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



## schumigirl

*WELCOME TO THE VOLCANO BAY THREAD.......*

*Ask any questions or offer any advice......all welcome!*


*An Island Retreat Like None Before*

Made up of four immersive areas filled with innovative opportunities for thrills and rejuvenation, Universal's Volcano Bay™ is an all-new water theme park like none other. Here you'll find a full day's worth of fun set to the tune of a comforting island breeze and breathtakingly lush views.

With 18 incredible attractions, you'll be able to experience daring water adventures and moments of peaceful relaxation—all without having to worry about waiting in line or carrying around rafts. You'll be granted the powers of the TapuTapu™ wearable. With just a wave of your wrist you can hold your place in the ride lines and reveal wondrous surprises throughout the park. Which means more time to careen down slides, brave whitewater torrents, drift down a winding river or relax in your own waterside cabana.

This hassle-free island is just steps away from Universal Orlando's other world class theme parks, Universal's Islands of Adventure™ and Universal Studios Florida™, five themed on-site resort hotels and the dining, shopping and entertainment of Universal CityWalk™.





*All-New Wonders Of TapuTapu™ At Volcano Bay™*


Volcano Bay™ guests enjoy all the benefits of the TapuTapu™ wearable. The TapuTapu eliminates standing in long attraction lines by enabling you to relax and play while waiting in the park’s Virtual Line™ until it’s time to ride. Plus, with TapuTapu you can enjoy the fun and convenience of activating interactive surprises, opening lockers, making cash-free payments and more.










_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube
See what you can do with TapuTapu.




*Experience All The Benefits Of TapuTapu™*





*TapTu Pay™*

Pay for food, drinks and merchandise with a tap of your TapuTapu wearable.










*TapTu Ride*

Make the most of your time with the Virtual Line™. Your TapuTapu will hold your place in the Virtual Line for one attraction at a time (Based on availability).










*TapTu Snap**

Take shots at special photo spots and get photos taken automatically on select attractions.










*TapTu Lock**

Open and lock your lockers with a tap.










*TapTu Play™*

Volcano Bay’s hidden surprises are yours to command.










TAPTU PAY

Pay for food, drinks and merchandise with a tap of your TapuTapu wearable.










*TapTu Ride*

Make the most of your time with the Virtual Line™. Your TapuTapu will hold your place in the Virtual Line for one attraction at a time (Based on availability).





*TapTu Pay™ Is The New Way To Pay*

At Universal’s Volcano Bay™ your TapuTapu™ wearable lets you TapTu Pay™ to make cash-free purchases of food and merchandise throughout the park. You’ll just need to set up an account and assign a credit card. Then, when you’re in Volcano Bay, you’ll enjoy the ease and convenience of making most transactions with a simple tap of your TapuTapu.







_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube
Guests can make purchases throughout the entire park with their TapuTapu wearable, eliminating the need for cash, credit cards or a wallet simply by creating an account.








*How to Set Up Your TapTu Pay*

*Create an account online or download/open* The Official Universal Orlando Resort™ App on your phone.
*Tap the WALLET ICON* in the lower right corner (or from the main menu).
*Enter your Credit Card information.* Just follow the prompts.
*Link* your travel party’s Volcano Bay tickets. Scan the barcodes or enter the numbers.
*Create the PIN* your entire party will use when they TapTu Pay.
*Return your TapuTapu* when you leave the park and all personal information will be unlinked.
Get The Official Universal Orlando Resort™ App



 





*Virtual Line™ Means No Standing In Long Lines*
Universal Volcano Bay’s Virtual Line™ means more time having fun, less time standing in line. Use it to “tap in” at an attraction and receive a designated return time, leaving you free to do whatever you want until it’s time to ride, instead of spending much of your day standing in long lines.


* RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS* 



*The Volcano*
*Island Centerpiece*

At the heart of the island stands Krakatau™, the mighty Fire and Water Volcano. Towering 200 feet above the tropical landscape, Krakatau™ streams waterfalls during the day and fiery lava effects at night. Inside the cavernous volcano, the Waturi people dare you to brave a variety of heart-pounding water slides.



*Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster*
Honorary Waturi can experience the power of Krakatau™ on this amazing ride. Four-person canoes slide upward through the mists and into the dark twists and turns within the volcano before emerging with a plunge through a shimmering waterfall.

*Ko'okiri Body Plunge™*
Join in the centuries-old tradition of honoring the volcano god, Vol, by braving the incredible Ko'okiri Body Plunge™. Featuring a 70-degree fall through a drop door and 125 feet of white-knuckle fun, this dizzying descent ends with a watery tribute from Vol himself.

*Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides™*
Join Kala and Tai Nui where sea and sky meet and take a leap of faith from high atop the volcano. Twin drop doors simultaneously plunge two guests down clear, intertwining tubes before sending them joyfully splashing into the turquoise waters below.

*Punga Racers™*
A favorite among Waturi children of all ages, Punga Racers send single riders on their manta ray mats sliding down four lanes through underwater sea caves. And to this day, the first racer to cross the finish line receives a watery salute from Punga himself.

*Wave Village
Crystal Waters And Sandy Beaches*
Wave Village is the first of three villages guests encounter at Volcano Bay™. This peaceful escape overlooks the sparkling waters of Waturi Beach at the base of the volcano.

*Waturi Beach*
Locals know that the waves are always perfect at Waturi Beach. Swim, splash and relax right along with them in the sparkling waters and warm waves of the lagoon at the foot of mighty Krakatau™.

*The Reef*
Watch the bravest Waturi take the Ko'okiri Body Plunge from the comfort of this peaceful leisure pool. A clear plexi tube shoots straight through this 5.5-foot-deep pool, which features its own private waterfall perfect for frolicking.



*RIVER VILLAGE
Fun Flows Through*

The scenic River Village has fun for people of all ages, including the very youngest Waturi.

*Honu ika Moana™*
Just like the ancient Waturi people who rode the ocean waves on friendly sea turtles and whales, guests can enjoy these two twisting, turning, multi-person slides. Honu sweeps up two massive walls, while ika Moana sprays water on riders from the center of the raft.

*Tot Tiki Reef™*
Even the youngest Waturi can get in on the fun in the shallows of Tot Tiki Reef. Play among splashy slides, a tot-sized water volcano and a family of friendly tikis with spraying fountains. Plus, adorable whales spray and sing as kids raise and lower their hands.

*Runamukka Reef™*
Once an exotic coral reef beneath the ocean, Runamukka Reef is now a favorite play place for young Waturi children with its bubbling geysers, water guns, slides and dump cups. Shaded by fanciful bamboo sea creatures and waving seaweed, it’s the most playful spot in Universal’s Volcano Bay™.

*Kopiko Wai Winding River™*
Take a slow ride on the Kopiko Wai Winding River through the tropical landscape of Universal’s Volcano Bay™, a land full of surprises. Sprays of water surprise along the way, and beneath the lava rocks, Stargazer’s Cavern reveals the magical night sky above.

*Rainforest Village
A Forest Full Of Excitement*
The third village you’ll discover in Universal’s Volcano Bay™, Rainforest Village stretches along the shores of an action-packed river and features the perfect mix of relaxation and exhilaration.

*Taniwha Tubes™*
There’s a place in Universal’s Volcano Bay™ where the puka trees grow abnormally tall. Inspired by their twisting roots, the Waturi built four twisting water slides called the Taniwha Tubes. Riders can try all four twisting tracks, but beware—mischievous tiki statues spray jets of water when you least expect it.

*Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™*
This six-person rafting adventure isn’t for the faint of heart. Choose one of two lava-tube paths or try them both. Maku slides through a deep volcanic gorge before spinning wildly around bowl-like formations. Then, test your bravery on Puihi, where you'll feel the stomach-flipping thrill of a zero-gravity hang time before splashing your way to safety at the bottom.

*Puka Uli Lagoon*
This pool features elements that even the tiniest Waturi can enjoy like bongo drums and spraying water.

TeAwa The Fearless River™

Race along a roaring, watery stream of churning rapids and choppy waves while hanging tight to your inner tube on this thrilling whitewater ride.

*Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slide™*
Ascend the side of a cliff before plummeting down the twisting waters of the Ohyah Slide and dropping out four feet above the pool below. Then, brave the rope bridge and take the plunge down the Ohno Slide, a serpentine adventure that ends six feet above the awaiting pool.

_The Volcano Bay™ Rider's Guide is available at Guest Services at Universal's Volcano Bay™._


_Below is a map of VB. This way you can get an idea where everything is for adequate seating. Personally we went on everything and we sat in the wave village both days. I like to be in the center of everything. You will see more of the thrill rides are in rainforest village with some in the river and wave. The premium seating is located in various spots in the villages. We rented one cabana in the wave village on the wall against the interstate and saw many other cabanas around and did not see premium seating near it. _
 Thanks to bobbie68 for this info_ 




_


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## schumigirl

*DINING OPTIONS AT VOLCANO BAY*


A New Wave Of Deliciousness





_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube

Universal's Volcano Bay™ is taking vacation cuisine to the next level. Choose from more than 60 unique offerings inspired by flavors of the South Pacific, including slowly-smoked, glazed Hawaiian Ribs with boniato mash and sweet plantains, or try the Coconut Curry Chicken made with braised chicken, green coconut curry sauce, white rice, sweet coconut and fresh cilantro. Classic family favorites include Chicken Fingers, Hamburgers and Pizza. And refreshing specialties like Jerked Mahi Sandwiches, Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches and decadent Chocolate Pineapple Upside Down Cake are just a taste of this all-new island retreat.




*Wave Village*





*Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club™*

This airy escape at the base of the majestic Krakatau™ volcano, delights with fresh island favorites including tangy Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, tasty Quinoa Edamame Burgers or crunchy Coconut Crusted Fried Chicken as you listen to gentle waves lapping at the lagoon shore.

Menu



*Dancing Dragons Boat Bar*

Relax in the shade of this cool canteen shaped like an ancient outrigger canoe. With the colorfully repainted sails of a Chinese junk ship, it's a delightful place to unwind with tropical cocktails and frozen drinks while digging your toes into the sand.


*River Village*





*Whakawaiwai Eats*

Savor Island BBQ Chicken Pizza, Tropical Baby Greens salad, Hawaiian Pizza and more brilliantly delicious temptations alongside the sparkling river. Treat yourself to delicious temptations sure dazzle your palate any time of day.

Menu



*Rainforest Village*





*Bambu*

Exquisitely crafted by island builders, this cool, shaded hideaway made of elegant stalks of bamboo offers a mouthwatering selection of quick and easy eats. Choose from imaginative island fare such as the Reka Burger, Pretzel Dog or the Tropical Fruit Salad.

Menu








*The Feasting Frog*

Inviting patio seating surrounds this vibrant and quirky structure shaped like a tropical frog. Here you'll find refreshing drinks and satisfying snacks like the Poke Poke Bowl, Taco Sampler, or Plantain Chips & Guacamole.

Menu


*KUNUKU BOAT BAR*

Refreshing frozen drinks, specialty cocktails, fountain sodas and draft beers are just some of the thirst-quenchers on offer at this permanently beached outrigger canoe. Flying the sails of a Chinese junk rig, this landlocked bar is named for the mythical fish that guided the Waturi islanders to Volcano Bay™.




*ADD ONS*


Enhance Your Thrills And Relaxation
Make your day even more unforgettable with a variety of extras and special amenities at Universal's Volcano Bay™. Options include: Cabanas, Premium Seating and Universal Express™ ride access. All can be purchased in advance or at the park (subject to availability).




*Cabana Rentals*


Relax, unwind and enjoy the charms of your own private cabana in paradise with extra-comfy seating, concierge service and more. Each retreat offers padded lounge chairs, a small refrigerator stocked with bottled water, complimentary fruit and snack basket, towel and locker service, plus concierge service with an exclusive menu of food and drink delivered directly to the cabana. One-story and two-story retreats are located throughout the park.

Book now at (877) 489-8068.



*Single Cabana Units*

Holds up to 6 people. Choose from upper level cabanas for spectacular views, ground level cabanas for convenience and accessibility, or stand-alone cabanas that offer a bit more privacy.

FROM *$159 .99* *PER UNIT, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions

*Family Suite Cabanas*
Holds up to 16 people. Relax with your group in a large, private stand-alone cabana.

FROM *$299 .99* *PER UNIT, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions





*Premium Seating*
Relax with the comfort and convenience of reserved seating for the day.

Book now at (877) 489-8068.



*Premium Seating*
Includes a pair of padded loungers with an adjustable shade canopy and a built-in storage lockbox. Plus, you can enjoy the services of an area attendant who'll see to your food and drink orders.

FROM *$29 .99** *PER PAIR, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions




*Universal Express™*
Universal Express™ lets you slide past the Virtual Line™ at participating attractions at Universal's Volcano Bay™. There's no need to stop by the attractions ahead of time and receive a scheduled return time—you can get to the ride when you want.

Get Details About All Universal Express™ Passes >



*Volcano Bay™ Universal Express Unlimited™ Pass*
Use an unlimited number of times^ at participating attractions.

FROM *$39 .99^ *PER PERSON, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions
BUY NOW

*Volcano Bay™ Universal Express™ Pass*
Use one time^^ at each participating attraction.

FROM *$19 .99^^ *PER PERSON, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions
BUY NOW


*Universal Dining Plan™*
When you purchase a Universal Dining Plan™, you can take advantage of it at Universal’s Volcano Bay™.

Get Details About All Universal Dining Plan™ Packages >



*Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service™*
Choose from several participating Quick-Service restaurants at Universal’s Volcano Bay™. And, if you upgrade to include the Coca-Cola freestyle® Souvenir Cup, you can get unlimited refills†† at the stations throughout the park.

FROM *$22 .99† *PER PERSON, PER DAY, PLUS TAX

Terms And Conditions
BUY NOW


*Waturi Way*
*The Legend of Volcano Bay*
Water is Life. Life is Joy. That is the mantra by which the fabled Waturi islanders have lived on their Pacific isle for centuries. Discover the legends of the Waturi and share their joy and carefree lifestyle at Universal's Volcano Bay.






_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube
At Universal's Volcano Bay you'll share the joy and carefree lifestyle of the Waturi islanders. Discover the legend of their journeys across the South Pacific, searching for their new home with the help of the mystical fish Kunuku.









_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube
At Universal's Volcano Bay™ the Waturi islanders have found the way to master time with TapuTapu™, which lets you relax and play instead of standing in long lines.









_*play video* *pause video*_
Watch on Youtube
Live life like a Waturi islander at Universal's Volcano Bay™, where an array of amazing attractions and amenities create a tropical paradise of thrills and relaxation.






EXPERIENCE THE PARKS LIKE A VIP Get Details
Restrictions apply.
Get Details





*UNIVERSAL'S VOLCANO BAY™ Our third park is now open *


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## schumigirl

HELD


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## schumigirl

HELD


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## schumigirl

HELD


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## schumigirl

HELD


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## bobbie68

Thank you schmugirl


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## bobbie68

Hi I heard there was a separate entrance into VB for CBBR guests. Is this true and how does it work?


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## disneyjr77

This is awesome...thanks schumigirl!!


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## TheConsciousness

Amazing! I'm very interested in going now!

Does anyone know why you have to wear life jackets on the lazy river? Is this just something they're doing for the first few days?


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## damo

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I heard there was a separate entrance into VB for CBBR guests. Is this true and how does it work?




As of right now, I don't believe there is a separate entrance, there is just a separate walkway.  Separate entrance may be in the future.



TheConsciousness said:


> Amazing! I'm very interested in going now!
> 
> Does anyone know why you have to wear life jackets on the lazy river? Is this just something they're doing for the first few days?



I read that has already changed to require either a life jacket OR a tube&life jacket but I can't confirm.


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## Kivara

Not sure of current rules, but in Tim Tracker's opening day video, he noted that you had to have a tube and a life jacket for the fast lazy river. (I believe the regular lazy river wasn't running in that video.)





He talks about it at 19:30


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## atricks

Kivara said:


> Not sure of current rules, but in Tim Tracker's opening day video, he noted that you had to have a tube and a life jacket for the fast lazy river. (I believe the regular lazy river wasn't running in that video.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He talks about it at 19:30



They were in front of us on the bus and we were behind them, I tried to avoid getting on the video, but I still did around 7:08 in.   Daugter was slow walking through the tunnel, and we were directly behind them, also next to them for lunch too.


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## Kivara

atricks said:


> They were in front of us on the bus and we were behind them, I tried to avoid getting on the video, but I still did around 7:08 in.   Daugter was slow walking through the tunnel, and we were directly behind them, also next to them for lunch too.



How fun!


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## NicRic

So i noticed over the weekend Universal pulled the express pass link for Volcano Bay, after just speaking with a customer service member they said express pass will not be available until further notice!! Does anyone know why they would pull the express pass option? Seems it will be very hard without it to get on all the slides in one day.


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## bobbie68

NicRic said:


> So i noticed over the weekend Universal pulled the express pass link for Volcano Bay, after just speaking with a customer service member they said express pass will not be available until further notice!! Does anyone know why they would pull the express pass option? Seems it will be very hard without it to get on all the slides in one day.



Hi I believe the EP is making the tapu tapu system lines longer. I am not sure but if I were to guess it is because that they did not factor EP into the queue reservation system technology and how it would effect wait times.  Their thought is probably that without EP the tapu tapu system will work more like they thought it would with wait times. Honestly I  think they need a smaller capacity for this park right now. 

Universal is honoring EP already bought. I am thinking they might sell them at the park day by day. I was lucky and right after opening day and read the reports I purchased mine for July/August. 

Just a little interesting side note. I read the trip advisor reviews (really awful) anyways one person mentioned  that they should have listened  to the survey reports when they tested it out at Wet N Wild. Guests did not like this system at all and complained about it. Surprising with reviews of a test system they really didn't think it through better.  

I love Universal and I think they will find a solution to keep their guests happy.


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## bobbie68

damo said:


> As of right now, I don't believe there is a separate entrance, there is just a separate walkway.  Separate entrance may be in the future.
> 
> 
> 
> I read that has already changed to require either a life jacket OR a tube&life jacket but I can't confirm.




Thank you


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## bobbie68

Hi on twitter #Volcanobay they are reporting that you can no longer have Krakatau and another ride. It is one at a time. Associates are saying it is helping lines a little bit. Can anyone confirm this?


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## FlipHipster

They probably jumped the gun offering EP opening day. Maybe they will bring it back after they get a chance to dial in the Tapu system and get all the attractions up to speed.



bobbie68 said:


> Hi on twitter #Volcanobay they are reporting that you can no longer have Krakatau and another ride. It is one at a time. Associates are saying it is helping lines a little bit. Can anyone confirm this?



I've seen a few twitters and posts on other forums about it only allowing 1 ride at a time and no more 1+krakatau starting today. I imagine it will go through several changes over the next few weeks as they tweak the system. This weekend could be something totally different 

Something I have been wondering about.... Are they going to limit day parking at CBBR to resort guests only? I have to admit if I coming to VB for the day, I would definitely park at CB and walk over vs. parking at CW and taking the bus. I don't care if they doubled the day parking fee, would still do it and I'm sure a lot of other people have had the same idea. That would really suck for resort guests. Certainly someone at Uni thought of this and has plans for it but I haven't seen anything about it yet.


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## macraven

Ralph
I am giving you a public apology for deleting your post of "thanks for the new sticky"

Man, You were fast in joining in!!!!

We were working on setting this up and were blocking out spaces so we could add more basic info here

(Looked up and saw we lost a place for us to continue and keep all info in one place )
I wanted to get all pertain info into the beginning of our introduction area


Will try to move soniam' posts of her first hand opening day experiences at Vbay

Also a few other first hand experiences


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## schumigirl

Thanks mac.........





Kivara said:


> Not sure of current rules, but in Tim Tracker's opening day video, he noted that you had to have a tube and a life jacket for the fast lazy river. (I believe the regular lazy river wasn't running in that video.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He talks about it at 19:30



I hadn't seen that one......thanks for posting it kivara.........

I wonder if that's atricks ducking down to try and avoid being in the film...........


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## aliceinwonder

Question- we rented 2 cabanas covering 12 people.  How strict will they be on use of cabana?  Can a person from the Group 1 cabana, enter the cabana assigned to group 2?  Also, if someone has unlimited express pass, can they let someone else use it?  Thanks!


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## atricks

FlipHipster said:


> They probably jumped the gun offering EP opening day. Maybe they will bring it back after they get a chance to dial in the Tapu system and get all the attractions up to speed.
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen a few twitters and posts on other forums about it only allowing 1 ride at a time and no more 1+krakatau starting today. I imagine it will go through several changes over the next few weeks as they tweak the system. This weekend could be something totally different
> 
> Something I have been wondering about.... Are they going to limit day parking at CBBR to resort guests only? I have to admit if I coming to VB for the day, I would definitely park at CB and walk over vs. parking at CW and taking the bus. I don't care if they doubled the day parking fee, would still do it and I'm sure a lot of other people have had the same idea. That would really suck for resort guests. Certainly someone at Uni thought of this and has plans for it but I haven't seen anything about it yet.



Cabana Bay parking is now $45 for parking beyond an hour or two, unless you are staying there (Still $12 for hotel guests).   I'm sure if it becomes a problem, they'll go even higher on it.


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## pcstang

Ouch!


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## pcstang

They shouldn't allow nonguests to park there in my opinion.


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## schumigirl

atricks said:


> Cabana Bay parking is now $45 for parking beyond an hour or to, unless you are staying there (Still $12 for hotel guests).   I'm sure if it becomes a problem, they'll go even higher on it.



Glad to hear it.........

Nothing worse than being a hotel guest and not being able to park in the hotel lot..........I hope they implement a hotel guest only rule for CBay.


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## soniam

On Friday and Sunday, you only had to wear a life jacket on the Fearless River (Not-So-Lazy River) if you were below a certain height. You did need a tube though. This could have changed though. Tubes were limited due to crowds and tubes deflating. If it's crowded, be very careful of allowing young children or poor swimmers in the Fearless River. It got very chaotic when we were there. It can have a very strong undercurrent.  Parents and children are very easily separated due to the fast moving current, water jets, and waves. It is a blast though and will be great when the crowds go down next summer.


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## Chuckers

I really enjoy water parks. However, I always go as a single. A few of the rides here are multi-person tubes/rafts. Does anyone know if they will mix a single in with others to fill a raft or am I just going to have to make friends real fast and try not to look like the creepy weird old guy asking to join a group just to ride?


P.S. thanks for doing this Schumi!! You so ROCK!


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## HHMcG

Ok, so you can walk to VB from Cbay, right?  How do you get there from other on-site hotels?  Walk/boat to parking garage and bus out to VB?

I'm trying to figure out where to stay for our 6-night August trip.  I'm considering a split stay to get both easy of getting to VB and Express Pass.


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## atricks

schumigirl said:


> Thanks mac.........
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hadn't seen that one......thanks for posting it kivara.........
> 
> I wonder if that's atricks ducking down to try and avoid being in the film...........



It was, he still got me.


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## soniam

Chuckers said:


> I really enjoy water parks. However, I always go as a single. A few of the rides here are multi-person tubes/rafts. Does anyone know if they will mix a single in with others to fill a raft or am I just going to have to make friends real fast and try not to look like the creepy weird old guy asking to join a group just to ride?
> 
> 
> P.S. thanks for doing this Schumi!! You so ROCK!



They combine you. Me by myself and my son and I together would sometimes be combined with other people. It just depended.



HHMcG said:


> Ok, so you can walk to VB from Cbay, right?  How do you get there from other on-site hotels?  Walk/boat to parking garage and bus out to VB?
> 
> I'm trying to figure out where to stay for our 6-night August trip.  I'm considering a split stay to get both easy of getting to VB and Express Pass.



The other onsite hotels, including Sapphire Falls, have buses. The buses were fast and efficient. RPR and SF share a bus. It picks up every 15 minutes or less. They pick up and drop off at RPR first. I don't know why. HRH and PBH share a bus. Then there's a bus for the Citywalk garage.


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## debsters41

Does anyone know how much the lockers are? Thanks in advance


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## soniam

debsters41 said:


> Does anyone know how much the lockers are? Thanks in advance



I think $12. They are located with the bathrooms/showers. They were selling out over Memorial Day weekend, but the park was also hitting capacity everyday.


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## SweetMimi

bobbie68 said:


> Hi on twitter #Volcanobay they are reporting that you can no longer have Krakatau and another ride. It is one at a time. Associates are saying it is helping lines a little bit. Can anyone confirm this?


This is true. They stopped allowing you to have Krakatau and an additional ride this past Wed when we were there. The team member said it is an attempt to lower the wait times for Krakatau. It was at 170 around 11. When we went back to it around 2 - after our ride- it was closed for reservations. They definitely have tweaking left to do. We only got to ride two of the family raft slides. They were fun and the location is beautiful but we were there a long time to only do two rides.


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## SweetMimi

soniam said:


> I think $12. They are located with the bathrooms/showers. They were selling out over Memorial Day weekend, but the park was also hitting capacity everyday.


They were $12 for the small lockers (size of ride lockers).  They didn't run out - I think there were 3 sections- when there Wed. Will probably be harder to come by in summer or maxed capacity.
 Also there are a large number of umbrellas all over. Some large enough to cover 3+ chairs and smaller for 2 chairs. Shade is also being provided by some of the palms. As the foliage matures there will be even more coverage. However as the park fills those spots will go quickly. There was a rain storm threatening which caused the rides/pools to close. This emptied the park a good amount which left lots of umbrella spots. It did not seem to open up slots at the rides though. Not sure when/how they reset the tapus. If they did this fairly quickly as guests left, the rides would open up more after the rain threat, end of the day ,etc.


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## atricks

soniam said:


> I think $12. They are located with the bathrooms/showers. They were selling out over Memorial Day weekend, but the park was also hitting capacity everyday.



Yes, $12 for small, $15 for the larger.  At least as of now you have to have a credit card to use them (even if the tapu is linked already).


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## debsters41

soniam said:


> I think $12. They are located with the bathrooms/showers. They were selling out over Memorial Day weekend, but the park was also hitting capacity everyday.


Thank you very much!


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## debsters41

SweetMimi said:


> They were $12 for the small lockers (size of ride lockers).  They didn't run out - I think there were 3 sections- when there Wed. Will probably be harder to come by in summer or maxed capacity.
> Also there are a large number of umbrellas all over. Some large enough to cover 3+ chairs and smaller for 2 chairs. Shade is also being provided by some of the palms. As the foliage matures there will be even more coverage. However as the park fills those spots will go quickly. There was a rain storm threatening which caused the rides/pools to close. This emptied the park a good amount which left lots of umbrella spots. It did not seem to open up slots at the rides though. Not sure when/how they reset the tapus. If they did this fairly quickly as guests left, the rides would open up more after the rain threat, end of the day ,etc.


Thank you!


----------



## debsters41

atricks said:


> Yes, $12 for small, $15 for the larger.  At least as of now you have to have a credit card to use them (even if the tapu is linked already).


Thank you!


----------



## atricks

A change in the last day or two, Krakatau Aqua Coaster has a single rider line, tapu tapu reservation still  needed to use the single line, but you can probably get on slightly faster.


----------



## lelew

does anyone no if you can walk to volcano bay from sapphire falls? I read Cabana Bay have there own entrance and i know your allowed to pool hop among the resorts but not sure if we can have access to Volcano bay. Thanks


----------



## macraven

For Vbay you would need a park ticket 


For those staying at one of the onsite hotels, you can hop to the other hotel pools


----------



## lelew

Right, i know I need a park tix but I was reading there is a cabana bay entrance to volcano bay. Everyone else has to take a shuttle. Does this mean if I'm staying at Sapphire Falls I have to shuttle over, or can I walk over to Cabana Bay and use that entrance since I'm a Universal Resort guest?


----------



## macraven

If you are staying at Sfall, use the bus it stops at rpr first and then picks up those at Sfalls

Bus comes every 15 minutes


There is an entrance for those that walk over from Cbay


Now if the bus pulls away as you are walking to the bus stop, might as well hike it to Vbay then


----------



## atricks

Volcano Bay Park hours have changed for next weekend, was 10PM now 8PM close, they are needing the extra time to finish up work it seems.  It's very unusual for parks to shrink hours this soon out, typically they extend (not shrink).   9 PM close starts on the 12th, and there's a 10PM close on the 17th, then back to 9pm until the 23rd, where its back to 10pm for the rest of the month.  Keep watching this for more changes though.

https://www.universalorlando.com/we.../park-hours/index.html#universals-volcano-bay


----------



## lelew

macraven said:


> If you are staying at Sfall, use the bus it stops at rpr first and then picks up those at Sfalls
> 
> Bus comes every 15 minutes
> 
> 
> There is an entrance for those that walk over from Cbay
> 
> 
> Now if the bus pulls away as you are walking to the bus stop, might as well hike it to Vbay then


thanks


----------



## lelew

atricks said:


> Volcano Bay Park hours have changed for next weekend, was 10PM now 8PM close, they are needing the extra time to finish up work it seems.  It's very unusual for parks to shrink hours this soon out, typically they extend (not shrink).   9 PM close starts on the 12th, and there's a 10PM close on the 17th, then back to 9pm until the 23rd, where its back to 10pm for the rest of the month.  Keep watching this for more changes though.
> 
> https://www.universalorlando.com/we.../park-hours/index.html#universals-volcano-bay


I feel bad for the people who went during grand opening not knowing the park was not finished. we are going end of August and I will be reading all reviews, If its still unorganized I will plan my days for Studios/IOA and resort pool time.


----------



## NicRic

Question about tapu band, if the ride is stating ride now no wait do you still have to tap to ride or can you be waiting for another ride and see theres no wait for something and just walk on without tapping as to not lose your place in anothet line. Like for a no wait ride so you still have to scan your band or just walk on. This could potentially save you time if your going right on a ride with no wait and your band is currently starting to wait for something else.


----------



## NicRic

Also if i am taking an uber from disney to volcano bay would it make since to get dropped off at cabana bay resort entrance so no shuttle is required to get there? Is there a security guard before the main enterence to cabana bay or will an uber be able to drop you off at the resort.


----------



## pcstang

NicRic said:


> Also if i am taking an uber from disney to volcano bay would it make since to get dropped off at cabana bay resort entrance so no shuttle is required to get there? Is there a security guard before the main enterence to cabana bay or will an uber be able to drop you off at the resort.


You can get dropped off at CB no problem.


----------



## soniam

lelew said:


> Right, i know I need a park tix but I was reading there is a cabana bay entrance to volcano bay. Everyone else has to take a shuttle. Does this mean if I'm staying at Sapphire Falls I have to shuttle over, or can I walk over to Cabana Bay and use that entrance since I'm a Universal Resort guest?





NicRic said:


> Also if i am taking an uber from disney to volcano bay would it make since to get dropped off at cabana bay resort entrance so no shuttle is required to get there? Is there a security guard before the main enterence to cabana bay or will an uber be able to drop you off at the resort.



You may not be allowed to take the CBBR entrance to Volcano Bay if you are not a CBBR hotel guest. I spoke to some people opening weekend that weren't allowed to use that entrance, because they weren't staying there. I don't know exactly how they got in though.


----------



## k&Jsmom

Does anyone know if I can purchase VB tickets at the Portofino? Or do you buy them when you get to the Park?  Thanks


----------



## macraven

soniam said:


> You may not be allowed to take the CBBR entrance to Volcano Bay if you are not a CBBR hotel guest. I spoke to some people opening weekend that weren't allowed to use that entrance, because they weren't staying there. I don't know exactly how they got in though.




Want to thank you soniam for clarification 

Just read elsewhere the Cbay entrance is for their hotel guests only

I'll include that info also in future postings if that question comes up


----------



## soniam

macraven said:


> Want to thank you soniam for clarification
> 
> Just read elsewhere the Cbay entrance is for their hotel guests only
> 
> I'll include that info also in future postings if that question comes up



It appears to be hit or miss though. Some people seem to be able to get in. I think it's safer to know that you may not be able to get in there though.


----------



## soniam

k&Jsmom said:


> Does anyone know if I can purchase VB tickets at the Portofino? Or do you buy them when you get to the Park?  Thanks



You can purchase any park tickets at the attractions/ticket counter at Portofino. I don't know exactly what time it opens or closes. However, it appears to open an hour before the first park opens, which right now would probably be 7am. The one at Royal Pacific opened at 7am during Memorial Day weekend. You can also order them online and then choose to pick them up at a ticket window/desk or will-call kiosk. The will-call kiosks at the parks appear to be unmanned and open as long as you can get into Citywalk. The one at Royal Pacific wasn't actually working, so you had to go through the ticket desk, which isn't open all the time.


----------



## eyehartdisney

Just back from our third visit to VB. They are still not allowing prescription glasses on krakatoa, even with securing straps. Seems odd that rip ride rocket can do it but this overglorified slip n slide can't.


----------



## soniam

eyehartdisney said:


> Just back from our third visit to VB. They are still not allowing prescription glasses on krakatoa, even with securing straps. Seems odd that rip ride rocket can do it but this overglorified slip n slide can't.



This is probably my biggest complaint. They never made me take off my glasses off for Krakatau though. They even let me keep my shoes/flip flops on. I only had to take mine off for the large raft rides, Maku, Puihi, Honu, & Ika Moana. We didn't do any body or mat slides or the tube slides. I keep kicking the team member at the end with the raft, because I can't judge where he is


----------



## RalphinSC

macraven said:


> Ralph
> I am giving you a public apology for deleting your post of "thanks for the new sticky"
> 
> Man, You were fast in joining in!!!!
> 
> We were working on setting this up and were blocking out spaces so we could add more basic info here
> 
> (Looked up and saw we lost a place for us to continue and keep all info in one place )
> I wanted to get all pertain info into the beginning of our introduction area
> 
> 
> Will try to move soniam' posts of her first hand opening day experiences at Vbay
> 
> Also a few other first hand experiences




No problem, lol! 

I've still got that old quick draw post in me now and again, hahaha!


----------



## Eddie512

Question for eyehartdisney or any other recent VB visitors: if we get there at opening (staying onsite) will we find shaded seating? Don't need anything fancy but don't want to fry!


----------



## eyehartdisney

Eddie512 said:


> Question for eyehartdisney or any other recent VB visitors: if we get there at opening (staying onsite) will we find shaded seating? Don't need anything fancy but don't want to fry!



Yeah, you can find shade if you get there early. But I would also recommend getting the paid for lounge chairs if you have the money for it. Lockers are 15 bucks, and your reserved lounge chairs come with one.


----------



## disneyjr77

eyehartdisney said:


> Just back from our third visit to VB. They are still not allowing prescription glasses on krakatoa, even with securing straps. Seems odd that rip ride rocket can do it but this overglorified slip n slide can't.





soniam said:


> This is probably my biggest complaint. They never made me take off my glasses off for Krakatau though. They even let me keep my shoes/flip flops on. I only had to take mine off for the large raft rides, Maku, Puihi, Honu, & Ika Moana. We didn't do any body or mat slides or the tube slides. I keep kicking the team member at the end with the raft, because I can't judge where he is



They won't allow you to wear prescription glasses on some of the slides?!?  I'm glad you guys posted this, i haven't heard about it...DD wears glasses so i guess we'll have to put them in a locker.


----------



## Tuck43

Can anyone please help me with info on the family cabanas? Location and a picture of it would be awesome.. I rented one out next week and I have no idea what I'm getting..


----------



## bobbie68

Hi everybody...I have been floating around different review sites and blogs and found out something someone posted. This woman booked a cabana last month before they stopped selling them. She is scheduled  to be at VB next week. She received a notice from Universal that her cabana will not be available and gave her a refund. If anybody has rented a cabana just be on the look out for an email or call about it. It sounds like they are struggling to get them finished. It sounds like it is  the river village and rainforest village cabanas in a certain area that are not finished.

Also I sent a very nice letter to guest services about what I have been hearing on these boards and other review sites. I thought it would be a nice way to give them some feedback in a courteous productive way. Well today I received a phone call from a woman at Universal to discuss my email. She was very nice and wanted me to know that they are taking all comments and documenting them for the upper management to see. We spoke awhile and I gave her some other things as to why I thought people are  upset. She was very sweet and listened and gave answers as best as she could. I appreciated the call but did not ask for one. Universal does still have great customer service and take their guests visits seriously. I was telling her that I will be there in late July and that I purchased EP before they stopped selling them and she said even though they are not selling them for VB they will honor ones that were purchased. 

She did say that I think they didn't realize how tight the space is and how much things would back up to I-4 as far as the noise with some of the cabanas that people reported. She says they are working day and night still to try and remedy as many problems as fast as they can.

Have a great day!


----------



## Mark P.

bobbie68 said:


> Hi everybody...I have been floating around different review sites and blogs and found out something someone posted. This woman booked a cabana last month before they stopped selling them. She is scheduled  to be at VB next week. She received a notice from Universal that her cabana will not be available and gave her a refund. If anybody has rented a cabana just be on the look out for an email or call about it. It sounds like they are struggling to get them finished. It sounds like it is  the river village and rainforest village cabanas in a certain area that are not finished.
> 
> Also I sent a very nice letter to guest services about what I have been hearing on these boards and other review sites. I thought it would be a nice way to give them some feedback in a courteous productive way. Well today I received a phone call from a woman at Universal to discuss my email. She was very nice and wanted me to know that they are taking all comments and documenting them for the upper management to see. We spoke awhile and I gave her some other things as to why I thought people are  upset. She was very sweet and listened and gave answers as best as she could. I appreciated the call but did not ask for one. Universal does still have great customer service and take their guests visits seriously. I was telling her that I will be there in late July and that I purchased EP before they stopped selling them and she said even though they are not selling them for VB they will honor ones that were purchased.
> 
> She did say that I think they didn't realize how tight the space is and how much things would back up to I-4 as far as the noise with some of the cabanas that people reported. She says they are working day and night still to try and remedy as many problems as fast as they can.
> 
> Have a great day!


Thanks for posting and taking the time to address Universal with your concerns!  We'll be at VB on June 27th., and have a cabana at Wave Village rented, along with EPs for us as well.  I guess all that advanced planning and pre-purchasing passes, etc was worth it.


----------



## bobbie68

Mark P. said:


> Thanks for posting and taking the time to address Universal with your concerns!  We'll be at VB on June 27th., and have a cabana at Wave Village rented, along with EPs for us as well.  I guess all that advanced planning and pre-purchasing passes, etc was worth it.



 Hi Your welcome and thank you! I agree with all the pre-planning and purchasing was the best thing we did. I think it is really going to make a difference when we visit. I have to thank the dissers because without this forum and all the great members we wouldn't have this information. We were very fortunate that we had this heads up about everything and could pre-plan,  most of  the people visiting there don't utilize these forums. ( Well the dark side anyways LOL!!!)

 I hope your trip goes well and look forward to hearing you report. Also my cabana is in the wave village also


----------



## FlipHipster

schumigirl said:


> Glad to hear it.........
> 
> Nothing worse than being a hotel guest and not being able to park in the hotel lot..........I hope they implement a hotel guest only rule for CBay.



Was reading on another forum over the weekend that they are no longer allowing people to enter the CBBR lot unless they have a room key for CBBR.


----------



## bobbie68

FlipHipster said:


> Was reading on another forum over the weekend that they are no longer allowing people to enter the CBBR lot unless they have a room key for CBBR.



 Thanks I hope that continues I will be staying there next month and would not be happy if there was overcrowding in the lot because of that.


----------



## soniam

disneyjr77 said:


> They won't allow you to wear prescription glasses on some of the slides?!?  I'm glad you guys posted this, i haven't heard about it...DD wears glasses so i guess we'll have to put them in a locker.



They just make you take them off and hold them. You can still "take" them on the slide, but you can't wear them. I wouldn't even be able to walk around safely without my prescription glasses. Both DS and I wear them, and all but once on the raft slides, they made us hold them. We never had to remove for Krakatau coaster though. She may be fine just holding onto them, or you holding them for her.



bobbie68 said:


> Hi everybody...I have been floating around different review sites and blogs and found out something someone posted. This woman booked a cabana last month before they stopped selling them. She is scheduled  to be at VB next week. She received a notice from Universal that her cabana will not be available and gave her a refund. If anybody has rented a cabana just be on the look out for an email or call about it. It sounds like they are struggling to get them finished. It sounds like it is  the river village and rainforest village cabanas in a certain area that are not finished.
> 
> Also I sent a very nice letter to guest services about what I have been hearing on these boards and other review sites. I thought it would be a nice way to give them some feedback in a courteous productive way. Well today I received a phone call from a woman at Universal to discuss my email. She was very nice and wanted me to know that they are taking all comments and documenting them for the upper management to see. We spoke awhile and I gave her some other things as to why I thought people are  upset. She was very sweet and listened and gave answers as best as she could. I appreciated the call but did not ask for one. Universal does still have great customer service and take their guests visits seriously. I was telling her that I will be there in late July and that I purchased EP before they stopped selling them and she said even though they are not selling them for VB they will honor ones that were purchased.
> 
> She did say that I think they didn't realize how tight the space is and how much things would back up to I-4 as far as the noise with some of the cabanas that people reported. She says they are working day and night still to try and remedy as many problems as fast as they can.
> 
> Have a great day!



When we were getting out premium seating on the second day at the Rainforest Concierge, there was a family whose cabana wasn't ready. I felt really bad for them. They at least had been informed ahead of time. I guess they were getting a $200 credit that could be used at any of the parks or hotels, and I assume a full refund. I don't know what kind of cabana they had rented though.



bobbie68 said:


> Thanks I hope that continues I will be staying there next month and would not be happy if there was overcrowding in the lot because of that.



They advertise it as a perk on the website, so they really should bar others from using it.


----------



## soniam

Tuck43 said:


> Can anyone please help me with info on the family cabanas? Location and a picture of it would be awesome.. I rented one out next week and I have no idea what I'm getting..



You might try this thread for a map.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/


----------



## macraven

Bobbie we all appreciate that you are sharing the info 

This is why the boards and UO forums work well

We help each other out

UO has always been great to make personal calls to those that contct them detailed info by a live employee is beneficial for all


----------



## Tuck43

T


soniam said:


> You might try this thread for a map.
> 
> https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/


t


soniam said:


> You might try this thread for a map.
> 
> https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/


Thanks but that map is not helpful at all for information on family cabanas... If I don't cancel my family cabana, I'll definitely post pictures of it and give some info..


----------



## Annie1216

eyehartdisney said:


> Just back from our third visit to VB. They are still not allowing prescription glasses on krakatoa, even with securing straps. Seems odd that rip ride rocket can do it but this overglorified slip n slide can't.


Do you know if you can put your glasses in a lanyard pouch and wear them around your neck on the ride? Thanks


----------



## eyehartdisney

Annie1216 said:


> Do you know if you can put your glasses in a lanyard pouch and wear them around your neck on the ride? Thanks



Probably allowed. But then, I'd think glasses with securing straps would be allowed.


----------



## macraven

eyehartdisney said:


> Probably allowed. But then, I'd think glasses with securing straps would be allowed.



Something like croakies do you think?


----------



## TheConsciousness

Anyone know if the tickets are able to be cancelled/refunded? We're planning on visiting in September and want to secure the prices (just in case of increase) but that is also a few months away to be set in stone.

Also, are you not allowed to swim near the waterfall? Or is this a line to show that more advanced swimmers are meant past this point?


----------



## eyehartdisney

macraven said:


> Something like croakies do you think?



Is that a brand? I'm not sure what kind they are, but the ride attendants at rip ride rocket let me wear my glasses with them, and the water slide wouldn't. It's really ridiculous.


----------



## disneyjr77

soniam said:


> They just make you take them off and hold them. You can still "take" them on the slide, but you can't wear them. I wouldn't even be able to walk around safely without my prescription glasses. Both DS and I wear them, and all but once on the raft slides, they made us hold them. We never had to remove for Krakatau coaster though. She may be fine just holding onto them, or you holding them for her.



Ok, thanks!


----------



## soniam

Annie1216 said:


> Do you know if you can put your glasses in a lanyard pouch and wear them around your neck on the ride? Thanks



I don't think they will allow this. You will probably have to hold them or the pouch in your hand. However, I am not sure about this.



macraven said:


> Something like croakies do you think?



DS and I actually have Croakie branded straps that are pretty tight on our heads and were still required to remove them and hold them during the raft slides.



TheConsciousness said:


> Anyone know if the tickets are able to be cancelled/refunded? We're planning on visiting in September and want to secure the prices (just in case of increase) but that is also a few months away to be set in stone.
> 
> Also, are you not allowed to swim near the waterfall? Or is this a line to show that more advanced swimmers are meant past this point?



I think there are only 2 seasons: low and anytime. So the tickets are not dated. However, they probably have some expiration, maybe a year or more out Tickets are technically non-refundable.

They don't want people near the waterfall. The lifeguards will blow their whistles at you if you cross the line. At least for kids they will; I didn't see any adults cross it.


----------



## iona

For those who've had the premium seating - how was the lock box? I've heard a rumour that it doesn't have an actual lock (it's just a box that closes), which kind of defeats the point if you ask me, so I'm hoping that that's not true!


----------



## soniam

iona said:


> For those who've had the premium seating - how was the lock box? I've heard a rumour that it doesn't have an actual lock (it's just a box that closes), which kind of defeats the point if you ask me, so I'm hoping that that's not true!



No, it actually locks. The first day, it just had a combination lock. On our second day, they replace the combi lock with one that worked with the Tapu. It was a clear plug thing. You would push it down with your Tapu face on it, and it would lock. To unlock, you would push it down again with the same Tapu. I had an expensive camera that I wanted to lock up, so I absolutely needed a locker. It was a good size box too. I was able to fit my big DSLR with decent size lens, 2 smart phones, 2 Kindles, a small water camera, a Go Pro with a short stick, and a small wallet with about 1/3 to half the room to spare. I did have to stack some things. My only complaint is that we needed a separate table. We would use the lock box as a table but kept having to remove stuff to get in it.


----------



## iona

soniam said:


> No, it actually locks. The first day, it just had a combination lock. On our second day, they replace the combi lock with one that worked with the Tapu. It was a clear plug thing. You would push it down with your Tapu face on it, and it would lock. To unlock, you would push it down again with the same Tapu. I had an expensive camera that I wanted to lock up, so I absolutely needed a locker. It was a good size box too. I was able to fit my big DSLR with decent size lens, 2 smart phones, 2 Kindles, a small water camera, a Go Pro with a short stick, and a small wallet with about 1/3 to half the room to spare. I did have to stack some things. My only complaint is that we needed a separate table. We would use the lock box as a table but kept having to remove stuff to get in it.



Phew! That's a big relief Thank you!


----------



## Music City Mama

@soniam, a couple of questions for you.

We have 2 of the premium seating reserved since there are 4 in our family. How far apart are they? Can they be scooted closer together, if needed?

In all of the pictures I've seen of the loungers, they're completely flat down/reclined. I assume they go up and down? Do you feel the canopies provided adequate shade?

When I reserved the seating by phone about 6 weeks ago, I received an email confirmation and it also stated this:

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. 

Do I actually need to redeem anything ahead of time or do I just go to guest services at the park to be taken to the area? I already have my tickets.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## atricks

The hours for Volcano Bay changed again, the remainder of June now has 9PM closings (past the 17th it was 10PM closings before).  July still has the 10PM closing.


----------



## TheConsciousness

Universal does not like late hours. If Volcano Bay ran from 11AM to 11PM, I'd be in heaven.


----------



## Chuckers

TheConsciousness said:


> Universal does not like late hours. If Volcano Bay ran from 11AM to 11PM, I'd be in heaven.



This makes me sad. When I am going, in September, the parks are scheduled to close at 7pm and 8pm. I LOVE theme parks at night. I think Volcano Bay would be gorgeous at night. But I understand for safety they may not want the rides open in the dark.


----------



## RalphinSC

Chuckers said:


> This makes me sad. When I am going, in September, the parks are scheduled to close at 7pm and 8pm. I LOVE theme parks at night. I think Volcano Bay would be gorgeous at night. But I understand for safety they may not want the rides open in the dark.



I think it is more to allow construction crews to finish things that were not done on opening day and are not yet complete (red slide stairs, VOl encounter, a lot of the TAPU interactive stations, private cabanas, etc.) Every hour they can keep working on the park after close is an hour closer to finishing it. The nighttime show doesn't seem to be working right now anyways.


----------



## soniam

Music City Mama said:


> @soniam, a couple of questions for you.
> 
> We have 2 of the premium seating reserved since there are 4 in our family. How far apart are they? Can they be scooted closer together, if needed?
> 
> In all of the pictures I've seen of the loungers, they're completely flat down/reclined. I assume they go up and down? Do you feel the canopies provided adequate shade?
> 
> When I reserved the seating by phone about 6 weeks ago, I received an email confirmation and it also stated this:
> 
> 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.
> 
> Do I actually need to redeem anything ahead of time or do I just go to guest services at the park to be taken to the area? I already have my tickets.
> 
> Thanks in advance!



I think the proximity may depend upon your village. We had Rainforest Village. Our lounger was in a small beach area near the Fearless River, right behind the Bambu restaurant. There were only 3 other premium loungers in this small area. They were pushed back into little sandy cutouts with landscaping between them. The loungers were probably separated by 5 feet. I don't think they could have been scooted together easily in this area. Other areas were just large beaches with the premium loungers mostly at the back. It could be possible to scoot those maybe. They are heavy though and might require help from the attendant. I didn't see any that were specifically right next to each other, but I wasn't looking either. They may have ones already set up this way, since I am sure people reserve multiple and want to be together. We only reserved 1, since it was just the 2 of us.

They go up and down and have notches to catch at different points. Just like a regular lounger.

I think the shade from the awnings really depends upon what time of day and which direction you face. The loungers near us faced north/northeast sort of towards Cabana Bay but on the other side of the volcano. By midday and afternoon, most of them were not really shady. Ours in the middle was being shaded mostly by a large umbrella. The family at the end did manage to swivel theirs and move the awning down over the front of the loungers a bit. I don't think there would have been much room to swivel our lounger, but I'm not sure. The other lounger was in full sun and the groups that had it on our 2 days were not happy. I think the Wave Village loungers may be better off, because they seem to face north/northwest. Plus, I remember more trees at the back of the volcano beach. This map may help some with the beach locations. I don't think it lists where the villages are specifically though. I am debating on whether to change our premium lounger location for late July. If we get one of the 2 on the same beach as before in Rainforest Village, I think we would be OK. However, if we got the other one on our beach or somewhere else, it could be in a lot of sun. I am pastie and value my shade. The other location that I thought might be good was the exit beach for the Fearless River, called Hammerhead Beach, or the exit beach for Maku and Puihi. Those beaches face north/northwest. Look at the map above the linked one below to see the key better. I was really surprised that the our longer faced north/northeast. You can see the Punga Racers emblem on the map; we sat at the back of the little beach bottom right of that ride and faced toward the volcano/racers. I am used to the sun setting more in the south/west here in Texas in the summer.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/#post-57670546

To get your longers, you don't need to go to a will-call kiosk or ticket window. I brought the print out of my email, but it wasn't needed. Go to one of the Concierge kiosks inside Volcano Bay. There's one just on the left as you enter. It gets pretty busy with a long line, but I think all of the info is stored at that one. You can also redeem express pass there and rent towels. I did get the express pass paper tickets/vouchers at a will-call at our hotel; I don't know if I needed to do that though. The other Concierge hut that I know of is across from the Bambu restaurant. Since that's near the Rainforest Village, that's where we went the 2nd day. The line was short, but it took forever, 30+ minutes, to get my lounger assignment They said they had to get it over the radio, maybe back from that first hut, and that radio traffic was terrible. I hope this process improves.


----------



## soniam

Chuckers said:


> This makes me sad. When I am going, in September, the parks are scheduled to close at 7pm and 8pm. I LOVE theme parks at night. I think Volcano Bay would be gorgeous at night. But I understand for safety they may not want the rides open in the dark.





RalphinSC said:


> I think it is more to allow construction crews to finish things that were not done on opening day and are not yet complete (red slide stairs, VOl encounter, a lot of the TAPU interactive stations, private cabanas, etc.) Every hour they can keep working on the park after close is an hour closer to finishing it. The nighttime show doesn't seem to be working right now anyways.



I think @RalphinSC is right. I think it's to finish construction. However, I don't know how the lifeguards could see anybody in that wave pool when the sun was setting to the north/northeast and was glaring massively off the water. I could barely see my son. I am glad that he chose to wear a life jacket, even though he's a pretty good swimmer and wasn't required to. Plus the wave pool is huge. We never really saw any night time show when we stayed until after 8pm one night during Memorial Day weekend. We saw a little bit of colored "smoke" from the volcano.


----------



## soniam

atricks said:


> The hours for Volcano Bay changed again, the remainder of June now has 9PM closings (past the 17th it was 10PM closings before).  July still has the 10PM closing.



They still aren't showing early entry at VB for hotel guests on the early entry calendar for anything past June 4th. Do you know if that's true? That kind of irks me, since that's the only perk that hotel guests get at VB. We would absolutely use that extra hour for our late July trip, because otherwise, we could get into one of the parks at 8am.


----------



## bobbie68

soniam said:


> They still aren't showing early entry at VB for hotel guests on the early entry calendar for anything past June 4th. Do you know if that's true? That kind of irks me, since that's the only perk that hotel guests get at VB. We would absolutely use that extra hour for our late July trip, because otherwise, we could get into one of the parks at 8am.



Hi this interesting I am wondering the same thing. I think I am going to make a call. Thanks


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I did check the website and it is on EE for July. It will be 8:00 am for resort guests. I also made a call and spoke to guest services and they told me that they will be keeping early entry for VB.


----------



## bobbie68

soniam said:


> They still aren't showing early entry at VB for hotel guests on the early entry calendar for anything past June 4th. Do you know if that's true? That kind of irks me, since that's the only perk that hotel guests get at VB. We would absolutely use that extra hour for our late July trip, because otherwise, we could get into one of the parks at 8am.



this is from their website today:

*Early Park Admission At Universal's Volcano Bay™*
Weather permitting, on-site resort hotel guests and other select groups can access Universal's Volcano Bay™ (valid theme park admission is required) on the following days:



*June 2017*
Jun. 1-30: 8 am


*July 2017*
Jul. 1-31: 8 am


*August 2017*
Aug. 1-31: 9 am


----------



## soniam

bobbie68 said:


> this is from their website today:
> 
> *Early Park Admission At Universal's Volcano Bay™*
> Weather permitting, on-site resort hotel guests and other select groups can access Universal's Volcano Bay™ (valid theme park admission is required) on the following days:
> 
> 
> 
> *June 2017*
> Jun. 1-30: 8 am
> 
> 
> *July 2017*
> Jul. 1-31: 8 am
> 
> 
> *August 2017*
> Aug. 1-31: 9 am



I had just clicked on the early entry link before I posted, and it still only showed VB through June 4th. I decided to reload the website and go to the link again. Now it shows what you have. Must have been cached Whew! That makes life easier. Thanks


----------



## bobbie68

soniam said:


> I had just clicked on the early entry link before I posted, and it still only showed VB through June 4th. I decided to reload the website and go to the link again. Now it shows what you have. Must have been cached Whew! That makes life easier. Thanks



your welcome


----------



## bobbie68

macraven said:


> Bobbie we all appreciate that you are sharing the info
> 
> This is why the boards and UO forums work well
> 
> We help each other out
> 
> UO has always been great to make personal calls to those that contct them detailed info by a live employee is beneficial for all



Your welcome it is my pleasure to help us all any way possible to have a great trip


----------



## Music City Mama

Thanks, @soniam, I always appreciate your detailed/informative responses. We'll be in the Wave Village, so hopefully it won't be too bad. I don't mind the sun, I just want to be able to have some shade. I guess I'll go to the first concierge desk even if it has a longer line because it sounds like they're more efficient.


----------



## soniam

soniam said:


> I think the proximity may depend upon your village. We had Rainforest Village. Our lounger was in a small beach area near the Fearless River, right behind the Bambu restaurant. There were only 3 other premium loungers in this small area. They were pushed back into little sandy cutouts with landscaping between them. The loungers were probably separated by 5 feet. I don't think they could have been scooted together easily in this area. Other areas were just large beaches with the premium loungers mostly at the back. It could be possible to scoot those maybe. They are heavy though and might require help from the attendant. I didn't see any that were specifically right next to each other, but I wasn't looking either. They may have ones already set up this way, since I am sure people reserve multiple and want to be together. We only reserved 1, since it was just the 2 of us.
> 
> They go up and down and have notches to catch at different points. Just like a regular lounger.
> 
> I think the shade from the awnings really depends upon what time of day and which direction you face. The loungers near us faced north/northeast sort of towards Cabana Bay but on the other side of the volcano. By midday and afternoon, most of them were not really shady. Ours in the middle was being shaded mostly by a large umbrella. The family at the end did manage to swivel theirs and move the awning down over the front of the loungers a bit. I don't think there would have been much room to swivel our lounger, but I'm not sure. The other lounger was in full sun and the groups that had it on our 2 days were not happy. I think the Wave Village loungers may be better off, because they seem to face north/northwest. Plus, I remember more trees at the back of the volcano beach. This map may help some with the beach locations. I don't think it lists where the villages are specifically though. I am debating on whether to change our premium lounger location for late July. If we get one of the 2 on the same beach as before in Rainforest Village, I think we would be OK. However, if we got the other one on our beach or somewhere else, it could be in a lot of sun. I am pastie and value my shade. The other location that I thought might be good was the exit beach for the Fearless River, called Hammerhead Beach, or the exit beach for Maku and Puihi. Those beaches face north/northwest. Look at the map above the linked one below to see the key better. I was really surprised that the our longer faced north/northeast. You can see the Punga Racers emblem on the map; we sat at the back of the little beach bottom right of that ride and faced toward the volcano/racers. I am used to the sun setting more in the south/west here in Texas in the summer.
> 
> https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/#post-57670546
> 
> To get your longers, you don't need to go to a will-call kiosk or ticket window. I brought the print out of my email, but it wasn't needed. Go to one of the Concierge kiosks inside Volcano Bay. There's one just on the left as you enter. It gets pretty busy with a long line, but I think all of the info is stored at that one. You can also redeem express pass there and rent towels. I did get the express pass paper tickets/vouchers at a will-call at our hotel; I don't know if I needed to do that though. The other Concierge hut that I know of is across from the Bambu restaurant. Since that's near the Rainforest Village, that's where we went the 2nd day. The line was short, but it took forever, 30+ minutes, to get my lounger assignment They said they had to get it over the radio, maybe back from that first hut, and that radio traffic was terrible. I hope this process improves.



@Music City Mama
Correction. I got mixed up on the maps. The link that I posted has west at the top, so we were facing north/northwest, which makes more sense. I still think Hammerhead and the wave pool beach might be better, since they face more south/southwest. I think Hammerhead is part of the River Village, since it's the exit for the Fearless River; however, I could be wrong.

EDIT: I found the other map that lists which attractions are in which village. The Fearless River is also considered the Rainforest Village.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/#post-57670841


----------



## soniam

Music City Mama said:


> Thanks, @soniam, I always appreciate your detailed/informative responses. We'll be in the Wave Village, so hopefully it won't be too bad. I don't mind the sun, I just want to be able to have some shade. I guess I'll go to the first concierge desk even if it has a longer line because it sounds like they're more efficient.



They are all labeled as "concierge". I just think the larger, main one is near the entrance.


----------



## Chuckers

RalphinSC said:


> I think it is more to allow construction crews to finish things that were not done on opening day and are not yet complete (red slide stairs, VOl encounter, a lot of the TAPU interactive stations, private cabanas, etc.) Every hour they can keep working on the park after close is an hour closer to finishing it. The nighttime show doesn't seem to be working right now anyways.



Well, the schedule right now, shows VB closing at 6pm on the days I am there.


----------



## soniam

Chuckers said:


> Well, the schedule right now, shows VB closing at 6pm on the days I am there.



That's a bummer. I guess the could always increase it if they think the crowds will support it. I be they think it won't be very busy when you go. Is it closer to "winter"?


----------



## Charon

So if you have a wait time on your tapu tapu for a ride and there is a "ride now" ride available do you still have to tap and if so do you lose your held wait time for the other ride?


----------



## RalphinSC

Charon said:


> So if you have a wait time on your tapu tapu for a ride and there is a "ride now" ride available do you still have to tap and if so do you lose your held wait time for the other ride?



The reports I have been reading is that you DO have to tap the ride now slides but you do NOT lose your currently reserved slide by doing so. I'll try to confirm when I head down there later this week. Planning to be at Volcano Bay on Sunday and possibly Friday (and a couple/few days next week as well)


----------



## Rishabh

Is Express Pass not available for VB? I've read that they are separate from the IoA and US passes, which is fine, but I can't seem to be able to purchase them anywhere. And with 200+ wait times on many of the rides, express passes would be welcome.


----------



## Chuckers

Rishabh said:


> Is Express Pass not available for VB? I've read that they are separate from the IoA and US passes, which is fine, but I can't seem to be able to purchase them anywhere. And with 200+ wait times on many of the rides, express passes would be welcome.



Previous posters have pointed out that the EP for VB has been removed from ticket options. Previous sales will be honored, but there will be no new sales for the time being.


----------



## Rishabh

Chuckers said:


> Previous posters have pointed out that the EP for VB has been removed from ticket options. Previous sales will be honored, but there will be no new sales for the time being.



Sorry, must have missed that. Thanks!


----------



## dcessford

Does Volcano Bay have wifi?


----------



## TheConsciousness

I've heard that VB heats their water, but have heard that it has been freezing cold recently. Anyone have any experience with that?


----------



## eyehartdisney

TheConsciousness said:


> I've heard that VB heats their water, but have heard that it has been freezing cold recently. Anyone have any experience with that?


As of Monday it was fine imo


----------



## soniam

dcessford said:


> Does Volcano Bay have wifi?



I remember seeing the xinifity wifi that the other parks used. It might have been too busy when we were there, Memorial Day weekend, and I used data instead.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I just saw a post on twitter that VB is closed today!! Can anybody confirm this? If so why it might be closed? Thanks


----------



## damo

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just saw a post on twitter that VB is closed today!! Can anybody confirm this? If so why it might be closed? Thanks



It might be closed right now if there are thunderstorms in the area.  They have to clear everyone out of any water park when there is lightning close by.


----------



## atricks

Volcano bay hours have changed (Again!) for June, now the entire month of June has 8pm closings.  (July still states 10pm close... for now?)


----------



## iona

Does anyone know what the towels that are available for rent are like? How do they compare to the hotel pool towels? Is there anything good about them (size, softness, etc) which might make paying to rent them appeal more to me?


----------



## Claire82013

Chuckers said:


> Previous posters have pointed out that the EP for VB has been removed from ticket options. Previous sales will be honored, but there will be no new sales for the time being.



Will they honor express passes given through staying at participating hotels? We purchased tickets and hotel reservations when EP was still an option for VB.


----------



## eyehartdisney

Claire82013 said:


> Will they honor express passes given through staying at participating hotels? We purchased tickets and hotel reservations when EP was still an option for VB.



I didn't think they had given out express passes with the hotels for VB from the start. And no, they won't give out EP with hotels.


----------



## bobbie68

Claire82013 said:


> Will they honor express passes given through staying at participating hotels? We purchased tickets and hotel reservations when EP was still an option for VB.



 Hi there were never EP with staying at an on-site hotel. You had to purchase them separately from the website. They will honor ones that were purchased before  they removed them for sale on the website. From what I understand they are not selling  them in the park also right now.


----------



## Claire82013

eyehartdisney said:


> I didn't think they had given out express passes with the hotels for VB from the start. And no, they won't give out EP with hotels.



There was a point in time where hotel guests were supposed to have EP for all three parks, but they have taken it off their website since. Not sure if I'll bother with VB without it.


----------



## yulilin3

Just popping in to say I'm following along. Current plan is to rent a cabana, not sure of size yet, depends on how many people can come, to celebrate my DD16 birthday in October.
So if I'm understanding correctly you can get one tapu tapu ride and not get on another one, unless it says "ride now". 
Are all slides on Tapu Tapu?
The lazy rivers are not right?
I'm also anxiously waiting more reviews on the cabanas. We will have a couple of adults so we will pay all together and that will help


----------



## bobbie68

Claire82013 said:


> There was a point in time where hotel guests were supposed to have EP for all three parks, but they have taken it off their website since. Not sure if I'll bother with VB without it.



Hi you must be referring  to the time when they accidentally put that VB was going to be an EP benefit park. That only lasted one or two days. Universal realized the mistake and took it down quickly. They had always intended for VB to have EP for purchasing separately but after the problems with the wait times right now they are not selling them.


----------



## bobbie68

yulilin3 said:


> Just popping in to say I'm following along. Current plan is to rent a cabana, not sure of size yet, depends on how many people can come, to celebrate my DD16 birthday in October.
> So if I'm understanding correctly you can get one tapu tapu ride and not get on another one, unless it says "ride now".
> Are all slides on Tapu Tapu?
> The lazy rivers are not right?
> I'm also anxiously waiting more reviews on the cabanas. We will have a couple of adults so we will pay all together and that will help



Hi as of right now you are correct. One slide only at a time unless it says "ride now"
Yes all slides are on tapu tapu
The lazy river is not. That is where  they want  you to spend some of your time waiting.
Keep watching all the threads on VB here. They are several of us going in the next 8 weeks and renting cabanas. I will make it a point to put up as many photos and information that I can when I rent mine.

It is interesting to see that on Trip Advisor today  there were actually a few good reviews. This is promising news


----------



## bobbie68

Hi VB just tweeted that they are at capacity now and will not be reopening today. I would love to know what they are figuring for capacity at this point.


----------



## soniam

iona said:


> Does anyone know what the towels that are available for rent are like? How do they compare to the hotel pool towels? Is there anything good about them (size, softness, etc) which might make paying to rent them appeal more to me?



They seem to be beach towel length, longer than a normal bath towel. They felt new and decently thick. They aren't as thick as some of the beach towels we own, but thicker than a bath towel. I can't remember what the hotel pool towels are like. Are they different from the room towels?


----------



## Claire82013

bobbie68 said:


> Hi you must be referring  to the time when they accidentally put that VB was going to be an EP benefit park. That only lasted one or two days. Universal realized the mistake and took it down quickly. They had always intended for VB to have EP for purchasing separately but after the problems with the wait times right now they are not selling them.



Thanks for the info! Guess I caught it on the wrong day when I was looking at their website. Definitely glad I know ahead of time!


----------



## lelew

bobbie68 said:


> Hi VB just tweeted that they are at capacity now and will not be reopening today. I would love to know what they are figuring for capacity at this point.


what if you have prepaid tickets, will they refund your money if you can't enter the park? I wonder how this is going to work with people who planned their summer trips to visit the park. I paid for a 3 park 3 day hopper for this summer visit.


----------



## soniam

lelew said:


> what if you have prepaid tickets, will they refund your money if you can't enter the park? I wonder how this is going to work with people who planned their summer trips to visit the park. I paid for a 3 park 3 day hopper for this summer visit.



I haven't heard or read anything about people trying to get refunds for capacity. I am sure it's coming up. I could see it being more likely for VB only tickets; however, it might be more difficult with multi-day multi-park tickets. People can always ask.


----------



## lelew

soniam said:


> I haven't heard or read anything about people trying to get refunds for capacity. I am sure it's coming up. I could see it being more likely for VB only tickets; however, it might be more difficult with multi-day multi-park tickets. People can always ask.


I purchased through Costco I can see now this is going to be a problem getting my refund if I'm denied entry into the park because of capacity. I want to cancel now, but then again I don't. I hope they have this figured out by August. Thanks for the update


----------



## soniam

lelew said:


> I purchased through Costco I can see now this is going to be a problem getting my refund if I'm denied entry into the park because of capacity. I want to cancel now, but then again I don't. I hope they have this figured out by August. Thanks for the update



Capacity issues will only change if people decide to not go, unless they are specifically limiting the number of people due to what they think the rides can handle. I think they are probably allowing everyone they can in, despite what the rides can handle. Otherwise, the waits would be bad instead of terrible. We went opening weekend and plan to go again late July. Are you staying onsite? If so, get there during early entry and you won't have to worry about capacity. Even if you aren't staying onsite, get there when it opens. Lines are shortest the first couple of hours.


----------



## lelew

soniam said:


> Capacity issues will only change if people decide to not go, unless they are specifically limiting the number of people due to what they think the rides can handle. I think they are probably allowing everyone they can in, despite what the rides can handle. Otherwise, the waits would be bad instead of terrible. We went opening weekend and plan to go again late July. Are you staying onsite? If so, get there during early entry and you won't have to worry about capacity. Even if you aren't staying onsite, get there when it opens. Lines are shortest the first couple of hours.


Thanks, we are stay at Sapphire Falls, we will plan for that early entry. I guess I will just go along with the flow and try not to over plan everything like I originally did when I booked our vacation. I don't know what I was thinking when I thought VB would be a breeze to tour and we sleep in and take our time getting to the park lol


----------



## soniam

lelew said:


> Thanks, we are stay at Sapphire Falls, we will plan for that early entry. I guess I will just go along with the flow and try not to over plan everything like I originally did when I booked our vacation. I don't know what I was thinking when I thought VB would be a breeze to tour and we sleep in and take our time getting to the park lol



Don't feel bad. For our trip opening weekend, until about 2 weeks before, I was going to show up about lunch time or the afternoon. Then the panic set in, and I changed the VB days to get there for EE and not leave until we are done for the day. I plan to do the same in late July, because I think the crowds and ride reliability won't be fixed, but hopefully improved some. Have a good trip


----------



## mar915

I was wondering do people with preferred seating do you have a band or something to identify you. We have 6 chairs but 8 in our group since my boys won't sit much and they are good with regular chairs, but wondering if they can still come I  the area. Also some in our party will be leaving before others and not sure if they could use those after they leave.


----------



## soniam

mar915 said:


> I was wondering do people with preferred seating do you have a band or something to identify you. We have 6 chairs but 8 in our group since my boys won't sit much and they are good with regular chairs, but wondering if they can still come I  the area. Also some in our party will be leaving before others and not sure if they could use those after they leave.



For the premium seating, it's just loungers that are in with the regular loungers and chairs. Anyone could theoretically just sit down on one if the purchaser isn't there. There are attendants and servers that come by though, so I think they would say something to non-purchasers. You should get introduced to the attendant and servers. As for having more people than loungers, that should be fine. I saw groups of 4 or more with only 1 set of loungers. They just pulled up chairs and regular loungers for the rest of their group. The cabanas may be different though.


----------



## Music City Mama

soniam said:


> For the premium seating, it's just loungers that are in with the regular loungers and chairs. Anyone could theoretically just sit down on one if the purchaser isn't there. There are attendants and servers that come by though, so I think they would say something to non-purchasers. You should get introduced to the attendant and servers. As for having more people than loungers, that should be fine. I saw groups of 4 or more with only 1 set of loungers. They just pulled up chairs and regular loungers for the rest of their group. The cabanas may be different though.



Hmmmm, I wonder if I should just cancel one set of our loungers and pull up regular loungers/chairs.  That way, we (DH and 2 sons), can just switch out as needed and save myself $60 (or whatever it was). Since you can no longer reserve these in advance (or is that just the cabanas?) I'd be kind of worried that if I canceled 1 set, something would get messed up and I'd have nothing and wouldn't be able to re-reserve.


----------



## soniam

Music City Mama said:


> Hmmmm, I wonder if I should just cancel one set of our loungers and pull up regular loungers/chairs.  That way, we (DH and 2 sons), can just switch out as needed and save myself $60 (or whatever it was). Since you can no longer reserve these in advance (or is that just the cabanas?) I'd be kind of worried that if I canceled 1 set, something would get messed up and I'd have nothing and wouldn't be able to re-reserve.



I don't think you can reserve either the premium seating or the cabanas in advance anymore. One thing to keep in mind is that any loungers you pull up may not be in the shade. However, you are not guaranteed that the premium loungers will be shady all day either, but you have a better chance with them. You also get a lock box with each set of loungers. I don't know how much space you think you would need.


----------



## Music City Mama

soniam said:


> I don't think you can reserve either the premium seating or the cabanas in advance anymore. One thing to keep in mind is that any loungers you pull up may not be in the shade. However, you are not guaranteed that the premium loungers will be shady all day either, but you have a better chance with them. You also get a lock box with each set of loungers. I don't know how much space you think you would need.



Thanks. I'll probably just keep them for now -- especially since they're already paid for.


----------



## mar915

You can still reserve premium chairs ahead over the phone. I just didon't for june 19th. Anyone else know how are in  advance to cancel if it still going to be raining? That is why I don't like the having to reserve I  advance


----------



## soniam

mar915 said:


> You can still reserve premium chairs ahead over the phone. I just didon't for june 19th. Anyone else know how are in  advance to cancel if it still going to be raining? That is why I don't like the having to reserve I  advance



72 hours is what my email says. I don't think there's an exception for rain, since it rains a lot in Florida.


----------



## Sarahboo

I've seen some reports that some of the cabanas have a lot of traffic noise from the freeways. Anyone know which sections have the traffic noise issue?


----------



## ultimatefans

Tuck43 said:


> T
> t
> 
> Thanks but that map is not helpful at all for information on family cabanas... If I don't cancel my family cabana, I'll definitely post pictures of it and give some info..



Did you end up getting the family cabana?  If so, any pics or info you can share?  If not, was it because you cancelled or did Universal cancel your reservation?  Thank you!


----------



## soniam

There's a new blog on Touring Plans about Volcano Bay. Sounds like it wasn't so great, but not too surprising.

http://blog.touringplans.com/2017/06/15/daisys-not-best-week-ever-june-15-2017-volcano-bay/


----------



## zebsterama

soniam said:


> There's a new blog on Touring Plans about Volcano Bay. Sounds like it wasn't so great, but not too surprising.
> 
> http://blog.touringplans.com/2017/06/15/daisys-not-best-week-ever-june-15-2017-volcano-bay/



Thanks for posting the link/blog. 

Wow - all I'm hearing is, beautiful park, decent food, non user friendly technology, disorganization, ride break downs, and long long lines. 

We've rented premium seating in August - I guess I'll wait, keep reading reviews, and hope things get better .... but I'm really thinking to maybe save a few bucks (and I'm not one to worry about such matters on vacation), save myself the disappointment/grief, and spend an extra day at the parks. 

Real sad part is that it will likely be years before we get a chance to come back. 

I know it's new, and kinks need to be worked out - but everything I'm reading tells me, these are not kinks. 

Is anyone else thinking the same thing? Thoughts?


----------



## eyehartdisney

I wouldn't skip it. I would just get there at opening and leave at noon, go have lunch in city walk and close out the nonwater parks. Having done it a few times, I haven't encountered any real issue touring that way. You could finish all the slides in 2-3 days if you did this.


zebsterama said:


> Thanks for posting the link/blog.
> 
> Wow - all I'm hearing is, beautiful park, decent food, non user friendly technology, disorganization, ride break downs, and long long lines.
> 
> We've rented premium seating in August - I guess I'll wait, keep reading reviews, and hope things get better .... but I'm really thinking to maybe save a few bucks (and I'm not one to worry about such matters on vacation), save myself the disappointment/grief, and spend an extra day at the parks.
> 
> Real sad part is that it will likely be years before we get a chance to come back.
> 
> I know it's new, and kinks need to be worked out - but everything I'm reading tells me, these are not kinks.
> 
> Is anyone else thinking the same thing? Thoughts?


----------



## soniam

zebsterama said:


> Thanks for posting the link/blog.
> 
> Wow - all I'm hearing is, beautiful park, decent food, non user friendly technology, disorganization, ride break downs, and long long lines.
> 
> We've rented premium seating in August - I guess I'll wait, keep reading reviews, and hope things get better .... but I'm really thinking to maybe save a few bucks (and I'm not one to worry about such matters on vacation), save myself the disappointment/grief, and spend an extra day at the parks.
> 
> Real sad part is that it will likely be years before we get a chance to come back.
> 
> I know it's new, and kinks need to be worked out - but everything I'm reading tells me, these are not kinks.
> 
> Is anyone else thinking the same thing? Thoughts?



I think there are kinks. I don't know if the kinks will be worked out by your trip in August. I think by next summer at the latest, most of the issues will be resolved. They may still have lingering reliability issues, but Forbidden Journey and Dragon Challenge still have those issues too after all these years. I like @eyehartdisney suggestion. Get there before early entry starts, do as much as possible, and then head out around mid-day when things get really crowded. If you do that, you may not really need your premium seating. Plus, trying to get the premium seating can take a significant amount of time. On opening weekend, it took 30-45 minutes to get ours That really cuts into attraction time, unless you can send the rest of the family off to do stuff while one of you waits for the seats. The premium seats do let you bypass food lines and order from the seats; however, the food lines didn't look long until late lunch and afterward. When are you going in August? If school has started back, then crowds will be lower and things will work better with lower crowds. We are going again in late July. We have premium seating for that trip too. I think we will stay most of the day though, because we don't mind chilling in the rivers or even in our loungers for a while. DS11 was pretty content to read on our second VB day in the afternoon when the crowds were the craziest. Hope your trip goes well.


----------



## zebsterama

eyehartdisney said:


> I wouldn't skip it. I would just get there at opening and leave at noon, go have lunch in city walk and close out the nonwater parks. Having done it a few times, I haven't encountered any real issue touring that way. You could finish all the slides in 2-3 days if you did this.



Thank you ... this is likely what we'll do; unfortunately we planned to do VB for a single/full day. We're at UNI for 4 nights ---- don't know if we're willing to compromise the other days for more of VB.
Can't get enough of HP stuff - it's stunning ... and the coasters.

Ahhhh first world problems!


----------



## zebsterama

soniam said:


> I think they are kinks. I don't know if the kinks will be worked out by your trip in August. I think by next summer at the latest, most of the issues will be resolved. They may still have lingering reliability issues, but Forbidden Journey and Dragon Challenge still have those issues too after all these years. I like @eyehartdisney suggestion. Get there before early entry starts, do as much as possible, and then head out around mid-day when things get really crowded. If you do that, you may not really need your premium seating. Plus, trying to get the premium seating can take a significant amount of time. On opening weekend, it took 30-45 minutes to get ours That really cuts into attraction time, unless you can send the rest of the family off to do stuff while one of you waits for the seats. The premium seats do let you bypass food lines and order from the seats; however, the food lines didn't look long until late lunch and afterward. When are you going in August? If school has started back, then crowds will be lower and things will work better with lower crowds. We are going again in late July. We have premium seating for that trip too. I think we will stay most of the day though, because we don't mind chilling in the rivers or even in our loungers for a while. DS11 was pretty content to read on our second VB day in the afternoon when the crowds were the craziest. Hope your trip goes well.



Thanks for your help! We're going to be at VB on August 11th .... I think that's the Friday before school starts in Florida??? 

Do you think anyone will be there for that????  HAHAHAHAHA!

Maybe we will kill the premium seats ... stay until noon (or whenever I lose it )

Funny I sold the family on going to UNI to check out VB ... we we're there last summer and saw the construction. 

On a side note: Looking forward to staying at RP .... we've previously stayed at the Hard Rock and PF. One thing that I hated end of August last year was how early the parks closed in the evenings. That's just brutal. Diagon Alley really comes to life at night.


----------



## soniam

zebsterama said:


> Thanks for your help! We're going to be at VB on August 11th .... I think that's the Friday before school starts in Florida???
> 
> Do you think anyone will be there for that????  HAHAHAHAHA!
> 
> Maybe we will kill the premium seats ... stay until noon (or whenever I lose it )
> 
> Funny I sold the family on going to UNI to check out VB ... we we're there last summer and saw the construction.
> 
> On a side note: Looking forward to staying at RP .... we've previously stayed at the Hard Rock and PF. One thing that I hated end of August last year was how early the parks closed in the evenings. That's just brutal. Diagon Alley really comes to life at night.



August 11 might still be busy. We won't have gone back to school yet here in Austin. I do dislike how stuff can close early. Luckily, we have always gone when they are open later. I love both Wizarding Worlds at night. RPR is nice. That's where we stayed over Memorial Day weekend. We had stayed there before and have also stayed at HRH. I am looking forward to PFB in late July; we haven't stayed there before. I think VB can still be enjoyable for certain people or for if you approach it with a lot of patience and low expectations. Not everyone can do that though, and I completely understand. I think that's when new parks or attractions should then be avoided for a while.


----------



## Eddie512

Does anyone know how construction is progressing at VB?

Do things slow down in the evenings at all?

Any good, reliable way to monitor ride/wait times remotely? An app? 

I appreciate the advice from everyone here. We are staying on site for 3 days (leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow!!!) and plan to get an early start, head back to resort or other parks when it gets crazy, etc.  keeping expectations in check I'll be happy to have a look around, hang in the lazy river and hopefully do the water coaster!

Hi Soniam, I'm a fellow Austinite!! Waving to you from South of the river aka Bubbaland!


----------



## eyehartdisney

Eddie512 said:


> Does anyone know how construction is progressing at VB?
> 
> Do things slow down in the evenings at all?
> 
> Any good, reliable way to monitor ride/wait times remotely? An app?
> 
> I appreciate the advice from everyone here. We are staying on site for 3 days (leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow!!!) and plan to get an early start, head back to resort or other parks when it gets crazy, etc.  keeping expectations in check I'll be happy to have a look around, hang in the lazy river and hopefully do the water coaster!
> 
> Hi Soniam, I'm a fellow Austinite!! Waving to you from South of the river aka Bubbaland!



Not sure if they have remote monitoring, but there are boards at the front of the park that list wait times. A line you tapu tapu into shows you how much time is left before you ride, but honestly it isn't in real time as delays and people in front of you can change it. If you head to the water coaster first thing you should be able to get right on, little to no wait, especially if you have early entry. I would wager you could get most rides done in early entry if you qualify and there isn't technical difficulties. The lazy river is a blast, but the not-so-lazy river is a bit awkward. The tubes are so highly blown up that you can't really get on them, and you are required to have one to ride. And yes, things slow down after 5ish imo.


----------



## Music City Mama

soniam said:


> There's a new blog on Touring Plans about Volcano Bay. Sounds like it wasn't so great, but not too surprising.
> 
> http://blog.touringplans.com/2017/06/15/daisys-not-best-week-ever-june-15-2017-volcano-bay/



Yikes. Most of what I have read is similar, so I've set my expectations pretty low.


----------



## soniam

Eddie512 said:


> Does anyone know how construction is progressing at VB?
> 
> Do things slow down in the evenings at all?
> 
> Any good, reliable way to monitor ride/wait times remotely? An app?
> 
> I appreciate the advice from everyone here. We are staying on site for 3 days (leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow!!!) and plan to get an early start, head back to resort or other parks when it gets crazy, etc.  keeping expectations in check I'll be happy to have a look around, hang in the lazy river and hopefully do the water coaster!
> 
> Hi Soniam, I'm a fellow Austinite!! Waving to you from South of the river aka Bubbaland!



On opening weekend, I noticed things slowed down about 5pm. Early start is the right tactic. The wait time thing is annoying. There are no apps and no boards anywhere. You have to physically walk up to the ride kiosk or not have anything reserved and use a cabana Tapu Tapu kiosk.

We are south of the river too, not far from Oak Hill



eyehartdisney said:


> Not sure if they have remote monitoring, but there are boards at the front of the park that list wait times. A line you tapu tapu into shows you how much time is left before you ride, but honestly it isn't in real time as delays and people in front of you can change it. If you head to the water coaster first thing you should be able to get right on, little to no wait, especially if you have early entry. I would wager you could get most rides done in early entry if you qualify and there isn't technical difficulties. The lazy river is a blast, but the not-so-lazy river is a bit awkward. The tubes are so highly blown up that you can't really get on them, and you are required to have one to ride. And yes, things slow down after 5ish imo.



I think they blew them up a bunch, because they were deflating a lot on Friday of opening weekend. It was so bad at one point that it looked like 75% of the tubes had deflated. I guess they didn't have enough people or time to inflate many, but I did see TMs walking backstage with a ton of deflated ones.


----------



## eyehartdisney

soniam said:


> On opening weekend, I noticed things slowed down about 5pm. Early start is the right tactic. The wait time thing is annoying. There are no apps and no boards anywhere. You have to physically walk up to the ride kiosk or not have anything reserved and use a cabana Tapu Tapu kiosk.
> 
> We are south of the river too, not far from Oak Hill
> 
> 
> 
> I think they blew them up a bunch, because they were deflating a lot on Friday of opening weekend. It was so bad at one point that it looked like 75% of the tubes had deflated. I guess they didn't have enough people or time to inflate many, but I did see TMs walking backstage with a ton of deflated ones.



We've been going a couple times each week. It's still pretty bad. They're probably deflated because they over filled them in the first place- and then they rub against the edge of the river.


----------



## KristinU

Hmmm, you guys have me rethinking my premium seats for July 4th.  We are not staying onsite at Uni, so no early entry for us.  I'm thinking we might be better off getting there as early as we can and just hitting slides right away rather than spending time getting the premium seats.  Unless they'll let non-resort-guests into the seat/cabana check-in area before the park officially opens to the public?


----------



## soniam

KristinU said:


> Hmmm, you guys have me rethinking my premium seats for July 4th.  We are not staying onsite at Uni, so no early entry for us.  I'm thinking we might be better off getting there as early as we can and just hitting slides right away rather than spending time getting the premium seats.  Unless they'll let non-resort-guests into the seat/cabana check-in area before the park officially opens to the public?



It can take a lot of time. If you don't really need it, I wouldn't bother with the premium seating. I am planning on sending DH and DS to go do rides while I wait in line. That might work for you. You might be able to get just past the entrance kiosk if you aren't staying onsite. I think, but can't be sure, that the concierge hut is before the area where they check for hotel room keys. However, I think I read in the Touring Plans blog that I posted earlier, that they let one person from the woman's party go to the hut to get a cabana, since they weren't staying onsite. Maybe they would let you do that.


----------



## atricks

Here's the official riders guide https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/files/Documents/volcano-bay-riders-guide.pdf 

Includes detailed ride info and disability info.


----------



## atricks

Things are getting better now at Volcano bay (I may go back tomorrow or next weekend to check it out more myself)






A good tactic is to wait through the afternoon storms, slides seem to be nearly walk on after them.


----------



## soniam

atricks said:


> Things are getting better now at Volcano bay (I may go back tomorrow or next weekend to check it out more myself)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good tactic is to wait through the afternoon storms, slides seem to be nearly walk on after them.



Man, the lights in the lazy river cave are working now and so were more of the interactive Tapu things. I don't remember the smoke or water shooting up at the exit of Teawa River either. I am getting more excited to go back in late July. I never got to ride Honu, so I guess I will have to brave it, and the Taniwa Tubes. I still won't do the body slides though. I am hoping to get premium seating at Hammerhead beach at the exit of the Teawa River. I kind of hope it rains when we go. However, we still have unlimited EP which will help some.


----------



## RalphinSC

Hey guys!

Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!

A few observations:

1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.

2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.

3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.

4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.

5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.

6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.

7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.

I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!


----------



## macraven

What a great success report from a regular homie for Vbay !!

Thanks for passing on the tips to help guide all

I am guessing if you go in with a plan and arrive there early, the day goes smoother


----------



## RalphinSC

macraven said:


> What a great success report from a regular homie for Vbay !!
> 
> Thanks for passing on the tips to help guide all
> 
> I am guessing if you go in with a plan and arrive there early, the day goes smoother



LOL! Yeah, put a Facebook post in one of my AP groups at about 7:30 one morning. It said simply: "Hardest part of the day is over. We are here for early entry, it's all gravy from here." Or something like that....lol!

