Volcano Bay and Regular Lines

[Jenny412]

I made a phone call to Universal today inquiring about the tapu tapu and express pass to Volcano Bay. According to the representative she said the tapu tapu is "optional" and there will be an express line and also regular lines for those who just choose to wait in line. The information that is being put out about Volcano Bay is so confusing! Anyone else hear about them having regular lines? I feel like if you need to wait for a return time using tapu tapu you would never be able to ride everything in one day.

 

[NOSaintsFan09]

I guess we will know more once we get reports back from people this summer. My understanding was that tapu tapu was a way of avoiding a line (albeit still having to wait somewhat) by reserving a space. Thus, I didn't see the absolute need for express pass either since I'd rather wait a few minutes than to just zoom to the front of the line if it's gonna save me 40+ bucks.

Maybe when we see reports of Jimmy Fallon's line queue (which is similar to tapu tapu) then we can make sense of it more.

 

[chmurf]

I made a phone call to Universal today inquiring about the tapu tapu and express pass to Volcano Bay. According to the representative she said the tapu tapu is "optional" and there will be an express line and also regular lines for those who just choose to wait in line. The information that is being put out about Volcano Bay is so confusing! Anyone else hear about them having regular lines? I feel like if you need to wait for a return time using tapu tapu you would never be able to ride everything in one day.

I think Tapu Tapu will be some kind of Fastpass+

If you have a return time, you still can ride standby.
You can even ride standby while you wait for your return window to open.

I have never read the communications like they said they're completely getting rid of regular lines

 

[damo]

I was under the impression that there will be no standby lines.

 

[chmurf]

Universal has invented a whole new concept

now they keep you waiting to know if you'll need to wait in line

 

[DLgal]

I was under the impression that there will be no standby lines.

Me too. Isn't that the whole point? If there are standby lines, how will they also integrate Express AND Tapu Tapu reservations? They would have to create 3 queues for each ride. That seems excessive. I thought this park's"innovation" was "no more traditional lines."

 

[TommyJK]

Me too. Isn't that the whole point? If there are standby lines, how will they also integrate Express AND Tapu Tapu reservations? They would have to create 3 queues for each ride. That seems excessive. I thought this park's"innovation" was "no more traditional lines."

I don't see why the Tapu Tapu line and the Express pass line wouldn't be the same. So have 2 queues. One for Standby, one for Tapu Tapu + Express pass. Tapu Tapu IMO is just like Express, only in that you can just use it once, within the given window you've booked, for the specific ride you booked.

No need to complicate it with 3 lines.

 

[DLgal]

I don't see why the Tapu Tapu line and the Express pass line wouldn't be the same. So have 2 queues. One for Standby, one for Tapu Tapu + Express pass. Tapu Tapu IMO is just like Express, only in that you can just use it once, within the given window you've booked, for the specific ride you booked.

No need to complicate it with 3 lines.

People won't be paying for Tapu Tapu. They WILL be paying for Express. Why would anyone pay for it if it's the same as using the free service? There has to be a benefit to Express, and they are advertising it as front of the line access. So you can't lump both into the same line.

 

[TommyJK]

People won't be paying for Tapu Tapu. They WILL be paying for Express. Why would anyone pay for it if it's the same as using the free service? There has to be a benefit to Express, and they are advertising it as front of the line access. So you can't lump both into the same line.

Because Express means any ride, at any time, unlimited. So if you love a particular ride, once you're done you can just jump back into that short express queue, vs trying to maybe get another reservation for it an hour or more later.

Edit: Or think of it this way. If Disney had available and charged separately for An Express Pass, which was to use the FP+ line for any ride as many times as you wanted without having to make ride reservations, do you think people would not find such a service beneficial and gobble it up even though FP+ is free?

 

[FlipHipster]

I was under the impression that there will be no standby lines.

Me too. Isn't that the whole point? If there are standby lines, how will they also integrate Express AND Tapu Tapu reservations? They would have to create 3 queues for each ride. That seems excessive. I thought this park's"innovation" was "no more traditional lines."

Same here. I definitely remember reading no traditional SB lines for VB, only Tapu Tapu and EP. EP won't be available for the headliner water coaster thingy. Sounds like Tapu Tapu is just a return time to stand in line but you can't just walk up and get in line.

 

[FlipHipster]

Edit: Or think of it this way. If Disney had available and charged separately for An Express Pass, which was to use the FP+ line for any ride as many times as you wanted without having to make ride reservations, do you think people would not find such a service beneficial and gobble it up even though FP+ is free?

