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

[jagafen]

We're reserved in the Wave Pool section. You know, I started thinking, on the confirmation email it states:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR TICKETS

To pick up your tickets, follow the signs to the Will Call Kiosks, which are only located at the front gate of either Universal Studios Florida™ or Universal's Islands of Adventure™ theme parks. To redeem your tickets at the Will Call Kiosks you will need the credit card used for this purchase and either the QR code or order confirmation number seen to the left.
Your order contains ticket(s) valid starting May 25, 2017 with access to Volcano Bay. These ticket(s) will expire in full on the expiration date printed on ticket. Unused days will be forfeited.

I wonder if I can get this "ticket" at the Will Call kiosk at HRH and already have it my hand so I can go straight to the concierge hut at VB? Was it an actual ticket they gave you at guest relations to bring back to the concierge?

Sorry, been busy...it's worth a shot. We didn't do it, because in my head/understanding, everything was to be taken care of at the concierge desk. The ticket looked just like a park ticket, but reflected the premium seating on the back.

Hi I just got off the phone with Universal. I asked her to the steps to get the tickets for reserved seating, ep etc.. She told me that I should be able to print everything at the CBBR kiosk and have my tickets. Yes if that is true than we can skip the guest relations part. When I get to CBBR I am going to swipe my card that I used and see if tickets print out for the reserved seating and ep... If it does give me a ticket than I will go right to the concierge when I get to VB. If not then I will have to stop at guest services first.

I wish I'd have known that!! Oh well, you live and learn!

 

[disnutz]

We are staying at HRH - and definitely will beplanning a couple of early mornings here. How far from RP is it?

 

[TheConsciousness]

Anyone know if they are capable of upping the wave sizes of the wave pool? TimTracker showed a water park recently (Typhoon Lagoon?) where the wave pool had 4 foot waves!

 

[ldymcbth]

Here's my little mini-review. We went on Weds - early admission for staying onsite, but we missed the 7a bus from RP so we didn't get to Volcano Bay until right at 8. Even with getting there right at opening, it was packed and lines were long. Over the course of the day, we did Krakatoa twice, OhNo 4 times (OhYeah was closed all day,) one of the big group raft coasters - that was it for slides because for the second ride of Krakatoa we had a 120m virtual wait. I don't like not being able to ride anything while you're in a virtual line. First thing in the morning, we could have ridden several things without a wait while waiting for Krakatoa, but you're not allowed - you must scan in to ride, even if there is absolutely no one in line for a ride. Also so many rides went up and down all day - and if you're virtually in line for something that goes down, you're stuck in that line unless you want to abandon it for another - so you lose the wait you've already put in. That was a pain.

We did the wave pool (a lot,) and both of the rivers. The fast-moving river is NOT a good fit for kids who are nervous around water or not strong swimmers. My kids are great swimmers AND were required to use tubes and it still freaked them out a little - it's just very fast and strong.

Overall, the park was beautiful but just so crowded. We all agreed that we prefer Typhoon Lagoon. I didn't like the TapuTapu system, honestly - it felt very frantic.

If your child has small wrists, ask for the rubber band-y thing to help keep their TapuTapu on - we found SO many lost bands in the wave pool and rivers.

I thought the food options were very good, if pricy. I really dislike the thing Universal does where it sells you an upcharged Combo meal (pizza AND Icee, for example) with no clarification on the menu that it doesn't have to be bought as a combo. We found that to be the case throughout the Universal parks and it was really sort of shady. So just note that you can order anything ala carte.

 

[k&Jsmom]

The buses that leave for VB from the hotels, does anyone know how they run? Is it every 15 min or 20 min etc? Thanks

I just read the thread that it's every 15 min.

 

[macraven]

I just googled it and read on another well used site busses leave onsite hotels approximately every 15 minutes to Vbay

 

[CoachZ]

We are staying at HRH - and definitely will beplanning a couple of early mornings here. How far from RP is it?

Here's what I found on the distance from RPR to VB.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Ans...u_walk_to_volcano_bay_from_royal_pacific.html

 

[Music City Mama]

Great your welcome have a good trip! I can't wait to hear about it

Fyi, I won't be going to VB until Monday but I did print my premium seating tickets at the will call kiosk at the concierge desk at HRH. So I guess no extra stop at guest services at VB.

 

[atricks]

We went again yesterday (Pass is blacked out for July) after the rain, and it was amazing... again. The park REALLY clears out in the afternoon. Did several things again nearly walk on, ran into Tim Tracker (again!) and the fast river was going strong today. I really like that river. Under the volcano was cool too, it's still not 100% done there either.