And riding Krakatoa at 8:00am is better than covfefe!


----------



## macraven

I really am delighted you posted about your time at Vbay


Readers now have another report that this park can effectively be done without hang ups 

It is encouraging for others to know if they follow your style of doing the water park, less bumps in the road down them


----------



## zebsterama

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!



Thanks very much for all of the positive feedback and useful information.

We are spending one day at VB in August and will definitely take advantage of the morning hours: we're staying at RPR.

Question for you please.

If you had to pick "must rides" before that masses move in - what would that ride list look like? Top 5? or whatever you think is appropriate would be appreciated.

Thank you.


----------



## RalphinSC

zebsterama said:


> Thanks very much for all of the positive feedback and useful information.
> 
> We are spending one day at VB in August and will definitely take advantage of the morning hours: we're staying at RPR.
> 
> Question for you please.
> 
> If you had to pick "must rides" before that masses move in - what would that ride list look like? Top 5? or whatever you think is appropriate would be appreciated.
> 
> Thank you.



Depends if you like the big Volcano slides or not (I cannot ride the twisty drop slides and didn't do the plunge)

For me, a good touring plan would be:

(pre#1 Ko'Kiri body plunge if you want that. If you want the twisty drop slides, I'd do them after Honu/Ika Moana)
1. Krakatoa Aqua coaster (ride twice if you can, literally no wait)
2. Honu
3. Ike Moana
(blue/green volcano slides here if you want/can ride them)
4. Punga Racers
5. OhNo
6. OhYah
7. Puihi
8. Maku
9. Anything else you want to repeat with little wait
10. Tiawahna Tubes (these stay as "ride now" the longest

Once you start getting wait times, you can enjoy the rivers and the pools. We kept just re-tapping the aqua coaster over and over. Between that and the Tiawahna Tubes, we could easily ride 15+ slides a day before knocking off early around 2pm.


----------



## zebsterama

RalphinSC said:


> Depends if you like the big Volcano slides or not (I cannot ride the twisty drop slides and didn't do the plunge)
> 
> For me, a good touring plan would be:
> 
> (pre#1 Ko'Kiri body plunge if you want that. If you want the twisty drop slides, I'd do them after Honu/Ika Moana)
> 1. Krakatoa Aqua coaster (ride twice if you can, literally no wait)
> 2. Honu
> 3. Ike Moana
> (blue/green volcano slides here if you want/can ride them)
> 4. Punga Racers
> 5. OhNo
> 6. OhYah
> 7. Puihi
> 8. Maku
> 9. Anything else you want to repeat with little wait
> 10. Tiawahna Tubes (these stay as "ride now" the longest
> 
> Once you start getting wait times, you can enjoy the rivers and the pools. We kept just re-tapping the aqua coaster over and over. Between that and the Tiawahna Tubes, we could easily ride 15+ slides a day before knocking off early around 2pm.




Appreciate it!
Thank you!


----------



## macraven

RalphinSC said:


> Depends if you like the big Volcano slides or not (I cannot ride the twisty drop slides and didn't do the plunge)
> 
> For me, a good touring plan would be:
> 
> (pre#1 Ko'Kiri body plunge if you want that. If you want the twisty drop slides, I'd do them after Honu/Ika Moana)
> 1. Krakatoa Aqua coaster (ride twice if you can, literally no wait)
> 2. Honu
> 3. Ike Moana
> (blue/green volcano slides here if you want/can ride them)
> 4. Punga Racers
> 5. OhNo
> 6. OhYah
> 7. Puihi
> 8. Maku
> 9. Anything else you want to repeat with little wait
> 10. Tiawahna Tubes (these stay as "ride now" the longest
> 
> Once you start getting wait times, you can enjoy the rivers and the pools. We kept just re-tapping the aqua coaster over and over. Between that and the Tiawahna Tubes, we could easily ride 15+ slides a day before knocking off early around 2pm.


Another great attack plan for Vbay


----------



## KristinU

SoniaM and RalphinSC, many thanks!  You've helped me decide to cancel our premium seats...just ordered up a locking dry box form Amazon that I'll be able to use we a cable lock we already have.  Our plan of attack will be to get there as early as possible for off-site-ers and hope for the best!  We plan to go a couple of times over the course of our trip, so we'll have to plan for the first visit to be more of an acquaintance excursion and manage our expectations.


----------



## RalphinSC

KristinU said:


> SoniaM and RalphinSC, many thanks!  You've helped me decide to cancel our premium seats...just ordered up a locking dry box form Amazon that I'll be able to use we a cable lock we already have.  Our plan of attack will be to get there as early as possible for off-site-ers and hope for the best!  We plan to go a couple of times over the course of our trip, so we'll have to plan for the first visit to be more of an acquaintance excursion and manage our expectations.



Awesome! you are going to have an awesome time!


----------



## marcyleecorgan

Any water park that I have to be through the security gates by 7 am "to beat the lines" is NOT a vacation.  That is just too early AUGH.  I can't even imagine putting other human beings through my DD when she's in a morning snit - which is anytime before 9 am...  

I considered trying to rouse my family for Rope Drop... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa let me laugh about that!  I was awake from anxiety at 6:40, it took until 8:30 for anyone else to stir, I was practically snapping a wet towel at their backsides to LEAVE the HOTEL at 9:15 am...  yeah missed a bus and pretty much got into the Parks around 10 am every single day.  As much as I tried otherwise...  then again, everyone found themselves staying up until 1-2am because we are weird night owls.

Thinking, if we ever go to Universal, it's going to be a looooooooooooooooong time in the future, certainly they will have some kinks worked out by then.    maybe 2040?  LOL


----------



## Vaninou

Thanks for the feedback !!!
I really think I will cancel my cabana.... not getting enough info on it and the only reviews I saw are saying it's not worth it....


----------



## DisneyToni

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!
> 
> A few observations:
> 
> 1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.
> 
> 2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.
> 
> 3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.
> 
> 4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.
> 
> 5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.
> 
> 6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.
> 
> 7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.
> 
> I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!



Thanks for this detailed write up.  One question, what time where you actually allowed to enter the park for early entry?  In other words, is there actually a queue point inside the park or would they allow you to get your chairs and the queue for opening was at the rides?   If there is only one queue point, what time would they allow access to the park?  Would it be before 8am?


----------



## RalphinSC

marcyleecorgan said:


> Any water park that I have to be through the security gates by 7 am "to beat the lines" is NOT a vacation.  That is just too early AUGH.  I can't even imagine putting other human beings through my DD when she's in a morning snit - which is anytime before 9 am...
> 
> I considered trying to rouse my family for Rope Drop... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa let me laugh about that!  I was awake from anxiety at 6:40, it took until 8:30 for anyone else to stir, I was practically snapping a wet towel at their backsides to LEAVE the HOTEL at 9:15 am...  yeah missed a bus and pretty much got into the Parks around 10 am every single day.  As much as I tried otherwise...  then again, everyone found themselves staying up until 1-2am because we are weird night owls.
> 
> Thinking, if we ever go to Universal, it's going to be a looooooooooooooooong time in the future, certainly they will have some kinks worked out by then.    maybe 2040?  LOL



You can try to work it in reverse then, because I've seen good reports on that, too. Show up mid-to late afternoon and ride everything as everyone else is going home. Or go right after storms roll through. Tim Tracker did a great video a couple of days ago with how successful he was with touring the park after a storm.

I'm definitely a morning person and fully understand why being early like that won't work for everyone, lol.


----------



## dcessford

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!
> 
> A few observations:
> 
> 1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.
> 
> 2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.
> 
> 3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.
> 
> 4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.
> 
> 5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.
> 
> 6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.
> 
> 7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.
> 
> I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!




Did you happen to notice if there were lockers close to the location you were in your chairs?


----------



## RalphinSC

DisneyToni said:


> Thanks for this detailed write up.  One question, what time where you actually allowed to enter the park for early entry?  In other words, is there actually a queue point inside the park or would they allow you to get your chairs and the queue for opening was at the rides?   If there is only one queue point, what time would they allow access to the park?  Would it be before 8am?


 
They started allowing us to tap in at about 7:50am. There is a roped corridor like when you do early entry at other parks where they check your room key. They funnel all early entry guest down to the volcano beach and from there you can exit out one of the sides to go to the slide of your choosing. The "holding area" for offsite guests in the park is on the main pathway around and off to the right by the first restaurant. We found that out by trying to cut back across that way one morning.

If you are early entry; you come in, get funneled onto the main beach, grab a lounger if you choose to, and then branch off to whatever slide you want to go to. The whole park is open for early entry, though we did run into the mat slides being down one morning when we got around to them. Some of the added effects (misters and waterfalls, etc) come on a bit later in the day. Noticed this when riding Honu. In the morning none of the misters are on the slides, but by the afternoon they all were going.


----------



## RalphinSC

dcessford said:


> Did you happen to notice if there were lockers close to the location you were in your chairs?



Yes, there are locker areas to both the right and left of the beach after you go in. I think the one to the left may technically be closer, but I never used a locker with my aqua box.


----------



## bobbie68

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!
> 
> A few observations:
> 
> 1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.
> 
> 2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.
> 
> 3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.
> 
> 4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.
> 
> 5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.
> 
> 6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.
> 
> 7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.
> 
> I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!




Thanks for the great report. I am now rethinking my premium loungers for chairs where you suggest. Where is the dancing dragons bar when you come in? Also what aquabox did you purchase? I am not familiar with these but it sounds like a good idea.
Did you enter the specific entry for Cabana Bay guests?

Thank you


----------



## RalphinSC

bobbie68 said:


> Thanks for the great report. I am now rethinking my premium loungers for chairs where you suggest. Where is the dancing dragons bar when you come in? Also what aquabox did you purchase? I am not familiar with these but it sounds like a good idea.
> Did you enter the specific entry for Cabana Bay guests?
> 
> Thank you



Search aquavault or beach chair lock box 

And yes, we used the Cabana Bay security checkpoint for all four of our days there. They check for room keys and then do the typical security check-in.


----------



## bobbie68

RalphinSC said:


> Search aquavault or beach chair lock box
> 
> And yes, we used the Cabana Bay security checkpoint for all four of our days there. They check for room keys and then do the typical security check-in.



Thank you I found it..I am glad to hear you were able to use that entrance. Which direction would I go to get to the dancing dragons when I get to the main beach?


----------



## bobbie68

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!
> 
> A few observations:
> 
> 1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.
> 
> 2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.
> 
> 3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.
> 
> 4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.
> 
> 5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.
> 
> 6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.
> 
> 7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.
> 
> I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!



Hi were you there during a storm? I was wondering what they are having guests do about leaving. Do you have to leave the park or just wait it out somewhere safe? I was thinking if I kept my premium lounge chairs and had to leave half way through the day and couldn't get back in that would stink!
Thank you


----------



## soniam

KristinU said:


> SoniaM and RalphinSC, many thanks!  You've helped me decide to cancel our premium seats...just ordered up a locking dry box form Amazon that I'll be able to use we a cable lock we already have.  Our plan of attack will be to get there as early as possible for off-site-ers and hope for the best!  We plan to go a couple of times over the course of our trip, so we'll have to plan for the first visit to be more of an acquaintance excursion and manage our expectations.



If I had known about the aquabox thing, I might not have gotten our loungers. However, I decided to keep them for our next trip. It's just 1 day. I will probably let DH and DS run off while I wait for the lounger. They can take forever it seems. I think you can still do well by getting there early. You will still get a decent amount done. Have a great trip!



bobbie68 said:


> Thanks for the great report. I am now rethinking my premium loungers for chairs where you suggest. Where is the dancing dragons bar when you come in? Also what aquabox did you purchase? I am not familiar with these but it sounds like a good idea.
> Did you enter the specific entry for Cabana Bay guests?
> 
> Thank you



Dancing Dragons is the bar toward the front of the park, in front of the wave pool. The other bar, Kunuku Boat Bar I think, is back toward the exit of the fearless river on Hammerhead beach. It's behind the volcano.


----------



## dcessford

RalphinSC said:


> Yes, there are locker areas to both the right and left of the beach after you go in. I think the one to the left may technically be closer, but I never used a locker with my aqua box.




thanks


----------



## TheConsciousness

RalphinSC said:


> For me, a good touring plan would be:



Thanks! Is this the touring plan you would do if it were a busy day / factoring in the wait times?
Would you be able to do a list of rides that have the longest/shortest wait times?


----------



## RalphinSC

TheConsciousness said:


> Thanks! Is this the touring plan you would do if it were a busy day / factoring in the wait times?
> Would you be able to do a list of rides that have the longest/shortest wait times?


 
Generally, the longest times I have seen run very close to this list. The Body plunge is the longest line in the park. Easily gets up to four-hours on most days because it has low capacity and is the only volcano slide without a 200 pound weight limit. Krakatoa kinda of falls in second because it is something nearly everyone can and will want to ride. The other two volcano slides can build long lines from just having poor load times, but they are not nearly as bad now since there is a weight limit. OhYah and OhNo have terribly slow ride times and can build big lines. Of the family raft rides, Honu will have the longest line, followed by Puihi, the Ike Moana, and lastly Maku. Punga racers can build a long line in the afternoons because it is slow and rarely runs at full capacity due to weight load issues on the outer slides. Tiawahna Tubes is the lowest wait for a Tapu ride in the park. It is a very commonly designed slide tower and has good load efficiency.

So, shortened list (based purely on worst case wait times from my observations):

1. Body plunge - Can easily get a four-plus hour line. Line builds fast
2. Krakatoa - Two hour lines common on busy days
3. Honu - Line can get to two-hours plus
4. Twin volcano slides - Can get a two to three hour line. Line can build fast
5A. OhNo - slow loading, can get to a 100 minute wait. Line can build fast
5B. OhYah - slow loading, lower wait that OhNo
6. Puihi - good capacity, waits up to 90 minutes
7. Punga racers - breaks down more than other slides, can get a three hour wait if reliability is an issue
8. Ike Moana - waits can range from two hours to very low. effected by Honu wait times
9. Maku - gentlest family raft ride in the park. max wait around 90 minutes
10. Tiawahna Tubes- Often ride now, never seen a longer wait than 30 minutes. reliable
11. Rivers and wave pool


----------



## ljmclin

RalphinSC said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Just back from an eight day trip in Orlando. Spent four of those days at least partly at Volcano Bay. So if you have a question, I can probably answer it!
> 
> A few observations:
> 
> 1. We stayed at Cabana Bay. This hotel is an absolute STEAL if you want to go to Volcano Bay. I cannot recommend early entry enough. With the exception of our first day when we arrived after lunch due to check in, we were at the tapstiles for early entry between 7:00 and 7:30 and were among the first guest in the park. We got to pick out a great shaded lounger and even had our "favorite" spot by the end of the week so we could just go right there. From there, the first two hours is "ride now" heaven. Pretty much any slide you want. We rode Krakatoa 15 times during the week, including not even having to get off the tube one morning for a re-ride. On another morning, we were the first people to ride Krakatoa, Honu, Ike Moana, and Maku. Never had a tapu wait time for a ride before 10am by touring the rides in good order. We basically got to ride whatever we wanted until we tired out enough to tap a ride with a wait so we could enjoy the lazy river. If you are staying onsite and are not up and going into this park as soon as it opens, you only have yourself to blame for waiting in long lines.
> 
> 2. The aquacoaster is incredible! It's the best water ride in Orlando.
> 
> 3. My second favorite slide was Honu. It's a very short ride though. Two high thrill moments and then a splashdown.
> 
> 4. Premium seating and cabana rentals are not worth it IMO. Our loungers we picked out at rope drop had much better shade than the premium seating and we didn't have to bother with going to the concierge hut to rent them (also known as wasting time that you could actually be riding something with no wait early in the morning). I bought an aquabox to lock onto my lounger to store my valuables. Never had a problem bringing it in the park and it worked like a charm. We found our favorite group of shaded loungers right by the dancing dragons bar and they served us well. We never had a long wait for either food of drink during the week. I certainly was able to get what I wanted by myself a lot quicker than the premium loungers located behind us. I just cannot justify paying for something that I'm hardly going to use and that will cost me time on both actually renting it and on getting what I want when I want it. But, to each their own.
> 
> 5. There is still a lot of construction ongoing and the park will continue to improve. There is a lot left to do near the volcano around Punga Racers and the action river. But they are working on it every night. They are also building cabanas all over the park and have even started on the expansion and extension of the park access road behind Maku/Puihi. The Vol experience inside of the volcano is not finished yet and a lot more Tapu points are being put in all over the park. Every day, it gets more and more complete. And it's a great park already.
> 
> 6. Quit reading the horror stories. Honestly, brass tacks, I'm an AP holder and was able to go four days within a week. Aside from the first "check it out" day, I got every single thing I absolutely wanted done on each day and left feeling like a got a "complete" park experience. If you come at opening (early entry) and prioritize riding the longest wait things first, you will have an incredibly fun day. If you want to sleep in, come at lunch, stay offsite, etc; you must understand that each of those things are things that will make your wait times longer, and your experience different than what I had. I'm telling you how easy it is to have a wonderful day at this park and ride all you want. It's up to you how you want to apply that info.
> 
> 7. Tapu tapu worked great for me. We used it for the Taptu pay as well and never had a problem. On our last morning, my son had a stubborn band that sometimes took a few taps to access slides, but aside from that every thing worked great. As a side note to that, make sure you keep checking your bands and get the extra rubber band on them if you can. I had my band fall off in the action river once and then lost my prescription glasses while diving after my band (that was incredibly dumb on my part. I never found the glasses again, the volcano gods ate them. Do not bring ANYTHING into the action river you cannot afford parting with). I also found a good half dozen bands throughout the week in the rivers and at the end of slides. Always check for your band after a slide.
> 
> I'm sure I will have a lot more to add as it comes to mine. Open for any questions!


THanks so much for this post!!!  You answered my premium seating questions.  Can you give an idea of what order you would ride the rides?  We are staying at RPR so we will have early entry and I just informed my family (right before writing this) that we will be in line at 7:15 to get into the park.  Thanks for any help you can give!!


----------



## ljmclin

Ignore my post - I just saw your list!  I should have continued reading. LOL


----------



## atricks

Park hours for Volcano Bay have changed again, Starting June 23rd (This Friday) horus extended to 9PM (Was 8PM) for the rest of the month.   July shifted to 9PM close (was 10PM), August is still 10PM until August 14th (When it goes to 8/9PM)


----------



## KristinU

atricks said:


> Park hours for Volcano Bay have changed again, Starting June 23rd (This Friday) horus extended to 9PM (Was 8PM) for the rest of the month.   July shifted to 9PM close (was 10PM), August is still 10PM until August 14th (When it goes to 8/9PM)



Thanks for the update!

Anyone have any thoughts on what an evening arrival visit might be like?  I wonder if that would be a decent approach to try.  I think it would be cool to visit in the dark.


----------



## soniam

KristinU said:


> Thanks for the update!
> 
> Anyone have any thoughts on what an evening arrival visit might be like?  I wonder if that would be a decent approach to try.  I think it would be cool to visit in the dark.



I think after 5pm it seems to be winding down. That's what we saw and what I am still reading. Also, it seems to clear out after the afternoon rain shower. So you might even be able to get in before 5pm. It didn't rain Memorial Day weekend, so we didn't see the effects.


----------



## atricks

I went this past Sunday during the rain (rain was winding down) the park was closed for capacity but enough people left during the rainstorm that they opened it back up again.  I did 5 slides (including the aqua coaster) and both lazy rivers and took my time, if you can go when the rain is winding down or stay through the rain.   Sunday was awesome.


----------



## scoopmorgan

Can anyone tell me if the quirks at VB are being worked out? It seems like everyday there is new information, and the prices are quite high, IMO (for extras like lockers, shade, etc.) If the wait times are still really long, and the loading issues have not been resolved, we are thinking of going to Typhoon Lagoon at DW instead. I heard one family a few days ago only were able to ride two slides in a day, due to closures, andother issues. I cannot justify $67 for two rides, especially when I have to pay more for lockers, shaded seating, etc. Please tell me these issues are getting better. We were really looking forward to VB.


----------



## atricks

It's definitely improved since I first went, a few slides are on permanent ride now, meaning you don't need to tap, (The 2 seater tubes, and one of the family raft slides)  The rivers are working better, a few more cabanas just opened up.    And when I went Sunday, I did a ton of slides (including the high wait ones like the aqua coaster and the body plunge).  I think the general rule of thumb is get there early, and if it rains, stay through the rain as it's so nice after the rainfall since a good number of folks head out.

   If you want one of the big rides tap it Before going to lockers/etc.

  This video is from 2-3 days ago 



 
   what NOT to do:
   Getting there between 10;30-12 is bad,
   Don't try to eat at noon.

   In general 11-3 is the busiest time there, before and after are much more open.  

  As a new park it's a bit more crowded at times, but they have been limiting it quite strictly, things are getting better almost daily.


----------



## soniam

atricks said:


> It's definitely improved since I first went, a few slides are on permanent ride now, meaning you don't need to tap, (The 2 seater tubes, and one of the family raft slides)  The rivers are working better, a few more cabanas just opened up.    And when I went Sunday, I did a ton of slides (including the high wait ones like the aqua coaster and the body plunge).  I think the general rule of thumb is get there early, and if it rains, stay through the rain as it's so nice after the rainfall since a good number of folks head out.
> 
> If you want one of the big rides tap it Before going to lockers/etc.
> 
> This video is from 2-3 days ago
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what NOT to do:
> Getting there between 10;30-12 is bad,
> Don't try to eat at noon.
> 
> In general 11-3 is the busiest time there, before and after are much more open.
> 
> As a new park it's a bit more crowded at times, but they have been limiting it quite strictly, things are getting better almost daily.



I know I am looking forward to it more and more every time I see these videos. I think having gone on opening weekend, we are just going to be even more blown away with all of the new stuff working and with the lines and ride reliability looking better. Gotta get me more of the shrimp mac n cheese and some tasty adult beverages


----------



## bobbie68

atricks said:


> It's definitely improved since I first went, a few slides are on permanent ride now, meaning you don't need to tap, (The 2 seater tubes, and one of the family raft slides)  The rivers are working better, a few more cabanas just opened up.    And when I went Sunday, I did a ton of slides (including the high wait ones like the aqua coaster and the body plunge).  I think the general rule of thumb is get there early, and if it rains, stay through the rain as it's so nice after the rainfall since a good number of folks head out.
> 
> If you want one of the big rides tap it Before going to lockers/etc.
> 
> This video is from 2-3 days ago
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what NOT to do:
> Getting there between 10;30-12 is bad,
> Don't try to eat at noon.
> 
> In general 11-3 is the busiest time there, before and after are much more open.
> 
> As a new park it's a bit more crowded at times, but they have been limiting it quite strictly, things are getting better almost daily.



Hi thanks for posting  this video. I feel a lot better going the end of July. It looks like things are starting to work out and they are correcting some errors they made. I am getting excited again. I think I am still going to get rid of my premium seating for the day.


----------



## BlueSuitDonald

Just wondering if I don't get a locker, will our towels and t-shirts be safe if we leave them on the chairs. Has anyone had a problem with losing their chairs if towels are left on them?


----------



## BlueSuitDonald

Another question....do you stand in the same line to rent a locker as you do if you reserved premium seating? How long are the lines for those? Trying to decide if I should keep my reserved seating. Don't want to waste too much time waiting to get the chairs.


----------



## soniam

BlueSuitDonald said:


> Just wondering if I don't get a locker, will our towels and t-shirts be safe if we leave them on the chairs. Has anyone had a problem with losing their chairs if towels are left on them?



I obviously can't guarantee your chairs or things, but I did see people leave non-valuable items on chairs. The stuff and the chairs were left alone. However, we were sitting in a small section, not the large area near the wave pool.



BlueSuitDonald said:


> Another question....do you stand in the same line to rent a locker as you do if you reserved premium seating? How long are the lines for those? Trying to decide if I should keep my reserved seating. Don't want to waste too much time waiting to get the chairs.



I believe you rent the lockers at the actual lockers. The Concierge hut, where you get your premium seating, also handles towel rental, express passes, and cabanas. Opening weekend, the lockers ran out. However, that might not be the case now. If you get there early, it wouldn't be a problem.


----------



## BlueSuitDonald

So is there a long line to rent lockers?


----------



## atricks

BlueSuitDonald said:


> So is there a long line to rent lockers?



There are 3 or 4 different locker areas.  The most popular one is just to the left when you walk in (behind the stores), there's another to the right, and a third near across the bridge from the toddler/kid area   It hink the last one is near the Oh Yeah/Oh No Slides.  I'd go for the one by the lazy river entrance first, probably.


----------



## atricks

Two paths through the volcano opened up today, some with cool interactive and water bits:

One of the walk through caves has an all ages fountain play area.






Some More Photos here:

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct/


----------



## BlueSuitDonald

When you rent lockers, is there a person that you rent with or do you go to a locker and put in credit card info?


----------



## soniam

BlueSuitDonald said:


> When you rent lockers, is there a person that you rent with or do you go to a locker and put in credit card info?



Sorry. We didn't rent a locker. Hopefully someone will answer who did. Since we had the premium seating, we just used the lockbox for that.


----------



## atricks

BlueSuitDonald said:


> When you rent lockers, is there a person that you rent with or do you go to a locker and put in credit card info?



The machines are mixed in with the lockers, you scan your tapu tapu band, insert the card into the machine, and you (and anyone you link the it with) can open the locker as many times as you want during the day with the band.

There is an attendant or two hanging around to help with any problems, but you just walk up to the lockers to rent one.  The concierge desk is just to get cabanas/towels or premium seating.


----------



## BlueSuitDonald

Thank you! That will help a lot!


----------



## Eddie512

This time next week, I WILL BE THERE!!!  wondering if people can recommend some good things to eat for lunch or snacks to try???


----------



## soniam

Eddie512 said:


> This time next week, I WILL BE THERE!!!  wondering if people can recommend some good things to eat for lunch or snacks to try???



The jerk shrimp mac n cheese @ Whakawaiwa Eats
Adult beverages were all good, but I liked the Ko'okiri the best. Guavurama was my second favorite.
Chocolate pineapple upside down cake was good, but a little dry. Molten lava cake was good.
Burgers were good. DS just had a cheeseburger with mustard, but it tasted charcoal grilled.


----------



## CoachZ

soniam said:


> No, it actually locks. The first day, it just had a combination lock. On our second day, they replace the combi lock with one that worked with the Tapu. It was a clear plug thing. You would push it down with your Tapu face on it, and it would lock. To unlock, you would push it down again with the same Tapu. I had an expensive camera that I wanted to lock up, so I absolutely needed a locker. It was a good size box too. I was able to fit my big DSLR with decent size lens, 2 smart phones, 2 Kindles, a small water camera, a Go Pro with a short stick, and a small wallet with about 1/3 to half the room to spare. I did have to stack some things. My only complaint is that we needed a separate table. We would use the lock box as a table but kept having to remove stuff to get in it.



Does anyone have a picture of the lock box that comes with the premium seating? If not, any idea on the size of the box? Just wondering if it will hold a backpack of dry clothes.


----------



## atricks

CoachZ said:


> Does anyone have a picture of the lock box that comes with the premium seating? If not, any idea on the size of the box? Just wondering if it will hold a backpack of dry clothes.


----------



## Music City Mama

atricks said:


> View attachment 247304



Do you have a guess on the dimensions? Also, what kind of lock does it have on it?


----------



## k&Jsmom

Does anyone know if I would be allowed to wear my water proof belt bag on the aqua coaster?  I know its not allowed on the slides.  Thanks


----------



## sweetpee_1993

What's the word on GoPros?  Are there a lot of slides I can't use it for?  When I am using it, do they require a particular mount (chest, wrist)?

Juuuust found out we're going to have the chance to stay at Cabana Bay and go to Volcano Bay in September.  I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am about this!


----------



## Eddie512

k&Jsmom said:


> Does anyone know if I would be allowed to wear my water proof belt bag on the aqua coaster?  I know its not allowed on the slides.  Thanks



I'm wondering if I can wear my waterproof aquabox (containing phone, room key, etc)  on a lanyard?

PS thank you to whichever forum contributor suggested this, it's such a great item and only $7.99!!! Having spent big bucks on waterproof cameras (that take lesser photos) I am mighty pleased with it!


----------



## soniam

CoachZ said:


> Does anyone have a picture of the lock box that comes with the premium seating? If not, any idea on the size of the box? Just wondering if it will hold a backpack of dry clothes.



I don't think that would fit, unless it was maybe 1 person's clothes. I would just leave the clothes on the lounger. We did and didn't have any problems. We only used the lockbox for valuables.



Music City Mama said:


> Do you have a guess on the dimensions? Also, what kind of lock does it have on it?



It's a little more than a foot deep and a little more than a foot long. The width is about 6".



k&Jsmom said:


> Does anyone know if I would be allowed to wear my water proof belt bag on the aqua coaster?  I know its not allowed on the slides.  Thanks



They were kind of picky about stuff when we went opening weekend; however, Krakatau, the aqua coaster, was one of the few things that they let me keep my flip flops and glasses on for. So, there's a good chance that would let you keep that.



sweetpee_1993 said:


> What's the word on GoPros?  Are there a lot of slides I can't use it for?  When I am using it, do they require a particular mount (chest, wrist)?
> 
> Juuuust found out we're going to have the chance to stay at Cabana Bay and go to Volcano Bay in September.  I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am about this!



The GoPros seem iffy. On opening weekend, they wouldn't let us take it on hardly any of the raft/tube/boat slides. Didn't do the body slides. We have one of the short floaty sticks with a secure strap for ours. It's a small one without a display. However, I have since seen videos of people obviously using their GoPros on the tube and raft slides. We are going to try it in July. I think they were just being particularly anal the opening weekend.


----------



## soniam

Eddie512 said:


> I'm wondering if I can wear my waterproof aquabox (containing phone, room key, etc)  on a lanyard?
> 
> PS thank you to whichever forum contributor suggested this, it's such a great item and only $7.99!!! Having spent big bucks on waterproof cameras (that take lesser photos) I am mighty pleased with it!



They might let you take it on Krakatau, but it's anyone's guess if you can take it on the other raft/tube slides. They were making us hold out prescription glasses with straps in our hands opening weekend. I have since seen video of people wearing their sunglasses on these slides


----------



## CoachZ

atricks said:


> View attachment 247304



Thank you! Looks too small for a backpack with clothes for 3.


----------



## RalphinSC

sweetpee_1993 said:


> What's the word on GoPros?  Are there a lot of slides I can't use it for?  When I am using it, do they require a particular mount (chest, wrist)?
> 
> Juuuust found out we're going to have the chance to stay at Cabana Bay and go to Volcano Bay in September.  I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am about this!



Honestly, they have been all over the place with the GoPro usage. I think I have seen POV's now from every slide in the park, but I have also seen multiple youtube videos of vloggers being told that they would have to put their cameras up to ride. It seems to be a very loose policy right now that can go either way depending on who the team member is working the slide entrance to the rule of the day.

I personally wouldn't bother (and I love to use my GoPro!). And that's just because I would be irritated at bringing it all the way to the slide just to have to take it back and lock it up just to be allowed on. No policy seems consistent right now.


----------



## jagafen

Just wanted to pop in and share our experience, June 21st. All in all, it was a good day. We were there for early entry (must do for onsite guests) and stayed until about 1:30. We had premium seating, which was nice, even though our view was mostly of lifejackets (#16), so not the most scenic. In the process of obtaining our premium seating, which I had reserved on April 21st when they started taking reservations, it seems as if the process has changed a bit. I'm not sure when it started, as I stopped reading VB updates a few days prior to our trip. I was told over the phone, and on our confirmation, to proceed to the concierge desk. Once there, they asked for my ticket, and I showed them my confirmation paperowrk. They told me I needed to go to guest services (to the right of the entrance, RIGHT after they scan your ticket) to get the "ticket" to submit to them in order to actually get assigned our seating. Seems a bit silly, but since we were #s 7,8, and 9 in our line to get into the parks, it didn't take too long. Probably not even 10 minutes concierge to guest services back to concierge. A very nice worker opened up the top side of the EE line (rope partition) so I could cross back down to guest services. I had explained to him the situation, so when I returned with my magic ticket, he let me back in through the rope, so I didn't have to stand in the EE line 2x. 

As far as the parks/rides themselves, we did Krakatau 2x right off the bat. Then we headed over to the turtle and the whale in River village. Did both of those. We did the other big family slide behind Krakatau, and 1 of the 4 twisty slides, and then another 2 person raft slide. So, 8 slides?? Maybe a few more that I'm forgetting? Everything was ride now, and lines were taking about a half hour, maybe a little less. Hard to tell when you don't have a watch on. DS had ridden all of the slides he wanted, so we broke for lunch at around 11:00 or so. The servers at the premium seating (bless their hearts) were trying real hard. There were 2 assigned to our area. One was obviously newer than the other. As the newer server was taking our order, she was repeating back what we had ordered, but naming it wrong, so we repeated it again to be sure she understood what we wanted. After the 2nd person ordered, she exclaimed "I'm sorry, but I don't know this menu at all!"...good grief. I tried to order a frozen drink (just a pina colada) and there was some sort of complication. Our server couldn't tell us what was available that was frozen, and I felt like this poor girl was running around the park trying to find an answer...honestly, if she took the time to learn the menu and drinks, it would probably make her job a bit easier (coming from and ex-server/bartender of about 11 years). I settled for a different adult beverage in the end. Not a big deal in the end, but being in a serving position and not familiar with what you're selling is a bit of a peevy thing for me.  The food was good (DH said the jerk wings were greasy). DS had the longboard pizza, and ate about 3/4 of it (it's huge). DH also had the conch fritters. I had the coconut chicken sliders, and we all shared the fruit salad. With the exception of DH's wings, it was all tasty. The servers were very attentive too, and we never felt like we had to chase anyone down. The one strange thing that happened was our food delivery person...brought everything with cloches over it, and in an insulated carrier. No silverware or ketchup, so as he was distributing the food, I was asking him if the servers tipped him out (NO) He said that food running isn't a tipped position, but we gave him $5 anyway when he brought back the silverware and ketchup for us. Maybe that's the ex-server in me, but the area attendants basically only take your orders and run drinks...I had a hard time with not tipping the person who actually brought around our food.

Also, I found it odd that we couldn't run a tab for our premium lounger. We had to close out every time we ordered something. We were told that it was because if the weather changed, and they couldn't come out, they couldn't close out our check, or we might leave if the weather got really bad. I don't see why they can't run it like they do at the resorts and just charge a flat 18% gratuity and be done with it. It just struck me as odd, since we've had great experiences at the pools with their servers. 

Oh, and even though we went in with tempered expectations due to how crazy everything's been, the one big disappointment was the pretty soft serve ice cream...It was a big letdown. It's a machine that injects flavor/color into the vanilla soft serve, but for DH and I, it basically tasted like vanilla ice cream. I had the pineapple (and honestly, I was expecting dole whip pineapple, my assumption, my bad). DH had to coconut, and he said it barely tasted like coconut.  So, if you're expecting heavily flavored ice cream, that may not happen. It was just a bit of a damper, as we got the ice cream to eat while walking to and waiting for the bus...you know, last impressions and all. Overall, it was a good day, and the hiccups were on the relatively minor side, and overall didn't impact our day in an overly negative way.


----------



## disnutz

VB question of the day - how early do the busses run from the other resorts?  I heard to get to VB by 715-730 to be very close to first in line to get in, so will the busses run that early?


----------



## Music City Mama

jagafen said:


> They told me I needed to go to guest services (to the right of the entrance, RIGHT after they scan your ticket) to get the "ticket" to submit to them in order to actually get assigned our seating.



This is really helpful to know. I wonder if it will still be like this next week -- no telling, but that will be my plan.

What section was your premium seating in? Sounds very frustrating re: the servers, tipping, etc. Ugh.


----------



## sandam1

I have a couple of questions, for those of you that have been to VB and stayed at Cabana Bay:

- How feasible is to take a "mid-day break" or a "rain break" and come back later?

- In the event of capacity closings (which will hopefully NOT be an issue by the time we go at the end of September), if you have already entered the park once, are you still unable to come back into the park? I'm wondering if there are "phased closings" like Disney has or a "no more room at the inn, period" scenario? I'd hate to buy a ticket for the whole day and only be able to use a few hours.

Thanks!


----------



## FlipHipster

Don't remember seeing this posted but I noticed that @UniversalORL has been responding to tweets asking about closing due to capacity and referring them to the Volcano Bay capacity hotline (407) 817-8317


----------



## tinkerbellandeeyor

Has it gotten any better sense (sp) the grand opening or are the waits still at 170 min


----------



## atricks

tinkerbellandeeyor said:


> Has it gotten any better sense (sp) the grand opening or are the waits still at 170 min



Yes, and improving almost every day it seems (It does still get VERY busy though), read the last few pages here for more details.  Hint: Go EARLY, and stay through rainstorms.  Park has been a smash hit, and It's been closing very early for capacity nearly every day lately and only opening up in the afternoon (best time to come is right after a thunderstorm)  It does still get busy, but the waits are a bit better and there's more to do than there was at opening day while waiting for the rides that have the lines.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTimTracker/videos   has several volcano bay videos that shows some of the improvements.


----------



## tinkerbellandeeyor

atricks said:


> Yes, and improving almost every day it seems (It does still get VERY busy though), read the last few pages here for more details.  Hint: Go EARLY, and stay through rainstorms.  Park has been a smash hit, and It's been closing very early for capacity nearly every day lately and only opening up in the afternoon (best time to come is right after a thunderstorm)  It does still get busy, but the waits are a bit better and there's more to do than there was at opening day while waiting for the rides that have the lines.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTimTracker/videos   has several volcano bay videos that shows some of the improvements.[/QUOT
> 
> Thank you


----------



## EddieValiant

As I was leaving Universal and Orlando today, Volcano Bay had hit capacity just after 10am per variable message signs on Universal Blvd.


----------



## tinkerbellandeeyor

EddieValiant said:


> As I was leaving Universal and Orlando today, Volcano Bay had hit capacity just after 10am per variable message signs on Universal Blvd.



Thanks for the heads up


----------



## atricks

This is a good comparison video of all 4 orlando water parks that just got put up minutes ago.


----------



## CoachZ

atricks said:


> This is a good comparison video of all 4 orlando water parks that just got put up minutes ago.



I love Tim's videos!! Thanks for posting it!


----------



## jagafen

Music City Mama said:


> This is really helpful to know. I wonder if it will still be like this next week -- no telling, but that will be my plan.
> 
> What section was your premium seating in? Sounds very frustrating re: the servers, tipping, etc. Ugh.



Honestly, the frustrations were minor, but notable as points of service. The food runner guy was very friendly! Our loungers were in the Wave Pool area, the first set to the left as you enter the sandy beach from the path...


----------



## RalphinSC

sandam1 said:


> I have a couple of questions, for those of you that have been to VB and stayed at Cabana Bay:
> 
> - How feasible is to take a "mid-day break" or a "rain break" and come back later?
> 
> - In the event of capacity closings (which will hopefully NOT be an issue by the time we go at the end of September), if you have already entered the park once, are you still unable to come back into the park? I'm wondering if there are "phased closings" like Disney has or a "no more room at the inn, period" scenario? I'd hate to buy a ticket for the whole day and only be able to use a few hours.
> 
> Thanks!



On one of the days we went with it hitting capacity, Cabana Bay had a sign out on the pathway as you were walking out letting you know that the park was at capacity and there would be no re-entry allowed. Must of been phase III closure.

We were always done by 2 or 3 at the latest and managed to beat the storms back to the resort every time. It's great being only a 5-10 minute walk from your lounger at Volcano Bay to your hotel room. Cabana Bay is the way to go!


----------



## RalphinSC

disnutz said:


> VB question of the day - how early do the busses run from the other resorts?  I heard to get to VB by 715-730 to be very close to first in line to get in, so will the busses run that early?



We were coming from Cabana Bay, so no personal experience. But from the four days we went, there were definitely people coming out of the bus tunnels by 0715. MY guess is the buses start running at 7am for 8am early entry.


----------



## KristinU

Staying offsite?  Plan to arrive at least an hour before park opening, if not more.  We figured a half hour would be enough,  no way!   We are in a huge, winding line in the parking garage for security and bus loading...easily 30-40 minutes long just here.  It's nuts!

Editing with an update:  We are now at the park in line to get in.  90 minutes since we parked the car.   Seems that the park is at capacity,  but they are slowly letting people in.  We are seeing wet people leaving,  so that is encouraging for our prospects of actually getting in...I guess.

Editing with a recap:  total of 120 minutes parking to entry when we arrived at the ramp at 8:30 for a 9:00 opening.

Once in,  though,  we really are enjoying it.  Since we know it is at capacity we know it won't get any busier.  The tapu tapu thing is working well for us, I think coming into it with an understanding of what it is and not terribly high expectations has really helped us enjoy it.


----------



## disnutz

OK we will check with the hotel but our plan will be 7am to get on the busses. Hoping the blocked dates help a little in July with crowds/


----------



## Music City Mama

jagafen said:


> Honestly, the frustrations were minor, but notable as points of service. The food runner guy was very friendly! Our loungers were in the Wave Pool area, the first set to the left as you enter the sandy beach from the path...



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?


----------



## bobbie68

Music City Mama said:


> 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?[/QUOTE
> 
> Hi I just read jagafen's trip report and they went to guest services to the right of the turnstiles at VB to get a ticket then went  to the concierge.


----------



## Music City Mama

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just read jagafen's trip report and they went to guest services to the right of the turnstiles at VB to get a ticket then went to the concierge.



Yep, I saw that.  I was just wondering if perhaps you could bypass that if you got the "magic ticket" (as she calls it) ahead of time. Kind of like how you can do that with park tickets.


----------



## bobbie68

Music City Mama said:


> Yep, I saw that.  I was just wondering if perhaps you could bypass that if you got the "magic ticket" (as she calls it) ahead of time. Kind of like how you can do that with park tickets.



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.


----------



## Music City Mama

bobbie68 said:


> 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.



Sounds good -- thanks for making that call! I'll be doing this myself over the next few days, so I'll let you know how it goes.


----------



## bobbie68

Music City Mama said:


> Sounds good -- thanks for making that call! I'll be doing this myself over the next few days, so I'll let you know how it goes.



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


----------



## ultimatefans

Does anyone know if the dining plan can be used for the cabana menus?  I'm guessing no, but am hoping I'm wrong!


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I was wondering if anybody else has had a hard time getting EP put on their tapu tapu and had to get paper ones? If so what did you use to carry them? How does that work in a water park? I have only seen plastic wrist things like a tapu tapu type band with them at our local park.

Has anybody else had any input on how they felt the premium lounge chairs cover for shade?


----------



## bobbie68

ultimatefans said:


> Does anyone know if the dining plan can be used for the cabana menus?  I'm guessing no, but am hoping I'm wrong!



Good question I would like to know also. I am planning on buying some of  the quick service plans for a couple of days. It sounds like VB food is a little more money and that the quick service vouchers might save some money.


----------



## soniam

RalphinSC said:


> Honestly, they have been all over the place with the GoPro usage. I think I have seen POV's now from every slide in the park, but I have also seen multiple youtube videos of vloggers being told that they would have to put their cameras up to ride. It seems to be a very loose policy right now that can go either way depending on who the team member is working the slide entrance to the rule of the day.
> 
> I personally wouldn't bother (and I love to use my GoPro!). And that's just because I would be irritated at bringing it all the way to the slide just to have to take it back and lock it up just to be allowed on. No policy seems consistent right now.



We were told and I have seen The Tim Tracker state they he sometimes was told to put the GoPro in his pocket. But yeah, I think it's all over the map.



jagafen said:


> Just wanted to pop in and share our experience, June 21st. All in all, it was a good day. We were there for early entry (must do for onsite guests) and stayed until about 1:30. We had premium seating, which was nice, even though our view was mostly of lifejackets (#16), so not the most scenic. In the process of obtaining our premium seating, which I had reserved on April 21st when they started taking reservations, it seems as if the process has changed a bit. I'm not sure when it started, as I stopped reading VB updates a few days prior to our trip. I was told over the phone, and on our confirmation, to proceed to the concierge desk. Once there, they asked for my ticket, and I showed them my confirmation paperowrk. They told me I needed to go to guest services (to the right of the entrance, RIGHT after they scan your ticket) to get the "ticket" to submit to them in order to actually get assigned our seating. Seems a bit silly, but since we were #s 7,8, and 9 in our line to get into the parks, it didn't take too long. Probably not even 10 minutes concierge to guest services back to concierge. A very nice worker opened up the top side of the EE line (rope partition) so I could cross back down to guest services. I had explained to him the situation, so when I returned with my magic ticket, he let me back in through the rope, so I didn't have to stand in the EE line 2x.



This is helpful. This is what they originally told me that I would need to do for opening weekend. However, Guest Services said that I just needed to go to concierge in the park. Sounds like procedures are changing.



disnutz said:


> VB question of the day - how early do the busses run from the other resorts?  I heard to get to VB by 715-730 to be very close to first in line to get in, so will the busses run that early?



7am, basically 1 hour before park opening for Early Entry. They are supposed to arrive every 15 minutes. We saw them coming sooner opening weekend. Where are you staying?



Music City Mama said:


> 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?





Music City Mama said:


> Yep, I saw that.  I was just wondering if perhaps you could bypass that if you got the "magic ticket" (as she calls it) ahead of time. Kind of like how you can do that with park tickets.



I am thinking the ticket is like the Express Pass ticket you get for VB.


----------



## kungaloosh22

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


----------



## jagafen

Music City Mama said:


> 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.





bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just got off the phone with Universal. I asked her to the steps to get the tickets for reserved seating, ep etc.. S*he 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

disnutz said:


> 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

bobbie68 said:


> 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

Music City Mama said:


> 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

ldymcbth said:


> 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

kungaloosh22 said:


> 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

sweetpee_1993 said:


> 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

RalphinSC said:


> 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

ldymcbth said:


> 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

ldymcbth said:


> 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

RalphinSC said:


> 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

RalphinSC said:


> 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

k&Jsmom said:


> 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.


----------



## Music City Mama

atricks said:


> 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).



I was able to do the same today.


----------



## pcstang

RalphinSC said:


> 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.


So the security area I saw next to SF is not open?


----------



## finucane

ldymcbth said:


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


I'll second this. The day we were there, even if it said ride now, we were being required to tap before getting in line. Best bet was to hit all the ride now lines, then tap in to one of the big attractions, and hit the wave pool, or rivers, while you wait for that.


----------



## finucane

*Cabana report*: We reserved a Cabana in Wave Village for Monday June 26 (while they were still taking reservations.) We were going to take advantage of early entry, but the rest of my family were apparently a little to worn out, and wanted to sleep in a bit, so I ventured on alone to get things organized.

*Note*: _The day was a little nuts and photos became an afterthought. I forgot to take certain photos of details, and what I do have is a well lived in cabana with my family strewn about. Enjoy._





We stayed at CBBR in the Continental building. Our room was closer to the lobby elevators, and the walk from there was less then 10 minutes, if the pool is open it's even quicker when you cut through to the Americana side. If you get your choice, the Americana building has the easiest path to the resort entrance at VB. I've already mixed up the new tower names, but the one at the end of Americana (believe it's Beachside) sits right at the entrance. I ventured out at about 7:15, was the only one at the security bag check, and arrived in line about 7:25. I only had my print out for the cabana reservation and took this to the customer service desk next to the line, and they were able to process that in to the reservation ticket I needed for the concierge desk inside. After this, this put me 4th in my line at 7:30. It could be worse during weekends, but for a weekday arriving in line around 7:30 looks like a good sweet spot.

The lines opened promptly at 8:00. Assigning Tapu wristbands, along with greasy sunscreened fingers on the print readers, made getting in feel a little clunky, and I felt bad for anyone who arrived this early that found themselves at the back of the lines. Lesson here, in for a penny, in for a pound, if you're going to show up early, make the extra effort to try and be there 7:30ish, particularly if you are going to get a cabana, or premium seating.

Next line I got in was at the concierge desk. I was third in line here and had a minor wait. The que behind me filled up quick, and I could see having to waste nearly your entire extra hour just getting through this process. lesson here, send one member of your party to take care of this, and let the others go explore, and hit some attractions. When my turn came, and handed over my ticket then saw some mumbling and huddling around a map and computer. Finally my concierge looked up and asked if I had any children with me, when I told him a 13yo and 5yo he looked relieved and said they were moving me to the River Village. I'm not sure what confusion could have already occurred this early in the day, but that was fine with me since this was our first choice when we had made the reservation, but it was already booked.

I remembered a lot of names of the people that took care of us that day, but the gentleman that brought me to the cabana (who's name I can't recall) couldn't have been nicer, in fact, that was our overall impression of the team members at VB, save one...clipboard girl.  When we got to the cabana it was inside of Runamuka village. The 5yo was going to lose his mind since it sat right at the play area. This was nice for us as well since it's likely one of us would have spent the bulk of the day here anyway. The cabana is very comfortable and has the long chaise-style bench along with two more recline-able chairs (a foot rest, or ottoman here would have been a nice touch) There is also a towel cubby, a good size mini-fridge, and locker. A rolling table and your Tiki tablet round out the features. For those of you with teenagers, yes, there is an outlet to charge devices  What the cabana was lacking at this point was any amenities. No towels, water, fruit basket, etc. My guide said the cabana attendant should be along soon and could take care of that. I said I was going to round up the rest of my party and he thought it should be taken care of by my return. I locked our bag in the locker and headed out back to the hotel. I had to return my Tapu and  I let them know I had locked my belongings up and was told it was tied to my ticket, not my particular Tapu.

When we finally all arrived, our cabana was still bare. This is where we started learning the structure of service. You have people who clean the cabana, your food service attendant, and finally your cabana attendant. At this early point we had no idea who to ask for what, but we had no water, towels, etc, and I couldn't get the locker open. The girl that asked us how things were (we thought she was cabana attendant, but was cleaning staff) said she would get someone right away. Things finally started trickling in and my locker issue was eventually resolved, note: cabana lockers are on a different system than the general lockers and ARE tied to a particular Tapu. Only one person in your group can open a lock once it's locked so pick the person that plans to make most use of the cabana.

We began munching on the fruit/snack tray that included some Danishes, banana's, grapes, an apple, an orange, and a wonderful banana cookie. The 5yo was already exploring Runamuka and we could mostly keep an eye on him from the Cabana. Up until now it had only been cleaning staff and our server (who we thought was the cabana attendant) taking care of these issues and it wasn't until much later that the person, who turned out to be the actual attendant, came along. We were only able to refer to her as clipboard lady, as she never introduced herself, and thought she was a supervisor that was seeing if everything had been taken care of. When we had gone through with her what had happened with the lack of amenities and locker issue, she left and came back with her supervisor, who apologized and offered us a set of express passes that we could pick up at the concierge desk.  This would have involved standing in that line again and we thought it best to wait until later during peek hours to claim that anyway, and we should start getting wet.











The tiki tablet is a great feature of the cabana. It is a centralized spot where you can tap in to any attraction from the cabana, as well as to see the current wait times, and ride now lines. Our 44" 5yo however, could not reach the Tapu scanner and we had to keep picking him up for it, a little step stool here would have been nice.  We selected Krakatoa Coaster and hit the lazy river. A few attractions later we headed back to the cabana for lunch.





*Edit*: _There were several discrepancies between the tiki tablet and the "official" universal app where attraction height was concerned. Several of the rides on the tablet said 48" minimum where the app said 42". We asked some of our attendants and they thought the tiki should be the accurate one, but no one knew for sure. We skipped several because we didn't think our 44"er could ride. It wasn't until later in the day we discovered the app was more accurate and the tiki was incorrect. _

Our food service attendant was fantastic, trouble is, it seems there is currently staffing issues at VB and particularly where the premium seating and cabanas are concerned so he was being stretched thin across the park. Once he was able to get our order we had to wait on him to return with the food. With no time table of how long it might take we were tied to the cabana. When it did arrive, it was fantastic. The boys both had burgers that I had a hard time not eating the left-overs of, my wife and I both had chicken sliders, that were pleasant as well. We also had an appetizer sampler that included coconut shrimp, and my favorite of the day, conch hush puppies.

Now the real trouble started when the afternoon storms rolled in. It was nice to have your own shelter to wait out the elements. Security also likes to really get to know you at this point as well, (never a bad thing.) Then when things were back up and running we chose our next attraction. Moana (whale) raft ride and headed over since our Tapu said 10 minute wait. By the time we arrived it said ride now. It apparently also said ride now for everyone and our virtual line became an actual 70 minute line. This happened over and over and finally we gave up and just played at Runamuka and hit the lazy rivers. It was also at this time my locker wouldn't open again, and again, until they offered us one of the general lockers to use (kind of defeated the purpose of a central location in the cabana, huh?) Having to wait for maintenance to bring the master key for the locker again tied me to the cabana for extended periods of time. 





While we loved the comfort of the cabana, it feels to cumbersome to fit in to the day. We would have been much better off arriving at 7:30, claiming a nice spot, and going about our day. A family with young children where one adult, or grandparents are going to hang out, sip tiki drinks, supervise, and take care of lunch/dinner orders would make great use of a cabana. Having to wait for staff to come around (there is no service button on the tiki tablet, FYI) when you wanted to place an order, or had a service issue, tied you to the cabana when you could be off doing attractions. I know it's a first world problem to be stuck in a comfy cabana, but overall we felt like we spent $429 to be in a beta test.


----------



## soniam

@finucane Thanks for the report. I felt kind of similar about the premium seating. You are absolutely right about the locker being tied to that Tapu. That's how our premium seating worked too. Since I have been before, for our late July trip, I plan to send DH and DS ahead to go have fun while I do the premium seating grunt work. We already bought EP, so they will have to come back to the hut at some point to get that though. I think you are right about who the best customers are for the cabanas. Even the premium seating has a wait to get.


----------



## bobbie68

finucane said:


> Cabana report: We reserved a Cabana in Wave Village for Monday June 26 (while they were still taking reservations.) We were going to take advantage of early entry, but the rest of my family were apparently a little to worn out, and wanted to sleep in a bit, so I ventured on alone to get things organized.
> 
> We stayed at CBBR in the Continental building. Our room was closer to the lobby elevators, and the walk from there was less then 10 minutes, if the pool is open it's even quicker when you cut through to the Americana side. If you get your choice, the Americana building has the easiest path to the resort entrance at VB. I've already mixed up the new tower names, but the one at the end of Americana (believe it's Beachside) sits right at the entrance. I ventured out at about 7:15, was the only one at the security bag check, and arrived in line about 7:25. I only had my print out for the cabana reservation and took this to the customer service desk next to the line, and they were able to process that in to the reservation ticket I needed for the concierge desk inside. After this, this put me 4th in my line at 7:30. It could be worse during weekends, but for a weekday arriving in line around 7:30 looks like a good sweet spot.
> 
> The lines opened promptly at 8:00. Assigning Tapu wristbands, along with greasy sunscreened fingers on the print readers, made getting in feel a little clunky, and I felt bad for anyone who arrived this early that found themselves at the back of the lines. Lesson here, in for a penny, in for a pound, if you're going to show up early, make the extra effort to try and be there 7:30ish, particularly if you are going to get a cabana, or premium seating.
> 
> Next line I got in was at the concierge desk. I was third in line here and had a minor wait. The que behind me filled up quick, and I could see having to waste nearly your entire extra hour just getting through this process. lesson here, send one member of your party to take care of this, and let the others go explore, and hit some attractions. When my turn came, and handed over my ticket then saw some mumbling and huddling around a map and computer. Finally my concierge looked up and asked if I had any children with me, when I told him a 13yo and 5yo he looked relieved and said they were moving me to the River Village. I'm not sure what confusion could have already occurred this early in the day, but that was fine with me since this was our first choice when we had made the reservation, but it was already booked.
> 
> I remembered a lot of names of the people that took care of us that day, but the gentleman that brought me to the cabana (who's name I can't recall) couldn't have been nicer, in fact, that was our overall impression of the team members at VB, save one...clipboard girl.  When we got to the cabana it was inside of Runamuka village. The 5yo was going to lose his mind since it sat right at the play area. This was nice for us as well since it's likely one of us would have spent the bulk of the day here anyway. The cabana is very comfortable and has the long chaise-style bench along with two more recline-able chairs (a foot rest, or ottoman here would have been a nice touch) There is also a towel cubby, a good size mini-fridge, and locker. A rolling table and your Tiki tablet round out the features. What the cabana was lacking at this point was any amenities. No towels, water, fruit basket, etc. My guide said the cabana attendant should be along soon and could take care of that. I said I was going to round up the rest of my party and he thought it should be taken care of by my return. I locked our bag in the locker and headed out back to the hotel. I had to return my Tapu and let them know I had locked my belongings up and was told it was tied to my ticket, not my particular Tapu.
> 
> When we finally all arrived our cabana was still bare. This is where we started learning the structure of service. You have people who clean the cabana, your food service attendant, and finally your cabana attendant. At this early point we had no idea who to ask for what, but we had no water, towels, etc, and I couldn't get the locker open. The girl that asked us how things were (we thought was cabana attendant)l, but was cleaning staff) said she would get someone right away. Things finally started trickling in and my locker issue was eventually resolved, note: cabana lockers are on a different system than the general lockers and ARE tied to a particular Tapu. Only one person in your group can open a lock once it's locked so pick the person that plans to make most use of the cabana.
> 
> We began munching on the fruit/snack tray that included some Danishes, banana's, grapes, an apple, an orange, and a wonderful banana cookie. The 5yo was already exploring Runamuka and we could mostly keep an eye on him from the Cabana. Up until now it had only been cleaning staff and our server (who we thought was the cabana attendant) taking care of these issues and it wasn't until much later that the person, who turned out to be our attendant, came along. We only referred to her as clipboard lady and thought she was a supervisor that was seeing if everything had been taken care of. When we had gone through with her what had happened with the lack of amenities and locker issue, she left and came back with her supervisor, who apologized and offered us a set of express passes that we could pick up at the concierge desk.  This would have involved standing in that line again and we thought it best to wait until later during peek hours to claim that anyway, and we should start getting wet.
> 
> The tiki tablet is a great feature of the cabana. It is a centralized spot where you can tap in to any attraction from the cabana, as well as to see the current wait times, and ride now lines. Our 44" 5yo however, could not reach the Tapu scanner and we had to keep picking him up for it, a little step stool here would have been nice.  We selected Krakatoa Coaster and hit the lazy river. A few attractions later we headed back to the cabana for lunch.
> 
> Edit: _There were several discrepancies between the tiki tablet and the "official" universal app where attraction height was concerned. Several of the rides on the tablet said 48" minimum where the app said 42". We asked some of our attendants and they thought the tiki should be the accurate one, but no one knew for sure. We skipped several because we didn't think our 44"er could ride. It wasn't until later in the day we discovered the app was more accurate and the tiki was incorrect. _
> 
> Our food service attendant was fantastic, trouble is, it seems there is currently staffing issues at VB and particularly where the premium seating and cabanas are concerned so he was being stretched thin across the park. Once he was able to get our order we had to wait on him to return with the food. With no time table of how long it might take we were tied to the cabana. When it did arrive, it was fantastic. The boys both had burgers that I had a hard time not eating the left-overs of, my wife and I both had chicken sliders, that were pleasant as well. We also had an appetizer sampler that included coconut shrimp, and my favorite of the day, conch hush puppies.
> 
> Now the real trouble started when the afternoon storms rolled in. It was nice to have your own shelter to wait out the elements. Security also likes to really get to know you at this point as well, (never a bad thing.) Then when things were back up and running we chose our next attraction. Moana (whale) raft ride and headed over since our Tapu said 10 minute wait. By the time we arrived it said ride now. It apparently also said ride now for everyone and our virtual line became an actual 70 minute line. This happened over and over and finally we gave up and just played at Runamuka and the lazy rivers. It was also at this time my locker wouldn't open again, and again, until they offered us one of the general lockers to use (kind of defeated the purpose, huh?)
> 
> While we loved the comfort of the cabana, it feels to cumbersome to fit in to the day. We would have been much better off arriving at 7:30, claiming a nice spot, and going about our day. A family with young children where one adult, or grandparents are going to hang out, sip tiki drinks, supervise, and take care of lunch/dinner orders would make great use of this location, but we felt like we spent $429 to be in a beta test.




Thank you so much for that wonderful detailed report about the cabanas. I feel so confused about what  to do. I have one for our trip in a couple of weeks and I am hoping I won't feel it was a waste. There will be nobody there all the time we will be in and out. I have rented cabanas before at other parks and have enjoyed it. It seems like the cabanas are not ready staff wise. I am paying the same as you and that is a lot of money to spend. I have some thinking and plannign  to do now.


----------



## finucane

bobbie68 said:


> Thank you so much for that wonderful detailed report about the cabanas. I feel so confused about what  to do. I have one for our trip in a couple of weeks and I am hoping I won't feel it was a waste. There will be nobody there all the time we will be in and out. I have rented cabanas before at other parks and have enjoyed it. It seems like the cabanas are not ready staff wise. I am paying the same as you and that is a lot of money to spend. I have some thinking and plannign  to do now.



I really could have gone on several more paragraphs, but thought it was too long as it was. I probably should have included that if our cabana was anywhere else I probably would have been more vocal with management. Our cabana only had one other next to it and even being in the kids area, it never felt like anyone else was on top of us. The other areas of cabanas, particularly "cabana row," look like cabana condos being piled so close together. I'm glad we had the the experience, I just wish we hadn't had to pay that much for that level of service. I would t talk you out of it, just take in consideration how you plan to use it and if it will fit what you want to get out of the park.


----------



## Vaninou

bobbie68 said:


> Thank you so much for that wonderful detailed report about the cabanas. I feel so confused about what  to do. I have one for our trip in a couple of weeks and I am hoping I won't feel it was a waste. There will be nobody there all the time we will be in and out. I have rented cabanas before at other parks and have enjoyed it. It seems like the cabanas are not ready staff wise. I am paying the same as you and that is a lot of money to spend. I have some thinking and plannign  to do now.


We have the same concerns... don't know what to do with the cabana we have booked...


----------



## macraven

Vaninou said:


> We have the same concerns... don't know what to do with the cabana we have booked...



_It is a tough decision 
Just read as many reviews you can find and go with your gut feeling
Besides the dis check out other sites where posters share their experiences 

Look at trip advisor, dis trip report sections, universal informer, etc

I participated in sharing a cabana at hrh before and it was well worth it for me
Had it from opening to pool closing

Did parks early morning and back at the Cabana by noon 
Food service and pool time and a bit of lounging visiting with the other 7 in our group
Hit the parks at 4 and back to the cabana at 6
Spent rest of the evening in the pool and cabana
I thought it was a fantastic way to spend 14 hours that day
A little bit of park rides and lot of pool time 

I loved that we had the cabana and always had somewhere to spend time, pool/parks/city walk
We could come and go easily
There was at least one person at our cabana the entire rental time so we left our belongings and had no worries 


I know renting a hotel pool cabana is not the same as renting one at a water park
But it is similar in knowing you have a secure place for the day and can feel at ease (lockers) to come and go from
Cabana to water rides _


----------



## Eddie512

Hi, we went to VB this morning! Didn't get out to the RPR buses as early as I wanted to, so arrived at VB maybe 5 minutes before open. Security took ~ 5 min;  And getting the tapu another 10.  We were able to grab 5 loungers together without issue, and there were plenty available (at least 3-4 of ours were fully shaded at all times, although of course the sun moves around).  Rode Krakatau, a 5 person raft ride and Oh No slide as "walk ons"...by that time it was 9 am. We  Were then able to do Oh yeah slide with 5-10 min wait and the crazy plunger ride of death (actual name??) with "no wait" although it takes  a while to walk up to the top of the volcano and  we stood in line for about 20-25 min. After those 5 rides, this gal was DONE for a while...was able to watch kids in the wave pool and we did the 2 lazy rivers. Got in line for lunch at somewhere with "Bambu" in the name...great food and line was super efficient even though it was close to noon (rookie mistake to get in line for food at noon, but it went quickly to both order and get food). My son had a pretzel dog with some kind of fruity chutney that I tried to steal, and I don't even like hot dogs! My fish sandwich was also good, just not as good as that . Left by 1 pm and I was thrilled with all that we got done 
To summarize: I went on July 4th, got there at 8 and  everything went smoothly!  The sea of humanity arrived between 9 and 9:30, so I'd recommend you do all that you can asap...I would not waste this precious time. After 9:45/10 am you're looking at 60-90 wait per slide at minimum.


----------



## soniam

Eddie512 said:


> Hi, we went to VB this morning! Didn't get out to the RPR buses as early as I wanted to, so arrived at VB maybe 5 minutes before open. Security took ~ 5 min;  And getting the tapu another 10.  We were able to grab 5 loungers together without issue, and there were plenty available (at least 3-4 of ours were fully shaded at all times, although of course the sun moves around).  Rode Krakatau, a 5 person raft ride and Oh No slide as "walk ons"...by that time it was 9 am. We  Were then able to do Oh yeah slide with 5-10 min wait and the crazy plunger ride of death (actual name??) with "no wait" although it takes  a while to walk up to the top of the volcano and  we stood in line for about 20-25 min. After those 5 rides, this gal was DONE for a while...was able to watch kids in the wave pool and we did the 2 lazy rivers. Got in line for lunch at somewhere with "Bambu" in the name...great food and line was super efficient even though it was close to noon (rookie mistake to get in line for food at noon, but it went quickly to both order and get food). My son had a pretzel dog with some kind of fruity chutney that I tried to steal, and I don't even like hot dogs! My fish sandwich was also good, just not as good as that . Left by 1 pm and I was thrilled with all that we got done
> To summarize: I went on July 4th, got there at 8 and  everything went smoothly!  The sea of humanity arrived between 9 and 9:30, so I'd recommend you do all that you can asap...I would not waste this precious time. After 9:45/10 am you're looking at 60-90 wait per slide at minimum.



Sounds like a really good day on what's got to be one of their busiest days this summer.


----------



## RalphinSC

pcstang said:


> So the security area I saw next to SF is not open?


 Could of changed since I went down there a couple of weeks ago. Sapphire was running buses then. I'm sure the eventual plan is to have walking access from both Sapphire and RPR. Maybe that's coming to fruition!


----------



## macraven

Totally agree with ralphinsc!

Things change quickly at the darkside
if something does not go smooth or a better way is possible it will be tweaked for improvement


----------



## TheConsciousness

I've got a weird question, as I've never been to a water park before. Can we bring pool toys for the wave pool? Like these.


----------



## ultimatefans

For anyone looking for images of the family cabanas (16 people), you can get some glimpses in this video between 5:10 and 6:20, he walks towards them from a couple of different angles.


----------



## pcstang

RalphinSC said:


> Could of changed since I went down there a couple of weeks ago. Sapphire was running buses then. I'm sure the eventual plan is to have walking access from both Sapphire and RPR. Maybe that's coming to fruition!


I could see the security area completed a month or two ago behind sapphire. No idea of it was going to be open or not. I only saw from the road as I drove in to stay at Royal.


----------



## finucane

finucane said:


> *Note*: _The day was a little nuts and photos became an afterthought. I forgot to take certain photos of details, and what I do have is a well lived in cabana with my family strewn about. Enjoy._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We stayed at CBBR in the Continental building. Our room was closer to the lobby elevators, and the walk from there was less then 10 minutes, if the pool is open it's even quicker when you cut through to the Americana side. If you get your choice, the Americana building has the easiest path to the resort entrance at VB. I've already mixed up the new tower names, but the one at the end of Americana (believe it's Beachside) sits right at the entrance. I ventured out at about 7:15, was the only one at the security bag check, and arrived in line about 7:25. I only had my print out for the cabana reservation and took this to the customer service desk next to the line, and they were able to process that in to the reservation ticket I needed for the concierge desk inside. After this, this put me 4th in my line at 7:30. It could be worse during weekends, but for a weekday arriving in line around 7:30 looks like a good sweet spot.
> 
> The lines opened promptly at 8:00. Assigning Tapu wristbands, along with greasy sunscreened fingers on the print readers, made getting in feel a little clunky, and I felt bad for anyone who arrived this early that found themselves at the back of the lines. Lesson here, in for a penny, in for a pound, if you're going to show up early, make the extra effort to try and be there 7:30ish, particularly if you are going to get a cabana, or premium seating.
> 
> Next line I got in was at the concierge desk. I was third in line here and had a minor wait. The que behind me filled up quick, and I could see having to waste nearly your entire extra hour just getting through this process. lesson here, send one member of your party to take care of this, and let the others go explore, and hit some attractions. When my turn came, and handed over my ticket then saw some mumbling and huddling around a map and computer. Finally my concierge looked up and asked if I had any children with me, when I told him a 13yo and 5yo he looked relieved and said they were moving me to the River Village. I'm not sure what confusion could have already occurred this early in the day, but that was fine with me since this was our first choice when we had made the reservation, but it was already booked.
> 
> I remembered a lot of names of the people that took care of us that day, but the gentleman that brought me to the cabana (who's name I can't recall) couldn't have been nicer, in fact, that was our overall impression of the team members at VB, save one...clipboard girl.  When we got to the cabana it was inside of Runamuka village. The 5yo was going to lose his mind since it sat right at the play area. This was nice for us as well since it's likely one of us would have spent the bulk of the day here anyway. The cabana is very comfortable and has the long chaise-style bench along with two more recline-able chairs (a foot rest, or ottoman here would have been a nice touch) There is also a towel cubby, a good size mini-fridge, and locker. A rolling table and your Tiki tablet round out the features. For those of you with teenagers, yes, there is an outlet to charge devices  What the cabana was lacking at this point was any amenities. No towels, water, fruit basket, etc. My guide said the cabana attendant should be along soon and could take care of that. I said I was going to round up the rest of my party and he thought it should be taken care of by my return. I locked our bag in the locker and headed out back to the hotel. I had to return my Tapu and let them know I had locked my belongings up and was told it was tied to my ticket, not my particular Tapu.
> 
> When we finally all arrived our cabana was still bare. This is where we started learning the structure of service. You have people who clean the cabana, your food service attendant, and finally your cabana attendant. At this early point we had no idea who to ask for what, but we had no water, towels, etc, and I couldn't get the locker open. The girl that asked us how things were (we thought was cabana attendant)l, but was cleaning staff) said she would get someone right away. Things finally started trickling in and my locker issue was eventually resolved, note: cabana lockers are on a different system than the general lockers and ARE tied to a particular Tapu. Only one person in your group can open a lock once it's locked so pick the person that plans to make most use of the cabana.
> 
> We began munching on the fruit/snack tray that included some Danishes, banana's, grapes, an apple, an orange, and a wonderful banana cookie. The 5yo was already exploring Runamuka and we could mostly keep an eye on him from the Cabana. Up until now it had only been cleaning staff and our server (who we thought was the cabana attendant) taking care of these issues and it wasn't until much later that the person, who turned out to be our attendant, came along. We only referred to her as clipboard lady and thought she was a supervisor that was seeing if everything had been taken care of. When we had gone through with her what had happened with the lack of amenities and locker issue, she left and came back with her supervisor, who apologized and offered us a set of express passes that we could pick up at the concierge desk.  This would have involved standing in that line again and we thought it best to wait until later during peek hour
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tiki tablet is a great feature of the cabana. It is a centralized spot where you can tap in to any attraction from the cabana, as well as to see the current wait times, and ride now lines. Our 44" 5yo however, could not reach the Tapu scanner and we had to keep picking him up for it, a little step stool here would have been nice.  We selected Krakatoa Coaster and hit the lazy river. A few attractions later we headed back to the cabana for lunch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Edit*: _There were several discrepancies between the tiki tablet and the "official" universal app where attraction height was concerned. Several of the rides on the tablet said 48" minimum where the app said 42". We asked some of our attendants and they thought the tiki should be the accurate one, but no one knew for sure. We skipped several because we didn't think our 44"er could ride. It wasn't until later in the day we discovered the app was more accurate and the tiki was incorrect. _
> 
> Our food service attendant was fantastic, trouble is, it seems there is currently staffing issues at VB and particularly where the premium seating and cabanas are concerned so he was being stretched thin across the park. Once he was able to get our order we had to wait on him to return with the food. With no time table of how long it might take we were tied to the cabana. When it did arrive, it was fantastic. The boys both had burgers that I had a hard time not eating the left-overs of, my wife and I both had chicken sliders, that were pleasant as well. We also had an appetizer sampler that included coconut shrimp, and my favorite of the day, conch hush puppies.
> 
> Now the real trouble started when the afternoon storms rolled in. It was nice to have your own shelter to wait out the elements. Security also likes to really get to know you at this point as well, (never a bad thing.) Then when things were back up and running we chose our next attraction. Moana (whale) raft ride and headed over since our Tapu said 10 minute wait. By the time we arrived it said ride now. It apparently also said ride now for everyone and our virtual line became an actual 70 minute line. This happened over and over and finally we gave up and just played at Runamuka and the lazy rivers. It was also at this time my locker wouldn't open again, and again, until they offered us one of the general lockers to use (kind of defeated the purpose, huh?)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While we loved the comfort of the cabana, it feels to cumbersome to fit in to the day. We would have been much better off arriving at 7:30, claiming a nice spot, and going about our day. A family wi


Figured out how to add photos, so updated the original post.


----------



## iteach3rdgrade

What's the best time to arrive for parking if you aren't staying at a nearby property.  We have reserved a cabana and have already purchased tickets with the unlimited express and I'm a little worried about getting in. Thanks!


----------



## RalphinSC

iteach3rdgrade said:


> What's the best time to arrive for parking if you aren't staying at a nearby property.  We have reserved a cabana and have already purchased tickets with the unlimited express and I'm a little worried about getting in. Thanks!



To ease all fears and ensure you are in and ready to go, be at the garage before 8am for a 9am opening (8am Early park admission for onsite guest). You will not be able to actually do any rides until after nine, but you should be able to get bussed over, get into the park, and get into the guest corral in that hour. Park has been hitting capacity on the busiest days within an hour after general park opening.


----------



## ultimatefans

RalphinSC said:


> To ease all fears and ensure you are in and ready to go, be at the garage before 8am for a 9am opening (8am Early park admission for onsite guest). You will not be able to actually do any rides until after nine, but you should be able to get bussed over, get into the park, and get into the guest corral in that hour. Park has been hitting capacity on the busiest days within an hour after general park opening.



Where does the Tapu Tapu get assigned and where is the concierge for the cabana rental located in this process?  From what I've pieced together it sounds like:
1) bus
2) enter park and get Tapu Tapu (at this point guaranteed admission into park)
3) wait in guest corral until park opening
4) visit concierge inside park for cabana / premium seating

Is that accurate???


----------



## atricks

ultimatefans said:


> Where does the Tapu Tapu get assigned and where is the concierge for the cabana rental located in this process?  From what I've pieced together it sounds like:
> 1) bus
> 2) enter park and get Tapu Tapu (at this point guaranteed admission into park)
> 3) wait in guest corral until park opening
> 4) visit concierge inside park for cabana / premium seating
> 
> Is that accurate???



This seems pretty accurate, you may be able to get to one of the concierge desks while you are in the corral, which could help getting in more quickly.


----------



## ldymcbth

atricks said:


> 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).



We were there on 6/28. I am inclined to think it was a staff issue, because many others on this thread have been able to do the Ride Now ones without tapping out of their current line, but we had several staffers that day who absolutely would not let us do that. It definitely reduced the number of rides we could do. We encountered several instances where staff members did not seem to have the right information, so I think it's just the pain of the park being new. I definitely hope people are able to utilize the Ride Now options.


----------



## Music City Mama

ldymcbth said:


> We were there on 6/28. I am inclined to think it was a staff issue, because many others on this thread have been able to do the Ride Now ones without tapping out of their current line, but we had several staffers that day who absolutely would not let us do that. It definitely reduced the number of rides we could do. We encountered several instances where staff members did not seem to have the right information, so I think it's just the pain of the park being new. I definitely hope people are able to utilize the Ride Now options.



For what it's worth, we still had to tap our Tapu at the Ride Now line, but it didn't override our virtual wait for another ride.


----------



## iteach3rdgrade

We had a great day on Thursday!  We purchased a cabana and unlimited express passes in May and this really helped us enjoy our visit. 

We didn't stay at one of the resort hotels but we arrived at the parking garage at 7:15. We had my mother with us in an electric cart so we parked in the handicap parking right next to the buses and ticket kiosks. 

I'd estimate about and hour from parking to Volcano Bay. Bus drivers were very helpful with loading the cart. They boarded us first.

We were worried about arriving so early and not being able to get into the.park, however, we arrived (got our tapu tapus at the gate) and let them know we had a cabana and express passes and they sent us on in to the concierge to get set with those. By 8:30 premium seating was filled. By 8:40 we were at our cabana getting introduced to people and our fruit tray. 

We.didnt get to rides before  9.  We rode.our favorite rides  twice and didn't wait More than 15-20 minutes once in line. We did have to remind employees that we had express passes. I'd guess we rode 8-10   big slides etc. 

Our largest issue was attaching our credit card to our tapu tapu.  We had to ask for help several times but we were close.to the concierge.  

We spent a full day there arriving at 8am and leaving at 9pm. No rain but they did clear the pools for nearby lightning for a short time. 

I wore my goggles on all the raft rides because of my contacts. We didn't ride the drop slides.   Remember.to lift the mat up in the racers at the end. Lol. 

It was a terrific day and once they begin selling express passes again. Them I'd definitely purchase them. 

Everyone was very friendly and helpful. They had employees everywhere. 

The information I found here really helped us prepare for our visit. Thanks!


----------



## Vaninou

We finally decided to cancel pur reservation for a Cabana (rainforest section on the 25th of July)
It was quiet expensive for the current level of service (from the reviews we saw until now)
Hope we won't regret it


----------



## Valbot

Booked a last minute vacation in August and can't wait to get to Volcano bay. Seems that crowds in the afternoon are less how true is this?


----------



## TheConsciousness

Can you bring pool toys into the wave pool?


----------



## RalphinSC

TheConsciousness said:


> Can you bring pool toys into the wave pool?



I've never seen any in there, but that's not to say whether you can or not.


----------



## RalphinSC

Vaninou said:


> We finally decided to cancel pur reservation for a Cabana (rainforest section on the 25th of July)
> It was quiet expensive for the current level of service (from the reviews we saw until now)
> Hope we won't regret it



IMO, you made a great choice. Hopefully your day goes wonderfully. We are laid back commando touring people (does such a thing exist? lol) and a cabana just wouldn't work at all for how we like to do the parks.


----------



## Music City Mama

Posting our review of Volcano Bay from Monday, July 3rd.

We didn't get down to the HRH bus stop until about 7:20 -- we were off the bus and in line at VB around 7:35, and, as expected, there were many people ahead of us already. When they started letting everyone in, I couldn't help but notice that our line was moving way slower than the others, and as I got closer to the front, I saw why. The ticket scanner was having small chat with EVERYONE -- wanting to explain everything about the Tapu, making sure to high five all the kids, etc. I appreiate his enthusiasm, but this was not the time for it, LOL. So, we head straight to the concierge hut to get the premium seating we had reserved in April (I had printed the tickets at the will-call kiosk at HRH with the reservation number on my confirmation email). There were about 10 guests ahead of me. Just about all of them had issues of some sort, so it was slow moving. When I got up there, I was done in about 20 seconds. We then waited about 5 minutes from that point for someone to escort us to our seating.

I had reserved Wave Village and we were in a pretty location near the center of the volcano in a fairly shady area. Suprisingly, our regular-sized backpack fit in the storage -- I thought I'd have to remove items to put in there.

From there, we rode Krakatau Aqua Coaster. It was "ride now" and we waited probably 10 minutes (my guess is it was around 8:30 at this point). We liked it a lot and I wanted to ride it again, but the kids wanted to try something else. We walked by Ko'okiri body plunge, but the wait time was already 85 minutes, so we moved on to Honu. Of course it was down, so we did "ride now" with Ika Moana. We waited in line for close to 30 minutes and it was just okay. Honu was now up, but it had a wait, so we decided we'd come back. We went by the Kala and Tai Nui body slides and the wait was 35 minutes so we tapped in and went to the wave pool and loungers. We returned expecting the wait to be no more than 30 minutes, however, the ride went down twice and had to recycle, so we waited 60 minutes in line for this. Any fear I had about riding this was diminished by just wanting to get out of the line already. None of us liked this ride. Water shoots right in your face/up your nose the first thing when the trap door opens and I just wanted it to end. My older DS had gone first and he said that as he watched people get off, most of them looked kind of dazed and confused like they weren't sure what just happened to them, LOL.

We went back to the wave pool and then it was time to eat. At first, older DS didn't want anything off the menu, so DH took him to find food. He was back within 10 minutes and said that the lines were insane, so he was going to eat something off of the menu. Our service at our seating was good, which surprised me. The food also came out quicker than I thought it would and the food was pretty good, too. As we ate, I told DH that I thought the cost of the seating was worth it just for this.

We then decided to tap into Honu and go to the lazy river for a bit. It was crazy crowded and just not very enjoyable. We then rode Taniwha Tubes since it was "ride now". They did have us tap in and we didn't lose our wait in the Honu virtual queue. Then it was off to Honu -- we all loved it-- the boys liked it more than Krakatau, but I would say it was a tie for me with the edge to Krakatau.

On a side note, the sidewalk is REALLY hot. I had bought cheap Old Navy flip flops just for VB and I hated walking in them when my feet were wet -- the top straps were irritating when wet, so I took them off a lot. Even worse than the sidewalks was the sand. OMG! We had to walk quite a bit to get to our seats and back when we'd go to the wave pool (which was fairly close) -- OUCH! I still have a blister on the bottom of my big toe from a week ago.

At this point, we didn't really know what to do. Everything had a pretty substantial wait. There was even a long line just to enter the Fearless River. We tapped into the Punga Racers which only had a 60 minute wait, but we just didn't have it in us to stay any longer than another 30 minutes.

Regarding the premium seating, if I would've known exactly where we were going to be seated, I would've just gotten one set of loungers and pulled some free lounge chairs up for the boys. Not sure if that's workable in all areas, but it would've been where we were. The location of many of the cabanas didn't look that great and I'm glad we didn't go that route for as much as they charge you.

I'm glad I kept my expecations low. I knew what to expect going in, so there were no major disappointments. I think by next summer, most of the kinks will be worked out. It definitely has a lot of potential.


----------



## CoachZ

Music City Mama said:


> I'm glad I kept my expecations low. I knew what to expect going in, so there were no major disappointments. I think by next summer, most of the kinks will be worked out. It definitely has a lot of potential.
> 
> I certainly hope you are right! I wait to check out VB until late May/early June.


----------



## 123SA

I really appreciate the trip reports.  Many thanks to those who have taken the time to write them.

My trip is 3rd week in August.  I am going to keep monitoring the trip reports.  At this point, instead of my original plan to spend two whole days at the water park, I think we will plan on two or three  3 hour days  -- early entry hour, one hour as the line builds with the general admission crowd, and then one hour in the rivers/wave pool.  Based on trip reports, I don't think we will deal with the crowds well.


----------



## RalphinSC

Music City Mama said:


> Posting our review of Volcano Bay from Monday, July 3rd.
> 
> We didn't get down to the HRH bus stop until about 7:20 -- we were off the bus and in line at VB around 7:35, and, as expected, there were many people ahead of us already. When they started letting everyone in, I couldn't help but notice that our line was moving way slower than the others, and as I got closer to the front, I saw why. The ticket scanner was having small chat with EVERYONE -- wanting to explain everything about the Tapu, making sure to high five all the kids, etc. I appreiate his enthusiasm, but this was not the time for it, LOL. So, we head straight to the concierge hut to get the premium seating we had reserved in April (I had printed the tickets at the will-call kiosk at HRH with the reservation number on my confirmation email). There were about 10 guests ahead of me. Just about all of them had issues of some sort, so it was slow moving. When I got up there, I was done in about 20 seconds. We then waited about 5 minutes from that point for someone to escort us to our seating.
> 
> I had reserved Wave Village and we were in a pretty location near the center of the volcano in a fairly shady area. Suprisingly, our regular-sized backpack fit in the storage -- I thought I'd have to remove items to put in there.
> 
> From there, we rode Krakatau Aqua Coaster. It was "ride now" and we waited probably 10 minutes (my guess is it was around 8:30 at this point). We liked it a lot and I wanted to ride it again, but the kids wanted to try something else. We walked by Ko'okiri body plunge, but the wait time was already 85 minutes, so we moved on to Honu. Of course it was down, so we did "ride now" with Ika Moana. We waited in line for close to 30 minutes and it was just okay. Honu was now up, but it had a wait, so we decided we'd come back. We went by the Kala and Tai Nui body slides and the wait was 35 minutes so we tapped in and went to the wave pool and loungers. We returned expecting the wait to be no more than 30 minutes, however, the ride went down twice and had to recycle, so we waited 60 minutes in line for this. Any fear I had about riding this was diminished by just wanting to get out of the line already. None of us liked this ride. Water shoots right in your face/up your nose the first thing when the trap door opens and I just wanted it to end. My older DS had gone first and he said that as he watched people get off, most of them looked kind of dazed and confused like they weren't sure what just happened to them, LOL.
> 
> We went back to the wave pool and then it was time to eat. At first, older DS didn't want anything off the menu, so DH took him to find food. He was back within 10 minutes and said that the lines were insane, so he was going to eat something off of the menu. Our service at our seating was good, which surprised me. The food also came out quicker than I thought it would and the food was pretty good, too. As we ate, I told DH that I thought the cost of the seating was worth it just for this.
> 
> We then decided to tap into Honu and go to the lazy river for a bit. It was crazy crowded and just not very enjoyable. We then rode Taniwha Tubes since it was "ride now". They did have us tap in and we didn't lose our wait in the Honu virtual queue. Then it was off to Honu -- we all loved it-- the boys liked it more than Krakatau, but I would say it was a tie for me with the edge to Krakatau.
> 
> On a side note, the sidewalk is REALLY hot. I had bought cheap Old Navy flip flops just for VB and I hated walking in them when my feet were wet -- the top straps were irritating when wet, so I took them off a lot. Even worse than the sidewalks was the sand. OMG! We had to walk quite a bit to get to our seats and back when we'd go to the wave pool (which was fairly close) -- OUCH! I still have a blister on the bottom of my big toe from a week ago.
> 
> At this point, we didn't really know what to do. Everything had a pretty substantial wait. There was even a long line just to enter the Fearless River. We tapped into the Punga Racers which only had a 60 minute wait, but we just didn't have it in us to stay any longer than another 30 minutes.
> 
> Regarding the premium seating, if I would've known exactly where we were going to be seated, I would've just gotten one set of loungers and pulled some free lounge chairs up for the boys. Not sure if that's workable in all areas, but it would've been where we were. The location of many of the cabanas didn't look that great and I'm glad we didn't go that route for as much as they charge you.
> 
> I'm glad I kept my expecations low. I knew what to expect going in, so there were no major disappointments. I think by next summer, most of the kinks will be worked out. It definitely has a lot of potential.



Yeah, my opinion on the premium loungers is that they are pretty much not worth the hassle. You waste a goodly amount of time just getting them and getting to them and that time is the most valueable time in the whole day to get on and ride rides. I brought an aquavault with me and got great loungers. Always ate at "off" times and by 8:30 in the mornings we had rode five or six slides already. I'm glad you made the best of it and had a great outlook on everything.

And yeah, between Honu and Krakatau, it's a toss-up. Love them both. Wife had a bad experience on Honu for her tastes, so she'll never ride it again (she doesn't like going backwards and not seeing where she is headed, lol). My son and I could do it over and over. One of the most intense slides I've ever been on, albeit very short.

