VOLCANO BAY.....INFO AND QUESTION THREAD........

HOPINGpixiedust: to get to VB mid December..we'll see if it will be warm enough. Alyspins and Soniam, thanks for your reviews! :goodvibesSounds like a BLAST!:-)

They supposedly heat the water when it gets that cold. December will be too cold for us thin blooded Texans:)
 
I got an email last week, if you are an annual pass holder that doesn't have the 3 park AP, Volcano Bay passes are buy one day, get one day free until a few days before Christmas!!! Only available at the gate, not available online.
 
We did it last Friday. Since we got the during Early Entry, only the wave pool area loungers were open. We left around 2pm, and our lounger was in the sun all day. The morning sun is to the left when facing the wave pool; the evening sun is to the right. Since the loungers face the wave pool, and there really wan't any trees or umbrellas to block the shade, the bottom of the lounger was in some sun all day. Last year, we go the loungers that were in the rainforest area, near the Ohya/Ohno drop slides and Bambu restaurant. Those loungers face the volcano, so they only got afternoon sun. However, the also had trees and umbrellas to block that sun. There may be other areas that are better, but they weren't available that early. I didn't worry too much, because I mainly wanted it for the lock box this trip.

This section of loungers was roped off, had employees at a stand, and required a wristband for entry. Since the employees were very nearby, I suspect your order could get taken quickly. We didn't have a lot of time, and the food I wanted wasn't on the lounger menu, so I got our food. We used it last summer, and it took forever for someone to see our flag and take our order. Getting food took forever last summer too. I don't know if getting food is still slow or not. Also, I don't know if an employee is right by the other areas too.

Getting the lounger was much faster than last summer though.

You didn't ask about this, but Express Pass was not worth it for us on Friday, 10/5. We got to the park before early entry at 9am. The crowds were fairly low for about 2 hours. My son rode Krakatau 5 times: 4 times ride now and 1 time with the EP. He never did a return time. We did every ride that we wanted early. We could have rode them multiple times without a wait. We had to leave early for HHN, so maybe the afternoon would have been worse.

Thanks for the review! Are you able to request ahead of time where you would like the loungers to be? Is it first come first served, or based on when you booked the loungers?
 


I got an email last week, if you are an annual pass holder that doesn't have the 3 park AP, Volcano Bay passes are buy one day, get one day free until a few days before Christmas!!! Only available at the gate, not available online.
Yes, saw that on the AP section of the website..$80 for 2 days, must be used by the same ticketholder on both days. I believe I read something like if you are an AP, you can purchase up to 5 of these special VB passes.
 
Thanks for the review! Are you able to request ahead of time where you would like the loungers to be? Is it first come first served, or based on when you booked the loungers?

I believe it is assigned as you checkin. I was the first person to checkin, so I had my pick of loungers but only from that one area. Last summer, you selected the area when you bought the seating over the phone. We always sat in the Rainforest Village last summer, but that area was completely closed during Early Entry. Also, I don't remember if I even saw premium loungers there anymore. Part of the area was replaced by a permanent structure to provide shade for the regular seating.
 
I believe it is assigned as you checkin. I was the first person to checkin, so I had my pick of loungers but only from that one area. Last summer, you selected the area when you bought the seating over the phone. We always sat in the Rainforest Village last summer, but that area was completely closed during Early Entry. Also, I don't remember if I even saw premium loungers there anymore. Part of the area was replaced by a permanent structure to provide shade for the regular seating.

So did they only open up the other village areas once the park was open at regular hours? Hmm, sounds like we might have to get a spot for early entry and then move to another for when it opens to everyone. I really like the location of the Rainforest Village area.
 


So did they only open up the other village areas once the park was open at regular hours? Hmm, sounds like we might have to get a spot for early entry and then move to another for when it opens to everyone. I really like the location of the Rainforest Village area.