Although it isn't perfect, it is getting better, and I've got the tapu system down now, so I really can't complain about it. The other water parks in town have their plusses, but VBay has made my it favorite overall.

I can't say this enough, the late afternoons/evenings are the best time to go. (Just watch for the afternoon storms) When we got there we timed it so that the lightning moved away about the time we walked inside the park, and we hit it about perfect.

 

[bobbie68]

Fyi, I won't be going to VB until Monday but I did print my premium seating tickets at the will call kiosk at the concierge desk at HRH. So I guess no extra stop at guest services at VB.

Thank you enjoy and can't wait to hear your review

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Hubby, friends and I are planning a VB day + a night stay at CBBR in later September. The day of the week we are planning to go to VB is a Thursday. Hubby keeps reading all the nightmare stuff online which I've told him to stop doing. I realize regular hours at the park will be a little shorter than they are this summer. I'm also kinda counting on crowds to be notably lower since it's a random Thursday in September. We will definitely be utilizing EE. I've never been to Universal...I'm just assuming much like every other theme park in the country crowds are less in September than dead of summer. Is that accurate? Disney still packs the humans in pretty well authority free dining, etc. Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic.

So far the plan is to check-in over at CBBR early early in the morning, no worries if our tower family suite will be ready or not. We'll be geared-up ready to hit VB EE anyway. Goal is to be at the tapstyles 30-45 mins ahead of EE opening. Is that a good plan?

Get in. Get a big shady umbrella spot (is right in front of the wave pool best for this?). Start hitting as many slides as possible starting with Krakatau, Honu, and drop slides. Does this sound like a good game plan?

Hit me up with suggestions and tips if you have any. My biggest concern at this point is finding the best location for us. We're redheads so shade is not optional. Near a good bar, food, restrooms, etc. is a bonus. Do not need a locker as we have an AquaVault.

 

[RalphinSC]

Here's my little mini-review. We went on Weds - early admission for staying onsite, but we missed the 7a bus from RP so we didn't get to Volcano Bay until right at 8. Even with getting there right at opening, it was packed and lines were long. Over the course of the day, we did Krakatoa twice, OhNo 4 times (OhYeah was closed all day,) one of the big group raft coasters - that was it for slides because for the second ride of Krakatoa we had a 120m virtual wait. I don't like not being able to ride anything while you're in a virtual line. First thing in the morning, we could have ridden several things without a wait while waiting for Krakatoa, but you're not allowed - you must scan in to ride, even if there is absolutely no one in line for a ride. Also so many rides went up and down all day - and if you're virtually in line for something that goes down, you're stuck in that line unless you want to abandon it for another - so you lose the wait you've already put in. That was a pain.

We did the wave pool (a lot,) and both of the rivers. The fast-moving river is NOT a good fit for kids who are nervous around water or not strong swimmers. My kids are great swimmers AND were required to use tubes and it still freaked them out a little - it's just very fast and strong.

Overall, the park was beautiful but just so crowded. We all agreed that we prefer Typhoon Lagoon. I didn't like the TapuTapu system, honestly - it felt very frantic.

If your child has small wrists, ask for the rubber band-y thing to help keep their TapuTapu on - we found SO many lost bands in the wave pool and rivers.

I thought the food options were very good, if pricy. I really dislike the thing Universal does where it sells you an upcharged Combo meal (pizza AND Icee, for example) with no clarification on the menu that it doesn't have to be bought as a combo. We found that to be the case throughout the Universal parks and it was really sort of shady. So just note that you can order anything ala carte.

If a ride says "Ride now" for it's wait time, you absolutely can still ride it even if you are waiting in virtual line for another ride. Tiawahna Tubes is pretty close to "ride now" all day except for the absolutel busiest times. We did that a few times on our trips. We would tap in for the coaster and go ride the tubes or Maku (which seemd to be "ride now" a lot as well).

 

[RalphinSC]

Can you walk from Royal Pacific to Volcano Bay? It looks like it shouldn't be very far.

They don't currently have a walking path behind the resort. Maybe that will change as they go along, but it seems the only way to get to the parks from the resorts not named Cabana Bay right now is by bus.