I think your next time will be so much better. It'll be less crowded and you'll have a better plan and familiarity with the whole park. Awesome trip report!


----------



## Cruise J.D.

123SA said:


> I really appreciate the trip reports.  Many thanks to those who have taken the time to write them.
> 
> My trip is 3rd week in August.  I am going to keep monitoring the trip reports.  At this point, instead of my original plan to spend two whole days at the water park, I think we will plan on two or three  3 hour days  -- early entry hour, one hour as the line builds with the general admission crowd, and then one hour in the rivers/wave pool.  Based on trip reports, I don't think we will deal with the crowds well.



We just got back and did VB two days. I think you have a good plan. You can definitely get 2 or 3 slides in before it gets too bad if you do early admission. You could then tap in for a long wait and hit the lazy river and wave pool and leave after doing your last slide. The slower lazy river was less crowded for us and you don't need a tube for it.

Edit: General warning with VB "Ride Now" slides.
A slide will say "Ride Now" and you get in line for it. You don't have to tap in at the monitors/kiosks if it is "Ride Now", only at the entrance. It will change to a delay after you are already in line. The workers will try to get you to leave the line and tap in at the monitors/kiosks - putting you behind a lot of people who arrived after you. This happened to me twice and I argued my way onto the slide. YMMV.


----------



## 123SA

Has anyone arrived late in the day recently?  Or stayed late?  I'm wondering how manageable the park is from 4pm-8pm.


----------



## macraven

123SA said:


> Has anyone arrived late in the day recently?  Or stayed late?  I'm wondering how manageable the park is from 4pm-8pm.



_That has been one of my questions too

Have not read any reports of those coming for that time period

Have thought if visiting around 5 and hang out in the evening there

Hope lighter crowds at Vbay during hhn period_


----------



## RalphinSC

macraven said:


> _That has been one of my questions too
> 
> Have not read any reports of those coming for that time period
> 
> Have thought if visiting around 5 and hang out in the evening there
> 
> Hope lighter crowds at Vbay during hhn period_



OrlanDave has a series of videos on Volcano Bay. Most of his time spent there in the videos is in the late afternoon and evenings. tim Tracker also had some evening videos and touring advice as well.


----------



## FlipHipster

macraven said:


> _That has been one of my questions too
> 
> Have not read any reports of those coming for that time period
> 
> Have thought if visiting around 5 and hang out in the evening there
> 
> Hope lighter crowds at Vbay during hhn period_



Just booked a trip for 3rd week in September to checkout VB. Hoping the crowds are low enough by then that we can spend the evenings in VB. I'm thinking US & IOA in the morning, head back to CB midday and chill out for a bit then hit VB in the late afternoon/evening. Hoping it will be open past dark in September it looks amazing.


----------



## atricks

macraven said:


> _That has been one of my questions too
> 
> Have not read any reports of those coming for that time period
> 
> Have thought if visiting around 5 and hang out in the evening there
> 
> Hope lighter crowds at Vbay during hhn period_



I've been there 3 times after 4pm, the park is very light on crowds that time of day (Especially  if a thunderstorm clears folks out)  It's an amazing time to go.


----------



## macraven

Thanks atricks!

I want to go not for the water but for checking the place and food out


----------



## 123SA

atricks said:


> I've been there 3 times after 4pm, the park is very light on crowds that time of day (Especially  if a thunderstorm clears folks out)  It's an amazing time to go.



That's good news!  Maybe I'll try a  9 - noon day and a 4pm until closing day.

Thanks for your post.


----------



## Valbot

Nice sounds like I'll plan to go around 2-3pm


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I read a review on trip advisor for VB about food lines and was a little confused. When  you go to one of the restaurants there do you have to stand in different lines for different food items or is it you can order any food item from any line there?


----------



## k&Jsmom

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I read a review on trip advisor for VB about food lines and was a little confused. When  you go to one of the restaurants there do you have to stand in different lines for different food items or is it you can order any food item from any line there?


I was just there yesterday and there were multiple food lines and each window had different food.  My husband went to one line for chicken and I had to go to another for hamburgers.  Then you take the food to the cashier.


----------



## bobbie68

k&Jsmom said:


> I was just there yesterday and there were multiple food lines and each window had different food.  My husband went to one line for chicken and I had to go to another for hamburgers.  Then you take the food to the cashier.



Hi  thank you so much that helps me for planning meals. We are going in two weeks


----------



## soniam

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I read a review on trip advisor for VB about food lines and was a little confused. When  you go to one of the restaurants there do you have to stand in different lines for different food items or is it you can order any food item from any line there?





k&Jsmom said:


> I was just there yesterday and there were multiple food lines and each window had different food.  My husband went to one line for chicken and I had to go to another for hamburgers.  Then you take the food to the cashier.



I think it depends on which place you go to. I only remember one line at Bambu and Whakawaiwa, or everything from any line. Also, the smaller food booths really only had 1 line.


----------



## Ed J

Went this morning. Delayed flight Uber sucks checked into Cabana Bay at 3 AM. 

We were at the VB turnstiles at 730. Hit 11 rides and we're back at CB pool by 11. Eating lunch at CB now. 

The VB is awesome, get there early. 

We plan on hitting it a few times over the next few days.


----------



## Ed J

Pool view.


----------



## atricks

Ed J said:


> Went this morning. Delayed flight Uber sucks checked into Cabana Bay at 3 AM.
> 
> We were at the VB turnstiles at 730. Hit 11 rides and we're back at CB pool by 11. Eating lunch at CB now.
> 
> The VB is awesome, get there early.
> 
> We plan on hitting it a few times over the next few days.



Highly recommend going back in the late afternoon into the night transition.  (Espeically after a storm)


----------



## Ed J

We are at RPR for a few more days. Golf in the AM tomorrow and the forecast has thunder storms for the PM       .

We plan on VB if the forecast is correct .


----------



## DisneyMomx7

Does anyone know if there will be early admission hours for August for on-site guest?


----------



## WonderKid

DisneyMomx7 said:


> Does anyone know if there will be early admission hours for August for on-site guest?


https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission/index.html#universals-volcano-bay


----------



## bellarinah

I wanted to give a mini trip report of our visit yesterday on Wed. July 19. Hopefully, it will help some people as how other people's trip reports helped us. 

It's just me and my two girls (7 and 6 years old) this trip, July 15-23. We are staying at Cabana Bay in the Americana building. Highly recommend it!!! Close to the bus stop and food court. There's a parking garage right outside. And Volcano Bay is literally five minutes away! Besides, all the walkways are indoors, great for avoiding Florida's afternoon showers. One night we went to Mama Della's for dinner during evening torrential downpours. We walked to the lobby, hopped on the dining shuttle, and got to Portofino without getting wet. 

We left the room at 7.10am and got to VB at 7.15am. We were the third family in line. Looked like the hotel/off-site guest busses already arrived too. The gate opened at 7.50am. As soon as we got in, we left our things at the Waturi Beach and started hitting the rides. Everything was "Ride Now" with no lines whatsoever. We did all, except the two body slides (with trap doors) and Ohno, by 9.30am. We wanted to do Krakatau again then. It was still "Ride Now" but the line came out to the entrance of the ride. It had to be at least 30-minute wait. The team member said the line would go down once it started to have wait time around 10am. So we went to the Fearless River instead. I thought my girls would absolutely love this but they didn't. They enjoyed the strong currents but they didn't like that they had to stay on the tubes the whole time. We did only one round. We went to tap at Krakatau and wait time was 60 minutes. My girls tapped. I realized I lost my Tapu Tapu in the Fearless River so I had to go to the concierge hut to get it replaced. They looked up my account online but they couldn't find my Volcano Bay ticket. We are Preferred AP holders with July blocked out for VB. I bought the tickets separately but didn't know why the tickets wouldn't be on the account. They needed to see my ticket. And of course, my ticket was with my things toward the front of the park.    I didn't want to bother to walk all the way up there. My daughters wanted to do lazy river and it was very close by so we went to the lazy river first. We did a few rounds and they enjoyed it much better. They could get off the tubes/floats and swam around some. We had lunch at Kohola around 11 and there was already a line there. The food was great but I didn't like how they had food in different stations. My kids wanted pizza. We had to line up for the pizza station. I wanted a pulled pork sandwich and we had to line up again for that too. After we ate, I finally went to get my ticket and got the Tapu Tapu replaced. The team member was able to add Krakatau for me to match up with my girls. And it was time to ride. The line was much shorter than at 9.30am. It took us about 10-15 minutes to get to the front. After that we went to tap at Honu. It was 165 minutes which didn't bother us since we did all the rides already. We went to Runamokka kids' play area. My little one is exactly 48" tall and she could do all the slides but this would be the last time she got to do it. Once you're over 48", you can't ride the slides anymore. Then, we went to the lazy river again and stayed there for hours!! They closed all the pools and rides at 6pm due to lightning and storm and opened everything back up at 6.45pm. We did Krakatau one last time at 8.10pm. It was "Ride Now" but we had to wait 20-25 minutes. We closed out the park at 9pm.


----------



## bobbie68

bellarinah said:


> I wanted to give a mini trip report of our visit yesterday on Wed. July 19. Hopefully, it will help some people as how other people's trip reports helped us.
> 
> It's just me and my two girls (7 and 6 years old) this trip, July 15-23. We are staying at Cabana Bay in the Americana building. Highly recommend it!!! Close to the bus stop and food court. There's a parking garage right outside. And Volcano Bay is literally five minutes away! Besides, all the walkways are indoors, great for avoiding Florida's afternoon showers. One night we went to Mama Della's for dinner during evening torrential downpours. We walked to the lobby, hopped on the dining shuttle, and got to Portofino without getting wet.
> 
> We left the room at 7.10am and got to VB at 7.15am. We were the third family in line. Looked like the hotel/off-site guest busses already arrived too. The gate opened at 7.50am. As soon as we got in, we left our things at the Waturi Beach and started hitting the rides. Everything was "Ride Now" with no lines whatsoever. We did all, except the two body slides (with trap doors) and Ohno, by 9.30am. We wanted to do Krakatau again then. It was still "Ride Now" but the line came out to the entrance of the ride. It had to be at least 30-minute wait. The team member said the line would go down once it started to have wait time around 10am. So we went to the Fearless River instead. I thought my girls would absolutely love this but they didn't. They enjoyed the strong currents but they didn't like that they had to stay on the tubes the whole time. We did only one round. We went to tap at Krakatau and wait time was 60 minutes. My girls tapped. I realized I lost my Tapu Tapu in the Fearless River so I had to go to the concierge hut to get it replaced. They looked up my account online but they couldn't find my Volcano Bay ticket. We are Preferred AP holders with July blocked out for VB. I bought the tickets separately but didn't know why the tickets wouldn't be on the account. They needed to see my ticket. And of course, my ticket was with my things toward the front of the park.    I didn't want to bother to walk all the way up there. My daughters wanted to do lazy river and it was very close by so we went to the lazy river first. We did a few rounds and they enjoyed it much better. They could get off the tubes/floats and swam around some. We had lunch at Kohola around 11 and there was already a line there. The food was great but I didn't like how they had food in different stations. My kids wanted pizza. We had to line up for the pizza station. I wanted a pulled pork sandwich and we had to line up again for that too. After we ate, I finally went to get my ticket and got the Tapu Tapu replaced. The team member was able to add Krakatau for me to match up with my girls. And it was time to ride. The line was much shorter than at 9.30am. It took us about 10-15 minutes to get to the front. After that we went to tap at Honu. It was 165 minutes which didn't bother us since we did all the rides already. We went to Runamokka kids' play area. My little one is exactly 48" tall and she could do all the slides but this would be the last time she got to do it. Once you're over 48", you can't ride the slides anymore. Then, we went to the lazy river again and stayed there for hours!! They closed all the pools and rides at 6pm due to lightning and storm and opened everything back up at 6.45pm. We did Krakatau one last time at 8.10pm. It was "Ride Now" but we had to wait 20-25 minutes. We closed out the park at 9pm.



Thank you so much for the mini report. I am glad to hear you had had a good time overall after your hiccups. We will be there next Friday and we are staying at Cabana Bay and will utilize early entry and  the proximity.


----------



## 123SA

It sounds like you had a nice day.  But, am I reading this right  - -you went on a lot of slides until 9:30am, then  Krakatau once after lunch and again after the storm....but between 9:30am and park close at 9pm,  almost 12 hours of park time, you were only able to have two rides  (and it was the same slide)?


----------



## RalphinSC

123SA said:


> It sounds like you had a nice day.  But, am I reading this right  - -you went on a lot of slides until 9:30am, then  Krakatau once after lunch and again after the storm....but between 9:30am and park close at 9pm,  almost 12 hours of park time, you were only able to have two rides  (and it was the same slide)?



I think she got Honu in as well. 165 minutes is almost a three hour wait time. Honu definitely gets those kinds of waits in the afternoon.


----------



## RalphinSC

bellarinah said:


> I wanted to give a mini trip report of our visit yesterday on Wed. July 19. Hopefully, it will help some people as how other people's trip reports helped us.
> 
> It's just me and my two girls (7 and 6 years old) this trip, July 15-23. We are staying at Cabana Bay in the Americana building. Highly recommend it!!! Close to the bus stop and food court. There's a parking garage right outside. And Volcano Bay is literally five minutes away! Besides, all the walkways are indoors, great for avoiding Florida's afternoon showers. One night we went to Mama Della's for dinner during evening torrential downpours. We walked to the lobby, hopped on the dining shuttle, and got to Portofino without getting wet.
> 
> We left the room at 7.10am and got to VB at 7.15am. We were the third family in line. Looked like the hotel/off-site guest busses already arrived too. The gate opened at 7.50am. As soon as we got in, we left our things at the Waturi Beach and started hitting the rides. Everything was "Ride Now" with no lines whatsoever. We did all, except the two body slides (with trap doors) and Ohno, by 9.30am. We wanted to do Krakatau again then. It was still "Ride Now" but the line came out to the entrance of the ride. It had to be at least 30-minute wait. The team member said the line would go down once it started to have wait time around 10am. So we went to the Fearless River instead. I thought my girls would absolutely love this but they didn't. They enjoyed the strong currents but they didn't like that they had to stay on the tubes the whole time. We did only one round. We went to tap at Krakatau and wait time was 60 minutes. My girls tapped. I realized I lost my Tapu Tapu in the Fearless River so I had to go to the concierge hut to get it replaced. They looked up my account online but they couldn't find my Volcano Bay ticket. We are Preferred AP holders with July blocked out for VB. I bought the tickets separately but didn't know why the tickets wouldn't be on the account. They needed to see my ticket. And of course, my ticket was with my things toward the front of the park.    I didn't want to bother to walk all the way up there. My daughters wanted to do lazy river and it was very close by so we went to the lazy river first. We did a few rounds and they enjoyed it much better. They could get off the tubes/floats and swam around some. We had lunch at Kohola around 11 and there was already a line there. The food was great but I didn't like how they had food in different stations. My kids wanted pizza. We had to line up for the pizza station. I wanted a pulled pork sandwich and we had to line up again for that too. After we ate, I finally went to get my ticket and got the Tapu Tapu replaced. The team member was able to add Krakatau for me to match up with my girls. And it was time to ride. The line was much shorter than at 9.30am. It took us about 10-15 minutes to get to the front. After that we went to tap at Honu. It was 165 minutes which didn't bother us since we did all the rides already. We went to Runamokka kids' play area. My little one is exactly 48" tall and she could do all the slides but this would be the last time she got to do it. Once you're over 48", you can't ride the slides anymore. Then, we went to the lazy river again and stayed there for hours!! They closed all the pools and rides at 6pm due to lightning and storm and opened everything back up at 6.45pm. We did Krakatau one last time at 8.10pm. It was "Ride Now" but we had to wait 20-25 minutes. We closed out the park at 9pm.



Sounds like a decently successful day. I've dropped a band in the action river as well. It can be pretty intense. Glad they were able to get it straightened out and get your time matched back up with your daughters. Everyone seems to be catching on to getting there earlier and earlier now. The different lunch windows are at the two biggest restaurants. The smaller ones have a one stop window for everything. That can indeed be a pain, especially if you have to grab food for multiple people with varying tastes. Sounds like you maximized your fun despite the small hiccups. Thanks for the report!


----------



## soniam

I picked up about 5 bands opening weekend from the not-so-lazy river, and that was in one trip only.


----------



## bellarinah

123SA said:


> It sounds like you had a nice day.  But, am I reading this right  - -you went on a lot of slides until 9:30am, then  Krakatau once after lunch and again after the storm....but between 9:30am and park close at 9pm,  almost 12 hours of park time, you were only able to have two rides  (and it was the same slide)?





123SA said:


> It sounds like you had a nice day.  But, am I reading this right  - -you went on a lot of slides until 9:30am, then  Krakatau once after lunch and again after the storm....but between 9:30am and park close at 9pm,  almost 12 hours of park time, you were only able to have two rides  (and it was the same slide)?


We spent the total of 13 hours at VB yesterday. We could have done more rides if we wanted to. But our goal was to do all the rides (except the two body slides) one time and repeat whatever and whenever we felt like it. We ended up only wanting to do Krakatau two more times and Honu one more time. We liked all the rest of the rides but not enough to ride again. We wanted to just enjoy what the park has to offer. We spent literally hours in the lazy river. My daughters loved swimming and playing in it. We played with a bunch of Tapu Tapu-activated stuff. We visited all the nooks and crannies around the park.


----------



## bellarinah

soniam said:


> I picked up about 5 bands opening weekend from the not-so-lazy river, and that was in one trip only.


We picked up several in the lazy river yesterday too!


----------



## bellarinah

RalphinSC said:


> Sounds like a decently successful day. I've dropped a band in the action river as well. It can be pretty intense. Glad they were able to get it straightened out and get your time matched back up with your daughters. Everyone seems to be catching on to getting there earlier and earlier now. The different lunch windows are at the two biggest restaurants. The smaller ones have a one stop window for everything. That can indeed be a pain, especially if you have to grab food for multiple people with varying tastes. Sounds like you maximized your fun despite the small hiccups. Thanks for the report!


We actually used your touring plan to a T and it worked out great!! Thank you so much!!!


----------



## 123SA

bellarinah said:


> We spent the total of 13 hours at VB yesterday. We could have done more rides if we wanted to. But our goal was to do all the rides (except the two body slides) one time and repeat whatever and whenever we felt like it. We ended up only wanting to do Krakatau two more times and Honu one more time. We liked all the rest of the rides but not enough to ride again. We wanted to just enjoy what the park has to offer. We spent literally hours in the lazy river. My daughters loved swimming and playing in it. We played with a bunch of Tapu Tapu-activated stuff. We visited all the nooks and crannies around the park.



Thanks for answering my question.  I keep changing my mind on how to handle this park and posts like yours are very helpful.


----------



## 123SA

WAVE POOL QUESTION

Is is a crashing wave like Typhoon Lagoon, or bouncy waves like Blizzard Beach?  Videos look like Blizzard Beach.


----------



## bellarinah

Like Blizzard Beach.


----------



## bellarinah

123SA said:


> Thanks for answering my question.  I keep changing my mind on how to handle this park and posts like yours are very helpful.


I'm glad my mini report can help you in any way. I wanted to post it to help other people since other people's reports helped me planning this VB day tremendously. Feel free to ask any questions. If I can answer, I definitely will!!


----------



## RalphinSC

bellarinah said:


> We actually used your touring plan to a T and it worked out great!! Thank you so much!!!


----------



## yaya74

bellarinah said:


> We actually used your touring plan to a T and it worked out great!! Thank you so much!!!




Where can I find the touring plan??


----------



## bellarinah

yaya74 said:


> Where can I find the touring plan??


It's in this thread. Try to go back a bit and read all the posts. It's posted by RalphinSC.  It worked beautifully for me!!!


----------



## WonderKid

yaya74 said:


> Where can I find the touring plan??



Post #161: VOLCANO BAY.....INFO AND QUESTION THREAD........


----------



## gerryrobinson

WonderKid said:


> https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission/index.html#universals-volcano-bay



I'm pretty sure the person asked because the park opens at 9am and early entry shows 9am as well. Hence no early entry. Seems odd in August, especially the first two weeks


----------



## 123SA

That's strange.  I am going in August.  I am positive the park opening time was listed as 10:00am, with EE starting at 9:00am.  I wonder when this changed?  I hope it means that EE is moving back to 8:00am instead of being dropped.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I agree it was 10:00 am with a 9:00 am EE. I am going to call in the morning and  try and find out what is happening with the time.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I just got off the phone with guest services and the associate told me at this time they are not sure what they are going to do for hours and EE at Volcano Bay for August. Right now EE is only up til July 31st. It sounds like a last minute decision.

 I have a thought about this. I have been looking over a couple of sites for reviews and I see consistently people complaining about on-site guests getting in and it filling to capacity. I am wondering if Universal is going to take VB away from us for EE to make off-site guests happy. This would really stink considering I like so many set our whole vacation  at CBBR and other on site hotels for EE to VB.

Hopefully I am wrong on my thought and we will see EE hours for August.


----------



## damo

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just got off the phone with guest services and the associate told me at this time they are not sure what they are going to do for hours and EE at Volcano Bay for August. Right now EE is only up til July 31st. It sounds like a last minute decision.
> 
> I have a thought about this. I have been looking over a couple of sites for reviews and I see consistently people complaining about on-site guests getting in and it filling to capacity. I am wondering if Universal is going to take VB away from us for EE to make off-site guests happy. This would really stink considering I like so many set our whole vacation  at CBBR and other on site hotels for EE to VB.
> 
> Hopefully I am wrong on my thought and we will see EE hours for August.



I think Universal is probably more concerned about keeping on-site guests happy.  That's where their profits come from.


----------



## Beignetsandboudin

damo said:


> I think Universal is probably more concerned about keeping on-site guests happy.  That's where their profits come from.


I texted Universal today and mentioned that the website shows beginning on Aug. 1st - Volcano Bay opening for 9, but  9 was also listed as early entry time for on-site guests. They assured me that if opening time is 9, EE would be 8 for on-site guests. I hope they know what they are talking about, we arrive on July 29th and stay through Aug. 5th.


----------



## bobbie68

Beignetsandboudin said:


> I texted Universal today and mentioned that the website shows beginning on Aug. 1st - Volcano Bay opening for 9, but  9 was also listed as early entry time for on-site guests. They assured me that if opening time is 9, EE would be 8 for on-site guests. I hope they know what they are talking about, we arrive on July 29th and stay through Aug. 5th.



I hope so too we are there from July 228-August 4


----------



## TheConsciousness

123SA said:


> WAVE POOL QUESTION
> 
> Is is a crashing wave like Typhoon Lagoon, or bouncy waves like Blizzard Beach?  Videos look like Blizzard Beach.



Asking the real questions! I wish they could up it like Typhoon Lagoon! I've never experienced waves like that before.


----------



## georgina

123SA said:


> That's strange.  I am going in August.  I am positive the park opening time was listed as 10:00am, with EE starting at 9:00am.  I wonder when this changed?  I hope it means that EE is moving back to 8:00am instead of being dropped.



I was happy the park wasn't opening until 10 so I didn't have to get there until 9 for EE. Now I am bummed.

The early entry website still says 9 AM for August, but they changed the park hours from 10-10 to 9-9 on the day I am going. Guess I will keep an eye on the hours


----------



## 123SA

Are there any day of the week tips?  Is Monday any worse than Tuesday?


----------



## RalphinSC

They have been pretty consistent about updating Early Entry on the calendars for Volcano Bay at the last possible minute. I remember them doing just this for the June trip. I wouldn't worry about it much. There's no way they cut off EE for the park with as popular as it has been. Like stated above, they are going to look out for onsite guest and do all they can to drive up hotel booking rates.


----------



## RalphinSC

123SA said:


> Are there any day of the week tips?  Is Monday any worse than Tuesday?



Fridays and Saturdays seem to be the worst right now, with Sunday a bit lower. Weekdays seem about even, no real difference.


----------



## 123SA

My travel agent called Universal and was told that there will definitely be early entry at Volcano Bay in August for hotel guests.


----------



## yulilin3

I'm still thinking about renting the large cabana for October. I posted some pages ago. My DD is turning 17 and we want to have a big celebration at VB. I read some reviews about the cabanas and I am still inclined to get it just because I don't plan to go in the water at all (not a water park/beach person) so it would be nice to have a place to relax, plus I can get all the food sorted out before everyone comes, plus the tapu tapu pad right there seems very convenient.
All that is holding me back is money but I called Universal a couple of days ago and they said they are not taking reservations until week of, so I have some time. If not the reserved chairs will do.
We will also be staying the night prior at CB to have early access, my son works for Universal so we get an incredible rate and couldn't pass that up.
On another note I now have somewhat of an inside scoop on VB, my DD boyfriend started working there 2 weeks ago.
They are definitely getting better but still a lot of kinks to get ironed out.
For example, they are completely understaffed, as some of you already have noticed. My DD boyfriend has been asked to stay from 7am until 10pm...one day he was scheduled to get out at 5pm and they didn't send his replacement (he works on ride operations) until 6:30pm.
Also he got the basic Universal training but only got a proper VB training (where things are, a walk through the park, going on the slides) until a week after he had already started working in the park, so for a whole week he only knew how to get to his post and back to the buses.
I asked him what his favorite part of his job and it was seeing everyone having fun, also closing the park at night because they have to ride all the rides to make sure nothing is caught in them/lose items and the sort.


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> My travel agent called Universal and was told that there will definitely be early entry at Volcano Bay in August for hotel guests.


----------



## 123SA

1.  I've seen photos inside the volcano.  I will not be wearing a bathing suit and have no intention of doing any rides or going in any pool.  We won't store our valuables.  I'll keep the electronics with me.   Can I walk through the volcano?  I"ll have quick dry clothing, but I don't want to get soaking wet.

2.  Honu Ika Moana  -- 5 seater.  My kids are 11,14,17    - -  do they fill the boat?  I just want to be able to warn them to expect company.
(Is this right?  Honu the turtle is the blue slide and ika the whale is the green slide?  That sure seems like someone screwed up!)

3.  Does the fearless river have one entry point?  Does it have one exit point?  I want to know where to wait for the kids if they go on this.

4.  Has anyone had any luck photographing your kids from the bottom of the slide?

5.  As I mentioned, I'll keep valuables with me.  AM I okay to leave our towels, shoes, and shirts on a lounger?

6.  How well marked are the pathways?  I've got two different maps...and I can't figure out how to get to anything.


----------



## JCfan

Hi - Thanks for the terrific thread everyone!  We're heading down for a 4-day Universal visit in late August and staying on-site at PB.  We've been to UO many times but first trip to VB -- very excited! 

Quick questions: 
1.  Anyone have suggestions on how to keep the Tapu Tapu on?  Should I bring anything to help secure it? My wrists are weirdly small so I'm concerned I'm going to lose it.
2.  We're from the Nevada so if I suggested we be at the park by 7:30ish I wouldn't be very popular since it would feel like 4:30am for us...      So, any specific suggestions for a late afternoon/early evening visit besides watch the weather and try to go after showers? 


TIA for any thoughts.


----------



## WonderKid

JCfan said:


> 1.  Anyone have suggestions on how to keep the Tapu Tapu on?  Should I bring anything to help secure it? My wrists are weirdly small so I'm concerned I'm going to lose it.



I bought these bitbelts on Amazon for use with Disney Magicbands, and was planning to use for Tapu Tapu.  They worked great with Magicbands.


----------



## RalphinSC

123SA said:


> 1.  I've seen photos inside the volcano.  I will not be wearing a bathing suit and have no intention of doing any rides or going in any pool.  We won't store our valuables.  I'll keep the electronics with me.   Can I walk through the volcano?  I"ll have quick dry clothing, but I don't want to get soaking wet.
> 
> 2.  Honu Ika Moana  -- 5 seater.  My kids are 11,14,17    - -  do they fill the boat?  I just want to be able to warn them to expect company.
> (Is this right?  Honu the turtle is the blue slide and ika the what is the green slide?  That sure seems like someone screwed up!)
> 
> 3.  Does the fearless river have one entry point?  Does it have one exit point?  I want to know where to wait for the kids if they go on this?
> 
> 4.  Has anyone had anyy luck photographing your kids from the bottom of the slide?
> 
> 5.  As I mentioned, I'll keep valuables with me.  AM I okay to leave our towels, shoes, and shirts on a lounger?
> 
> 6.  How well marked are the pathways?  I've got two different maps...and I can't figure out how to get to anything.



1. You get a lot of spray/mist on the waterfall portion of the volcano, but the other part is fine. there are water jest in the room with Vol, so the potential to get wet is definitely there. But I think it's doable to stay dry-ish as long as you do not try to walk all the way through under the waterfall section.

2. They send down Hone rafts with 2-3 or 5, I believe. Something similar with Ike Moana. I think the odds are better than not that your kids will be going down as a group of three, since both slides are also weight limited. I often went down as a double with just me and my son.

3. Only one entry point, though it has potential for two entry points. The second point at the water coaster can serve as an exit point. I've exited there before. Just tell the kids to get off at the geyser.

4. Haven't tried it. I've always been the one ON the slide, lol.

5. We did this every day we went (four separate days). Never a problem.

6. There are signs everywhere. The park has one main loop, with a couple of spurs off to go to different slides. You'll get the hang of it quickly.

Have fun!!!


----------



## RalphinSC

JCfan said:


> Hi - Thanks for the terrific thread everyone!  We're heading down for a 4-day Universal visit in late August and staying on-site at PB.  We've been to UO many times but first trip to VB -- very excited!
> 
> Quick questions:
> 1.  Anyone have suggestions on how to keep the Tapu Tapu on?  Should I bring anything to help secure it? My wrists are weirdly small so I'm concerned I'm going to lose it.
> 2.  We're from the Nevada so if I suggested we be at the park by 7:30ish I wouldn't be very popular since it would feel like 4:30am for us...      So, any specific suggestions for a late afternoon/early evening visit besides watch the weather and try to go after showers?
> 
> 
> TIA for any thoughts.



If you go late, you have to tour the park kind of inside out. The biggest rides are going to all have long lines when you get there, but should clear out as the evening goes along. The last hour should be spent riding all the headliners as much as you can get them in.


----------



## 123SA

Thanks for your help RalphinSC.


----------



## soniam

Early entry starts at 7:30am EST Saturday morning. I don't know if this is just tomorrow, all weekend, or most of July. Today was 8am.

Had a great day! Crowds seemed like nothing compared to opening weekend. Not sure if the hit capacity today or not. Express pass is now good on Krakatau not not the drop door/body plunge slides. Restaurants closed before 8pm even though the park didn't close until 9pm. Much fewer ride break downs, except Krakatau. Rivers are way more organized and orderly. Food lines weren't horrific but still seemed a bit slow. Got to wear my glasses with the strap on every ride we did

EDIT: Family in premium loungers next to us got early entry even though they weren't staying onsite. She was told it was included in that. Never heard that before. Not sure if it's always the case or just Merlin dust.


----------



## bellarinah

123SA said:


> 1.  I've seen photos inside the volcano.  I will not be wearing a bathing suit and have no intention of doing any rides or going in any pool.  We won't store our valuables.  I'll keep the electronics with me.   Can I walk through the volcano?  I"ll have quick dry clothing, but I don't want to get soaking wet.
> 
> 2.  Honu Ika Moana  -- 5 seater.  My kids are 11,14,17    - -  do they fill the boat?  I just want to be able to warn them to expect company.
> (Is this right?  Honu the turtle is the blue slide and ika the whale is the green slide?  That sure seems like someone screwed up!)
> 
> 3.  Does the fearless river have one entry point?  Does it have one exit point?  I want to know where to wait for the kids if they go on this.
> 
> 4.  Has anyone had any luck photographing your kids from the bottom of the slide?
> 
> 5.  As I mentioned, I'll keep valuables with me.  AM I okay to leave our towels, shoes, and shirts on a lounger?
> 
> 6.  How well marked are the pathways?  I've got two different maps...and I can't figure out how to get to anything.



1. You can walk through the volcano without getting wet. It's quite cool in there. There are a few Tapu Tapu-activated points in there. 

2. When we did Honu and Ika first thing in the morning, there was no line and we had the raft to ourselves (1 adult and 2 kids). When we did it in the afternoon, they filled the raft up. 

3. Yes. You enter and exit at the same place. 

4. Can't help you with this. I rode all the slides with my kids. I think it'd be quite tricky though. You wouldn't know when it's their turn to come down. 

5. I left non-valuables at the loungers and there was no problem. 

6. For me, the pathways are NOT well marked at all. The first few hours I had to ask team members all the over the place to get somewhere. And it wasn't like I could carry a map with me since I was wet all time. I hate the official map they have there too. Instead of having the names of the attractions on the map, they put symbols. You first have to figure out what symbol means what ride and then you would have to find your way there. Very confusing. I must have walked around the park at least 10 times that day and a lot of those times I didn't even know where I was going. I really couldn't complain too much though since I stumbled upon quite a few nooks and crannies that way. By mid-afternoon, everything started to make sense. 

Hope this helps!!


----------



## bellarinah

JCfan said:


> Hi - Thanks for the terrific thread everyone!  We're heading down for a 4-day Universal visit in late August and staying on-site at PB.  We've been to UO many times but first trip to VB -- very excited!
> 
> Quick questions:
> 1.  Anyone have suggestions on how to keep the Tapu Tapu on?  Should I bring anything to help secure it? My wrists are weirdly small so I'm concerned I'm going to lose it.
> 2.  We're from the Nevada so if I suggested we be at the park by 7:30ish I wouldn't be very popular since it would feel like 4:30am for us...      So, any specific suggestions for a late afternoon/early evening visit besides watch the weather and try to go after showers?
> 
> 
> TIA for any thoughts.




When we were there ten days ago, we stayed through the storms. After the storms, the wait for Krakatau was 60 minutes and Honu 90 minutes. We rode Krakatau the last thing that night and the wait was still about 20-25 minutes. So if you plan to go to VB after afternoon showers, be prepared to wait still. It's not as bad as before the showers but still significant.


----------



## yulilin3

soniam said:


> Early entry starts at 7:30am EST Saturday morning. I don't know if this is just tomorrow, all weekend, or most of July. Today was 8am.
> 
> Had a great day! Crowds seemed like nothing compared to opening weekend. Not sure if the hit capacity today or not. Express pass is now good on Krakatau not not the drop door/body plunge slides. Restaurants closed before 8pm even though the park didn't close until 9pm. Much fewer ride break downs, except Krakatau. Rivers are way more organized and orderly. Food lines weren't horrific but still seemed a bit slow. Got to wear my glasses with the strap on every ride we did
> 
> EDIT: Family in premium loungers next to us got early entry even though they weren't staying onsite. She was told it was included in that. Never heard that before. Not sure if it's always the case or just Merlin dust.


My DD's boyfriend goes in Friday 8/11 at 5:30am, when he asked if it was a mistake they said they are opening VB to resort guests at 6:30am that day  maybe it's because it's the last Friday before school starts here in Orange county?


----------



## georgina

soniam said:


> Early entry starts at 7:30am EST Saturday morning. I don't know if this is just tomorrow, all weekend, or most of July. Today was 8am.



How did you find that out?



yulilin3 said:


> My DD's boyfriend goes in Friday 8/11 at 5:30am, when he asked if it was a mistake they said they are opening VB to resort guests at 6:30am that day  maybe it's because it's the last Friday before school starts here in Orange county?



OK, I am going Sunday 8/13. What is the best way to find out when the early opening time is? At the resort? I'm guessing it is NOT online, as the website still says EE at 9 AM for all of August


----------



## yulilin3

georgina said:


> How did you find that out?
> 
> 
> 
> OK, I am going Sunday 8/13. What is the best way to find out when the early opening time is? At the resort? I'm guessing it is NOT online, as the website still says EE at 9 AM for all of August


I have no clue. I will definitely ask him to see if they change his schedule and I'll let you know.


----------



## soniam

georgina said:


> How did you find that out?
> 
> 
> 
> OK, I am going Sunday 8/13. What is the best way to find out when the early opening time is? At the resort? I'm guessing it is NOT online, as the website still says EE at 9 AM for all of August



The hotel left phone messages and when I picked up our VB tickets at the hotel ticket counter. They left another message saying 7:30am but didn't specify a day. I don't know what time the buses will start though. The hotel will know. Unlike Disney, Universal hotels are very knowledgeable about parks, hours, and transportation.


----------



## lvloopingbag

For those who have been on both the Krakatau Aqua Coaster and Typhoon Lagoon's Crush 'N' Gusher, can you compare them? Is one scarier than the other, are the drops worse on one compared to the other, etc.? Thanks!


----------



## yulilin3

soniam said:


> The hotel left phone messages and when I picked up our VB tickets at the hotel ticket counter. They left another message saying 7:30am but didn't specify a day. I don't know what time the buses will start though. The hotel will know. Unlike Disney, Universal hotels are very knowledgeable about parks, hours, and transportation.


7:30am opening started today,  at least until the 11th as far as i know


----------



## WonderKid

yulilin3 said:


> 7:30am opening started today,  at least until the 11th as far as i know



It would seem that this time change effectively makes Early Park Admission 1.5 hours before regular opening time.  Right?

I also read on OI (https://orlandoinformer.com/blog/volcano-bay-changes-menus/) about major menu changes.  Kind of a bummer, but I imagine it's to help increase efficiency as most recent food reports note very long lines.

Both of these changes would appear to fall in line with things Universal is doing to reduce waits.  Anybody know what else may be changing?


----------



## bobbie68

Hi everyone I am here right now. We have had a busy 2 days. We went to VB on Friday and had a great time. We got there at 7:15 at the CBBR entrance. when we got to the main area we were the first ones at a ticket counter.we were talking about things with the associate for a bit. He did mention the time change to 7:30 for EE but didn't know how long it would last.

Once we were in we went to the concierge to get our EP put on our tapu tapu. The system was off line and we couldn't get them on so we got nice chairs with an umbrella by the Dancing Dragons. We had premium loungers scheduled but cancelled it 3 days before. I am glad that I did. I don't think they were worth the expense. We were happy with our regular chairs.

We got in line for Krakatau and it went down. We decided to wait but after a half hour one of the guards offered to walk a couple of us over to another ride. We went with him and went to the front of it. It was fun and after that we went back to the concierge and got our EP put on our tapu tapu. The EP was great to have it made a difference with how much we could do. However, if you don't have the EP I would definitely follow the advice of EE and late afternoon. Personally I did not think it was that crowded. The longest wait was 100 minutes. I can confirm after a storm a lot less people.

We bought shoe laces to tie our tapu on better. It worked when one of ours came lose but it didn't fall off. FYI they are getting new tapus with a better secured strap.

If you have EP be prepared for different ways to use this depending on the associate. We met a couple who were told a different way to use it. We tapped up at the entrance and went right into the queue line. The longest line we waited in was about 20 minutes.

When we first went into the fearless river it was chaos getting a tube. We were getting pushed and shoved. About an hour later we saw a guard lining people up and getting them one at a time. What a difference organization makes. We thanked the life guard for doing a great job. Speaking of guards I found all of them to be taking their job very seriously.

It's interesting that at each of the raft rides the scale was saying a different weight. Our group was split sometimes.

My overall summary:
The park associates were great. We had a few hiccups but each one we went to was nice and helped us.
The rides are fantastic
The food was good but disappointed in the menu change.
The park was beautiful and very clean. However the rugs on the bridges have to go.
We found the ground sprayers working great on the concrete. The sand is another story. I have never felt sand so hot,I got some red feet after.

I can tell that they are trying to make as many positive changes as possible. We are going back on Tuesday and will have a cabana, I will report again.
Please feel free to ask questions. I will be checking later tonight and tomorrow night.

Have a great night


----------



## macraven

_Thanks for sharing this with us

Very reassuring that changes have been made and making the time at Vbay so much better_


----------



## TheConsciousness

WHAT! They removed ~30 food choices?!


----------



## macraven

_i was very disappointed with the menu change.
it would have been the one reason i would have planned to go to Vbay and try the foods._


----------



## mjhtvchick

I am disappointed in this as well but based on everything I have read/heard it came down to a) what was actually selling and b) the ability to get the food ready in a timely manner to keep the food lines moving.


----------



## CoachZ

I agree with Mac that the menu changes are disappointing!  Am glad they didn't remove the island chicken salad. It looks so good!


----------



## macraven

_what thrilled me about Vbay was the different type of foods.
i had thought of going to the park not to do the rides or water but to walk around and people watch and eat food all day long.
somethings they had listed were definetely not typical park food.
had picked out my menu for the day already.

not interested in going there for the basic park foods of hot dogs, burgers, etc.


color me sad and disappointed._


----------



## Raeven

macraven said:


> _what thrilled me about Vbay was the different type of foods.
> i had thought of going to the park not to do the rides or water but to walk around and people watch and eat food all day long.
> somethings they had listed were definetely not typical park food.
> had picked out my menu for the day already.
> 
> not interested in going there for the basic park foods of hot dogs, burgers, etc.
> 
> 
> color me sad and disappointed._



I agree that was my plan while my boyfriend tried out the slides. I was going try the food and maybe head to the lazy river. I'm very disappointed, but we've already bought our tickets.

 I felt that the food was part of what made it different than your average waterpark (which I'm not interested in at all). Hearing that most the slides were too high thrill for me was disappointing, but now with this announcement I'm not sure there's much for me to do.


----------



## macraven

_My same thoughts
Scratched Vbay off my list_


----------



## The Reluctant Mouse

yulilin3 said:


> My DD's boyfriend goes in Friday 8/11 at 5:30am, when he asked if it was a mistake they said they are opening VB to resort guests at 6:30am that day  maybe it's because it's the last Friday before school starts here in Orange county?



they are opening early on the 11th for a special event.


----------



## schumigirl

We will still go to have a look around as our ticket covers us for it, but disappointed they've got rid of certain meals. Quite fancied some of them. 

Hot dogs and corn dogs are not for me.


----------



## yulilin3

The Reluctant Mouse said:


> they are opening early on the 11th for a special event.


thank you for the info and  to the DIS


----------



## atricks

From what I've heard the menu changes are temporary to work through the food line issues, stuff will filter back in or be changed.   I wish they did the rumored table service restaurant, tapu would then double as a table pager.


----------



## TheConsciousness

That would be great if they brought them back. Some of the items they removed were signature items that don't sound like they take too long to prepare. Like, who permanently removes BBQ chicken pizza?


----------



## schumigirl

atricks said:


> From what I've heard the menu changes are temporary to work through the food line issues, stuff will filter back in or be changed.   I wish they did the rumored table service restaurant, tapu would then double as a table pager.



I'm glad to hear it. 

Yes, I wondered what happened to the supposed table service restaurant. 

We only plan to go in for an hour or so, just to see around it and sample some food........don't really like waterparks.......


----------



## ultimatefans

bobbie68 said:


> Good question I would like to know also. I am planning on buying some of  the quick service plans for a couple of days. It sounds like VB food is a little more money and that the quick service vouchers might save some money.


This was in response to my original question whether or not dining plan credits can be used for the cabana menu at Volcano Bay.  I called and was told that Full Service credits can be used for the cabana menus, but not Quick Service credits.


----------



## dcessford

looks like EE for most of the month is 7:30 am

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission/index.html#universals-volcano-bay


----------



## 123SA

dcessford said:


> looks like EE for most of the month is 7:30 am
> 
> https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission/index.html#universals-volcano-bay



Wow!   That's great!  We are early risers so this will really work.  I'm doubly glad you posted because I see they switched EE from UF to IOA for my dates.  I would not have thought to double check to this.


----------



## georgina

123SA said:


> Wow!   That's great!  We are early risers so this will really work.  I'm doubly glad you posted because I see they switched EE from UF to IOA for my dates.  I would not have thought to double check to this.



Not sure when you are going, but for my dates they didn't switch EE, they took away the EE for the Studios (both parks had EE before).

I hadn't heard about the menus changes either. All these changes are so hard to keep up with!


----------



## andrniki

But they add IOA where it wasn't before.  You're right - lots of changes!


----------



## 123SA

georgina said:


> Not sure when you are going, but for my dates they didn't switch EE, they took away the EE for the Studios (both parks had EE before).
> 
> I hadn't heard about the menus changes either. All these changes are so hard to keep up with!



We arrive August 19th.  I think before the change it was both parks until Aug 19th, then USF starting Aug 20.  

I was hoping to see a change in the closing time, but it is still 8:00pm for most of my trip.  I was hoping to see the park at night, but I don't think I want to visit on a Saturday or Sunday.


I'm keeping an eye out for a trip report with the new early entry time.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi everyone I just got home  . We had an amazing time I will put a trip review on the other thread later this week. I just wanted to do a quick VB update. We went back on 8-1 and had a cabana in the wave village. We were located on cabana row as it is dubbed. This is the line on the I-4 highway strip. We had a single and I have to say at first I was nervous about the location but honestly, after a bit you tune the cars out. Also, there is a ceiling fan and music so you can put it on and I didn't hear any noise. We were in cabana #22 and I have to say that it was the best one there. We were on a walking path along with 2 other cabanas. This was great because the other ones had sand up to their entrance and people would park the chairs in front of their cabana. The walkway deterred people from doing it to mine. The cabana was very nice and everything worked. We had a great hostess who came by all the time. We ordered one meal off the cabana menu because we had some quick service dining but was not able to use it with the plan. I am not sure if you can use the full service or not. The cabana menu had some of the items  that were taking out of the restaurants. I would rent a cabana again but would hope the price would be a little cheaper.

We had EP and EE so it did make a difference in how much we did. However, we were walking through a plan if we didn't have EP and it would be doable. We are going back next year and I am sure they will not have EP. We did stay at CBBR and it was nice to go to VB from there.

The comments on the lazy and fearless river are true about the crowds and fighting for a tube. However, both days a guard came on duty and kept organization and it was so nice. The rides are great even if they are short. We had  the photo pass and there were some selfie stations there. I would like to see more of those around the parks. Our tapu tapu came lose and would have fallen off but my husband tied it with shoe laces so we didn't lose it. I can't wait for the new ones to come. They will be more secure. We stayed at VB from open to close and had an awesome time. 

We arrived both days at 7:15 and there was a line but it moved quickly. We found all the employees very helpful and enjoying their job. 

We used the free-style machines and that came in very handy.

Any questions please ask


----------



## 123SA

Were the lines minimal during the EE period?

And, I've read before about the shoelaces, but I have no idea what is being done with them to keep the bands on.


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> Were the lines minimal during the EE period?
> 
> And, I've read before about the shoelaces, but I have no idea what is being done with them to keep the bands on.



The lines were really good for till about 9:30 -10:00 then they got busy. I would say in the first two hours everything was under 45 minutes and of course it climbed from like starting at 10 minutes. I will say I noticed on our second  visit the associates are getting really good at loading time. We go to many parks and I am seeing a good job. This is really helping to keep the wait time down.

My DH threaded the shoe laces through a few holes from each side like you would a sneaker then tied it on the top. 

I understand the new bands should be coming any time and they will have a locking piece on the strap.


----------



## 123SA

Thanks!  

What slide was your favorite?


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> Thanks!
> 
> What slide was your favorite?



Hi for the tube slides Honu and Puihi. These are both the family raft rides. It was interesting though because the weight limits are different on each one. Depending what time of day we went on sometimes we were over by like 2 pounds and were separated. Honu has 700 combined weight and Puihi has 850 combined weight. I really enjoyed the slides here and it is beautiful as long as you pretend not to see I-4 when your waiting on the stairs for the slides.


----------



## georgina

bobbie68 said:


> Hi for the tube slides Honu and Puihi. These are both the family raft rides. It was interesting though because the weight limits are different on each one. Depending what time of day we went on sometimes we were over by like 2 pounds and were separated. Honu has 700 combined weight and Puihi has 850 combined weight. I really enjoyed the slides here and it is beautiful as long as you pretend not to see I-4 when your waiting on the stairs for the slides.



Can you tell me what the process for getting the EP on your Tapu was like?  I have EP also next week. Did you have to go to the concierge place to get it? Any issues using it on the slides?


----------



## bobbie68

Hi we stayed at Cabana Bay and the night before VB I went and printed out my tickets for EP at the will call Kiosk there. This saved a step at the park. IF you are not staying on-site I would suggest doing it at VB outside the main entrance at their kiosk. If not you will have to go to guest services first get a ticket then go to the nearest concierge with the ticket. Once at the concierge they will put your EP on to your tapu tapu but have everyone there at the same time. I was lucky in that the associate knew what to do with them I have heard other people say they have run into confused associates with the EP. The associates at the entrances were consistent on our day with us. We did not need to get a reservation  time just tap in and wait in the queue however long it was. There were some we waited about 20- 30 minutes. We did have a few times where the EP was showing invalid and the associates let the one go through cause the other three had it and it showed fine. The associates did say the tapu  tapu was having some problems with EP linking. We did have to go to guest services once to get it restarted and linked.


----------



## georgina

bobbie68 said:


> Hi we stayed at Cabana Bay and the night before VB I went and printed out my tickets for EP at the will call Kiosk there. This saved a step at the park. IF you are not staying on-site I would suggest doing it at VB outside the main entrance at their kiosk. If not you will have to go to guest services first get a ticket then go to the nearest concierge with the ticket. Once at the concierge they will put your EP on to your tapu tapu but have everyone there at the same time. I was lucky in that the associate knew what to do with them I have heard other people say they have run into confused associates with the EP. The associates at the entrances were consistent on our day with us. We did not need to get a reservation  time just tap in and wait in the queue however long it was. There were some we waited about 20- 30 minutes. We did have a few times where the EP was showing invalid and the associates let the one go through cause the other three had it and it showed fine. The associates did say the tapu  tapu was having some problems with EP linking. We did have to go to guest services once to get it restarted and linked.



Thanks!  I am staying at Cabana Bay so I will print my tickets out the night before then.


----------



## yaya74

We visited VB last Thursday from 6pm-830pm and yesterday Sunday 6p-8pm. On Thursday we went right after a thunderstorm so the park was quite empty. The longest wait on slide was 20 minutes or
Less. HOWEVER, when we went yesterday, which was Sunday and no rain for the whole day, VB was still busy at 6pm. A few slides were at capacity. The coaster ride was 120 minutes wait. Luckily Lazy river and wave pool were not very crowded.


----------



## gunderda

My friend and I are preplanning for next year.... what are all your opinions on going to a water park at the end of March? My friend is interesting in going to VB.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I think it will be a slower time of the year and lines will be less. I think if you are able to be swimming in cooler water then getting out in cooler temps it's a great idea. Personally I can't swim if the water and air are less than 80 degrees. March could range from  50's to  70's. That is a pretty big range.


----------



## georgina

Don't know if it has been mentioned earlier in this thread, but I just saw the latest TimTracker video and the weight limit for the Volcano trapdoor slides has been raised to 230 lbs. He also said the 2 curving ones were very intense. I haven't decided if I am brave enough for them.


----------



## gunderda

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I think it will be a slower time of the year and lines will be less. I think if you are able to be swimming in cooler water then getting out in cooler temps it's a great idea. Personally I can't swim if the water and air are less than 80 degrees. March could range from  50's to  70's. That is a pretty big range.



thanks!
I might tell my friend we should just play it by ear - and if weather seems like it's going to be nice we can buy tickets when we get there. We'll have a lot of pools at our resort so i don't really feel the need to go but I don't want to tell my friend absolutely no.


----------



## HHMcG

We will be in VB in two weeks.  Thanks for all the great info.  Right now I'm trying to figure out where we want to grab loungers and set up camp.  Don't want to waste a lot of time searching for a good spot during EE.

I have two specific questions:
*Are there loungers with a view of Runamukka Reef?*  (I don't expect us to sit much but DH and I may get a rest while our big kids take our little kid into the play area.)
*Are all the loungers in SANDY beaches?*  (For some reason I hate sitting in sand by the pool.  That is the reason why I did not enjoy RPR pool.  Which is weird since will live at the beach in the summer.)


ETA:
How strictly do they enforce the 48" height max on Runamukka Reef?  If my 54" DS is with his little brother will they let him go down the slide, too? Or no way?

E(again)TA:  Anyone no if you can wear a life vest on Ohno and Ohyah?  I have kids over 48" that aren't the strongest swimmers.


----------



## T.A.D

Hi, I have a few questions...

Are water shoes allowed on any of the slides?
What time do the buses start running for 7:30 early entry (staying at HRH)?

Thanks!


----------



## bobbie68

T.A.D said:


> Hi, I have a few questions...
> 
> Are water shoes allowed on any of the slides?
> What time do the buses start running for 7:30 early entry (staying at HRH)?
> 
> Thanks!



Hi when EE was at 8:00 am the buses started at 7:00. It is possible they start at 6:30, I am sure someone will be able to confirm that.

As far as water shoes I saw people wearing  them on the tube slides but nothing is allowed on the body slides. You will have to hold them in your hands. This is pretty much at all water parks. I did see them on the Aqua Coaster.


----------



## bellarinah

HHMcG said:


> We will be in VB in two weeks.  Thanks for all the great info.  Right now I'm trying to figure out where we want to grab loungers and set up camp.  Don't want to waste a lot of time searching for a good spot during EE.
> 
> I have two specific questions:
> *Are there loungers with a view of Runamukka Reef?*  (I don't expect us to sit much but DH and I may get a rest while our big kids take our little kid into the play area.)
> *Are all the loungers in SANDY beaches?*  (For some reason I hate sitting in sand by the pool.  That is the reason why I did not enjoy RPR pool.  Which is weird since will live at the beach in the summer.)
> 
> 
> ETA:
> How strictly do they enforce the 48" height max on Runamukka Reef?  If my 54" DS is with his little brother will they let him go down the slide, too? Or no way?
> 
> E(again)TA:  Anyone no if you can wear a life vest on Ohno and Ohyah?  I have kids over 48" that aren't the strongest swimmers.



They are VERY strict about kids having to be 48" and under to do the slides in the kids play area. I'm in the same situation as you. One of my two kids is 51" and she couldn't do any slide there. She could play with her younger sisters there but not the slides. They have a team member with a measuring stick at the top of each slide.


----------



## dcessford

Is the Universal website the only place to purchase VB single day tickets?


----------



## bobbie68

HHMcG said:


> We will be in VB in two weeks.  Thanks for all the great info.  Right now I'm trying to figure out where we want to grab loungers and set up camp.  Don't want to waste a lot of time searching for a good spot during EE.
> 
> I have two specific questions:
> *Are there loungers with a view of Runamukka Reef?*  (I don't expect us to sit much but DH and I may get a rest while our big kids take our little kid into the play area.)
> *Are all the loungers in SANDY beaches?*  (For some reason I hate sitting in sand by the pool.  That is the reason why I did not enjoy RPR pool.  Which is weird since will live at the beach in the summer.)
> 
> 
> ETA:
> How strictly do they enforce the 48" height max on Runamukka Reef?  If my 54" DS is with his little brother will they let him go down the slide, too? Or no way?
> 
> E(again)TA:  Anyone no if you can wear a life vest on Ohno and Ohyah?  I have kids over 48" that aren't the strongest swimmers.




Hi I did see people wearing life vests on Ohno and Ohyay. However, I will say they seem to change policies quickly and that could change. Also depends on the guard at the top of the slide.

I was in all the areas but Runamukka Reef and there were lounge chairs in the sand everywhere. However, the kids area may have some that are not.


----------



## yaya74

HHMcG said:


> We will be in VB in two weeks.  Thanks for all the great info.  Right now I'm trying to figure out where we want to grab loungers and set up camp.  Don't want to waste a lot of time searching for a good spot during EE.
> 
> I have two specific questions:
> *Are there loungers with a view of Runamukka Reef?*  (I don't expect us to sit much but DH and I may get a rest while our big kids take our little kid into the play area.)
> *Are all the loungers in SANDY beaches?*  (For some reason I hate sitting in sand by the pool.  That is the reason why I did not enjoy RPR pool.  Which is weird since will live at the beach in the summer.)
> 
> 
> ETA:
> How strictly do they enforce the 48" height max on Runamukka Reef?  If my 54" DS is with his little brother will they let him go down the slide, too? Or no way?
> 
> E(again)TA:  Anyone no if you can wear a life vest on Ohno and Ohyah?  I have kids over 48" that aren't the strongest swimmers.



I don't recall seeing cabanas near Runamukka Reef... but there are many chairs in that area.
My daughter is 54" and she was not allowed on the slide in that section.

Didn't see anyone wearing a vest on the ohyah/ohno slide when we were there last week. The sign does say the slide is for "strong swimmers".




T.A.D said:


> Hi, I have a few questions...
> 
> Are water shoes allowed on any of the slides?
> What time do the buses start running for 7:30 early entry (staying at HRH)?
> 
> Thanks!



Some slides asked you to remove your shoes. There are racks/baskets near by the entrance. Just put your shoes there and go have fun. Shoes are highly recommended though. Flipflop, crocs, or watershoes.. The rough sands on the walkway hurt my feet.

Buses start running 1 hour prior to the start or early entry. If you stay at HRH, the bus loops around Portofino Bay-->HRH---> Volcano Bay.


----------



## RalphinSC

gunderda said:


> My friend and I are preplanning for next year.... what are all your opinions on going to a water park at the end of March? My friend is interesting in going to VB.



Easter is April 1 next year, so the last weekend in March might be a fairly busy.


----------



## 123SA

9 days left!

I'm looking for seating tips.   I do not do the slides.  When we come into the park, I plan to walk with my kids (11,14,17) to the first slide (the coaster) and make sure they know where to go next, the body plunge.  And I'll meet them near the exit.

In the mean time, I'll be dropping off our pool bag somewhere to claim a spot.  Just a bag with towels, shoes, shirts.  Preferably a shady spot.  I'd like to claim two chairs.  I'm sure my boys will never sit.   Any ideas which way to go?


----------



## HMANSION LOVER

We are planning to go to Volcano Bay in November. That being said, I have been reading reviews on the internet, not here, and they are pretty much 80% horrible. Incredible crowding to the point that by 9:00 - 9:30 A.M. they are not allowing people into the park. Wait times of 200 to 300 minutes. Basically getting on 2 maybe 3 rides in a seven hour day! People getting so disgusted they are just giving up and leaving early. Now I know that when it comes to reviews there are always more people willing to post their bad experiences than those who have had a wonderful time but, I am talking about a huge number of bad reviews. I am hoping my friends here on the Dis can shed some light. I can always count on level headed responses from you guys.


----------



## macraven

_I have been reading some posters have had success at Vbay and most of the day was good 

The one one I remember most saying is be there early and enter the water park as soon as it opens 

(When I say early, be in line before the park opens )_


----------



## bobbie68

HMANSION LOVER said:


> We are planning to go to Volcano Bay in November. That being said, I have been reading reviews on the internet, not here, and they are pretty much 80% horrible. Incredible crowding to the point that by 9:00 - 9:30 A.M. they are not allowing people into the park. Wait times of 200 to 300 minutes. Basically getting on 2 maybe 3 rides in a seven hour day! People getting so disgusted they are just giving up and leaving early. Now I know that when it comes to reviews there are always more people willing to post their bad experiences than those who have had a wonderful time but, I am talking about a huge number of bad reviews. I am hoping my friends here on the Dis can shed some light. I can always count on level headed responses from you guys.



Hi my family and I had a great time at VB. I did have an express pass but it didn't work for everything so I had to tap into to ride reservations. I did my research before I left. I knew the park map and where everything I wanted to do was. I got there about 30 minutes before EE. I think the place is great if you have a plan and go in with lower expectations. This water park was not meant to be just go in and do rides all day. I believe their philosophy was to make it a relaxing day incorporated into the go  go day. If you go right in and get a seat fast and start the rides you can do quite a bit, I would start with the body slides in the volcano and the aqua coaster. We did see it slow down after 5:00-5:30. If there is a storm try and ride it out. The park clears out and it is very nice. The two rivers are really nice. You have to go in with the mindset that you may not ride  every ride twice. It is not  set up for that kind of park. We can't wait to go back next year. We will probably not have express pass but will have a plan in place. You need to eat on an off time. We were in line for lunch both times at 11:30 and really had no lines. I did purchase an aqua vault box it was a recommendation from another dis member and it was great. I did not have to wait for a locker and I used it at the hotel pool also.
Good luck and enjoy!


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> 9 days left!
> 
> I'm looking for seating tips.   I do not do the slides.  When we come into the park, I plan to walk with my kids (11,14,17) to the first slide (the coaster) and make sure they know where to go next, the body plunge.  And I'll meet them near the exit.
> 
> In the mean time, I'll be dropping off our pool bag somewhere to claim a spot.  Just a bag with towels, shoes, shirts.  Preferably a shady spot.  I'd like to claim two chairs.  I'm sure my boys will never sit.   Any ideas which way to go?



Hi I took an idea from a fellow dis member on where to sit. We went by the Dancing Dragons Boat Bar. If you go in and straight  onto the beach you take a right and walk to you come to the hut. There is a big red sail right near it. There are two cabanas there also. I liked that area because it was off the main path. There was a rest room right across the sidewalk and drink stations. There is also a concierge booth right behind if you need it. There are chairs with big umbrellas over them.  I found the main beach to be very busy and not fun. The other place that looked pretty good was towards the back of the volcano near the slides. If you can look at a map and I know there is one on an early page you will get an idea of where the location is.


----------



## georgina

Thanks for all the information Bobbie! I'm going tomorrow and have an unlimited express pass which was very expensive so if it doesn't work I'll be asking for a refund!


----------



## bobbie68

georgina said:


> Thanks for all the information Bobbie! I'm going tomorrow and have an unlimited express pass which was very expensive so if it doesn't work I'll be asking for a refund!



Your welcome and I think you will be fine. It seems that they have their stuff together pretty good now with stuff like the EP. I understand about the cost of the ep we paid the same. I don't think we will see ep in this park again, so what we did was make some notes about things we would do without ep. When we go back next year I am sure it won't be there. If you bought your ep when I did back in May you will see that the Aquacoaster was not included. They changed this the week I was there. The aquacoaster is now on the express pass but the three body slides in the volcano were not. Just check when you get them put on which rides are not included. Enjoy! Let us know how it goes


----------



## 123SA

Another random question.  I'm trying to set up a plan for if we get separated in the park.   Do the tapu bands have the actual time?  Could tell the kids, if we get separated, keep sliding, but at 10:30, meet me here?


----------



## bayportkat

Are towels available at VB or should we bring them from home? Or from the hotel pool?  Just curious what others are doing. We are staying at cabana bay


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> Another random question.  I'm trying to set up a plan for if we get separated in the park.   Do the tapu bands have the actual time?  Could tell the kids, if we get separated, keep sliding, but at 10:30, meet me here?



Hi the tapu tapu does not show the time. There have been many guests complaining that they should and I agree. There are minimal clocks around the park. We had to keep asking someone the time. I hope the kids don't mind asking people.


----------



## bobbie68

bayportkat said:


> Are towels available at VB or should we bring them from home? Or from the hotel pool?  Just curious what others are doing. We are staying at cabana bay



Hi you can rent towels for $5.00 for the day. They are very nice towels we did rent them one day. The other day we had a cabana so we had towels with that. It is up to you if you want to take  the towels from the pool but of course that is frowned upon and not suppose to be done. Have fun!


----------



## perditax

HMANSION LOVER said:


> We are planning to go to Volcano Bay in November. That being said, I have been reading reviews on the internet, not here, and they are pretty much 80% horrible. Incredible crowding to the point that by 9:00 - 9:30 A.M. they are not allowing people into the park. Wait times of 200 to 300 minutes. Basically getting on 2 maybe 3 rides in a seven hour day! People getting so disgusted they are just giving up and leaving early. Now I know that when it comes to reviews there are always more people willing to post their bad experiences than those who have had a wonderful time but, I am talking about a huge number of bad reviews. I am hoping my friends here on the Dis can shed some light. I can always count on level headed responses from you guys.



I've been off the forums since spring and came back expecting to see a lot of VB talk since there was a lot of hype before it opened. When it seemed dead here (except for this thread) I went out to TripAdvisor and saw all the terrible reviews. Sounds pretty miserable so far (possibly a victim of its own success/not enough crowd capacity). Won't be bothering next month, but curious to see if they can work out the kinks.


----------



## 123SA

I plan to arrive for early entry.  We'll get done what we can before regular park opening.   

What time can I use the tapu to tap a ride?  AT regular park opening?   And, since I will not be riding, can I just take my kids' bands and  tap for them while  they are riding something else?   Is it like the old Disney Fast pass where you have to go to the ride itself to tap?  Is everyone required to have a band on at all times?


----------



## cancun1991

Are you allowed to wear lanyards on the slides and water coaster?

I was also reading in earlier posts that it is easy to lose your taputapu.  Is it still a problem?  How do you keep them on if it is still a problem?


----------



## sweetpee_1993

perditax said:


> I've been off the forums since spring and came back expecting to see a lot of VB talk since there was a lot of hype before it opened. When it seemed dead here (except for this thread) I went out to TripAdvisor and saw all the terrible reviews. Sounds pretty miserable so far (possibly a victim of its own success/not enough crowd capacity). Won't be bothering next month, but curious to see if they can work out the kinks.


We are going for a day in September.  I'm not terribly nervous about it in spite of all the bad reviews.  Most people don't research & plan the way I do.  Lots of research, realistic expectations, and a good plan of attack.  I think we'll enjoy it!


----------



## yaya74

cancun1991 said:


> Are you allowed to wear lanyards on the slides and water coaster?
> 
> I was also reading in earlier posts that it is easy to lose your taputapu.  Is it still a problem?  How do you keep them on if it is still a problem?



I wore a cellphone waterproof pouch with a lanyard to the four family slides and was not a problem. I didn't go on the water coaster though. 
Yes, TapuTapu falls off easily. I used a small rubber band (those used to tie hair) and it helped.. Just put the rubber band on one side of the band and then slide the other band through the rubberband..


----------



## yaya74

123SA said:


> I plan to arrive for early entry.  We'll get done what we can before regular park opening.
> 
> What time can I use the tapu to tap a ride?  AT regular park opening?   And, since I will not be riding, can I just take my kids' bands and  tap for them while  they are riding something else?   Is it like the old Disney Fast pass where you have to go to the ride itself to tap?  Is everyone required to have a band on at all times?



you will get the band at the entrance. your ticket will be scanned and you will be assigned with a taputapu. you can use the taputapu whenever you want to.  If you reserve a spot with a taputapu, you will use that same taputapu when you return to claim your spot. As long as you have the taputapu at the checkin point for the ride, it is up to you if you want to wear the taputapu band or not.  I was wearing my son's taputapu most of the time because he tends to loose it.


----------



## yaya74

perditax said:


> I've been off the forums since spring and came back expecting to see a lot of VB talk since there was a lot of hype before it opened. When it seemed dead here (except for this thread) I went out to TripAdvisor and saw all the terrible reviews. Sounds pretty miserable so far (possibly a victim of its own success/not enough crowd capacity). Won't be bothering next month, but curious to see if they can work out the kinks.



the park itself is really beautiful. I like the theme better than the two waterparks at WDW. without the crazy mob, I am sure everyone will have a good time at VB. if you go in the late afternoon/evening when the crowd is less, especially during the week or after a storm, I am sure you will have a good time. That's what my family did. The morning crowd was just too much for us.


----------



## dreamerkath

perditax said:


> I've been off the forums since spring and came back expecting to see a lot of VB talk since there was a lot of hype before it opened. When it seemed dead here (except for this thread) I went out to TripAdvisor and saw all the terrible reviews. Sounds pretty miserable so far (possibly a victim of its own success/not enough crowd capacity). Won't be bothering next month, but curious to see if they can work out the kinks.



Same here. I am super excited about this waterpark and was absolutely planning on spending a day here on our upcoming September trip. However, with the menu changes and the problems the park is still experiencing, we've decided to wait it out and try it next year instead. Our trip was already pretty packed, and we have the waterpark option with our Disney tickets. We'll give VB time to work through all the kinks and have an altogether more enjoyable time next year, I'm sure.


----------



## cancun1991

yaya74 said:


> I wore a cellphone waterproof pouch with a lanyard to the four family slides and was not a problem. I didn't go on the water coaster though.
> Yes, TapuTapu falls off easily. I used a small rubber band (those used to tie hair) and it helped.. Just put the rubber band on one side of the band and then slide the other band through the rubberband..


Thanks!!  

Does anyone know if lanyards are allowed on the water coaster Krakatau? Or anywhere lanyards won't be allowed?


----------



## skifast22

Has anyone gone solo recently?  How is it getting on the slides that seat you in a large raft or on the water coaster that seats 4?  Any problems?  Do the lifeguards help pair you up with other people? I'm on the fence about going next month as i will be there solo, may swap that day for a side trip to busch gardens instead


----------



## NOSaintsFan09

Back to school starts tomorrow in Florida and throughout a lot of the U.S. so it will be interesting to see the reports on the crowds the next few weeks. They may begin diminishing a bit.


----------



## sweetpee_1993

NOSaintsFan09 said:


> Back to school starts tomorrow in Florida and throughout a lot of the U.S. so it will be interesting to see the reports on the crowds the next few weeks. They may begin diminishing a bit.


YES!  I'm anxious to hear how things pan out overall as the busy summer season draws to a close.  It'll be interesting to see how wait times, etc. evolve with the first fall season for VB.


----------



## georgina

skifast22 said:


> Has anyone gone solo recently?  How is it getting on the slides that seat you in a large raft or on the water coaster that seats 4?  Any problems?  Do the lifeguards help pair you up with other people? I'm on the fence about going next month as i will be there solo, may swap that day for a side trip to busch gardens instead



I went solo yesterday. No problems at all getting on the raft rides. It went very well, I met some nice people. They not only combine solos, sometimes groups of 2 were combined together also. I had a great time, including the hour and a half I spent in the Boathouse bar during a rain delay!

I got a lot done during the hour and a half early entry. Krakatau wasn't running at first, so I rode Honu and Ike Moana, then Krakatau twice. Then I hit the Punga racers (hit my head on the side of the tube, won't do that ride again.) by this time it was past 9 so I used my express pass on Ohno and Ohyah, which did have return times listed, then went to Maku and Puihi which were both ride now. A couple of trips around the fearless river and took a food break.

Krakatau wait was up to 3 hours yesterday before they stopped everything about 1:30 for weather. Things started up again around 3:00 and crowds stayed pretty heavy until after 5, I think the wait was 2 hours at that point but many were shorter. Honu seemed to have a longish wait all day too. Taniwha Tubes were ride now all day I think. I did all 4 of them in about an hour. The wait for Kala & Tai Nui drop slides said 50 minutes when I tapped in, but it buzzed in about 30. Still waited pretty long after I got in line

Just remembered one other thing - when I got there at 7:30 Sunday the locker system was down, so the attendant was giving us free lockers. Mine was at the River Village. I did not go back until I was leaving and she had to unlock it for me. I had taken my phone and credit card with me which I ended up not needing at all because I had scanned my ticket into the universal app and set up payment ahead of time (I did need my paper tickets but that was it)


----------



## flav

I have 2 days, 2 parks UO tickets and will be staying at RPR for 4 nights.

I was thinking of upgrading my tickets to 4 days, 2 parks which I think should cost about 30$ each.

From reading the tickets prices, I am calculating that for about the same price (30$), I could upgrade to 2 days, 3 parks tickets.

Am I correct, price wise?

And if so, I would have access to VB the same days at USO and IoA, unlike the Disney waterparks?

And finally, which of the two options would you recommend for a first time visit at UO?


----------



## macraven

_You can upgrade your tickets to the 2 parks or 3 parks 

And you can do the parks on the same day

I stayed with the 2 parks when I renewed my preferred ap

Hopefully others can help you with your decision making for costs if you go with an upgrade to the 3 park pass  

I stay busy with just both parks and city walk and use hotel pools
If I want to try out Vbay, I will buy a single day ticket

I go most times solo and a water park for me would be more enjoyable going with others

Came back to add since this is your first visit to the darkside, the parks, city walk and the hotel pools might take up most of your time 

Maybe if you do an upgrade from tickets to ap for the 2 park ap, you could upgrade from 2 park to 3 park while there

Check it out if that is possible before you upgrade 

Email guest services for their present policy
_


----------



## GoldmanTrust

bobbie68 said:


> Hi everyone I just got home  . We had an amazing time I will put a trip review on the other thread later this week. I just wanted to do a quick VB update. We went back on 8-1 and had a cabana in the wave village. We were located on cabana row as it is dubbed. This is the line on the I-4 highway strip. We had a single and I have to say at first I was nervous about the location but honestly, after a bit you tune the cars out. Also, there is a ceiling fan and music so you can put it on and I didn't hear any noise. We were in cabana #22 and I have to say that it was the best one there. We were on a walking path along with 2 other cabanas. This was great because the other ones had sand up to their entrance and people would park the chairs in front of their cabana. The walkway deterred people from doing it to mine. The cabana was very nice and everything worked. We had a great hostess who came by all the time. We ordered one meal off the cabana menu because we had some quick service dining but was not able to use it with the plan. I am not sure if you can use the full service or not. The cabana menu had some of the items  that were taking out of the restaurants. I would rent a cabana again but would hope the price would be a little cheaper.
> 
> We had EP and EE so it did make a difference in how much we did. However, we were walking through a plan if we didn't have EP and it would be doable. We are going back next year and I am sure they will not have EP. We did stay at CBBR and it was nice to go to VB from there.
> 
> The comments on the lazy and fearless river are true about the crowds and fighting for a tube. However, both days a guard came on duty and kept organization and it was so nice. The rides are great even if they are short. We had  the photo pass and there were some selfie stations there. I would like to see more of those around the parks. Our tapu tapu came lose and would have fallen off but my husband tied it with shoe laces so we didn't lose it. I can't wait for the new ones to come. They will be more secure. We stayed at VB from open to close and had an awesome time.
> 
> We arrived both days at 7:15 and there was a line but it moved quickly. We found all the employees very helpful and enjoying their job.
> 
> We used the free-style machines and that came in very handy.
> 
> Any questions please ask



How much did u pay for the Cabana? Is there any way to know the price of it in September/October?


----------



## bobbie68

hi we paid $399.00 for a single. I think I remember someone booking the early fall and it was around the same as mine. The only way is if you call the week before since things change so often.


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## zbsigpi

Looking for a map or layout of premium seating.  any 1 place better than the next?  from what i have been able to tell they are along the back/sides of seating areas.


----------



## flav

flav said:


> I have 2 days, 2 parks UO tickets and will be staying at RPR for 4 nights.
> 
> I was thinking of upgrading my tickets to 4 days, 2 parks which I think should cost about 30$ each.
> 
> From reading the tickets prices, I am calculating that for about the same price (30$), I could upgrade to 2 days, 3 parks tickets.
> 
> Am I correct, price wise?
> 
> And if so, I would have access to VB the same days at USO and IoA, unlike the Disney waterparks?
> 
> And finally, which of the two options would you recommend for a first time visit at UO?


Happy to report the following:
I upgraded my 2 days, 2 parks tickets today at RPR. It was 30$ for 4 days, 2 parks or 40$ for 4 days, 3 parks... So Volcano Bay, here we come!

Edit: That is because the current promotion is add Volcano Bay to a 2 days, 2 parks ticket (40$) and they give 2 days free... Had I wanted to go to 5 days, it would have been another story...


----------



## macraven

_Thanks for sharing !_


----------



## georgina

flav said:


> Happy to report the following:
> I upgraded my 2 days, 2 parks tickets today at RPR. It was 30$ for 4 days, 2 parks or 40$ for 4 days, 3 parks... So Volcano Bay, here we come!



Have fun! Before I went I was thinking I would not renew my seasonal 2 park AP which expires in Sept. But I had enough fun at Volcano Bay and the 3 park renewal rates aren't bad, I think I'm going for the 3 park preferred pass!


----------



## 123SA

Leaving in a few hours for week long trip. Spent the day with son at doctor. He has broken foot. Boot crutches. And wheelchair to minimize walking. 

He can't do anything at volcano bay. Such a disappointment but my other kids will still go

Will I be able to wheel him around volcano bay or is it too much sand?


----------



## macraven

In so sorry to read your son's foot was broken!

Why do these things happen to our families right before a trip?

He probably would be safer in a wc than use crutches if you have to walk on the sand

But pushing a person in a wc in the sand will not be an easy thing to do

Hope others see your question and give you a better answer than I did

I have not been to Vbay yet but have read many reports about it

Most say the sand is hot when walking barefooted 
Not sure how many walkways it has that are away from the sandy paths

Hugs and hope the vacation goes good for your family


----------



## flav

123SA said:


> Leaving in a few hours for week long trip. Spent the day with son at doctor. He has broken foot. Boot crutches. And wheelchair to minimize walking.
> 
> He can't do anything at volcano bay. Such a disappointment but my other kids will still go
> 
> Will I be able to wheel him around volcano bay or is it too much sand?


At Volcano Bay as I write. The paths are concrete. Little spray to cool them down so make sure that this is ok with the wc and cast. The lounge chairs are in deep sand so those area are better be avoided with the wc, ok with crutches. You'll be able to stroll him around. Good luck!


----------



## JNL Travel

We are planning to visit VB in the late afternoon after IOA.  Is it possible for us to walk from IOA to VB? Or do we have to walk all the way back to the parking for bussing?


----------



## macraven

_you can walk to one of the hotels and take the bus to Vbay 
oniste hotels have busses that go to Vbay.

the one at RPR does a pick up stop at Sfalls before going to Vbay.

you can use the water taxis to the hotels or walk to one of them_


----------



## JNL Travel

macraven said:


> _you can walk to one of the hotels and take the bus to Vbay
> oniste hotels have busses that go to Vbay.
> 
> the one at RPR does a pick up stop at Sfalls before going to Vbay.
> 
> you can use the water taxis to the hotels or walk to one of them_



Thanks for the tips.  I didn't think of using the hotel busing as I thought that is only for resort guests.  That will probably samr us a lot of time.


----------



## JNL Travel

flav said:


> Happy to report the following:
> I upgraded my 2 days, 2 parks tickets today at RPR. It was 30$ for 4 days, 2 parks or 40$ for 4 days, 3 parks... So Volcano Bay, here we come!



flav, we are planning to do the exact same upgrade this weekend.  But we are also considering upgrading the 4-day 3-park ticket to 2-park seasonal pass after visiting VB.   Not sure if USF will allow ticket upgrade twice in a rose and "downgrading" from 3-park to 2-park.  Anyone on DIS has experience?


----------



## alisonslp

We have a trip planned for Sept 10-15 - Disney but we planned to visit VB one day. After reading all the trouble folks are having with the wait times and all, I am wondering if it is worth it. Hubby seems to think it will be ok b/c school is in session so crowd size will be lower. I am not as optimistic. I would be perfectly content in the lazy river and wave pool all day but if I am paying that much a ticket (one day, VB only), I want my teen kids to be able to ride most of the slides (multiple times). What do you all think for crowds in Sept? I know it just opened and most states are still on summer vacation, so I may not be able to get a reliable answer yet, but figured I would ask.


----------



## macraven

_never had heard of downsizing except when it is renewal time._
_ive always had the 2 park preferred a_
_
when my email arrived with the options for renewal, i did not go with the 3 park pass but stayed with the 2 park original.


maybe now after this year is over where renewals are done, maybe peeps can downgrade at their next year renewal time._


----------



## flav

JNL Travel said:


> flav, we are planning to do the exact same upgrade this weekend.  But we are also considering upgrading the 4-day 3-park ticket to 2-park seasonal pass after visiting VB.   Not sure if USF will allow ticket upgrade twice in a rose and "downgrading" from 3-park to 2-park.  Anyone on DIS has experience?


I have asked to the counter about adding a 5th day... They explained the following:

The current promotion is add Volcano Bay to a 2 days, 2 parks ticket (40$) and they give 2 days free... You can always upgrade to something else as long as the ticket is valid. They basically do "value of what you want - value of what you paid for". As for downgrading, I'd be surprised if that worked, you could ask them once at the counter.


----------



## tink1957

I think an an annual pass would be considered as an upgrade but sometimes the promo tickets aren't eligible for the upgrade.


----------



## Raeven

I have a couple questions about the reserved seating. We reserved a pair of loungers for our day, and I was wondering where do we go to "check in" for the seats? I was also wondering if we both have to go or if I could just check in while my boyfriend goes on some of the slides? 

And finally if the loungers are no longer reserved/not reserved for the day are other people allowed to use them? We have them for the full day, but won't be there till close. I would happily point another couple or family to our chairs to use them after we left unless there's some kind of rule about using the loungers without reservations.


----------



## georgina

alisonslp said:


> We have a trip planned for Sept 10-15 - Disney but we planned to visit VB one day. After reading all the trouble folks are having with the wait times and all, I am wondering if it is worth it. Hubby seems to think it will be ok b/c school is in session so crowd size will be lower. I am not as optimistic. I would be perfectly content in the lazy river and wave pool all day but if I am paying that much a ticket (one day, VB only), I want my teen kids to be able to ride most of the slides (multiple times). What do you all think for crowds in Sept? I know it just opened and most states are still on summer vacation, so I may not be able to get a reliable answer yet, but figured I would ask.



Honestly, I think they may be able to rides all the slides if they plan it out correctly, but multiple times will be an issue. The park hours are 9-6 that week. Crowds will certainly be lower, but hard to predict how much. Look up what slides have the longest waits and have a plan. If you get there at park opening, get in the virtual queue for Krakatau, go on Honu and Ike Moana if possible, and then some of the other ride nows while waiting. Of course the weather may factor in as well, there can still be afternoon storms in Sept which shut everything down.


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## disneyjr77

Random question...Are the only towels they sell at VB the blue and green one and the one with the bamboo VB on it? I would love one with the pic that's on the glasses, but don't see it in any of the youtube walkthroughs of the gift shops.

Also, do they sell VB stuff in the Cabana Bay gift shop? I want to get the plastic waterproof case for DD's glasses, but wanted it before we got there.


----------



## RalphinSC

disneyjr77 said:


> Random question...Are the only towels they sell at VB the blue and green one and the one with the bamboo VB on it? I would love one with the pic that's on the glasses, but don't see it in any of the youtube walkthroughs of the gift shops.
> 
> Also, do they sell VB stuff in the Cabana Bay gift shop? I want to get the plastic waterproof case for DD's glasses, but wanted it before we got there.



They sell some Volcano Bay merch in a lot of different resort gift shops, Cabana Bay included. Not sure if the waterproof case is among the items for sale at Cabana Bay. From my resort walkthroughs and stay in June, it was limited items and every resort had a slightly different mix of merchandise.


----------



## disneyjr77

RalphinSC said:


> They sell some Volcano Bay merch in a lot of different resort gift shops, Cabana Bay included. Not sure if the waterproof case is among the items for sale at Cabana Bay. From my resort walkthroughs and stay in June, it was limited items and every resort had a slightly different mix of merchandise.



Oh ok, at least they have some...if not, then i'll just get it the day we go.


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## NOSaintsFan09

I went today. Got there around 9:30am and I think crowd was great. Longest wait we had was the Ko'okiri Body Plunge at 135 minutes when we tapped but ended up being 60 minutes before we got the ride now option. Once on the ride we waited about 30 mins to drop so 90 minute wait overall. 

Every other ride (except the roller coster which was a 70 minute wait) we waited no more than 35 minutes or less. 

I think the crowds just may be starting to dwindle now that peak summer is over. Still a large crowd but was no where near as bad as the reviews had me bracing myself for. By 4pm, we had did every ride but the Ko'okiri and the OhYah/OhNo ride. By 6pm-6:30 crowd was pretty much all gone with lots of the rides ride now including Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides. I had an amazing time.


----------



## JNL Travel

JNL Travel said:


> flav, we are planning to do the exact same upgrade this weekend.  But we are also considering upgrading the 4-day 3-park ticket to 2-park seasonal pass after visiting VB.   Not sure if USF will allow ticket upgrade twice in a rose and "downgrading" from 3-park to 2-park.  Anyone on DIS has experience?



I would like to report back that we have successfully upgraded our 2-day 2-park tickets to Volcano Bay promo 4-day 4-park tickets and then downgraded to 2-park seasonal pass with no extra cost to us.  Yes, this means we have only paid for the 2-day 2-park tickets but ended up going to VB for 3 days and then receiving the 2-park seasonal passes without paying a penny.  The guest service (especially John at the VB) at Universal is amazing!


----------



## disneyjr77

We originally planned to do VB this Sunday, since it was the last day of the 7:30 EPA...but now i'm second guessing myself.  I wonder if it will be less crowds during the week and if we should go on monday? What do you guys think?


----------



## ReneeA

disneyjr77 said:


> We originally planned to do VB this Sunday, since it was the last day of the 7:30 EPA...but now i'm second guessing myself.  I wonder if it will be less crowds during the week and if we should go on monday? What do you guys think?



We went yesterday (Monday) and it was still fairly busy...even though we were in the park by 7:45. We've been told by several workers here that Tues or Wed are the best bet since they are the slow days. We're hoping to have better luck tomorrow since many of the slides were down while we were there...we gave up after 4.5 hours and decided to try another day.


----------



## Music City Mama

Raeven said:


> I have a couple questions about the reserved seating. We reserved a pair of loungers for our day, and I was wondering where do we go to "check in" for the seats? I was also wondering if we both have to go or if I could just check in while my boyfriend goes on some of the slides?
> 
> And finally if the loungers are no longer reserved/not reserved for the day are other people allowed to use them? We have them for the full day, but won't be there till close. I would happily point another couple or family to our chairs to use them after we left unless there's some kind of rule about using the loungers without reservations.



There is a concierge hut shortly after you go through the turnstiles. Just follow the crowd and you really can't miss it (someone can easily direct you). Just FYI, but when we were there in July, another poster who was there right before our trip had said that they were sent back to guest services at the front of the park (near the turnstiles) to get "tickets" for their reserved seating and then go back to the concierge hut. Knowing that info, I printed our tickets ahead of time from the self-service kiosk at HRH. Your boyfriend doesn't need to be with you to check in.

I can't say whether anyone using the loungers who didn't pay for them will be kicked out of them or not (probably depends how busy they are), but I feel pretty confident that they wouldn't be waited on/receive any type of service -- they know who is supposed to be there. If I had to guess, I think they'd probably ask them to leave.


----------



## TheMillenniumRider

I was there yesterday (Monday). I got to the park around 745 or so. Grabbed loungers and hit the slides. Rode every slide in the park, and a couple rerides for some. Visited both rivers, wave pool, and some of the smaller pools, ate a few times, and was done around 530. Not sure what the crowd level was, or if the park was capped. But we had no issues with huge delays, closures, etc. Krakatau was down in the am as well, still managed just fine.


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## scoopmorgan

"if you go in the late afternoon/evening when the crowd is less, especially during the week or after a storm, I am sure you will have a good time." We are staying off site (boo-hoo) and the younger set will be attending HHN every night. This could be nice for me to go solo. My question is, if I made my way to a hotel could I catch a courtesy shuttle to VB, then take an Uber back to our hotel? Do the shuttles need to see a room key?


----------



## GrnMtnMan

scoopmorgan said:


> Do the shuttles need to see a room key?


When I took a shuttle at 7 AM two Friday's ago from the Hard Rock Hotel, they did not check for room keys. The situation could be different the the park is close to capacity, as the concierge explained that there are phased closures for capacity, with hotel guests able to get in in all but the nobody-at-all admitted phase.


----------



## Joceyposse

I know you're not allowed to have loose articles on slides, but I wear prescription glasses/sunglasses and need them to see. Just wondering if they'll let me hold them in my hands on Ko'Okiri body plunge or the other trap door slides? I would hate to walk up all those stairs only to be told I can't bring them on, but I also really need them to see and wouldn't want to miss out on those wonderful views at the top of the volcano, so I don't want to leave them behind. Anyone successful in wearing/holding glasses on the trap door style slides?