I don't know if the loungers were ever opened there. We left before 2pm. The Rainforest Village area, including it's restaurant and attractions, were not open for Early Entry that day. I don't know if that's normal now or not. Everything was open during EE last summer. I had told my son to meet me there, because I thought that's where we would get a lounger. As I was heading from the front of the park, just past Ohno & Ohya, I was stopped by a TM and told the area was closed. I had to go back around the wavepool near the front and head towards Krakatau. He said that he was stopped I think just past either Krakatau or the Tawani Tubes. I know that Maku & Puihi were closed during EE. It's possible that they don't even have loungers in the Rainforest Village anymore. One of the areas from last summer, near a lifeguard posted on the fearless river, is now mostly covered by a permanent structure and only has regular loungers. This area is between the Concierge and Bambu. We didn't go near the water play area that's by the drops for Ohno & Ohya. We sat in a lounger there last summer. I couldn't tell if there were still any. Sorry.
 
Here now, sitting in premium seating. Are we enjoying it? Absolutely yes. Is it worth it? Wellllllllll.........no. It was double what I thought it was, and that is my own fault. Towel rental is also not included with the premium seats, so that was also a bummer. It's 2:30ish now, and our sun shade is essentially useless. The canopy only pulls up so far, and then cannot be adjusted. The service for food has been fine, I actually expected it to be worse. Don't get me wrong, it's not fast, but it's better than the poolside service at the resorts. We ordered lunch, and I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend the coconut crusted chicken sliders, they were outstanding. I also recommend the toasted coconut cocktail.

The cost for the seats and 2 towels was around $85. If you come on a day when the park isn't crowded, and there is ample seating in the afternoon shade, it's not worth it. The lockbox is nice, the service is nice, but it's not $85 nice.
 
Here now, sitting in premium seating. Are we enjoying it? Absolutely yes. Is it worth it? Wellllllllll.........no. It was double what I thought it was, and that is my own fault. Towel rental is also not included with the premium seats, so that was also a bummer. It's 2:30ish now, and our sun shade is essentially useless. The canopy only pulls up so far, and then cannot be adjusted. The service for food has been fine, I actually expected it to be worse. Don't get me wrong, it's not fast, but it's better than the poolside service at the resorts. We ordered lunch, and I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend the coconut crusted chicken sliders, they were outstanding. I also recommend the toasted coconut cocktail.

The cost for the seats and 2 towels was around $85. If you come on a day when the park isn't crowded, and there is ample seating in the afternoon shade, it's not worth it. The lockbox is nice, the service is nice, but it's not $85 nice.

Can you comment on the free cabanas and if they provide adequate shade in the afternoon? Are there any in the Rainforest Village area?
 
Can you comment on the free cabanas and if they provide adequate shade in the afternoon? Are there any in the Rainforest Village area?
Yes, there were some cabanas in that area, I think two with both an upstairs and a downstairs, and they would be shaded almost all day.
 
Can you comment on the free cabanas and if they provide adequate shade in the afternoon? Are there any in the Rainforest Village area?

There's at least one covered area in the Rainforest Village just in front of Bambu. It's pretty tall, so it may not provide shade all of the time, especially on the edges. If you go to it, the sun will set behind the volcano. That might help when determining where to sit.
 
To those there recently, I am confused. Is there still such a thing as a Volcano Bay Express Pass? Or have they completely done away with them for regular Tapu Tapu 'waiting'?


EDIT: I found some more info... looks like they do still exist but we're going next May so I wasn't offered the option (yet) when buying. I'm interested in the 19.99 one as those are the only rides we were interested anyway.... we're getting off a cruise on a Saturday AM and need to drive to Orlando from Port Canaveral so can't be there right at open so it would be worth it to us. How soon do they usually put express passes on sale?
 
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To those there recently, I am confused. Is there still such a thing as a Volcano Bay Express Pass? Or have they completely done away with them for regular Tapu Tapu 'waiting'?


