happened. I'm OK with them cutting into the night hours to finish and tweak what they need to in order to positively impact the guest experience.

It's not a show that we'll be seeing, just a nighttime element.

 

[Talking Head]

If you want to swap out for a different ride, you can do that but then you have to start to wait for that new ride at its currently posted wait time. So even if you opt out of a ride 5 minutes before it's your turn, you can't swap that for another ride and get on in 5 minutes. You have to wait it's currently posted wait time.

There are plenty of questions about the ride reservation system, but this seems perfectly reasonable to me. You either stick with your choice or start over waiting for a different ride.

I hadn't driven past the park in sometime, but I noticed today the photogenic approach is I-4 from the turnpike. From the opposite direction on I-4 (which would be from WDW's direction), the park looks noticeably less glamorous. Also doesn't help that there's a "water park resort" on the opposite side of the interstate with water slides within sight of VB. All in all, a very strange setup that doesn't do much for the park's curb appeal.

I mean, obviously we all wish for it to be done day 1; but that's not what's happened. I'm OK with them cutting into the night hours to finish and tweak what they need to in order to positively impact the guest experience.

It's not a show that we'll be seeing, just a nighttime element.

Their hands are tied at this point - they can't close the park and finish things without massive publicity problems, I get that. But those 1-star Tripadvisor reviews are adding up. Talk about bad word-of-mouth. I'd imagine this ranks with the worst park debuts in recent memory.

 

[Miketheboss]

There are plenty of questions about the ride reservation system, but this seems perfectly reasonable to me. You either stick with your choice or start over waiting for a different ride.

I hadn't driven past the park in sometime, but I noticed today the photogenic approach is I-4 from the turnpike. From the opposite direction on I-4 (which would be from WDW's direction), the park looks noticeably less glamorous. Also doesn't help that there's a "water park resort" on the opposite side of the interstate with water slides within sight of VB. All in all, a very strange setup that doesn't do much for the park's curb appeal.



Their hands are tied at this point - they can't close the park and finish things without massive publicity problems, I get that. But those 1-star Tripadvisor reviews are adding up. Talk about bad word-of-mouth. I'd imagine this ranks with the worst park debuts in recent memory.

 

[fryoj]

But seriously, a friend of mine went a few days ago and he says TapTu will probably not last. You wait your 300 minutes and then head to the attraction where you then wait for 15-20 in the queue. If you want to swap out for a different ride, you can do that but then you have to start to wait for that new ride at its currently posted wait time. So even if you opt out of a ride 5 minutes before it's your turn, you can't swap that for another ride and get on in 5 minutes. You have to wait it's currently posted wait time.

If you wait in the line for Anna and Elsa's autograph for 4 hours and when you get 5 minutes from the end, the little angel says no daddy, I want to see Mickey and throws a tantrum, they aren't going to give you credit for how long you waited when you get over to Mickey's line.

 

[CowMissing]

If you wait in the line for Anna and Elsa's autograph for 4 hours and when you get 5 minutes from the end, the little angel says no daddy, I want to see Mickey and throws a tantrum, they aren't going to give you credit for how long you waited when you get over to Mickey's line.

It's been a long while since I've had a picture with MM!

 

[UAN17]

We got refunds on the express passes, which just shouldn't have been sold.

I wonder how many they've sold on a daily basis, and to what extent it's wrecking the wait times.

I also wonder if someone is regularly clearing the returned Tapu Tapus to clear up ride estimates.

 

[Andysol]

We got refunds on the express passes, which just shouldn't have been sold.

I wonder how many they've sold on a daily basis, and to what extent it's wrecking the wait times.

I also wonder if someone is regularly clearing the returned Tapu Tapus to clear up ride estimates.

Did you cancel or did they cancel express?
If you- why?

Or did you use them and they weren't up to snuff?

 

[Frank Drackman]

I hope to go to VB sometime this week if things work out for me.

My wife did talk to some AP friends to see what they thought when they went. I found it interesting that they told her that they enjoyed their first visit, but the went a 2nd time and hated it.

I do not know what their experience was, but I find it odd that a 2nd visit provided a bad experience to someone who knew what to expect.

I know folks are saying they cut hours, but I keep seeing people mentioning 8 am, but I thought I always saw the park as having a 10 am opening (I guess 9 as early entry), so did they also start opening earlier at some point?

 

[Teebin]

So, does anyone know what the capacity has been cut by? I cannot imagine anything more than 20%. Does anyone know what the starting capacity was?

On another note, it would be way out of character for Uni to cut Tapu altogether. They are historically dogged in pushing to make original ideas work, no matter what.

 

[Mad Dog]

So, does anyone know what the capacity has been cut by? I cannot imagine anything more than 20%. Does anyone know what the starting capacity was?

On another note, it would be way out of character for Uni to cut Tapu altogether. They are historically dogged in pushing to make original ideas work, no matter what.

Niles(Theme Park Insider) said he heard starting capacity was 6,000. I reported that earlier in this thread. That 6,000 could theoretically extrapolate to 10.000 to 12,000 a day if you figure in new arrivals & departures.