----------



## TheMillenniumRider

Yes, just hold them, you can wear them on everything else besides the trapdoor slides.


----------



## saskdw

Hoping for low crowds 2nd week of December. Hopefully only us crazy Canadians want to swim then!


----------



## scoopmorgan

We are staying off site, and want to visit VB on Saturday, Sept. 23. We'll most likely take an Uber. What time do we need to arrive? It opens at 9 am, so I was thinking 8 am? Is that too early? To late? I am going to be rousing sleepy heads after HHN the night before. Would it be safe to show up later in morning? It says crowd epectancy is slow, but I keep hearing VB is sold out at capacity almost daily. Is that because it is still summer?


----------



## Joceyposse

TheMillenniumRider said:


> Yes, just hold them, you can wear them on everything else besides the trapdoor slides.


 I assume you mean I can wear them on everything else in addition to the trap door slides? I figured the less intense slides would be fine. Just didn't know if they were being strict with the plunges! Thanks!


----------



## JCfan

NOSaintsFan09 said:


> I went today. Got there around 9:30am and I think crowd was great. Longest wait we had was the Ko'okiri Body Plunge at 135 minutes when we tapped but ended up being 60 minutes before we got the ride now option. Once on the ride we waited about 30 mins to drop so 90 minute wait overall.
> 
> Every other ride (except the roller coster which was a 70 minute wait) we waited no more than 35 minutes or less.
> 
> I think the crowds just may be starting to dwindle now that peak summer is over. Still a large crowd but was no where near as bad as the reviews had me bracing myself for. By 4pm, we had did every ride but the Ko'okiri and the OhYah/OhNo ride. By 6pm-6:30 crowd was pretty much all gone with lots of the rides ride now including Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides. I had an amazing time.


----------



## JCfan

Hi All - First time at VB on Sunday afternoon.  We also went this afternoon (Monday).  Overall, the park exceeded our expectations in pretty much every way.  Crowds were very low.  Can't say they will stay that way but that was what we saw.  Because we're from the west coast, the early morning approach was going to be a no-go for us.  So, we tried the park in reverse.  Playing at the other parks in the morning and heading to VB at about 2pm.  Worked great for us.  Over the course of the two days, we road nearly all the rides and had time for fun in the lazy rivers, etc.  The biggest thing I didn't expect is how huge the park is...  There's just tons to do.  We're actually going a third day tomorrow (!).  Can't wait.    Just thought I'd post a little since I was just here today but will try to remember to write more about our experience when we return.  BTW:  the service across the board at Universal has been stellar (!!).  Very impressive.


----------



## ExCMbeau

When we went we did a video on the kids play area. I thought I would add it to this thread. Runamukka Reef was awesome.


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## ultimatefans

I had a very difficult time finding pictures of the large family cabana (up to 16 people) before our trip, so I wanted to post some here.  There are only two in the park, and they are both in the perfect location, right in the middle of the park.  We had a large group and for us it was worth every penny!  We *really* loved being able to reserve ride times right from the cabana, that was a huge perk.  They will also provide more towels upon request as it is only stocked with 8 initially.  Also, for organizers like me, I brought address labels with everyone's name so that we could keep track of water bottles in the fridge.  We absolutely loved Volcano Bay!


----------



## alisonslp

ultimatefans said:


> I had a very difficult time finding pictures of the large family cabana (up to 16 people) before our trip, so I wanted to post some here.  There are only two in the park, and they are both in the perfect location, right in the middle of the park.  We had a large group and for us it was worth every penny!  We *really* loved being able to reserve ride times right from the cabana, that was a huge perk.  They will also provide more towels upon request as it is only stocked with 8 initially.  Also, for organizers like me, I brought address labels with everyone's name so that we could keep track of water bottles in the fridge.  We absolutely loved Volcano Bay!
> View attachment 265680 View attachment 265681 View attachment 265682 View attachment 265683


do you reserve these in advance? Can it be done online? We would only want the smaller cabanas - 5 people - but I like the idea of a "home base" with a fridge, shade, towels, and an assistant for the ride times and food.


----------



## ultimatefans

alisonslp said:


> do you reserve these in advance? Can it be done online? We would only want the smaller cabanas - 5 people - but I like the idea of a "home base" with a fridge, shade, towels, and an assistant for the ride times and food.


They had temporarily removed the ability to book in advance, but the website says they are now booking through 9/30.  You can call (877) 489-8068 to inquire about booking.  Good luck!


----------



## TheConsciousness

Any news on menu items returning?


----------



## zbsigpi

Headed there this weekend how has attendance been?  Hoping not to have to be there at 8am. Trying to relax a little.


----------



## Chuckers

I really want to try this park on my trip, but I am a solo traveler. I am concerned that I won't be able to ride what appears to be multi-person rides.


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## tink1957

Chuckers said:


> I really want to try this park on my trip, but I am a solo traveler. I am concerned that I won't be able to ride what appears to be multi-person rides.


You can go with us if you like, but I think they will put you in a raft with others if needed.


----------



## Chuckers

tink1957 said:


> You can go with us if you like, but I think they will put you in a raft with others if needed.



What Day would you be thinking of going? I only have Monday, Thursday, and Friday available. I don't think I want to hit VB on Saturday.


----------



## soniam

Chuckers said:


> I really want to try this park on my trip, but I am a solo traveler. I am concerned that I won't be able to ride what appears to be multi-person rides.





tink1957 said:


> You can go with us if you like, but I think they will put you in a raft with others if needed.



I rode one of the big raft rides by myself. They put me with other people. In fact, I got to cut by a decent number of people because they were asking for parties of 1


----------



## Chuckers

soniam said:


> I rode one of the big raft rides by myself. They put me with other people. In fact, I got to cut by a decent number of people because they were asking for parties of 1



Sweet!


----------



## tink1957

Chuckers said:


> What Day would you be thinking of going? I only have Monday, Thursday, and Friday available. I don't think I want to hit VB on Saturday.


Probably Thursday, I have an ap and we arrive on Tuesday.  Friday is HHN opening night so Thursday would work best.


----------



## Chuckers

tink1957 said:


> Probably Thursday, I have an ap and we arrive on Tuesday.  Friday is HHN opening night so Thursday would work best.



Cool! Sent you an PM


----------



## Lesley Wake

tink1957 said:


> You can go with us if you like, but I think they will put you in a raft with others if needed.





Chuckers said:


> Sweet!





Chuckers said:


> Cool! Sent you an PM



Is it weird I think this is adorable! A Uni-meet on the Disney boards!


----------



## macraven

_It is not weird at all

The Disboards have many forums 

..........UO has four forums on the Dis


Orlando has a lot to offer 
vacationers and the Dis includes sections that gives readers a place to discuss it


It is a great way to connect with others and do meet/greets 

I've been fortunate to meet other posters and be able to put a name with a face 

Have been able to make great friendships over the years because of the boards here!_


----------



## connab

I have a couple questions.  Can we use our room key to make charges like we can at IOA and Universal Studios? And can we bring in a bag like we do at the IOA and Universal Studios with drinks?


----------



## DisneyToni

connab said:


> I have a couple questions.  Can we use our room key to make charges like we can at IOA and Universal Studios? And can we bring in a bag like we do at the IOA and Universal Studios with drinks?



Not sure about using the room key, but you can definitely bring in a bag with drinks and snacks.  Like the parks though, no glass bottles and you cannot over do it.  You could set up your Tapu Tapu to charge to a credit card by downloading the Universal app and (1) Add your park tickets to the Wallet feature and (2) Add a credit card and assign a pin to be used for purchases.

Having those park tickets in the wallet feature also saved me, when I had somehow forgot one of the tickets back in the hotel room, I was able to pull up the ticket on the App and they just scanned the ticket from there.


----------



## cemeb4dk

Question, I am sorry if this was covered, but I did skim thru some pages and didn't see anything.

Is there a place in the park, where one could shower and get cleaned up after a day at Volcano Bay?  The reason I ask, is we are staying over at Disney and I was thinking of doing Volcano Bay before heading over to Universal for HHN.  It's not me I am worried about but more my wife, as I am sure she would want to wash up etc after a day in the sun and waterpark. Just trying to avoid back and forth with Uber.  Thanks


----------



## soniam

cemeb4dk said:


> Question, I am sorry if this was covered, but I did skim thru some pages and didn't see anything.
> 
> Is there a place in the park, where one could shower and get cleaned up after a day at Volcano Bay?  The reason I ask, is we are staying over at Disney and I was thinking of doing Volcano Bay before heading over to Universal for HHN.  It's not me I am worried about but more my wife, as I am sure she would want to wash up etc after a day in the sun and waterpark. Just trying to avoid back and forth with Uber.  Thanks



All of the restrooms seem to have showers. At least all of the bathrooms that I used, particularly the ones with lockers.


----------



## schumigirl

soniam said:


> All of the restrooms seem to have showers. At least all of the bathrooms that I used, particularly the ones with lockers.



Soniam, just wanted to thank you for all the helpful information you post on this thread. 

Your knowledge and advice has really been invaluable, especially as most of us haven't been there yet. 

It's very much appreciated


----------



## soniam

schumigirl said:


> Soniam, just wanted to thank you for all the helpful information you post on this thread.
> 
> Your knowledge and advice has really been invaluable, especially as most of us haven't been there yet.
> 
> It's very much appreciated



Glad I could be of help. Things change so fast there though. I know from our opening weekend trip to our visit on July 28th, that things had changed and actually improved. Thanks to all of you, especially you and @macraven, for providing info and keeping this forum organized.


----------



## cemeb4dk

soniam said:


> All of the restrooms seem to have showers. At least all of the bathrooms that I used, particularly the ones with lockers.



Thank you, one last question.  Now with me being a man, and having no knowledge of this, so forgive me.  LOL.  The shower locker combo, is there a place to use a hair dryer etc,  and to do the normal womanly after shower things.  Or would this be out of the norm?  I just know these will be the questions my wife will ask me.  Thanks again...


----------



## soniam

cemeb4dk said:


> Thank you, one last question.  Now with me being a man, and having no knowledge of this, so forgive me.  LOL.  The shower locker combo, is there a place to use a hair dryer etc,  and to do the normal womanly after shower things.  Or would this be out of the norm?  I just know these will be the questions my wife will ask me.  Thanks again...



They don't provide hair dryers. I don't remember if there were electrical outlets or not. It seems very possible. They do have hand dryers, and I saw some people "trying" to use those to dry their hair.


----------



## DisneyToni

Also want to add my thanks to Soniam for this thread.  Without all the information that I gathered in this thread, I would have come into the park unprepared and not had the great experience that we were able to have.

Visited on Tuesday, August 29th.  Arrived at 7:40am for Early Hours for Universal Hotel guest and the line was already about 20 deep at the turnstiles. Around 7:50am, they started letting people in.

Between 8:00am - 10:00am, we rode every slide in the park except for Ko'okiri (the body plunge from the front of the Volcano).  I followed the order that was suggested a few pages back.  Crowd seemed to be pretty low and everything stayed Ride Now for the 1st hour.  But Oh'No and Oh'Yah around 9am, changed to 20 - 30 minute waits.  At 10:30 am, we slowed our pace and had an early lunch since we could walk up and order, then tapped in for a 30 minute wait for another turn on Krakatau Aqua Coaster while we braved the float on the turbulent river.

My DD lost her Tapu Tapu on the turbulent river (I cannot recommend enough the Fastener Rings for the bands, from Amazon, we also used these for our Disney Magic bands ). Here is the link to the set we purchased: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OMUF202/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_O40QzbKBFVBG3

The reason, I think my DD still lost her Tapu Tapu, was that we were rushing and hadn't secured it good enough on her wrist even with the band and that river was really turbulent.  But we walked over to a concierge booth in the back of the park and since I had linked her ticket with my ticket, when I added a credit card on the Universal Wallet, I just had to tap and they were able to locate her information and issue a new band (no walking back to a locker to retrieve her ticket).

By 12pm, we had rode everything (except the big plunge) and had re-done some of our favorites.  By now the park was getting significantly more crowded and all the slides had wait times except for the 4 - tube slide in the back of the park with float for 2-riders (not remembering the name of it).  So we left the park.

One of the things that I was prepared for based on early feedback was lack of signs/maps to tell you where to go, but that seems to have been  corrected.  I found a lot of signage directing you to the various slides and well placed map stations throughout the park.  When we were lost and asked a team member, everyone gave good directions.

We came back on Thursday, the 31st.  Got there at 8:10am and re-did some of our favorites.  Again Oh'yah and Oh'no were the 1st slides that I saw change from Ride Now to having to tap in.  The Aqua Coaster even with Ride Now, was also a bit of wait and quickly changed to having to tap in.   By 9am, the park was more busy than that Tuesday but still not huge waits.  The kids still refused to do the Ko'okiri body plunge but I decided to do it.  It was awesome, though quite the climb to get there.

Hope this mini write up helps!  Again, we had an awesome time there and it wouldn't have happened without the knowledge I got through this thread with a game plan of attack.


----------



## macraven

_You can post the link for the fastner ring 

Anything to help others I'm all good with you helping 

Enjoyed your report !_


----------



## soniam

macraven said:


> _You can post the link for the fastner ring
> 
> Anything to help others I'm all good with you helping
> 
> Enjoyed your report !_



I can't tell you how many of those bands I collected from the not-so-lazy river. My hands actually got too full; I just couldn't hold anymore. I felt really when I was able to return someone's band. The others I had to just give to team members or guest services.


----------



## macraven

_You're a great homie!!

_


----------



## DisneyToni

macraven said:


> _You can post the link for the fastner ring
> 
> Anything to help others I'm all good with you helping
> 
> Enjoyed your report !_


Thanks. I have edited the post to add the amazon link.


----------



## chmurf

soniam said:


> can't tell you how many of those bands I collected from the not-so-lazy river.



We have found that tapu tapu underwater river hunting was a very nice, yet undisclosed, attraction at VB


----------



## JCfan

Hi All - I promised to write more when we returned from Orlando - well here it goes!...   PS:  Wrote a similar review on Trip Adviser so if my review sounds familiar, that's why...  

Volcano Bay Exceeds Expectations – Leapfrogs Competitors’ Parks

We just came back from 12 days in Orlando. Eight days at WDW and four days at Universal – we’re annual pass holders at both and love both experiences very much. The intention of the Universal portion of this trip was to sample Volcano Bay (“VB”) a bit and spend most of our time at the other Universal Parks. We ended up spending way more time in VB than we thought we would. 

In our humble opinions, Volcano Bay is a water park game changer. We think this park significantly leapfrogs the competitors’ parks. It is dramatically more exciting with far more to do than the other parks. There are both thrilling and relaxing options for pretty much everyone. Also, the rides themselves are dramatically longer and better. We loved VB and want to go back – now!  We understand that there is some frustration with the ride lines but we did not experience this and we didn’t have premium seating, express pass, a cabana or any other special treatment. We just were regular folks (although we were staying on-site but we didn't use the early entry option) and had an amazing time at VB! 

We ended up spending a good part of three different days there. As I previously mentioned, with the time change we have from the west coast of the US, early morning was not going to work for us. So, we took the opposite strategy, we entered the parks later in the day and loved using the tapu tapu to help navigate the park. We found that going to VB in the late afternoon worked well for us in managing line times. 

If you are staying on-site at Universal, we would encourage you to purchase tickets to VB and plan on spending at least two part-days at VB. Also, because VB is so much fun, make sure your park planning includes enough time to visit VB even if it means extending your plans at the Universal complex. If we were to go this time of year back to Orlando, we would do an extra day (5 days) at Universal and one less at WDW to make sure we had enough time at VB.

BTW:  During the WDW portion of our trip, we went back to Typhoon Lagoon and had a nice relaxing day but I must say the rides, etc. look a little “tired” after spending time at VB.  Even Miss Adventure Falls is fun but not to the VB standards.  The rides are not as long or exciting and you have to stand in physical lines not virtual lines…  Anyway, one of the folks I was traveling with described it this way – Typhoon Lagoon is an appetizer and Volcano Bay is a meal…  So, you get the idea!... 

Thank you to all for all the good suggestions prior to our trip.


----------



## macraven

_For your report!

Very encouraging for those on the fence of Vbay_


----------



## TheSwex

I'm a little too fat to ride some of the slides, but still looking forward to the park!


----------



## Theme Park Horizons

Kivara said:


> Not sure of current rules, but in Tim Tracker's opening day video, he noted that you had to have a tube and a life jacket for the fast lazy river. (I believe the regular lazy river wasn't running in that video.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He talks about it at 19:30


You don't need a life vest now but you need a tube


----------



## DLRExpert

Volcano Bay was awesome during my visit, September 3-8

Went on the evening of the 8th. The park was emptying out with 4 hours to go. However, we wasted an hour trying to find a locker.

Come to find out that even if there are guests leaving, the lockers will still be sold out because it's considered a full day rental.

I wasn't to happy but lesson learned don't expect a locker if you come to the park late. Complained to Guest services and they held onto my things for a few hours.

Went to the park 2 more days and just took our time and was able to do everything easily.

Only disappointing thing was the lack of original food. I really wanted to try the original menu.

The view from our room. While awesome be ready to be woken up by the sound of drums in the morning.


----------



## TheConsciousness

Anyone having trouble linking their credit card to their account?


----------



## Jennasis

We are heading to VB on our upcoming trip in NOVEMBER (praying at least one of our days is warm enough to do this).  Have a few questions:

1. The slides that have tapu tapu...is there also a standby line or is getting a tap tapu time the ONLY way you are permitted to ride?

2.  What attractions do NOT have tapu tapu (in other words, which things can you do while waiting for your return time)?

3.  When you get a tapped return time, say 40 minutes...when you come back to the ride in 40 minutes and tap in, do you literally walk right on the ride?  Or is there now an additional small wait like FP sometimes has (like 5-10 minutes)?

3.  Tell me November will be warm enough LOL!


----------



## rhettmitter

Going to Royal Pacific next weekend to check out HHN and see Volcano Bay for the first time. A few questions on Volcano Bay...

We'll be going on Sunday and are debating getting a cabana. Do the cabanas still have the full original food menus? Do they have a spot to plug in a charger by any chance? We've been quoted $265 for a cabana. Expensive, especially for two, but if a big part of the day is waiting for the next slide return time, it might be worth it.

Can you still get in line for Krakatau and then get in one other line while you wait? Or is this a thing of the past?

Any recommendations on the slides to hit first? What are the must sees? What get the longest waits?


----------



## dizneedoll

Jennasis said:


> We are heading to VB on our upcoming trip in NOVEMBER (praying at least one of our days is warm enough to do this).  Have a few questions:
> 
> 1. The slides that have tapu tapu...is there also a standby line or is getting a tap tapu time the ONLY way you are permitted to ride?
> 
> 2.  What attractions do NOT have tapu tapu (in other words, which things can you do while waiting for your return time)?
> 
> 3.  When you get a tapped return time, say 40 minutes...when you come back to the ride in 40 minutes and tap in, do you literally walk right on the ride?  Or is there now an additional small wait like FP sometimes has (like 5-10 minutes)?
> 
> 3.  Tell me November will be warm enough LOL!



1) No stand by lines. You have to use Tapu Tapu for the slides
2) Lazy River, Fearless River, Wave Pool,  Runamucka Reef the kids play area do not use Tapu, you can go any time. 
3) you may have a short wait. Also even if you tap in and it says 40 min for example, your wait may be longer or shorter. If the slides goes down for example, then your wait time will be longer than originally stated.
4) well, I'd love to guarantee you warm, sunny weather but November can be unpredictable. We are going in December and last time we had wonderful weather but several years ago when we went same time of year, I'm not kidding, it was in the 30's for a couple of days! So you just never know. But better chance you will have warmer weather than in December.

Have a great trip!


----------



## DisneyPigFan

Jennasis said:


> We are heading to VB on our upcoming trip in NOVEMBER (praying at least one of our days is warm enough to do this).  Have a few questions:
> 
> 1. The slides that have tapu tapu...is there also a standby line or is getting a tap tapu time the ONLY way you are permitted to ride?
> 
> 2.  What attractions do NOT have tapu tapu (in other words, which things can you do while waiting for your return time)?
> 
> 3.  When you get a tapped return time, say 40 minutes...when you come back to the ride in 40 minutes and tap in, do you literally walk right on the ride?  Or is there now an additional small wait like FP sometimes has (like 5-10 minutes)?
> 
> 3.  Tell me November will be warm enough LOL!



How big is the water park crowd in NOVEMBER?  You'll probably be fine     You can ONLY ride any of the slides via tapu tapu -- so if you are in the virtual queue for one ride, you cannot ride anything else, correct.  There are no regular or standby lines.  BUT -- you can go on any rides that says "ride now."  If it's low crowds, just about every ride will say "ride now."  

I was there last week just after labor day, and most rides were "ride now -- I didn't have to get a return time for anything.  Which is good, because I would have been bored out of my mind with just the rivers and wave pool......   arrived shortly before 9am, stayed there for about 4 hours, and when wait times started to increase, I left for the day.  Came back again a different day after a rain storm and also about an hour before closing-- got in a handful of rides that way.  

*In many cases -- you do NOT literally walk right on to the ride.*  Once you get past the virtual queue part and it's your turn to ride, that's when you can actually join the physical line, if there is one.  This can range from being able to just walk on to quite a lengthy wait.  

So if the park is crowded, you could wait several hours to be able to join the actual physical line....where you will then wait an additional 30-60 minutes.  

Remember I mentioned I only did "ride now" stuff last week?  I still had to wait 30+ minutes to ride one of the raft slides.  Probably my longest wait time for any ride at any park for my entire Universal vacation.  It would really have sucked to have waited for my turn to ride....only to then join a 30+ minute line.  And this was with a not that crowded park..... the wait time would be even greater at other times for this and other rides. 

Honestly, unless lounging around a pool or lazy river are your thing, I see this as a half day park at most.  Get there first thing or get there soon before closing, or after it rains.  But I have no idea what sort of crowds to expect in November... probably minimal?  

For what it's worth, I hated the trap door slides.  I tried one of the serpentine ones.  I immediately got water in my eyes, up my nose, and in my mouth the moment the bottom was removed....  I honestly had trouble breathing and imagined that it might be a similar sensation to drowning.  But it was over quick enough.  Definitely was NOT going to do the almost straight down plunge after that.  

But I enjoyed the raft and tube slides, for the most part.  

I did get slightly injured on the mat racer slide.  And my friend got injured enough on the "oh no" slide that he had to go to first aid.


----------



## ultimatefans

rhettmitter said:


> Going to Royal Pacific next weekend to check out HHN and see Volcano Bay for the first time. A few questions on Volcano Bay...
> 
> We'll be going on Sunday and are debating getting a cabana. Do the cabanas still have the full original food menus? Do they have a spot to plug in a charger by any chance? We've been quoted $265 for a cabana. Expensive, especially for two, but if a big part of the day is waiting for the next slide return time, it might be worth it.
> 
> Can you still get in line for Krakatau and then get in one other line while you wait? Or is this a thing of the past?
> 
> Any recommendations on the slides to hit first? What are the must sees? What get the longest waits?



Yes, there is an outlet in the cabanas.  I'm pretty sure they still have the original cabana menu, I didn't do an actual comparison though.  One of the best parts of the cabana was that you could tap in for any ride right from the cabana rather than walk over to the ride to tap in.  Our cabana was in a central location though so we could easily get back to it between doing other things.

No, you can not still be tapped in for Krakatau plus one other, that is a thing of the past.

We *loved* Volcano Bay, my personal favorites were Kratakau and Puihi, but I'm sure that would be different for everyone.  Have fun!!!


----------



## Music City Mama

DisneyPigFan said:


> For what it's worth, I hated the trap door slides. I tried one of the serpentine ones. I immediately got water in my eyes, up my nose, and in my mouth the moment the bottom was removed.... I honestly had trouble breathing and imagined that it might be a similar sensation to drowning. But it was over quick enough. Definitely was NOT going to do the almost straight down plunge after that.



This was exactly our experience -- we all hated it for the same reason.


----------



## yulilin3

Just reserved the VB cabana for Oct 16th. Still some areas available to pick from, we went with the Rainforest, paid $170.39 incl tax. This is for my DD 17th birthday so it will be a nice place to celebrate, we don't have to pay for tickets since my son and her boyfriend work for UO so we get in for free so I decided to splurge on a cabana.
The food plan sounds interesting as well, I might get that too


----------



## pattyw

yulilin3 said:


> Just reserved the VB cabana for Oct 16th. Still some areas available to pick from, we went with the Rainforest, paid $170.39 incl tax. This is for my DD 17th birthday so it will be a nice place to celebrate, we don't have to pay for tickets since my son and her boyfriend work for UO so we get in for free so I decided to splurge on a cabana.
> The food plan sounds interesting as well, I might get that too



You'll love it!  I love the price!  We had a cabana back in June when they first opened.  It was a little rainy that day- we thoroughly enjoyed the cabana!  You could reserve rides from your private kiosk, had a lovely place to relax and eat, and if the weather does turn, you're protected!  It comes with a nice fruit basket which also includes some pastries.  It lasted the three of us all day!


----------



## Jennasis

Some questions about ride comfort...

Are the body slides uncomfortable?  Like do you feel every rivet or joint between sections?  Some water parks I find almost painful to go down the slides.  I've had two back surgeries so I have to be careful on body slides.  On tube slides I'm fine.


----------



## DLRExpert

Jennasis said:


> Some questions about ride comfort...
> 
> Are the body slides uncomfortable?  Like do you feel every rivet or joint between sections?  Some water parks I find almost painful to go down the slides.  I've had two back surgeries so I have to be careful on body slides.  On tube slides I'm fine.



The body slides were fine for me. However, I was wearing one of those water shirts.

The drop slides, the most thrilling part is the drop into the water.

The trap door speed slides, the beginning small drop and the beginning of the slide are pretty intense, but about half-way through it eases up but it is still fast.

The trap door free-fall slide is over before you know it.

My favorite body slides are the trapdoor speed slides. After the first couple of times its a piece of cake because you know what to expect.


----------



## Jennasis

DLRExpert said:


> The body slides were fine for me. However, I was wearing one of those water shirts.
> 
> The drop slides, the most thrilling part is the drop into the water.
> 
> The trap door speed slides, the beginning small drop and the beginning of the slide are pretty intense, but about half-way through it eases up but it is still fast.
> 
> The trap door free-fall slide is over before you know it.
> 
> My favorite body slides are the trapdoor speed slides. After the first couple of times its a piece of cake because you know what to expect.



Thrilling isn't a problem LOL.  I like speed (but there is no way I can risk my back on a trap door slide).  But I can't take the bump-bump-bump of sliding down a slide and feeling the rivets  or the joints between slide sections.


----------



## ultimatefans

Jennasis said:


> Thrilling isn't a problem LOL.  I like speed (but there is no way I can risk my back on a trap door slide).  But I can't take the bump-bump-bump of sliding down a slide and feeling the rivets  or the joints between slide sections.


I would second this - my daughter has only done 2 trap door slides (one at Universal, one at another park) and got injured on both of them.  She was wearing a swim shirt on Tai Nui (green drop slide) - the slide ripped a hole in her swim shirt and she got a significant scrape along her spine.  So yes, definitely avoid Kala and Tai Nui if you have back issues!  Ko'Okiri probably wouldn't be as bad on your back though as you're traveling so fast and so steep, I preferred it over Tai Nui which just gave me a massive face full of water most of the way down.  My daughter was fine on OhYah which she had done earlier in the day.  Everyone is different, so if you're concerned, skip them, there are plenty of other things to do there.


----------



## Sheldonman14

I have seen mixed information on this manner, so I'm hoping for clarity. What's the policy at VB on prescription glasses/sunglasses? Are they allowed to worn on the slides?


----------



## Dis_Fan

Sheldonman14 said:


> I have seen mixed information on this manner, so I'm hoping for clarity. What's the policy at VB on prescription glasses/sunglasses? Are they allowed to worn on the slides?



I was at VB last Friday. Spectacular time there. 

I did not do every slide, the speed trapdoor ones were down, and i do not like drop slides, but everyone i did go on allowed my glasses with no questions. Including the straight down trapdoor slide.


----------



## Scootypuffjr

pattyw said:


> You'll love it!  I love the price!  We had a cabana back in June when they first opened.  It was a little rainy that day- we thoroughly enjoyed the cabana!  You could reserve rides from your private kiosk, had a lovely place to relax and eat, and if the weather does turn, you're protected!  It comes with a nice fruit basket which also includes some pastries.  It lasted the three of us all day!



Do the curtains on the cabanas close all the way? We are coming in on a red eye the night before our VB day and I was thinking we could reserve a cabana and maybe put DS down for a nap (or maybe me) if you could close the curtains.


----------



## TheConsciousness

DisneyPigFan said:


> For what it's worth, I hated the trap door slides. I tried one of the serpentine ones. I immediately got water in my eyes, up my nose, and in my mouth the moment the bottom was removed.... I honestly had trouble breathing and imagined that it might be a similar sensation to drowning. But it was over quick enough. Definitely was NOT going to do the almost straight down plunge after that.



Absolutely HATED Ko’okiri. We both shared the same idea that we were going to drown if the ride was any longer. There should be a warning telling you that you will be submerged in water for the whole ride, with no opportunity to open your eyes, nose, or mouth.



DisneyPigFan said:


> *In many cases -- you do NOT literally walk right on to the ride.* Once you get past the virtual queue part and it's your turn to ride, that's when you can actually join the physical line, if there is one. This can range from being able to just walk on to quite a lengthy wait.



Can confirm, we were there on a light day and the aqua coaster had a 100 minute wait + another 15 minute wait in line. Was so upset by that extra wait as we figured they'd make it a ~5 minute wait.

Also, they need to add a heater to that wave pool. The water shouldn't be 65 degrees!


----------



## pattyw

Scootypuffjr said:


> Do the curtains on the cabanas close all the way? We are coming in on a red eye the night before our VB day and I was thinking we could reserve a cabana and maybe put DS down for a nap (or maybe me) if you could close the curtains.



I know that they close on three sides all the way.  It was rainy the day we were there so we closed them and tucked them behind the furniture.  I don't think there is a front curtain?? but we felt very private with the three sides closed.


----------



## sweetpee_1993

At Volcano Bay right now. Wanted to pop in & thank everyone for the amazing tips & excellent info.  We got here about 30 minutes ahead of early entry.  Second family in the park.  Have a great spot to relax in the shade.  Hit 8 or 9 slides in the first 2 hours.  Have floated both rivers twice. Now we snooze in the shade until our room is ready for us.


----------



## pooch

Will be taking my grandsons (9,8,6) in November.  We have to leave by around 2pm to move over to WDW.  Park opens at 10AM.  Do you think 4 hours will be enough for them?


----------



## yulilin3

found a more detailed video on the Cabanas at VB


----------



## jeffbeardreams

pooch said:


> Will be taking my grandsons (9,8,6) in November.  We have to leave by around 2pm to move over to WDW.  Park opens at 10AM.  Do you think 4 hours will be enough for them?


Yeah, I really do feel like park opening through lunch will be a good day. They won't be able to do everything but they'll be able to do enough to wear 'em out in that amount of time.


----------



## pooch

and wearing them out is the GOAL!!!!


----------



## saskdw

Anyone know how big the lock boxes are that come with the premium seating?


----------



## CoachZ

saskdw said:


> Anyone know how big the lock boxes are that come with the premium seating?



Scroll back through this thread, I know someone posted pictures of the storage box.


----------



## saskdw

atricks said:


> View attachment 247304



Found the pic for anyone else interested.


----------



## yulilin3

probably dumb question...is there a full ticketing window at Volcano Bay? Like could I get an Annual Pass there?


----------



## atricks

yulilin3 said:


> probably dumb question...is there a full ticketing window at Volcano Bay? Like could I get an Annual Pass there?


3 places, at the bus stop in the garage, inside the park gates on the right hand side and outside the parks gates on the right hand side.  (Guest Services)


----------



## yulilin3

atricks said:


> 3 places, at the bus stop in the garage, inside the park gates on the right hand side and outside the parks gates on the right hand side.  (Guest Services)


Thank you so much. Was going to go to Universal tomorrow to get the AP but was not staying, but I am going to VB on Monday to celebrate DD16 almost 17 birthday so will get it there


----------



## soniam

yulilin3 said:


> Thank you so much. Was going to go to Universal tomorrow to get the AP but was not staying, but I am going to VB on Monday to celebrate DD16 almost 17 birthday so will get it there



Tell her Happy Birthday! I hope you guys have a great time at Volcano Bay.


----------



## yulilin3

soniam said:


> Tell her Happy Birthday! I hope you guys have a great time at Volcano Bay.


thank you. We splurged and got the cabana so I'll get lots of pictures to post here, I'm also live streaming that day if anyone wants to follow along. The info is on my signature, cannot provide a link because of Dis rules


----------



## pattyw

yulilin3 said:


> thank you. We splurged and got the cabana so I'll get lots of pictures to post here, I'm also live streaming that day if anyone wants to follow along. The info is on my signature, cannot provide a link because of Dis rules



to your DD!  Will look for the live stream!  I'll be at work here in Buffalo, NY where it's cool and rainy!  Have a drink for me!


----------



## jdrasin

TheConsciousness said:


> Absolutely HATED Ko’okiri. We both shared the same idea that we were going to drown if the ride was any longer. There should be a warning telling you that you will be submerged in water for the whole ride, with no opportunity to open your eyes, nose, or mouth.
> 
> 
> 
> Can confirm, we were there on a light day and the aqua coaster had a 100 minute wait + another 15 minute wait in line. Was so upset by that extra wait as we figured they'd make it a ~5 minute wait.
> 
> Also, they need to add a heater to that wave pool. The water shouldn't be 65 degrees!



While I am glad I did Ko'okiri, I agree they need a warning. You are essentially experiencing a mild water-boarding, which is scary if you're not prepared. The drop part did feel amazing.

Joseph


----------



## yulilin3

Got back a while ago, here's my complete review of the Cabanas at Volcano Bay. First not sure if anyone watched the live streams but you can watch replays on the facebook page Streaming the Magic
Arrived later than expected because my daughter got an interview for a seasonal Universal job (which she get btw) so parked at Universal around 9:50am, we were inside VB by 10:15am
I went straight to the first concierge hut to the left of the beach, the very first one you see and the line was long, luckily a TM came asking if anyone had a reserved cabana and he told me to go to the Rainforest section and that there was a concierge hut over there.
Got there and only had to wait for one party to get through. Check in was fast and painless and wee were escorted to our cabana which was at the drop for OhNo and OhYa. Loved this location because it was close to a lot of rides but still pretty secluded so we didn't hear the hustle and bustle of the park.
I mentioned to the first cabana attendant that we were celebrating my daughter's birthday and asked if there was anything special that could be done and she said to mention that to the cabana waiter and they could bring her a complimentary lava cake, also the escort that brought us to our cabana said that later in the day the entire party could pick a ride and he would escort them to ride with no wait or need to tap.
The cabana setting is really great, if you have the means to splurge I would recommend it for sure. The fact that you have a locker, a tap kiosk, a fridge and a waiter that can bring you food and drinks without you having to walk all around was amazing.
We arrived at our cabana around 10:30am and and 15 minutes later the fruit/pastries basket arrived
Our waitress came over around 11am and told us to let her know if we needed anything, she was in charge of the 4 cabanas in our area.
I made sure to take note of wait times because that has been the biggest complaint I've seen about speed of service. So I ordered 2 drinks and each took about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. The food took 45 and we ordered a lot of different items.
Around 12:30pm a manager type person came around and asked if everything was ok, I thought that was a nice touch
The food and drinks were great, everything was tasty, and the food was delivered hot.
My daughter finally arrived at 1pm and all the wait staff and attendants knew it was her birthday, they congratulated her and asked if she had gotten the job, since they asked where the birthday girl was earlier in the day.
I gave my tapu tapu to my son to ride and he lost it on the ride and that was the one that opened the locker so we had to call an assistant, the entire process of opening the lockr and replacing the tapu tapu took about 15 minutes.
Now a word of warning and I'm not sure this happens every day but the restaurants in the back of the park closed at 4:30pm with the park closing at 6pm. Only the restaurant toward the front served until after park closing.
Around 4pm they brought the lava cake and the attendant came to escort the kids over to the attraction of choice. The chose Krakatau coaster, at that time it was already full for the day so they couldn't tap and wait even if the wanted to.
I think in total the kids that were there from the beginning rode 6 slides, my daughter that came later did 4, plus the lazy rivers and wave pool.
I can honestly say that this park is gorgeous and it is incredible to me that I-$ is literally steps away and you cannot hear the traffic, at least not from our side.
If you have any questions let me know
Here are some pics of the cabana


----------



## macraven

_What a super review!

Many thanks for sharing with us_


----------



## soniam

@yulilin3 
So glad you had a great time. I know we have enjoyed it a lot. Sounds like a great birthday. What job did your daughter get? Tell her happy birthday and congratulations!


----------



## jdrasin

We spent a day at Volcano Bay (Sept 23rd) and had an amazing time. 

Joseph


----------



## yulilin3

soniam said:


> @yulilin3
> So glad you had a great time. I know we have enjoyed it a lot. Sounds like a great birthday. What job did your daughter get? Tell her happy birthday and congratulations!


She got a seasonal job as balloon handler and guests escort for the Macy's parade and if that goes well they extends her for Mardi gras float person


----------



## soniam

yulilin3 said:


> She got a seasonal job as balloon handler and guests escort for the Macy's parade and if that goes well they extends her for Mardi gras float person



That sounds fun.


----------



## zbsigpi

I know there is a general map showing cabanas but does anyone have or is working on a map with the cabanas numbers?


----------



## macraven

zbsigpi said:


> I know there is a general map showing cabanas but does anyone have or is working on a map with the cabanas numbers?


 _Believe it has been mentioned earlier in this thread 
Could have been one of  soniam's posts
_


----------



## atrumpet16

Hello!   Going to Universal for the first time, in two weeks.  We LOVE water parks and I'm so excited to take my husband and two kids (11,8) there.  I've been doing my research and I know we will get there 30 min before opening (staying at cabana bay) and I'm thinking we should ride the aqua coaster first.   I've read that it can be tricky to find?  Also...does anyone have an order they would ride the slides after that?  Or something that worked for them?   Thanks so much!


----------



## jdrasin

atrumpet16 said:


> Hello!   Going to Universal for the first time, in two weeks.  We LOVE water parks and I'm so excited to take my husband and two kids (11,8) there.  I've been doing my research and I know we will get there 30 min before opening (staying at cabana bay) and I'm thinking we should ride the aqua coaster first.   I've read that it can be tricky to find?  Also...does anyone have an order they would ride the slides after that?  Or something that worked for them?   Thanks so much!



It's really easy to find. Just vear to the right as you approach the volcano. Hanu is the other ride that got long lines (along with the drop slides). Probably oh no/oh yeah after that.


----------



## dizneedoll

yulilin3 said:


> Got back a while ago, here's my complete review of the Cabanas at Volcano Bay. First not sure if anyone watched the live streams but you can watch replays on the facebook page Streaming the Magic
> Arrived later than expected because my daughter got an interview for a seasonal Universal job (which she get btw) so parked at Universal around 9:50am, we were inside VB by 10:15am
> I went straight to the first concierge hut to the left of the beach, the very first one you see and the line was long, luckily a TM came asking if anyone had a reserved cabana and he told me to go to the Rainforest section and that there was a concierge hut over there.
> Got there and only had to wait for one party to get through. Check in was fast and painless and wee were escorted to our cabana which was at the drop for OhNo and OhYa. Loved this location because it was close to a lot of rides but still pretty secluded so we didn't hear the hustle and bustle of the park.
> I mentioned to the first cabana attendant that we were celebrating my daughter's birthday and asked if there was anything special that could be done and she said to mention that to the cabana waiter and they could bring her a complimentary lava cake, also the escort that brought us to our cabana said that later in the day the entire party could pick a ride and he would escort them to ride with no wait or need to tap.
> The cabana setting is really great, if you have the means to splurge I would recommend it for sure. The fact that you have a locker, a tap kiosk, a fridge and a waiter that can bring you food and drinks without you having to walk all around was amazing.
> We arrived at our cabana around 10:30am and and 15 minutes later the fruit/pastries basket arrived
> Our waitress came over around 11am and told us to let her know if we needed anything, she was in charge of the 4 cabanas in our area.
> I made sure to take note of wait times because that has been the biggest complaint I've seen about speed of service. So I ordered 2 drinks and each took about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. The food took 45 and we ordered a lot of different items.
> Around 12:30pm a manager type person came around and asked if everything was ok, I thought that was a nice touch
> The food and drinks were great, everything was tasty, and the food was delivered hot.
> My daughter finally arrived at 1pm and all the wait staff and attendants knew it was her birthday, they congratulated her and asked if she had gotten the job, since they asked where the birthday girl was earlier in the day.
> I gave my tapu tapu to my son to ride and he lost it on the ride and that was the one that opened the locker so we had to call an assistant, the entire process of opening the lockr and replacing the tapu tapu took about 15 minutes.
> Now a word of warning and I'm not sure this happens every day but the restaurants in the back of the park closed at 4:30pm with the park closing at 6pm. Only the restaurant toward the front served until after park closing.
> Around 4pm they brought the lava cake and the attendant came to escort the kids over to the attraction of choice. The chose Krakatau coaster, at that time it was already full for the day so they couldn't tap and wait even if the wanted to.
> I think in total the kids that were there from the beginning rode 6 slides, my daughter that came later did 4, plus the lazy rivers and wave pool.
> I can honestly say that this park is gorgeous and it is incredible to me that I-$ is literally steps away and you cannot hear the traffic, at least not from our side.
> If you have any questions let me know
> Here are some pics of the cabana



Thanks for the excellent report and pictures. I'm still debating about about getting a cabana mainly because the seating looks uncomfortable. I don't like the big, scary slides so I will probably spend more time in the cabana but I'm worried about how comfortable it is, I have a bad back and foot and those seats look awful and the bench looks very narrow. I wish they had put lounge chairs instead.  Of course it's hard to tell from pictures. How comfortable did you find the seating to be? Thanks!


----------



## yulilin3

dizneedoll said:


> Thanks for the excellent report and pictures. I'm still debating about about getting a cabana mainly because the seating looks uncomfortable. I don't like the big, scary slides so I will probably spend more time in the cabana but I'm worried about how comfortable it is, I have a bad back and foot and those seats look awful and the bench looks very narrow. I wish they had put lounge chairs instead.  Of course it's hard to tell from pictures. How comfortable did you find the seating to be? Thanks!


I also have a bad back, herniated disc on my lower back and the seating was really comfortable, from the setting in the picture you can prop up there chair one more knotch it put it down like 3 notches. Also there were lounge chairs right outside the Cabana for everyone's use so you could just grab one if those but I don't think you'll need to


----------



## dizneedoll

yulilin3 said:


> I also have a bad back, herniated disc on my lower back and the seating was really comfortable, from the setting in the picture you can prop up there chair one more knotch it put it down like 3 notches. Also there were lounge chairs right outside the Cabana for everyone's use so you could just grab one if those but I don't think you'll need to


Great! Thanks so much.


----------



## Queen2PrincessG

yulilin3 said:


> I also have a bad back, herniated disc on my lower back and the seating was really comfortable, from the setting in the picture you can prop up there chair one more knotch it put it down like 3 notches. Also there were lounge chairs right outside the Cabana for everyone's use so you could just grab one if those but I don't think you'll need to


Those chairs are not cushioned. We rented the double set of chairs which was really nice and I highly recommend. Very much worth the 60 bucks we paid. This was our view from the River area. That's ET lounging.


----------



## yulilin3

Queen2PrincessG said:


> Those chairs are not cushioned. We rented the double set of chairs which was really nice and I highly recommend. Very much worth the 60 bucks we paid. This was our view from the River area. That's ET lounging.


love the hat


----------



## dizneedoll

Queen2PrincessG said:


> Those chairs are not cushioned. We rented the double set of chairs which was really nice and I highly recommend. Very much worth the 60 bucks we paid. This was our view from the River area. That's ET lounging.


Those loungers are what I'm talking about! Now that looks comfy. Thanks for the pics, I love the hat too!


----------



## Queen2PrincessG

dizneedoll said:


> Those loungers are what I'm talking about! Now that looks comfy. Thanks for the pics, I love the hat too!


HAHA She picked it out herself. The all the way flat which I loved. he locker between the chairs is TapTapu operated. The covering can be pulled back too. Just note that the lungers absorb water when you're wet so we found it best to place our towels down. You are also designated a server when you rent the chairs. It was VERY helpful to have Brittany. They cover your area.


----------



## dizneedoll

Queen2PrincessG said:


> HAHA She picked it out herself. The all the way flat which I loved. he locker between the chairs is TapTapu operated. The covering can be pulled back too. Just note that the lungers absorb water when you're wet so we found it best to place our towels down. You are also designated a server when you rent the chairs. It was VERY helpful to have Brittany. They cover your area.


Thanks for the info. Are towels included with the lounge chair rentals too or do we need to bring our own?


----------



## macraven

_Many bring towels from
their onsite hotel_


----------



## soniam

dizneedoll said:


> Thanks for the info. Are towels included with the lounge chair rentals too or do we need to bring our own?



Towels are not included with the loungers, only the cabanas.


----------



## dizneedoll

soniam said:


> Towels are not included with the loungers, only the cabanas.


Ok thanks. 



macraven said:


> _Many bring towels from
> their onsite hotel_


That's what we will do then,  thanks!


----------



## macraven




----------



## Delilah1310

So I'm going to just go ahead and admit this, but I don't know a thing about how to experience a water park.
I have SO many questions! HAHAHA!

1. Do most people claim a chair or two as "home base"?
1A. Is that respected?
1B. What do i leave to indicate that it is "taken"?
1C. Do we even need a "home base"?

2. I see people talking about lockers - what are you putting in lockers? I don't plan to bring anything with me. 

3. I thought I could link my credit card with the wristband and make charges that way? Or am I confused about the purpose of the wristband (in additional to the virtual line aspect)?

4. So I have to rent a towel? Do you really dry off between slides/rides? Or is that more for the end of the day?

5. Staying on property at Hard Rock, are buses continual all day?

6. Basically, DH and DS10 and I hope to be running from ride to ride all day. I don't think a cabana would be good for us at all. But how hard is it to find a chair to sit down, just in case we need to get off our feet for a while?

FWIW, we plan to be there the Tuesday or Wednesday after Memorial Day.

thanks for any help you provide!


----------



## zbsigpi

Delilah1310 said:


> So I'm going to just go ahead and admit this, but I don't know a thing about how to experience a water park.
> I have SO many questions! HAHAHA!
> 
> 1. Do most people claim a chair or two as "home base"?   Yes, most people do make a home base.
> 1A. Is that respected?                                                    I had no problems with claim jumpers.
> 1B. What do i leave to indicate that it is "taken"?             We left our towels shirts and shoes.
> 1C. Do we even need a "home base"?                             Personally, we were constantly on the go but we liked that we had a place to go and sit for 5 minutes.  but up to you.
> 
> 2. I see people talking about lockers - what are you putting in lockers? I don't plan to bring anything with me.  Cell phones, i bring my wallet EVERYWHERE, so that went in the locker.
> 
> 3. I thought I could link my credit card with the wristband and make charges that way? Or am I confused about the purpose of the wristband (in additional to the virtual line aspect)?  You can link your cc to the ticket and therefor the tapu tapu.
> 
> 4. So I have to rent a towel? Do you really dry off between slides/rides? Or is that more for the end of the day?  The towels are truly for downtimes (lunch/rest) and at the end of the day, trip back to hotel.  you can bring your own but either way I would bring/rent a towel.
> 
> 5. Staying on property at Hard Rock, are buses continual all day?  Not sure, we live relatively close by.
> 
> 6. Basically, DH and DS10 and I hope to be running from ride to ride all day. I don't think a cabana would be good for us at all. But how hard is it to find a chair to sit down, just in case we need to get off our feet for a while?  If you do not see a need for alot of down time then I would say NO to a cabana.  Chairs do fill up quickly especially at the wave pool.  You can find chairs near the other areas of the park unless very busy.
> 
> FWIW, we plan to be there the Tuesday or Wednesday after Memorial Day.  I would expect it to be busy especially if it is good weather with people from the area.
> 
> thanks for any help you provide!


----------



## yulilin3

If you ever have a chance to go to volcano Bay at night. Go.
First of all it's beautiful, all the colors, also
got there at 5pm with park closing at 7pm, and could've done everything if i wanted to (i was working live streaming) by 6:20 everything was ride now.


----------



## chs27

Delilah1310 said:


> So I'm going to just go ahead and admit this, but I don't know a thing about how to experience a water park.
> I have SO many questions! HAHAHA!
> 
> 1. Do most people claim a chair or two as "home base"?
> 1A. Is that respected?
> 1B. What do i leave to indicate that it is "taken"?
> 1C. Do we even need a "home base"?
> 
> 2. I see people talking about lockers - what are you putting in lockers? I don't plan to bring anything with me.
> 
> 3. I thought I could link my credit card with the wristband and make charges that way? Or am I confused about the purpose of the wristband (in additional to the virtual line aspect)?
> 
> 4. So I have to rent a towel? Do you really dry off between slides/rides? Or is that more for the end of the day?
> 
> 5. Staying on property at Hard Rock, are buses continual all day?
> 
> 6. Basically, DH and DS10 and I hope to be running from ride to ride all day. I don't think a cabana would be good for us at all. But how hard is it to find a chair to sit down, just in case we need to get off our feet for a while?
> 
> FWIW, we plan to be there the Tuesday or Wednesday after Memorial Day.
> 
> thanks for any help you provide!


1. You don't have to claim a chair unless you want to sit.

2. I put my cell phone and park tickets in the locker. Universal tickets are paper.

3. Yes link credit card, then buy whatever you like. 

4. I brought my own towel with me. Good to wrap in on the way back to hotel. You can use this towel to claim a chair, if you choose.

5. Continually run every 15 minutes. 

6. This is why you show up early and put your towel on a chair. Be there at least 15 minutes before park opens. That first hour before park opens to the public is the best hour. Then you can tap in for rides when the public shows up. This is very important in the summer, may even to plan to get there earlier.


----------



## agame2323

Is there a number to call for ordering the cabana's? I thought is was in this thread but I can't seem to find it.


----------



## hhoope01

Volcano Bay Add Ons

(877) 489-8068.


----------



## DVCkidsMOM

I would like to hear from anyone who goes to Volcano Bay this weekend or other "cold" days.  How heated is the water?  Any great ideas on staying warm between slides if it's cold out?
We have a winter trip planned but would love to enjoy VB.  If it's warm, no problem.  If my family goes when it's colder out, I could see us only riding one or two slides than leaving due to the chill factor associated with being wet when it's 70 and below.  I'm really hoping that the water is so lovely warm that it's worth it especially with Tapu-tapu that allows us to huddle under a towel until time to ride.  I sure would love some been-there/done-that input.  TIA


----------



## agame2323

DVCkidsMOM said:


> I would like to hear from anyone who goes to Volcano Bay this weekend or other "cold" days.  How heated is the water?  Any great ideas on staying warm between slides if it's cold out?
> We have a winter trip planned but would love to enjoy VB.  If it's warm, no problem.  If my family goes when it's colder out, I could see us only riding one or two slides than leaving due to the chill factor associated with being wet when it's 70 and below.  I'm really hoping that the water is so lovely warm that it's worth it especially with Tapu-tapu that allows us to huddle under a towel until time to ride.  I sure would love some been-there/done-that input.  TIA



I too would like to know the answer to this question. I'll be there next week. 

We were there in October and it wasn't too bad. There were moments when the chill became too much but we just found some sun and baked a little. Water temp was perfect.


----------



## katie111

We were there yesterday morning.  Temp was about 65 and cloudy when we got there.  The water was nice and warm.  We were a little chilly walking around but it really wan't bad.  The best thing was that there was no one there.  We had early entry with CB and even when the park opened at 10 it was still empty.  We left around 11:30 when the sun was coming out and there were still very few people coming in.  We hit just about all the slides and the lazy river in that time.

My brother works in corporate at Universal.  He said they just made a policy that if the high temp is not predicted to go over either 60 or 65 (I forget which one) they are not going to open VB for the day.

I just checked  and it looks like it is closed today & tomorrow.


----------



## DVCkidsMOM

katie111 said:


> We were there yesterday morning.  Temp was about 65 and cloudy when we got there.  The water was nice and warm.  We were a little chilly walking around but it really wan't bad.  The best thing was that there was no one there.  We had early entry with CB and even when the park opened at 10 it was still empty.  We left around 11:30 when the sun was coming out and there were still very few people coming in.  We hit just about all the slides and the lazy river in that time.
> 
> My brother works in corporate at Universal.  He said they just made a policy that if the high temp is not predicted to go over either 60 or 65 (I forget which one) they are not going to open VB for the day.
> 
> I just checked  and it looks like it is closed today & tomorrow.


This is exactly the type of information I was looking for - thanks


----------



## doyouwanttogofaster

DVCkidsMOM said:


> This is exactly the type of information I was looking for - thanks


Me too. We're arriving from UK on Saturday, I had 20 degrees F yesterday so looking forward to VB with +20 degrees centigrade.


----------



## RalphinSC

Just booked another trip January 11th-15th. Been catching up on all the colder weather news and looking forward to squeezing in another day of Volcano Bay and seeing all the changes from when I was last there in June.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi everyone! I am on another forum site and someone said they went to VB this week and they are selling EP again. Has anyone heard about this? Thanks


----------



## JCfan

_*Here's a few additional thoughts... See the italics. 
*_
So I'm going to just go ahead and admit this, but I don't know a thing about how to experience a water park.
I have SO many questions! HAHAHA!    _YAY for you!!!!  You will love it.  Just remember VB is not the typical WP; you will be spoiled... Love, love, love VB _


1. Do most people claim a chair or two as "home base"? Yes, most people do make a home base.  _Agreed but remember VB is large so you may not use your home base as much here as at other water parks.  _

1A. Is that respected? I had no problems with claim jumpers.  _No problem leaving a few minor items but (of course) don't leave anything particularly expensive out that you care if it is gone - no phones or electronics for example.  _

1B. What do i leave to indicate that it is "taken"? We left our towels shirts and shoes.  _We leave shoes and towels too. _

1C. Do we even need a "home base"? Personally, we were constantly on the go but we liked that we had a place to go and sit for 5 minutes. but up to you.  _Remember on the rides, you will not be allowed to take much.  Maybe your shoes (you hold them) on a few of the rides if you are wearing the wrong kind of shoes for a ride.  Yet, for the most part, you can't take much onto the rides.   We had a "home base" but didn't really need it.  _

2. I see people talking about lockers - what are you putting in lockers? I don't plan to bring anything with me. Cell phones, i bring my wallet EVERYWHERE, so that went in the locker.  _We put our cells, our medical devices and our wallets  into the lockers._ 

3. I thought I could link my credit card with the wristband and make charges that way? Or am I confused about the purpose of the wristband (in additional to the virtual line aspect)? You can link your cc to the ticket and therefor the tapu tapu.  _Yes, tapu tapu should work for paying but it (occasionally) has been glitchy.  So, it's nice to be close to your cell/wallet in case you need it to pay for things.  _

4. So I have to rent a towel? Do you really dry off between slides/rides? Or is that more for the end of the day? The towels are truly for downtimes (lunch/rest) and at the end of the day, trip back to hotel. you can bring your own but either way I would bring/rent a towel.  _Totally agree, rent towels.  Easier and better than dragging wet towels onto the bus.  But, yes, mostly for the end of the day.  You are pretty much wet the rest of the time...  _

5. Staying on property at Hard Rock, are buses continual all day? Not sure, we live relatively close by.  _Yes!  All the on-site hotels have excellent (themed and frequent) buses!  _

6. Basically, DH and DS10 and I hope to be running from ride to ride all day. I don't think a cabana would be good for us at all. But how hard is it to find a chair to sit down, just in case we need to get off our feet for a while? If you do not see a need for alot of down time then I would say NO to a cabana. Chairs do fill up quickly especially at the wave pool. You can find chairs near the other areas of the park unless very busy.    _Agreed.  Chairs should be available except near the wave pool. Not 100% guaranteed if it's busy though...   If you were to make a "base camp" that would be where I'd suggest since if you want a break, it's quite lovely in that area.  I agree about the cabana.  My opinion is absolutely a "no" on the Cabana especially on day 1.  However, since you are staying on-site you may want to go back a couple of times and on a second or third visit, it might be a treat (although not necessary at all!!).   I suspect your son will love the park and not need to be sitting much of the time.    _

FWIW, we plan to be there the Tuesday or Wednesday after Memorial Day. I would expect it to be busy especially if it is good weather with people from the area.   _Since it's very possible that the park will be busy,  I highly highly recommend going back in the threads and looking at the suggested ways to have a good touring plan.  there's a lot of advice on the Disboards from last summer.  At this park, you must follow this advice to have a good day.  IMHO most, if not all, of the bad reviews you'll see are from folks who didn't plan.   Most importantly, since you will be on-site, go really early even before EMH open and get in line.  Then, get the popular rides out of the way right away.  If the park isn't busy, the planning isn't as critical but I'd assume that the park will be busy and hope that it's not so bad.  Regardless, I recommend you do your research.  Also, as I mentioned, you might want to consider breaking up your visit into multiple shorter visits and remember if you are staying on site for multiple days you can visit the park a couple of times.  Finally, we absolutely love VB and even though we are out of towners added VB to our Univeral APs.   We've been to water parks all over and think VB is a hoot.  Have a great great trip!!!    _

thanks for any help you provide!


----------



## AllthingsDisMom

We can't wait! I am taking my daughters and their friend for a weekend in April for my oldest's birthday!  Of course we'll be staying at CBBR, we love it there!

Her only request was to leave her little brother at home with Dad LOL! No boys allowed, girls only weekend!


----------



## Iluvshoes531

We are going to be visiting in June.  It is just my husband and I and my 7 year old.  Would it make more sense for us to do 2 preferred seating loungers over a cabana?   I like the idea of having a locker and a waitress handy to put in food orders with.  Would love input from anyone that has done either.   The two loungers would be approx 60 dollars , the cabana would be 160


----------



## AllthingsDisMom

Iluvshoes531 said:


> We are going to be visiting in June.  It is just my husband and I and my 7 year old.  Would it make more sense for us to do 2 preferred seating loungers over a cabana?   I like the idea of having a locker and a waitress handy to put in food orders with.  Would love input from anyone that has done either.   The two loungers would be approx 60 dollars , the cabana would be 160



I love the idea of the preferred seating!


----------



## bobbie68

Iluvshoes531 said:


> We are going to be visiting in June.  It is just my husband and I and my 7 year old.  Would it make more sense for us to do 2 preferred seating loungers over a cabana?   I like the idea of having a locker and a waitress handy to put in food orders with.  Would love input from anyone that has done either.   The two loungers would be approx 60 dollars , the cabana would be 160



Hi we did VB in July and had a great time. We did a cabana one day and regular seating another one. We paid a lot at that time for the cabana but we really enjoyed it. We had planned to be there from open to close so we could justify it. There are a couple of extra perks over the chairs. You do have a tapu tapu machine in the cabana for reservations. There is a fridge with water in it. You get a little fruit tray in the morning. It depends if you are going to take breaks during  the day and go in for awhile it is a little nicer than the chairs in my opinion. If you are really looking for just a locker and food attendant then I would go with the chairs. 

Enjoy!


----------



## hhoope01

We rented cabanas for a couple of days this past September.  The cabana does cost more, but it does come with a few extras though some of the "benefits" aren't quite as good as you might think.  First, we didn't find the food ordering/delivering to be all that beneficial.  On our first cabana day, we couldn't get a cabana person's attention to order food.  It seems they only come around periodically and if you need something in between those times, you are on your own.  The second day, the girls wanted to get some tacos from the taco restaurant (they are very good.)  But we learned after the 1st day, you can pre order your food.  So we attempted to do that.  Unfortunately, we were told they can't bring you food from that restaurant (not sure why but they wouldn't do it.)  So I walked down and ordered the food myself and brought it back.  We did like having the tapu tapu kiosk right there in the cabana.  While I'm not sure we ever actually made a "reservation" through that kiosk, we did use it to see the general wait times for each of the rides.  And then we would walk around and swipe our wrist bands at the kiosks near the entrance of each ride.  That was mostly because once you swipe, that is your one "pass".  By walking around we might decide on something else along the way and just go with it.

As mentioned earlier, the refrig is nice to have if you want to keep anything colder and they will pack it with waters for you.  It is also nice to not have to bring your own towels.  The cabana started off with 5 or 6 towels and we were able to get more as well (that way we had some extras.)  So a nice little perk.  The cabana will come with a lot more room to spread out in that the chairs will.  There are a couple of recliner chairs plus some regular chairs and then the bench seating as well.  All of it nicely cushioned for comfort.     Another benefit which is especially nice if you will be staying all day, is the cabanas have curtains on each of the sides you can open up or close to help keep the sun off (or on) you.  We were always able to have some shaded areas within the cabana, no matter the time of day or position of the sun.

And I will let you in on a little secret I found (but haven't seen anyone mention here yet though someone in some thread probably has already mentioned most of this) and that is you can ask for specific cabanas (and I would guess premium chairs as well.)  If you are staying onsite and can get there for the early extra hour, you will most likely be able to ask for just about any chair or cabana.)  Note I was even able to pre-request a specific cabana for our 2nd day there during our first day.  So they might even let you do that as well.  For us, we didn't like the cabanas by the highway (along the edge of the wave pool on the left when entering the park.)  You can hear the cars go by and you have to get into the sand to get to the cabana.  There are some cabanas in the center of the park where you don't have to get into the sand to get to them and you don't have to worry about hearing all the traffic behind you.  And one last suggestion, we did a ground level cabana one of the days and upper the 2nd day.  I personally loved the upper cabanas in the middle area of the parks.  Great views of virtually the whole park and you have a nice breeze to keep help keep that comfort level high though it does come at higher price.


----------



## Iluvshoes531

Thank you all for such great information.    I may just do the preferred seating since it is only 3 of us.....however if Mr. Tax man is good to us then I may just splurge on the cabana    I so appreciate you taking the time to give me great information!!!


----------



## closetmickey

Hi! Just found this thread and decided to add a day at VB to my July WDW trip.  We will not have onsite EE and are coming from the west coast so early mornings are a little tricky.  Would love to arrive later in the day and stay until close.  My concern is, however, at what point will the big rides (family raft rides, coaster) be full for the day?  How late can we arrive on what Id imagine will be a high crowd day, and still have enough hours left to fit in all the rides we would like?  We are not fans of the body slides. 

Is express pass available for purchase? 

Thank you for any and all help!


----------



## closetmickey

Another question....Would a touring plan work for a crowded day to tap into 3-4 other tube rides that may have shorter wait then Krakatoa and then save that until last?  At what time does Krakatoa fill up for the day?  Thank you!


----------



## AllthingsDisMom

A coworker of mine has a family member who works for Universal and warned me about the safety of the water-park due to electricity not being properly grounded. Has anyone heard anything similar? 

My DD is really excited about this trip. I'm a little confused because I haven't heard any reports like this (on this forum or elsewhere!). She says it's because they've had to pay out to families settling lawsuits out of court. Thoughts?


----------



## schumigirl

AllthingsDisMom said:


> A coworker of mine has a family member who works for Universal and warned me about the safety of the water-park due to electricity not being properly grounded. Has anyone heard anything similar?
> 
> My DD is really excited about this trip. I'm a little confused because I haven't heard any reports like this (on this forum or elsewhere!). She says it's because they've had to pay out to families settling lawsuits out of court. Thoughts?



Lol........

Sounds like one of those famous “Disney bus driver’s cousins dog told me” stories.......

I wouldn’t believe for a second its true......and probably a figment of someone’s imagination.........


----------



## macraven

_Thank you Schumi !

Rumors about ticket increases are most feared and we all listen, wait and watch...

Rumors passed around about park safety by third or fourth hand peeps, just does not have merit_


----------



## bobbie68

closetmickey said:


> Hi! Just found this thread and decided to add a day at VB to my July WDW trip.  We will not have onsite EE and are coming from the west coast so early mornings are a little tricky.  Would love to arrive later in the day and stay until close.  My concern is, however, at what point will the big rides (family raft rides, coaster) be full for the day?  How late can we arrive on what Id imagine will be a high crowd day, and still have enough hours left to fit in all the rides we would like?  We are not fans of the body slides.
> 
> Is express pass available for purchase?
> 
> Thank you for any and all help!



Hi we did VB this July and August. We were there from open to close two days of the week. While I will say the first few hours in the morning is still the best way to tackle VB with less wait if maximizing amount of times you ride. However, when we were there in the evening it started getting quieter about an hour to two before closing. The last hour was the slowest for night time. I would say  the coaster and the family raft rides are good to hit then. The rides were open till closing time and if people were in line they got on. If you have no interest in body slides, I think you can get there in the mid to late afternoon and stay till close and hit everything. You may be only able to get on once or twice.  The only concern is the coaster was going down a lot last summer so there was a chance for not riding it if you wait till later. The family raft rides wait time during the day was 90 minutes easy. 

I think if you want this to be more of a laid back park day and you get on what you get it will work great. The tapu tapu really is a good idea if you like  that kind of touring. Commando type touring won't work here unless it is in the morning. The other thing to consider is when we were there and there was one day it was rainy on and off from mid afternoon till evening and  the park was near empty. Once people leave there for storms in the afternoon most don't come back with the exception of Cabana Bay guests cause they are right there. Overcast and a  shower day may be a good idea to go then.

Any other questions please ask


----------



## bobbie68

closetmickey said:


> Hi! Just found this thread and decided to add a day at VB to my July WDW trip.  We will not have onsite EE and are coming from the west coast so early mornings are a little tricky.  Would love to arrive later in the day and stay until close.  My concern is, however, at what point will the big rides (family raft rides, coaster) be full for the day?  How late can we arrive on what Id imagine will be a high crowd day, and still have enough hours left to fit in all the rides we would like?  We are not fans of the body slides.
> 
> Is express pass available for purchase?
> 
> Thank you for any and all help!



The express pass was not available after a certain date last summer. However, I have heard rumors on another reliable forum that I am on that they are considering express pass again for VB. However, I don't know what they would do  for sales. I have a feeling it would be bought that day if they sell them. I am not sure if  they would sell them ahead again with all the confusion. 
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/theme-parks/volcano-bay/index.html .... This is Universal's VB page. If you scroll down you will see a 888 number to call for reservations. That was the number being used last year to reserve EP. You could check with them to see if there is an answer. I would also keep checking back frequently to that number because things can change very quickly.
We are headed back this June and I will be calling to check also. If I hear anything from Uni I will post it.


----------



## bocaj1431

Hi. Just spoke to a representative from the dept for purchasing tickets.  I was told that the express pass is available now but you must purchase it at the ticket window.  In addition, they could be sold out by the time you get to the window.  She also mentioned that the EP is still a work in progress and it is not guaranteed that it may be available during the month you visit.  So I would call before wasting time in line and make sure they are still offering EP.

I have a question about arriving early enough for the opening of park.  First, if they offer early access every day to hotel guests, will that mean by the time everyone else arrives for opening it will already be really busy and we should try end of day instead.  Second,  if we decide to go for the opening of park, how many minutes before opening should we arrive?   We will be coming during spring break so I am a really worried about lines.  I have not found any info on spring break yet for this park.  We have gone to BB many times in the summer and never waited longer than 45 min for a ride.  I would never wait longer than 60 min for a ride so not sure if we should attempt this park. Any thoughts?


----------



## AllthingsDisMom

macraven said:


> _Thank you Schumi !
> 
> Rumors passed around about park safety by third or fourth hand peeps, just does not have merit_



While this is third or fourth hand coming from me to this forum, keep in mind this is my coworker saying this to me from their family member. I don't want to believe it and we will probably go anyway, hate to say it but I trust the peeps word on this forum more LOL! 

I don't believe this person has even visited the park, so I do see your point about lack of merit. I'll let you know how it goes this April, I am planning to do a TR in the Universal forum so we shall see!


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## macraven

_presently adding info to the sticky for cabanas_


----------



## bobbie68

bocaj1431 said:


> Hi. Just spoke to a representative from the dept for purchasing tickets.  I was told that the express pass is available now but you must purchase it at the ticket window.  In addition, they could be sold out by the time you get to the window.  She also mentioned that the EP is still a work in progress and it is not guaranteed that it may be available during the month you visit.  So I would call before wasting time in line and make sure they are still offering EP.
> 
> I have a question about arriving early enough for the opening of park.  First, if they offer early access every day to hotel guests, will that mean by the time everyone else arrives for opening it will already be really busy and we should try end of day instead.  Second,  if we decide to go for the opening of park, how many minutes before opening should we arrive?   We will be coming during spring break so I am a really worried about lines.  I have not found any info on spring break yet for this park.  We have gone to BB many times in the summer and never waited longer than 45 min for a ride.  I would never wait longer than 60 min for a ride so not sure if we should attempt this park. Any thoughts?



Thank you for the information. I figured that would be the way they would sell them again if they did. This park with the tapu tapu system is so different that  they will have to probably have a low daily  attendance rate to sell them. I have a feeling it will be harder in the summer to get the EP. I will look into it when I go if not I will still have a great time without it.

Hi well it opened in May last year so no spring break trial. I was there in the heart of the summer within two months of opening, it was jammed. However, I will say that I was EE by staying at Cabana Bay. When the park opened up to the general public it was busy but really no lines except for the Coaster had a 45 minute wait. Really that was more because it was broken down first thing in the morning. I am not sure how it will be in the morning on Spring Break but my opinion is it won't be  that bad. Don't forget it is cooler in the morning then it was in July. In July it is very easy to go to a water park at 9:00 am. Do you have an annual pass or park to park passes? Or are you buying a one day pass? 

We also were there at the after 6:00 pm  and really saw the crowds starting to thin out about 7:00 with a 9:00 close time. It was very easy for us staying on-site with park to park passes to leave if it got busy then go back later in the day.

If you are going to try morning and you are not on-site I would be at the city walk parking garage and ready to be on the bus at least 45 minutes before opening if not a little more. For example last summer with a general public open time of 9:00 am people were being turned away at 7:30. It was really crazy then. I think if your talking Spring break in March (colleges) it will be less crowded. Spring Break for schools in April will be busier but not sure if you can get under the 60 minute mark. 

Personally my family loves water parks and we loved VB. It was a beautiful park with really awesome rides. The tapu tapu is not all that bad especially if you are not a commando family. VB is really meant to do a park at a different pace. They went for  the relaxing day. Tapu Tapu makes you slow down and not do commando. It is really a neat idea for people who want that type of experience.

Good luck


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## closetmickey

Is there a convenient/close drop off points for those coming from taxi and/or Uber/Lyft?


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## bobbie68

closetmickey said:


> Is there a convenient/close drop off points for those coming from taxi and/or Uber/Lyft?



Hi there is no guest drop off for any vehicles for off-site guests. You have to take it to City Walk Parking lot and get the VB bus from there.


----------



## bocaj1431

bobbie68 said:


> Thank you for the information. I figured that would be the way they would sell them again if they did. This park with the tapu tapu system is so different that  they will have to probably have a low daily  attendance rate to sell them. I have a feeling it will be harder in the summer to get the EP. I will look into it when I go if not I will still have a great time without it.
> 
> Hi well it opened in May last year so no spring break trial. I was there in the heart of the summer within two months of opening, it was jammed. However, I will say that I was EE by staying at Cabana Bay. When the park opened up to the general public it was busy but really no lines except for the Coaster had a 45 minute wait. Really that was more because it was broken down first thing in the morning. I am not sure how it will be in the morning on Spring Break but my opinion is it won't be  that bad. Don't forget it is cooler in the morning then it was in July. In July it is very easy to go to a water park at 9:00 am. Do you have an annual pass or park to park passes? Or are you buying a one day pass?
> 
> We also were there at the after 6:00 pm  and really saw the crowds starting to thin out about 7:00 with a 9:00 close time. It was very easy for us staying on-site with park to park passes to leave if it got busy then go back later in the day.
> 
> If you are going to try morning and you are not on-site I would be at the city walk parking garage and ready to be on the bus at least 45 minutes before opening if not a little more. For example last summer with a general public open time of 9:00 am people were being turned away at 7:30. It was really crazy then. I think if your talking Spring break in March (colleges) it will be less crowded. Spring Break for schools in April will be busier but not sure if you can get under the 60 minute mark.
> 
> Personally my family loves water parks and we loved VB. It was a beautiful park with really awesome rides. The tapu tapu is not all that bad especially if you are not a commando family. VB is really meant to do a park at a different pace. They went for  the relaxing day. Tapu Tapu makes you slow down and not do commando. It is really a neat idea for people who want that type of experience.
> 
> Good luck



Now I understand why there are no spring break reports.

Thanks for all this information it will really help us plan better.  We are staying at DW and decided to try VB for one day.   We love water parks too.  We will be visiting B.B. the next day and TL the day after.  

Good thing you mentioned the city walk parking garage.  Without that, I would have forgotten how congested that whole area was and how long it took us to get to the park when we last stayed at CB.   Adding time for parking means we definitely need to be there at least 60 min before opening.  

We are not really the commando type family so good to know you can enjoy the park without having to rush to get to the next ride.


----------



## bobbie68

bocaj1431 said:


> Now I understand why there are no spring break reports.
> 
> Thanks for all this information it will really help us plan better.  We are staying at DW and decided to try VB for one day.   We love water parks too.  We will be visiting B.B. the next day and TL the day after.
> 
> Good thing you mentioned the city walk parking garage.  Without that, I would have forgotten how congested that whole area was and how long it took us to get to the park when we last stayed at CB.   Adding time for parking means we definitely need to be there at least 60 min before opening.
> 
> We are not really the commando type family so good to know you can enjoy the park without having to rush to get to the next ride.



Your welcome and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!


----------



## closetmickey

bobbie68 said:


> Hi there is no guest drop off for any vehicles for off-site guests. You have to take it to City Walk Parking lot and get the VB bus from there.


Good to know! What is that procedure like? How long does it take to park and ride the bus to VB?


----------



## schumigirl

closetmickey said:


> Good to know! What is that procedure like? How long does it take to park and ride the bus to VB?





It doesn’t take long at all to get to VB once you’ve parked up.........a very short ride of a few minutes. Buses are regular and convenient apparently.


----------



## chs27

If you arrive


bocaj1431 said:


> Hi. Just spoke to a representative from the dept for purchasing tickets.  I was told that the express pass is available now but you must purchase it at the ticket window.  In addition, they could be sold out by the time you get to the window.  She also mentioned that the EP is still a work in progress and it is not guaranteed that it may be available during the month you visit.  So I would call before wasting time in line and make sure they are still offering EP.
> 
> I have a question about arriving early enough for the opening of park.  First, if they offer early access every day to hotel guests, will that mean by the time everyone else arrives for opening it will already be really busy and we should try end of day instead.  Second,  if we decide to go for the opening of park, how many minutes before opening should we arrive?   We will be coming during spring break so I am a really worried about lines.  I have not found any info on spring break yet for this park.  We have gone to BB many times in the summer and never waited longer than 45 min for a ride.  I would never wait longer than 60 min for a ride so not sure if we should attempt this park. Any thoughts?


If you arrive thirty minutes before park opening, you'll do great, if staying onsite. That can be extremely early if they expect heavy crowds. That first hour you can ride everything with no wait at all. As soon as others can join you , the park will be packed. That is a great time to enjoy the rivers and wave pool. Try going back late in the evening also.


----------



## bocaj1431

chs27 said:


> If you arrive
> 
> If you arrive thirty minutes before park opening, you'll do great, if staying onsite. That can be extremely early if they expect heavy crowds. That first hour you can ride everything with no wait at all. As soon as others can join you , the park will be packed. That is a great time to enjoy the rivers and wave pool. Try going back late in the evening also.



Is this advice for those staying onsite?  We are staying at DW so we are unable to do the early opening offered for hotel guests.

I just found out they have Early MH every day at VB for hotel guests.  So now my ? is,  if the park opens at 8 am for hotel guests and then 9 am for everyone else, when should I arrive for the line to get in at 9?  It will be spring break so I am expecting high crowd levels.  Do I get there at 8:15 and wait in line until they open for everyone else, or even earlier?  

I recently watched videos of VB during high crowd level and the waits were 100 to 200 min for the most popular rides.  Also, the lazy river entrances were fully packed with large groups of people waiting.  And the wave pool was ridiculous.  I have never at either of DW water parks in the summer seen crowds like that in the wave pool. So now I really want to make sure I am there in the front of the line for opening to public.  

What time do you think makes sense?


----------



## chs27

bocaj1431 said:


> Is this advice for those staying onsite?  We are staying at DW so we are unable to do the early opening offered for hotel guests.
> 
> I just found out they have Early MH every day at VB for hotel guests.  So now my ? is,  if the park opens at 8 am for hotel guests and then 9 am for everyone else, when should I arrive for the line to get in at 9?  It will be spring break so I am expecting high crowd levels.  Do I get there at 8:15 and wait in line until they open for everyone else, or even earlier?
> 
> I recently watched videos of VB during high crowd level and the waits were 100 to 200 min for the most popular rides.  Also, the lazy river entrances were fully packed with large groups of people waiting.  And the wave pool was ridiculous.  I have never at either of DW water parks in the summer seen crowds like that in the wave pool. So now I really want to make sure I am there in the front of the line for opening to public.
> 
> What time do you think makes sense?


If you're not staying onsite, it will definitely be busy. Maybe try the suggestion of late touring instead of early. When I visited in October, lines were long right after the public opening. People have reported good luck with that strategy.


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## bocaj1431

Coming later in the day might be the best option given that they have EMH every day.  

Thanks for the advice.


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## TheFloatingBear

I'm not sure if this is as much of a question but more looking for some planning feedback...

We're staying on-site from 4/13-16/18 with 4 day, 3 park to park tickets. The Friday and Monday will most likely be half days so we'll probably stick to the other parks then, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to fully enjoy Volcano Bay on our two full days.  

Does it make sense for one day to do a morning (Early Park Admission) into the afternoon at VB, then hit one of the other parks in the evening, then do the opposite on the other day? We definitely want to do Early Park Admission to HP on one of the mornings.  

VB looks really amazing and we love water parks, so I want to make sure I'm allotting enough time to really enjoy it - I'm not sure if one or two afternoons would be enough!

Also, I thought I saw a map of VB and the cabanas on this thread, but I can't seem to find it? Can't seem to find one on the Universal website...

Any feedback appreciated - Thanks!


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## bobbie68

Hi we did VB two days last July and it was busy. We loved it and we love water parks.  We did do both days on Early Entry and stayed through the day. I think you have a good plan. It is nice to do Early Entry and spend the morning till early afternoon then go to another park later in the day. From my observation the evening about two hours before the park closes it really gets less crowded. I don't know what VB has for hours when you are there. In the summer it was closing at 9:00. It is a beautiful park at night so I think going later on the other day and staying till close will work. I would say you need at least two half days to see and do what you want. Doing it that way will give you some less crowded time. You will run into some crowds probably early afternoon and late afternoon for a bit. I will tell you if there is storms later in the day. People leave and don't come back. One day this happened and the park was empty for hours. 

https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/#post-57670546 This is a thread that was used before and I believe it will have what you are looking for.

Happy Planning!


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## bobbie68

TheFloatingBear said:


> I'm not sure if this is as much of a question but more looking for some planning feedback...
> 
> We're staying on-site from 4/13-16/18 with 4 day, 3 park to park tickets. The Friday and Monday will most likely be half days so we'll probably stick to the other parks then, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to fully enjoy Volcano Bay on our two full days.
> 
> Does it make sense for one day to do a morning (Early Park Admission) into the afternoon at VB, then hit one of the other parks in the evening, then do the opposite on the other day? We definitely want to do Early Park Admission to HP on one of the mornings.
> 
> VB looks really amazing and we love water parks, so I want to make sure I'm allotting enough time to really enjoy it - I'm not sure if one or two afternoons would be enough!
> 
> Also, I thought I saw a map of VB and the cabanas on this thread, but I can't seem to find it? Can't seem to find one on the Universal website...
> 
> Any feedback appreciated - Thanks!




Sorry I forgot to quote you above with my post.


----------



## TheFloatingBear

bobbie68 said:


> Hi we did VB two days last July and it was busy. We loved it and we love water parks.  We did do both days on Early Entry and stayed through the day. I think you have a good plan. It is nice to do Early Entry and spend the morning till early afternoon then go to another park later in the day. From my observation the evening about two hours before the park closes it really gets less crowded. I don't know what VB has for hours when you are there. In the summer it was closing at 9:00. It is a beautiful park at night so I think going later on the other day and staying till close will work. I would say you need at least two half days to see and do what you want. Doing it that way will give you some less crowded time. You will run into some crowds probably early afternoon and late afternoon for a bit. I will tell you if there is storms later in the day. People leave and don't come back. One day this happened and the park was empty for hours.
> 
> https://www.disboards.com/threads/map-of-volcano-bay-cabanas.3607449/#post-57670546 This is a thread that was used before and I believe it will have what you are looking for.
> 
> Happy Planning!



Thanks for the tips! And thanks for the link! I've been googling some maps but I will read through that thread. I just looked up the hours during our trip and it looks like 10am - 7 or 8pm on the Saturday. I think the nighttime would be a completely different experience with the lights and everything - as long as it's warm enough and I think it should be!  In any case, I definitely want to devote to larger chunks of time to VB...

I'm thinking about doing that Premium Seating, so I may call Universal tomorrow to see what the pricing is in April.  If anyone has any suggestions about good locations, I'd love to hear it! My kids are 13 and 11 if that makes a difference. 

Thanks again!


----------



## Ormonster

I'm going to be visiting Universal in April for a solo trip. I'm going to be there 3 days and was wondering if Volcano Bay was worth it for a solo traveller. Any tips for vising alone? Thanks!


----------



## bobbie68

TheFloatingBear said:


> Thanks for the tips! And thanks for the link! I've been googling some maps but I will read through that thread. I just looked up the hours during our trip and it looks like 10am - 7 or 8pm on the Saturday. I think the nighttime would be a completely different experience with the lights and everything - as long as it's warm enough and I think it should be!  In any case, I definitely want to devote to larger chunks of time to VB...
> 
> I'm thinking about doing that Premium Seating, so I may call Universal tomorrow to see what the pricing is in April.  If anyone has any suggestions about good locations, I'd love to hear it! My kids are 13 and 11 if that makes a difference.
> 
> Thanks again!



Your welcome very much! If you can get through the crowd issue you will love VB. It is a really cool water park. I opted against the premium seating and just did a cabana on one of my days. The day I got there for Early Entry without the cabana I got regular chairs. I was off to the right of the big wave pool by the Dancing Dragons Restaurant. It was a good location with bathrooms and drink refills a few 100 feet away. You could go without the seating if you get there early. There are umbrellas with a lot of the regular seating.

 If you want the premium seating I would suggest the rainforest village that is where more of the rides are or the wave pool village which is in the front more and equal access  to things. We had the wave village cabana and were very happy with it.


----------



## bobbie68

Ormonster said:


> I'm going to be visiting Universal in April for a solo trip. I'm going to be there 3 days and was wondering if Volcano Bay was worth it for a solo traveller. Any tips for vising alone? Thanks!




The days I was there I did see a few solo travelers. If you love water parks VB is really awesome and worth going. However, all the large tube  rides and the coaster need two or more. We had a couple of solo travelers put with us and I did see them put with others. The associates will just put you with people. If you are use to traveling alone then you probably would be comfortable riding with strangers. I would do Early Entry if possible and I would try the water coaster first. If it seems to be down don't wait and go over to the body slides in the Volcano (Ko Okiri, Kala and Tai Nui) if you want to do them and they are on EE. My DH and DD's BF did these slides and liked them. If they are not open go over to Honu and Moana. These two family rides get busy. Maku and Puhi are great large raft rides near the fearless river in the back of the park. These 4 family raft rides and the volcano slides get busy. The water coaster was down a lot last summer. I don't know if they got the kinks out. If you see up and down keep an eye out and jump in the line when it is working.

Have fun!


----------



## bobbie68

Hi if you search the net for tips for Volcano Bay you will see a lot of theme park sites have tips. I know most of them are from last year but are worth taking a look at.


----------



## TheFloatingBear

bobbie68 said:


> Your welcome very much! If you can get through the crowd issue you will love VB. It is a really cool water park. I opted against the premium seating and just did a cabana on one of my days. The day I got there for Early Entry without the cabana I got regular chairs. I was off to the right of the big wave pool by the Dancing Dragons Restaurant. It was a good location with bathrooms and drink refills a few 100 feet away. You could go without the seating if you get there early. There are umbrellas with a lot of the regular seating.
> 
> If you want the premium seating I would suggest the rainforest village that is where more of the rides are or the wave pool village which is in the front more and equal access  to things. We had the wave village cabana and were very happy with it.



I just called to price things out for my week - unfortunately, the cabanas may be out of my range for this trip, but it does sound nice!  The premium seating may still be an option at about $79 for my week. I was told you select an area (I think river, rainforest or wave pool) and then it's assigned from there. I will look more into the different areas but thanks for the description - that helps.  It's good to know we'd probably be able to get seats if we go early - shade is important as two of my family members are rather fair-skinned! On the other hand, it would be nice to have a definite and not have to worry about it, and I like the idea of the locker. I need to think about it some more...I was reading up on some tips and such yesterday, so I still need to do more homework! thanks again!


----------



## georgina

Ormonster said:


> I'm going to be visiting Universal in April for a solo trip. I'm going to be there 3 days and was wondering if Volcano Bay was worth it for a solo traveller. Any tips for vising alone? Thanks!



I just went this morning solo, and went last August solo also.  I enjoy water parks and slides so it is worth it for me!  I went early this morning (9 AM early entry) and rode Krakatau 3 times by myself because there was no line. The next 2 times I rode it I was put with other people. Most people are very nice about it. I also rode the family raft rides Maku and Puhi which seat 6, with other groups. The park was quite empty this morning.


----------



## KrisM

I see rides included in the Express Pass, but none of the options include Volcano Bay. So that one would be an extra purchase once we are there?  I think I"m following things!

https://www.universalorlando.com/we...es/index.html#participating-rides-attractions - this lists rides at Volcano Bay that are included.


----------



## soniam

KrisM said:


> I see rides included in the Express Pass, but none of the options include Volcano Bay. So that one would be an extra purchase once we are there?  I think I"m following things!
> 
> https://www.universalorlando.com/we...es/index.html#participating-rides-attractions - this lists rides at Volcano Bay that are included.



Yes, the Volcano Bay Express Pass is not included with the hotel stays and is separate from the Express Passes that can be purchased for Studios and Islands. The Volcano Bay EP must be purchased and is completely separate. However, it has not been sold all of the time. If it is being sold currently, then you may have to purchase it at the park or ticket booths/counters, instead of online. The VB EP rules keep changing.


----------



## RalphinSC

bocaj1431 said:


> Is this advice for those staying onsite?  We are staying at DW so we are unable to do the early opening offered for hotel guests.
> 
> I just found out they have Early MH every day at VB for hotel guests.  So now my ? is,  if the park opens at 8 am for hotel guests and then 9 am for everyone else, when should I arrive for the line to get in at 9?  It will be spring break so I am expecting high crowd levels.  Do I get there at 8:15 and wait in line until they open for everyone else, or even earlier?
> 
> I recently watched videos of VB during high crowd level and the waits were 100 to 200 min for the most popular rides.  Also, the lazy river entrances were fully packed with large groups of people waiting.  And the wave pool was ridiculous.  I have never at either of DW water parks in the summer seen crowds like that in the wave pool. So now I really want to make sure I am there in the front of the line for opening to public.
> 
> What time do you think makes sense?