EDIT: I found some more info... looks like they do still exist but we're going next May so I wasn't offered the option (yet) when buying. I'm interested in the 19.99 one as those are the only rides we were interested anyway.... we're getting off a cruise on a Saturday AM and need to drive to Orlando from Port Canaveral so can't be there right at open so it would be worth it to us. How soon do they usually put express passes on sale?

Try looking up info on Inside Universal: http://forums.insideuniversal.net/forums/volcano-bay-water-park.147/
 
To those there recently, I am confused. Is there still such a thing as a Volcano Bay Express Pass? Or have they completely done away with them for regular Tapu Tapu 'waiting'?


EDIT: I found some more info... looks like they do still exist but we're going next May so I wasn't offered the option (yet) when buying. I'm interested in the 19.99 one as those are the only rides we were interested anyway.... we're getting off a cruise on a Saturday AM and need to drive to Orlando from Port Canaveral so can't be there right at open so it would be worth it to us. How soon do they usually put express passes on sale?

I bought EP for early October. It's a disposal wristband that they physically cross off the ride. The $19.99 rate will be for the lowest season, which would be some really cold day in the winter. May will probably be more expensive. Mine for 10/5 for all of the rides was $69.99 per person. I suspect May will be closer to that rate. It wasn't really worth it for us, since the park was pretty dead during early entry and the first hour. May could be busier than October. Are you staying onsite? I think I bought mine at the end of June.
 

Thanks for the tip, I didn't know that forum existed and it's a wealth of info... I know what I'm doing today haha.

I bought EP for early October. It's a disposal wristband that they physically cross off the ride. The $19.99 rate will be for the lowest season, which would be some really cold day in the winter. May will probably be more expensive. Mine for 10/5 for all of the rides was $69.99 per person. I suspect May will be closer to that rate. It wasn't really worth it for us, since the park was pretty dead during early entry and the first hour. May could be busier than October. Are you staying onsite? I think I bought mine at the end of June.

Good to know... yes we are staying onsite just the one night (a Saturday) and flying out the next evening at 6pm. I know we'd get early entry on the Sunday AM and I'm still weighing that, but I think we'll go on the Saturday even if we arrive later. When I was looking at the Express Passes there were actually two kinds... the difference between the $19.99 and the $39.99 (at least in this slower season) were that the $19.99 didn't give you all the slides. Looking at the ones omitted in the cheaper pass it is perfect, since those are the ones we didn't want to do anyway. I will wait for a while and see what they are offering after Xmas, looks like the "limited" cheaper one that we'd want seems to pop up on Saturdays which should work well for us.

Thanks again everyone :)
 
The extended forecast for the day we wanted to go in early December is showing a high of 64, low of 45. We could potentially switch it to another day but it's only a couple degrees warmer. I know they close when it's too cold but I'm not sure what "too cold" means. I also know that it's almost 2 weeks away so things could change. We're willing to give it a shot even if it is that cold as one of our favorite trips included a rooftop pool in Banff when it was below freezing outside! :)

Also, if VB is closed, does Universal ever refund the cost difference between the 2-park and 3-park tickets? We ended up buying tickets direct as part of a package as a favor to a friend who is starting out as a travel agent.
 
The extended forecast for the day we wanted to go in early December is showing a high of 64, low of 45. We could potentially switch it to another day but it's only a couple degrees warmer. I know they close when it's too cold but I'm not sure what "too cold" means. I also know that it's almost 2 weeks away so things could change. We're willing to give it a shot even if it is that cold as one of our favorite trips included a rooftop pool in Banff when it was below freezing outside! :)

Also, if VB is closed, does Universal ever refund the cost difference between the 2-park and 3-park tickets? We ended up buying tickets direct as part of a package as a favor to a friend who is starting out as a travel agent.
It seems that the long range Orlando forecast is very unreliable. We usually can't depend upon it or do planning till the day before. You are quite a ways out...Maybe the weather will be warmer!:wizard:
 

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