I would be all over that.

 

[damo]

I think there will be one line and express pass can get in it whenever they want and Taputapu will be scheduled.

 

[TommyJK]

I don't recall ever explicitly reading there would be no standby lines, only that the Tapu Tapu would "revolutionize" things in the sense that you don't have to wait in a long lineup since you could make a reservation.

But I've mentioned it before that not having a standby line at all makes very little sense logistically, especially for low crowd days or for specific rides that were less popular. Why have the hassle of explicitly being required to make a reservation if there is no or a tiny queue for a given ride? It now becomes a hassle of an extra step to make a reservation to go on when there is little or no wait to being with?

 

[wilkeliza]

I would be all over that.

Isn't that basically what a VIP tour is?

 

[TommyJK]

Isn't that basically what a VIP tour is?

Isn't the VIP tour more pre-planned in the sense that you tell them ahead of time what attractions you want to do, and then they'll prepare an itinerary with that and guide you through it (with of course getting to FP what's on your itinerary) vs. just being able to decide on a whim and change things up as you please on the fly if your mood happens to change on what attraction you want to go to next?

 

[FlipHipster]

Isn't that basically what a VIP tour is?

Haven't done the VIP tour but I pictured TommyJK's example as unlimited EP at WDW no FP+ scheduling. Does the VIP tour let you just ride anything over and over and over and skip the "tour" part? I always had the impression it was more structured. Like you tell them what you want to do and they plan it all out for you and take you around.

 

[wilkeliza]

Isn't the VIP tour more pre-planned in the sense that you tell them ahead of time what attractions you want to do, and then they'll prepare an itinerary with that and guide you through it (with of course getting to FP what's on your itinerary) vs. just being able to decide on a whim and change things up as you please on the fly if your mood happens to change on what attraction you want to go to next?

Haven't done the VIP tour but I pictured TommyJK's example as unlimited EP at WDW no FP+ scheduling. Does the VIP tour let you just ride anything over and over and over and skip the "tour" part? I always had the impression it was more structured. Like you tell them what you want to do and they plan it all out for you and take you around.

Depending on the one you do the true VIP is just a plaid walking you around. I don't think you have to tell them ahead of time exactly what you want to do. Haven't done it but my fiance did for his birthday as a kid at Universal and said outside of the shows they just got on whatever they wanted. So the only structured part was telling them if they wanted to see a parade or show and then that was given a time. I imagine since it is now a minimum of 7 hours and between 400-600 an hour (depends on the season) you can be as structured as not as you want.

Now the ultimate thrills, family vip, and food and wine vip are structured and not unlimited.

 

[FlipHipster]

I don't recall ever explicitly reading there would be no standby lines, only that the Tapu Tapu would "revolutionize" things in the sense that you don't have to wait in a long lineup since you could make a reservation.

But I've mentioned it before that not having a standby line at all makes very little sense logistically, especially for low crowd days or for specific rides that were less popular. Why have the hassle of explicitly being required to make a reservation if there is no or a tiny queue for a given ride? It now becomes a hassle of an extra step to make a reservation to go on when there is little or no wait to being with?

I am pretty sure I read no SB line in one of the Universal emails but I get so many emails these days.........
I did find mention on TouringPlans:
https://touringplans.com/volcano-bay

 

[macraven]

Isn't the VIP tour more pre-planned in the sense that you tell them ahead of time what attractions you want to do, and then they'll prepare an itinerary with that and guide you through it (with of course getting to FP what's on your itinerary) vs. just being able to decide on a whim and change things up as you please on the fly if your mood happens to change on what attraction you want to go to next?

Private vip tour yes
The guest informs the TM guide their plans for park entertainment

Public groups vip tour, no
Rides determined by tour guide

And you have partial days and full days vip tours

 

[bobbie68]

Hello! I too was thinking if there was going to be a stand-by line. I read on another site a person who went on the Jimmy Fallon ride and when they went to make a reservation with the virtual queue there were no times left for the day. The person spoke with an attendant who told him there would be no stand-by line that he would have to try at the end of the night. I also read on here someone mentioned that there was a stand-by line for Fallon. It is confusing and would love to get a definitive answer. I am contemplating the express pass for the day especially if times run out and you can't go on what you want. Of course I would also love to save the money if I can. I am joining the thread in hopes we get a definite answer.