From being there last week, the opening procedures as they currently stand is they reserve a certain number of tapstiles for hotel guests and then have more set aside to start operating for the general public. If you want to be at the front of the offsite rush, I suggest getting to Universal property an hour before it opens to non-resort guest. that will give you plenty of time to navigate the parking, security, and buses and be waiting at the front or very near the front of one of the tapstiles when the park opens for all.

Hope this helps.

PS Missed seeing when you were going, but last week it was extremely uncrowded. It was a Tuesday in February, but temps hit the upper eighties. Never waited in a line all day, everything was ride now. I'm sure there were some line, but I never noticed as we ride all the big ones early and then laze the middle of the day away in the rivers and pools before heading out after lunch.


----------



## RalphinSC

My most recent review of Volcano Bay:

-the foliage is really coming in from when we were there last June. It's really growing into a nicely themed park.

-also, everything looks so much nicer with all the construction either finished or nearly finished. They had Honu and Ike Moana down during our trip which is good to see them doing preventative maintenance and working hard to keep the park up.

-Krakatoa is FASTER than it was in June. And it was a blast then! Confirmed this with the ride operators that they have tweaked it up in speed a bit since they've gotten a majority of the bugs out. Great air time on a few of the drops. Still my favorite water ride anywhere.

-Tewa is also very much improved from June. Love using the vests instead of the tubes. So much more intense being IN the river instead of ON the river. And all the elements were working making it a great intense ride! Loved it!

-I'm officially "too good" at Punga racers for my own well-being. I nearly had a huge wipeout on the ride that would of involved flipping over and riding down on my bum. LOL! I slid halfway off the mat and it took a miracle to get me back on. Still beat everyone by a good five seconds.

-the new tapus were a wash. Mine worked great, my son's must of popped loose a good half dozen times. Surprised we didn't lose it in the washing machine, er Tewa.

-A wonderful enjoyable day overall. Travelling from Hard Rock was easier than I thought it would be and we got our favorite loungers. Rode everything we wanted with no wait and enjoyed all the amenities.

Great park and it has only gotten better since I was there last!


----------



## bobbie68

RalphinSC said:


> My most recent review of Volcano Bay:
> 
> -the foliage is really coming in from when we were there last June. It's really growing into a nicely themed park.
> 
> -also, everything looks so much nicer with all the construction either finished or nearly finished. They had Honu and Ike Moana down during our trip which is good to see them doing preventative maintenance and working hard to keep the park up.
> 
> -Krakatoa is FASTER than it was in June. And it was a blast then! Confirmed this with the ride operators that they have tweaked it up in speed a bit since they've gotten a majority of the bugs out. Great air time on a few of the drops. Still my favorite water ride anywhere.
> 
> -Tewa is also very much improved from June. Love using the vests instead of the tubes. So much more intense being IN the river instead of ON the river. And all the elements were working making it a great intense ride! Loved it!
> 
> -I'm officially "too good" at Punga racers for my own well-being. I nearly had a huge wipeout on the ride that would of involved flipping over and riding down on my bum. LOL! I slid halfway off the mat and it took a miracle to get me back on. Still beat everyone by a good five seconds.
> 
> -the new tapus were a wash. Mine worked great, my son's must of popped loose a good half dozen times. Surprised we didn't lose it in the washing machine, er Tewa.
> 
> -A wonderful enjoyable day overall. Travelling from Hard Rock was easier than I thought it would be and we got our favorite loungers. Rode everything we wanted with no wait and enjoyed all the amenities.
> 
> Great park and it has only gotten better since I was there last!




Hi I remember when we were on this thread last spring about what to expect and all the stuff happening. We also went last summer and knew that once the kinks started getting worked out it would be even better. We had a great time and thought it was a great park. I am so glad to hear your positive review on it. We will be heading back there the end of June for a week and we can't wait to go back. If they are selling express pass that day we might get it. I am not sure yet. We will get our seats by the dancing dragon again, that was a great spot with our Aqua Vault.

I will be at RPR this time and not CBBR. It was so easy to walk there last time, I am glad to hear the shuttles are easy.

Did they finish the second phase of the park or is  that on hold do you know?

Thanks for a great report!


----------



## CoachZ

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I remember when we were on this thread last spring about what to expect and all the stuff happening. We also went last summer and knew that once the kinks started getting worked out it would be even better. We had a great time and thought it was a great park. I am so glad to hear your positive review on it. We will be heading back there the end of June for a week and we can't wait to go back. If they are selling express pass that day we might get it. I am not sure yet. We will get our seats by the dancing dragon again, that was a great spot with our Aqua Vault.
> 
> I will be at RPR this time and not CBBR. It was so easy to walk there last time, I am glad to hear the shuttles are easy.
> 
> Did they finish the second phase of the park or is  that on hold do you know?
> 
> Thanks for a great report!



You said you used an aqua vault. Are you referring to this?
https://www.amazon.com/FlexSafe-Aqu...19682530&sr=8-1&keywords=flex+safe+aqua+vault
If so, how did it work out for you? I just bought one of these for me June trip.


----------



## bobbie68

CoachZ said:


> You said you used an aqua vault. Are you referring to this?
> https://www.amazon.com/FlexSafe-Aqu...19682530&sr=8-1&keywords=flex+safe+aqua+vault
> If so, how did it work out for you? I just bought one of these for me June trip.




https://www.amazon.com/AquaVault-Resistant-Reprogramable-Combination-Universal/dp/B00HYXHPNG

Hi this is the one that I purchased last summer. I love this thing. Yours looks like it does the same thing as mine but also yours is more portable for other situations.  I hooked mine to the back of the lounge chair like the photo in the one you bought and it worked great. We used it at VB, our local water parks and the resort pool. It kept our stuff safe and I didn't have to worry. What I did because there was a little gap where water could get in I put my phones in little ziploc bags for extra protection. I think no matter what the design this is a great idea to use.


----------



## CoachZ

bobbie68 said:


> https://www.amazon.com/AquaVault-Resistant-Reprogramable-Combination-Universal/dp/B00HYXHPNG
> 
> Hi this is the one that I purchased last summer. I love this thing. Yours looks like it does the same thing as mine but also yours is more portable for other situations.  I hooked mine to the back of the lounge chair like the photo in the one you bought and it worked great. We used it at VB, our local water parks and the resort pool. It kept our stuff safe and I didn't have to worry. What I did because there was a little gap where water could get in I put my phones in little ziploc bags for extra protection. I think no matter what the design this is a great idea to use.



Thank you for the quick response!! I will definitely be taking a ziplock bag for our phones!


----------



## RalphinSC

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I remember when we were on this thread last spring about what to expect and all the stuff happening. We also went last summer and knew that once the kinks started getting worked out it would be even better. We had a great time and thought it was a great park. I am so glad to hear your positive review on it. We will be heading back there the end of June for a week and we can't wait to go back. If they are selling express pass that day we might get it. I am not sure yet. We will get our seats by the dancing dragon again, that was a great spot with our Aqua Vault.
> 
> I will be at RPR this time and not CBBR. It was so easy to walk there last time, I am glad to hear the shuttles are easy.
> 
> Did they finish the second phase of the park or is  that on hold do you know?
> 
> Thanks for a great report!



Didn't even think to look into that, lol. Nothing new beyond the initial line-up besides the things they were intending to complete in phase one.

The funny thing about the seats is that I think your favorite seats are probably my favorite seats too! LOL! Closest umbrella on the beach to the Dragons bar, right? We park there every time!


----------



## georgina

I was hanging out in front of Dancing Dragons Saturday and Sunday morning myself. Great minds think alike! While very uncrowded at 9 AM, when I left about 12:30 on Saturday Krakatau was showing 180 minute wait.

Since I was solo I left my phone at the hotel and just used a lanyard for my cards. Very nice not to rent a locker.


----------



## Koz

RalphinSC said:


> Didn't even think to look into that, lol. Nothing new beyond the initial line-up besides the things they were intending to complete in phase one.
> 
> The funny thing about the seats is that I think your favorite seats are probably my favorite seats too! LOL! Closest umbrella on the beach to the Dragons bar, right? We park there every time!


Good morning. Care to show me on the map where those seats are?  I'm taking good notes for our August trip! Thanks!


----------



## bobbie68

Koz said:


> Good morning. Care to show me on the map where those seats are?  I'm taking good notes for our August trip! Thanks!




 

Hi on the map where the number 2 is off to the right in front of the volcano. I have circled it in black.  This is  the Dancing Dragons area where we have gotten the chairs. You would go into VB and head right on the sand in front of the Volcano and keep going till you see the Dancing Dragons red and yellow flag and the hut like restaurant.


----------



## Koz

bobbie68 said:


> View attachment 305422
> 
> Hi on the map where the number 2 is off to the right in front of the volcano. I have circled it in black.  This is  the Dancing Dragons area where we have gotten the chairs. You would go into VB and head right on the sand in front of the Volcano and keep going till you see the Dancing Dragons red and yellow flag and the hut like restaurant.


Thank you Bobbie, very much appreciated!


----------



## bobbie68

Koz said:


> Thank you Bobbie, very much appreciated!



Your welcome very much. I am sure you will enjoy VB. I can't wait to get back  there in June.


----------



## bocaj1431

RalphinSC said:


> From being there last week, the opening procedures as they currently stand is they reserve a certain number of tapstiles for hotel guests and then have more set aside to start operating for the general public. If you want to be at the front of the offsite rush, I suggest getting to Universal property an hour before it opens to non-resort guest. that will give you plenty of time to navigate the parking, security, and buses and be waiting at the front or very near the front of one of the tapstiles when the park opens for all.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> PS Missed seeing when you were going, but last week it was extremely uncrowded. It was a Tuesday in February, but temps hit the upper eighties. Never waited in a line all day, everything was ride now. I'm sure there were some line, but I never noticed as we ride all the big ones early and then laze the middle of the day away in the rivers and pools before heading out after lunch.



Thank you, this is definitely helpful.  
We will be going April 18th so I am sure we will not have the luck you had with lines.  I’ll Just have to have a good plan.  
That’s great there were no lines and upper 80’s is perfect weather for a water park.   You and your family must have had a blast.


----------



## Koz

As a  means of logistics, are we better off going from HRH to the front gates of Volcano Bay, or instead taking a hotel shuttle to CB and using their private gate?


----------



## hhoope01

I'd recommend taking the shuttle directly to VB.  If you try to get to CBBR first, the drop-off will be the front of the hotel and you will have to walk the full length of the resort to get to VB (and the resort isn't exactly small and compact.)    Plus I'm not sure there is even a direct shuttle to CBBR until after 6pm each day.


----------



## bobbie68

Koz said:


> As a  means of logistics, are we better off going from HRH to the front gates of Volcano Bay, or instead taking a hotel shuttle to CB and using their private gate?



Hi CBBR checked our room card for their entrance last year to go through it. I would suggest taking the shuttle from HRH to the VB entrance. I would hate to show up at an entrance and not be let in. 

Have fun!


----------



## WhitneyMB

Hi. My family and I will be arriving at Universal in 3 weeks and it will be the first time we visit Volcano Bay. Hopefully people can help with two questions I still have (after using the search function):

-          What kind of shoes would experienced people recommend? I’ve heard that there are a few rides that we need to take our shoes off for, but I’ve also heard that we will want to wear shoes as the cement is hot/rough. Can we wear water shoes in the lazy/fast river? Would water shoes be better than flipflops or not?

-          I saw a few people reporting contradicting experiences on whether they were allowed to wear their prescription glasses on the rides last summer. What should we expect this spring? Are there rides that you wouldn’t recommend it (due to fear of losing them), even if one is totally blind without them?

Thanks for answering my (wordy) questions!


----------



## bobbie68

WhitneyMB said:


> Hi. My family and I will be arriving at Universal in 3 weeks and it will be the first time we visit Volcano Bay. Hopefully people can help with two questions I still have (after using the search function):
> 
> -          What kind of shoes would experienced people recommend? I’ve heard that there are a few rides that we need to take our shoes off for, but I’ve also heard that we will want to wear shoes as the cement is hot/rough. Can we wear water shoes in the lazy/fast river? Would water shoes be better than flipflops or not?
> 
> -          I saw a few people reporting contradicting experiences on whether they were allowed to wear their prescription glasses on the rides last summer. What should we expect this spring? Are there rides that you wouldn’t recommend it (due to fear of losing them), even if one is totally blind without them?
> 
> Thanks for answering my (wordy) questions!




Hi when we were there last summer we used flip flops to walk around the park. There are shoe bins next to most of the rides where you can leave them for the slides and the raft rides. I did see people with water shoes for the lazy river and wave pool however, we do not like  the feeling of water shoes so either we walk bare foot or do flip flops. I will say there were a few times we didn't have shoes and we made sure to walk on the side with the spray. On one side of the walkway is a little sprayer that gets one side cooler. 

I don't know about the glasses policy,  one of our regular peeps just came back so he might be able to jump in and let us know. My husband uses contacts with sunglasses and I use prescription sunglasses. I can still see distance okay so I just left my glasses at the chair. If there was something to read someone had to do it for me. I am hoping they will have a better policy for glasses this year. I know it is a safety reason why they don't allow it but it makes it tough for some of us. Here's to hoping.

Have a great  time! We can't wait to be back in June.


----------



## georgina

I found the walkways, especially the wooden parts such as bridges, but also the concrete parts, to be slippery when wet for bare feet. I slipped numerous times last week and fell down once. I walk fast so I had to slow down and walk very carefully when I was not wearing my flip flops. I always took my sunglasses off and left them with my flip flops or held them on some rides. I was definitely told to take them off on the water coaster.

I would think it would be fine to wear water shoes in the lazy and fast rivers, and the wave pools.


----------



## WhitneyMB

Thanks for the answers. So it sounds like either flipflops or water shoes would work. We'll be prepared to have to take them off for some rides though, so nothing to hard to get on/off.

I can see a "little" without my glasses, but my husband can't see 3 feet in front of him without his. Neither of us would ever find where we left our glasses if we took them off and left them behind! So I guess, we'll have to hope that they just let us hold them down the ride, if we are made to take them off? (As you can imagine, we don't visit water parks that often, but figure we'll give this one a shot while we're at Universal)


----------



## bobbie68

WhitneyMB said:


> Thanks for the answers. So it sounds like either flipflops or water shoes would work. We'll be prepared to have to take them off for some rides though, so nothing to hard to get on/off.
> 
> I can see a "little" without my glasses, but my husband can't see 3 feet in front of him without his. Neither of us would ever find where we left our glasses if we took them off and left them behind! So I guess, we'll have to hope that they just let us hold them down the ride, if we are made to take them off? (As you can imagine, we don't visit water parks that often, but figure we'll give this one a shot while we're at Universal)




Having the band that goes around to help secure them might help. I know the body slides for sure you can't have anything on. As always it seems like rules can change from day to day. Yes either flip flops or water shoes are fine. We love VB as a water park.


----------



## macraven

The band I have used is croakers 

They will keep your glasses secure

There are other name brands that do the same but I have only used croakies


----------



## Dis_Fan

WhitneyMB said:


> Hi. My family and I will be arriving at Universal in 3 weeks and it will be the first time we visit Volcano Bay. Hopefully people can help with two questions I still have (after using the search function):
> 
> -          What kind of shoes would experienced people recommend? I’ve heard that there are a few rides that we need to take our shoes off for, but I’ve also heard that we will want to wear shoes as the cement is hot/rough. Can we wear water shoes in the lazy/fast river? Would water shoes be better than flipflops or not?
> 
> *-          I saw a few people reporting contradicting experiences on whether they were allowed to wear their prescription glasses on the rides last summer. What should we expect this spring? Are there rides that you wouldn’t recommend it (due to fear of losing them), even if one is totally blind without them?*
> 
> Thanks for answering my (wordy) questions!



When I went in September I was able to wear my glasses for every ride. I did every slide except the 2 that drop you from 4/8 feet into the pool because I can not swim. I used a strap and they were fine even on the Volcano tube slides.


----------



## WhitneyMB

Dis_Fan said:


> When I went in September I was able to wear my glasses for every ride. I did every slide except the 2 that drop you from 4/8 feet into the pool because I can not swim. I used a strap and they were fine even on the Volcano tube slides.



This is what I'm hoping for! (fingers crossed) I will also make sure we purchase straps, so they are on securely. Right now I'm planning on skipping the body plunge/slides--so hopefully the others rides we'll be okay with. I'd like to try the aqua coaster.


----------



## divasoprano

The Universal webpage is showing the Express Passes working at Volcano Bay. Is this just old info they never took down or are they allowing them now? Thanks!


----------



## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> The Universal webpage is showing the Express Passes working at Volcano Bay. Is this just old info they never took down or are they allowing them now? Thanks!




Hi I looked on the VB page of Universal and didn't see anything about the express pass being sold on-line. We had a pp about a week ago talk to the CM's and they said they will be selling express pass for VB at the ticket window in the morning if it is available. If you can copy the link I would love to see it.

Thanks


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I followed some links  that led me to the express pass page and it is confusing. You are on the VB extras and then when you hit other it takes you to an express pass purchase page. Those express pass purchases are for the other two parks I believe. I would still like to see your link just in case I am wrong. If we hear anything different we will pass it on


----------



## divasoprano

Here's what I found on the Universal Express Pass page. This would be great if it's accurate since we're staying RPR in June. https://www.universalorlando.com/we...es/index.html#participating-rides-attractions


----------



## divasoprano

And then if you click on the Details & FAQ page it shows this - "
Present this pass at participating attractions at either Universal Studios Florida™ or Universal's Islands of Adventure™ to bypass the regular lines. Express ride access is a separate line with a shorter wait time at each valid attraction.

Present this pass at participating attractions at Universal's Volcano Bay™ to bypass the Virtual Line™ and head right for the ride entrance. With Express ride access, bypass the return time wait at each valid attraction."

But by reading this post, I see they originally had the passes then removed them.


----------



## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> And then if you click on the Details & FAQ page it shows this - "
> Present this pass at participating attractions at either Universal Studios Florida™ or Universal's Islands of Adventure™ to bypass the regular lines. Express ride access is a separate line with a shorter wait time at each valid attraction.
> 
> Present this pass at participating attractions at Universal's Volcano Bay™ to bypass the Virtual Line™ and head right for the ride entrance. With Express ride access, bypass the return time wait at each valid attraction."
> 
> But by reading this post, I see they originally had the passes then removed them.



Hi I just got off the phone with Universal. I found the site and the link and read it. By the way it is written it is including VB. However, I knew from a couple of weeks ago that they were not going to include VB on the advance purchase. I just called to verify it and I read  them the wording. The CM assured me like was said two weeks ago, VB will not be available for purchase ahead of time. They will have a limited amount of an express pass daily at the park. You will have to be in the park that day to see if it is available. I suggested that they have their website coordinator look at that page and change it or they will have a lot of upset guests thinking they will have express pass for VB.

I am confident in this CM because it has been answered the same way from others. 

I know it stinks we used the express pass last year when we went and it was good. This year if we are not able to get it the day we go we probably will do the park like we normally do water parks. We will go the first half or the last half of the day.

I will be keeping up on this because I am interested in the end of June as well.

Thanks for bringing it up!


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## divasoprano

Thanks so much for looking into it! I agree, they need to change that page because it is definitely misleading. We're staying five full days plus 2 half days with flights and only doing Universal and going to Kennedy one day, so we should have plenty of time. If there's no EP we'll probably end up trying to do 2 half days - one morning and one evening.


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## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> Thanks so much for looking into it! I agree, they need to change that page because it is definitely misleading. We're staying five full days plus 2 half days with flights and only doing Universal and going to Kennedy one day, so we should have plenty of time. If there's no EP we'll probably end up trying to do 2 half days - one morning and one evening.



Your welcome and I agree that is the best course of action without express pass for VB. We are staying on-site for 5 days at the end of June and I will take advantage at least one morning with EP. Then I will go back early evening like about 5:00 till closing. Closing should be about 9:00. When we were there last year VB is really pretty at night with the lights.

I hope you enjoy it. Keep checking this page for updates


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## 123SA

I'm trying to decide whether or not to plan VB this year.  Trip dates - 7/31 - 8/8, staying at HRH.  My boys 12,15 like water parks in general.   They LOVE the wave pool at typoon lagoon.

My family did one day at VB last year in mid August.  If I am remembering correctly,  I woke up at 530am, the kids at 6am in order to be at the bus stop at the recommended 620am time (for the 630am bus).  The bus didn't arrive until 650.  I don't remember what time early entry was.  I guess 730 or 8am.   It was a difficult day for us.  My 15 yr old had a fractured foot  -- so we had a wheel chair, crutches and a boot.  And some sort of temporary cast that could get wet.  Doctor said he could do slides until his foot hurt...which was 2 slides!   There were two slides that had elevators, but one was down, leaving Krakatoa as the only elevator ride available.  We did the tapu thing for it...but honestly, that was awful.  The elevator leaves you off in the middle of an existing line with no way to get to the back of the line and no staff member to assist you.  We had to wait for a kind family to let us in the line.  It was awkward and it made my son feel bad for line cutting.  Even with the return time, it took about 30 minutes.

Anyway  -- by 11am, we left.  We had been up since dawn.  The kids without foot problems did 5 slides during the early entry period.  As soon as the park opened we used the tapu thing to get 1000 return time for krakatau.  They did the fast river...but they were not convinced that they were actually in the fast river as opposed to the lazy river.  When we got off the krakatau slide, the earliest time we could get for another slide was 1pm.  They wandered over to the wave pool, which wasn't doing anything, so they called it quits.  

Bottom line was, were we exhausted by 11am (mostly from pushing the 15 yr old year up that awful ramp at the park entry) and felt like we didn't actually do much in that time.  I know that in part our feelings about the park were influenced by the difficulty of managing the wheelchair etc.



So.... are the wait times any more manageable at VB?  Was it just new park growing pains, or should I expect the same kind of day this year? (hopefully minus the foot issues).   


Maybe one other thing to consider is that we are heading to Discovery Cove after the Universal part of the vacation.  We plan Discovery Cove one day, Sea World 2 days and Aquatica water park with quick queue passes for two days.


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## divasoprano

Since you're staying on site, might as well try it. If you hate it, you can always leave early and just do the regular parks for the rest of the day. I have no idea what the wait times, but it sounds like most of your issues last year was from having to deal with the foot issues.


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## hhoope01

And don't forget, last year was their opening and they have even admitted to learning about how best to run the park.  I'd take a little hope that in general this year, especially during the busy season, things might run a bit more smoothly.


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## 123SA

divasoprano said:


> Since you're staying on site, might as well try it. If you hate it, you can always leave early and just do the regular parks for the rest of the day. I have no idea what the wait times, but it sounds like most of your issues last year was from having to deal with the foot issues.




Yes...maybe.  I guess I'll need to review trip reports starting in June to see how things are going.


Thanks for your input.


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## divasoprano

FYI they are allowing reservations for cabanas and premium seating for the summer now. The June pricing before peak season is $450 for lower cabana, $550 for upper, and $79 for premium seating. So the question now is - is the premium seating worth it?


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## soniam

divasoprano said:


> FYI they are allowing reservations for cabanas and premium seating for the summer now. The June pricing before peak season is $450 for lower cabana, $550 for upper, and $79 for premium seating. So the question now is - is the premium seating worth it?



We did the premium seating for two trips: first opening weekend and second in late July. We felt it was worth it. We only rented 1 pair, but it was only 2 or 3 of us. First trip on opening weekend was just me and DS. It was great to have the locker right there and not worry about losing our stuff or seats. The server was convenient, because food lines got long last summer. The cover was nice for the sun. It also worked well when it poured rain. We just hid out under it until it stopped.

The disadvantage was that it took awhile all 3 times we rented to get it and get to the seat.


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## TooShay89

Just this week we called and reserved a family cabana for August 25th, even though the website said that they were only booking a month out. We paid $699 for that date. Expensive, but it's my son's birthday party weekend and we're renting several suites at Cabana Bay for all of his friends and family and spending a day at VB, so it only makes sense to have a "home base" with a larger group.

I still can't find any pictures or videos of the larger family cabanas... I've heard there are only two at VB. Has anyone rented one before? Is it worth it? How big are they in comparison to the standard cabanas?


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## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> FYI they are allowing reservations for cabanas and premium seating for the summer now. The June pricing before peak season is $450 for lower cabana, $550 for upper, and $79 for premium seating. So the question now is - is the premium seating worth it?



 for posting!
Wow! The price has gone up from last summer. We booked a single cabana last year on July 30th and only paid $399.00 for peak time. We enjoyed the cabana and it was really nice but it is not something I would pay all the time. The premium seating is the same price as last summer. We chose not to do the premium seating. We found great chairs under an umbrella and bought our aqua vault with us. I thought that was a bit more than I wanted to spend for chairs. Honestly, when we had the cabana the server was nice to have but didn't come around as much as they should have. I think that has been a complaint with the seating also.

We are going back this June and will find our seats near the Dancing Dragons. Enjoy your trip!


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## bobbie68

TooShay89 said:


> Just this week we called and reserved a family cabana for August 25th, even though the website said that they were only booking a month out. We paid $699 for that date. Expensive, but it's my son's birthday party weekend and we're renting several suites at Cabana Bay for all of his friends and family and spending a day at VB, so it only makes sense to have a "home base" with a larger group.
> 
> I still can't find any pictures or videos of the larger family cabanas... I've heard there are only two at VB. Has anyone rented one before? Is it worth it? How big are they in comparison to the standard cabanas?



Hi I believe you are correct. When we were there I did see one of the family cabanas it was in the River Village closer to the Wave Village. It was all by itself with no other cabanas. I rented a single one and this one was about double the size on one level. I saw over 10 people in it. I think that is a pretty good price for a family one. I would rent one  again for an occasion like that.


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## Cali2nooga

I've searched past posts and even watched a video walkthrough of VB, but can't seem to find the answer.  Does anyone know where the stand alone cabanas in the rainforest village are located?


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## bobbie68

Cali2nooga said:


> I've searched past posts and even watched a video walkthrough of VB, but can't seem to find the answer.  Does anyone know where the stand alone cabanas in the rainforest village are located?





Hi this is a map I got last summer of the park. I have circled the cabana locations in the rainforest village. I am not sure if this will help you or not. It was under construction last summer still so there could be more cabanas just not on my map. As you can see that village is to the left of the Volcano. The the single story and two story cabanas are all mixed together so I couldn't tell you which ones are which. No maps get that specific.


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## divasoprano

Broke down and reserved a cabana for our trip. Really hope it's worth the cost! Got an upper cabana in the wave section. Most of the reviews I've read from the past few months say the service is great so hopefully the slow service was more of a new park thing.


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## mhall2007

divasoprano said:


> Broke down and reserved a cabana for our trip. Really hope it's worth the cost! Got an upper cabana in the wave section. Most of the reviews I've read from the past few months say the service is great so hopefully the slow service was more of a new park thing.


I also just booked an upper cabana in the wave village for our upcoming trip. Are these cabanas the ones that are on the right side of the volcano as your walking in?  Hoping so, what a view


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## divasoprano

mhall2007 said:


> I also just booked an upper cabana in the wave village for our upcoming trip. Are these cabanas the ones that are on the right side of the volcano as your walking in?  Hoping so, what a view



I think so & I hope so! I've been trying to figure out if there's any cabanas straight across from the volcano that might also be in the wave village but I think it's just those to the right.


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## kungaloosh22

mhall2007 said:


> I also just booked an upper cabana in the wave village for our upcoming trip. Are these cabanas the ones that are on the right side of the volcano as your walking in?  Hoping so, what a view



I asked specifically about those cabanas when I booked ours, and also on a previous call before my date was available. I was told both times that the cabanas to the right of the volcano are part of river village. That makes sense, too, as those cabanas are right in between the volcano and the river. I think the wave village cabanas are more to the left of the wave pool.


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## divasoprano

A couple of YouTube videos I've watched and then a guy on Facebook said that the ones to the right were part of wave village. It's so confusing! Wish they would label the map better.


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## mhall2007

divasoprano said:


> A couple of YouTube videos I've watched and then a guy on Facebook said that the ones to the right were part of wave village. It's so confusing! Wish they would label the map better.


I saw the same thing on some you tube videos.  I guess I should call back and confirm.  I wish there was some more cabana view photos so I could decide!


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## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> I think so & I hope so! I've been trying to figure out if there's any cabanas straight across from the volcano that might also be in the wave village but I think it's just those to the right.


 

 The ones I have circled here are in the wave village. They are to the left of  the volcano. I dubbed this cabana row last year. We did have our cabana there and the location was good. I did not have any of the noise problems that other people had. The other two to the right of the screen near #2  are part of the wave village.


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## bobbie68

The  5 I have circled by the volcano( near #l) and the two at the top are part of the River Village. They do have a great view however, the only downside we saw was they are on the walking path up to part of  the volcano. People are really close to your  cabana.


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## hhoope01

Personally, I liked those cabanas in the middle (at least if I am getting the top level.)  No sand, no road noise from the highway right behind the cabana and you right in the middle of the park with great views all around.  And if I remember correctly, while you are closer to the walkway, it wasn't the most crowded walk-way in the park as it basically takes you under the mountain.  And most people seems to prefer to walk around the mountain instead of through it.


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## divasoprano

Ugh. That is not where I wanted to be because I think the ones clear to the left back up to the interestate. I asked to be where the B is. I might have to call again and double check and try to change it. Although she did say I was by the lazy river.


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## divasoprano

So I just called to double check where we are and she just said wave village but they don't have it narrowed down beyond that. When I get to the park that day and go to the concierge desk, then I can request which cabana I want. So that's really annoying.


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## kungaloosh22

bobbie68 said:


> View attachment 309297
> The  5 I have circled by the volcano( near #l) and the two at the top are part of the River Village. They do have a great view however, the only downside we saw was they are on the walking path up to part of  the volcano. People are really close to your  cabana.



Thanks @bobbie68. I really appreciate your maps! Very helpful.


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## TooShay89

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I believe you are correct. When we were there I did see one of the family cabanas it was in the River Village closer to the Wave Village. It was all by itself with no other cabanas. I rented a single one and this one was about double the size on one level. I saw over 10 people in it. I think that is a pretty good price for a family one. I would rent one  again for an occasion like that.



When we called the lady we spoke with said that our cabana would be in River Village since both of the family suite cabanas were in that area (and only one out of the two of those is an ADA/accessible cabana - which is the one we requested since a parent of my son's friend is disabled.) I've been trying to figure out the park map but I don't see any cabanas by themselves. I think they may not be listed on the map, so that's a bummer. We're still excited, though! I'm such a planner, I just wish I knew where this darn cabana was or what it looked like. We were told that the family cabana could fit 16 guests, so it seems like a good deal considering the pricing for the other cabanas isn't much less.


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## mhall2007

divasoprano said:


> So I just called to double check where we are and she just said wave village but they don't have it narrowed down beyond that. When I get to the park that day and go to the concierge desk, then I can request which cabana I want. So that's really annoying.


Ha!  A bit, I called too- basically same answer,  I asked about those specific cabanas and he said you can't request them until you are on site.  So early entry we go!  Best advice on what time to be at Volcano Bay in the morning?


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## mhall2007

mhall2007 said:


> Ha!  A bit, I called too- basically same answer,  I asked about those specific cabanas and he said you can't request them until you are on site.  So early entry we go!  Best advice on what time to be at Volcano Bay in the morning?


On a positive note-  this has been the only thing I have to "plan" from booking this entire universal vacation!  I love how care free it is to go here over our one trip to disney..


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## kungaloosh22

Where do you check in for premium seating and cabanas? I vaguely remember reading somewhere that there are 2 locations to check in, and that 1 is much less crowded, but I can't find that reference.


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## bobbie68

mhall2007 said:


> Ha!  A bit, I called too- basically same answer,  I asked about those specific cabanas and he said you can't request them until you are on site.  So early entry we go!  Best advice on what time to be at Volcano Bay in the morning?



Hi we stayed at CBBR last year and walked over. We had EE at 8:00 am and we were through security by 7:30.


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## bobbie68

kungaloosh22 said:


> Thanks @bobbie68. I really appreciate your maps! Very helpful.




you're welcome I am glad it was helpful


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## bobbie68

TooShay89 said:


> When we called the lady we spoke with said that our cabana would be in River Village since both of the family suite cabanas were in that area (and only one out of the two of those is an ADA/accessible cabana - which is the one we requested since a parent of my son's friend is disabled.) I've been trying to figure out the park map but I don't see any cabanas by themselves. I think they may not be listed on the map, so that's a bummer. We're still excited, though! I'm such a planner, I just wish I knew where this darn cabana was or what it looked like. We were told that the family cabana could fit 16 guests, so it seems like a good deal considering the pricing for the other cabanas isn't much less.



Those cabanas were not finished in time to make the map that I have. They were working on them even once the park opened. I can tell you that they are on the back to side of the volcano, close to the volcano. They are located around the letter J but closer to l .


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## bobbie68

TooShay89 said:


> When we called the lady we spoke with said that our cabana would be in River Village since both of the family suite cabanas were in that area (and only one out of the two of those is an ADA/accessible cabana - which is the one we requested since a parent of my son's friend is disabled.) I've been trying to figure out the park map but I don't see any cabanas by themselves. I think they may not be listed on the map, so that's a bummer. We're still excited, though! I'm such a planner, I just wish I knew where this darn cabana was or what it looked like. We were told that the family cabana could fit 16 guests, so it seems like a good deal considering the pricing for the other cabanas isn't much less.



All the cabanas are the same inside. The family cabana was about  the size of two singles put together. The accessible one will look a little different inside but I don't think by much. I am betting that the stuff inside will be a little lower to the ground and probably a ramp inside.


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## bobbie68

kungaloosh22 said:


> Where do you check in for premium seating and cabanas? I vaguely remember reading somewhere that there are 2 locations to check in, and that 1 is much less crowded, but I can't find that reference.



Hi once you go through the turnstiles and up the path. There is an associate checking room keys. If you look right in front of them to the left a little is a hut. This is the one that we used because we had EE and there was very little wait. The other one is going to be by the Dancing Dragons Bar. It will be to the right and down and around a corner. It takes a bit of time to get there. I think if you are going  to be there early and one of  the first through I would use the one in front.


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## kungaloosh22

bobbie68 said:


> Hi once you go through the turnstiles and up the path. There is an associate checking room keys. If you look right in front of them to the left a little is a hut. This is the one that we used because we had EE and there was very little wait. The other one is going to be by the Dancing Dragons Bar. It will be to the right and down and around a corner. It takes a bit of time to get there. I think if you are going  to be there early and one of  the first through I would use the one in front.



Thank you! I think we'll try to be early and check in at the first hut, but if for some reason there's a big line there, then we'll have a plan B near Dancing Dragons.


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## bobbie68

divasoprano said:


> Ugh. That is not where I wanted to be because I think the ones clear to the left back up to the interestate. I asked to be where the B is. I might have to call again and double check and try to change it. Although she did say I was by the lazy river.



Hi I am surprised she told you that you were by the lazy river because they literally assign the cabanas the night before. We had put a request for a cabana when we were there on a Friday for a Tuesday and she told me that they will do it  the night before. Honestly, I was told that those by B are part of  the River Village. However, the two that are by the number 2 in the wave  village are kind of close to one of the exits of the lazy river.That is where my cabana was last summer. Honestly we closed the back curtain the music and ceiling fan were on and we did not hear traffic. I think the cabanas on the second level may hear the noise more. If you have to  be on the back wall by the interstate try and request cabana #22. It was the only single cabana set back and was kind of isolated. Check out my pics of it on my trip report. Scroll down to Tuesday August 1.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/summer-trip-report-finally-yay.3642765/


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## bobbie68

kungaloosh22 said:


> Thank you! I think we'll try to be early and check in at the first hut, but if for some reason there's a big line there, then we'll have a plan B near Dancing Dragons.



You're welcome


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## TheConsciousness

So how is Volcano Bay now that the park isn't brand new? Wait times gone down? Are the neat Polynesian food options still slowly coming back?


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## Il traveler

Heading to VB for 1st time next week for busy spring break, and thinking of getting premium seating chairs. Any recs for which village to reserve between rainforest or wave villages, and where is premium seating located--near the cabanas?  We have 9yr-olds who will be doing all the crazy slides, rollercoasters, and fast rivers.
Thanks for any help!


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## bobbie68

Il traveler said:


> Heading to VB for 1st time next week for busy spring break, and thinking of getting premium seating chairs. Any recs for which village to reserve between rainforest or wave villages, and where is premium seating located--near the cabanas?  We have 9yr-olds who will be doing all the crazy slides, rollercoasters, and fast rivers.
> Thanks for any help!



Hi below is a map of VB.  This way you can get an idea where everything is for adequate seating. Personally we went on everything and we sat in the wave village both days. I like to be in the center of everything. You will see more of the thrill rides are in rainforest village with some in the river and wave. The premium seating is located in various spots in the villages. We rented one cabana in the wave village on the wall against the interstate and saw many other cabanas around and did not see premium seating near it. There have been some other peeps who have had premium seating so they may know.


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## macraven

_Bobbie68, I added your map to the sticky_


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## bobbie68

macraven said:


> _Bobbie68, I added your map to the sticky_




great thank you!


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## Il traveler

bobbie68 said:


> Hi below is a map of VB.  This way you can get an idea where everything is for adequate seating. Personally we went on everything and we sat in the wave village both days. I like to be in the center of everything. You will see more of the thrill rides are in rainforest village with some in the river and wave. The premium seating is located in various spots in the villages. We rented one cabana in the wave village on the wall against the interstate and saw many other cabanas around and did not see premium seating near it. There have been some other peeps who have had premium seating so they may know.
> 
> View attachment 310068


Thanks, Bobbi68, appreciate the help : )


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## bobbie68

Il traveler said:


> Thanks, Bobbi68, appreciate the help : )



You're welcome always a pleasure to help someone plan a great trip!


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## Il traveler

Do the cabanas have full size lounger chairs like the chairs that are on the beach? I was told by a TM that they do, but all the pictures I have seen just show
2 upright chairs and bench seating. I would like to have the reclining chairs that are body length so you can actually lie down. I might pull 2 from sand area into the cabana.

Also, when you have one of the ground floor cabanas do you hear a lot of noise from the upstairs cabana? No stand alone cabanas available (except ADA cabana in River Village), but don't know if I should spend the extra $100 to go from ground unit to upper unit.


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## bocaj1431

Not sure how accurate this is but when I called to reserve a cabana the representative said the loungers do not come with the cabana and that the ones which are more like chairs are what comes with a cabana. 
Hopefully someone who has rented a cabana previously and wanted a lounger can let you know whether they were able to get one.  But in pictures it does not appear there are any single padded loungers.  There are loungers that are not padded near the cabanas so maybe they might let you swap for one of those.


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## Il traveler

bocaj1431 said:


> Not sure how accurate this is but when I called to reserve a cabana the representative said the loungers do not come with the cabana and that the ones which are more like chairs are what comes with a cabana.
> Hopefully someone who has rented a cabana previously and wanted a lounger can let you know whether they were able to get one.  But in pictures it does not appear there are any single padded loungers.  There are loungers that are not padded near the cabanas so maybe they might let you swap for one of those.,


Thanks,bocaj1431, that's what l figured. Just for the amount of money the cabanas cost you would think there would be actual lounge chairs...


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## rochek1999

Question:  Are you allowed to wear "water shoes" in the park and on the rides??

Thanks!!


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## ckmiles

Interesting to read that according to the UO website Volcano Bay is closed right for for capacity.


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## bocaj1431

Il traveler said:


> Thanks,bocaj1431, that's what l figured. Just for the amount of money the cabanas cost you would think there would be actual lounge chairs...



I was thinking the very same thing.  With that kind of money why would they put two chairs that do not fold back.

As much as I loved the cabana, we chose preferred seating so that we could lay down when we take a break.

Hopefully someone who has purchased the cabana before and tried to get a lounger will see this and let you know if it worked.

Have a great trip!


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## CAPSLOCK

rochek1999 said:


> Question:  Are you allowed to wear "water shoes" in the park and on the rides??
> 
> Thanks!!


You can wear them to the park and on many rides. You have to take them off for certain slides (where your feet actually hit the slide, like the drop slides and body slides. The mat racers I wore them once and was made to take them off once).


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## WhitneyMB

ckmiles said:


> Interesting to read that according to the UO website Volcano Bay is closed right for for capacity.



Do you mean they closed VB due to capacity this afternoon? Eek! We'll be there later this week and are trying to decide what day(s) to go.


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## hhoope01

bocaj1431 said:


> Not sure how accurate this is but when I called to reserve a cabana the representative said the loungers do not come with the cabana and that the ones which are more like chairs are what comes with a cabana.


When we rented last September (once lower level, once upper), both times there was at least one lounger chair in the Cabana (maybe 2, but I can't remember), plus to regular chairs and the benches. 

I don't remember hearing any noise from the Cabana above us when we were in the lower cabana.  So I'm not sure that will be a big issue (but I guess that might also depend on who is above you and how loud they get.  ).   I definitely preferred the upper though.  I liked the views much better and there seemed to be a better breeze going through the Cabana.  Plus it felt a bit more 'private' as folks just walking by didn't pause to look into your cabana as well.  Whether that is worth the $100 or so extra dollars is a personally question, but for me, I suspect we will go for the uppers in the future.


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## Thiago Acquaviva

Hello guys! We're planning to go to the Volcano Bay for the first time this October.
I'm kinda confused with the lines system... are there regular lines or the only way you can ride is using the tapu tapu + virtual line system?

I was trying to find the express pass to Volcano Bay at Universal's website but I didn't find it. it doesn't exist anymore?

big thanks in advance


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## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> Hello guys! We're planning to go to the Volcano Bay for the first time this October.
> I'm kinda confused with the lines system... are there regular lines or the only way you can ride is using the tapu tapu + virtual line system?
> 
> I was trying to find the express pass to Volcano Bay at Universal's website but I didn't find it. it doesn't exist anymore?
> 
> big thanks in advance



Hello and you're welcome. So for VB most of the rides you have to use the ride reservations system known as Tapu Tapu. This allows you to book a ride time for an attraction. However, there usually is one set of smaller tube slides that are a ride now option. I believe these slides are not busy and can do that.  Who knows this summer if things will change.  You wouldn't need to reserve them. Also the two rivers and wave pool have no reservation system. The other thing is you can't book another attraction till you are through with the one you just reserved.  There is no stand-by lines. There is one line up to the ride.   The ride now option may be open to all the attractions first thing in the morning. I remember last summer for the first hour at early entry everything was a ride now. Then the ride reservation system starts in. 

The express pass is no longer being sold ahead of time. If  they are going to sell it you would purchase it that day at the guest services hut. I am sure it will depend on capacity. The summer months probably will not be selling much of  them. The fall may have a better chance.

We love VB and will be heading back there in June! I will post a trip report on it probably in July. I will try and update any new information I find out. 

Meanwhile if you have time take a look at the VB threads to get a feel for things.


----------



## Thiago Acquaviva

Wow @bobbie68 Big big thanks! 
I really appreciate it!

Good to know about the first hour been ride now, gotta try to hit main slides during that period of time.

Sad about the non-regular lines available 
I hope we can ride at least 2/3 of them all.

ps: can't wait for your trip report


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## GoldmanTrust

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> Hello guys! We're planning to go to the Volcano Bay for the first time this October.
> I'm kinda confused with the lines system... are there regular lines or the only way you can ride is using the tapu tapu + virtual line system?
> 
> I was trying to find the express pass to Volcano Bay at Universal's website but I didn't find it. it doesn't exist anymore?
> 
> big thanks in advance



When you arrive at VB you get a “watch” and you use it to tap in at slides. That gives you a return time and the watch vibrates when it is time to go. 

After you wait is down to zero you show up at the ride and tap in at the entrance of that ride (staff members will assist you). 

But the queue after you have tapped in for the second time is still pretty long at times.
Maybe 15-20 minutes, depending on the slide of course. So it is not totally queueless. 

Early entry is awesome at VB. The park is beautiful and we cant wait to go back!


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## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> Wow @bobbie68 Big big thanks!
> I really appreciate it!
> 
> Good to know about the first hour been ride now, gotta try to hit main slides during that period of time.
> 
> Sad about the non-regular lines available
> I hope we can ride at least 2/3 of them all.
> 
> ps: can't wait for your trip report




You're very welcome glad to help! I absolutely recommend getting to VB for EE if you can. It is so nice to also have your pick of seats. I agree it was hard not having stand-by lines for it. I think that was a big frustration for people visiting last summer to not have stand-by. I think they really tried to take a new twist on a park. I think relaxing more and just going with the flow is a great concept and can work a lot. However, most of us are use to commando style and planning of parks. You should be able to do almost all of what you want in EE with the park. 

https://www.disboards.com/threads/summer-trip-report-finally-yay.3642765/ This is a link to my trip report from last summer. You can scroll there are two VB days that I wrote about. Also take a look at the map on the first page of locations of things. I also have on other maps a few pages back some location options  for cabanas, and regular seating. We liked being in front of  the Volcano our first day with regular seating. It was next to the Dancing Dragons. There is a rest room, drink station, restaurant and guest relations all near by. The maps can give you an idea ahead of time where you want to sit.


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## wilma-bride

Has anybody reserved a cabana for August who could give me an indication of pricing please? The website obviously says from $199.99 but, given we have to call from the UK to book, I would like to have an idea of the actual cost before I call, so I know whether it is worth the call.  We are specifically looking at either the 21st or 22nd August.


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## bobbie68

wilma-bride said:


> Has anybody reserved a cabana for August who could give me an indication of pricing please? The website obviously says from $199.99 but, given we have to call from the UK to book, I would like to have an idea of the actual cost before I call, so I know whether it is worth the call.  We are specifically looking at either the 21st or 22nd August.




Hi I called universal to check on cabanas after I saw your post while I was checking for mine. The price for 8/21 was $532.00 for a lower and $638.00 for an upper. On 8/22 the lower was $479.00 and the upper was $585.00. 

Last year we rented a lower cabana for 4 people and it was a really good size I would say we could fit 6 people comfortable in it. I thought the lower was nice some people prefer the upper for more privacy. You can  take a look at my trip report I have some pics of my cabana on my VB day. The link is https://www.disboards.com/threads/summer-trip-report-finally-yay.3642765/.


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## wilma-bride

Thank you so much for checking the prices for me, I really appreciate it.  Yowzers, that is one hefty price tag - I guess the 21st and 22nd are still fairly high season then, since that is significantly higher than the 'from $199.99' starting price.  I did read your trip report earlier actually - your cabana looked pretty good.  Was that a lower or upper?  Is the cabana a real necessity, would you say? There are 5 of us, we will have EE as we are staying on site.


----------



## bobbie68

wilma-bride said:


> Thank you so much for checking the prices for me, I really appreciate it.  Yowzers, that is one hefty price tag - I guess the 21st and 22nd are still fairly high season then, since that is significantly higher than the 'from $199.99' starting price.  I did read your trip report earlier actually - your cabana looked pretty good.  Was that a lower or upper?  Is the cabana a real necessity, would you say? There are 5 of us, we will have EE as we are staying on site.



Hi yes my cabana was a lower one in the wave village. Honestly I don't think it is a necessity. It was nice to have a place to spread out, the food service was just okay. We had to wait quite awhile for our food. I did like having the water in the fridge and the towels. We are going again in June and I just priced out a cabana and I was shocked myself. Last year for almost the same time it was a lot cheaper. We will not do one this year. I think with having EE you should be good. If you go back a few pages on some of the maps I put up and the first page has the full map you can get a layout of seats. We love the front of the volcano in the wave village. We found great seats by the Dragon Boat Bar and we will look to get those each day we go. We go EE all the time and you will not find a problem getting a seat where you want. Also if you are worried about personal stuff look into the aqua vaults there are plenty of styles. The regular seats have umbrellas of different sizes and EE you can get one. 

I think the cabana is great if you have someone in your party who doesn't do the water rides or little ones. It is a great place for them to hang for the day. I didn't think it was worth it because we were on the rides all the day. I actually felt like I had to stay in there to get the full value of it.

Good luck!


----------



## bobbie68

wilma-bride said:


> Thank you so much for checking the prices for me, I really appreciate it.  Yowzers, that is one hefty price tag - I guess the 21st and 22nd are still fairly high season then, since that is significantly higher than the 'from $199.99' starting price.  I did read your trip report earlier actually - your cabana looked pretty good.  Was that a lower or upper?  Is the cabana a real necessity, would you say? There are 5 of us, we will have EE as we are staying on site.




Your're welcome any time


----------



## GoldmanTrust

bobbie68 said:


> Hi yes my cabana was a lower one in the wave village. Honestly I don't think it is a necessity. It was nice to have a place to spread out, the food service was just okay. We had to wait quite awhile for our food. I did like having the water in the fridge and the towels. We are going again in June and I just priced out a cabana and I was shocked myself. Last year for almost the same time it was a lot cheaper. We will not do one this year. I think with having EE you should be good. If you go back a few pages on some of the maps I put up and the first page has the full map you can get a layout of seats. We love the front of the volcano in the wave village. We found great seats by the Dragon Boat Bar and we will look to get those each day we go. We go EE all the time and you will not find a problem getting a seat where you want. Also if you are worried about personal stuff look into the aqua vaults there are plenty of styles. The regular seats have umbrellas of different sizes and EE you can get one.
> 
> I think the cabana is great if you have someone in your party who doesn't do the water rides or little ones. It is a great place for them to hang for the day. I didn't think it was worth it because we were on the rides all the day. I actually felt like I had to stay in there to get the full value of it.
> 
> Good luck!



Agree with this. Staying at any of the hotels the give you EE (preferably Cabana Bay) gives you plenty of options to find good seats. We stayed at similar places as you, by the wave village lockers and also by the river village lockers. We loved both but I THINK we liked our spot by the river village better, Whakawaiwai eats had great food. But we loved everything about the park so its kind of unnecessary to pick and choose.

I would only rent a cabana if i were staying off site.


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## wilma-bride

Thanks for your input @GoldmanTrust, I really think we are going to go without a Cabana - we are currently planning one full day and one half day at the park so hopefully we will be able to get plenty done.

Any tips you can offer to first timers will be very much appreciated, in terms of ride order or a plan of attack.  Thanks x


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I once you find your seats I would head over to either the aqua coaster or the volcano body slides if you are going to do them. These two attractions get the busiest followed by Honu for the family raft ride. When we went we did the aqua coaster then Honu and then Puihi (  the yellow family raft ride). Last summer the aqua coaster was having a lot of technical difficulties in the morning and it actually ate up time from the EE. I wouldn't wait to long if it is down and move on to one ride then go back. 

Since you will be there one full day I would suggest lunch on off times. We would be in line for lunch by 11:30 and beat the crowds. We did the same for dinner in line about 4:30. For food we found the pizza at Whakawaiwai eats very good. I would save the fearless river, lazy river and wave pool till later on when it is busy. 

Make sure when you go up to the entrance to the ride that you are tapping for the correct slide you want. Last summer we saw so much confusion with people getting in the wrong lines because some of the entrances aren't marked clearly.

The Taniwha tubes are almost a ride now all day. You would just have to get in the line and wait the time it takes. We never went on Punga racers. We are not fans of mat slides and riding on your stomach.

I will post my trip report when I get back in the beginning of July!


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## bobbie68

wilma-bride said:


> Thanks for your input @GoldmanTrust, I really think we are going to go without a Cabana - we are currently planning one full day and one half day at the park so hopefully we will be able to get plenty done.
> 
> Any tips you can offer to first timers will be very much appreciated, in terms of ride order or a plan of attack.  Thanks x



I posted some tips above this post. I forgot to hit reply.


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## wilma-bride

bobbie68 said:


> I posted some tips above this post. I forgot to hit reply.



Thank you so much, I look forward to your trip report also


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## GoldmanTrust

I also recommend buying drinks from those plastic glasses you can keep. We still have Volcano bay glasses at home. I love them. 

Maybe thats smart as your last purchase of the day, if you dont want to be carrying them around all day. 

Anyways @bobbie68 covered the park perfectly. I just cant believe I have to wait for 5 months now until our next trip.


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## bobbie68

wilma-bride said:


> Thank you so much, I look forward to your trip report also




https://www.disboards.com/threads/summer-trip-report-finally-yay.3642765/  To make it easier for you!


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## hotmamac

I have a question...where do I get tickets for just Volcano Bay and how much is it? We plan on staying at CBBR for two nights in September and on the second day we want to go to Volcano Bay. We won't be doing the other Universal Parks. 
Thanks!


----------



## macraven

_You can buy tickets online at uo site_


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## bobbie68

hotmamac said:


> I have a question...where do I get tickets for just Volcano Bay and how much is it? We plan on staying at CBBR for two nights in September and on the second day we want to go to Volcano Bay. We won't be doing the other Universal Parks.
> Thanks!



Hi last year's price was $67.00 adult $62.00 Junior. You could also buy them right at the ticket window for VB outside of the turnstiles. We love both CBBR and VB.


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## bobbie68

hotmamac said:


> I have a question...where do I get tickets for just Volcano Bay and how much is it? We plan on staying at CBBR for two nights in September and on the second day we want to go to Volcano Bay. We won't be doing the other Universal Parks.
> Thanks!




Hi I also just wanted to mention since you are going for one day and staying at CBBR I would probably just buy the tickets at the window. What happened last year into the early fall was that VB was maxing capacity every day. There were people who bought tickets ahead of time on line and were not let in that day. Now I don't know if VB will be that busy again this summer and early fall but in case it is this could happen again.

Since you are staying at CBBR I would get to VB ticket counter outside the turnstiles at least 30 minutes before EE to get  your tickets and go in. This park is really an EE park to get the most out of it. Enjoy!


----------



## Luisfba

We are likely only doing a half day.  I'm thinking the morning (less crowds?), break at lunch, then to one of the parks.  If I'm doing this.. do I need seats?  We could just put our stuff in a locker (there are lockers right?  where are they?), then head to the more popular slides (coaster, family raft rides?, any others recommended?), then do a few more things before taking the break?


----------



## bobbie68

Luisfba said:


> We are likely only doing a half day.  I'm thinking the morning (less crowds?), break at lunch, then to one of the parks.  If I'm doing this.. do I need seats?  We could just put our stuff in a locker (there are lockers right?  where are they?), then head to the more popular slides (coaster, family raft rides?, any others recommended?), then do a few more things before taking the break?




Hi yes going as early as you can will be your best bet to hit everything you want in a reasonable amount of time. You do not have to get seats and yes there are lockers to the left and right down a bit on the path once you are at the beginning of the beach part. Also there are lockers in the back side to back of the park by the aqua coaster. The lockers are with the restrooms.  We personally get seats and leave our stuff and towels then we use an aqua vault to hold our phones/money. I like to be able to sit if we want to take a break.  Yes you want to hit the aqua coaster first if it is running. If anybody is interested in the body slides in the volcano do those next then the two family raft rides. 

When we went last summer we were on property and did early entry at 8:00 am. By 10:00 the lines were long but we had been able to do quite a bit. We stayed all day last year but  this year we will do the morning one day then had to a different park in the afternoon. Then another day we will go around 5:00 and do an evening  there. The park is really cool at night. 

Enjoy!


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## Luisfba

If we wanted a chair, what do we do to 'claim' one?  Just put a towel on it?


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## bobbie68

Luisfba said:


> If we wanted a chair, what do we do to 'claim' one?  Just put a towel on it?




Hi we put a towel on the chair and then put our shoes in front of the chairs and if we have any shirts or cover ups we put those on too. In the summer when I had the free-style cup I put it under the towels.


----------



## BBL1

Hello,  does anyone know if you’re allowed to wear a waterproof cell phone lanyard around your neck on the rides? (Excluding the body slides)


----------



## Erica_Haley

BBL1 said:


> Hello,  does anyone know if you’re allowed to wear a waterproof cell phone lanyard around your neck on the rides? (Excluding the body slides)


I've only done it on the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, Honu, Maku, and of course the lazy river and the fearless river. Krakatau was the first ride I did and they made me put the lanyard under a strap of my top so I did that for the rest of the rides. Not sure how they handle males, but I just kept hoping I could do it without a wardrobe malfunction!


----------



## BBL1

Erica_Haley said:


> I've only done it on the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, Honu, Maku, and of course the lazy river and the fearless river. Krakatau was the first ride I did and they made me put the lanyard under a strap of my top so I did that for the rest of the rides. Not sure how they handle males, but I just kept hoping I could do it without a wardrobe malfunction!



Thank you! I wanted to use these to try and avoid having to rent a locker. A cell phone would be the only “valuable” I’d be bringing to the park. I would be fine leaving our towels and sunblock on a chair.


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## Erica_Haley

BBL1 said:


> Thank you! I wanted to use these to try and avoid having to rent a locker. A cell phone would be the only “valuable” I’d be bringing to the park. I would be fine leaving our towels and sunblock on a chair.


I saw a ton of people with cell phone lanyards both times I've been. I bought mine beforehand but last summer I saw them for sale inside VB. Both times never did a locker, so it's possible


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## WhitneyMB

Quick report back-- 

Thanks for all the advice people give out on here. I just wanted to mention that my family & I were at Universal the first week in August (Easter = packed crowds & closing for capacity early). I had way more fun then I expected at Volcano Bay   We did two mornings (arriving at opening) and left after lunch both days.  We were able to ride the Aqua coaster twice in a row with nearly no line, which was great! Definitely the marquee ride in the park. 

We just grabbed chairs that had umbrellas near Puihi (there were a ton there near the reserved chairs--and we appreciated the shade), and left our towels, shoes & cover-ups. We had bought an aqua safe due to recommendations and it was awesome. Every time we went back to the chairs, we could pull out cell-phones to look at our ride photos, take photos of VB, or just look at stuff online. We didn't bother with a locker--just left our a sling bag with sunscreen & hats on the chair with the aqua safe (nothing worth stealing except in the safe).

My sons loved the fearless river and the wave pool.  The first day I had to work to get them to go on more rides while there was no lines. All in all, we got on nearly every ride the first day, with some repeats, and all our favorites (with repeats) on day 2, while taking a more relaxed pace. It is a lovely park.

Advice--when looking for food, head to the back of the park. Everyone tried to buy food at the front and by 12:30 the lines were nearly an hour long at the front! We had eaten earlier with a 5 minute wait, but the back of the park doesn't get nearly as crowed.


----------



## bobbie68

WhitneyMB said:


> Quick report back--
> 
> Thanks for all the advice people give out on here. I just wanted to mention that my family & I were at Universal the first week in August (Easter = packed crowds & closing for capacity early). I had way more fun then I expected at Volcano Bay   We did two mornings (arriving at opening) and left after lunch both days.  We were able to ride the Aqua coaster twice in a row with nearly no line, which was great! Definitely the marquee ride in the park.
> 
> We just grabbed chairs that had umbrellas near Puihi (there were a ton there near the reserved chairs--and we appreciated the shade), and left our towels, shoes & cover-ups. We had bought an aqua safe due to recommendations and it was awesome. Every time we went back to the chairs, we could pull out cell-phones to look at our ride photos, take photos of VB, or just look at stuff online. We didn't bother with a locker--just left our a sling bag with sunscreen & hats on the chair with the aqua safe (nothing worth stealing except in the safe).
> 
> My sons loved the fearless river and the wave pool.  The first day I had to work to get them to go on more rides while there was no lines. All in all, we got on nearly every ride the first day, with some repeats, and all our favorites (with repeats) on day 2, while taking a more relaxed pace. It is a lovely park.
> 
> Advice--when looking for food, head to the back of the park. Everyone tried to buy food at the front and by 12:30 the lines were nearly an hour long at the front! We had eaten earlier with a 5 minute wait, but the back of the park doesn't get nearly as crowed.




Hi I am so happy you enjoyed VB. I am glad that all the advice given helped make your visit great! Thanks for the feedback. I was worried that crowds will still be heavy  this year especially the summer when we go. I am glad you found the aqua vault awesome. I take it with us to all water parks and pools.


----------



## BBL1

Erica_Haley said:


> I saw a ton of people with cell phone lanyards both times I've been. I bought mine beforehand but last summer I saw them for sale inside VB. Both times never did a locker, so it's possible


Awesome. Thank you!


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## sandam1

WhitneyMB said:


> We had bought an aqua safe due to recommendations and it was awesome.



@WhitneyMB - Can you share what aquavault you bought? I looked at some on Amazon, but wasn't sure which one to get. Some reviews mention not being able to get them open at times and that terrifies me. Thanks!


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## WhitneyMB

We used this one, which we bought on Amazon (in blue). It was great! No problems getting it open. We left the key in our hotel room as a backup & just used the combination lock. We fit four iPhones, our tickets & 1 wallet.

SAFEGO Portable Indoor/Outdoor Lock Box Safe with Key and Combination Access (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017RQUIC4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tns1AbC2S4RVZ


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## G719

If you're familiar with water country in Williamsburg, can you tell me is the fearless river like hubba hubba highway at water country usa?  If so, then I know where my kids will be all day.  They will love it.  
I've been watching some YouTube tours of VB and there's been some comments about taking the tubes away from the ride.  At hubba hubba highway, you wear a life vest for that river too.  It's so much fun to just let yourself float around that way.


----------



## bobbie68

G719 said:


> If you're familiar with water country in Williamsburg, can you tell me is the fearless river like hubba hubba highway at water country usa?  If so, then I know where my kids will be all day.  They will love it.
> I've been watching some YouTube tours of VB and there's been some comments about taking the tubes away from the ride.  At hubba hubba highway, you wear a life vest for that river too.  It's so much fun to just let yourself float around that way.




Hi I was at water country in Williamsburg a few years ago and went on hubba hubba highway. We really enjoyed it with the vests. I was at VB last summer on their fearless river with tubes and it is more intense then the one at water country. I have heard that they have taken the tubes away and now are enforcing life vests. I like the vests and am hoping that it will be just as good from when I used the tubes.


----------



## georgina

Wow, Monday morning and overcast skies led to a very empty Volcano Bay today! Even in the afternoon, everything except Krakatau and Ohno were ride now, and those 2 rides only had a 10 minute wait.


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## bobkins40

A few questions ( sorry if I missed the answers in the posts)

1. does Volcano Bay or Cabana Bay provide towels to use ?
2. Do they offer a refillable Drink cup ?
3. can you wear water shoes on slides ?


----------



## bobbie68

Hi Cabana bay does provide towels for their pools not specifically for Volcano Bay. You can rent more beach type style towels at Volcano Bay for $5.00 or bring your own. One day I rented the towels and another day I just dried off because it was like almost 100 degrees. LOL! The only refillable drink cup is the coke free-style but it can be used at all three parks. We do have it and used it last summer at all three.

Water shoes are tricky at Volcano Bay. I am more than sure the body slides will not allow it. The coaster I had seen people wear them and some of the family raft rides have. However, I have seen conflicting reports as well as first hand experience where that decision by attendants  can change. There are a few rides  that have a place for your shoes but most do not. Volcano Bay does have some sprinklers on the ground but they don't cover the whole walk way sometimes. Honestly when we were there last summer we left our shoes at our chair and went bare foot. We found this much easier to do. 

Enjoy your trip!


----------



## E&Cmom

We are going in July and have the 3 day 3 park to park pass. Been doing some research on Volcano Bay and not finding much on gluten free options at this park. I am had an easier time finding info on the pther parks and city walk. DH has a gluten sensitivity. Wonder if there are options? I guess another alternative would be to eat at one of the places at Cabana Bay if needed. Thanks


----------



## mjhtvchick

E&Cmom said:


> We are going in July and have the 3 day 3 park to park pass. Been doing some research on Volcano Bay and not finding much on gluten free options at this park. I am had an easier time finding info on the pther parks and city walk. DH has a gluten sensitivity. Wonder if there are options? I guess another alternative would be to eat at one of the places at Cabana Bay if needed. Thanks



I would suggest contacting Universal...they have this info posted on their site:

*Send Us A Note*
If you have venue-specific questions or questions that have not been answered here, you can e-mail FoodServiceCUF@universalorlando.com for dining locations within Universal’s Islands of Adventure™, Universal Studios Florida™, Universal’s Volcano Bay™, and Universal CityWalk™. Please allow 48 hours for a response. To make dining reservations or if you have any questions for a dining venue at one of our on-site hotels, please visit the concierge desks located in the lobby of each hotel or call (407) 503-DINE (3463) for more information.


----------



## oakleycat

Thanks for all the advice we received here!  We went to Volcano Bay on 4/19 and it was wonderful, not at all crowded all morning and almost everything was either a very short wait or ride now.  It started getting busier mid-afternoon but nothing horrible and my boys were happy to spend all their time in the fearless river while waiting for rides.  All the food we tried was great and we loved being able to pay for everything using the tapu tapu.


----------



## Thiago Acquaviva

Guys, a quick question.
How can we get to Volcano Bay?
We usually stay at an International Drive hotel and walk to Universal and Islands. 
Can we get to Volcano from Universal's Citywalk just walking?


----------



## macraven

_Probably take a bus from City Walk to the Cbay hotel would be shorter than walking from City Walk to Volcano bay

Cbay guests have a special entrance to walk to for entering Vbay but believe you need to show your hotel room key to use that close special entrance.


I have not checked the website but wonder about busses at City Walk dedicated to Vbay
It would seem logical for busses to be set up for that park.

I have visited Cbay but before Vbay was opened.
So I have zero experience on the water park._


----------



## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> Guys, a quick question.
> How can we get to Volcano Bay?
> We usually stay at an International Drive hotel and walk to Universal and Islands.
> Can we get to Volcano from Universal's Citywalk just walking?



Hi you may have trouble getting through the Cabana Bay entrance for VB. They have checked room cards. If you drive into the Universal Garage it will direct you to the area to park your car and catch  the bus to VB. If you are going in the next couple of months through the summer you would need to get to the garage at least an hour before park opening. VB has a tendency to hit capacity very early in the warm months. Last year we stayed at Cabana bay and walked right in but they did check our cards. This year we will be taking a bus from Portofino to VB.


----------



## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> Guys, a quick question.
> How can we get to Volcano Bay?
> We usually stay at an International Drive hotel and walk to Universal and Islands.
> Can we get to Volcano from Universal's Citywalk just walking?



Hi I am sorry I forgot that you can't walk to VB from anywhere except Cabana bay Resort. It is the location that  they built the park in that is not accessible for walking. Enjoy VB we love it there!


----------



## Thiago Acquaviva

We're going this October! @bobbie68 
So we have to go to Citywalk and then walk to an Universal Hotel and get a VB bus or try to get a bus at Citywalk, right?
big thanks


----------



## macraven

_The busses will be at city walk.
You don't have to go thru city walk to reach the bus area.

You don't have to go to a hotel to get the bus for Vbay.

Quicker and easier to just take the bus from City Walk._
_The area will be to your left as you are walking up to City Walk for the bus area._


----------



## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> We're going this October! @bobbie68
> So we have to go to Citywalk and then walk to an Universal Hotel and get a VB bus or try to get a bus at Citywalk, right?
> big thanks




Hi I am sorry if I was confusing. If you stay at any of the on-site hotels they will provide buses to VB ( except for Adventura-I don't know what they are doing with them yet as far as VB is concerned). Any body staying off-site or coming for the day has to just park at the city walk garage the bus for VB will pick you up in that area. I have read on other sites that there are signs in the garage  to help guide you.  The bus will take you to VB entrance then at the end of the day you do the reverse. 

October may not be as busy for hitting capacity. I probably would check back here on this thread for reports if anybody goes at that time of year. This way you can gauge what time you should be at the parking garage. I have only gone in the summer and know you have to be there super early to get in. In the summer months people were told to be at the garage about an hour to an hour and a half before opening. Park opening is usually 9:00 in the summer.

You're welcome very much! 

There have been a few posters reporting their VB experience the past year. I have two days from last summer  in this trip report https://www.disboards.com/threads/summer-trip-report-finally-yay.3642765/ and I will be putting up another one when I get back in July. I know there are a few other regular posters who have gone to VB and reported back so maybe you will come across theirs as well. VB is one of those parks that you kind of need a plan for the rides if it is going to be busy.

Have fun!


----------



## Thiago Acquaviva

@bobbie68 ohhh, now I got it! big big thanks!  
I really appreciate it!


----------



## bobbie68

Thiago Acquaviva said:


> @bobbie68 ohhh, now I got it! big big thanks!
> I really appreciate it!



My  pleasure


----------



## helenb

My husband and son are planning to check out VB in mid-June. We will be staying at HRH, and they plan to take advantage of Early Entry.

Questions

- What time should they catch the bus from HRH to get to VB early enough for EE opening?
- If they wear water shoes with velcro straps and are not permitted to have them on during rides, can they loop them around their swimsuit waistbands for riding?
- Can they bring pool towels from HRH to use at VB?
- What kind of touring plan/ride priority should they have? (i.e. which ride should they head to first, which ride should they reserve first on the Tapu Tapus, etc.)
- Do they have to do anything in advance to make it easier to register the Tapu Tapus?

Lastly, and this is the big one, are the many problems with crowds and capacity experienced last summer still occurring at VB?


----------



## bobbie68

helenb said:


> My husband and son are planning to check out VB in mid-June. We will be staying at HRH, and they plan to take advantage of Early Entry.
> 
> Questions
> 
> - What time should they catch the bus from HRH to get to VB early enough for EE opening?
> - If they wear water shoes with velcro straps and are not permitted to have them on during rides, can they loop them around their swimsuit waistbands for riding?
> - Can they bring pool towels from HRH to use at VB?
> - What kind of touring plan/ride priority should they have? (i.e. which ride should they head to first, which ride should they reserve first on the Tapu Tapus, etc.)
> - Do they have to do anything in advance to make it easier to register the Tapu Tapus?
> 
> Lastly, and this is the big one, are the many problems with crowds and capacity experienced last summer still occurring at VB?



Hi from the calendar it looks like VB will open to the public at 9. EE will be at 8 and I would catch the bus from HRH about 7:15 and 7:30 the latest. 

Honestly, I have never seen anybody do that with water shoes but if I had  to guess I would say no. VB can be very strict on what you are wearing. Some attractions may let stuff on while others won't. I can tell you all the body slides are strict, with stuff being worn. I have seen the family raft  rides allow some things. We leave our shoes either at the entrance or exit but most of the time we just leave them at our seats. VB does have some sprinklers on the ground on one side where you walk so it does help. The worse heat we felt there  was on the walk way bridges. I know a lot of people complained last summer so not sure if they changed anything.

Bringing pool towels from the hotels is not encouraged at most of the resorts,  but people still do. I read a report where a CM at Cabana bay suggested it. You can rent very nice ones there for $5.00. We rented one time and the second time we didn't even bother because it was so hot out that we dried fast.

Early Entry for at least the first hour will be ride now. I would have them go to the aqua coaster first. However, this ride takes time getting started sometimes so if it looks like it is taking awhile move over to another (volcano body slides). If  they are interested in the three serpentine body slides in the volcano I would do them after the coaster. Once it is public entry I would tap into either of those they want to ride again or  tap their tapu  into Moana (The big blue one). This family raft ride will be the most popular of them. Puihi is a family raft ride in the back of the park by the fearless river. It is probably the second most popular family raft ride. I don't know about the Punga Racers  we don't like those slides. Ohno and Ohyea body slides can get busy so I would put them in after the family raft rides. The one thing with all the tubes and slides is they will weigh your party and if you are over or under  they will adjust seating accordingly. 
There was one time before we had lunch that my family of 4 was put together  then after lunch we went on the same ride and was split up.

My DH last year set up all our credit card information on the website. It was put on once our tapu was activated. I know they were getting new bands  this year however, we used shoe laces to keep ours on. The bands were always falling off. It is a pain because you have to have your proof of admission in the park to get another one. Outside of that nothing else  to do.

Their were reports from our Dis friends who went over spring break that there were several days it hit capacity and closed. Outside of that I have not heard of regular days so far. However, I believe that will change once June starts and summer season begins. I think VB will hit capacity again very early this summer. Mid June could go either way for crowds. there are a lot of places in the southern part of the US out already. However, here in the northeast we have a lot of snow days to make up so we will be out a little later. 

I hope your family enjoys VB we love it there and can't wait to get back at the end of June.


----------



## macraven

_I think we have a lot of that info in the Vbay sticky

And many gave add on info also_


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## helenb

Thank you so much for your information, @bobbie68 ! It is very much appreciated.

One other question: are classes on an athletic strap allowed on the slides?


----------



## oakleycat

helenb said:


> My husband and son are planning to check out VB in mid-June. We will be staying at HRH, and they plan to take advantage of Early Entry.
> 
> Questions
> 
> - What time should they catch the bus from HRH to get to VB early enough for EE opening?
> - If they wear water shoes with velcro straps and are not permitted to have them on during rides, can they loop them around their swimsuit waistbands for riding?
> - Can they bring pool towels from HRH to use at VB?
> - What kind of touring plan/ride priority should they have? (i.e. which ride should they head to first, which ride should they reserve first on the Tapu Tapus, etc.)
> - Do they have to do anything in advance to make it easier to register the Tapu Tapus?
> 
> Lastly, and this is the big one, are the many problems with crowds and capacity experienced last summer still occurring at VB?




I think you got great info from Bobbie, but to further answer the towel question, we went to VB on 4/19 and stayed at RPR.  The pool staff there encouraged us to take towels, we just had to sign them out with our room number.  I'm not sure how that helps though, as when we went to return them we didn't have to sign them back in, just dump them in the towel return.  Also, we wore sunglasses the entire time and were only asked to remove them (and hold them in your hand) on the body slides, so I don't think glasses will be a problem.


----------



## helenb

Thank you, @oakleycat !


----------



## bobbie68

helenb said:


> Thank you so much for your information, @bobbie68 ! It is very much appreciated.
> 
> One other question: are classes on an athletic strap allowed on the slides?



You're welcome


----------



## Alicefan

We got to go back in March and practically had the park to ourselves. The only wait we had was for the coaster style ride (don't ask me to remember any of the names because they all sounded the same to me.) We'll call this one....apookahooeyhooey. lol  Luckily they have the reservation times for that one on your tapu tapu so it didn't even mater. It's such a clean and beautiful park.  Although I'm surprised that someone doesn't drown daily in that fast "lazy" river! That sucker is a beast! We went around twice and that thing wore us out!  I tried one of the swirly bottom drops out slides up in the mountain! I tell you, the anticipation while you're in that closed in case while you're trying to stand there with your legs crossed in an awkward position is enough to make you start cussing! lol  Or maybe that was just me? The first thing you do when the bottom drops out is uncross your legs and arms to try to stop yourself. It's a reflex! haha!  Will definitely go again!


----------



## kungaloosh22

bobbie68 said:


> View attachment 309297
> The  5 I have circled by the volcano( near #l) and the two at the top are part of the River Village. They do have a great view however, the only downside we saw was they are on the walking path up to part of  the volcano. People are really close to your  cabana.



There was a big discussion back on pages 33-34 about whether the 5 cabanas just to the right of the volcano are part of wave village or river village. When I called (twice) to book these, I was told river village, so that's what I reserved. When I got there, I was told they were part of wave village. Fortunately I was there early and they happened to be able to change our reservation, though it took the efforts of several people. We were lucky that we could change it. 

The view from these volcano-adjacent upper-level cabanas was fabulous, but they were _very_ windy. I thought it was probably just the weather for our day, but a cabana attendant told us they are frequently windy. The wind was chilly when we were wet, and trying to block the wind with the curtains was useless, as they curtains just blew inside and knocked everything over. 

Based on reports from the first year that most of the wave village cabanas had open backs that faced the freeway, I didn't think I'd want that section. However, it looked like those cabanas now all have solid backs, which I think is a very good improvement. I'd consider those cabanas on a future trip.

One other note: based on everything I'd previously read, I thought you can check in at any of the 3 cabana huts. That is, people suggested if the first one by the entrance was busy (wave village), just go to another one for a shorter wait. Our experience was that they insisted we check in at the guest services hut in the section we reserved. We first stopped at the wave village hut, stood in a short line, and were told we had to go check in at the river village hut, as that was where we reserved. 

Hope this helps someone else trying to decide where to reserve and check in!


----------



## bobbie68

kungaloosh22 said:


> There was a big discussion back on pages 33-34 about whether the 5 cabanas just to the right of the volcano are part of wave village or river village. When I called (twice) to book these, I was told river village, so that's what I reserved. When I got there, I was told they were part of wave village. Fortunately I was there early and they happened to be able to change our reservation, though it took the efforts of several people. We were lucky that we could change it.
> 
> The view from these volcano-adjacent upper-level cabanas was fabulous, but they were _very_ windy. I thought it was probably just the weather for our day, but a cabana attendant told us they are frequently windy. The wind was chilly when we were wet, and trying to block the wind with the curtains was useless, as they curtains just blew inside and knocked everything over.
> 
> Based on reports from the first year that most of the wave village cabanas had open backs that faced the freeway, I didn't think I'd want that section. However, it looked like those cabanas now all have solid backs, which I think is a very good improvement. I'd consider those cabanas on a future trip.
> 
> One other note: based on everything I'd previously read, I thought you can check in at any of the 3 cabana huts. That is, people suggested if the first one by the entrance was busy (wave village), just go to another one for a shorter wait. Our experience was that they insisted we check in at the guest services hut in the section we reserved. We first stopped at the wave village hut, stood in a short line, and were told we had to go check in at the river village hut, as that was where we reserved.
> 
> Hope this helps someone else trying to decide where to reserve and check in!



Thanks for reporting back from your visit. I was hoping that some posters would do this. When I went last summer there was a lot of trial and error with things. I knew they had a lot of kinks to work out and new decisions to be made on operating the park. It sounds like they have made some changes and I look forward to using this information when I go back in June.


----------



## RAPstar

Does anyone know the policy on goggles? I'm trying to decide whether to get prescription goggles or contacts, and would prefer goggles since 1) they're cheaper and 2) I really don't like contacts. I mean I guess either way I'd be good, I would just need to like hold on the goggles on slides? Just wanted to check before spending money. Thanks!


----------



## 123SA

Does anyone have experience with express pass plus?   I bought them for July 31  -- one time per all of the slides.   I'm planning to arrive for extra magic hour and do what we can, grab a return time for their favorite ride with the tapau, then use the express pass.  I am hoping to be finished around 2pm.  Does that sound reasonable?


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> Does anyone have experience with express pass plus?   I bought them for July 31  -- one time per all of the slides.   I'm planning to arrive for extra magic hour and do what we can, grab a return time for their favorite ride with the tapau, then use the express pass.  I am hoping to be finished around 2pm.  Does that sound reasonable?




Hi this is a new program they are implementing there. As of a month ago there was no express pass program being sold.  We were there last summer and purchased the old express program where we had unlimited times on all the rides except for the volcano body slides. After that they discontinued the express pass due to capacity issues. I am surprised to see this because they were going to keep it on a day to day basis nothing ahead of time.

I can give you my opinion from using an unlimited  express pass last summer.  Yes they seems reasonable. As long as you get there for early entry and use that express pass you will do good. The only thing is this tapu tapu isn't like Disney''s system. You tap into a ride then wait for the time. You can  only grab one ride at a time. You have to wait to complete that ride to get another time for another ride. I can can tell you that I went on July 30th  last summer and wait times for rides were in access of an hour to an hour and a half.

Have fun adn keep us posted! I am going in a couple of weeks and might look into this.


----------



## wilma-bride

123SA said:


> Does anyone have experience with express pass plus?   I bought them for July 31  -- one time per all of the slides.   I'm planning to arrive for extra magic hour and do what we can, grab a return time for their favorite ride with the tapau, then use the express pass.  I am hoping to be finished around 2pm.  Does that sound reasonable?



Would you mind sharing how much the Express Passes were please?


----------



## 123SA

There were two options for the express pass.  Please be aware that BOTH options allow ONE RIDE on a list of slides.  Neither option allows unlimited rides.  I bought the express plus.  It was $79 per person for July 31st.  The other option was $49 per person for July 31st.  I didn't check any other days.  

*1-Park Universal Express PLUS  ($79 per person on July 31)*


Skip the Virtual Lines at ALL participating rides and attractions at Universal's Volcano Bay™. One use per participating attraction. The Universal Express Pass is valid for one person per calendar day and is not valid for admission to Volcano Bay™.



AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:

Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster
Punga Racers™
Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
Honu of Honu ika Moana™
ika Moana of Honu ika Moana™
Taniwha Tubes™
Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides™
Ko’okiri Body Plunge™
Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™
Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™


*1-Park Universal Express  ($49 per person on July 31)*
Skip the Virtual Lines at SELECT participating rides and attractions at Universal’s Volcano Bay™. One use per participating attraction. The Universal Express Pass is valid for one person per calendar day and is not valid for admission to Volcano Bay™.

AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:

Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster
Punga Racers™
Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
Honu of Honu ika Moana™
ika Moana of Honu ika Moana™
Taniwha Tubes™
NOT AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:

Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides™
Ko'okiri Body Plunge™
Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™
Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™


----------



## CAPSLOCK

That's actually a really nice split - a cheaper option for those who aren't into the intense droppy slides, which incidentally are some of the slowest moving lines per person.


----------



## wilma-bride

Thank you @123SA


----------



## donnishobson

123SA said:


> There were two options for the express pass.  Please be aware that BOTH options allow ONE RIDE on a list of slides.  Neither option allows unlimited rides.  I bought the express plus.  It was $79 per person for July 31st.  The other option was $49 per person for July 31st.  I didn't check any other days.
> 
> *1-Park Universal Express PLUS  ($79 per person on July 31)*
> 
> 
> Skip the Virtual Lines at ALL participating rides and attractions at Universal's Volcano Bay™. One use per participating attraction. The Universal Express Pass is valid for one person per calendar day and is not valid for admission to Volcano Bay™.
> 
> 
> 
> AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:
> 
> Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster
> Punga Racers™
> Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
> Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
> Honu of Honu ika Moana™
> ika Moana of Honu ika Moana™
> Taniwha Tubes™
> Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides™
> Ko’okiri Body Plunge™
> Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™
> Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™
> 
> 
> *1-Park Universal Express  ($49 per person on July 31)*
> Skip the Virtual Lines at SELECT participating rides and attractions at Universal’s Volcano Bay™. One use per participating attraction. The Universal Express Pass is valid for one person per calendar day and is not valid for admission to Volcano Bay™.
> 
> AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:
> 
> Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster
> Punga Racers™
> Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
> Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides™
> Honu of Honu ika Moana™
> ika Moana of Honu ika Moana™
> Taniwha Tubes™
> NOT AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING:
> 
> Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides™
> Ko'okiri Body Plunge™
> Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™
> Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides™


Is the pass available for pre-purchase now or only at the park? I couldn't find anything on the website.


----------



## 123SA

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/tickets-packages/express-passes/index.html


I pre-purchased it.

 I have a vacation package.  I don't know if that matters.  I couldn't figure out how to purchase it on-line.  I called 407 224-7840 and selected the option for new tickets purchase.  The customer service agent was able to check the dates and facilitate the purchase.  The tickets will be available when I check in at HRH. I received a confirmation number and email.

Also, I only purchased it for the 3 kids on the reservation, not the 2 adults.


I jumped on this because last year the day I called to add the express pass was the day they stopped selling it.


----------



## donnishobson

123SA said:


> https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/tickets-packages/express-passes/index.html
> 
> 
> I pre-purchased it.
> 
> I have a vacation package.  I don't know if that matters.  I couldn't figure out how to purchase it on-line.  I called 407 224-7840 and selected the option for new tickets purchase.  The customer service agent was able to check the dates and facilitate the purchase.  The tickets will be available when I check in at HRH. I received a confirmation number and email.
> 
> Also, I only purchased it for the 3 kids on the reservation, not the 2 adults.
> 
> 
> I jumped on this because last year the day I called to add the express pass was the day they stopped selling it.


I will ty to do it today for September. Thanks for the heads up and I will let everyone know if I manage it.


----------



## donnishobson

donnishobson said:


> I will ty to do it today for September. Thanks for the heads up and I will let everyone know if I manage it.


I had to call 407-224-1840 and I chose the new ticket option. For Friday Sept 7 the Volcano Bay Express Pass Plus was $59.99 and the Express Pass was $29.99. The pass is for a specific day with no cancellation options.
Thanks so much for heads up. I am planning to go on Thursday alone without the pass but with a friend on Friday with the express passes - WHAT FUN!!


----------



## saraheli

Just wanted to share with everyone that I called and was able to purchase express passes for June 29 for $49 each. You get to cut the line for all the popular rides once (with the exception of those 3 body plunge rides which you can purchase express plus for-believe she said that cost $79). Seemed like money well spent since it guarantees we'll have time for everything. We will not be able to get to the park until 10 at the earliest, so I decided to also pay for the preferred seating to guarantee entrance for the 4 of us that day. I was nervous the park would reach capacity! Something to note, I only had to reserve the 2 chairs for our family of four to guarantee entrance for all of us. The rep told me they treat it as 2 in the chair and 2 in the sand. Hope this info helps! I spent the last 2 days researching all the different options including a cabana rental which I just couldn't justify the cost for ($549)


----------



## Ksl2002

I too called and bought Express Passes for $49.99 for June 20th.  I can’t remember bow much she said the Express pass Plus would cost, but I think it was around $80.  
Has anyone used these new EPs?  I just wondered how they worked.  I’m thinking we will get there for early entry and then we will get our Premium seating.  Do we get our Express Passes at the same place as the premium seating?  Hopefully, we will only have to wait in one line to get both.  Then, we will try to ride the non-included rides early before the wait gets too long.  
Also, can I ride a ride that is included on the EP while tapped into another ride?  I’m thinking ‘no’.  I think I’ll have to tap into the included ride too, but there will just be a lower wait. 

I did have a cabana rented, but I cancelled it when we bought the EPs.  One cabana cost the same as 2 sets of premium seating (4chairs) and 5 EPs.  I figured I’d rather have the EPs than the cabana.  Total was $449 for either option.


----------



## 123SA

I don’t know from personal experience. The customer service agent said we can use the tapu to hold a place in line and use the express pass while waiting for our return time


----------



## soniam

Ksl2002 said:


> I too called and bought Express Passes for $49.99 for June 20th.  I can’t remember bow much she said the Express pass Plus would cost, but I think it was around $80.
> Has anyone used these new EPs?  I just wondered how they worked.  I’m thinking we will get there for early entry and then we will get our Premium seating.  Do we get our Express Passes at the same place as the premium seating?  Hopefully, we will only have to wait in one line to get both.  Then, we will try to ride the non-included rides early before the wait gets too long.
> Also, can I ride a ride that is included on the EP while tapped into another ride?  I’m thinking ‘no’.  I think I’ll have to tap into the included ride too, but there will just be a lower wait.
> 
> I did have a cabana rented, but I cancelled it when we bought the EPs.  One cabana cost the same as 2 sets of premium seating (4chairs) and 5 EPs.  I figured I’d rather have the EPs than the cabana.  Total was $449 for either option.



Last summer, you got your EP at the same place as the cabanas, towels, and premium seating. There were 2 huts: one near the entrance and one across from the Bambu restaurant in the River Village. We have done the premium seating for 3 visits. I really liked it and would do it again. There were only 2 or 3 of us for these trips.


----------



## 123SA

Hmmm...customer service agent on the phone told me the express tickets would be available at my hotel when I check in. She would attach it to my vacation package. Does this sound right? Do I need to do something other than hand over my tickets at the park entry?