 

[RalphinSC]

Hubby, friends and I are planning a VB day + a night stay at CBBR in later September. The day of the week we are planning to go to VB is a Thursday. Hubby keeps reading all the nightmare stuff online which I've told him to stop doing. I realize regular hours at the park will be a little shorter than they are this summer. I'm also kinda counting on crowds to be notably lower since it's a random Thursday in September. We will definitely be utilizing EE. I've never been to Universal...I'm just assuming much like every other theme park in the country crowds are less in September than dead of summer. Is that accurate? Disney still packs the humans in pretty well authority free dining, etc. Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic.

So far the plan is to check-in over at CBBR early early in the morning, no worries if our tower family suite will be ready or not. We'll be geared-up ready to hit VB EE anyway. Goal is to be at the tapstyles 30-45 mins ahead of EE opening. Is that a good plan?

Get in. Get a big shady umbrella spot (is right in front of the wave pool best for this?). Start hitting as many slides as possible starting with Krakatau, Honu, and drop slides. Does this sound like a good game plan?

Hit me up with suggestions and tips if you have any. My biggest concern at this point is finding the best location for us. We're redheads so shade is not optional. Near a good bar, food, restrooms, etc. is a bonus. Do not need a locker as we have an AquaVault.

Sounds like you have a great plan. There was a very nice big umbrella spot within twenty steps from the Dancing Dragons bar that we found to be "our spot" as we went along on our week. If you hit the beach, go right and keep walking near the back of the beach until you get near the red sail. Blue-green umbrella with a decent view of the Volcano and really close to the bar. I'll post pictures of it if I can find some.

Tell your husband to watch some Tim Tracker or OrlanDave videos to soothe his anxiety. Or just have him read my recap earlier in this thread. You guys have a plan and you are going to have a wonderful time. Should be a good bit slower in September and you have already set yourself up for the two best things you could possibly do to make the day awesone: staying at Cabana Bay and arriving before early park entry.

 

[ldymcbth]

If a ride says "Ride now" for it's wait time, you absolutely can still ride it even if you are waiting in virtual line for another ride. Tiawahna Tubes is pretty close to "ride now" all day except for the absolutel busiest times. We did that a few times on our trips. We would tap in for the coaster and go ride the tubes or Maku (which seemd to be "ride now" a lot as well).

We were absolutely not allowed to do this. The people stationed at the entrance/totems at the line would NOT let us do so.

 

[RalphinSC]

We were absolutely not allowed to do this. The people stationed at the entrance/totems at the line would NOT let us do so.

Whoever did that must of been mis-informed or this is a very recent change. Sorry you experienced that. We were never stopped from doing a ride now with a tapped wait time from another slide. It's mentioned several times in youtube clips from vloggers that cover the parks and there are even widely distributed touring guides from popular websites that give this as a suggestion.

If this has changed and they are not allowing "ride now" with a virtual wait time, then this is a very recent change.

 

[atricks]

We were absolutely not allowed to do this. The people stationed at the entrance/totems at the line would NOT let us do so.

When was that? I was able to do it on the 30th no problem. Was in virtual line for Honu and went on the Tiawahna tube (Dark blue).

 

[kungaloosh22]

They don't currently have a walking path behind the resort. Maybe that will change as they go along, but it seems the only way to get to the parks from the resorts not named Cabana Bay right now is by bus.

Thanks Ralph, I appreciate the info. Not what I hoped, but oh well, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Sounds like you have a great plan. There was a very nice big umbrella spot within twenty steps from the Dancing Dragons bar that we found to be "our spot" as we went along on our week. If you hit the beach, go right and keep walking near the back of the beach until you get near the red sail. Blue-green umbrella with a decent view of the Volcano and really close to the bar. I'll post pictures of it if I can find some.

Tell your husband to watch some Tim Tracker or OrlanDave videos to soothe his anxiety. Or just have him read my recap earlier in this thread. You guys have a plan and you are going to have a wonderful time. Should be a good bit slower in September and you have already set yourself up for the two best things you could possibly do to make the day awesone: staying at Cabana Bay and arriving before early park entry.

Thanks so much for the input. Seriously. Very much appreciated. I think I'm more jazzed for the single night at CBBR & VB than I am for the Disney portion the 5 days before. LOL! If we didn't have the pesky Disney APs & commitments to friends at Disney I'd ditch that week entirely.

 

[soniam]

The buses that leave for VB from the hotels, does anyone know how they run? Is it every 15 min or 20 min etc? Thanks

I just read the thread that it's every 15 min.

I was told every 15 minutes by several hotel staff at RPR on opening weekend, including someone manning the bus station. However, it could obviously vary.