Megan Padilla
My young daughter accompanied me for my media visit to Universal Orlando's Volcano Bay a day before it opened to the public on May 25. Experiencing the new water theme park with her gave me an entirely different perspective.
Had I gone on my own, I would have toured the park and conducted interviews with executives as I would do on any other press visit. Instead, she had me climbing up hundreds of steps and zipping down countless waterslides. We had a blast!
Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando's third theme park (following Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure), is opening at the same time as two new guest towers at the adjacent Cabana Bay Beach Resort. It offers guests direct access to the park, with a new resort entrance located about 20 yards from the turnstiles at Volcano Bay. The towers are encased in glass, some of the rooms (including 20 new two-bedroom family suites) offering floor-to-ceiling views into the Volcano Bay.
Considering Florida's intense heat for half the year and near-daily afternoon thundershowers during the summer, the hotel's proximity to the park is a major bonus, giving guests an easy place to duck into for a few hours.
The park is themed around a fictional South Pacific tribe called the Waturi, who voyaged through the region before making this imaginary island and its 200-foot volcano, named Krakatau, their home.
Volcano Bay's Krakatau Aqua Coaster.
Universal Orlando's creative team has worked closely with cultural experts to get the details right, down to the carvings and language. Of course, there is a limit to the authenticity; this is a water park, after all. So this island is also dotted with towering, brightly colored slides and chutes; thatched-roof, open-air restaurants; and gift shops decorated with carved wooden masks and dense tropical flowering plants (right now, the bromeliads, gingers and hibiscus are all in bloom).
Technology plays a major role in the guest interface at Volcano Bay. Guests wear a waterproof wristband called a TapuTapu, lent to them at the turnstile, that is linked to the barcode on the admission ticket.
With TapuTapu, there is never a need to wait in line to ride an attraction. Guests tap the wearable device against a totem at the entrance of each ride to set a virtual place in line. A display indicates the length of the wait and counts down by five-minute increments on the TapuTapu display screen until it sends an "enjoy the ride" message, the guests cue to return to the ride.
One downside to the virtual line is that guests can only queue up in one "line" at a time. So if someone is queued up to ride the Ko'okiri Body Plunge, a 70-degree drop through a clear tube from the top of the volcano, and the wait time is 90 minutes, they can't ride anything else unless a ride has no wait (indicated with "ride now" on the digital display at the ride). There is one exception: Guests can simultaneously queue up for the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, which feels like a roller coaster and water slide in one (technology pushes riders up the slopes, just like on a regular coaster).
Guests who purchase the Volcano Bay Universal Express Unlimited Pass ($40) do not have to wait in line at all. They simply tap their TapuTapu to the totem and head directly up the stairs to the ride platform; they can ride anything as often as they wish. A second option is the Volcano Bay Universal Express Pass ($20), which can be used to cut the line one time at each attraction.
A private cabana at Volcano Bay with one of Cabana Bay's two new guest towers in the background.
There's plenty of other things for guests to do while their TapuTapu holds their place in line. The most obvious is to enjoy the enormous, zero-entry wave pool at the foot of the volcano. There's also a lazy river to float on (Kopiko Wai Winding River) and an adventure river to ride on (TeAwa the Fearless River); no waits at any of those attractions. There are six signature-dining locations, each showcasing different menus, with a total of 60 dishes, including theme park staples such as burgers and island-inspired options like coconut curry chicken. I expect that the full-service, open-air bar Dancing Dragon, with views of the beach and wave pool, will never have an empty seat.
The TapuTapu does more than wait in line for guests. It is a locker key, photo pass and even a wallet: By creating an account using the Official Universal Orlando Resort App and linking a credit card, guests can use the TapuTapu to pay for anything in the park. Guests can set spending limits on family members' TapuTapu devices and receive text messages when they spend or hit their limit (at which point the device can be reloaded).
Admission is $67 for adults, $62 for kids age 3 to 9. Guests can bring their own towel or rent one for about $4. Premium chair service starts at $30 and gets visitors a pair of private cushioned loungers with adjustable shade, a lockbox and an attendant who provides fresh towels and food and beverage service. Gift shops sell everything needed for the day, from bathing suits and sunscreen to goggles and nose-plugs.
Cabanas offer the most comfort. For starters, they're a place to hide from the sun. Each of the rustic yet elegant cabanas comes with a guest services tablet designed to use with TapuTapus, so guests can add themselves to the virtual lines without having to walk around to tap in at the totems. It also offers ride wait times and takes food and beverage orders (though there are also attendants available to do that). Cabanas are spread out in four areas of the park; some are single story, and others have cabanas at ground level or on a second story. Each comes with a locker, a refrigerator with bottles of water, a fruit-and-snack tray and a big pile of towels (which will be refreshed by the attendant as needed).
Height requirements vary from attraction to attraction, and many provide an option to ride alone or with others. Most also offer something like a "mild" and "wild" option. In every instance, my daughter started with the mild and ran back for the wild. We agreed that none of the rides were as scary as they appeared, including Hanu ika Moana, which sweeps a raft up two steep walls. We rode slides until our legs gave out. The rides were so smooth that they never bothered my back, which is a little fussy these days.
My recommendations for a day at Volcano Bay: A stay in a two-bedroom family suite in the new Bayside tower at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Add on the Volcano Bay Universal Express Unlimited Pass. Book Cabana No. 9, which is adjacent to Waturi Beach, the Dancing Dragon and close to all services. And treat yourself to the Strawberry Ginger Lift; it's a bit boozy and is heavy on the fresh strawberries.