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Hmmm...customer service agent on the phone told me the express tickets would be available at my hotel when I check in. She would attach it to my vacation package. Does this sound right? Do I need to do something other than hand over my tickets at the park entry?



Is this for actual Volcano Bay Express Pass or for the other parks? They are completely separate. The VB one has to be purchased separately and is not given to you with a deluxe hotel stay. Now, if the VB EP has been purchased, then you can redeem the email/QR code for the Express Passes at the hotel ticket counter. However, I don't think that's necessary. I think you can take the email/QR code to the concierge huts at Volcano Bay directly, because they need to put the EP on your Tapu Tapu. You would have to do this last step no matter what, so I would just go straight there with my email or voucher. That's what we did in late July.


----------



## 123SA

soniam said:


> Is this for actual Volcano Bay Express Pass or for the other parks? They are completely separate. The VB one has to be purchased separately and is not given to you with a deluxe hotel stay. Now, if the VB EP has been purchased, then you can redeem the email/QR code for the Express Passes at the hotel ticket counter. However, I don't think that's necessary. I think you can take the email/QR code to the concierge huts at Volcano Bay directly, because they need to put the EP on your Tapu Tapu. You would have to do this last step no matter what, so I would just go straight there with my email or voucher. That's what we did in late July.



 Thanks for your reply.  It’s the volcano bay express pass plus


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Thanks for your reply.  It’s the volcano bay express pass plus



I think you can just go to the concierge huts in Volcano Bay then. They are the only ones that can add it to your tapu tapu. Just have the email available, phone or printed copy. Have fun!


----------



## 123SA

Ughhh...I didn't realize this extra step for activating the express pass.  

I intend to arrive for the early hour for resport guests.
1.  Can I take care of it then?
2.  Can I send the kids off to do the slides while I stand in line with all of our Tapus and take care of this?
3.  If the kids have to be there, does it make sense to wait until AFTER the early hour so that they don't lose that low lines time messing around at the conceriege hut?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Ughhh...I didn't realize this extra step for activating the express pass.
> 
> I intend to arrive for the early hour for resport guests.
> 1.  Can I take care of it then?
> 2.  Can I send the kids off to do the slides while I stand in line with all of our Tapus and take care of this?
> 3.  If the kids have to be there, does it make sense to wait until AFTER the early hour so that they don't lose that low lines time messing around at the conceriege hut?
> 
> Thanks for your help.



If it's during early entry, then I am not sure how much they need their Tapus. I don't think any of the rides are excluded from EP now, and I don't think EP works during early entry. You probably won't even use the reservation system, since you have the EP+/unlimited. If they don't need their Tapus, then keep them with you to have EP added. Only the Tapus need to physically be there to get EP, not the people. I think I sent my husband and son off last July, while I got our premium seats and had EP added to all of the tapus.


----------



## donnishobson

soniam said:


> If it's during early entry, then I am not sure how much they need their Tapus. I don't think any of the rides are excluded from EP now, and I don't think EP works during early entry. You probably won't even use the reservation system, since you have the EP+/unlimited. If they don't need their Tapus, then keep them with you to have EP added. Only the Tapus need to physically be there to get EP, not the people. I think I sent my husband and son off last July, while I got our premium seats and had EP added to all of the tapus.


The EP Plus for Volcano Bay is just for one ride per slide. I was surprised by this. I think I purchased the most expensive option so I don't think there are any "unlimited". But it does include all the slides. I was thinking that I would ask the concierge to add the express pass after the first hour or two so that I could ride some things twice.


----------



## soniam

donnishobson said:


> The EP Plus for Volcano Bay is just for one ride per slide. I was surprised by this. I think I purchased the most expensive option so I don't think there are any "unlimited". But it does include all the slides. I was thinking that I would ask the concierge to add the express pass after the first hour or two so that I could ride some things twice.



Oh, that's a change from last summer. That's a bummer. I looked, and there isn't another option I would add the EP later then. Just go do rides during early entry and maybe into the first hour or two, depending upon when things start to get crowded/have long waits.

I would definitely like to hear feedback from people on how the new EP is working. I am debating if we want it for early October.


----------



## 123SA

We only to plan to stay at the park until around 2/2:30.  I'm hoping that's enough time to use all of the EP passes and for some time in the Fearless River and the wave pool.  Maybe we'll use the Tapu to get one or two additional rides.


I personally will not be doing any slides, so I plan to get in line for lunch food as early as possible and have lunch ready for the kids to just eat it and head back to the fun.  I've actually been thinking about just packing a few PBJ sandwiches since we plan to go to toothsome for an early dinner that night.  I'm not sure if outside food is allowed.  I'll have to go research that.


----------



## wilma-bride

Well, I decided to go for the Cabana option and just booked a single cabana on August 21st, for our party.  The cost, including tax, was $532.49 which was pretty hefty, but I am hoping it will make our day there more relaxing and enjoyable.  One thing I forgot to ask on the phone, and wondered if anybody here knew, was whether the cabana is ours of the day.  So, if we choose to leave the park in the afternoon and come back later in the evening, will we still be able to use it?  Do we need to let anybody know we are leaving and coming back?  Is there a certain time in the evening we have to vacate it?  Also, he told me that our cabana would be in the Rainforest Village section.  I can't find any info on the cabanas there, would love to hear from anybody who has had one there and has any thoughts or advice?


----------



## soniam

wilma-bride said:


> Well, I decided to go for the Cabana option and just booked a single cabana on August 21st, for our party.  The cost, including tax, was $532.49 which was pretty hefty, but I am hoping it will make our day there more relaxing and enjoyable.  One thing I forgot to ask on the phone, and wondered if anybody here knew, was whether the cabana is ours of the day.  So, if we choose to leave the park in the afternoon and come back later in the evening, will we still be able to use it?  Do we need to let anybody know we are leaving and coming back?  Is there a certain time in the evening we have to vacate it?  Also, he told me that our cabana would be in the Rainforest Village section.  I can't find any info on the cabanas there, would love to hear from anybody who has had one there and has any thoughts or advice?



I know when you rent cabanas and premium seating, it's yours for the day. However, I don't know how they handle someone leaving the park and coming back. When you get your cabana, you will get a cabana concierge that you could probably tell about the leaving and coming back. Hopefully, others can pipe up if they have done this.


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## 123SA

Has anyone done early entry at Volcano bay recently?  

I'd like to know:
1.  What time to catch bus at HRH
2.   How crowded is the early hour?  How many slides were you able to ride?


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## SonyaShay

123SA said:


> Has anyone done early entry at Volcano bay recently?
> 
> I'd like to know:
> 1.  What time to catch bus at HRH
> 2.   How crowded is the early hour?  How many slides were you able to ride?



I was at VB last Monday (June 11th). We stayed at RPR and were waiting at the bus stop at 7:25. Got on a bus at 7:30 and had to pick up at SF before heading to VB. We were standing in line at the entrance by 7:45. I have a KYSS bag so no need for a locker so we headed straight for the chairs to drop our stuff. We were riding Krakatau by 8:10 and rode 3 times b2b2b without ever stepping out of our boat! Then we headed to 3 other rides all before 9am.


----------



## 123SA

SonyaShay said:


> I was at VB last Monday (June 11th). We stayed at RPR and were waiting at the bus stop at 7:25. Got on a bus at 7:30 and had to pick up at SF before heading to VB. We were standing in line at the entrance by 7:45. I have a KYSS bag so no need for a locker so we headed straight for the chairs to drop our stuff. We were riding Krakatau by 8:10 and rode 3 times b2b2b without ever stepping out of our boat! Then we headed to 3 other rides all before 9am.




Thanks for your response.  That sounds like a great morning.


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## zbsigpi

Feeling a need to do Volcano Bay within the week.  Probably arrive mid day and stay till close (9pm).  What has the mid-day/evening occupancy been?


----------



## VacaPlanner2012

Can someone compare the fearless river to Roa's Rapids at Aquatica?  We can spend hours in Roa's, and are wondering if we will feel the same about the fearless river as we "wait" for the other slides...Thanks!


----------



## CAPSLOCK

VacaPlanner2012 said:


> Can someone compare the fearless river to Roa's Rapids at Aquatica?


Roa's Rapids is a little stronger, a little more "rapids" due to the islands in the river. But the Fearless river has occasional 2' or so waves (like a wave pool deal).  They are both pretty darn awesome. You are required to wear a life jacket in the Fearless river.

Roa's was my favorite water ride at either place. If they could add the waves to Roa's it would be heavenly...


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## GoldmanTrust

We did at least 5 mornings in June at Volcano Bay. Early Entry is SUPER efficient there. You will be able to get A LOT done by the time the park opens. And they park was relatively quiet until 10am all mornings. And by 10 we just relaxed and then got ourselves and early lunch. 

(Dont do the Maku sandwich)


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## 123SA

Early Entry for July is 7:30am, with park opening at 9am.

Does 645am at the bus stop at HRH sound right?  Or is 7am okay?   Thanks for your help


----------



## chs27

123SA said:


> Early Entry for July is 7:30am, with park opening at 9am.
> 
> Does 645am at the bus stop at HRH sound right?  Or is 7am okay?   Thanks for your help


It just takes a few minutes to get there. 7:00 Will be plenty of time.


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## baker20j

We are visiting Columbus Day weekend (oct 4-7) and plan on going on Saturday.. is volcano bay an all day event type of park or will we have seen/done everything by mid day? We’re staying at cabana bay so can utilize early entry


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## soniam

baker20j said:


> We are visiting Columbus Day weekend (oct 4-7) and plan on going on Saturday.. is volcano bay an all day event type of park or will we have seen/done everything by mid day? We’re staying at cabana bay so can utilize early entry



Volcano Bay is at least a 3/4 day park. You really need to get there before early entry during the busy summer months. I don't know if Columbus Day weekend will be busy at the water park though. I am assuming it will be fairly busy. We will be there too. I am planning Friday, since I think that will be the least crowded from Friday-Sunday. Even when it's not busy, it's a big boon to do the early entry. Water parks really poop me out, so I am usually exhausted by 5pm at the very latest, especially if I do early entry. The amount of time you spend depends upon how busy it is, if you purchase the Volcano Bay specific Express Pass, how many times you want to do each ride, and how much time you spend in the lazy rivers. I think it can pretty much be a most of the day park. They have a decent amount of slides. They also have 2 different types of lazy rivers. The park hours seem to be pretty short for that weekend. Regular opening is at 10am, and the park closes at 6pm. Early entry will probably be at 9am, but it could be as early as 8:30am. The shorter time and a busy holiday weekend will not help with the crowds. Have you been to the Disney water parks? If so, do you usually spend all day?


----------



## baker20j

soniam said:


> Volcano Bay is at least a 3/4 day park. You really need to get there before early entry during the busy summer months. I don't know if Columbus Day weekend will be busy at the water park though. I am assuming it will be fairly busy. We will be there too. I am planning Friday, since I think that will be the least crowded from Friday-Sunday. Even when it's not busy, it's a big boon to do the early entry. Water parks really poop me out, so I am usually exhausted by 5pm at the very latest, especially if I do early entry. The amount of time you spend depends upon how busy it is, if you purchase the Volcano Bay specific Express Pass, how many times you want to do each ride, and how much time you spend in the lazy rivers. I think it can pretty much be a most of the day park. They have a decent amount of slides. They also have 2 different types of lazy rivers. The park hours seem to be pretty short for that weekend. Regular opening is at 10am, and the park closes at 6pm. Early entry will probably be at 9am, but it could be as early as 8:30am. The shorter time and a busy holiday weekend will not help with the crowds. Have you been to the Disney water parks? If so, do you usually spend all day?


We’ve never been to the Disney parks but most water parks we make a day of. Thank you for your reply!


----------



## SeanH88

Hi, does anybody know how the express pass works for VB. I understand it’s loaded on to your Tapu. I just want to know if a ride has a ten minute wait can I still tap in and take the ten minute wait time or do I have to use my express to ride that ride? TIA


----------



## soniam

SeanH88 said:


> Hi, does anybody know how the express pass works for VB. I understand it’s loaded on to your Tapu. I just want to know if a ride has a ten minute wait can I still tap in and take the ten minute wait time or do I have to use my express to ride that ride? TIA



I don't know exactly how that's working. The problem is that the EP for VB is one ride per attraction. So, if you tap in, it might register that as your EP ride. Some have suggested that you wait until the wait times get long to have the EP put on your tapu.


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## 123SA

soniam said:


> I don't know exactly how that's working. The problem is that the EP for VB is one ride per attraction. So, if you tap in, it might register that as your EP ride. Some have suggested that you wait until the wait times get long to have the EP put on your tapu.



That kind of stinks.    I was hoping to tap in right at park opening for some ride.  Seems like I'm being denied the regular benefits of the ticket in that scenario.   I thought I would have all the benefits of a regular ticket, plus the add-ons I paid for.

Do you think I have to wait for ALL of my express rides to be done or for example, if we ride the body slide at park opening, as soon as we're done we can tap in?


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> That kind of stinks.    I was hoping to tap in right at park opening for some ride.  Seems like I'm being denied the regular benefits of the ticket in that scenario.   I thought I would have all the benefits of a regular ticket, plus the add-ons I paid for.
> 
> Do you think I have to wait for ALL of my express rides to be done or for example, if we ride the body slide at park opening, as soon as we're done we can tap in?



Unfortunately, I don't really know. The only thing I have heard is where someone waited until the crowds showed up to get their EP from concierge put on their Tapu. Before that, they did everything either as a walk-on or with a short return time. You could try asking Universal, maybe through their twitter account or FB page. We are just not hearing much here yet. I'll ask around on an FB group I am in to see if anyone has dealt with it recently.


----------



## 123SA

Thanks for trying to help.  I do appreciate any bits of advice you have.  The advice about waiting a bit until the lines grow seems like a good plan, but it will not work for us I think since we need to be leaving by 2pm at the latest, so I think we need to start right at regular park opening in order to actually use all of the passes, have lunch, and spend some time in the rivers and wave pool.


I have two more questions tonight:
1. Earlier in this thread somewhere, I think it was you that mentioned that I need to go to the concierge hut to get the express pass loaded onto the Tapu.  I won't be doing any slides, so I'll take care of this during the early hour while the kids are sliding.   On the map I see a concierge hut near the park entrance and one near Bambu (food place).  Does it matter which one I go to?  I guess the one further in the park is not likely to be open during the early hour.


2.  Do you have any advice on seating?  I have an unusual request probably.  I don't want to be on a beach. I'd like shade, but not a deal breaker.   I'd prefer a chair, not a  low lounger which is why I'm not going for the reserved seating.    I'll have a bag with towels, the kids shoes & shirts, & sunblock.  I'll keep everything of value with me.  I am mostly looking for a place I can leave the bag and tell the kids if you haven't seen me recently, if you feel lost, head to this spot and wait for me.   Mostly I just follow them to the slides and try to find a place a take a photo.  If I get bored, I'll sit at this spot and read.  Looking at the map, all of the seating looks like it's on a beach.


----------



## Cali_Sparrow

I would get there early and do as much as you can without the express before heading to a concierge desk to load it. That way you'll be in line for concierge at the time when the park starts to get busy (after 10 am) and won't waste any time hitting the slides early in the AM!



123SA said:


> 2.  Do you have any advice on seating?  I have an unusual request probably.  I don't want to be on a beach. I'd like shade, but not a deal breaker.   I'd prefer a chair, not a  low lounger which is why I'm not going for the reserved seating.    I'll have a bag with towels, the kids shoes & shirts, & sunblock.  I'll keep everything of value with me.  I am mostly looking for a place I can leave the bag and tell the kids if you haven't seen me recently, if you feel lost, head to this spot and wait for me.   Mostly I just follow them to the slides and try to find a place a take a photo.  If I get bored, I'll sit at this spot and read.  Looking at the map, all of the seating looks like it's on a beach.


Your best bet for non-beach seating is to go left of the Volcano when you walk in. There's a small seating area between Bambu and Ohyah/Ohno slides that doesn't fill up fast and isn't on a beach if I'm remembering correctly. It still sits on sand but you won't be in an area where people are getting in and out of the water around you.


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Thanks for trying to help.  I do appreciate any bits of advice you have.  The advice about waiting a bit until the lines grow seems like a good plan, but it will not work for us I think since we need to be leaving by 2pm at the latest, so I think we need to start right at regular park opening in order to actually use all of the passes, have lunch, and spend some time in the rivers and wave pool.
> 
> 
> I have two more questions tonight:
> 1. Earlier in this thread somewhere, I think it was you that mentioned that I need to go to the concierge hut to get the express pass loaded onto the Tapu.  I won't be doing any slides, so I'll take care of this during the early hour while the kids are sliding.   On the map I see a concierge hut near the park entrance and one near Bambu (food place).  Does it matter which one I go to?  I guess the one further in the park is not likely to be open during the early hour.
> 
> 
> 2.  Do you have any advice on seating?  I have an unusual request probably.  I don't want to be on a beach. I'd like shade, but not a deal breaker.   I'd prefer a chair, not a  low lounger which is why I'm not going for the reserved seating.    I'll have a bag with towels, the kids shoes & shirts, & sunblock.  I'll keep everything of value with me.  I am mostly looking for a place I can leave the bag and tell the kids if you haven't seen me recently, if you feel lost, head to this spot and wait for me.   Mostly I just follow them to the slides and try to find a place a take a photo.  If I get bored, I'll sit at this spot and read.  Looking at the map, all of the seating looks like it's on a beach.



You will have to have all of the Tapus with you in order to put the Express Pass on them. The people don't have to be attached to the Tapus. However, I don't know if you can ride anything without checking in with the Tapu. Even when there's no wait, they sometimes require a tap in. I don't know about early entry though. Maybe you wouldn't need to do it then. You could probably have everyone playing in the rivers or wave pool while you add the EP to the Tapus. You don't have to tap in to those.

Last summer, the concierge hut near Bambu was open at park opening, even during early entry. If it's not a busy time, then they might not open it until later. The hut at the front gets really busy, especially at park opening. You might be able to have someone run back there and see if it's open, or have someone hold your place at the front while you run back there.

The seating that @Cali_Sparrow talked about is right near Bambu and that concierge hut. We sat there multiple times last summer, because they have premium seating there. There were several small umbrellas and a couple of big ones. There were chairs and loungers. The chairs sit lower to the the ground. It is in sand though. I think almost all of the seating is in sand unfortunately. I think there might be some seating in front of the wave pool that's on the concrete not the sand. There are chairs scattered all over the park near the loungers, so it shouldn't be too hard to find some chairs. Most people don't seem to want chairs. Even with the park hitting capacity all 3 times we went last summer, including opening weekend, it looked like there was always plenty of loungers and chairs that were free (no people or stuff) all day.


----------



## 123SA

LOL!  I know that spot...it was the spot I used last year and the spot I intended to go to again unless someone had a better suggestion!

Thanks for your posts!


----------



## Ksl2002

SeanH88 said:


> Hi, does anybody know how the express pass works for VB. I understand it’s loaded on to your Tapu. I just want to know if a ride has a ten minute wait can I still tap in and take the ten minute wait time or do I have to use my express to ride that ride? TIA



We had EPs at Volcano bay on June 20th. My plan was to get the Regular EP, not the EP-plus.  The regular EP only allowed you to ride SOME of the rides and the Plus would've allowed us to ride them all.  It does only work one time for each ride, but it is NOT attached to your tapu tapu. When you check-in at the concierge desk, you are given a wristband with a picture and name of each ride on it.  When you approach the ride to tap in, your tapu will light it up red, which means it's not your turn to ride.  You tell the attendant that you want to use your express pass and they will enter an override and now the tapu thing lights up green.  The attendant then takes a marker and marks out that ride on your wristband so you can not use it again on that ride.
So, yes, you can be tapped into one ride and use your EP on another ride without losing your place in the first ride.  Also, if the ride has a no wait time aka 'ride now', then you don't have to use your express pass to ride.  You can save it until later in the day when there are wait times.
The EP does not shorten your line, it just turns every ride into a 'ride now' ride.

But, really, most of the slides on the regular EP were 'ride now'for most of the day anyway.  We rode Krakatau right when we got there at 9am and there was no wait.  We went on a Wednesday in June. We stayed the entire day! The crowds were bad from 12-6.  We used that time to eat and relax.  My kids love digging in the sand, so they did that for awhile.  We rode every slide once and a few slides more than once.  We spent a lot of time in the faster river.

At first, I reserved a Cabana for $450.  Then, I decided that I wanted the Express Passes and I couldn't afford both.  So, I cancelled the cabana and got the Express Passes and 2 sets of Premium Seating.  As I mentioned, the EP's really weren't that much benefit since we spent the whole day there anyway. And, the premium seating didn't offer any shade in the afternoon because those covers are not adjustable.  The afternoon sun was SO hot!   So, in retrospect, I wish I had just kept my cabana and not gotten express passes. But, we still had a great time!  I think it was my favorite day of our 4-day trip!

One last thing to the question about sending one person to get all of the Express Passes for your party.  I tried to take the wristbands and the concierge person was adamant about putting them on each person herself.  So, in my instance, each person had to be present to receive the EP.


----------



## soniam

Ksl2002 said:


> We had EPs at Volcano bay on June 20th. My plan was to get the Regular EP, not the EP-plus.  The regular EP only allowed you to ride SOME of the rides and the Plus would've allowed us to ride them all.  It does only work one time for each ride, but it is NOT attached to your tapu tapu. When you check-in at the concierge desk, you are given a wristband with a picture and name of each ride on it.  When you approach the ride to tap in, your tapu will light it up red, which means it's not your turn to ride.  You tell the attendant that you want to use your express pass and they will enter an override and now the tapu thing lights up green.  The attendant then takes a marker and marks out that ride on your wristband so you can not use it again on that ride.
> So, yes, you can be tapped into one ride and use your EP on another ride without losing your place in the first ride.  Also, if the ride has a no wait time aka 'ride now', then you don't have to use your express pass to ride.  You can save it until later in the day when there are wait times.
> The EP does not shorten your line, it just turns every ride into a 'ride now' ride.
> 
> But, really, most of the slides on the regular EP were 'ride now'for most of the day anyway.  We rode Krakatau right when we got there at 9am and there was no wait.  We went on a Wednesday in June. We stayed the entire day! The crowds were bad from 12-6.  We used that time to eat and relax.  My kids love digging in the sand, so they did that for awhile.  We rode every slide once and a few slides more than once.  We spent a lot of time in the faster river.
> 
> At first, I reserved a Cabana for $450.  Then, I decided that I wanted the Express Passes and I couldn't afford both.  So, I cancelled the cabana and got the Express Passes and 2 sets of Premium Seating.  As I mentioned, the EP's really weren't that much benefit since we spent the whole day there anyway. And, the premium seating didn't offer any shade in the afternoon because those covers are not adjustable.  The afternoon sun was SO hot!   So, in retrospect, I wish I had just kept my cabana and not gotten express passes. But, we still had a great time!  I think it was my favorite day of our 4-day trip!



Thank you so much for replying. They completely reworked the way that EP is handled since last summer, and I hadn't heard anything about the new one. The wristband is a much better idea if they are only going to let you ride once. Not having to wait to get it on the Tapu is really great.

Where was your premium seating? When we did it for 3 visits last summer, they would sort of pull forward and kind of flip over the the bottom half of the chair. I think it also depended upon where your seats were and what direction they faced. We had a bit of sun on ours, so I draped a towel over the top of the shade and let it hang down. It did cut the useable part of the seat down some. I saw some that were in full blazing sun a good portion of the day though. I like the premium seating when I go with just my son. That way I don't have to go back and forth to the locker every time we sit down or leave.

It's also nice to hear about the crowds. It might be more crowded in July, but I hadn't heard anything about this summer yet. I had assumed it would be insane, because we went opening weekend and then again in July last summer.


----------



## msgoofy

I apologize if this has been asked before. Going for the first time next May. Can you wear water shoes on the rides or do you have to be barefoot?


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## GoldmanTrust

You can wear water shoes. And if you wear flip flops, they have little shelves to store them on while on the ride.


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## CAPSLOCK

They make you take all shoes off for certain rides - where they don't want the shoes to rub the slide.


----------



## wilma-bride

Ksl2002 said:


> We had EPs at Volcano bay on June 20th. My plan was to get the Regular EP, not the EP-plus.  The regular EP only allowed you to ride SOME of the rides and the Plus would've allowed us to ride them all.  It does only work one time for each ride, but it is NOT attached to your tapu tapu. When you check-in at the concierge desk, you are given a wristband with a picture and name of each ride on it.  When you approach the ride to tap in, your tapu will light it up red, which means it's not your turn to ride.  You tell the attendant that you want to use your express pass and they will enter an override and now the tapu thing lights up green.  The attendant then takes a marker and marks out that ride on your wristband so you can not use it again on that ride.
> So, yes, you can be tapped into one ride and use your EP on another ride without losing your place in the first ride.  Also, if the ride has a no wait time aka 'ride now', then you don't have to use your express pass to ride.  You can save it until later in the day when there are wait times.
> The EP does not shorten your line, it just turns every ride into a 'ride now' ride.
> 
> But, really, most of the slides on the regular EP were 'ride now'for most of the day anyway.  We rode Krakatau right when we got there at 9am and there was no wait.  We went on a Wednesday in June. We stayed the entire day! The crowds were bad from 12-6.  We used that time to eat and relax.  My kids love digging in the sand, so they did that for awhile.  We rode every slide once and a few slides more than once.  We spent a lot of time in the faster river.
> 
> At first, I reserved a Cabana for $450.  Then, I decided that I wanted the Express Passes and I couldn't afford both.  So, I cancelled the cabana and got the Express Passes and 2 sets of Premium Seating.  As I mentioned, the EP's really weren't that much benefit since we spent the whole day there anyway. And, the premium seating didn't offer any shade in the afternoon because those covers are not adjustable.  The afternoon sun was SO hot!   So, in retrospect, I wish I had just kept my cabana and not gotten express passes. But, we still had a great time!  I think it was my favorite day of our 4-day trip!
> 
> One last thing to the question about sending one person to get all of the Express Passes for your party.  I tried to take the wristbands and the concierge person was adamant about putting them on each person herself.  So, in my instance, each person had to be present to receive the EP.



Thank you for the feedback.  We have a cabana reserved for August and I had been debating cancelling and getting the EPs instead. I really like the idea of having somewhere with some shade, though, especially in the middle of the day.  I am really hoping that when we go, a Tuesday at the end of August, it will not be too busy.  We have early entry also, since we are staying onsite so I hope I won't regret my decision.


----------



## 2mickeys1minnie

I'd love some advice on visiting VB without EE or express pass the first week in August? I'm really on the fence about going at all. I won't ride any slides but DH and the kids will. However DH just told me he doesn't want to go if he has to stand on 2 hour lines for everything. Is it worth it to go w/o EE?


----------



## bobbie68

2mickeys1minnie said:


> I'd love some advice on visiting VB without EE or express pass the first week in August? I'm really on the fence about going at all. I won't ride any slides but DH and the kids will. However DH just told me he doesn't want to go if he has to stand on 2 hour lines for everything. Is it worth it to go w/o EE?



Hi I just went to VB last week and I went the first week of August last year.  I had the old EP last  year which was great. This year however, we did not have it. It will not be as crazy as last year but I do believe you will see long lines. When we went last week the aqua coaster was running about 110 minutes and the family raft rides were about 15-45 minutes. There were some that were ride now. I did go later in the day on Wednesday and EE on Thursday. I believe it was a little slower last week then it will be the rest of the summer. I could see an influx of people in the regular parks by Monday. When we drove by VB on Monday afternoon there was a lot more people. 

 If  you are not going to use EP then you need to be there at EE or right when they open. You usually get till about 10 am before the lines start. Another idea is if you have multiple days going I would go once in the late afternoon. It clears up a lot. I suspect there could be long lines on a couple of the more popular rides then. During the week is way better than Friday-Sunday. a 

The wave pool and lazy river are good and can be used any time. The fearless river is any time and it was so much fun. We spent a lot of time in that river.

If you go make sure you tap into the aqua coaster and family raft rides one after another if they are not ride now.

It's a hard call whether you will experience the kind of lines that your husband wants to avoid.

Good luck!


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## 2mickeys1minnie

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just went to VB last week and I went the first week of August last year.  I had the old EP last  year which was great. This year however, we did not have it. It will not be as crazy as last year but I do believe you will see long lines. When we went last week the aqua coaster was running about 110 minutes and the family raft rides were about 15-45 minutes. There were some that were ride now. I did go later in the day on Wednesday and EE on Thursday. I believe it was a little slower last week then it will be the rest of the summer. I could see an influx of people in the regular parks by Monday. When we drove by VB on Monday afternoon there was a lot more people.
> 
> If  you are not going to use EP then you need to be there at EE or right when they open. You usually get till about 10 am before the lines start. Another idea is if you have multiple days going I would go once in the late afternoon. It clears up a lot. I suspect there could be long lines on a couple of the more popular rides then. During the week is way better than Friday-Sunday. a
> 
> The wave pool and lazy river are good and can be used any time. The fearless river is any time and it was so much fun. We spent a lot of time in that river.
> 
> If you go make sure you tap into the aqua coaster and family raft rides one after another if they are not ride now.
> 
> It's a hard call whether you will experience the kind of lines that your husband wants to avoid.
> 
> Good luck!


Thank you very much for all the info! The fearless river sounds fun! Maybe we will give it a try after all. I really appreciate your feedback!


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## soniam

2mickeys1minnie said:


> Thank you very much for all the info! The fearless river sounds fun! Maybe we will give it a try after all. I really appreciate your feedback!



If it helps, I don't like water parks and usually don't do water slides. We went 3 times last summer and plan to go again in October. It was actually really fun. Even if you just want to hang out, the park is pretty, has good music, and really good food and drinks. The lazy and not-so-lazy rivers are amazing. If they would serve me drinks without me getting out, I would sit in those all day


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## vrajewski10513

Just here to complain a little, I’m sorry lol i just called and they still don’t have dates for end of September for cabanas. We have a 7th member in our group that might come and inquired if we would be able to pay a fee to have one extra person. I got a definite no, and because we would be one person over the limit for a single cabana we would need to upgrade to a SIXTEEN PERSON family cabana. I understand policy, but this just seems ridiculous.. I’m pretty sure a family cabana is just an upper and lower together correct? So if you get that it’s ok to have 8 people on each level, but for a single you can only have 6...


----------



## notnothin

Does anyone know if rash guard shirts are allowed on all of the rides?


----------



## wilma-bride

vrajewski10513 said:


> Just here to complain a little, I’m sorry lol i just called and they still don’t have dates for end of September for cabanas. We have a 7th member in our group that might come and inquired if we would be able to pay a fee to have one extra person. I got a definite no, and because we would be one person over the limit for a single cabana we would need to upgrade to a SIXTEEN PERSON family cabana. I understand policy, but this just seems ridiculous.. I’m pretty sure a family cabana is just an upper and lower together correct? So if you get that it’s ok to have 8 people on each level, but for a single you can only have 6...



Actually, no, the family cabanas are stand-alone larger units.  I do agree that it seems ridiculous that you can't add just one person to a 6-person cabana, but then again, where would they draw the line on how many people you can add?


----------



## robl45

bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just went to VB last week and I went the first week of August last year.  I had the old EP last  year which was great. This year however, we did not have it. It will not be as crazy as last year but I do believe you will see long lines. When we went last week the aqua coaster was running about 110 minutes and the family raft rides were about 15-45 minutes. There were some that were ride now. I did go later in the day on Wednesday and EE on Thursday. I believe it was a little slower last week then it will be the rest of the summer. I could see an influx of people in the regular parks by Monday. When we drove by VB on Monday afternoon there was a lot more people.
> 
> If  you are not going to use EP then you need to be there at EE or right when they open. You usually get till about 10 am before the lines start. Another idea is if you have multiple days going I would go once in the late afternoon. It clears up a lot. I suspect there could be long lines on a couple of the more popular rides then. During the week is way better than Friday-Sunday. a
> 
> The wave pool and lazy river are good and can be used any time. The fearless river is any time and it was so much fun. We spent a lot of time in that river.
> 
> If you go make sure you tap into the aqua coaster and family raft rides one after another if they are not ride now.
> 
> It's a hard call whether you will experience the kind of lines that your husband wants to avoid.
> 
> Good luck!



You are allowed to tap into all the rides at once?  I thought it was one ride, wait till its your turn, ride and then tap into another?


----------



## wilma-bride

robl45 said:


> You are allowed to tap into all the rides at once?  I thought it was one ride, wait till its your turn, ride and then tap into another?



You can tap the water coaster and another ride at the same time. Other than that, it is one at a time


----------



## robl45

wilma-bride said:


> You can tap the water coaster and another ride at the same time. Other than that, it is one at a time


Okay, so special for the water coaster then?  So tap water coaster and then any other ride you can also select?  So you can basically always have the water coaster queued up?


----------



## wilma-bride

robl45 said:


> Okay, so special for the water coaster then?  So tap water coaster and then any other ride you can also select?  So you can basically always have the water coaster queued up?



As far as I understand it, yes


----------



## sweetpee_1993

Hello again almost a year later!  So, last September I enjoyed Cabana Bay & a Volcano Bay day enough that pre-anniversary cruise this September hubby & I plan to do it again.  He didn’t end up joining friends and me last year so it’s all new to him.  So YAY!

Looks like there’s been some changes since last September....Express Pass!  Ive been reading back a bit & think I’ve got a new VB plan of attack hatched.  Get to the gate ahead of early entry.  Check.  Hit slides bambambam as soon as we can.  (It was AMAZING how much we did those first 2 hrs last year!)  Now here’s where my questions lie.  If we have EP, when those first 2 hrs of going are up we can go to the hut & get the EP.  Then we can be tapped-in anywhere PLUS be utilizing our EP rides.  Right?  Does this sound like a good use of time?

We’re going on Friday, Sept 14th.  If it was like Monday thru Thursday I’d think EP wouldn’t be needed.  I’m just uneasy about a Friday crowd.  After that 2nd or so hour last September on a Tuesday or something weird like that it really did fill up.  Thoughts on whether EP would even be necessary?  Or, what if we played it by ear.  If it starts to fill up can we go somewhere in the park and buy EPs?

Also.  Last year we set up camp in front of the big volcano pool all the way to the right kinda behind that bar.  Once it filled up that spot was really busy with foot traffic.  And people hovering like vultures, giving us the stink-eye a little.  It was just not what I would consider the best spot.  If the premium loungers guaranteed good shade I’d pounce on those but from what I’ve read that’s just not the case.  So I’ve been looking at maps & trying to remember smaller, less populated areas tucked away where shade can be had with less foot traffic.  Trust me.  We are pasty freckled gingers.  Shade isn’t optional.  And a post-lunch nap in the shade is one of our favorite things ever.  Well, naps are our favorite vacation thing ever.  LOL!  Yes, like cranky 1 year olds a solid nap can make or break us old farts.  Any suggestions?  Experiences with good out-of-the-way spots?

I’d love to just grab us a cabana but that’s  whole lot of drinky-drinks on the 2 weeks I’ll be on the Fantasy so not wanting to go there.  Ya know?

Thanks in advance for all the help, friends.  This board was seriously a Godsend last September.  I have faith in the peeps here.


----------



## soniam

sweetpee_1993 said:


> Hello again almost a year later!  So, last September I enjoyed Cabana Bay & a Volcano Bay day enough that pre-anniversary cruise this September hubby & I plan to do it again.  He didn’t end up joining friends and me last year so it’s all new to him.  So YAY!
> 
> Looks like there’s been some changes since last September....Express Pass!  Ive been reading back a bit & think I’ve got a new VB plan of attack hatched.  Get to the gate ahead of early entry.  Check.  Hit slides bambambam as soon as we can.  (It was AMAZING how much we did those first 2 hrs last year!)  Now here’s where my questions lie.  If we have EP, when those first 2 hrs of going are up we can go to the hut & get the EP.  Then we can be tapped-in anywhere PLUS be utilizing our EP rides.  Right?  Does this sound like a good use of time?
> 
> We’re going on Friday, Sept 14th.  If it was like Monday thru Thursday I’d think EP wouldn’t be needed.  I’m just uneasy about a Friday crowd.  After that 2nd or so hour last September on a Tuesday or something weird like that it really did fill up.  Thoughts on whether EP would even be necessary?  Or, what if we played it by ear.  If it starts to fill up can we go somewhere in the park and buy EPs?
> 
> Also.  Last year we set up camp in front of the big volcano pool all the way to the right kinda behind that bar.  Once it filled up that spot was really busy with foot traffic.  And people hovering like vultures, giving us the stink-eye a little.  It was just not what I would consider the best spot.  If the premium loungers guaranteed good shade I’d pounce on those but from what I’ve read that’s just not the case.  So I’ve been looking at maps & trying to remember smaller, less populated areas tucked away where shade can be had with less foot traffic.  Trust me.  We are pasty freckled gingers.  Shade isn’t optional.  And a post-lunch nap in the shade is one of our favorite things ever.  Well, naps are our favorite vacation thing ever.  LOL!  Yes, like cranky 1 year olds a solid nap can make or break us old farts.  Any suggestions?  Experiences with good out-of-the-way spots?
> 
> I’d love to just grab us a cabana but that’s  whole lot of drinky-drinks on the 2 weeks I’ll be on the Fantasy so not wanting to go there.  Ya know?
> 
> Thanks in advance for all the help, friends.  This board was seriously a Godsend last September.  I have faith in the peeps here.



The EP is apparently a wrist band now, where they manually check off each ride with a pen/marker. So, it's not tied to the Tapu at all, and you can use both.

I like the area in front of the fearless river, near a lifeguard, and near the back concierge hut and Bambu. I also like the area in front of the lagoon with Ohno & Ohya, where there's a kiddie water play area.


----------



## sweetpee_1993

soniam said:


> The EP is apparently a wrist band now, where they manually check off each ride with a pen/marker. So, it's not tied to the Tapu at all, and you can use both.
> 
> I like the area in front of the fearless river, near a lifeguard, and near the back concierge hut and Bambu. I also like the area in front of the lagoon with Ohno & Ohya, where there's a kiddie water play area.


I’m thinking wait until after we’ve done the initial mad dash after entry to go get the EP wristband.  That way we don’t spend any of those early hours fetching a band we won’t need until the crowds build.  So we can tap into something, grab lunch, get the bands, and proceed.  That seems logical, yeah?


----------



## soniam

sweetpee_1993 said:


> I’m thinking wait until after we’ve done the initial mad dash after entry to go get the EP wristband.  That way we don’t spend any of those early hours fetching a band we won’t need until the crowds build.  So we can tap into something, grab lunch, get the bands, and proceed.  That seems logical, yeah?



That sounds like a good plan.


----------



## sweetpee_1993

soniam said:


> That sounds like a good plan.


Do you know if the EPs are sold in the park?  Or is it a pre-purchase only?


----------



## soniam

sweetpee_1993 said:


> Do you know if the EPs are sold in the park?  Or is it a pre-purchase only?



I can't remember if they are sold in the park or not. I know that you can buy them online or on the phone ahead of time. I did that for October already.


----------



## sweetpee_1993

soniam said:


> I can't remember if they are sold in the park or not. I know that you can buy them online or on the phone ahead of time. I did that for October already.




Gotcha.  Was just thinking if I didn’t pre-purchase & we decided we wish we had would buying an EP there be an option.  Seems like they could make some real $$$ doing that.


----------



## actnkidz

Does anyone know if you can have Uber or Lyft drop you off at the Cabana Bay resort to get into Volcano Bay instead of going to city walk and taking a bus over? Do they check to see if you are staying at the hotel when you are going into the park during regular hours?


----------



## vrajewski10513

actnkidz said:


> Does anyone know if you can have Uber or Lyft drop you off at the Cabana Bay resort to get into Volcano Bay instead of going to city walk and taking a bus over? Do they check to see if you are staying at the hotel when you are going into the park during regular hours?


The Cabana Bay entrance is only for guests staying at the universal resorts.


----------



## 123SA

At what point do the slides change from ride now to using the TapuTapu?  

We plan to be at VB for early entry on July 31.  I'm wondering if we should be looking to tap into a slide right at 9 when the park opens.


----------



## CAPSLOCK

123SA said:


> At what point do the slides change from ride now to using the TapuTapu?


Once the line is 10-15 min. So it'll vary each day and for each ride.


----------



## bobbie68

actnkidz said:


> Does anyone know if you can have Uber or Lyft drop you off at the Cabana Bay resort to get into Volcano Bay instead of going to city walk and taking a bus over? Do they check to see if you are staying at the hotel when you are going into the park during regular hours?



Hi I just stayed at CBBR for VB and they do check room cards for the private entrance.


----------



## bobbie68

Hi everyone... I am doing a trip report on the other thread here is the link. I have my VB days in the beginning with a personal summary and just wanted to share. https://www.disboards.com/threads/another-great-trip-to-report-yay-june-july-2018.3693961/

I would like to add that I didn't there is that I would consider the new express pass they are offering if I was doing full days. I can see that the capacity is still there in the summer months. We were happy with the two half days and didn't need it but I would recommend it. I would also do the cabana again if I had  the extra money and was planning a full day or family event. 

Any questions just ask


----------



## robl45

bobbie68 said:


> Hi everyone... I am doing a trip report on the other thread here is the link. I have my VB days in the beginning with a personal summary and just wanted to share. https://www.disboards.com/threads/another-great-trip-to-report-yay-june-july-2018.3693961/
> 
> I would like to add that I didn't there is that I would consider the new express pass they are offering if I was doing full days. I can see that the capacity is still there in the summer months. We were happy with the two half days and didn't need it but I would recommend it. I would also do the cabana again if I had  the extra money and was planning a full day or family event.
> 
> Any questions just ask




Assuming the crowd doesn't die off when we are there in the 1st full week of august, would you say we can get everything done if we go for early entry?  I was considering getting the express pass but its quite pricey for one ride per thing especially when the cheaper one doesn't include the better rides.


----------



## bobbie68

robl45 said:


> Assuming the crowd doesn't die off when we are there in the 1st full week of august, would you say we can get everything done if we go for early entry?  I was considering getting the express pass but its quite pricey for one ride per thing especially when the cheaper one doesn't include the better rides.




Hi I think you can get all the big ticket  rides at least once. I agree the express pass is a little pricey and that is why I didn't choose it. I would be at the turnstiles a little before park opens. You should have 7:30 early entry time. I believe that is what it is for the summer. The crowds  really pick up about 10:00. I would prioritize your rides that you want. Our top three we do first our Puihi, Honu and Moana and the aqua coaster. After that we would do the volcano body slides. You can then do the rivers and  the wave pool if you are going to stay. We were able to do my top three twice in the morning instead of the body slides. If you look at  that it is about 6 rides in that time frame.

I hope you enjoy VB it is our favorite water park. Any other questions please ask.


----------



## 123SA

1. Do you know what time counter service opens?

2. Are there clocks around the park, or do the workers at the slides have watches?  I don't plan on micro managing my kids.  However, I do plan to go to counter service as soon as it opens and have them meet me there for a quick lunch or snack.  Also, I'll need them to come back two hours later to reapply sunblock.   I'm trying to figure out how they can keep track of time.

3.  I won't be wearing a bathing suit.  No slides or pools.  I was planning on playing photographer during early hour, then mostly reading.  I don't want to sit in the blazing sun on the beach.  I would prefer a chair (not low) or bench, and would rather stand that lay down on the lounge chair (hence no preferred seating for me) or sit in a low chair. Last year, I sat at an umbrella table near Oh No, but it got really sunny there around 10am.     Later in the morning I found a big area of umbrella tables over looking the fearless river.  In hindsight, I think it was across from Bambu counter service. (We left the park before 11am so no one was ever there)  Do you know this area?  Would I be able to park myself in that shade or is it really for the food place?

4.  Our park day is 7/31.  We have the express pass that includes all of the slides one time.  I was hoping to leave the park by 2pm.  Do you think that's enough time to use the 11 express passes, swim in the fearless river, and take a dip in the wave pool?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## bobbie68

123SA said:


> 1. Do you know what time counter service opens?
> 
> 2. Are there clocks around the park, or do the workers at the slides have watches?  I don't plan on micro managing my kids.  However, I do plan to go to counter service as soon as it opens and have them meet me there for a quick lunch or snack.  Also, I'll need them to come back two hours later to reapply sunblock.   I'm trying to figure out how they can keep track of time.
> 
> 3.  I won't be wearing a bathing suit.  No slides or pools.  I was planning on playing photographer during early hour, then mostly reading.  I don't want to sit in the blazing sun on the beach.  I would prefer a chair (not low) or bench, and would rather stand that lay down on the lounge chair (hence no preferred seating for me) or sit in a low chair. Last year, I sat at an umbrella table near Oh No, but it got really sunny there around 10am.     Later in the morning I found a big area of umbrella tables over looking the fearless river.  In hindsight, I think it was across from Bambu counter service. (We left the park before 11am so no one was ever there)  Do you know this area?  Would I be able to park myself in that shade or is it really for the food place?
> 
> 4.  Our park day is 7/31.  We have the express pass that includes all of the slides one time.  I was hoping to leave the park by 2pm.  Do you think that's enough time to use the 11 express passes, swim in the fearless river, and take a dip in the wave pool?
> 
> Thanks for your help.



Hi the lunch counter service opens at 11 for lunch.

There are no clocks around VB. A big complaint of mine. I had to keep asking associates the time.

This year they have put up what I call public cabana tops. These things are big.  They have several of them around the park and they are open to everyone. You would have to get to one early. I did notice that sometimes by the afternoon the sun would be hitting some of it depending on the direction. You might have to move around. As far as sitting in the chairs. It could be the restaurant sitting area. I normally will sit in a place like that until I see people looking for somewhere to sit to eat then I move. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.

I think that is plenty of time to do what you want and leave by 2. If you are going early entry I would hold off as long as you can using the express pass. What I believe was I read a few pages back and you can check. Is that the express pass is different from when I went. I believe the poster said they were going to go in early entry do stuff then go have  the express pass put on after so it won't interfere with using the pass. I don't remember the specifics. When I went last summer I had unlimited express pass put on right away and used it.

Enjoy!


----------



## BBL1

We just went to Volcano Bay yesterday for the first time. We did not have early entrance, but we got there early to be first in line for when they opened the park. They opened the park right at 8:30, and all the rides were still ride now. We were easily able to ride everything we wanted to as a ride now before we ever had to tap in for a wait. We didn’t have express either. After our first round, we then rerode the aqua coaster (which was only a 30 minute wait by this point) as well as a few other slides. Several slide remained ride now the entire time we were there. We had finished doing everything we wanted to do in the park by the time everything shut down due to the approaching weather.


----------



## 123SA

I'm fairly confused about this express pass now.  If the ride never changes from ride now to Tapu, then I can't actually use the express pass.


----------



## 123SA

Has anyone had the longboard pizzas from Whakawaiwai?  Are they big enough to share?


----------



## BBL1

123SA said:


> Has anyone had the longboard pizzas from Whakawaiwai?  Are they big enough to share?


I think two people could share one. They’re quite long.


----------



## soniam

bobbie68 said:


> Hi the lunch counter service opens at 11 for lunch.
> 
> There are no clocks around VB. A big complaint of mine. I had to keep asking associates the time.
> 
> This year they have put up what I call public cabana tops. These things are big.  They have several of them around the park and they are open to everyone. You would have to get to one early. I did notice that sometimes by the afternoon the sun would be hitting some of it depending on the direction. You might have to move around. As far as sitting in the chairs. It could be the restaurant sitting area. I normally will sit in a place like that until I see people looking for somewhere to sit to eat then I move. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.
> 
> I think that is plenty of time to do what you want and leave by 2. If you are going early entry I would hold off as long as you can using the express pass. What I believe was I read a few pages back and you can check. Is that the express pass is different from when I went. I believe the poster said they were going to go in early entry do stuff then go have  the express pass put on after so it won't interfere with using the pass. I don't remember the specifics. When I went last summer I had unlimited express pass put on right away and used it.
> 
> Enjoy!



From another poster and the TM from whom I purchased our EP for October, EP is now a wristband on which they mark off the rides as you do them. There is no interference with the Tapu. The only reason to wait to pick up your  EP is to not waist EE time waiting in line for it. If you have a cabana or premium seating, then you should get them and the EP at the same time.


----------



## robl45

I know you can go early entry and ride the rides, how is the park at night.  Say 6pm to Closing?  Would we be able to get on the 48 inch and above rides easliy?


----------



## OhioStateBuckeye

Stupid question, but if you have one day tickets and are staying at Cabana Bay can you come and go?

So be there when it opens, stay until lunch then leave and come back towards close.


----------



## robl45

robl45 said:


> I know you can go early entry and ride the rides, how is the park at night.  Say 6pm to Closing?  Would we be able to get on the 48 inch and above rides easliy?



Still hoping someone can give me some info about going at night and what the lines are like, but I was also thinking about bags at Volcano Bay, so I know they give you the Tapu Tapu but what does everyone do with there admission ticket, phone, sunscreen etc.  At other water parks, we would probably leave our bag at our seat.  Is that what people do or does everyone rent a locker?  And if anyone can kind of give me the cheat sheet of what to do so we can get their for early entry and get on the rides as quick as possible , that would be great.


----------



## bobbie68

robl45 said:


> Still hoping someone can give me some info about going at night and what the lines are like, but I was also thinking about bags at Volcano Bay, so I know they give you the Tapu Tapu but what does everyone do with there admission ticket, phone, sunscreen etc.  At other water parks, we would probably leave our bag at our seat.  Is that what people do or does everyone rent a locker?  And if anyone can kind of give me the cheat sheet of what to do so we can get their for early entry and get on the rides as quick as possible , that would be great.



Hi I just went at night about two weeks ago. I did stay at CBBR so we walked over. We went at about 4:00 and stayed till about 8:00. This was at the end of June and during the week , which is a tad slower. I enjoy the park at night. The lights are really pretty. I think about two hours before the park closes it really empties out. I was glad that we did it. Most of the rides by 7:00 were like a 15 minute wait or ride now except for the aqua coaster. This will always have the longest line. 

What we do is I bought an aqua vault from amazon. One of the other posters recommended it last year and it is awesome. It holds about 4 phones and a small wallet and it could hold your tickets. It locks to the chair and has a combination. There are different ones though. I would look up aqua vault on amazon and see what style you like.  I do not  rent a locker I think it is a waste for us. I will leave my sunscreen, flip flops and cover ups at a chair. 

We always go for early entry. We get there about 15 minutes before park opens. Once we get in we find a seat in some kind of shade by the wave pool, front of the volcano. We go over to the aqua coaster if it is running and ride that first. We then would go to the body slides in the volcano if someone wants to. Otherwise we head to Puihi (yellow and green family tubes) we ride that then go over to Honu and Moana. These are your most popular rides and will get the lines once the general public comes in. You have about an hour after general opening to still ride with minimal weight. I saw lines about 30 minutes starting about 10 for a 9 opening. 

Enjoy and any other questions please ask.


----------



## robl45

Thank you.  At this point I probably will need to go back at night to do the rides that you have to be over 48 inches for since the hotel child care starts at 5pm, so I was hoping later at night it would be more empty.  I did look up the Aquavault but at 60 dollars its pretty pricey, cheaper to just rent a locker.  I guess I'll either just rent a locker or chance that no one takes our bag.



bobbie68 said:


> Hi I just went at night about two weeks ago. I did stay at CBBR so we walked over. We went at about 4:00 and stayed till about 8:00. This was at the end of June and during the week , which is a tad slower. I enjoy the park at night. The lights are really pretty. I think about two hours before the park closes it really empties out. I was glad that we did it. Most of the rides by 7:00 were like a 15 minute wait or ride now except for the aqua coaster. This will always have the longest line.
> 
> What we do is I bought an aqua vault from amazon. One of the other posters recommended it last year and it is awesome. It holds about 4 phones and a small wallet and it could hold your tickets. It locks to the chair and has a combination. There are different ones though. I would look up aqua vault on amazon and see what style you like.  I do not  rent a locker I think it is a waste for us. I will leave my sunscreen, flip flops and cover ups at a chair.
> 
> We always go for early entry. We get there about 15 minutes before park opens. Once we get in we find a seat in some kind of shade by the wave pool, front of the volcano. We go over to the aqua coaster if it is running and ride that first. We then would go to the body slides in the volcano if someone wants to. Otherwise we head to Puihi (yellow and green family tubes) we ride that then go over to Honu and Moana. These are your most popular rides and will get the lines once the general public comes in. You have about an hour after general opening to still ride with minimal weight. I saw lines about 30 minutes starting about 10 for a 9 opening.
> 
> Enjoy and any other questions please ask.


----------



## georgina

robl45 said:


> Still hoping someone can give me some info about going at night and what the lines are like, but I was also thinking about bags at Volcano Bay, so I know they give you the Tapu Tapu but what does everyone do with there admission ticket, phone, sunscreen etc.  At other water parks, we would probably leave our bag at our seat.  Is that what people do or does everyone rent a locker?  And if anyone can kind of give me the cheat sheet of what to do so we can get their for early entry and get on the rides as quick as possible , that would be great.



Haven't been at night, but as far as early entry, get there 15 min before opening to get through the entry point as soon as they open. My trips are solo, so I put my stuff (towel, hat, coverup, sunscreen) on a chair and head for Krakatau coaster. In Feb and April I was able to ride it 5 times in a row, without even going down the stairs. I just got out, and went back to the line on the platform which was maybe one or two groups. I take a small plastic lanyard (Witz see-it safe, about $8 on Amazon) for my ticket, ID, room key and credit card, and leave my phone at the resort room. My other favorites are Moana and Honu, so I hit them next. I did the body slide from the top of the volcano once, which was enough for me. The lines for OhNo and OhYah build quickly also if you want to ride them do it early. I don't like the mat rides so I skip them. Taiwana tubes are usually ride now all day.

My first trip last summer I downloaded the Universal App, scanned my ticket, and was able to link my credit card to the account before I went to the park, which saved some time, and I could pay for food with the tapu. I did have my phone that time and rented a locker. I rented toward the back of the park. Now I have an AP and just walk over from Cabana Bay in my suit.

I did see some people with their phone in a lanyard around their necks. I was able to ride the rides with mine tucked in my suit, not sure if they could do that with the larger ones, or as a male without a shirt what they would say. (maybe wear a rashguard?)

That reminds me of a pet peeve - they sell a nice long sleeved Volcano Bay rashguard-like shirt, but it does not have a sun protection.


----------



## robl45

How much is a locker currently?  I've googled and seeing varied prices.


----------



## chs27

robl45 said:


> How much is a locker currently?  I've googled and seeing varied prices.


There are different sizes. Our small was eight dollars.


----------



## OhioStateBuckeye

Does anyone know if there's anyway for a preferred passholder to get a discount on a one day volcano Bay ticket?

I couldn't find any discounts but i just wanted to check here to be sure.


----------



## vrajewski10513

OhioStateBuckeye said:


> Does anyone know if there's anyway for a preferred passholder to get a discount on a one day volcano Bay ticket?
> 
> I couldn't find any discounts but i just wanted to check here to be sure.


I believe right now there are only discounts on the multi park tickets


----------



## Iheoma

I’m really confused about EPs at Volcano Bay. My family and I are staying at Portifino Bay and have a multi-day, multi-pass tickets with unlimited Express Pass in September. Will our EPs work at Volcano Bay or are there completely separate EPs?


----------



## georgina

Iheoma said:


> I’m really confused about EPs at Volcano Bay. My family and I are staying at Portifino Bay and have a multi-day, multi-pass tickets with unlimited Express Pass in September. Will our EPs work at Volcano Bay or are there completely separate EPs?



No, the resort EPs do not work for Volcano Bay. You do get early entry, which is a good time to avoid some crowds. You may not need the EP for VB in September, especially if you go on a weekday.


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## macraven

_What Georgina said.....!_


----------



## Iheoma

Thanks for the clarification!


----------



## 2mickeys1minnie

Just got back and wanted to share how fabulous VB was! It was DH and I and our 3 teens. We got there at 7:50 a.m. and got into the park right at 8. The kids immediately started doing the rides and we got a locker and set up our credit card on the tapu tapu. In hindsight I would have done that the night before if I had known I could. By 10:30 a.m. the kids had ridden almost everything. So get there early!! By noon waits were at 180 minutes. We did have 2 lightening delays of about an hour total. We ate lunch at that time and napped on our lounge chairs. Just my humble opinion but I really don't think a cabana is worth it. We got 5 lounge chairs up front near the Volcano under an umbrella. And beside the time they closed the park for weather we never sat in them. Having too much fun!! Oh and don't miss the fearless river! All of us hysterical laughing at me as I floated away was priceless!


----------



## robl45

2mickeys1minnie said:


> Just got back and wanted to share how fabulous VB was! It was DH and I and our 3 teens. We got there at 7:50 a.m. and got into the park right at 8. The kids immediately started doing the rides and we got a locker and set up our credit card on the tapu tapu. In hindsight I would have done that the night before if I had known I could. By 10:30 a.m. the kids had ridden almost everything. So get there early!! By noon waits were at 180 minutes. We did have 2 lightening delays of about an hour total. We ate lunch at that time and napped on our lounge chairs. Just my humble opinion but I really don't think a cabana is worth it. We got 5 lounge chairs up front near the Volcano under an umbrella. And beside the time they closed the park for weather we never sat in them. Having too much fun!! Oh and don't miss the fearless river! All of us hysterical laughing at me as I floated away was priceless!



We did the same thing, we were lucky that the weather went bad at 3:45 as we were heading out.  We didn't even bother with a locker, we just left the stuff at the seats which like you we never really sat in them.  I didn't realize you have to rent or bring towels, but it was so hot we just dried off almost instantly.  I will say it depends on what you want to do.  We did the plunge and the blue/green drop slide and thought they were only good to say we did them.  So if someone didn't want to do those they could probably get away with getting their a bit later.  Then you just have the aqua coaster and the ohno ohyea slides with decent waits.  We went on Honu that has a wait, but I honestly felt the other 6 person raft slide was better and rarely if ever had a wait.  Mostly the best part of the day was in the fearless river.


----------



## amalone1013

bobbie68 said:


> What we do is I bought an aqua vault from amazon. One of the other posters recommended it last year and it is awesome. It holds about 4 phones and a small wallet and it could hold your tickets. It locks to the chair and has a combination. There are different ones though. I would look up aqua vault on amazon and see what style you like. I do not rent a locker I think it is a waste for us. I will leave my sunscreen, flip flops and cover ups at a chair.


Just curious, did you lay a towel or your cover up over it at all?


----------



## sassy2000

Need opinions from anyone who has been in October. We are thinking of getting a 1-day ticket to VB for October 9 which is the Tuesday after Columbus Day. We have not visited VB yet and have been debating going because of the line system. Our family loves water parks because we love slides. I’m not interested in paying to only get a few slides in and have to hang in the wave pool or river (even though we will do those too). We are not staying onsite so will not have that extra hour. How bad do you think the crowds/lines will be?


----------



## macraven

_I can't answer about Vbay but can tell you that crowds should not be bad at all for Tuesday after Columbus day._


----------



## jlwhitney

sassy2000 said:


> Need opinions from anyone who has been in October. We are thinking of getting a 1-day ticket to VB for October 9 which is the Tuesday after Columbus Day. We have not visited VB yet and have been debating going because of the line system. Our family loves water parks because we love slides. I’m not interested in paying to only get a few slides in and have to hang in the wave pool or river (even though we will do those too). We are not staying onsite so will not have that extra hour. How bad do you think the crowds/lines will be?



We were just there and were able to ride quite a bit IMO. But Something to keep in mind that is peak hurricane season so be prepared for possible storms, not the florida one hour in afternoon but all day.


----------



## wendyt_ca

Looking for some advice. In Oct we will be doing VB for the first time on Oct 7 which is the Sunday on the long weekend for Columbus Day. We won’t be able to get there until 10 or 11 and can stay til the park closes at 5. It is just my husband and I and neither of us will get on any of the drop slides. We basically only want to do the rides that are the raft rides. We love roller coasters but we can’t do those slides . But we love the ones where you sit on something. So we will do all those and the Aqua Coaster plus the lazy river and winding river. 
I am trying to decide if I should buy the $20pp express pass or if it would be a waist of money. Since I don’t know how busy it will be in October and we won’t go on everything.


----------



## macraven

_I have no idea but know the parks will have their crowds due to the holiday weekend

I"m sure someone will come along and be able to advise you and share their experiences and thoughts._


----------



## soniam

wendyt_ca said:


> Looking for some advice. In Oct we will be doing VB for the first time on Oct 7 which is the Sunday on the long weekend for Columbus Day. We won’t be able to get there until 10 or 11 and can stay til the park closes at 5. It is just my husband and I and neither of us will get on any of the drop slides. We basically only want to do the rides that are the raft rides. We love roller coasters but we can’t do those slides . But we love the ones where you sit on something. So we will do all those and the Aqua Coaster plus the lazy river and winding river.
> I am trying to decide if I should buy the $20pp express pass or if it would be a waist of money. Since I don’t know how busy it will be in October and we won’t go on everything.



If it matters, the Universal Express (not Plus) for VB that day is $39.99/person. The $20 price is just the starting point and would only be for the slowest days. That's cheaper than the $70 they are charging for the non-Plus EP for Aug 25 or Sept 2, Labor Day weekend. I think they are expecting the VB to be less busy during October than it has been in the summer.

The normal park hours for that day are 10am, with Early Entry for hotel guests starting at 9am. You wouldn't be too far behind the normal crowd. However, that's a very busy weekend for the parks in general. Also, I don't know how the crowds have been this summer. We went last summer when they were insane. I have gotten the impression that they haven't been quite as insane. You might look further back in this thread for anecdotal reports of crowd levels this summer. That could be a good indicator of the crowd levels for that weekend.


----------



## Bethany10

Do the bigger slides have a "chicken exit" or in my house it's known as a my kid wants me to wait with them but my mom doesn't do drop slides of ANY kind exit? 

I'm happy to stand with them, and oldest DD who is the daredevil is ok going by herself in line, but younger DS can be cautious and I can see him wanting me to stand with him. I can also see him getting to the top and going nope. I have sorry, so sorried my way back down more than one kiddy coaster ride while either child is riding but wanted me to wait with them so I could meet them at the bottom. Conversely I assume there is a CM at the bottom checking height so we don't get all the way up there and find out he's too short?


----------



## vrajewski10513

I’m in shock how much prices for Cabanas went up from last year


----------



## 123SA

We went to Volcano Bay on July 31.  We utilized early entry, we started at 730am, with park opening at 9am.  Based on my experience at this park last year, we decided to pre- purchase the express pass.

We caught the bus at 645am from Hard Rock and were first in line at an entry point.  At 715am, people were about 10 deep in each line.  At 730am, about 15 people in line.

The 1.5 hours of early entry were absolutely worth waking up early for.  Every line the kids went to had at most 5 people.


Express Pass  -- I'm unhappy to note that we did not need the express pass and did not use all of the rides it allowed.  Due to a change in plans,  We had to leave the park at 130pm and there just wasn't time to finish it all.  If we had been able to stay at the park for the whole day, it would have been necessary.  However, with the amount of rides we finished prior to park opening, then the short lines during the first hour...my kids would have been satisfied without the few extra rides the express pass allowed them.  They loved the fearless river and happily spent over 1/2 hour there.


----------



## ckmiles

I called to rent the premium seating when we visit in September.  This price listed on the website is $29 per day (this is the starting price)  The dates I plan to be there were either Sept 25 or 26th  (Tuesday or Wednesday of that week)- the quoted price was $79.  I asked if there were any days that were less expensive, I was told there was a day for $59 and that was in October -  I did not purchase the seating....


----------



## soniam

ckmiles said:


> I called to rent the premium seating when we visit in September.  This price listed on the website is $29 per day (this is the starting price)  The dates I plan to be there were either Sept 25 or 26th  (Tuesday or Wednesday of that week)- the quoted price was $79.  I asked if there were any days that were less expensive, I was told there was a day for $59 and that was in October -  I did not purchase the seating....



It was the same last summer. I think $79 might be the highest price. They always get you with this, also for Express pass.


----------



## vrajewski10513

ckmiles said:


> I called to rent the premium seating when we visit in September.  This price listed on the website is $29 per day (this is the starting price)  The dates I plan to be there were either Sept 25 or 26th  (Tuesday or Wednesday of that week)- the quoted price was $79.  I asked if there were any days that were less expensive, I was told there was a day for $59 and that was in October -  I did not purchase the seating....


We paid $250 for our cabana last year, and this year it’s up to $425!


----------



## Zombie

Looking for feedback and experiences of those who've attended VolCano Bay with a disability and/or medical challenge? Or who've had a party member in their group or family who did? What are people’s experiences with Volcano Bay so far?

I’ve read they have some rides (in the actual Volcano) that you can take an elevator up to? Do you need to have the disability pass or visible disability (wheelchair, walker, crutches) to be allowed access to the elevator? Are there any rides you actually have to carry your own tubes up to?

Our biggest concern is the stairs. And particularly if we are caught standing on stairs for too long. I know Tapu Tapu and VL are supposed to mitigate that big time, but I've still seen some pictures and videos that looks like when you go back to your return time you can be climbing and standing on the steps for a while.

The disability in our party is generally invisible (to the average onlooker) on “good” or “decent” days. And can generally climb the stairs - slowly. But it wouldn’t be a great idea to be caught on them for long. And really, this is something we understand and have dealt with before. So we usually go into a water park expecting to handle 1 or 2 slides that require going up stairs because of this. BUT if there’s access to an elevator -- that might allow us to manage a couple more.

We don’t expect to be able to do a ton. We are just looking forward to the two rivers, wave pool, beach/sand area and just seeing the inside of the volcano. But we’d like to go in with a good idea of what to expect.

We’ve read they also are generally BAD and near ZERO options for anyone with any kind of food allergies or diet restrictions. This true? I actually contacted the dining/allergy email and though the head chef did write back and give a list of options and best choice (most accommodating and safest) restaurants in IoA and UO, a BIG ZERO was presented for VB from there too.

And the park really goes look huge from the outside and on the map. How’s that?

We’ve done Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach before. Typhoon Lagoon has previously been a bit of a highlight of our vacations so we have high hopes for this. But again we usually stick to the rivers and pool and maybe hit up 2 slides during our day. Volcano Bay is so pricey compared to TL or BB, though, so even though we're looking forward to it, we’re hoping with the elevator (if they’d allow us to use it), we might be able to get a little bit more into our day and better value for ticket cost.


----------



## sahmoffour

vrajewski10513 said:


> We paid $250 for our cabana last year, and this year it’s up to $425!



Were you able to book a cabana for September?  We haven't called to book one yet as the website still says they're only booking out until Sept. 3rd right now.  Do you know if there's a difference in weekday pricing vs. weekend?


----------



## tink1957

Zombie said:


> Looking for feedback and experiences of those who've attended VolCano Bay with a disability and/or medical challenge? Or who've had a party member in their group or family who did? What are people’s experiences with Volcano Bay so far?
> 
> I’ve read they have some rides (in the actual Volcano) that you can take an elevator up to? Do you need to have the disability pass or visible disability (wheelchair, walker, crutches) to be allowed access to the elevator? Are there any rides you actually have to carry your own tubes up to?
> 
> Our biggest concern is the stairs. And particularly if we are caught standing on stairs for too long. I know Tapu Tapu and VL are supposed to mitigate that big time, but I've still seen some pictures and videos that looks like when you go back to your return time you can be climbing and standing on the steps for a while.
> 
> The disability in our party is generally invisible (to the average onlooker) on “good” or “decent” days. And can generally climb the stairs - slowly. But it wouldn’t be a great idea to be caught on them for long. And really, this is something we understand and have dealt with before. So we usually go into a water park expecting to handle 1 or 2 slides that require going up stairs because of this. BUT if there’s access to an elevator -- that might allow us to manage a couple more.
> 
> We don’t expect to be able to do a ton. We are just looking forward to the two rivers, wave pool, beach/sand area and just seeing the inside of the volcano. But we’d like to go in with a good idea of what to expect.
> 
> We’ve read they also are generally BAD and near ZERO options for anyone with any kind of food allergies or diet restrictions. This true? I actually contacted the dining/allergy email and though the head chef did write back and give a list of options and best choice (most accommodating and safest) restaurants in IoA and UO, a BIG ZERO was presented for VB from there too.
> 
> And the park really goes look huge from the outside and on the map. How’s that?
> 
> We’ve done Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach before. Typhoon Lagoon has previously been a bit of a highlight of our vacations so we have high hopes for this. But again we usually stick to the rivers and pool and maybe hit up 2 slides during our day. Volcano Bay is so pricey compared to TL or BB, though, so even though we're looking forward to it, we’re hoping with the elevator (if they’d allow us to use it), we might be able to get a little bit more into our day and better value for ticket cost.


I was allowed to ride the elevator for a few slides and all I am is a tired old lady so it will be no problem for your party.


----------



## vrajewski10513

sahmoffour said:


> Were you able to book a cabana for September?  We haven't called to book one yet as the website still says they're only booking out until Sept. 3rd right now.  Do you know if there's a difference in weekday pricing vs. weekend?


They just opened up booking for later dates on Monday. I booked 9/21, i'm not sure how far out they're booking though. There are price differences based on the day of the week and the season you're looking to book.


----------



## chabs

Can anyone comment about the sizing of the life vests for TeAwa?  My husband has a pretty broad chest, just wondering if the life vests come in larger sizes?


----------



## Zombie

vrajewski10513 said:


> They just opened up booking for later dates on Monday. I booked 9/21, i'm not sure how far out they're booking though. There are price differences based on the day of the week and the season you're looking to book.


How much were they booking for for into September? We'll be looking to book the last week of November or first week of December. But it sounds like the prices are nowhere near their advertised lowest, no matter the week day or the season.


----------



## vrajewski10513

Zombie said:


> How much were they booking for for into September? We'll be looking to book the last week of November or first week of December. But it sounds like the prices are nowhere near their advertised lowest, no matter the week day or the season.


All i know is our day, Friday 9/21, was $425


----------



## Erica_Haley

chabs said:


> Can anyone comment about the sizing of the life vests for TeAwa?  My husband has a pretty broad chest, just wondering if the life vests come in larger sizes?


The life vests come in multiple adult and kids sizes. When I grabbed one, I noticed the adult vests went from small to xl, and they have adjustable straps.


----------



## chabs

Erica_Haley said:


> The life vests come in multiple adult and kids sizes. When I grabbed one, I noticed the adult vests went from small to xl, and they have adjustable straps.


Thanks!


----------



## ajb_tic_tac

As part of a couple who's other half does not really like water slides, will I be able to go on the multi person raft rides?


----------



## CAPSLOCK

ajb_tic_tac said:


> As part of a couple who's other half does not really like water slides, will I be able to go on the multi person raft rides?


Yes. They will pop you in a multi-person tube with others. Same with Krakatau.


----------



## ajb_tic_tac

That is great.  Thank you.
Oh the joys of being a single rider on a multi person raft ride - toe to toe with a stranger, looking anywhere but at the other person!


----------



## Dznefreek

Just like in an elevator!


ajb_tic_tac said:


> That is great.  Thank you.
> Oh the joys of being a single rider on a multi person raft ride - toe to toe with a stranger, looking anywhere but at the other person!


----------



## georgina

ajb_tic_tac said:


> That is great.  Thank you.
> Oh the joys of being a single rider on a multi person raft ride - toe to toe with a stranger, looking anywhere but at the other person!



I've done it a lot, people are generally pretty nice about it!  At early entry, I was able to ride Krakatau all by myself a couple of times because there was no one else in line. I was at Typhoon lagoon in August and skipped the family raft ride there, but the ones at VB are not to be missed!


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

This question is for those who have been there. 

I've seen the free cabanas with the ceiling fans in park photos.  Just wondering if there are any close to the wave pool / lazy river / splash area?  They aren't on the park map that I can tell.


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## left210

We are staying at Cabana Bay.  We are undecided on whether to do VB.  My kids really do not do any of the coaster rides, body slides, etc.  Would only do open type slides or family slides if any.  They would mainly just do the wave pool and lazy rivers.  Is it even worth it for just that?


----------



## vrajewski10513

left210 said:


> We are staying at Cabana Bay.  We are undecided on whether to do VB.  My kids really do not do any of the coaster rides, body slides, etc.  Would only do open type slides or family slides if any.  They would mainly just do the wave pool and lazy rivers.  Is it even worth it for just that?


If they can do the family raft rides they can do Krakatau the water coaster. There’s only like 5 intense body slides. If they’re ok with family raft rides and tube type rides there’s still plenty to do. Plus the lazy and fearless rivers are awesome too.


----------



## jerseygal

vrajewski10513 said:


> If they can do the family raft rides they can do Krakatau the water coaster. There’s only like 5 intense body slides. If they’re ok with family raft rides and tube type rides there’s still plenty to do. Plus the lazy and fearless rivers are awesome too.


 DS, 23 will be with us on our mid Dec trip. Even though we all love water parks, my intuition tells me it will be too cold. When we were at Universal in 2016, May it wasn't opened yet, but was anxious to try Volcano Bay, but in warmer weather. Thoughts? Wait until right before to see what weather is like? Unfortunately, thinks that water will be be too cold for our tastes..


----------



## sandam1

jerseygal said:


> DS, 23 will be with us on our mid Dec trip. Even though we all love water parks, my intuition tells me it will be too cold. When we were at Universal in 2016, May it wasn't opened yet, but was anxious to try Volcano Bay, but in warmer weather. Thoughts? Wait until right before to see what weather is like? Unfortunately, thinks that water will be be too cold for our tastes..



We went the weekend before Christmas last year (so somewhere around the 17th) and had a great time at Volcano Bay. We went mid-afternoon and almost everything that we wanted to go on was "ride now." It wasn't toasty when you got out of the water, but definitely wasn't cold either. In the water, it was perfect.


----------



## jerseygal

sandam1 said:


> We went the weekend before Christmas last year (so somewhere around the 17th) and had a great time at Volcano Bay. We went mid-afternoon and almost everything that we wanted to go on was "ride now." It wasn't toasty when you got out of the water, but definitely wasn't cold either. In the water, it was perfect.


Wow, that's great! Will depend on the weather; maybe we will be lucky with warmer weather.. think we would all love it, especially DS!


----------



## vrajewski10513

jerseygal said:


> DS, 23 will be with us on our mid Dec trip. Even though we all love water parks, my intuition tells me it will be too cold. When we were at Universal in 2016, May it wasn't opened yet, but was anxious to try Volcano Bay, but in warmer weather. Thoughts? Wait until right before to see what weather is like? Unfortunately, thinks that water will be be too cold for our tastes..


I would definitely wait until you’re there. Weather is crazy down there that time of year. Constantly up and down. We went the first week of December last year and it was 80 for most of our vacation, and we swam almost everyday. Then the last day the temp dipped to 60 and it was rainy.


----------



## soniam

vrajewski10513 said:


> I would definitely wait until you’re there. Weather is crazy down there that time of year. Constantly up and down. We went the first week of December last year and it was 80 for most of our vacation, and we swam almost everyday. Then the last day the temp dipped to 60 and it was rainy.



Between xmas and NYE one year, it was highs in the 40s and highs in the low 80s Pretty crazy, but not too different than home, so we were prepared. Heck, last March, it was almost too cold and windy to swim. However, we are thin blooded Texans.


----------



## Zombie

Just wondering how close any of the private cabanas are to bathrooms? Is there a prime area to ask for a private cabana if having easy bathroom access (medical issue in our family) is a priority?


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

Do the umbrellas tilt?  Just wondering how much they really shade you from the sun as it moves throughout the day.

Also wondering if there are any of those free cabanas with loungers in the Hammerhead Beach area by Fearless River?


----------



## rdavies98

How busy is early October? We are planning on going on 10/8.


----------



## jerseygal

rdavies98 said:


> How busy is early October? We are planning on going on 10/8.


 Isn't Columbus Day weekend crowded in most parks as its a long weekend and many extend it?


----------



## amalone1013

Maybe for VB Columbus day weekend wont be bad? Labor Day weekend we did VB and the disney water parks and all were dead. An employee at VB said they'd been dead for 5 straight days. Seemed more crowded in the Disney parks, didnt do USO that trip.


----------



## OhioStateBuckeye

rdavies98 said:


> How busy is early October? We are planning on going on 10/8.



We just went into volcano Bay today. We arrived around 9:30, resort extra hour had started at 9. Walked onto everything and left around noon. There were still no waits when we left.


----------



## alyspins

Hi! Thinking about renting premium seating for our trip the last weekend in October. Can anyone tell me about their experience with them? I’ve heard the shade is hit or miss and the food service is slow. Anyone know if they’ve made any improvements since last year? Thanks!!!


----------



## alan vick

alyspins said:


> Hi! Thinking about renting premium seating for our trip the last weekend in October. Can anyone tell me about their experience with them? I’ve heard the shade is hit or miss and the food service is slow. Anyone know if they’ve made any improvements since last year? Thanks!!!


Going Monday with the premium seating. I’ll let you know how it goes.


----------



## alyspins

alan vick said:


> Going Monday with the premium seating. I’ll let you know how it goes.



Awesome, thank you!! And have a great time!


----------



## soniam

alyspins said:


> Hi! Thinking about renting premium seating for our trip the last weekend in October. Can anyone tell me about their experience with them? I’ve heard the shade is hit or miss and the food service is slow. Anyone know if they’ve made any improvements since last year? Thanks!!!



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.


----------



## alan vick

soniam said:


> 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.


We went Columbus Day. Arrived shortly after opening to general public. Tons of seating available all day in the shade. Plus. We hardly sat. So the value of our premium seating was questionable. But having a home base with a locker was nice. There is only one key which is a problem. Bring a lock with a code or combination. That allows everyone to use it.  We also had express which was not needed. Most rides were ride now most of the day.  Really only remember tapping once into the coaster. It was ride now till about 11. I think we used express maybe once or twice.   And didn’t really need to. Won’t do that again. Again. It was a Monday. A holiday. But local school wasn’t out. 
When we go back. I won’t get seating or express. And we’ll go during the week again.  It is a fabulous park. Great slides. Fearless river was a favorite for my two teens. Rode more slides than I ever have in a day at a water park. It closed at 5. Wished we had more time to enjoy it some more.


----------



## jerseygal

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


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

How late was the park open in May? 9pm?


----------



## soniam

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> How late was the park open in May? 9pm?



I think so. Maybe 8pm on weekdays in early May.


----------



## soniam

jerseygal said:


> HOPING to get to VB mid December..we'll see if it will be warm enough. Alyspins and Soniam, thanks for your reviews! Sounds like a BLAST!



They supposedly heat the water when it gets that cold. December will be too cold for us thin blooded Texans


----------



## crostorfer

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.


----------



## alyspins

soniam said:


> 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?


----------



## jerseygal

crostorfer said:


> 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.


----------



## soniam

alyspins said:


> 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.


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

soniam said:


> 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.


----------



## soniam

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> 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.


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

We likely won't get the premium loungers, maybe the regular ones under one of those free Cabana structures.


----------



## soniam

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> We likely won't get the premium loungers, maybe the regular ones under one of those free Cabana structures.



You can always check day of if you change or mind.


----------



## crostorfer

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.


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

crostorfer said:


> 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?


----------



## crostorfer

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> 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.


----------



## soniam

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> 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.


----------



## Toulouse

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?


----------



## ilovetotravel1977

Toulouse said:


> 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/


----------



## soniam

Toulouse said:


> 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.


----------



## Toulouse

ilovetotravel1977 said:


> Try looking up info on Inside Universal: http://forums.insideuniversal.net/forums/volcano-bay-water-park.147/



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.



soniam said:


> 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


----------



## ubarpants

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.


----------



## jerseygal

ubarpants said:


> 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!


----------



## georgina

Just throwing in a few data points - we went to VB Friday after Thanksgiving from 2-5. everything was ride now, with a few temporary ride shutdowns. Went again today the Sunday after Thanksgiving from 12-3:30 - again, everything was ride now. Kids (all adults) had a great time, fearless river was VERY warm, us old folks rode a few slides and relaxed with a drink. We LOVE VB!


----------



## Sehsun

*Just an announcement that Volcano Bay will be closed tomorrow (27th) and Wednesday (28th) due to cold weather. *The weather in this area is projected to be a high of 62, low of 39 tomorrow - for Wednesday it will be a high of 57, low of 44.



ubarpants said:


> 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.



I agree with @jerseygal, wait until it gets a little closer to your trip to make a final decision.  And I would talk to Guest Services about the refund situation if it comes down to it.


----------



## ubarpants

Wanted to report back that we went to Volcano Bay today and had a fantastic time! We did everything we wanted to do and most lines were non existent. I think we ended up with the best weather day where it wasn't cold or hot, just perfect. Thank you to all the commenters here, everyone was so helpful in sharing their experiences.


----------



## kim31kim

Do you guys know if Volcano bay will be open in early February?  Or will it just depend on the daily high temperature etc?


----------



## macraven

_It’s open year round depending on weather

_


----------



## CAPSLOCK

VB in winter is wonderful - no crowds even with great weather.


----------



## Sue M

vrajewski10513 said:


> If they can do the family raft rides they can do Krakatau the water coaster. There’s only like 5 intense body slides. If they’re ok with family raft rides and tube type rides there’s still plenty to do. Plus the lazy and fearless rivers are awesome too.


Good to know.  I would avoid the intense body slides!  Too hard on my body, lol. Is there an indication on park map or slide sign that it’s intense?



soniam said:


> 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!   I am considering getting the premium seating.  I thought they came with shade options? What kind of shade is provided?
We have the same touring plan at wdw water parks, get there early and do slides until queues build, then enjoy the wave pool and lazy river. 



jerseygal said:


> 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.


I hope they extend this option!  We arrive late April for 10 days and I plan on 2 water park days. 



crostorfer said:


> 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.


Yum sliders sound good!  When I go to the WDW waterparks I just bring a couple of the hotel pool towels with me.  Can I do the same at VB? Staying onsite.   I’m kinda surprised that they don’t include towels with the premium seating!


----------



## soniam

Sue M said:


> Thanks for the review!   I am considering getting the premium seating.  I thought they came with shade options? What kind of shade is provided?
> We have the same touring plan at wdw water parks, get there early and do slides until queues build, then enjoy the wave pool and lazy river.



They do have a shade, but all of the premium loungers have the same shade. It basically can go all the way back and not provide any shade, or it can be up and cover half of the lounger. Depending upon the sun and the position of the chairs, you could really end up with no shade. I would ask where they are located when you book. In October, when we got there at Early Entry, we were told to go to the loungers at the back of the wave pool seating, right behind the dragon bar. Our previous trips in 2017, there was premium seating located near the Ohno & Ohya slides, but that section was closed during Early Entry in October. Some of those loungers were positioned such that you didn't get hardly any sun all day with the shade and a big tree providing shade. They have since removed that tree and replaced it with a large cover. I didn't look to see if there was premium seating anywhere than the wave pool area, so I don't know if there are other locations anymore. By mid-day/early afternoon, our loungers were in complete sun. The only way to get any shade was to drape a towel over the end of the lounger shade, but that cut the useable seating space down. All of the premium seating in that section near the wave pool faces the volcano and had full sun too. I have gotten premium seating 4 times now, and I don't know if I would get it again after our October experience. The locker between the seats was nice though and very convenient with it just being my son and I on the last trip.

EDIT: Also, they said they were getting the locks fixed. Last year, the locks used your Tapu Tapu, but water was getting into the mechanism and damaging them. The team member said they were temporarily using separate locks that went through metal loops on the door and locker with a key on a strap. I don't know if they have gotten the replacements yet.


----------



## Sue M

soniam said:


> They do have a shade, but all of the premium loungers have the same shade. It basically can go all the way back and not provide any shade, or it can be up and cover half of the lounger. Depending upon the sun and the position of the chairs, you could really end up with no shade. I would ask where they are located when you book. In October, when we got there at Early Entry, we were told to go to the loungers at the back of the wave pool seating, right behind the dragon bar. Our previous trips in 2017, there was premium seating located near the Ohno & Ohya slides, but that section was closed during Early Entry in October. Some of those loungers were positioned such that you didn't get hardly any sun all day with the shade and a big tree providing shade. They have since removed that tree and replaced it with a large cover. I didn't look to see if there was premium seating anywhere than the wave pool area, so I don't know if there are other locations anymore. By mid-day/early afternoon, our loungers were in complete sun. The only way to get any shade was to drape a towel over the end of the lounger shade, but that cut the useable seating space down. All of the premium seating in that section near the wave pool faces the volcano and had full sun too. I have gotten premium seating 4 times now, and I don't know if I would get it again after our October experience. The locker between the seats was nice though and very convenient with it just being my son and I on the last trip.
> 
> EDIT: Also, they said they were getting the locks fixed. Last year, the locks used your Tapu Tapu, but water was getting into the mechanism and damaging them. The team member said they were temporarily using separate locks that went through metal loops on the door and locker with a key on a strap. I don't know if they have gotten the replacements yet.


Thanks for the info!  I think I’ll get the premium seating for our first visit, and after I get the lay of the land we can decide if it’s worth getting again. Waiting to get tickets to see if AP hotel rates are any good for our dates late April/early May. Also have no idea how crowded water park is at that time.  I usually go to Orlando late August.


----------



## Disneylover1970

We’re going in May, we’ve been to Universal Studios before but never VB.  We’re probably more of a lazy river type people(older adults).  What do we need to know, lockers, rides, towels, etc...   were probably going to do a 1/2 day or evening or morning.  Thank you


----------



## 123SA

Last summer, we purchased an express pass for VB.  It was good for 1 ride on every slide.  Is this still offered?  It seems like it is, but I couldn't actually purchase one on line.  I just wanted to see the price as it is a variable price.


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Last summer, we purchased an express pass for VB.  It was good for 1 ride on every slide.  Is this still offered?  It seems like it is, but I couldn't actually purchase one on line.  I just wanted to see the price as it is a variable price.



I bought one in October. I think I had to call to buy it, but I could be wrong. I know it was only available like a month or two before we went. When are you planning to go?


----------



## 123SA

soniam said:


> I bought one in October. I think I had to call to buy it, but I could be wrong. I know it was only available like a month or two before we went. When are you planning to go?



Late July. Probably too early


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> Late July. Probably too early



Probably too early. I think it could be worth it in July though. It wasn't worth it in October. My son rode Krakatau 4 times with little to no wait without using the EP. We got there during Early Entry though. Have fun!


----------



## Sehsun

Disneylover1970 said:


> We’re going in May, we’ve been to Universal Studios before but never VB.  We’re probably more of a lazy river type people(older adults).  What do we need to know, lockers, rides, towels, etc...   were probably going to do a 1/2 day or evening or morning.  Thank you



Lockers come in three sizes: $9 (mini), $13 (regular), and $16 (family).

There are two "lazy" rivers: Kopiko Wai and TeAwa. Kopiko Wai is more of your standard lazy river, and TeAwa is considered the faster "lazy" river - life jackets are required in this river (it's so much fun). Towels are $6 to rent for the day, so I would recommend bringing your own if you can.

Try to head for the restrooms/lockers towards the back of the park (River Village or Rainforest Village), if you want a less crowded experience at the end of your day in the park. If you see a wait for a ride you would like to do, go ahead and make a reservation for that ride using your TapuTapu. During your virtual wait for a ride, you can ride any rides that state "Ride Now" without losing your wait time for the ride you have reserved.

Each of the four villages have a clock in them - just look at the digital wait time boards. Although you may catch yourself looking at your TapuTapu a few times a day, as if it were a watch. 

If you have any other questions, let us know!


----------



## jack presley

What’s the usual cut off temperature for VB to close?


----------



## wareagle57

Does anyone know if I can upgrade from a 2 park pass to a 3 park pass at any time? Will it just be the cost difference of the 2 passes?


----------



## macraven

_Yes you can upgrade to the 3 park pass by paying the difference _


----------



## donnishobson

I enjoy the extreme slides, especially Kala and Tai Nui. I know that Ko'okiri gets a long line but do the other two drop door slides need to be ridden early, too?


----------



## DPCummerbund

macraven said:


> _Yes you can upgrade to the 3 park pass by paying the difference _



This is definitely true. DO NOT believe the ads on UO's website that say "Add Volcano Bay for just $55" on every page. You pay the gate price difference when upgrading to Volcano Bay, whether ahead of time (choosing a 3 park over a 2 park pass) or upgrading at the gate. Sometimes it's $55, but it can be as much as $75, depending on the length of the pass - the longer you stay, the greater the upgrade charge. It's NOT a flat $55, despite what it says on the website. I've complained to everyone at UO until I'm blue in the face, but nobody is inclined to do anything about it.


----------



## soniam

DPCummerbund said:


> This is definitely true. DO NOT believe the ads on UO's website that say "Add Volcano Bay for just $55" on every page. You pay the gate price difference when upgrading to Volcano Bay, whether ahead of time (choosing a 3 park over a 2 park pass) or upgrading at the gate. Sometimes it's $55, but it can be as much as $75, depending on the length of the pass - the longer you stay, the greater the upgrade charge. It's NOT a flat $55, despite what it says on the website. I've complained to everyone at UO until I'm blue in the face, but nobody is inclined to do anything about it.



I think the posters are referring to annual passes, not regular park tickets.


----------



## Sehsun

jack presley said:


> What’s the usual cut off temperature for VB to close?



Around a high of 65 degrees or less is usually the cut-off.



donnishobson said:


> I enjoy the extreme slides, especially Kala and Tai Nui. I know that Ko'okiri gets a long line but do the other two drop door slides need to be ridden early, too?



For Kala & Tai Nui, I don't think you need to do those first thing in the morning. Unless you're talking about the peak season (mid-June through August).


----------



## Aela

DPCummerbund said:


> This is definitely true. DO NOT believe the ads on UO's website that say "Add Volcano Bay for just $55" on every page. You pay the gate price difference when upgrading to Volcano Bay, whether ahead of time (choosing a 3 park over a 2 park pass) or upgrading at the gate. Sometimes it's $55, but it can be as much as $75, depending on the length of the pass - the longer you stay, the greater the upgrade charge. It's NOT a flat $55, despite what it says on the website. I've complained to everyone at UO until I'm blue in the face, but nobody is inclined to do anything about it.



We’re going to Universal for the first time in a couple weeks (Feb 13th).   I’m planning on getting the buy 2 get 2 days free from UT.  My daughter (10) really wants to visit VB during our trip, and I can take her one of the days we’re there when her father is in meetings.

I was debating doing 2 park tickets for us, and if the weather is nice upgrading to 3 park tickets for her and i.  

I could also just buy the 3-park tickets from the getgo.  The price difference from 2 to 3 park tickets from the website I am buying them is $40 each.   If I buy 2 park tickets, will I pay $40 to upgrade them on site, or will I pay $70?   I called Universal directly and asked, and they said it is $50 to upgrade, or $70 in the park.   If that is the case I guess I should wait until the week we’re leaving and check the weather before buying...then buy 3 park if weather is good?  Is there a risk waiting to buy the tickets?  I’m used to Disney, so it is odd to me I haven’t bought our tickets yet.


----------



## jack presley

What are the crowds like these days (weekdays)? Are there many 'ride now' options?


----------



## DPCummerbund

Aela said:


> We’re going to Universal for the first time in a couple weeks (Feb 13th).   I’m planning on getting the buy 2 get 2 days free from UT.  My daughter (10) really wants to visit VB during our trip, and I can take her one of the days we’re there when her father is in meetings.
> 
> I was debating doing 2 park tickets for us, and if the weather is nice upgrading to 3 park tickets for her and i.
> 
> I could also just buy the 3-park tickets from the getgo.  The price difference from 2 to 3 park tickets from the website I am buying them is $40 each.   If I buy 2 park tickets, will I pay $40 to upgrade them on site, or will I pay $70?   I called Universal directly and asked, and they said it is $50 to upgrade, or $70 in the park.   If that is the case I guess I should wait until the week we’re leaving and check the weather before buying...then buy 3 park if weather is good?  Is there a risk waiting to buy the tickets?  I’m used to Disney, so it is odd to me I haven’t bought our tickets yet.



The onll thing I can say for sure is that you'll pay the difference between the gate price of the ticket you have and the gate price of the tickets you want. Unfortunately, the prices listed on the official UO site aren't the gate prices, and they don't include tax.

This is the only site I've found that lists gate prices with tax: https://www.mousesavers.com/universal-orlando-discounts-and-deals/#regtixprices


----------



## Aela

DPCummerbund said:


> The onll thing I can say for sure is that you'll pay the difference between the gate price of the ticket you have and the gate price of the tickets you want. Unfortunately, the prices listed on the official UO site aren't the gate prices, and they don't include tax.
> 
> This is the only site I've found that lists gate prices with tax: https://www.mousesavers.com/universal-orlando-discounts-and-deals/#regtixprices


Okay, so according to that we’d be going from $317 to $373 or so, so $56.  So it would be over $100 to add a couple hours of VBay.  Goodie.

Thanks for the link and info!


----------



## Sehsun

jack presley said:


> What are the crowds like these days (weekdays)? Are there many 'ride now' options?



Crowds have been low today. I saw "Ride Now" on every ride today. Curious if things will pick up a little bit more later on this week, as the high will be in the 80s.


----------



## jack presley

Sehsun said:


> Crowds have been low today. I saw "Ride Now" on every ride today. Curious if things will pick up a little bit more later on this week, as the high will be in the 80s.



Ha ha, was there today. We had the early admission so blitzed all the good rides in the first couple of hours. Crowds were quiet until around lunchtime when it got a bit busier but most rides were all still ‘ride now’.


----------



## chicagoshannon

Sehsun said:


> Around a high of 65 degrees or less is usually the cut-off.
> 
> 
> 
> For Kala & Tai Nui, I don't think you need to do those first thing in the morning. Unless you're talking about the peak season (mid-June through August).


We were there Monday and the high was around 68 I believe.  It was open with only about 30 people in the whole park.  lol  Earlier in our trip it was closed when the high was 60-62ish degrees.


----------



## Kit Jackson

One of my friends and I (both adults) are planning a trip to Universal Orlando. She is planning on doing some of the thrill rides that are not for me (She's not going to force me to do a ride I don't want to, and I'm not going to make her skip a ride she wants to go on, so all is well). While she's doing some of the more intense thrill rides, I figured I'd hang out in one of the pools. I'm not really a strong swimmer so I wanted to know if the depth at the pools were well marked. Can I tell just by looking somewhere on or around the pool what the depth is? Am I better off wearing a life-jacket in the pools? Thanks to anyone who can help.


----------



## chicagoshannon

Kit Jackson said:


> One of my friends and I (both adults) are planning a trip to Universal Orlando. She is planning on doing some of the thrill rides that are not for me (She's not going to force me to do a ride I don't want to, and I'm not going to make her skip a ride she wants to go on, so all is well). While she's doing some of the more intense thrill rides, I figured I'd hang out in one of the pools. I'm not really a strong swimmer so I wanted to know if the depth at the pools were well marked. Can I tell just by looking somewhere on or around the pool what the depth is? Am I better off wearing a life-jacket in the pools? Thanks to anyone who can help.


The wave pool is really shallow.  There is also another pool of to the right of the wave pool that starts off shallow but does get deep the further you go.  The lazy river is another good option.  There is a third pool by the ohno slides that was fun and interactive.


----------



## soniam

Kit Jackson said:


> One of my friends and I (both adults) are planning a trip to Universal Orlando. She is planning on doing some of the thrill rides that are not for me (She's not going to force me to do a ride I don't want to, and I'm not going to make her skip a ride she wants to go on, so all is well). While she's doing some of the more intense thrill rides, I figured I'd hang out in one of the pools. I'm not really a strong swimmer so I wanted to know if the depth at the pools were well marked. Can I tell just by looking somewhere on or around the pool what the depth is? Am I better off wearing a life-jacket in the pools? Thanks to anyone who can help.



I would avoid the faster river, or not-so-lazy river. Even though you wear a life jacket, there are spots where I was overcome with water due to the speed and waves. I didn’t drown, but I definitely got water on my face and up my nose.


----------



## prncssmel

I have seen mention of free cabanas/umbrella areas but can’t seem to find details. Are these actual cabanas or large umbrellas or shaded areas or what? Could we snag one at EE opening?

We are going in mid-May on weekdays, so hoping it won’t be too busy. We are not looking for any amenities like a server or towels, just a place to sit with some shade options, as my sister will have her baby for part of the time.


----------



## Sue M

Premium Seating- is there any option for 3 people? Or would you have to rent 2 seating areas?


----------



## georgina

jack presley said:


> What are the crowds like these days (weekdays)? Are there many 'ride now' options?



Monday the 11th I saw a few 10 minute waits occasionally but almost always ride now for everything. Air temp was in the mid 70’s.


----------



## soniam

prncssmel said:


> I have seen mention of free cabanas/umbrella areas but can’t seem to find details. Are these actual cabanas or large umbrellas or shaded areas or what? Could we snag one at EE opening?
> 
> We are going in mid-May on weekdays, so hoping it won’t be too busy. We are not looking for any amenities like a server or towels, just a place to sit with some shade options, as my sister will have her baby for part of the time.



Not sure about free cabanas. Maybe they are referring to the large wooden shade structures that were built after the park opened. I can't remember how many of these I have seen. Not a ton. I definitely know of one. They are pretty tall, so they may not completely block the sun all day in all of the seats. There are also umbrellas all over and some areas may have some building or tree shade at different parts of the day. You most likely get an umbrella during EE, and maybe one of the shade structures, but not positive on those.



Sue M said:


> Premium Seating- is there any option for 3 people? Or would you have to rent 2 seating areas?



Are all 3 people going to be using the seats most of the day? We rented 1 pair for my son, husband, and I. I didn't tell them over the phone that there were 3 of us, because they would probably would have insisted we rent 2 pairs, when I knew that DH and DS would not be in them all day. We pulled up a chair for DS to use when he was eating. They only sell pairs and say that they are only for 2 people. Now, this was the first year. When DS and I went in October, they had the premium seating area roped off with employees sort of manning the entrance. We were given wrist bands. They weren't very strict about checking them, but that could easily depend. So, since it was just DS and I then, I don't know how this would work with 3 now. I honestly wouldn't get the premium seating again, after getting it twice the first summer. The only batch I saw was in front of the wave pool, near the boat bar. The shade structure didn't block the sun most of the day. They were facing mostly south and the shade only covers half of each lounger. The first summer we had ones that were facing northwest, and the volcano blocked the afternoon/evening sun.


----------



## Sue M

@soniam thanks for the info.


----------



## prncssmel

soniam said:


> Not sure about free cabanas. Maybe they are referring to the large wooden shade structures that were built after the park opened. I can't remember how many of these I have seen. Not a ton. I definitely know of one. They are pretty tall, so they may not completely block the sun all day in all of the seats. There are also umbrellas all over and some areas may have some building or tree shade at different parts of the day. You most likely get an umbrella during EE, and maybe one of the shade structures, but not positive on those.



Thanks. Still trying to figure out where those cabana/shade structures are, if anyone knows. If not, we will just plan to head straight for a bunch of chairs under umbrellas in the morning.


----------



## soniam

prncssmel said:


> Thanks. Still trying to figure out where those cabana/shade structures are, if anyone knows. If not, we will just plan to head straight for a bunch of chairs under umbrellas in the morning.



I know there are more, but the only one that I recall is to the left of the volcano between the area with Puka Uli Lagoon and the Ohno & Ohya slides and Bambu restaurant. It's in a sandy area near the Fearless River. Here's a link to the map. There's a concierge hut next to the area. The structure doesn't cover the entire sandy area and isn't on the map. I am sure there are others, but I can't remember where they are. This area wasn't open during Early Entry in October. I guess they thought it wouldn't be crowded enough to open it. The first summer, everything was open during Early Entry. So, I don't know how to know what will and will not be open during EE. You couldn't even get back there, because an employee was blocking the area.

https://www.universalorlando.com/webdata/k2/en/us/files/Documents/uvb-park-map.pdf


----------



## Sehsun

prncssmel said:


> Thanks. Still trying to figure out where those cabana/shade structures are, if anyone knows. If not, we will just plan to head straight for a bunch of chairs under umbrellas in the morning.





soniam said:


> I know there are more, but the only one that I recall is to the left of the volcano between the area with Puka Uli Lagoon and the Ohno & Ohya slides and Bambu restaurant. It's in a sandy area near the Fearless River. Here's a link to the map. There's a concierge hut next to the area. The structure doesn't cover the entire sandy area and isn't on the map. I am sure there are others, but I can't remember where they are. This area wasn't open during Early Entry in October. I guess they thought it wouldn't be crowded enough to open it. The first summer, everything was open during Early Entry. So, I don't know how to know what will and will not be open during EE. You couldn't even get back there, because an employee was blocking the area.
> 
> https://www.universalorlando.com/webdata/k2/en/us/files/Documents/uvb-park-map.pdf



@soniam is correct, this is one area that has the new-ish shade structure. There is also another one at Hammerhead Beach, near the main entrance of TeAwa Fearless River. There are two separate shade structures over there, I believe.


----------



## Disxuni

I have a few questions...

How long do you typically wait now when it's your time to ride?
Is EP really necessary for VB?
Anyone with cabanas have experiences to share? I remember when VB first opened some of the functions didn't work for the cabanas.
Is the season for cabanas price's being the most inexpensive is the same season for the hotels?


----------



## 123SA

So, I just went to universal site to see if express passes were available for Volcano Bay in July - specifically 30, or 31.  I checked a few weeks ago and the calendar wasn't out.  I see the select express is available, but not the plus pass.  I really only it want it for the body slides

Does it seem likely that it's already sold out?


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> So, I just went to universal site to see if express passes were available for Volcano Bay in July - specifically 30, or 31.  I checked a few weeks ago and the calendar wasn't out.  I see the select express is available, but not the plus pass.  I really only it want it for the body slides
> 
> Does it seem likely that it's already sold out?



I doubt it’s sold out. More likely they just haven’t put them on sale yet. I would just call. Unlike Disney, you are more likely to get a straight or correct answer from Universal.


----------



## 123SA

soniam said:


> I doubt it’s sold out. More likely they just haven’t put them on sale yet. I would just call. Unlike Disney, you are more likely to get a straight or correct answer from Universal.



Thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

prncssmel said:


> Thanks. Still trying to figure out where those cabana/shade structures are, if anyone knows. If not, we will just plan to head straight for a bunch of chairs under umbrellas in the morning.



I just found another place that had these shade structures. There are three of them near Waturi Marketplace (gift shop near the front of the park), more towards Rainforest Village. 



Disxuni said:


> I have a few questions...
> 
> How long do you typically wait now when it's your time to ride?
> Is EP really necessary for VB?
> Anyone with cabanas have experiences to share? I remember when VB first opened some of the functions didn't work for the cabanas.
> Is the season for cabanas price's being the most inexpensive is the same season for the hotels?



1. Around 11:30 today, the only rides that had wait times were Ohno (25 minutes), Ohyah (15 minutes), and Krakatau (10 minutes). These do vary a lot (depending on time of day, attendance, weekday vs. weekend), but this is just a snapshot of what I saw around this specific time of day when I was looking at the wait time board.
2. I would actually think during peak season (like when the park closes at 9:00), it might not be a bad idea to get Express Pass. The wait times get so long, so the EP would really maximize your day.
3. Unfortunately I have not rented a cabana before, hopefully someone with this experience can chime in. 
4. I would think this is true.


----------



## ariel53098

Wondering if anyone knows this answer. 
I’m chaperoning a high school trip and we are supposed to do a day at Volcano Bay. However, no one has mentioned the TapuTapu. 
Does every guest get one?  I was wondering because when we went to Disney we had paper tickets instead of magic bands. 
I’m just thinking it would be nice to tell the kids to download the app and they can put their card info in to pay if every guest gets a TapuTapu.


----------



## 123SA

Every guest gets a TapuTapu


----------



## jerseygal

ariel53098 said:


> Wondering if anyone knows this answer.
> I’m chaperoning a high school trip and we are supposed to do a day at Volcano Bay. However, no one has mentioned the TapuTapu.
> Does every guest get one?  I was wondering because when we went to Disney we had paper tickets instead of magic bands.
> I’m just thinking it would be nice to tell the kids to download the app and they can put their card info in to pay if every guest gets a TapuTapu.


When I think of high school trips to areas around water, my mind goes back to a community we lived in, a student drowned on a school sponsored end of water trip. Personally would never want to take on the huge responsibility of chaperoning a trip that involves water. When this happened many years ago, I was quite upset about the situation and wrote a letter to the Board of Ed, asking them to re consider the policy of trips surrounding water and swimming. Of course, "fell on deaf ears".  There are SOME high school students who can't swim, feel awkward and embarrassed and might get themselves into a situation of peer pressure and attempt to swim when they can't. That is exactly what happened in that incident. Very tragic and sad.


----------



## ariel53098

jerseygal said:


> When I think of high school trips to areas around water, my mind goes back to a community we lived in, a student drowned on a school sponsored end of water trip. Personally would never want to take on the huge responsibility of chaperoning a trip that involves water. When this happened many years ago, I was quite upset about the situation and wrote a letter to the Board of Ed, asking them to re consider the policy of trips surrounding water and swimming. Of course, "fell on deaf ears".  There are SOME high school students who can't swim, feel awkward and embarrassed and might get themselves into a situation of peer pressure and attempt to swim when they can't. That is exactly what happened in that incident. Very tragic and sad.


I have no control whatsoever over the trip and the plans. I just wanted to know if the kids get a TapuTapu so they can familiarize themselves with the features.


----------



## kbelle8995

Love Volcano Bay.  I just love the atmosphere in general


----------



## Sehsun

ariel53098 said:


> Wondering if anyone knows this answer.
> I’m chaperoning a high school trip and we are supposed to do a day at Volcano Bay. However, no one has mentioned the TapuTapu.
> Does every guest get one?  I was wondering because when we went to Disney we had paper tickets instead of magic bands.
> I’m just thinking it would be nice to tell the kids to download the app and they can put their card info in to pay if every guest gets a TapuTapu.



Yes, as @123SA said, every guest gets a TapuTapu. They receive it at the turnstiles (tapstiles?).

That's a great idea to share about the Universal app with the students. Makes it a lot easier to add a payment method to the TapuTapu when renting a locker and buying food at the park.


----------



## karaintn

I understand that the Express Pass options at VB change often, but assuming I can get one for our trip in July - how does it work?  I understand that for VB rides you tap into the virtual line using the tapu tapu.  If you have an EP, do you NOT do that?  Do you just walk up and get straight into the EP line?


----------



## Sehsun

karaintn said:


> I understand that the Express Pass options at VB change often, but assuming I can get one for our trip in July - how does it work?  I understand that for VB rides you tap into the virtual line using the tapu tapu.  If you have an EP, do you NOT do that?  Do you just walk up and get straight into the EP line?



Yes, just show your pass to the team member at the ride entrance, and they should direct you to the EP line.


----------



## prncssmel

Sehsun said:


> I just found another place that had these shade structures. There are three of them near Waturi Marketplace (gift shop near the front of the park), more towards Rainforest Village.


Thank you! I will check all these out when we go in May and will hopefully have some good experiences to report back.


----------



## DadtoPrinceNoah

prncssmel said:


> Thanks. Still trying to figure out where those cabana/shade structures are, if anyone knows. If not, we will just plan to head straight for a bunch of chairs under umbrellas in the morning.



I know that a few have already responded to this, but the video (from TheTimTracker) below shows some of the free "cabana's" and he gives you a little indication of the location of three groups of them.  There may be more, but that's all that he highlighted.  Just thought the visual might help.


----------



## prncssmel

DadtoPrinceNoah said:


> I know that a few have already responded to this, but the video (from TheTimTracker) below shows some of the free "cabana's" and he gives you a little indication of the location of three groups of them.  There may be more, but that's all that he highlighted.  Just thought the visual might help.


Thank you! This was so helpful.


----------



## georgina

ariel53098 said:


> I have no control whatsoever over the trip and the plans. I just wanted to know if the kids get a TapuTapu so they can familiarize themselves with the features.





Sehsun said:


> Yes, as @123SA said, every guest gets a TapuTapu. They receive it at the turnstiles (tapstiles?).
> 
> That's a great idea to share about the Universal app with the students. Makes it a lot easier to add a payment method to the TapuTapu when renting a locker and buying food at the park.



Also, it is easy to share a locker, and set it up so everyone using the locker can open it with their own Tapus. We discovered this in November.


----------



## iona

Can someone walk me through the advantages of a cabana over the premium seating please? There’s only two of us so the cost difference is quite significant. Thank you!


----------



## MC0810

Sehsun said:


> Yes, just show your pass to the team member at the ride entrance, and they should direct you to the EP line.


 Wait, now I am confused. I thought there was no Express Pass entrance at volcano bay? I have been reading that with volcano bay express pass you do not need to preschedule your ride however when you walk up with express they mark the ride off the wrist band and you join the regular line and dont get to skip anyone?

We are going the weekend before memorial weekend (may 18) and im trying to determine if our family should get express or not. We will be staying at cabana bay and will get to the park an hour early. we will not be doing any of the extreme body slides.

any help or advice appreciated.


----------



## Sehsun

MC0810 said:


> Wait, now I am confused. I thought there was no Express Pass entrance at volcano bay? I have been reading that with volcano bay express pass you do not need to preschedule your ride however when you walk up with express they mark the ride off the wrist band and you join the regular line?
> 
> We are going the weekend before memorial weekend (may 18) and im trying to determine if our family should get express or not. We will be staying at cabana bay and will get to the park an hour early. we will not be doing any of the extreme body slides.
> 
> any help or advice appreciated.



I'm sorry for the confusion I caused with my previous post (please disregard what I said about the EP line, whoops!). Upon further reading, I believe with Express at VB you skip having to wait in a virtual line and you just join the regular line immediately. You are correct. 

If you have Early Park Admission, you may be able to knock out a bunch of rides before the park opens at 10:00 AM. If you are not doing any of the extreme body slides (I'm assuming the ones like Ko'okiri, Kala and Tai Nui - the ones at the top of the volcano), then I would not get *Express Plus* (that includes Express Pass for all the rides at VB). The *Express Pass* is available for select rides at VB, and it excludes all the drop slides in the volcano, plus Ohno and Ohyah. The wording is a little confusing, but I found the details on Universal's official site.


----------



## Disfamplan

Volcano Bay - Family Cabana: I was wanting to know if anyone has stayed in the family cabana at VB and if you know if there are lounge chairs in front of the family cabana or does it sit against a walkway?


----------



## soniam

Disfamplan said:


> Volcano Bay - Family Cabana: I was wanting to know if anyone has stayed in the family cabana at VB and if you know if there are lounge chairs in front of the family cabana or does it sit against a walkway?



I know there are chairs and loungers in front of some of them, but they aren't right in front. Some of them might be on out of the way walkways away from the general loungers.


----------



## G-bone

Express Pass Unlimited? Do they offer one for Volcano Bay or just the Express Pass to go on each ride once? 

Does the Express Pass get added onto your TapuTapu or is it a seperate wristband/ticket? 

If I have early entry do you think I'll still have to reserve a premium seat?

Thank you!!!


----------



## Sehsun

iona said:


> Can someone walk me through the advantages of a cabana over the premium seating please? There’s only two of us so the cost difference is quite significant. Thank you!



The main advantage I can think of for the cabana is the ability to reserve a ride right from your cabana, instead of going all the way to the ride entrance to reserve a ride. 



Disfamplan said:


> Volcano Bay - Family Cabana: I was wanting to know if anyone has stayed in the family cabana at VB and if you know if there are lounge chairs in front of the family cabana or does it sit against a walkway?



I think I only remember seeing chairs inside the cabana. The cabanas do sit against walkways. 



G-bone said:


> Express Pass Unlimited? Do they offer one for Volcano Bay or just the Express Pass to go on each ride once?
> 
> Does the Express Pass get added onto your TapuTapu or is it a seperate wristband/ticket?
> 
> If I have early entry do you think I'll still have to reserve a premium seat?
> 
> Thank you!!!



I think at VB, you can only use Express once per ride. 

I *think* you get a separate wristband. 

I don’t think there is a need to reserve premium seating if you have Early Entry.


----------



## soniam

G-bone said:


> Express Pass Unlimited? Do they offer one for Volcano Bay or just the Express Pass to go on each ride once?
> 
> Does the Express Pass get added onto your TapuTapu or is it a seperate wristband/ticket?
> 
> If I have early entry do you think I'll still have to reserve a premium seat?
> 
> Thank you!!!



As @Sehsun said, EP at VB is once per ride, and it's a separate plastic wrist band that they mark with a marker. There are two options: one that doesn't include the body/drop slides and one that does. They list the attractions on the info about the EP on the website.

As for premium seating, it depends why you might want it. If you are worried about getting loungers or getting them in the shade, I think you will be fine at Early Entry. I really dislike where they moved the loungers. At mid-day and afternoon, the shade provides very little to no shade. I think an umbrella or tree would be better. If you want a premium lounger for the lockbox or the wait staff, then you should probably get it ahead of time. I don't know how quickly they sell out.


----------



## YRose

We are headed to Universal next week and will spend a day or two at Volcano Bay. I have a few questions.
1) If we get the Express pass and are there for early entry, can we wait until it gets busy before we actually want to use the express pass for the rides? We would get the express pass where you could ride the rides one time each but I would want them to ride as many rides as they wanted to before it got busy. I think it is a bracelet for EP correct?

2) What is the procedure for getting the Express Pass? I will order it ahead of time on line but don't want to waste a bunch of time standing in line to get it during EE. Maybe we could all ride the rides during EE and than go get our bracelets for the Express Pass I ordered ahead of time on line.

3) If we order a cabana will it take a while to stand in line for that also?


----------



## 123SA

YRose said:


> We are headed to Universal next week and will spend a day or two at Volcano Bay. I have a few questions.
> 1) If we get the Express pass and are there for early entry, can we wait until it gets busy before we actually want to use the express pass for the rides? We would get the express pass where you could ride the rides one time each but I would want them to ride as many rides as they wanted to before it got busy. I think it is a bracelet for EP correct?
> 
> 
> 
> 2) What is the procedure for getting the Express Pass? I will order it ahead of time on line but don't want to waste a bunch of time standing in line to get it during EE. Maybe we could all ride the rides during EE and than go get our bracelets for the Express Pass I ordered ahead of time on line.



Based on my experience last summer, you get a separate bracelet for express pass and you choose when to use it.  Yes, you can ride "ride-now" or use your tapu tapu until it gets busy and you want to use the express pass

End of July last summer, we ordered on line, but had to show a voucher in the park to get the bracelet.  I did it after early entry at a guest services that was located sort of near oh-no/oh-yeah  ... it was on the same path, deeper into the park.  It took 5 minutes at most.


----------



## YRose

123SA said:


> Based on my experience last summer, you get a separate bracelet for express pass and you choose when to use it.  Yes, you can ride "ride-now" or use your tapu tapu until it gets busy and you want to use the express pass
> 
> End of July last summer, we ordered on line, but had to show a voucher in the park to get the bracelet.  I did it after early entry at a guest services that was located sort of near oh-no/oh-yeah  ... it was on the same path, deeper into the park.  It took 5 minutes at most.


Thank you.


----------



## YRose

We are looking into renting a cabana for next week. Does anyone have any favorite cabana locations away from non smoking areas? We will rent a 6 person. Are the top level ones more quiet?


----------



## YRose

So I just called to rent a cabana for the day. They are all sold out except for the Handicapped units. They were allowed to rent me one of those. It is an upper level one. He says it has an elevator. This should be interesting. Does anyone have any experience with renting one of these? Are they ok?


----------



## alan vick

G-bone said:


> Express Pass Unlimited? Do they offer one for Volcano Bay or just the Express Pass to go on each ride once?
> 
> Does the Express Pass get added onto your TapuTapu or is it a seperate wristband/ticket?
> 
> If I have early entry do you think I'll still have to reserve a premium seat?
> 
> Thank you!!!


It is a separate wrist band. Or at least it was in October. It allows you to go straight to the line once per ride.  Eliminates the wait to join the line.


----------



## alan vick

alan vick said:


> It is a separate wrist band. Or at least it was in October. It allows you to go straight to the line once per ride.  Eliminates the wait to join the line.


I had premium seating on a Monday in early October. Totally unnecessary.  Not sure when you are going. Early entry can save you money for express pass and seating.


----------



## soniam

alan vick said:


> I had premium seating on a Monday in early October. Totally unnecessary.  Not sure when you are going. Early entry can save you money for express pass and seating.



I agree. We did that too. Even the Express was a waste of time during the time, especially since we went to early entry. Summer might be different now though. We haven't been in summer since the first summer it opened.


----------



## TEAMJACOB

Does anyone know if they have flavored shaved ice or something similar at Volcano Bay?


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## Sehsun

TEAMJACOB said:


> Does anyone know if they have flavored shaved ice or something similar at Volcano Bay?



Unfortunately, I don't think VB offers flavored shaved ice at this time. The closest item they would offer is the POG (pineapple, orange, guava blend) slush that is offered at a few food carts.


----------



## TEAMJACOB

Sehsun said:


> Unfortunately, I don't think VB offers flavored shaved ice at this time. The closest item they would offer is the POG (pineapple, orange, guava blend) slush that is offered at a few food carts.



Thanks Sehsun. My son and his girlfriend are planning on spending a day there in May and were hoping they had some. Maybe they can find some in the parks instead.


----------



## Tankplanker

When do the two levels of express pass go on sale for Volcano Bay? I can see availability for the cheaper pass in September but I can't see any availablity in October? 

We are going middle of October and as we only have a single day to put aside for Volcano Bay we really want to make sure we get the express pass. Last year when we went we missed out on the express pass and regretted it, although we did go on 4th July week.


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## Wdw1015

We are going to VB for the first time on a Saturday, August 10th. Obviously I know it is going to be busy but I’m curious if Saturday’s seem to be significantly busier than other days? We are going on a cruise right after our stay so we unfortunately don’t have the option to go another day, just want to mentally prepare myself for crowds.


----------



## Marie72

Does anyone know when Universal allow booking for the cabanas, website only goes as far as June at the moment but we are not going until August, just want to get it priced up as it will hopefully a late anniversary present but there are such big differences in prices I am not sure if it will be affordable or not.


----------



## soniam

Tankplanker said:


> When do the two levels of express pass go on sale for Volcano Bay? I can see availability for the cheaper pass in September but I can't see any availablity in October?
> 
> We are going middle of October and as we only have a single day to put aside for Volcano Bay we really want to make sure we get the express pass. Last year when we went we missed out on the express pass and regretted it, although we did go on 4th July week.



Last year, I bought our EP for October 5th on June 27th. I don't know if that was the first available date to buy or not. However, I had been monitoring it weekly or every other week. I would start looking in early June at the latest. We didn't really need the EP though. It was a Friday, and we did early entry. We had needed it the previous summer, opening summer, even with Early Entry. That's why I got it.


----------



## Tankplanker

soniam said:


> Last year, I bought our EP for October 5th on June 27th. I don't know if that was the first available date to buy or not. However, I had been monitoring it weekly or every other week. I would start looking in early June at the latest. We didn't really need the EP though. It was a Friday, and we did early entry. We had needed it the previous summer, opening summer, even with Early Entry. That's why I got it.


Thanks for the help, I will keep an eye out, I think I will still buy them as we really want to make the most of our day there.


----------



## ozliz

Planning to go on a Friday in September. Staying at Cabana Bay so will have early entry. Is there any financial benefit in booking early? I see that tickets are tied to a date so thinking if I buy when I arrive in Orlando (the day before) I could consider going on the following day (Saturday) if the weather forecast is better. My preference is not to go on Saturday as I assume the crowds are higher with locals but I’ve limited choices as most of time will be Disney for this trip. Are tickets more $ if bought at the gate rather than online?


----------



## macraven

I read buy tickets before you go for the best rate

I bought my first preferred ap in the way early years
I renew it yearly 

Prices for the ap were cheap at that time 
I still receive a decent charge when I renew


----------



## soniam

ozliz said:


> Planning to go on a Friday in September. Staying at Cabana Bay so will have early entry. Is there any financial benefit in booking early? I see that tickets are tied to a date so thinking if I buy when I arrive in Orlando (the day before) I could consider going on the following day (Saturday) if the weather forecast is better. My preference is not to go on Saturday as I assume the crowds are higher with locals but I’ve limited choices as most of time will be Disney for this trip. Are tickets more $ if bought at the gate rather than online?



I think tickets are more expensive bought at the gate than online. However, the rate may be only $5 more or it could be up to $20 more possibly. It depends upon how much flexibility you are willing to pay for and also for how many people you are buying tickets.


----------



## karaintn

I'm so frustrated with the Express Pass for VB.  Our trip is in July, and I've been looking periodically and only the limited EP is offered.  For everyday after July 2 the EP Plus shows "sold out".  I think they just haven't opened up availability on them - or maybe they never will?  Any ideas?  I'm tired of stalking the page.  Also, I want to rent a Cabana, but it says they're only taking reservations through 6/30.  I really thought the whole summer would be available for booking by now.


----------



## soniam

karaintn said:


> I'm so frustrated with the Express Pass for VB.  Our trip is in July, and I've been looking periodically and only the limited EP is offered.  For everyday after July 2 the EP Plus shows "sold out".  I think they just haven't opened up availability on them - or maybe they never will?  Any ideas?  I'm tired of stalking the page.  Also, I want to rent a Cabana, but it says they're only taking reservations through 6/30.  I really thought the whole summer would be available for booking by now.



Have you tried calling? I remember having to do a lot over the phone.


----------



## 123SA

karaintn said:


> I'm so frustrated with the Express Pass for VB.  Our trip is in July, and I've been looking periodically and only the limited EP is offered.  For everyday after July 2 the EP Plus shows "sold out".  I think they just haven't opened up availability on them - or maybe they never will?  Any ideas?  I'm tired of stalking the page.  Also, I want to rent a Cabana, but it says they're only taking reservations through 6/30.  I really thought the whole summer would be available for booking by now.



I called a month or so ago. The customer service agent said she couldn’t tell if it was sold out or just not available yet, but she guessed not available.  I’ve been checking since February. If it did open, it sold out within s week. I think it never opened


My travel agent told me they are not available for presale and to ask when I check in. Last summer, I bought them well in advance of July, so I found this advice surprising.


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> I called a month or so ago. The customer service agent said she couldn’t tell if it was sold out or just not available yet, but she guessed not available.  I’ve been checking since February. If it did open, it sold out within s week. I think it never opened
> 
> 
> My travel agent told me they are not available for presale and to ask when I check in. Last summer, I bought them well in advance of July, so I found this advice surprising.



I know that we bought our EP over the phone or online for October, but maybe they are only available day of now. I would try calling again though, in case it opened up. The agents can't always tell if they are sold out or not available yet. At one point during the first year, they did stop selling them for a bit. Good luck.

EDIT: You mentioned seeing the limited EP. Is that the one that only allows 1 ride/attraction? If so, that's all that is available now. They no longer sell the unlimited rides/attraction one at VB, like they do for parks.


----------



## 123SA

soniam said:


> I know that we bought our EP over the phone or online for October, but maybe they are only available day of now. I would try calling again though, in case it opened up. The agents can't always tell if they are sold out or not available yet. At one point during the first year, they did stop selling them for a bit. Good luck.
> 
> EDIT: You mentioned seeing the limited EP. Is that the one that only allows 1 ride/attraction? If so, that's all that is available now. They no longer sell the unlimited rides/attraction one at VB, like they do for parks.



They offer two kinds —- one time on all of slides except for the big body slides and oh no oh yeah.  This is available

The other one that includes one time on all of the slides including the body slides and oh no and oh yeah is more expensive and not showing as available. It’s there on the website, just not available

Neither of these is an unlimited pass


----------



## soniam

123SA said:


> They offer two kinds —- one time on all of slides except for the big body slides and oh no oh yeah.  This is available
> 
> The other one that includes one time on all of the slides including the body slides and oh no and oh yeah is more expensive and not showing as available. It’s there on the website, just not available
> 
> Neither of these is an unlimited pass



I just wanted to be sure that you were not referring to the unlimited one, which they did offer the first summer but don't anymore.

I tried selecting the more expensive one from the Volcano Bay page. It hung. However, if you select the cheaper one, it will then let you select a date. I selected 2 people for July 4th. Then scroll all the way down, and it will show both of the Volcano Bay options. July 4th showed sold out for the Plus one; however, I did find some dates in July that were not sold out, like July 1. So, it may sold out for the Plus option for some dates in July.


----------



## G-bone

I'm going in June and know the day we are going to Volcano Bay. Rain or shine. Planning on getting EP but was wondering if I should buy them now since I'm worried they might sell out? Or wait until I'm there so it's one less thing I have to worry about during packing/traveling?


----------



## soniam

G-bone said:


> I'm going in June and know the day we are going to Volcano Bay. Rain or shine. Planning on getting EP but was wondering if I should buy them now since I'm worried they might sell out? Or wait until I'm there so it's one less thing I have to worry about during packing/traveling?



It could sell out, depending upon which one you want and for what day. It looks like the Plus option is already sold out for some days in July.


----------



## TallandGoofy

Staying at Cabana Bay and have a day planned at VB.  If we decide to take a midday break to chill in the room, is it pretty easy to then go back later?  (Assuming it doesn't hit capacity). I can envision maybe wanting to leave and come back in the evening.  Will also have premium seating and assuming we wouldn't lose our seats when leaving.


----------



## Bethany10

I hate these type of questions, but here I go anyways. We will be there in 2 weeks, staying on site and taking advantage of EE. Would it even be worth it for the limited EP if we get there early?


----------



## TallandGoofy

Bethany10 said:


> I hate these type of questions, but here I go anyways. We will be there in 2 weeks, staying on site and taking advantage of EE. Would it even be worth it for the limited EP if we get there early?


We will be there next week and for us the answer is NO.  We are staying on site and also plan to take advantage of EE.  From what I have read/researched, if you are able to do that (get there early) you will be able to hit just about everything in the first two hours and then can chill in the lazy river and other things while waiting for any virtual queues.  That's our plan, anyway.  Will probably take some kind of break back at the hotel too, assuming it's not a big hassle with turning in the Tapu Tapu and then getting them again later (and whatever else may be involved with reentry).   I'll try to remember to report back on how it all shakes out.


----------



## bobbie68

TallandGoofy said:


> Staying at Cabana Bay and have a day planned at VB.  If we decide to take a midday break to chill in the room, is it pretty easy to then go back later?  (Assuming it doesn't hit capacity). I can envision maybe wanting to leave and come back in the evening.  Will also have premium seating and assuming we wouldn't lose our seats when leaving.



Hi if you have premium seating you will not lose it. However, someone may take it and in that case you will have to get an associate to remove them. When I went the past two years it was that if  you had a cabana or premium seating you could get back in even at capacity. You had to prove that you had the seating. We were there both  years at the busiest times early August and late June. We went for EE then left for a few hours and went back about two to three hours before closing and it was nice and quiet.



Bethany10 said:


> I hate these type of questions, but here I go anyways. We will be there in 2 weeks, staying on site and taking advantage of EE. Would it even be worth it for the limited EP if we get there early?


Hi if you follow the advice of EE then you shouldn't need the EP if you are okay with doing all you want in the first few hours. However, the only thing that could change that is like us we loved the main rides and wanted to re ride through the day, we also had a cabana so in that sense the EP could make sense. In two weeks the capacity will be heavier but not as quite as full summer crowds. Honestly, if you are going to spend the whole day there and have the extra money I would probably do it. I did  the first year buy the unlimited express pass when they offered it (they don't anymore) and we enjoyed it. If you are only going for a half day and don't have the money you should be fine. At the least you could inquire when you get there and if they have any you could buy it.


123SA said:


> I called a month or so ago. The customer service agent said she couldn’t tell if it was sold out or just not available yet, but she guessed not available.  I’ve been checking since February. If it did open, it sold out within s week. I think it never opened
> 
> 
> My travel agent told me they are not available for presale and to ask when I check in. Last summer, I bought them well in advance of July, so I found this advice surprising.


Hi I have to say that there has been some inconsistencies with this policy. I myself have had mixed information. I was told last summer that they were only selling them the day of on a need basis. It was being done because the first year they over sold for the capacity and it was a nightmare. They do however, have a tendency to change policies frequently or depends on who you speak with.


----------



## TallandGoofy

bobbie68 said:


> Hi if you have premium seating you will not lose it. However, someone may take it and in that case you will have to get an associate to remove them. When I went the past two years it was that if  you had a cabana or premium seating you could get back in even at capacity. You had to prove that you had the seating. We were there both  years at the busiest times early August and late June. We went for EE then left for a few hours and went back about two to three hours before closing and it was nice and quiet.


Great to know!  Thank you!!  The more I was thinking about it, the more I was thinking we will probably want to leave at some point to get away from crazy crowds and/or heat.  Especially since we are right there at Cabana Bay.  Just wasn't sure how much hassle it would be with turning in Tapu Tapus and then having to get them again and reclaim our seat.  Sounds like we should be fine and I like the idea even more.  Especially the coming back in the evening once it's less crowded again.


----------



## bobbie68

TallandGoofy said:


> Great to know!  Thank you!!  The more I was thinking about it, the more I was thinking we will probably want to leave at some point to get away from crazy crowds and/or heat.  Especially since we are right there at Cabana Bay.  Just wasn't sure how much hassle it would be with turning in Tapu Tapus and then having to get them again and reclaim our seat.  Sounds like we should be fine and I like the idea even more.  Especially the coming back in the evening once it's less crowded again.


 You're welcome glad I can help. Also we stayed at Cabana Bay specifically for VB. It is so nice to walk right next door. It really is easy with the separate entrance for CBBR guests. We found it to be no hassle to get new tapu tapu when we went back in. We enjoyed VB at night. The last two hours were great and the park is so pretty at night.
Enjoy!!


----------



## beffiegirl

We are going next week and I have a few questions...
1. How do they handle rider swap? I have a 2 year old. Want to do aqua coaster first then family raft ride next. Will it eat up time?
2. Where is the private entrance for CBBR to VB?
3. Would we still get on a lot of rides if we get there by 8amish? Have a non morning teenager.
TIA


----------



## bobbie68

Hi I can't help you with  rider swap questions, my teens were 16 last summer. I hope someone can jump in for you. If not you could try a quick search on the web, I know there are a lot of vloggers who touch on everything.

the entrance to volcano bay is 
locatedpast the two new towers that opened in the South Courtyard alongside the water theme park. It is at the end of the Americana Building and the newer Bay Side Tower. If you go on you tube and look up Tim Tracker videos he has good ones. He has some of Cabana bay resort and the entrance to Volcano Bay.

Your early entry time will be 8 am for on site guests with the public coming in at 9 am. The first two hours that the park is open is the best time with less people. If you can get there right at 8 you will be good.

We love VB enjoy the park!


----------



## xultimatefanx

Looks like something went wrong in Volcano Bay recently. 

Orlando Weekly


----------



## Wdw1015

Does anyone know if we can wear shirts over a bathing suit on the rides?


----------



## hhoope01

Wdw1015 said:


> Does anyone know if we can wear shirts over a bathing suit on the rides?


Both my daughter and I wore shirts during our visits and pretty much rode all the rides/slides while there.  So I wouldn't think you or anyone would have any issues.


----------



## Sehsun

Wdw1015 said:


> Does anyone know if we can wear shirts over a bathing suit on the rides?



You should be fine as long as it's a rash guard type material. DH always wears a rash guard shirt and hasn't had any issues. One time a team member asked him what material the shirt was - I think implying that if it was cotton, he would have had to take it off - but this was for the body slides where you make direct contact with the slide the entire time. If you're riding in a tube, it should not matter what kind of material your shirt is.


----------



## karaintn

TallandGoofy said:


> We will be there next week and for us the answer is NO.  We are staying on site and also plan to take advantage of EE.  From what I have read/researched, if you are able to do that (get there early) you will be able to hit just about everything in the first two hours and then can chill in the lazy river and other things while waiting for any virtual queues.  That's our plan, anyway.  Will probably take some kind of break back at the hotel too, assuming it's not a big hassle with turning in the Tapu Tapu and then getting them again later (and whatever else may be involved with reentry).   I'll try to remember to report back on how it all shakes out.



How was your trip to VB?  We go next month and I'd love to hear how early entry worked out for you!


----------



## TallandGoofy

karaintn said:


> How was your trip to VB?  We go next month and I'd love to hear how early entry worked out for you!


Thanks for reminding me!  

We stayed at Cabana Bay and started walking over around 7:40 am or so for 8 am EE.  Easy walk and not crowded at all when we got there.  We were third or fourth in line at one of the tapstiles to get in.  Unfortunately, we had a major snafu that ended up eating alot of our EE time.  

In an effort to be "ahead of the game" and to be able to charge directly to our Tapu Tapus, I linked our park tickets to the Universal app.  They then appear in the "Wallet" section of the app.  I also added a credit card.  From Saturday when we arrived to the day before our VB day, I used the app with the tickets in the "wallet" to go to the parks.  That's Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I was using it.  Now, on Wednesday, the VB day, as they began letting people in, I pulled up the app just as I had been all week and guess what?  The tickets were GONE.  It was like I'd never linked them or added them.  Girl was so nice as I sputtered about how they were there and now weren't.  She told me to take my time but ultimately, I had to get  out of line.  First went to where they sell tickets because that was what she suggested.  They couldn't help and sent me to Guest Services.  They honestly weren't any help either.  Like I think three people tried to find our tickets in the system but couldn't.  I should mention, they were purchased from Undercover Tourist and they said that is why they couldn't find them.  While they (GS) weren't finding them, I went into my email to find the order confirmation and then also found the link from UT to the printable tickets.  Had I done that from the get go, we would have gotten in much sooner.  I just had to pull them up on my phone and they worked fine.  Also, while I was futzing around with my phone, my wife called UT and she said they were very nice and willing to help but since I found the tickets we ended up not needing them to do anything.  I don't want to give the impression that you shouldn't buy from UT.  While it seemed to semi-complicate this particular situation, I've used them for just about all of our Orlando trips for Disney and Universal and always good experiences.  I really have no idea what caused the tickets to disappear.  Later that night I was able to relink them into the app and they continued to be there and work for the rest of our trip.

OK...so we lost about 20 minutes with that debacle.  Then, just for fun, I caused us to lose another 10 or so minutes.  DW went to get our premium seating while kids and I started heading to go do some slides.  We all showed our room keys initially to get in for EE and then DW went to get in line for the seating.  Somehow, kids and I got out of the EE area and then when we tried to go to slides that were open, we hit a road block where you had to show your keys again.  So, I had to go all the way back to DW to get our room keys.  Lesson learned - keep those keys with you for that first hour!!

Finally, we were able to start riding.  We did Moana (family raft) which was Ride Now and then went over to the Krakatau Aqua Coaster.  Rode that twice in a row (Ride Now) and then I think around 9:30 it was showing a 10 minute wait so we tapped in and went to ride a different raft type ride (forgetting name) that was Ride Now.  Then back to Aquacoaster.  After that ride, it was showing 40 minute wait so we tapped in and went over to DW to check out our premium seating.   Took a little break and got some drinks too.  I think we did Lazy River after that.  We really wanted to do the Fast river but it was closed.  This was the week they had that electrical malfunction so we never got to try it which was a bummer.  There were a couple of other slides closed too that I think were related to that.  

We did Aquacoaster for a 4th time.  Hit the Lazy River again.  I lost my Tapu Tapu and had to go get a new one.  I would have been more panicked about it except I'd read on many a thread that this happens all the time.  It was very easy to get a new one.  It was getting to be lunch time so we (DS and I) ordered food from our server in the premium seating area.  I will say, the service as far as friendliness was very good.  The time it took to get food though was really sloooooooowwwwwwwww.  DW and DD went and ordered food at the restaurant.  They got their food, sat and ate it and then came back and DS and I were still waiting.  It did finally come and it was pretty good.  I had coconut chicken sliders and DS had a cheeseburger.  By the time we got our food and finished eating, I think it was around 1:30 or maybe almost 2.  It was very hot and very crowded.  We decided to go back to the room and plan was to come back later in the evening.  I let the people at the premium seating stand (there is a place where usually 2 - 3 people were there to help) that we were leaving and would be back.  No problem - the seat was ours for the day.  We didn't leave anything behind other than the towels we'd rented.  Oh - that was a mini-snafu.  Like very minor.  I really didn't want to pay $6 a pop on rented towels so had read that a lot of people just grab them from the Cabana Bay pool on the way over to VB.  We actually did that on the Monday night before for a quick little evening hop over to VB.  Unfortunately, at 7:40 in the morning, the gates to the pool were locked so we weren't able to do that when we headed over that morning.  Oh, well....

Chilled in the room and then went to dinner at Toothsome.  While there, DW was noticing the radar and a big storm coming.  Wasn't sure VB would be an evening option.  DD wanted to ride Gringotts after dinner so while DS and DW headed back to room, DD and I headed there.  We rode and then, when we started walking outside, noticed the very dark clouds forming.  DW also texted to let me know storm was coming.  DD and I made it to City Walk central parking when the deluge hit.  Waited a while for the bus because so many people were trying to get back to the hotel.  Finally got on, though and made it back to our room.  So, sadly, we did not make it back to VB.  We were a little disappointed but as the Aquacoaster was our favorite and we got to ride it 4 times, we were ok.

Oh - something else I did that morning.  I had a photo package and made sure to go to the photo store where they were able to link the package to our Tapu Tapus.  That was really cool because then the selfie station photos and the slide photos all showed up with my other pictures that came with the package.

Also - thoughts on premium seating.  DW and I agreed we would not do that again.  Getting there early, we would have had plenty of seating options.  It was nice to have the server but it took so long, it really wasn't worth the money we paid.  I think the best part was having the private locker. That was nice, but again, not worth what we paid.  For Wednesday, June 5th (the day we were there) it was $110.  Originally, we were going to go on Monday and the price when I called a few weeks in advance was $80. It went up $30 when I called a few days before to switch to Wednesday.  Apparently, the Monday would have gone up as well so it is best to reserve early.  But either way, the value just wasn't there for us.  BTW - a cabana for that same day was initially $375 and then went up to over $400 (maybe close to $500).  That's more than a room at one of the premium hotels so couldn't justify that though they do sound pretty nice.

I think, overall, we had a good time and I'm glad we got to check out Volcano Bay.  Obviously, I'd do some things differently and I can't control weather (or electrical issues that close down sections of the park) but we did have a good time.  Will hopefully get to check it out again some day when everything is operational.


----------



## TotoGogo

Sehsun said:


> You should be fine as long as it's a rash guard type material. DH always wears a rash guard shirt and hasn't had any issues. One time a team member asked him what material the shirt was - I think implying that if it was cotton, he would have had to take it off - but this was for the body slides where you make direct contact with the slide the entire time. If you're riding in a tube, it should not matter what kind of material your shirt is.



The material is similar to athletic/exercise clothing?


----------



## Sehsun

TotoGogo said:


> The material is similar to athletic/exercise clothing?



Yup!  Also known as moisture-wicking shirts. They are known to dry pretty quickly.


----------



## SA mom

We were able to wear rash guard and/or fishing type shirts on everything we rode.  We did not do any body slides but were told we would have to take them off for that.


----------



## SA mom

Need SHADE?  We found it.  

On hammerhead beach, at the back of the park, there are 3 palapas (covered strictures) type things.  Chairs under the middle one stay in shade all day.  It’s across from the entrance/exit to TeAwa The Fearless River.


----------



## Wdw1015

SA mom said:


> Need SHADE?  We found it.
> 
> On hammerhead beach, at the back of the park, there are 3 palapas (covered strictures) type things.  Chairs under the middle one stay in shade all day.  It’s across from the entrance/exit to TeAwa The Fearless River.


Thanks for the info! We are a fair skinned family heading there in August and our plan was to attempt to find one of these to make our home base so it’s helpful to know the specific location!


----------



## MumziMom

I've been looking at rash guards for sun protection at VB/the parks for our August trip.  They are pricey!  I just found that Target has boys/girls rash guards at an insanely inexpensive price point.  I'm 5'5", 128 lbs, and their boy's/girl's large both fit me well for swimming, and their xl fit well for loose sun coverage.  Length for both is excellent.  They have a upf of 50+.   I bought a bright green boy's, and a white with a "mermaid" phrase on it, both for $12.99 each; they are also currently 20% off both online (code "swim") and in person with the Cartwheel app.   While not as beautiful as some of the "adult" ra$$$$h guard$$$ I've seen, I'd rather stay unburned, and also use that extra cash elsewhere on the trip.


----------



## mel2014

MumziMom said:


> I've been looking at rash guards for sun protection at VB/the parks for our August trip.  They are pricey!  I just found that Target has boys/girls rash guards at an insanely inexpensive price point.  I'm 5'5", 128 lbs, and their boy's/girl's large both fit me well for swimming, and their xl fit well for loose sun coverage.  Length for both is excellent.  They have a upf of 50+.   I bought a bright green boy's, and a white with a "mermaid" phrase on it, both for $12.99 each; they are also currently 20% off both online (code "swim") and in person with the Cartwheel app.   While not as beautiful as some of the "adult" ra$$$$h guard$$$ I've seen, I'd rather stay unburned, and also use that extra cash elsewhere on the trip.



This is a good tip, thanks! We just went to Hawaii for a week and I had one long-sleeve rash guard and it was so nice to avoid all of the sunblocking, but it's getting a bit threadbare at this point, so I just ordered three XL from Target online to try for fit. I was eyeing the Lands End ones, but even on sale they are $24.


----------



## LavishWig

I'm looking to head to Volcano Bay on Sunday 18th August, I was initially going to go along around 9am but, as is the case with an Orlando holiday, there will be a lot of early mornings so I'm thinking of just heading along around 3pm/4pm and staying as late as I want (park closes at 9pm). This will be my only day at VB so I don't want to risk missing out on the rides, what do you all think of this plan?


----------



## cemeb4dk

Question for the experts. We are headed to HHN for a weekend in Sept. We are DVC members so we will be staying  on Disney property. But on our departure day we are hoping to visit Volcano Bay and then just Uber to airport instead of going back to our resort for the magical express.  So 2 questions: 1) I assume there are showers there that we can shower up and change before our flight? 2) Are their lockers big enough to hold carry on bags?  I'm talking backpacks not the suitcase type carryons.  Thanks in advance for any help


----------



## Sehsun

cemeb4dk said:


> So 2 questions: 1) I assume there are showers there that we can shower up and change before our flight? 2) Are their lockers big enough to hold carry on bags?  I'm talking backpacks not the suitcase type carryons.  Thanks in advance for any help



Yes. There are four different restroom + locker areas in the park, one in each village. They all have about 3-4 showers each. In each of those areas, there are lockers big enough to hold a school-size backpack.


----------



## georgina

mel2014 said:


> This is a good tip, thanks! We just went to Hawaii for a week and I had one long-sleeve rash guard and it was so nice to avoid all of the sunblocking, but it's getting a bit threadbare at this point, so I just ordered three XL from Target online to try for fit. I was eyeing the Lands End ones, but even on sale they are $24.


Lands End has them on clearance now - solids are $14.99, plus they set me a promo code for another 10% off. Gonna check out my local store tomorrow to see if I can pick one up there to save the shipping cost. I wear them whenever I am out in the sun at a beach or pool.

I love the VB long sleeve T's they sell in the park, but they have 0 SPF


----------



## Z-Knight

TallandGoofy said:


> Thanks for reminding me!
> 
> We stayed at Cabana Bay and started walking over around 7:40 am or so for 8 am EE.  Easy walk and not crowded at all when we got there.  We were third or fourth in line at one of the tapstiles to get in.  Unfortunately, we had a major snafu that ended up eating alot of our EE time.
> 
> In an effort to be "ahead of the game" and to be able to charge directly to our Tapu Tapus, I linked our park tickets to the Universal app.  They then appear in the "Wallet" section of the app.  I also added a credit card.  From Saturday when we arrived to the day before our VB day, I used the app with the tickets in the "wallet" to go to the parks.  That's Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I was using it.  Now, on Wednesday, the VB day, as they began letting people in, I pulled up the app just as I had been all week and guess what?  The tickets were GONE.  It was like I'd never linked them or added them.  Girl was so nice as I sputtered about how they were there and now weren't.  She told me to take my time but ultimately, I had to get  out of line.  First went to where they sell tickets because that was what she suggested.  They couldn't help and sent me to Guest Services.  They honestly weren't any help either.  Like I think three people tried to find our tickets in the system but couldn't.  I should mention, they were purchased from Undercover Tourist and they said that is why they couldn't find them.  While they (GS) weren't finding them, I went into my email to find the order confirmation and then also found the link from UT to the printable tickets.  Had I done that from the get go, we would have gotten in much sooner.  I just had to pull them up on my phone and they worked fine.  Also, while I was futzing around with my phone, my wife called UT and she said they were very nice and willing to help but since I found the tickets we ended up not needing them to do anything.  I don't want to give the impression that you shouldn't buy from UT.  While it seemed to semi-complicate this particular situation, I've used them for just about all of our Orlando trips for Disney and Universal and always good experiences.  I really have no idea what caused the tickets to disappear.  Later that night I was able to relink them into the app and they continued to be there and work for the rest of our trip.
> 
> OK...so we lost about 20 minutes with that debacle.  Then, just for fun, I caused us to lose another 10 or so minutes.  DW went to get our premium seating while kids and I started heading to go do some slides.  We all showed our room keys initially to get in for EE and then DW went to get in line for the seating.  Somehow, kids and I got out of the EE area and then when we tried to go to slides that were open, we hit a road block where you had to show your keys again.  So, I had to go all the way back to DW to get our room keys.  Lesson learned - keep those keys with you for that first hour!!
> 
> Finally, we were able to start riding.  We did Moana (family raft) which was Ride Now and then went over to the Krakatau Aqua Coaster.  Rode that twice in a row (Ride Now) and then I think around 9:30 it was showing a 10 minute wait so we tapped in and went to ride a different raft type ride (forgetting name) that was Ride Now.  Then back to Aquacoaster.  After that ride, it was showing 40 minute wait so we tapped in and went over to DW to check out our premium seating.   Took a little break and got some drinks too.  I think we did Lazy River after that.  We really wanted to do the Fast river but it was closed.  This was the week they had that electrical malfunction so we never got to try it which was a bummer.  There were a couple of other slides closed too that I think were related to that.
> 
> We did Aquacoaster for a 4th time.  Hit the Lazy River again.  I lost my Tapu Tapu and had to go get a new one.  I would have been more panicked about it except I'd read on many a thread that this happens all the time.  It was very easy to get a new one.  It was getting to be lunch time so we (DS and I) ordered food from our server in the premium seating area.  I will say, the service as far as friendliness was very good.  The time it took to get food though was really sloooooooowwwwwwwww.  DW and DD went and ordered food at the restaurant.  They got their food, sat and ate it and then came back and DS and I were still waiting.  It did finally come and it was pretty good.  I had coconut chicken sliders and DS had a cheeseburger.  By the time we got our food and finished eating, I think it was around 1:30 or maybe almost 2.  It was very hot and very crowded.  We decided to go back to the room and plan was to come back later in the evening.  I let the people at the premium seating stand (there is a place where usually 2 - 3 people were there to help) that we were leaving and would be back.  No problem - the seat was ours for the day.  We didn't leave anything behind other than the towels we'd rented.  Oh - that was a mini-snafu.  Like very minor.  I really didn't want to pay $6 a pop on rented towels so had read that a lot of people just grab them from the Cabana Bay pool on the way over to VB.  We actually did that on the Monday night before for a quick little evening hop over to VB.  Unfortunately, at 7:40 in the morning, the gates to the pool were locked so we weren't able to do that when we headed over that morning.  Oh, well....
> 
> Chilled in the room and then went to dinner at Toothsome.  While there, DW was noticing the radar and a big storm coming.  Wasn't sure VB would be an evening option.  DD wanted to ride Gringotts after dinner so while DS and DW headed back to room, DD and I headed there.  We rode and then, when we started walking outside, noticed the very dark clouds forming.  DW also texted to let me know storm was coming.  DD and I made it to City Walk central parking when the deluge hit.  Waited a while for the bus because so many people were trying to get back to the hotel.  Finally got on, though and made it back to our room.  So, sadly, we did not make it back to VB.  We were a little disappointed but as the Aquacoaster was our favorite and we got to ride it 4 times, we were ok.
> 
> Oh - something else I did that morning.  I had a photo package and made sure to go to the photo store where they were able to link the package to our Tapu Tapus.  That was really cool because then the selfie station photos and the slide photos all showed up with my other pictures that came with the package.
> 
> Also - thoughts on premium seating.  DW and I agreed we would not do that again.  Getting there early, we would have had plenty of seating options.  It was nice to have the server but it took so long, it really wasn't worth the money we paid.  I think the best part was having the private locker. That was nice, but again, not worth what we paid.  For Wednesday, June 5th (the day we were there) it was $110.  Originally, we were going to go on Monday and the price when I called a few weeks in advance was $80. It went up $30 when I called a few days before to switch to Wednesday.  Apparently, the Monday would have gone up as well so it is best to reserve early.  But either way, the value just wasn't there for us.  BTW - a cabana for that same day was initially $375 and then went up to over $400 (maybe close to $500).  That's more than a room at one of the premium hotels so couldn't justify that though they do sound pretty nice.
> 
> I think, overall, we had a good time and I'm glad we got to check out Volcano Bay.  Obviously, I'd do some things differently and I can't control weather (or electrical issues that close down sections of the park) but we did have a good time.  Will hopefully get to check it out again some day when everything is operational.


thank you for this post - I think you just answered my Premium Seating question. It is my first time at Volcano bay in 2 weeks and I called to get premium seating. I read blogs which said a pair of premium seats are between $30 and $70 dollars but when I called I was told it was $140 for the day I wanted. I signed up but am rethinking if I will go through with it. I was told the price was this high because they charge for those based on Demand Pricing - ie as availability falls the price goes up. quite a bit of a shock to me. I wonder what others feel like about the seating...and also can you tell me if you get a choice of where or is it a first come first serve for premium seats? Like what if I wanted front row of the volcano pool, will I just have to get there early, or is that pre-assigned based on purchase date.


----------



## soniam

Z-Knight said:


> thank you for this post - I think you just answered my Premium Seating question. It is my first time at Volcano bay in 2 weeks and I called to get premium seating. I read blogs which said a pair of premium seats are between $30 and $70 dollars but when I called I was told it was $140 for the day I wanted. I signed up but am rethinking if I will go through with it. I was told the price was this high because they charge for those based on Demand Pricing - ie as availability falls the price goes up. quite a bit of a shock to me. I wonder what others feel like about the seating...and also can you tell me if you get a choice of where or is it a first come first serve for premium seats? Like what if I wanted front row of the volcano pool, will I just have to get there early, or is that pre-assigned based on purchase date.



How many people did you say you need seating for? It sounds to me like they are charging you for 2 sets of premium chairs, 4 total chairs, with each set having 2 chairs. I think all of the premium loungers are all in the same place now. They are behind the Dragon Boat bar at the back of the wave pool beach. They let us pick last October from within the area. There are no premium loungers right in front of the wave pool, at the bottom of the volcano.


----------



## Z-Knight

soniam said:


> How many people did you say you need seating for? It sounds to me like they are charging you for 2 sets of premium chairs, 4 total chairs, with each set having 2 chairs. I think all of the premium loungers are all in the same place now. They are behind the Dragon Boat bar at the back of the wave pool beach. They let us pick last October from within the area. There are no premium loungers right in front of the wave pool, at the bottom of the volcano.


I made sure to ask...it was for just two loungers - so for 2 people.  Quantity 1, $130 before tax


----------



## Z-Knight

my travel agent verified today as well... prices range from $50 to $160. apparently even the blogs from 4 months ago are out of date because everyone always mentioned a max price of $70 for premium seating... 2 loungers. so my price of $140 is correct because i am reserving with only 2 weeks to go... still gotta think about it


----------



## soniam

Z-Knight said:


> my travel agent verified today as well... prices range from $50 to $160. apparently even the blogs from 4 months ago are out of date because everyone always mentioned a max price of $70 for premium seating... 2 loungers. so my price of $140 is correct because i am reserving with only 2 weeks to go... still gotta think about it



What’s your purpose for getting the lounger, ie locker, shade, guaranteed seats, server?


----------



## Z-Knight

soniam said:


> What’s your purpose for getting the lounger, ie locker, shade, guaranteed seats, server?


good question...I've never been so I figured I would want to have a nice place to sit that I wouldnt have to worry about finding spots. Shade as well, but I read that since you can't bring down the cover forward then the shade only works for part of the day. The server does not matter as I do not drink, but the locker is nice. For sure if the price was on the low end then it would be somewhat worth it cause of the locker itself - now being on the high end, I am doubting it. I have it reserved for August 5th, but I will be in Volcano bay on July 31st so I figured I could check it out and still have till Thursday aug 1st to cancel it if I find that I probably don't need it.

How do you feel about it? I know at $140 that is way high - I was shocked initially when they told me the price but I was convinced I needed it so I said yes. LOL


----------



## soniam

Z-Knight said:


> good question...I've never been so I figured I would want to have a nice place to sit that I wouldnt have to worry about finding spots. Shade as well, but I read that since you can't bring down the cover forward then the shade only works for part of the day. The server does not matter as I do not drink, but the locker is nice. For sure if the price was on the low end then it would be somewhat worth it cause of the locker itself - now being on the high end, I am doubting it. I have it reserved for August 5th, but I will be in Volcano bay on July 31st so I figured I could check it out and still have till Thursday aug 1st to cancel it if I find that I probably don't need it.
> 
> How do you feel about it? I know at $140 that is way high - I was shocked initially when they told me the price but I was convinced I needed it so I said yes. LOL



I have done the premium lounger 3 times. The last time, they had moved the loungers to the wave pool area. We couldn't pull down the cover enough to provide shade. All of the loungers faced the same way and appeared to have no other shade. This was October last year. Also, it really wasn't busy enough to worry about lack of seating. I have read others in this thread say that seating isn't an issue, and just from quick looks, I think that's true. There are shade structures and trees in various areas. Some of the wave pool area might have tree cover. I know there's a shade structure near the Bambu restaurant. The locker is nice, but not at that price. After October, I had decided that I wouldn't bother getting one again due to the lack of shade. I definitely wouldn't do it at the price they quoted you. I think I paid about $70 previously.


----------



## iZon

Watching Tim T and he showed that Punga Racers has weight limit of 150lbs. That pretty much eliminates all adult males. I rode it in May with no problem. Have to go on a diet!


----------



## soniam

iZon said:


> Watching Tim T and he showed that Punga Racers has weight limit of 150lbs. That pretty much eliminates all adult males. I rode it in May with no problem. Have to go on a diet!



I think that one has fluctuated a lot on the weight limit since it opened. I'm fine for it weight-wise, but it's not something I care to do. Even at my husband's lowest weight, he would never be able to do it. He is close to 6 feet, but he's not a big guy. It seems only women, children, and really light/small guys could do it. Maybe they should call it the Titanic life boat


----------



## PSN

We are planning to visit Volcano Bay on August 10 or 11 (Saturday or Sunday).  We're staying at Cabana Bay so we will go in during early entry.  We plan to stay at Volcano Bay for about 4-5 hours, then leave and come back around 6pm to stay until closing.  I know they don't allow same day re-entry when the park reaches capacity.  What is the likelihood it will be full when we try to return around 6pm?


----------



## soniam

PSN said:


> We are planning to visit Volcano Bay on August 10 or 11 (Saturday or Sunday).  We're staying at Cabana Bay so we will go in during early entry.  We plan to stay at Volcano Bay for about 4-5 hours, then leave and come back around 6pm to stay until closing.  I know they don't allow same day re-entry when the park reaches capacity.  What is the likelihood it will be full when we try to return around 6pm?



My gut says that it won't be at capacity at 6pm. It wasn't even at capacity then during the first summer. I haven't been watching the crowds there this summer though. It seems most people leave in the afternoon.


----------



## greg9x

soniam said:


> My gut says that it won't be at capacity at 6pm. It wasn't even at capacity then during the first summer. I haven't been watching the crowds there this summer though. It seems most people leave in the afternoon.



So, do the crowds generally lessen in the evenings ?
We are flying in mid afternoon... Know my son would like to go for a few hours later afternoon/evening time.


----------



## soniam

greg9x said:


> So, do the crowds generally lessen in the evenings ?
> We are flying in mid afternoon... Know my son would like to go for a few hours later afternoon/evening time.



That seems to be the general trend. I think that's what happens at WDW water parks too.


----------



## Mcterry

Do they supply towels for volcano bay or do we need to bring our own? We are flying and staying at RP. Thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

Mcterry said:


> Do they supply towels for volcano bay or do we need to bring our own? We are flying and staying at RP. Thanks!



I would recommend bringing your own, but the park does supply them for rent for $6 a piece.


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## pony2wild

Called for pricing on premium seating and cabanas for September.  Premium seating September 12, 13th, and 15th:  $80.00,
September 14th $110, September 16th and 17th $70.00.  Cabanas - nothing available on September 12th, September 13th $300, September 14th $475, September 15th $375, September 16th and 17th $275.   I understood from the lady on the phone that premium seating and cabana locations are pre-chosen for you by the park.


----------



## ChorizoBisque

*Would it be worth it to go to Volcano Bay solo?*

I'm staying at Hard Rock with my wife in a couple weeks. She has a AP for Disney World (I do not) and is going to their Galaxys Edge Preview for one morning, other than that she is at Universal with me the entire time. She is a travel agent so her free TA hopper for Universal won't let her into Volcano Bay. So I'm thinking of checking it out for the first time ever while she is at GE. I'll have a hopper for that day anyway so it's not like it would cost me anything extra.

Would it be worth it to go by myself?

Can I use my Express Unlimited there?

Are most rides like two to four people to a raft? Would I be the weirdo getting into rafts with other groups?

Thanks!


----------



## soniam

ChorizoBisque said:


> *Would it be worth it to go to Volcano Bay solo?*
> 
> I'm staying at Hard Rock with my wife in a couple weeks. She has a AP for Disney World (I do not) and is going to their Galaxys Edge Preview for one morning, other than that she is at Universal with me the entire time. She is a travel agent so her free TA hopper for Universal won't let her into Volcano Bay. So I'm thinking of checking it out for the first time ever while she is at GE. I'll have a hopper for that day anyway so it's not like it would cost me anything extra.
> 
> Would it be worth it to go by myself?
> 
> Can I use my Express Unlimited there?
> 
> Are most rides like two to four people to a raft? Would I be the weirdo getting into rafts with other groups?
> 
> Thanks!



The EP from the hotels does not work at Volcano Bay. They have a separate one for purchase. I would totally go though. You might be the odd man out, but it's not too bad. I have ridden some things by myself before. I go with just my son sometimes, and we always get stuck with other people. They are usually combining groups, because the smallest raft is 4 or 5 people. They have to fill out the rafts, or the balance gets off. Definitely go for early entry. You could probably knock out everything you want to do multiple times within a couple of hours.


----------



## xultimatefanx

ChorizoBisque said:


> *Would it be worth it to go to Volcano Bay solo?*
> 
> I'm staying at Hard Rock with my wife in a couple weeks. She has a AP for Disney World (I do not) and is going to their Galaxys Edge Preview for one morning, other than that she is at Universal with me the entire time. She is a travel agent so her free TA hopper for Universal won't let her into Volcano Bay. So I'm thinking of checking it out for the first time ever while she is at GE. I'll have a hopper for that day anyway so it's not like it would cost me anything extra.
> 
> Would it be worth it to go by myself?
> 
> Can I use my Express Unlimited there?
> 
> Are most rides like two to four people to a raft? Would I be the weirdo getting into rafts with other groups?
> 
> Thanks!



You should go, I went with my friend and we'd have to join a few others for the rafts. We went on the water coaster with a girl who was by herself. There shouldn't be any judging, I'm sure people are just grateful they can go on the rides with the right amount of people. It's a beautiful park and my fave water theme park in Florida.


----------



## nkereina

Its my understanding that footwear isn't allowed on any of the slides, but water shoes/socks are permitted in the wave pool. Is this accurate? What about the lazy river?

Debating if I want to buy us water shoes or just use our flip flops to get from point A to point B. I've read that there is a place to leave your shoes at the slides, but is there a place near the wave pool to leave flip flops while you're in it? Or do people just leave them off to the side?


----------



## Sehsun

nkereina said:


> Its my understanding that footwear isn't allowed on any of the slides, but water shoes/socks are permitted in the wave pool. Is this accurate? What about the lazy river?
> 
> Debating if I want to buy us water shoes or just use our flip flops to get from point A to point B. I've read that there is a place to leave your shoes at the slides, but is there a place near the wave pool to leave flip flops while you're in it? Or do people just leave them off to the side?



Yup! You can wear water shoes in the wave pool and lazy rivers.

When in the wave pool, I leave my flip flops off to the side.


----------



## nkereina

Sehsun said:


> When in the wave pool, I leave my flip flops off to the side.



Thanks! Is this pretty common? I get nervous leaving my stuff unattended. Not worried about someone stealing my flip flops, but rather a staff member moving them or something like that.


----------



## lbopt

Hi, We are going to Volcano Bay in a few weeks and we have a Cabana rented. It is the smaller cabana and not the giant family cabana. Do any of you know if we get to request a specific area? I asked when I was booking and the girl said the locations were assigned when we check in that day. I would love to be near the wave pool or in the back behind the volcano as I have read on another thread that some of the cabanas overlook the highway...not really an ideal view IMO. I am wondering if I get there super early (I think EE for that day is 7:30 am) would I be able to request a specific area...or at least request where I DON'T want to be. I was thinking to be there at 7:00am to request near the wave pool. Have any of you had success requesting a cabana location?

We also have Express Passes that day. I have read that we should save them until the afternoon when the park gets more crowded. What is a good strategy? Ride as many slides as we can early before the waits build and then start using the EP? Are the EP loaded on the Tapu Tapu? If they ARE loaded and we have to tap to enter a slide and the wait is not long or it is "Ride Now" I don't want to waste a pass by tapping it.  Is there a way to make sure you ONLY use the EP on rides with a long wait or when you actually WANT to use it? 

I would greatly appreciate any info y'all can give me on the above! THANKS


----------



## Sehsun

nkereina said:


> Thanks! Is this pretty common? I get nervous leaving my stuff unattended. Not worried about someone stealing my flip flops, but rather a staff member moving them or something like that.



You're very welcome.  I do see couple pairs of flip flops at the edge of the wave pool, as well as on the curbs near rides, at any given moment. I do it often at the water parks. I don't think you have to worry about a team member moving them while the park is open, as long as they are out of the general path.


----------



## soniam

lbopt said:


> Hi, We are going to Volcano Bay in a few weeks and we have a Cabana rented. It is the smaller cabana and not the giant family cabana. Do any of you know if we get to request a specific area? I asked when I was booking and the girl said the locations were assigned when we check in that day. I would love to be near the wave pool or in the back behind the volcano as I have read on another thread that some of the cabanas overlook the highway...not really an ideal view IMO. I am wondering if I get there super early (I think EE for that day is 7:30 am) would I be able to request a specific area...or at least request where I DON'T want to be. I was thinking to be there at 7:00am to request near the wave pool. Have any of you had success requesting a cabana location?
> 
> We also have Express Passes that day. I have read that we should save them until the afternoon when the park gets more crowded. What is a good strategy? Ride as many slides as we can early before the waits build and then start using the EP? Are the EP loaded on the Tapu Tapu? If they ARE loaded and we have to tap to enter a slide and the wait is not long or it is "Ride Now" I don't want to waste a pass by tapping it.  Is there a way to make sure you ONLY use the EP on rides with a long wait or when you actually WANT to use it?
> 
> I would greatly appreciate any info y'all can give me on the above! THANKSand



Yep, just "Ride Now" until things start having a wait time, then use EP. Last year, EP was on a plastic disposable wristband. They would mark off each ride with a permanent marker as you used it. It was very easy to decide to use it or wait. Plus, the Tapustiles are not directly next to the entrance of rides, like FP+. You can check the Tapustile. If it says there's a wait, then you can go to the entrance with your plastic EP band.


----------



## G-bone

soniam said:


> Yep, just "Ride Now" until things start having a wait time, then use EP. Last year, EP was on a plastic disposable wristband. They would mark off each ride with a permanent marker as you used it. It was very easy to decide to use it or wait. Plus, the Tapustiles are not directly next to the entrance of rides, like FP+. You can check the Tapustile. If it says there's a wait, then you can go to the entrance with your plastic EP band.


 
EP are now loaded onto the TapuTapu.  No second band. If there is a wait time and you want to use your EP go to the front and just scan. Just remember which ones you used it on.


----------



## soniam

G-bone said:


> EP are now loaded onto the TapuTapu.  No second band. If there is a wait time and you want to use your EP go to the front and just scan. Just remember which ones you used it on.



It makes more sense. Thanks for the update.


----------



## crostorfer

pony2wild said:


> Called for pricing on premium seating and cabanas for September.  Premium seating September 12, 13th, and 15th:  $80.00,
> September 14th $110, September 16th and 17th $70.00.  Cabanas - nothing available on September 12th, September 13th $300, September 14th $475, September 15th $375, September 16th and 17th $275.   I understood from the lady on the phone that premium seating and cabana locations are pre-chosen for you by the park.



Thank you for this. We'll be there the 17th and I had to go back and find my post here from last October to see how much we paid, and it was also $70. 

My post said it was great, but I didn’t know if it was $85 great, (the seating and 2 towels). However, this view was kind of worth the money, in retrospect.


----------



## crostorfer

Also, these were our loungers and our food


----------



## ozliz

Thoughts on the express pass for Volcano Bay? I’m planning to go on 13 September before the HHN at universal that night so will not be staying around late. Express pass isn’t much but I’m looking to save where possible because the exchange rate is terrible. I figure the express pass isn’t needed when it is cheap but wondering if it might just make the day easier??? Would love some advice from those with experience.


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## G-bone

ozliz said:


> Thoughts on the express pass for Volcano Bay? I’m planning to go on 13 September before the HHN at universal that night so will not be staying around late. Express pass isn’t much but I’m looking to save where possible because the exchange rate is terrible. I figure the express pass isn’t needed when it is cheap but wondering if it might just make the day easier??? Would love some advice from those with experience.


 
It was nice to use about the middle of the afternoon when the crowds were heavier and we were tired of waiting in lines to use once on each slide before we left.


----------



## ChorizoBisque

ozliz said:


> Thoughts on the express pass for Volcano Bay? I’m planning to go on 13 September before the HHN at universal that night so will not be staying around late. Express pass isn’t much but I’m looking to save where possible because the exchange rate is terrible. I figure the express pass isn’t needed when it is cheap but wondering if it might just make the day easier??? Would love some advice from those with experience.



I went Monday,  got to the park as it opened at 9:00 am and rode every slide once, and I did ko'okiri and the serpentine slides twice each, and was finished by 11:30 am. My longest virtual queue was 25 minutes. 

Once I was done I walked around the park, air dried, and took some pics and by 12:30 the wait time was up to 150 minutes on Krakatoa and averaging around 80 minutes on everything else except ko'okiri and the serpentine slides, they were still at 'ride now' when I left at 1. They are by a wide margin my favorite rides in the park too.

So I think if you rope drop it (better yet if you have early entry) then you can do everything by noon without Express Pass. I was constantly riding or walking, it was a very efficient morning followed by a well earned lunch at Leaky Cauldron.


----------



## ozliz

ChorizoBisque said:


> I went Monday,  got to the park as it opened at 9:00 am and rode every slide once, and I did ko'okiri and the serpentine slides twice each, and was finished by 11:30 am. My longest virtual queue was 25 minutes.
> 
> Once I was done I walked around the park, air dried, and took some pics and by 12:30 the wait time was up to 150 minutes on Krakatoa and averaging around 80 minutes on everything else except ko'okiri and the serpentine slides, they were still at 'ride now' when I left at 1. They are by a wide margin my favorite rides in the park too.
> 
> So I think if you rope drop it (better yet if you have early entry) then you can do everything by noon without Express Pass. I was constantly riding or walking, it was a very efficient morning followed by a well earned lunch at Leaky Cauldron.


Staying at Cabana Bay so I’ll have early entry.


----------



## crostorfer

ozliz said:


> Staying at Cabana Bay so I’ll have early entry.



It’s your vacation, and I’m absolutely not here to tell you what to do, it’s your time, your money, and your feet. I just want to throw out there that doing a water park and HHN in the same day is quite an undertaking. It’s going to require A LOT of physical stamina. I wish you the best, good luck!


----------



## ozliz

crostorfer said:


> It’s your vacation, and I’m absolutely not here to tell you what to do, it’s your time, your money, and your feet. I just want to throw out there that doing a water park and HHN in the same day is quite an undertaking. It’s going to require A LOT of physical stamina. I wish you the best, good luck!


Yeah. No choice if I want to do both. I’ve been worried about that but never done either and unlikely to make it back to Orlando for a few years. I’ve got the BOGO offer for HHN so can go 2 nights which will both help (can leave a bit early both nights) and possibly make it harder (a lot in a row). I’m planning a nap on a nice lounger in Volcano Bay after lunch


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## greg9x

greg9x said:


> So, do the crowds generally lessen in the evenings ?
> We are flying in mid afternoon... Know my son would like to go for a few hours later afternoon/evening time.



Follow up... This is what we ended up doing (not arrival day as cancelled flight got us in later )and it worked really well.. get to VB around 5pm and the wait times would keep dropping until most were 'Ride Now' for last couple hours (besides Aquacoaster, but put that on the Taputapu).
Also nice when sun went down.

Great time besides nearly drowning in the blue drop slide... There is a lot of water in the tube combined with the turns..I was seriously concerned.


----------



## Lashed34

Can anyone help answer a question about EP at VB. We are staying in Hard Rock Hotel so will have the unlimited EP, is this accepted at VB and if so is it automatically added to the Tabutapu or do we have to carry a room key with us too?


----------



## crostorfer

Lashed34 said:


> Can anyone help answer a question about EP at VB. We are staying in Hard Rock Hotel so will have the unlimited EP, is this accepted at VB and if so is it automatically added to the Tabutapu or do we have to carry a room key with us too?



I’m sorry, VB is separate, you don’t get EP with your hotel key like the other parks.


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## Lashed34

crostorfer said:


> I’m sorry, VB is separate, you don’t get EP with your hotel key like the other parks.


Thank you, that's what I thought, but thanks for confirming.


----------



## soniam

ozliz said:


> Yeah. No choice if I want to do both. I’ve been worried about that but never done either and unlikely to make it back to Orlando for a few years. I’ve got the BOGO offer for HHN so can go 2 nights which will both help (can leave a bit early both nights) and possibly make it harder (a lot in a row). I’m planning a nap on a nice lounger in Volcano Bay after lunch



My son and I did VB and HHN in one day last year. I think we even did the RIP Tour that night. We hit VB for early entry and left in the early afternoon. Since we were doing an RIP tour, we didn't have to do Stay & Scream, so that gave us a little more time to relax in bed at the hotel. Since you only have 2 nights, you can sleep when you get home  We didn't stay until closing at HHN on subsequent nights. Bring some pain reliever for your feet. They probably won't bother you until the next day anyway.


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## bookgirl2632

We’ll be going to VB for the first time in a few weeks.  I have a few questions.   
1. I was looking to purchase water socks to use at the park.  Are these allowed on any of the slides?  Keep in mind that I won’t be doing any of the extreme slides (i.e. the ones with the trap doors).  
2. I like to wear a baseball cap to keep the sun off my face.  Will this have to be removed on rides?  
3. I wear glasses and have been able to keep them on in other water parks.  I do use a strap for them, just in case.  Can I leave them on at Volcano Bay?
4. Last one, I promise.  How handy are the lockers?  I’ll be honest.  At Typhoon Lagoon, we would leave our bags at our chairs and they were never touched.  We took minimal cash, but we did have cell phones there and they were never taken.  My sister is with our stuff more since she doesn’t do slides, but she would go into the wave pool a bit.  I’m not interested in Premium Seating either.


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## kittyab

We will be there the first week of Feb, will this park be open?   Is it too cold to go then?


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## kingdomchris

Thinking to go next Monday, September 16, the morning after HHN if we are not too exhausted. Staying at Aventura so will be convenient. Do you think on a Monday we can do everything by midday?


----------



## crostorfer

Reminder for AP holders planning to visit in September, there is an AP discount on cabanas and premium seating this month. It’s an AP Appreciation Month deal.


----------



## Sehsun

kittyab said:


> We will be there the first week of Feb, will this park be open?   Is it too cold to go then?



The park is scheduled to be open in February. As far as when we get to the actual day of your visit, it depends on the weather. If the high is around 60 or so, check UO's social media posts. They will keep guests updated on whether or not the park opens.



kingdomchris said:


> Thinking to go next Monday, September 16, the morning after HHN if we are not too exhausted. Staying at Aventura so will be convenient. Do you think on a Monday we can do everything by midday?



It is very possible, esp. since you will have Early Park Admission (if offered that day) and are very close to the entrance. Crowds feel like they are gradually getting smaller.


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## Artygal90

kingdomchris said:


> Thinking to go next Monday, September 16, the morning after HHN if we are not too exhausted. Staying at Aventura so will be convenient. Do you think on a Monday we can do everything by midday?



We arrived there today around 9:15 and finished up our last ride about 3 pm. We did everything except Punga Racers and the Kala/Tai Nui body slides, and spent plenty of time lounging, getting lunch and drinks, and hanging out in the lazy and fast rivers. Hardly any lines until about 1 pm. If you arrive early to Early Park Admission and move faster than us it should be very doable to do almost everything by midday.


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## blakefamily

We were at Volcano Bay today for the first time and LOVED it.  Low crowds.  We didn't arrive until around 11 or 1130.  Got a covered seating area for the 6of us in the rainforest area.  Very quiet back there.  The aqua coaster was a 10minute wait!!! Which was excellent since later in the day it was at 90.  Otherwise everything else was ride now or 10min for the drop slides.  We loved the fast river and spent a good amount of time in that!  Will definitely be on our list of must do for future visits!


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## Minniemedic

First timer possible going on Veterans Day (Monday in November)... park hours are listed as 10a-5p. How big of a deal will not having early access (staying at Disney) be if we get there at 10a? Easy to find a semi-shady area? Just two adults


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## soniam

Minniemedic said:


> First timer possible going on Veterans Day (Monday in November)... park hours are listed as 10a-5p. How big of a deal will not having early access (staying at Disney) be if we get there at 10a? Easy to find a semi-shady area? Just two adults



It probably won't be very busy in November. Plus, there seems to be a lot of seating, even with shade. 10am won't be busy yet either.


----------



## nikkita

Has anyone used this company before?  Seems like a great deal!
http://fb.magicalgetaway.com/volcan...=banner&utm_content=volcano-bay-tickets-2019#


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## Erica_Haley

If anyone has an annual or seasonal 2 park pass, there’s a new discount for Volcano Bay throughout the end of the year


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## Meldev

Hi There - First timers planning to go either 11/21 or 11/22.  Very excited to visit with the AP discount, will be a total surprise for the kids.  Anyway, my question is, can we reserve premium seating - Just one set for the 6 of us to share, or will they require us to book two sets anyway?  I know it says up to 4 accommodated, but if it's just for us to hold our towels and stop by for a drink, do we have to book the second set?

Also, can you be in only one line at a time.  I'm trying to understand the system is it only tapu tapu, or are there "standby" lines as well?
Can you bring in Yeti water bottles?


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## June V

If temps are in the 60s in the morning is it to cold for volcano bay


----------



## vandrbrg

Meldev said:


> Hi There - First timers planning to go either 11/21 or 11/22.  Very excited to visit with the AP discount, will be a total surprise for the kids.  Anyway, my question is, can we reserve premium seating - Just one set for the 6 of us to share, or will they require us to book two sets anyway?  I know it says up to 4 accommodated, but if it's just for us to hold our towels and stop by for a drink, do we have to book the second set?
> 
> Also, can you be in only one line at a time.  I'm trying to understand the system is it only tapu tapu, or are there "standby" lines as well?
> Can you bring in Yeti water bottles?



Can't speak to the premium seating because we didn't use it, but can speak to ride times, etc.  For rides that do have a Tapu wait, there is no standby.  But, if there isn't a substantial wait, they post a "ride now" sign and don't have Tapu available for that ride.  We arrived around 1:00 p.m. on the Sunday of Veteran's Day weekend. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in the low 80s. We had no trouble finding chairs up by the wave pool. There were only a couple of rides that had a substantial enough wait that the Tapu system was even in use.  Everything else was a "ride now."  We never waited more than 10 minutes in a "ride now" line.


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## chicagoshannon

June V said:


> If temps are in the 60s in the morning is it to cold for volcano bay


We went last February when it was about 67 degrees.  It was a bit chilly but not too bad and there were literally 15 people in the whole park.  It was pretty awesome!   If it is only 60 degree though they will probably not open the park.  I don't know the exact temp they close the park but I would guess under 65.


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## TotoGogo

Hi first timers for Volcano Bay here. I'm going to the park with my mom who has been to a waterpark before but is not a swimmer. I'm not a swimmer as well but I know how to doggy paddle and I took a swim class. I did want to try some of the drop rides and wanted to ask if they would be too much for me to handle. I would just imagine I would have to swim up to the surface I just wanted some feedback on that. In addition I did watch some videos and wanted to ask the best way to navigate the park. I did see that I would have to link through the app park tickets and credit card to the Tapu wristwatch.The idea is to have a nice relaxing day at the park where we are mainly going to lounge around, eat, and drink while riding some rides. My mom loves lazy river rides and being at peace. I plan on going to the park December 16th, and it opens at 10 am ( 9 am early entry but I don't know how to get those passes ). I'm looking forward to eating the pork belly burger. What rides do you suggest I do versus my mom and what could we do together?


----------



## Dis_Fan

TotoGogo said:


> Hi first timers for Volcano Bay here. I'm going to the park with my mom who has been to a waterpark before but is not a swimmer. I'm not a swimmer as well but I know how to doggy paddle and I took a swim class. I did want to try some of the drop rides and wanted to ask if they would be too much for me to handle. I would just imagine I would have to swim up to the surface I just wanted some feedback on that. In addition I did watch some videos and wanted to ask the best way to navigate the park. I did see that I would have to link through the app park tickets and credit card to the Tapu wristwatch.The idea is to have a nice relaxing day at the park where we are mainly going to lounge around, eat, and drink while riding some rides. My mom loves lazy river rides and being at peace. I plan on going to the park December 16th, and it opens at 10 am ( 9 am early entry but I don't know how to get those passes ). I'm looking forward to eating the pork belly burger. What rides do you suggest I do versus my mom and what could we do together?



Early Entry should be for guests staying at a Universal Hotel. So if you are staying in the resort then you can arrive at 9 and be let in. If you are staying at Cabana Bay they have a dedicated entrance you can use and make the trip easier. 

I can not swim. So I avoid the drop slides. You are dropping from 4 or 6 feet into 10 foot depth water. It is recommended for strong swimmers so I would be comfortable not only getting to the surface but swimming to the edge to be able to get out of the pool if you want to try it.

I am not sure there a best way to navigate the park. It is one big circle with the Volcano and Wave Pool in the middle. There are a couple of shortcuts (like cutting through the Volcano) but I usually go clockwise and hit the rides as I go. 

Clockwise gets you to the water coaster fastest and it is the best ride. I usually get the VB during early entry and try to get 5 or 6 rides in a row before while it is still ride now with no waits. 

There are no bad rides other then personal preference (like me not being a drop slide person). All the slides can be done with two people with the exception of the mat slide, drop slides, and the 3 in the Volcano. 

Make sure you choose the right lazy river. There is a fast one that while incredibly fun is not a peaceful relaxing time. 

Finally I do not think you have to link up anything to Tapu Tapu. You can but if you want to just go to a locker and get a credit card before buying lunch or swag you can do that. 

Locker is recommended. While I keep my shoes/towel/sunscreen on a seat to hold I would not leave phone/money/tickets there. There are three sizes of lockers. If you are not bringing much the small ones in the very back are cheap and can hold wallet/fannypack/clothes if you tetris it in right.


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## georgina

TotoGogo said:


> Hi first timers for Volcano Bay here. I'm going to the park with my mom who has been to a waterpark before but is not a swimmer. I'm not a swimmer as well but I know how to doggy paddle and I took a swim class. I did want to try some of the drop rides and wanted to ask if they would be too much for me to handle. I would just imagine I would have to swim up to the surface I just wanted some feedback on that. In addition I did watch some videos and wanted to ask the best way to navigate the park. I did see that I would have to link through the app park tickets and credit card to the Tapu wristwatch.The idea is to have a nice relaxing day at the park where we are mainly going to lounge around, eat, and drink while riding some rides. My mom loves lazy river rides and being at peace. I plan on going to the park December 16th, and it opens at 10 am ( 9 am early entry but I don't know how to get those passes ). I'm looking forward to eating the pork belly burger. What rides do you suggest I do versus my mom and what could we do together?


To reinforce a few things Dis_Fan said, there is a lazy river with tubes, and a 'fearless' river without tubes and life jackets required. I suggest you avoid that one, as well as the OhNo and OhYah drop slides.

The Krakatau water coaster is a lot of fun, and you are in the boat the whole time.

The Taniwha Tube slides aren't too bad. There are 4, all somewhat different, some fully enclosed and some partially open. Water is not deep at the end.

I love the family raft rides, but some of them are pretty wild. You and mom can look at them and decide. One set is tamer than the ones near the coaster. I think Honu & Ike Moana are the wilder ones.

There is a head first mat slide (starts with a P? i think. Not my favorite.

The drop slides high up in the volcano don't require swimming, but they are far from relaxing also! I did one of the serpentine ones once and that was enough.

As opposed to Dis_Fan, I always go to the right and find a chair under an umbrella in front of the Dancing Dragons bar, then continue on to the water coaster counter-clockwise. I leave my phone at the resort and use a waterproof lanyard to hold my ticket, room key, ID, and credit card. That way I can avoid getting a locker. If I had a phone or camera I woudl get one.


----------



## TommyJK

Sorry if this has been asked before, but how does on-site transportation work to get to VB (particularly from RPR).  Do you go to CityWalk and then get a bus from there to VB?

Is it easier to walk from RPR to VB?  I'm thinking walking via the end of the Convention Space at RPR over through to Sapphire Falls and then walk over via Aventura.  Is this an easy and quick trek?


----------



## soniam

TommyJK said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before, but how does on-site transportation work to get to VB (particularly from RPR).  Do you go to CityWalk and then get a bus from there to VB?
> 
> Is it easier to walk from RPR to VB?  I'm thinking walking via the end of the Convention Space at RPR over through to Sapphire Falls and then walk over via Aventura.  Is this an easy and quick trek?



There are buses from RPR to VB. RPR and Sapphire Falls should still share a bus. You can’t walk to VB, unless you are staying at Cabana Bay. There’s no walk way.


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## WaterLinds

We’re hoping to head to VB on our trip in 1.5 weeks, weather permitting. I’ve read the last few pages but haven’t gone very far back in this thread yet—I’ll keep poking further back as we finish planning!

I’m curious about what people’s experiences have been with smaller kids. My oldest is 8 and tall enough for everything, and will want to do it all, but my youngest is 4 and probably only about 40 inches. I was disappointed to see that even most of the “family fun” rides are 42 inches and up, so he won’t be able to do very much. He would enjoy the things he can do but would likely feel pretty left out—his big brother is his favourite person and he wants to do everything brother does!

My stepmom is not a big swimmer either, so one option would be to have the two of them hang out and do something else while my dad, big kid, and I head to VB. Or maybe they could come join us partway through the day after we’ve done more of the thrill rides and we can all hang out a bit doing the lazy river, etc. But I’d love to hear about what others have done with their young kids.


----------



## macraven

Hope some will post and guide you

I don't do the water parks but my friends do


----------



## ILuvDisney78

We went to VB in September and had a great time. But, even as a swimmer, I have to say I was unprepared for the Fearless River. We were told life jackets were mandatory; I've actually never worn one. Both my husband and I have muscular build and were barely floating above the water. I think we would have fared better without the life jacket. And those waves..... Anyone know if the life jackets are actually mandatory?


----------



## CAPSLOCK

I was also told they were mandatory, but my info may be dated. That river's a work out for sure.


----------



## G719

soniam said:


> There are buses from RPR to VB. RPR and Sapphire Falls should still share a bus. You can’t walk to VB, unless you are staying at Cabana Bay. There’s no walk way.


You can walk from Aventura. And you can walk to aventura from sapphire falls.
The gate to VB is near the pool area of aventura.


----------



## Sehsun

ILuvDisney78 said:


> Anyone know if the life jackets are actually mandatory?



The life jackets are required for TeAwa (confirmed by the ride warning sign).


----------



## georgina

VB closed today because it is a bit cool. They told me yesterday when I was there it would be closed so they were basing it off the forecast. Bartender said they close for 64 degrees or less.


----------



## Burgermom

Couple questions abou the Kopiko Wai Winding River (lazy river):
1. Do you get a tube to ride? I read somewhere that you can also use a "floating seat" but I don't understand what is meant by floating seat
2. Can you use the river to get from one area of the park to another (kind of like a riverway)?


----------



## Burgermom

How will I know if VB is going to be open on a particular day? When I look in the app it doesn't seem clear.
Do they only close for cold weather and lightening? Would it stay open if it was just raining and would rides run if it was just raining?


----------



## macraven

Georgina posted above you they close if temps are 64 or less 

Vbay is closed when lightning is near by


----------



## Sehsun

Burgermom said:


> How will I know if VB is going to be open on a particular day? When I look in the app it doesn't seem clear.
> Do they only close for cold weather and lightening? Would it stay open if it was just raining and would rides run if it was just raining?



As others have said, if the high is around 64 or lower, there's a good chance VB will be closed for the day. They sometimes post it about 1-3 days in advance.

Yes, VB will stay open for rain. They temporarily close the attractions if lightning is within a 10 mile or less radius. When the lightning clears, they reopen the attractions.

And as evidenced by this current winter, sometimes they will close for "inclement weather" - or as I have heard/noticed, lower attendance.


----------



## drjackal31

We are traveling the beginning of August, we are usually September travelers but my husband has business. He very badly wants to go to Volcano Bay. I am trying to figure out what a better option would be. We come in on a Saturday and my husband was thinking of going on that day, but I don't believe we would actually be on Universal Property until sometime between 10:30 to noon which I believe would be peak time. We could also go on Wednesday to rope drop and could stay till I am thinking around 5 as we have to be ready for an event later that night. 

I am thinking rope dropping on Wednesday would be better.

Our other option would be to hop around the parks, to do a little VB in the evening one day and morning another around events. I know it's early but I am an early over planner.


----------



## georgina

drjackal31 said:


> We are traveling the beginning of August, we are usually September travelers but my husband has business. He very badly wants to go to Volcano Bay. I am trying to figure out what a better option would be. We come in on a Saturday and my husband was thinking of going on that day, but I don't believe we would actually be on Universal Property until sometime between 10:30 to noon which I believe would be peak time. We could also go on Wednesday to rope drop and could stay till I am thinking around 5 as we have to be ready for an event later that night.
> 
> I am thinking rope dropping on Wednesday would be better.
> 
> Our other option would be to hop around the parks, to do a little VB in the evening one day and morning another around events. I know it's early but I am an early over planner.


Lines are definitely shortest in the morning. If staying onsite using early entry is the best way to do a lot. I have never felt the need to stay until 5 when going in the morning. You may have thundershowers in the afternoon which will at least temporarily shut things down.


----------



## CAPSLOCK

drjackal31 said:


> Our other option would be to hop around the parks, to do a little VB in the evening one day and morning another around events.


This would be my choice. A few hours in not-super-busy conditions is great at VB. Then you can pop back in later in the trip, and you'll already know the layout. Water parks are lots of stairs, too; nice to spread that out a bit.


----------



## RossS

Hi all, going to VB in august. I absolutely love water slides and am looking forward to trying the three drop slides. Which one is the best? Just so i know so I can do that one last!

One thing however, my wife is not a huge fan of slides like this and will not go on them. Is she allowed to walk up with me and then walk back down after? I would not want to cause any VB staff or my wife any issues. I keep trying and trying to tell her that it won't be that bad but she won't listen. 5 months to try and persuade her!

Thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

RossS said:


> Hi all, going to VB in august. I absolutely love water slides and am looking forward to trying the three drop slides. Which one is the best? Just so i know so I can do that one last!
> 
> One thing however, my wife is not a huge fan of slides like this and will not go on them. Is she allowed to walk up with me and then walk back down after? I would not want to cause any VB staff or my wife any issues. I keep trying and trying to tell her that it won't be that bad but she won't listen. 5 months to try and persuade her!
> 
> Thanks!



Hello Ross,
I personally cannot comment on the best drop slide (out of all the VB attractions, those are the 3 I have yet to do). However, based on what my husband has told me, Ko'okiri is probably the most extreme one (going straight down and all.....hehe). Out of Kala & Tai Nui, lifeguards have told me Tai Nui is a tiny bit more thrilling, more G-forces, I think?

Your wife is absolutely allowed to walk up the slide towers with you and then walk back down without riding. I see it happen all the time.


----------



## RossS

Thank you for your reply, I may save Ko'okiri to last if it is the most extreme! 

Thanks, i'll let the wimp know!

Kind regards,

Ross


----------



## georgina

I've been one one of the serpentine drop slides...once. Can't tell you which one. It was about 30 seconds of "I can't wait until this is over'. I spent the whole time holding my hand over my nose and mouth so the water wouldn't go up my nose! I've never been brave enough to do the straight down slides at any water park!


----------



## RossS

georgina said:


> I've been one one of the serpentine drop slides...once. Can't tell you which one. It was about 30 seconds of "I can't wait until this is over'. I spent the whole time holding my hand over my nose and mouth so the water wouldn't go up my nose! I've never been brave enough to do the straight down slides at any water park!



Sounds brilliant, thank you!


----------



## glk2009

Turns out we have 3 park tix and our first day at Universal is a Grad Night (mid-April), so early closing at 6 pm. I checked and it looks like VB is open until 8 pm.

Couple of questions...

1) Would it be worth it to go for just 2-3 hours? When we were planning, my kids weren’t that interested. But since our tix are for 3 parks, thought it might be an option.

2) Is there a bus from the parks to VB or do we have to go back to RPR and catch one from there?

3) How many rides could we get done? Without going too crazy?

4) And lastly, any recommendations for rides for a family of four (12 yo who is a great swimmer and 8 yo who can swim but still needs work).  Looks like the Aquacoaster and one of the Moana rides would work.

Thanks!!!!


----------



## Cavs49

Silly question -- but we are going to be in Orlando for a day before a cruise (hopefully) in late July.  We are planning on a 1-day visit to Volcano Bay.  My son loves Butterbeer from Harry Potter world ... does anyone know if they serve that at Volcano Bay?
Thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

Cavs49 said:


> Silly question -- but we are going to be in Orlando for a day before a cruise (hopefully) in late July.  We are planning on a 1-day visit to Volcano Bay.  My son loves Butterbeer from Harry Potter world ... does anyone know if they serve that at Volcano Bay?
> Thanks!



Not silly.  
Unfortunately, they do not serve Butterbeer at Volcano Bay.


----------



## Cavs49

Thanks for the info!


----------



## macraven

Dis Daily Update thread for 3/14/2020...PI DAY


----------



## captaindavidhook

I have never been here but was thinking of planning a trip for next year. I was told by some people there are weight limits on some rides. I tried looking it up but couldn't find any proper information. Any help would be appreicatted.


----------



## CJK

captaindavidhook said:


> I have never been here but was thinking of planning a trip for next year. I was told by some people there are weight limits on some rides. I tried looking it up but couldn't find any proper information. Any help would be appreicatted.


A couple of the big 'drop' slides have a 200lb limit.


----------



## captaindavidhook

CJK said:


> A couple of the big 'drop' slides have a 200lb limit.


I will try and find there names. Thank you.


----------



## CJK

Sorry, here you go!
*K’ori Body Plunge* (48″ to ride, max weight to ride 200lbs)
*Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides* (48 in to ride, max weight 200lbs)


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe

CJK said:


> Sorry, here you go!
> *K’ori Body Plunge* (48″ to ride, max weight to ride 200lbs)
> *Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides* (48 in to ride, max weight 200lbs)



I tell my kids, I’m not a chicken, I don’t meet the weight requirements.....


----------



## captaindavidhook

CJK said:


> Sorry, here you go!
> *K’ori Body Plunge* (48″ to ride, max weight to ride 200lbs)
> *Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides* (48 in to ride, max weight 200lbs)


Thank you so much. Those are rides I would not ride anyways, so I guess it is worth then going to do volcano bay. I also read that Punga Riders, I think that is what its called has a 150 weight limit. I think some people said it is a dangerous ride anyways. Any info is welcomed and thank you again!


----------



## Sehsun

@captaindavidhook,
The ones that have more restrictions are the ones that @CJK mentioned. However, Ko'okiri Body Plunge has a 300-lb. limit, and Kala and Tai Nui have a 275-lb. limit. 

You are correct that Punga Racers has a 150-lb limit. Currently it is undergoing a rehab, and based on what I have heard and seen, I am going to go out on a limb and say the weight limit on that one may change.


----------



## CJK

Sehsun said:


> The ones that have more restrictions are the ones that @CJK mentioned. However, Ko'okiri Body Plunge has a 300-lb. limit, and Kala and Tai Nui have a 275-lb. limit.


Do you know how the weight limits have been enforced for these slides specifically? I haven't ridden since last summer (August of 2019) and my dh wasn't able to ride Tai Nui at 210lbs. They seem to be inconsistent with weight limits, but that was our experience in summer 2019.


----------



## captaindavidhook

Can someone please tell me the difference between these rides---Puini, Maku, Honu, Ika Moana...I watched all of them on you tube and they basically see like the same ride. Is there any difference in them four? Tia.


----------



## Sehsun

CJK said:


> Do you know how the weight limits have been enforced for these slides specifically? I haven't ridden since last summer (August of 2019) and my dh wasn't able to ride Tai Nui at 210lbs. They seem to be inconsistent with weight limits, but that was our experience in summer 2019.



I’m sorry your DH wasn’t able to ride back then. I know that at one time, Kala and Tai Nui did have a stricter weight limit than the 275 lbs - it seems like that must have been in effect during your summer visit. They do enforce the weight limtiswith the scales at the entrance to the attractions.



captaindavidhook said:


> Can someone please tell me the difference between these rides---Puini, Maku, Honu, Ika Moana...I watched all of them on you tube and they basically see like the same ride. Is there any difference in them four? Tia.



They have similar elements in that they’re the family style raft rides. Honu to me is the most distinct one (and my personal favorite) with the double walls. Puihi has a couple of smaller walls. Ika Moana feels like a typical family raft ride. Maku feels like your typical family raft ride, with two portions where you are going around in an open area with a fountain in the middle.


----------



## debsters41

captaindavidhook said:


> I have never been here but was thinking of planning a trip for next year. I was told by some people there are weight limits on some rides. I tried looking it up but couldn't find any proper information. Any help would be appreicatted.


Hello CaptainDavid,  My experience is from when the parked first opened.  The family rides had scales as the total weight of the rafts had to be within a certain range.  I do not remember scales on any other type ride.  I hope that helps a little.


----------



## 123SA

Sehsun said:


> You are correct that Punga Racers has a 150-lb limit. Currently it is undergoing a rehab, and based on what I have heard and seen, I am going to go out on a limb and say the weight limit on that one may change.



I hope so.  My kids loved this...but my 16 year old at  6 feet, and 160 lbs  couldn't go on it with his siblings last year which was a disappointment


----------



## counselormom

I just called about a cabana for July and the good news is they are taking reservations, the bad news is a single cabana is $624 and the family cabana was $925 .  I was expecting maybe $450, I was not expecting that!


----------



## macraven

Ouch!

that is high.


----------



## hhoope01

They could be raising the rates thinking there are folks willing to pay more to have that guaranteed separation from others that a cabana can provide.  It will be interesting to see if those rates stay at that level or if they get reduced over the next few months.


----------



## counselormom

hhoope01 said:


> They could be raising the rates thinking there are folks willing to pay more to have that guaranteed separation from others that a cabana can provide.  It will be interesting to see if those rates stay at that level or if they get reduced over the next few months.



I hope you are right! I’ll call back when we get closer to our trip.  I spouted off to my family already though, “ Hey, let’s get a cabana!” and they were all about that idea. So I’m gonna have to break it to them at dinner, bc there’s no way I’m paying that.


----------



## Llama mama

Is premium seating available the day of ? Or is that something you have to prearrange? Do the sun shades help much? Or are they not adjustable?


----------



## soniam

Llama mama said:


> Is premium seating available the day of ? Or is that something you have to prearrange? Do the sun shades help much? Or are they not adjustable?



I don't know if they are available day of. They definitely do take reservations though. I also don't know if they moved them or not. The last time we rented one was in October 2018. They were situated at the back of the wave pool area facing the volcano, right behind the bar. Mid-day the sun was shining directly into our loungers. The shades only go about half way. You can sometimes make them go all the way over, but then there is no airflow in the lounger. Plus it will only cover about half of the lounger, so that you can not stretch out. Unless they have moved them, I decided I wouldn't rent one again because of this. There are some large wooden structures in the regular chair areas that provide good shade. Those are free and first come. None of those wooden structures are in front of the wave pool though. If you don't care where you sit and you get there early, then the wooden structures may be better for shade. There are also large umbrellas spread around and trees, which provide varying degrees of shade.


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe

Here are some recent aerial shots from @bioreconstruct, posted on May 22


----------



## Llama mama

soniam said:


> I don't know if they are available day of. They definitely do take reservations though. I also don't know if they moved them or not. The last time we rented one was in October 2018. They were situated at the back of the wave pool area facing the volcano, right behind the bar. Mid-day the sun was shining directly into our loungers. The shades only go about half way. You can sometimes make them go all the way over, but then there is no airflow in the lounger. Plus it will only cover about half of the lounger, so that you can not stretch out. Unless they have moved them, I decided I wouldn't rent one again because of this. There are some large wooden structures in the regular chair areas that provide good shade. Those are free and first come. None of those wooden structures are in front of the wave pool though. If you don't care where you sit and you get there early, then the wooden structures may be better for shade. There are also large umbrellas spread around and trees, which provide varying degrees of shade.


Can you rent an umbrella?


----------



## soniam

DisneyLifePapioNe said:


> View attachment 496976View attachment 496977
> 
> Here are some recent aerial shots from @bioreconstruct, posted on May 22



The premium loungers are in the bottom center of the picture on the left. I think they were further up the picture in front of the round covered area, bar, when we last used them. I don't know if the new area would provide more shade or not. There are more trees. The area looks pretty sunny in this picture though, and the covers only cover half of the lounger. If the sun is at the right angle, I still think it could shine directly into most of the lounger. They are still facing about the same direction, I think.


----------



## soniam

Llama mama said:


> Can you rent an umbrella?



No. They are just dispersed around in the sand and are not moveable. You can only rent premium loungers and cabanas.


----------



## Llama mama

soniam said:


> No. They are just dispersed around in the sand and are not moveable. You can only rent premium loungers and cabanas.


Thank you,
So best advice is to utilize guest resort early entry and find shade early. Someone posted cabana rentals in the 400’s for August . I priced out express pass at 89.99 each .Thats a crazy expensive day , especially since we will be going probably 4 days throughout our trip.
We will definitely go to early entry.


----------



## soniam

Llama mama said:


> Thank you,
> So best advice is to utilize guest resort early entry and find shade early. Someone posted cabana rentals in the 400’s for August . I priced out express pass at 89.99 each .Thats a crazy expensive day , especially since we will be going probably 4 days throughout our trip.
> We will definitely go to early entry.



I wouldn't bet on Early Entry being available. It could be, but it might not be also. Also, hours could be different or reduced from normal. Their current hours for park opening for June, do not show early entry (for any park) and VB say 10am-5pm. I don't know if I would get express pass for every day, maybe 1 or 2. If they have early entry or the park opens early, you can get a lot done in the morning. I would wait and see how things go after they open. They may not have big crowds. Just keep your eyes and options open and be flexible. If we go in mid-July, like we are planning, then I will report back. I have also heard that late afternoon/early evenings are really good times to hit low crowds. Also, if it rains, people leave. The crowds really thin out after the rain. Also, do you know that the Express Pass at VB is single attraction use only, meaning you can only use it once/attraction. It's not like the hotel unlimited express pass.


----------



## Llama mama

soniam said:


> I wouldn't bet on Early Entry being available. It could be, but it might not be also. Also, hours could be different or reduced from normal. Their current hours for park opening for June, do not show early entry (for any park) and VB say 10am-5pm. I don't know if I would get express pass for every day, maybe 1 or 2. If they have early entry or the park opens early, you can get a lot done in the morning. I would wait and see how things go after they open. They may not have big crowds. Just keep your eyes and options open and be flexible. If we go in mid-July, like we are planning, then I will report back. I have also heard that late afternoon/early evenings are really good times to hit low crowds. Also, if it rains, people leave. The crowds really thin out after the rain. Also, do you know that the Express Pass at VB is single attraction use only, meaning you can only use it once/attraction. It's not like the hotel unlimited express pass.


We are going in August. Another thread posted that resort guests will get early entry. At least that’s what a resort supervisor told her . So who really knows. I will watch what happens . We have time . I will not be paying for an Express Pass . 90 bucks a pop is too much . That’s a great suggestion too about later afternoon arrival. Thanks !


----------



## soniam

Llama mama said:


> We are going in August. Another thread posted that resort guests will get early entry. At least that’s what a resort supervisor told her . So who really knows. I will watch what happens . We have time . I will not be paying for an Express Pass . 90 bucks a pop is too much . That’s a great suggestion too about later afternoon arrival. Thanks !



I hope there is Early Entry, but as my July trip approaches and our DCL cruise got canceled, I am trying to go with the flow as much as possible.


----------



## Oscar Madison

I reserved premium seating for 6/12.  I was told I was guaranteed a pair of chairs but not a location.  I have never been to VB.  How will this look for me upon arrival? Any tips to secure the best spot.  If I want near the wave pool, do I just hustle there?  I thought reserving would prevent me from having to do a mad dash.
Thank you in advance!


----------



## soniam

Oscar Madison said:


> I reserved premium seating for 6/12.  I was told I was guaranteed a pair of chairs but not a location.  I have never been to VB.  How will this look for me upon arrival? Any tips to secure the best spot.  If I want near the wave pool, do I just hustle there?  I thought reserving would prevent me from having to do a mad dash.
> Thank you in advance!



Last time we did premium seating, they were all in one location near the wave pool. I don't know if that is still the same. I think it could be though. They wanted to be able to control the area and have the servers only need to go to one area. I think the location was discussed in the previous page. There's a picture.


----------



## Sehsun

soniam said:


> Last time we did premium seating, they were all in one location near the wave pool. I don't know if that is still the same. I think it could be though. They wanted to be able to control the area and have the servers only need to go to one area. I think the location was discussed in the previous page. There's a picture.



You are correct - premium seating is still in that one area of the wave pool, near Kohola Reef.


----------



## Oscar Madison

soniam said:


> Last time we did premium seating, they were all in one location near the wave pool. I don't know if that is still the same. I think it could be though. They wanted to be able to control the area and have the servers only need to go to one area. I think the location was discussed in the previous page. There's a picture.


Oh...so the premium seating gets the servers too, not just the cabana people?  Nice


----------



## Oscar Madison

Sehsun said:


> You are correct - premium seating is still in that one area of the wave pool, near Kohola Reef.


So, how does it work?  I walk there and take an open one?  Does someone check me in?


----------



## soniam

Oscar Madison said:


> So, how does it work?  I walk there and take an open one?  Does someone check me in?



There will be an employee at the stand at the entrance to the premium lounger area. The employee will take you to your lounger. There are not a ton of servers for the loungers, but you have a flag to signal them. They bring a special menu, but it's not exactly the same menu as the cabanas.


----------



## Oscar Madison

soniam said:


> There will be an employee at the stand at the entrance to the premium lounger area. The employee will take you to your lounger. There are not a ton of servers for the loungers, but you have a flag to signal them. They bring a special menu, but it's not exactly the same menu as the cabanas.


Oh...thank you so much!  Do I give the employee in the area the ticket?  A flag to signal them? Pretty highfalutin...


----------



## soniam

Oscar Madison said:


> Oh...thank you so much!  Do I give the employee in the area the ticket?  A flag to signal them? Pretty highfalutin...



I can't remember. Early on, we had to go to the concierge hut, where they rent towels and cabanas. Then they walked us to the lounger. However, that was also when the loungers were spread around the park. Maybe someone else will remember.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Does anyone know if I can link a master card prepaid card to my UO app to use for taputapu?


----------



## Jane Miller

Last October we went to place where they rent everything then walked ourselves to the premium area, showed proof to TM working that area, and were allowed to pick where we wanted to sit. Awesome server kept checking all was good and loved the little lock box right there where we could safely stow valuables when went to the water.


----------



## Wreckem

counselormom said:


> I just called about a cabana for July and the good news is they are taking reservations, the bad news is a single cabana is $624 and the family cabana was $925 .  I was expecting maybe $450, I was not expecting that!



What day/part of week/month. I booked a single cabana just now for $239.36 and that includes tax. I saw your post and was discourage hesitated about calling but glad I called. For the record this is for July 2 which is a Thursday.


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe

Wreckem said:


> What day/part of week/month. I booked a single cabana just now for $239.36 and that includes tax. I saw your post and was discourage hesitated about calling but glad I called. For the record this is for July 2 which is a Thursday.



That’s a great deal for July 2nd!!!


----------



## Llama mama

Wreckem said:


> What day/part of week/month. I booked a single cabana just now for $239.36 and that includes tax. I saw your post and was discourage hesitated about calling but glad I called. For the record this is for July 2 which is a Thursday.


What number did you call? We are going in August. How many people in a single cabana?


----------



## counselormom

Wreckem said:


> What day/part of week/month. I booked a single cabana just now for $239.36 and that includes tax. I saw your post and was discourage hesitated about calling but glad I called. For the record this is for July 2 which is a Thursday.


July 21st.  I’m glad you posted! I’m going to call them tomorrow and see if the price went down for my dates.


----------



## Llama mama

Just called and got a quote of 625.00 for a Single family  Cabana for any day the first week of August. Too much. 
On another note, is it suggested to purchase Express pass for Volcano Bay weeks in advance or is just a few days ok?


----------



## soniam

Llama mama said:


> Just called and got a quote of 625.00 for a Single family  Cabana for any day the first week of August. Too much.
> On another note, is it suggested to purchase Express pass for Volcano Bay weeks in advance or is just a few days ok?



I have always purchased ours weeks in advance. I don't know how quickly it's been selling out though. I don't know if it ever sold out. We are going on 7/9, but I decided to not buy it this time. We will just arrive for early entry. You can get a lot done in the morning. I also don't know if it will be very busy or not.


----------



## dislee1164

I just booked a single cabana for next Sunday 6/14 for $225. Upper deck cabanas were sold out for that day. 
I’ve never been to Universal - looking forward to it!


----------



## OKWFan88

I booked a cabana for July 23rd and it was around 233 with tax. I didn't even ask about upper or lower. Shoot... Oh well. Never been to Universal so wanted to try something different. Excited because sad to say I have NEVER been to a water park.


----------



## soniam

OKWFan88 said:


> I booked a cabana for July 23rd and it was around 233 with tax. I didn't even ask about upper or lower. Shoot... Oh well. Never been to Universal so wanted to try something different. Excited because sad to say I have NEVER been to a water park.



I really don't like water parks, but I love Volcano Bay. Have a great time!


----------



## kurts mom

OKWFan88 said:


> I booked a cabana for July 23rd and it was around 233 with tax. I didn't even ask about upper or lower. Shoot... Oh well. Never been to Universal so wanted to try something different. Excited because sad to say I have NEVER been to a water park.


Wow! That’s great! I got so excited when I read that because I so wanted to get one for our august trip but thought they cost way more. I called and the rep told me $474 plus tax!  So sad not gonna pay that


----------



## Llama mama

kurts mom said:


> Wow! That’s great! I got so excited when I read that because I so wanted to get one for our august trip but thought they cost way more. I called and the rep told me $474 plus tax!  So sad not gonna pay that


August prices are sky high!


----------



## counselormom

OKWFan88 said:


> I booked a cabana for July 23rd and it was around 233 with tax. I didn't even ask about upper or lower. Shoot... Oh well. Never been to Universal so wanted to try something different. Excited because sad to say I have NEVER been to a water park.


Great Price!  I’m the one that posted a couple of weeks ago that the price for my July dates was over $600 when I called.  I just called back after seeing the posts here and got a stand alone cabana for $239.60.
That’s quite a difference!  The upper and lower were already all booked.
It sounds like they  are lowering  prices gradually.  For those that have August dates it’s worth it to keep calling back and checking, I’ll bet they are lowered soon.


----------



## Polyonmymind

Reportedly VB reached capacity today at 11 am.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Premium seating feedback: June 12
We were there for EE and probably could have gotten away with not having it, as there were plenty of chairs with umbrellas available.
What we did love, especially in light of the messed up mobile ordering system right now was the ability to have our food brought to us.

Mobile ordering does not work the way it should at VB and the other parks, at least to me.
When I think of mobile ordering, it's benefit is how it will save me time in line. I order from a relaxing location, get a ding on my phone and go pick up my food to take back to where I'd like to eat it.

In the parks, you have to wait in a long line to get a seat before you can mobile order. Totally defeats the purpose.


----------



## soniam

Oscar Madison said:


> Premium seating feedback: June 12
> We were there for EE and probably could have gotten away with not having it, as there were plenty of chairs with umbrellas available.
> What we did love, especially in light of the messed up mobile ordering system right now was the ability to have our food brought to us.
> 
> Mobile ordering does not work the way it should at VB and the other parks, at least to me.
> When I think of mobile ordering, it's benefit is how it will save me time in line. I order from a relaxing location, get a ding on my phone and go pick up my food to take back to where I'd like to eat it.
> 
> In the parks, you have to wait in a long line to get a seat before you can mobile order. Totally defeats the purpose.



Was the shade useful with the premium seating. It looks like they maybe moved it a bit, so maybe it has the potential for more shade. The ordering from your chair is nice.


----------



## Oscar Madison

soniam said:


> Was the shade useful with the premium seating. It looks like they maybe moved it a bit, so maybe it has the potential for more shade. The ordering from your chair is nice.


I felt like the shade was adequate and we adjusted the canopy as the sun moved in the late afternoon.
We would have wasted so much time in line without the chair ordering.  One other thing that seemed to come in handy was our server brought us ice water in cups.  It seems like at VB and throughout UO it was hard to access free water, unlike Disney which provides ice water from almost any vendor or quick service.


----------



## New Mouse

Oscar Madison said:


> I felt like the shade was adequate and we adjusted the canopy as the sun moved in the late afternoon.
> We would have wasted so much time in line without the chair ordering.  One other thing that seemed to come in handy was our server brought us ice water in cups.  It seems like at VB and throughout UO it was hard to access free water, unlike Disney which provides ice water from almost any vendor or quick service.



All you have to do is ask as a stand or restaurant...how is that hard to access?


----------



## soniam

New Mouse said:


> All you have to do is ask as a stand or restaurant...how is that hard to access?



Because not all stands have tap water. To get it from a QS, you would have to go through mobile ordering now, which requires you to wait in a line or wait for a table.


----------



## Oscar Madison

soniam said:


> Because not all stands have tap water. To get it from a QS, you would have to go through mobile ordering now, which requires you to wait in a line or wait for a table.


Yes and many stands weren’t open.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

Just called regarding a cabana for either August 13, 14, or 15.  All dates and all locations (Upper, Lower, Single) were $574.99.  That hurts.


----------



## Elliemay2

We are thinking about upgrading to a seasonal AP at VB so that we can still go to VB at least that day.  Our trip is in July and we have 1 day at VB scheduled.  As of now they have lifted the blackout dates for all buy July.  If they would lift July, we would just cancel our package and buy the AP and use the room discount now.  What do you think the chances are they will lift the July blackout days too?


----------



## soniam

Elliemay2 said:


> We are thinking about upgrading to a seasonal AP at VB so that we can still go to VB at least that day.  Our trip is in July and we have 1 day at VB scheduled.  As of now they have lifted the blackout dates for all buy July.  If they would lift July, we would just cancel our package and buy the AP and use the room discount now.  What do you think the chances are they will lift the July blackout days too?



They have pretty much always had blockout dates in July for VB. Plus, they are getting bombarded on the weekends. So, I think the chances are slim.


----------



## ugagal07

Just booked a single cabana for July 21st at $239.  Had singles, lower level, and upper levels still available for that date.


----------



## eeg

any opinions on whether it would be better to rent a cabana at Volcano Bay OR get the express pass?  Would be about the same price for my family to do one or the other.  I suspect my kids won't be interested in spending any time in the Cabana at all so leaning express pass.


----------



## soniam

eeg said:


> any opinions on whether it would be better to rent a cabana at Volcano Bay OR get the express pass?  Would be about the same price for my family to do one or the other.  I suspect my kids won't be interested in spending any time in the Cabana at all so leaning express pass.


When are you going? Soon? Another poster said that waits for food were long. You get a server and a special menu with a cabana.


----------



## eeg

soniam said:


> When are you going? Soon? Another poster said that waits for food were long. You get a server and a special menu with a cabana.


We are going July 15th and possible 20th.  I've seen that about food lines and am hoping they work out the kinks in food ordering by then.  Also no idea how crowded or not crowded it'll be.  So it's an unusual time but just curious generally about pros and cons. Tempted by the cabana but really don't think we'd spend any time in it.  My kids are ride-obsessed.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

How old are your kids?  My kids are still young and really appreciated the long mid-day break in the cabana because their little legs were so tired.  It is a lot of stairs.  Your mind says ride, ride, ride, but your legs say tired, tired, tired. 
I think being able to tap into ride lines in the cabana instead of heading to the ride itself to get a return time would be nice too, if the park has waits.  We were there in early June and there were no virtual lines because the rides were all walk on.  I do wonder how much more crowded it's gotten and if they've gone to virtual lines yet everyday or just on the weekends when they seem to be reaching capacity.  
I think that if the kids are young enough that you have to be with them on the rides, you will appreciate the cabana for everyone to rest.  I think that if your kids are old enough to hit the rides alone, YOU will be the one that appreciates the cabana.  Just my opinion.  We did the cabana on very low crowd days where we could have easily found shaded seating but we still really enjoyed the cabana, but we need quiet spots in situations like VB due to anxiety issues.  It helps everyone decompress.  It's a nice thing to have, but only you know what suits your family the best.


----------



## eeg

TheGatekeeper said:


> How old are your kids?  My kids are still young and really appreciated the long mid-day break in the cabana because their little legs were so tired.  It is a lot of stairs.  Your mind says ride, ride, ride, but your legs say tired, tired, tired.
> I think being able to tap into ride lines in the cabana instead of heading to the ride itself to get a return time would be nice too, if the park has waits.  We were there in early June and there were no virtual lines because the rides were all walk on.  I do wonder how much more crowded it's gotten and if they've gone to virtual lines yet everyday or just on the weekends when they seem to be reaching capacity.
> I think that if the kids are young enough that you have to be with them on the rides, you will appreciate the cabana for everyone to rest.  I think that if your kids are old enough to hit the rides alone, YOU will be the one that appreciates the cabana.  Just my opinion.  We did the cabana on very low crowd days where we could have easily found shaded seating but we still really enjoyed the cabana, but we need quiet spots in situations like VB due to anxiety issues.  It helps everyone decompress.  It's a nice thing to have, but only you know what suits your family the best.


This is helpful to consider!  Thank you!


----------



## soniam

eeg said:


> We are going July 15th and possible 20th.  I've seen that about food lines and am hoping they work out the kinks in food ordering by then.  Also no idea how crowded or not crowded it'll be.  So it's an unusual time but just curious generally about pros and cons. Tempted by the cabana but really don't think we'd spend any time in it.  My kids are ride-obsessed.



I haven't done the cabana. There are only 3 of us. However, we end up getting the Premium Seating every time. I wasn't going to get it this time, July 9th, but I broke down because of the food lines. I really like having the built-in lock box too. It's easy to just pop stuff into it and head to a ride. I usually end up hanging out at the chair for a lot of the day, so having the shade, for as long as it lasts, will be nice. We have also waited out a torrential downpour that lasted an hour in the lounger. One trip, my son, a preteen at the time, sat with me at the lounger most of the day and read, when he wasn't in the lazy river.


----------



## eeg

soniam said:


> I haven't done the cabana. There are only 3 of us. However, we end up getting the Premium Seating every time. I wasn't going to get it this time, July 9th, but I broke down because of the food lines. I really like having the built-in lock box too. It's easy to just pop stuff into it and head to a ride. I usually end up hanging out at the chair for a lot of the day, so having the shade, for as long as it lasts, will be nice. We have also waited out a torrential downpour that lasted an hour in the lounger. One trip, my son, a preteen at the time, sat with me at the lounger most of the day and read, when he wasn't in the lazy river.


Thank you!  Shade would definitely be nice.  We are not used to humidity and I know we are going to die in Florida in July so shade is a good idea.


----------



## soniam

eeg said:


> Thank you!  Shade would definitely be nice.  We are not used to humidity and I know we are going to die in Florida in July so shade is a good idea.



I can't guarantee that the shade cover will provide shade all day. Back in October 2018, we had a problem with the direction that the chairs faced, and we were in full sun around mid-day. Another poster was there about June 12th and said there was plenty of shade. Looking at some overhead pics, it looks like they could have moved the loungers to face slightly different. It could also be the time of year, because the sun will be different in the summer vs October. Just wanted to give you that warning. I haven't heard of any problems with the cabanas. There are also umbrellas, shade structures, and trees, so it's not impossible to find shade.


----------



## eeg

soniam said:


> I can't guarantee that the shade cover will provide shade all day. Back in October 2018, we had a problem with the direction that the chairs faced, and we were in full sun around mid-day. Another poster was there about June 12th and said there was plenty of shade. Looking at some overhead pics, it looks like they could have moved the loungers to face slightly different. It could also be the time of year, because the sun will be different in the summer vs October. Just wanted to give you that warning. I haven't heard of any problems with the cabanas. There are also umbrellas, shade structures, and trees, so it's not impossible to find shade.


I was just reading that.  Honestly, for my family, I think an express pass will probably be a better use of money.  My kids are OBSESSED with water slides and I think they'll be doing that all day.  So to be able to do each one without a wait, and then use the virtual line to re-ride favorites, is probably the way we'll go.  I will probably call about the cabana just to see pricing for that day though.


----------



## zbsigpi

How have the wait times been. Thinking of going on 7/1


----------



## Theactualdisneyprincess

zbsigpi said:


> How have the wait times been. Thinking of going on 7/1



Us too. Curious to hear..


----------



## Theactualdisneyprincess

So I’m reading that Volcano Bay doesn’t have its own parking garage and its recommended to park at CityWalk. I’m guessing this means that parking is still going to run $32 or whatever it is to park at CityWalk? And is the distance walkable from the parking area to VB? Also, are you able to leave the park and come back in within the same day if we wanted to grab lunch somewhere at CityWalk? Thank you for the responses. It’s been FOREVER since I’ve been to Universal and I’ve never been to VB.


----------



## Dis_Fan

Theactualdisneyprincess said:


> So I’m reading that Volcano Bay doesn’t have its own parking garage and its recommended to park at CityWalk. I’m guessing this means that parking is still going to run $32 or whatever it is to park at CityWalk? And is the distance walkable from the parking area to VB? Also, are you able to leave the park and come back in within the same day if we wanted to grab lunch somewhere at CityWalk? Thank you for the responses. It’s been FOREVER since I’ve been to Universal and I’ve never been to VB.



I can not answer the parking price one but I would guess that the parking fees still apply since they do not know where you are going when you park.

Can you walk from the Parking Garage to Volcano Bay? 

Technically yes. You can walk from Cabana Bay Beach Resort to Citywalk and CBBR is right next to VB (literally bumping up against it) so the reverse trip is possible. That would definitely be the long way to do it, time wise and distance wise. You would need to walk through all of CityWalk and go through security and such and then make your way to the hotel. Once there it is easy to get in. 

Can you leave and come back?

Yes you can, capacity withstanding. You do need to hand in your TapuTapu wristband as you leave so when you come back you will get a new one. I am not sure if that means you will need to rebuy a locker if you got one earlier in the day or if that info carries over though.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

zbsigpi said:


> How have the wait times been. Thinking of going on 7/1



There's a thread under Trip Reports that is titled "Lazy Saturday..." that gives good insight into a capacity day at VB earlier this month.
I would like to read more "boots on the ground" experiences regarding crowds and wait times at VB, though.

My gut is telling me that weekdays aren't going to have much, if any, waits.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

My experience at VB earlier this month was hardly any waits at all.  No virtual lines at any of the rides because it was not needed.  This was over 4 days.  June 8-11.


----------



## serene56

zbsigpi said:


> How have the wait times been. Thinking of going on 7/1


Did you go today?


----------



## zbsigpi

serene56 said:


> Did you go today?


We did not go.  Live on the east coast and trying to figure out a good date with everyone in family.


----------



## ricosuave

We’ve been there all week. Weekdays it’s dead. It was way busier today (Friday), but no waits for rides.


----------



## serene56

Wait times were off the charts today


----------



## jdrasin

eeg said:


> any opinions on whether it would be better to rent a cabana at Volcano Bay OR get the express pass?  Would be about the same price for my family to do one or the other.  I suspect my kids won't be interested in spending any time in the Cabana at all so leaning express pass.



We (kids were 6 and 10) went September several years ago and the cabana really made the experience. We still talk about how it was a splurge so unlike us, but that it really made for a fantastic experience. Ordering food was nice, but being able to get in VQs for any ride from the cabana was awesome (if they still do that).


----------



## Pkltm

eeg said:


> any opinions on whether it would be better to rent a cabana at Volcano Bay OR get the express pass?  Would be about the same price for my family to do one or the other.  I suspect my kids won't be interested in spending any time in the Cabana at all so leaning express pass.



We rented a Cabana in February, barely made it on slides due to long wait for your "served food" and long waits for all the slides. We liked the fact that we could lock our stuff up in the Cabana safe and that we could join a line while in the Cabana. In retrospect would of gotten more out of the day with express pass.



soniam said:


> When are you going? Soon? Another poster said that waits for food were long. You get a server and a special menu with a cabana.



Waits for food in the Cabana was very long as well.


----------



## soniam

Pkltm said:


> Waits for food in the Cabana was very long as well.



I remember that from opening weekend and the first summer. At least with a server, you can wait in your cabana instead of waiting in the sun outside the restaurant.


----------



## GreyStr0ke

I have a few questions regarding VB as I'm thinking about going next week.

How does Express work here? Is it added to the Tapu Tapu and you just scan at each slide? Do you think it's even needed?

Other than the drop off slides, are you able to keep your head above water on most of them? If not, which ones would be an issue? TIA!


----------



## TheGatekeeper

I don't think express pass is needed, especially if visiting on a weekday.  There is a post under trip reports that describes a capacity weekend day at VB recently.


----------



## soniam

GreyStr0ke said:


> I have a few questions regarding VB as I'm thinking about going next week.
> 
> How does Express work here? Is it added to the Tapu Tapu and you just scan at each slide? Do you think it's even needed?
> 
> Other than the drop off slides, are you able to keep your head above water on most of them? If not, which ones would be an issue? TIA!



We didn’t need EP on Thursday. We did early entry. Last time we did EP, it was a wrist band. They marked off each ride as you did it. You can only use EP once per ride.


----------



## Dockside Bayer

I am a complete Florida water park newbie. We are staying onsite at Dockside next year. This is a really basic and perhaps silly question. I assume the water parks do not provide towels? I also assume we can't take towels from our resort? So we need to take beach towels from home? And to continue...do we just find a random chair and leave them on it while we ride things? Is that allowed? (We are not interested in cabanas or anything like that.)

Thanks for your help.


----------



## soniam

Dockside Bayer said:


> I am a complete Florida water park newbie. We are staying onsite at Dockside next year. This is a really basic and perhaps silly question. I assume the water parks do not provide towels? I also assume we can't take towels from our resort? So we need to take beach towels from home? And to continue...do we just find a random chair and leave them on it while we ride things? Is that allowed? (We are not interested in cabanas or anything like that.)
> 
> Thanks for your help.


They rent towels or you can snag some at the hotel. Just leave towels on the chairs. Don’t leave anything valuable out; put it in a locker.


----------



## Dockside Bayer

soniam said:


> They rent towels or you can snag some at the hotel. Just leave towels on the chairs. Don’t leave anything valuable out; put it in a locker.


Thank you very much. We are very light travellers. We take almost nothing to the parks with us. The only thing we will need to figure out is a room key, I suppose. I am assuming they can get wet?


----------



## soniam

Dockside Bayer said:


> Thank you very much. We are very light travellers. We take almost nothing to the parks with us. The only thing we will need to figure out is a room key, I suppose. I am assuming they can get wet?


It’s a plastic card if staying onsite. You will need it if doing early entry. A credit card would be good backup in case there’s a problem with your Tapu tapu


----------



## Dockside Bayer

soniam said:


> It’s a plastic card if staying onsite. You will need it if doing early entry. A credit card would be good backup in case there’s a problem with your Tapu tapu


Great. This is helpful. Thanks


----------



## Sehsun

GreyStr0ke said:


> Other than the drop off slides, are you able to keep your head above water on most of them? If not, which ones would be an issue? TIA!



You may have already gone, but I figured I would go ahead and answer just in case.

Yes - if you mean Ohno and Ohyah. Also, for all the trap door slides (top of volcano), your head will go underwater when you land in the catch pool. For all the other rides, it is possible to keep your head above water.


----------



## GreyStr0ke

Sehsun said:


> You may have already gone, but I figured I would go ahead and answer just in case.
> 
> Yes - if you mean Ohno and Ohyah. Also, for all the trap door slides (top of volcano), your head will go underwater when you land in the catch pool. For all the other rides, it is possible to keep your head above water.



Thank you! I went Wednesday and had a blast. I brought ear plugs and was able to do one of the trap door slides. Never again!!!


----------



## atricks

Punga Racers reopened today, changed though, as it now has new splash down pool, and it's now a body slide (no more mats).  Weight limit is now 300lbs (not 150lbs as it were before it closed).  They modified it to be less injury prone and able to be ridden by more folks.  No more mat slides at Volcano bay, though.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

I will be visiting VB for the first time with my 3 girls for a girls trip in early April next year. Since I’ll be the only adult with 3 kids ages 6-11, I’m very much considering a cabana for the convenience factor alone. We will be staying at RPR and are planning to be at the water park for the entire day.

How far in advance so you generally need to book them?


----------



## robl45

I don't understand why you need a cabana. I went with 2 8 and 10 years old and no cabana needed. Just get a few chairs with umbrella and enjoy the rides


----------



## schumigirl

03GirlsMom said:


> I will be visiting VB for the first time with my 3 girls for a girls trip in early April next year. Since I’ll be the only adult with 3 kids ages 6-11, I’m very much considering a cabana for the convenience factor alone. We will be staying at RPR and are planning to be at the water park for the entire day.
> 
> How far in advance so you generally need to book them?



The cabana`s look lovely and I can see why you`d like to have one. 

I`d book as soon as you can, then at least you know you`ll have one as next April will hopefully be a little more "normal" so could be busier. 

You`ll enjoy the Cabana I`m sure.......


----------



## hhoope01

I personally love getting a cabana.  You get a very nice place all to yourselves. Plus they will bring you nice towels to use for the day (and they will refresh your towels if you ask), your own personal locker in the cabana, a kiosk in the cabana to check  and schedule tapu tapu times, a big breakfast/snack tray with fruits and other treats, and lots of bottled water.  The cabana person comes by and you can order food (from some, but not all of the restaurants).  The chairs and benches in the cabanas are comfy and nicely padded.   And though it costs a little more, I really like the upper cabanas better.  The views and they tend to get a nice breeze.

If you can afford one, they are definitely a great treat.    And agree, I'd call and reserve one as early as they will let you (though I have no idea if cabana's are getting fully booked up or not right now.)


----------



## 03GirlsMom

robl45 said:


> I don't understand why you need a cabana. I went with 2 8 and 10 years old and no cabana needed. Just get a few chairs with umbrella and enjoy the rides


I never said I needed one. I said I wanted one for the convenience


----------



## 03GirlsMom

schumigirl said:


> The cabana`s look lovely and I can see why you`d like to have one.
> 
> I`d book as soon as you can, then at least you know you`ll have one as next April will hopefully be a little more "normal" so could be busier.
> 
> You`ll enjoy the Cabana I`m sure.......


Thank you! I’ll keep an eye on the website to see when they open up booking past the end of this year.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

hhoope01 said:


> I personally love getting a cabana.  You get a very nice place all to yourselves. Plus they will bring you nice towels to use for the day (and they will refresh your towels if you ask), your own personal locker in the cabana, a kiosk in the cabana to check  and schedule tapu tapu times, a big breakfast/snack tray with fruits and other treats, and lots of bottled water.  The cabana person comes by and you can order food (from some, but not all of the restaurants).  The chairs and benches in the cabanas are comfy and nicely padded.   And though it costs a little more, I really like the upper cabanas better.  The views and they tend to get a nice breeze.
> 
> If you can afford one, they are definitely a great treat.    And agree, I'd call and reserve one as early as they will let you (though I have no idea if cabana's are getting fully booked up or not right now.)


Yes, thank you! These are all the reasons I’m interested in the cabana. I’m hoping we’ll be able to snag an upper level one for the view.

We’ll be visiting the week after Easter which I would assume would be spring break time for many. But with all the unknowns right now, I’m not sure what to expect in terms of crowds. I figure, either way, the cabana will give us a comfortable place to rest mid-day when we need it.


----------



## MeridaAnn

Does anyone know (or know where to find details about) what all attractions allow hats to be worn? I'm going to be visiting for the first time next week and I'm just trying to make plans regarding what head covering to bring. I burn pretty easily, so I'd love to have something on to shade my face for as much of the day as possible and I was wondering if there's any difference whether I wear a soft bucket hat versus a standard baseball cap or anything else. I'm assuming I can't wear any sort of a hat on the fast slides or the water coaster, but are there any specific restrictions for the wave pool or either of the rivers? I've tried searching the official website but I haven't had any luck so far.


----------



## georgina

MeridaAnn said:


> Does anyone know (or know where to find details about) what all attractions allow hats to be worn? I'm going to be visiting for the first time next week and I'm just trying to make plans regarding what head covering to bring. I burn pretty easily, so I'd love to have something on to shade my face for as much of the day as possible and I was wondering if there's any difference whether I wear a soft bucket hat versus a standard baseball cap or anything else. I'm assuming I can't wear any sort of a hat on the fast slides or the water coaster, but are there any specific restrictions for the wave pool or either of the rivers? I've tried searching the official website but I haven't had any luck so far.


I have definitely worn a bucket hat with a chin strap in the wave pool and slow river. I think it would be hard to keep on in the fast moving river. I haven't tried wearing my hat on any of the others. You could wear a hat walking around and leave it near the exits of the other slides, I usually do that with flip flops as I don't like to walk barefoot.


----------



## Jane Miller

Have reserved a lower cabana for October to celebrate a friend’s BD. Never done that before. Will I get to select an area, and if so, what is best?


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe




----------



## cartydog

How much do cabanas cost? Do you have to pre book, or can you book one on the day at the park if there are any available?


----------



## Jane Miller

I called ahead for late October, especially since they are closing in November. Was around $199.99 before tax.


----------



## hdrolfe

I know Disney normally closes their waterparks seasonally. Does Universal normally do that as well? Looking at a trip late next year (hoping for some normalcy to have returned by then) but kiddo wants to do water parks so trying to pick a good time to go. We aren't super into the Halloween scary stuff. October would be ok I guess but I was hoping for early November. Thank you


----------



## buried20kleague

hdrolfe said:


> I know Disney normally closes their waterparks seasonally. Does Universal normally do that as well? Looking at a trip late next year (hoping for some normalcy to have returned by then) but kiddo wants to do water parks so trying to pick a good time to go. We aren't super into the Halloween scary stuff. October would be ok I guess but I was hoping for early November. Thank you



Normally Volcano Bay is open all year, but this year they're closing after October and opening somewhere around March 1st.


----------



## yellowfish78

Heading down in early March and anxiously waiting for park hours, cabana rentals to open up, and just a general opening day!!  Really hope we get go experience VB this trip.


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe




----------



## yellowfish78

Premium seating has opened up. I was able to get ours for mid March.


----------



## Patches Lee

There's Express Passes available for Volcano Bay again. Have to select the 1 park option for them to be displayed.


----------



## becauseimnew

Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, Hotel Express Pass benefit is not available at VB? Trying to plan a trip for the week of July 4th, which will include a split stay at one of the deluxe resort and CB.


----------



## CJK

becauseimnew said:


> Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, Hotel Express Pass benefit is not available at VB?


Correct. VB express pass would require a separate purchase.


----------



## becauseimnew

yellowfish78 said:


> Premium seating has opened up. I was able to get ours for mid March.


Do you mind sharing the price.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

becauseimnew said:


> Do you mind sharing the price.


There are two different options depending on what attractions you believe you'll use. The Express Pass PLUS allows you to use EP once on all of the VB attractions and is priced at $39.99. The regular Express Pass allows you to use EP once on select attractions and is priced at $19.99. I can't recall which attractions are excluded on the regular EP but it was mostly the more intense slides.


----------



## yellowfish78

becauseimnew said:


> Do you mind sharing the price.


For our Saturday date it was 69.99 + tax for the premium seating.  Cabana was running around $250 I think.


----------



## yellowfish78

When the park opens up - can someone tell me the location of premium seating?  I remember from last year it moved once or twice - we were there the last day the park was open and it was in to the right of the "main" entrance to the wave pool.


----------



## Patches Lee

I'd like to know how they are handling the raft rides and water coaster. Before they combined groups to meet minimum weight. Heard they didn't do that during covid operations. Makes a difference for which AP I get since myself and DD12 probably wouldn't meet minimum if they don't combine.


----------



## MinnieMSue

Patches Lee said:


> I'd like to know how they are handling the raft rides and water coaster. Before they combined groups to meet minimum weight. Heard they didn't do that during covid operations. Makes a difference for which AP I get since myself and DD12 probably wouldn't meet minimum if they don't combine.



does anyone know what the minimum weight is?


----------



## Patches Lee

MinnieMSue said:


> does anyone know what the minimum weight is?


I haven't gotten a clear answer from GS about what the weight requirement is specifically but here is their reply.
Looks like Maku, Puihi, and Krakatau would be a no go for us.


----------



## yellowfish78

Patches Lee said:


> I'd like to know how they are handling the raft rides and water coaster. Before they combined groups to meet minimum weight. Heard they didn't do that during covid operations. Makes a difference for which AP I get since myself and DD12 probably wouldn't meet minimum if they don't combine.


My last trip was 10/31.  My son and I went - he's 6 and I'm not a lightweight.  We did Ika Moana (I think? It's the green raft ride that seats you in a clover raft) and we rode with two other teens.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Patches Lee said:


> I haven't gotten a clear answer from GS about what the weight requirement is specifically but here is their reply.
> Looks like Maku, Puihi, and Krakatau would be a no go for us.


Interesting. I believe they were still combining guests in the fall prior to the winter closure. I haven't heard anything about them not combining since the reopening.


----------



## Patches Lee

03GirlsMom said:


> Interesting. I believe they were still combining guests in the fall prior to the winter closure. I haven't heard anything about them not combining since the reopening.


I read blog from the Frog Family pre closure that mentioned that just their kids couldn't ride something since Uni wasn't combining groups, it's what got me looking in the first place.


----------



## MeridaAnn

03GirlsMom said:


> Interesting. I believe they were still combining guests in the fall prior to the winter closure. I haven't heard anything about them not combining since the reopening.



I was there on a solo visit right before it shut down. I was able to ride Krakatau alone, but Maku and Puihi weren't allowing single riders (not sure if it's more about the minimum weight or keeping the raft balanced).


----------



## Princess Merida

I'm going in April and was considering renting a cabana.  We have 8 people, but the cabana is mostly for my parents and young nephew to have shade and a fan.  Everyone else will be on rides and will likely only come to the cabana to eat lunch.  Can I rent the 6 person one for this situation?  If I do will everyone be able to sign up for rides from the tablet?


----------



## bdiddy

We are going to be at USO for 3 days and have the park-to-park pass. Last time we went Volcano Bay wasn't open and just did 2 days, 1 day each park. We are going to be there a Sat, Sun and Monday. Which day would you recommend doing VB vs the park days? Or would you mix it up and hop around between them all?


----------



## christophfam

yellowfish78 said:


> Premium seating has opened up. I was able to get ours for mid March.



How was it? Never been and daughter and I are thinking of trying vb and premium seating in early June. Would love to get a review!


----------



## Patches Lee

Princess Merida said:


> I'm going in April and was considering renting a cabana.  We have 8 people, but the cabana is mostly for my parents and young nephew to have shade and a fan.  Everyone else will be on rides and will likely only come to the cabana to eat lunch.  Can I rent the 6 person one for this situation?  If I do will everyone be able to sign up for rides from the tablet?


Does reserving cabanas or premium seating guarantee VB entry? I want to do one for June, but the capacity limit has me on the fence.


----------



## Princess Merida

Patches Lee said:


> Does reserving cabanas or premium seating guarantee VB entry? I want to do one for June, but the capacity limit has me on the fence.


Sorry, I don’t know the answer to this.  I didn’t ask because we plan on being there 30 minutes to an hour before they open.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Patches Lee said:


> Does reserving cabanas or premium seating guarantee VB entry? I want to do one for June, but the capacity limit has me on the fence.


I asked when we booked our cabana for early April. While it does not guarantee entry, it does give you priority. I'm assuming this is similar to the parks giving priority to on-site hotel guests when parks reach capacity.

We'll plan on being there for early entry anyway so I don't see it being an issue.


----------



## yellowfish78

christophfam said:


> How was it? Never been and daughter and I are thinking of trying vb and premium seating in early June. Would love to get a review!


We got their 30 mins early and got into the line that three employees told us to get into - one LONG line for the cabana/premium seating rentals.  Waited 15 minutes and someone came out of the little hut and said if anyone was checking in to premium seating to go to the NEXT hut - by premium seating.  So if their is more than one adult in your party, one person say in the first line while the second person checks out the spot by the premium seating.  
Waited ANOTHER 20 mins for this line.  Ended up in spot #48 which was far to the right, semi-shade and by a back exit so it was a good location.  
Other than the long wait to check in (which totally defeats the purpose of early entry...) it was good.  Food and drink service was quick, even at lunch time and it was worth it to have a base location for what we paid.


----------



## becauseimnew

yellowfish78 said:


> We got their 30 mins early and got into the line that three employees told us to get into - one LONG line for the cabana/premium seating rentals.  Waited 15 minutes and someone came out of the little hut and said if anyone was checking in to premium seating to go to the NEXT hut - by premium seating.  So if their is more than one adult in your party, one person say in the first line while the second person checks out the spot by the premium seating.
> Waited ANOTHER 20 mins for this line.  Ended up in spot #48 which was far to the right, semi-shade and by a back exit so it was a good location.
> Other than the long wait to check in (which totally defeats the purpose of early entry...) it was good.  Food and drink service was quick, even at lunch time and it was worth it to have a base location for what we paid.
> 
> View attachment 564459


Thanks for the detailed info.  Getting excited for out trip.


----------



## Patches Lee

03GirlsMom said:


> I asked when we booked our cabana for early April. While it does not guarantee entry, it does give you priority. I'm assuming this is similar to the parks giving priority to on-site hotel guests when parks reach capacity.
> 
> We'll plan on being there for early entry anyway so I don't see it being an issue.


Don't think I personally wanna risk the $. Rest of my family has a hard time even getting out of bed on time for school and work at 8am. I'm up way too early because 4:55am work


----------



## becauseimnew

I waited on hold for 3 hours yesterday to book premium seats for Sunday 6/13 ($69.99) & Tuesday 6/15 ($59.99).  I'm hoping to read a few more reports closer to our travel date to make the final decision, whether to keep one or neither dates. I actually only called to get pricing, but after being on hold for so long I didn't want to call back. 

We were there 5/28/2017, had premium seating when they were scattered around and really enjoyed having the lockers and the servers.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Am I correct in that the only way to get to VB from RPR is via resort shuttle? If so, how soon before park opening do they start running?

If we plan to take advantage of early admission at 9:30am, what time should we plan on catching the shuttle?


----------



## StefBar

I have a question about the current cabana policies at VB.  I have reserved an Upper Level cabana for early April.  My research (here and on youtube) stated that you should request the zone you want to be in when you reserve the cabana.  I was told by the Universal staff member who booked the cabana that I am not allowed to request zones anymore and the policy has changed.  It will be first-come, first-served the day of my rental.  Does anyone have experience with this?  I ask because I know my son will spend 99% of the day at the wave pool and I'm spending over $400 for the cabana and if it ends up being on the other side of the park, it will be a huge bummer.

Right now, my plan is to be outside the park entrance 90 minutes before early entrance (staying onsite) to try to get a Wave Pool cabana.  If anyone has any experience on recently renting a cabana please share any advice and thank you very much!!


----------



## Princess Merida

StefBar said:


> I have a question about the current cabana policies at VB.  I have reserved an Upper Level cabana for early April.  My research (here and on youtube) stated that you should request the zone you want to be in when you reserve the cabana.  I was told by the Universal staff member who booked the cabana that I am not allowed to request zones anymore and the policy has changed.  It will be first-come, first-served the day of my rental.  Does anyone have experience with this?  I ask because I know my son will spend 99% of the day at the wave pool and I'm spending over $400 for the cabana and if it ends up being on the other side of the park, it will be a huge bummer.
> 
> Right now, my plan is to be outside the park entrance 90 minutes before early entrance (staying onsite) to try to get a Wave Pool cabana.  If anyone has any experience on recently renting a cabana please share any advice and thank you very much!!


I was told the same thing.  I have a cabana rented in April as well and hope someone knows the answer to this question.  Mine is an ADA so I assume there are only a few. Does anyone know where they are?


----------



## StefBar

Princess Merida said:


> I was told the same thing.  I have a cabana rented in April as well and hope someone knows the answer to this question.  Mine is an ADA so I assume there are only a few. Does anyone know where they are?


Merida, from my research there are only 2 clusters with elevators, if you need that.  They are cabana 13 and 14 which are in the River Village, it looks like between Whakawaiwai Eats and the Hona ika Moana.  There are others that have ramps but those seem to be the only ones with elevators.  I hope that helps a little!

I hope some will chime in if they've been there recently and let us know how early to get there and if it is truly first-come, first pick your cabana or if they just assign you a cabana ahead of time and you get what you get.


----------



## cartydog

I rented one in October, I couldn’t choose where it was in advance.  But there were some choices when I got there. So getting there early is probably in your favor to pick what you want. My only request was to be close to a bathroom


----------



## Princess Merida

StefBar said:


> Merida, from my research there are only 2 clusters with elevators, if you need that.  They are cabana 13 and 14 which are in the River Village, it looks like between Whakawaiwai Eats and the Hona ika Moana.  There are others that have ramps but those seem to be the only ones with elevators.  I hope that helps a little!
> 
> I hope some will chime in if they've been there recently and let us know how early to get there and if it is truly first-come, first pick your cabana or if they just assign you a cabana ahead of time and you get what you get.


Thanks for the information!  We do not need an elevator so I assume we won’t be in those.  I will be there at the end of next week and will report back after my trip to let you all know how it goes for us.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

03GirlsMom said:


> Am I correct in that the only way to get to VB from RPR is via resort shuttle? If so, how soon before park opening do they start running?
> 
> If we plan to take advantage of early admission at 9:30am, what time should we plan on catching the shuttle?



Interested as well...not doing any special seating...is it a problem to leave some stuff at ya chairs? Is theft a big issue? Thanks.


----------



## BroadwayHermione5

Anyone know how they are doing cabanas now that they've reopened? We are looking to go when we stay at universal later this year and we love renting cabanas or chair space. We have never been to Volcano Bay but have been to UOR


----------



## sandam1

DISNEY FIX said:


> Interested as well...not doing any special seating...is it a problem to leave some stuff at ya chairs? Is theft a big issue? Thanks.



Although admittedly we only do VB in short spurts (we stay at Cabana Bay so it's very easy to head over for 2-3 hours), we have never had an issue just leaving our stuff on a chair. BUT I also never take anything that I would be devastated to lose either - which means my phone gets left in the hotel room. My bag contains a towel, sunscreen, some water, and some snacks. I have a waterproof case that I wear around my neck that holds my room key, my ticket, a credit card and a little bit of cash. I suppose if I wanted to take my phone, I could get a bigger one that holds a phone too, but I can live without my phone for a few hours.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

sandam1 said:


> Although admittedly we only do VB in short spurts (we stay at Cabana Bay so it's very easy to head over for 2-3 hours), we have never had an issue just leaving our stuff on a chair. BUT I also never take anything that I would be devastated to lose either - which means my phone gets left in the hotel room. My bag contains a towel, sunscreen, some water, and some snacks. I have a waterproof case that I wear around my neck that holds my room key, my ticket, a credit card and a little bit of cash. I suppose if I wanted to take my phone, I could get a bigger one that holds a phone too, but I can live without my phone for a few hours.



Perfect thank you...we leave stuff by chairs at bliz beach and typhoon lagoon..hoped it was no diff. We generally hit those parks for a few hours  as well. Thanks! Is there a bag check on way in to vb? We've done the clear bag thing at bliz beach and get waved right by.


----------



## sandam1

DISNEY FIX said:


> Is there a bag check on way in to vb? We've done the clear bag thing at bliz beach and get waved right by.



Yes, there is a bag check. However, like the main entrance to Universal at City Walk, you just put your bag on a conveyor belt and it goes through a machine just like at the airports and you walk through a metal detector. Very quick and very simple!


----------



## Mr. Drauer

BroadwayHermione5 said:


> Anyone know how they are doing cabanas now that they've reopened? We are looking to go when we stay at universal later this year and we love renting cabanas or chair space. We have never been to Volcano Bay but have been to UOR


Cabanas have been available to rent since they reopened.  You check in, are taken to your cabana, have the ins and outs explained, meet your server, and go about your day.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

StefBar said:


> I have a question about the current cabana policies at VB.  I have reserved an Upper Level cabana for early April.  My research (here and on youtube) stated that you should request the zone you want to be in when you reserve the cabana.  I was told by the Universal staff member who booked the cabana that I am not allowed to request zones anymore and the policy has changed.  It will be first-come, first-served the day of my rental.  Does anyone have experience with this?  I ask because I know my son will spend 99% of the day at the wave pool and I'm spending over $400 for the cabana and if it ends up being on the other side of the park, it will be a huge bummer.
> 
> Right now, my plan is to be outside the park entrance 90 minutes before early entrance (staying onsite) to try to get a Wave Pool cabana.  If anyone has any experience on recently renting a cabana please share any advice and thank you very much!!



I was there earlier this month.  I gave the number of 2 cabanas (asked for one or the other) that I preferred and was told that the cabanas were pre-assigned.  I did not get anywhere near either cabana I requested.  We still enjoyed our day very much.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

Patches Lee said:


> I'd like to know how they are handling the raft rides and water coaster. Before they combined groups to meet minimum weight. Heard they didn't do that during covid operations. Makes a difference for which AP I get since myself and DD12 probably wouldn't meet minimum if they don't combine.


When we were there in March they were not combining groups automatically but the couple in front of us didn't make the combined weight requirement.  The lifeguards asked if we would be willing to ride with them.  Of course we said yes.


----------



## BroadwayHermione5

Mr. Drauer said:


> Cabanas have been available to rent since they reopened.  You check in, are taken to your cabana, have the ins and outs explained, meet your server, and go about your day.


Awesome-is there a chair reservation policy or smaller area to rent instead of a cabana or no? We aren't a lot of people and don't require something big but still want some peace of mind.


----------



## StefBar

TheGatekeeper said:


> I was there earlier this month.  I gave the number of 2 cabanas (asked for one or the other) that I preferred and was told that the cabanas were pre-assigned.  I did not get anywhere near either cabana I requested.  We still enjoyed our day very much.


Thank you for sharing your experience.  Were you allowed to request a section when you booked your cabana over the phone?  I was also thinking cabanas would be pre-assigned because on youtube videos I have watched they arrive at the cabana and there is a welcome sign outside the cabana with their name on it so getting there and picking one didn't make a lot of sense.  Thanks for your help!!


----------



## soniam

BroadwayHermione5 said:


> Awesome-is there a chair reservation policy or smaller area to rent instead of a cabana or no? We aren't a lot of people and don't require something big but still want some peace of mind.


 You can only reserve/rent premium loungers. They have 2 loungers, a lockbox, and a partial cover. You can rent them ahead of time. I don’t know what day-of availability is like. They will try to rent you enough loungers for your party. For instance, there are 3 of us, and they always try to get me to rent 2 pairs. Rarely are all 3 of us there. I just rent 1 pair.


----------



## becauseimnew

soniam said:


> You can only reserve/rent premium loungers. They have 2 loungers, a lockbox, and a partial cover. You can rent them ahead of time. I don’t know what day-of availability is like. They will try to rent you enough loungers for your party. For instance, there are 3 of us, and they always try to get me to rent 2 pairs. Rarely are all 3 of us there. I just rent 1 pair.


I was told that the max people at a pair of loungers is 4... I only reserved one pair for our family of 4.


----------



## LORIANN

Im headed to Volcano Bay in April, haven't been there in 3 years. Ive booked a Cabana and my only option was a first level one, no standalone ( Private) ones were available. Does anyone know of a Map that shows which cabanas are the 2 story ones?


----------



## TheGatekeeper

StefBar said:


> Thank you for sharing your experience.  Were you allowed to request a section when you booked your cabana over the phone?  I was also thinking cabanas would be pre-assigned because on youtube videos I have watched they arrive at the cabana and there is a welcome sign outside the cabana with their name on it so getting there and picking one didn't make a lot of sense.  Thanks for your help!!


I think it's worth a try to request an area while reserving!  Last summer after we returned home from renting one I received a survey about our cabana experience.  I did write that I thought that some cabanas were in obviously more desirable areas and that they should charge more for those, and/or let people request at booking.


----------



## Claudia1

I'm trying to work out details for a 16 member family day trip to VB from WDW.  I've booked a family cabana (one of the two large ones that holds 16) and already have our tickets.  Our number includes a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old.  6 of us have seasonal Universal APs but we are going during a blackout period and the rest have never been.

1)  Do we get early entry with the cabana?   How early?
2)  Is the VB transportation drop-off very far to the entrance?  We have a couple of family members that usually use scooters in the parks but won't be taking them.  We will use Mears or Tiffany (if available).
3)  Are strollers allowed in VB?  The would be good for naps.


----------



## drjackal31

Quick question, which has probably been answered somewhere but there are too many pages to go through. Are you allowed to bring anything on the slides with you? Like if I have a waterproof phone case (IE lanyard pouch kind)? Or to at least have my ID/a mask in a baggie if we want to go get an adult beverage.


----------



## TreeFalls

drjackal31 said:


> Quick question, which has probably been answered somewhere but there are too many pages to go through. Are you allowed to bring anything on the slides with you? Like if I have a waterproof phone case (IE lanyard pouch kind)? Or to at least have my ID/a mask in a baggie if we want to go get an adult beverage.



You can get away with a small waterproof bag with park tickets, mask and ID, but make sure you secure it well, my husband had ours in a velcro pocket and nearly lost it in the lazy River.  I saw people with waterproof phone cases in the rivers, but I'm not sure if they are allowed on slides.  We didn't bring our phones at all because we didn't want to get a locker.


----------



## LORIANN

Im staying offsite, is parking at the parks and then taking the bus the only way to get to Volcano Bay?  Does Uber/Lyft drop off right in front?  Looking for the best solution


----------



## Sehsun

LORIANN said:


> Im staying offsite, is parking at the parks and then taking the bus the only way to get to Volcano Bay?  Does Uber/Lyft drop off right in front?  Looking for the best solution



Yes, if staying offsite, you will park at the parking garage at CityWalk and bus over.

If you take Uber/Lyft, they will still drop you off at the parking garage and you will have to bus over. Unfortunately, they cannot drop you off at the front of the park (only for Universal buses).


----------



## chiisai

Question- if we get to VB for early entry, will it be reasonable to expect to find chairs with umbrellas?  I was thinking of booking premium or cabana, but it sounds like that will cut significantly into the low line time.

It will just be me and two kids who’ve never been.  While one is a teen, the other is 11 and has some anxiety.  I don’t think they’d want to go off by themselves without having been before, especially since I have no way to contact them once I have the spot.  Or I guess I could try to convince them to meet me some place easily findable at a set time like an hour from when we part?  Makes me a little nervous, mostly my 11 yo.


----------



## soniam

chiisai said:


> Question- if we get to VB for early entry, will it be reasonable to expect to find chairs with umbrellas?  I was thinking of booking premium or cabana, but it sounds like that will cut significantly into the low line time.
> 
> It will just be me and two kids who’ve never been.  While one is a teen, the other is 11 and has some anxiety.  I don’t think they’d want to go off by themselves without having been before, especially since I have no way to contact them once I have the spot.  Or I guess I could try to convince them to meet me some place easily findable at a set time like an hour from when we part?  Makes me a little nervous, mostly my 11 yo.


I think you should be able to find chairs & shade during EE. The premium loungers and cabanas definitely cut into time, usually 30 minutes min.


----------



## christophfam

soniam said:


> I think you should be able to find chairs & shade during EE. The premium loungers and cabanas definitely cut into time, usually 30 minutes min.



How early should I plan to get there to be near the front of the people waiting for premium checkin? With EE only 1/2 hour (hoping that changes by the time I go), I don’t want to waste that precious time checking in.  I’ve thought about just checking in after we ride a few rides but we will have our phones so need that locker in the chairs   We are staying at SF so will have to take the bus from there (Adventura won’t be open to cut through). Not sure how early we can even do that.  Have you used Premium seating recently? I‘m going with my 21 year old daughter early June. Our first visit to vb and the locker and food service are big draws for me. My happy place is by the pool with someone bringing me drinks and food to my chair usually at SF or RPR so I’m hoping this will become another happy place. Looking forward to giving it a try!


----------



## chiisai

soniam said:


> I think you should be able to find chairs & shade during EE. The premium loungers and cabanas definitely cut into time, usually 30 minutes min.



Thank you!


----------



## soniam

christophfam said:


> How early should I plan to get there to be near the front of the people waiting for premium checkin? With EE only 1/2 hour (hoping that changes by the time I go), I don’t want to waste that precious time checking in.  I’ve thought about just checking in after we ride a few rides but we will have our phones so need that locker in the chairs   We are staying at SF so will have to take the bus from there (Adventura won’t be open to cut through). Not sure how early we can even do that.  Have you used Premium seating recently? I‘m going with my 21 year old daughter early June. Our first visit to vb and the locker and food service are big draws for me. My happy place is by the pool with someone bringing me drinks and food to my chair usually at SF or RPR so I’m hoping this will become another happy place. Looking forward to giving it a try!



We have used it on 4 trips. The most recent was last July. We are usually toward the front of the line to get in, if not at the very front. I assume it's been busier than last July. I was the first person to check in July, and it still took a while at least 15-20 minutes. That was probably the shortest it has ever taken. I usually check in and let my son and husband go ahead. There is only one spot where the loungers are, so it's very easy to meet back up with your party. I would plan on getting there at least 30 minutes before EE starts; 45 minutes to an hour is more ideal. I think the buses start at the latest about an hour before EE. They run every 15 minutes. I don't know if the buses are getting really full or not though with limited capacity. The locker is very nice, and so is the food service. I keep saying that I'm just going to get a regular chair, but every trip I end up getting premium seating.


----------



## soniam

chiisai said:


> Thank you!



I know you were concerned about meeting up with your kids, but the loungers are only in one location. It's very easy to find your group. In fact, the attendants will tell you where they are. You could show them the lounger area before, tell them to meet you back there in 10 or 15 minutes, and send them on their way while you get the lounger. You could also send them to Krakatau, the water coaster, where everyone goes first, and meet them there when you finish.


----------



## chiisai

soniam said:


> I know you were concerned about meeting up with your kids, but the loungers are only in one location. It's very easy to find your group. In fact, the attendants will tell you where they are. You could show them the lounger area before, tell them to meet you back there in 10 or 15 minutes, and send them on their way while you get the lounger. You could also send them to Krakatau, the water coaster, where everyone goes first, and meet them there when you finish.



Thank you, this is very helpful!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

We reserved a cabana for our visit next month! It's our first time at Volcano Bay (so excited!!), and I have a question for the experienced folk -- 

Will our cabana have one dedicated server, or will it be a team? 

TIA!

Maria


----------



## mlayman7

We are going to go to Volcano Bay this July for the first time. Family of 4 and are thinking of either doing express pass plus or getting a cabana? With the express pass plus, I see you get to ride each slide once. Does that include riding once on the slides that have two separate slides? So can you use it for Kala and once for Tai Nui or does it just include once for either one of those? 

We are also staying on site at the Hard Rock, do you get to enter the park early if you are staying on site? How much can you get done during that time? Trying to figure out if the cabana or express passes will be the better option. The cost ends up being about the same.


----------



## soniam

mlayman7 said:


> We are going to go to Volcano Bay this July for the first time. Family of 4 and are thinking of either doing express pass plus or getting a cabana? With the express pass plus, I see you get to ride each slide once. Does that include riding once on the slides that have two separate slides? So can you use it for Kala and once for Tai Nui or does it just include once for either one of those?
> 
> We are also staying on site at the Hard Rock, do you get to enter the park early if you are staying on site? How much can you get done during that time? Trying to figure out if the cabana or express passes will be the better option. The cost ends up being about the same.



I don't know about the EP. It has changed since we last got it. Staying at HRH gets you Early Entry. It is currently 30 minutes. I don't know if it will change; it used to be 1 hour. You can actually get a decent amount done if you get there before the 30 minutes starts, dump your stuff quickly, and head to the rides.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

drjackal31 said:


> Quick question, which has probably been answered somewhere but there are too many pages to go through. Are you allowed to bring anything on the slides with you? Like if I have a waterproof phone case (IE lanyard pouch kind)? Or to at least have my ID/a mask in a baggie if we want to go get an adult beverage.


I don't know what their officially policy is. When we were there last week, we found that it heavily depended on the slide and the attendant at the time.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

chiisai said:


> Question- if we get to VB for early entry, will it be reasonable to expect to find chairs with umbrellas?  I was thinking of booking premium or cabana, but it sounds like that will cut significantly into the low line time.
> 
> It will just be me and two kids who’ve never been.  While one is a teen, the other is 11 and has some anxiety.  I don’t think they’d want to go off by themselves without having been before, especially since I have no way to contact them once I have the spot.  Or I guess I could try to convince them to meet me some place easily findable at a set time like an hour from when we part?  Makes me a little nervous, mostly my 11 yo.


You shouldn't have any problems finding chairs. We went during spring break and there were plenty of empty chairs around during EE.

FWIW, we had a cabana and were pleasantly surprised by how quick the check in process was. I didn't find that it cut into our time for EE at all, honestly. Wait times were still pretty low until around 11-11:30a.


----------



## soniam

03GirlsMom said:


> You shouldn't have any problems finding chairs. We went during spring break and there were plenty of empty chairs around during EE.
> 
> FWIW, we had a cabana and were pleasantly surprised by how quick the check in process was. I didn't find that it cut into our time for EE at all, honestly. Wait times were still pretty low until around 11-11:30a.



I hope they did get their act together and improve the time to get the cabanas and chairs. That's great news!


----------



## 03GirlsMom

mlayman7 said:


> We are going to go to Volcano Bay this July for the first time. Family of 4 and are thinking of either doing express pass plus or getting a cabana? With the express pass plus, I see you get to ride each slide once. Does that include riding once on the slides that have two separate slides? So can you use it for Kala and once for Tai Nui or does it just include once for either one of those?
> 
> We are also staying on site at the Hard Rock, do you get to enter the park early if you are staying on site? How much can you get done during that time? Trying to figure out if the cabana or express passes will be the better option. The cost ends up being about the same.



We had both the EP+ and the cabana as I was expecting long lines due to spring break. I didn't find the EP+ worth it. Only Krakatau was long. Other wait times were typically 30 min or less all day. The convenience of the cabana was awesome, however.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

soniam said:


> I hope they did get their act together and improve the time to get the cabanas and chairs. That's great news!


I was pleasantly surprised! I think we only waited 10 min to check in at guest services and by the time we did, our attendant was already waiting for us.


----------



## Lewisc

What is the current policy regarding single riders? Precovid they would add a single rider to another group.


----------



## soniam

Lewisc said:


> What is the current policy regarding single riders? Precovid they would add a single rider to another group.



I don't know for sure. I read on the boards that someone was asked if another party of 1 or 2 could join their small group on one of the family rafts. Those are by weight, and the other group didn't meet weight. I don't think they were forced but asked if it was OK.


----------



## LORIANN

Rescheduling Cabana and tickets?    I have a Cabana booked and tickets for 4 of us for this coming Monday.  Weather looks terrible.  Before I call and wait on hold for 2 hours, Im wondering if anyone has recently rescheduled their tickets and Cabana?  Is it the same number or do I have to reschedule Cabana first then call a different number to reschedule tickets ( assuming I can reschedule both of them)


----------



## LORIANN

What is the best way to get from Volcano Bay to the parks?   Take the bus back to the parking garage or would it be better to take the bus to hard Rock or Royal Pacific and then walk over?


----------



## cartydog

Worfiedoodles said:


> We reserved a cabana for our visit next month! It's our first time at Volcano Bay (so excited!!), and I have a question for the experienced folk --
> 
> Will our cabana have one dedicated server, or will it be a team?
> 
> TIA!
> 
> Maria



We had one guy that served us (and other cabanas as well.) You just put the flag up and they will come. Enjoy!


----------



## cartydog

Is premium seating scattered throughout the park or is it in one spot?


----------



## Sehsun

LORIANN said:


> What is the best way to get from Volcano Bay to the parks?   Take the bus back to the parking garage or would it be better to take the bus to hard Rock or Royal Pacific and then walk over?



Take the bus back to the parking garage. 



cartydog said:


> Is premium seating scattered throughout the park or is it in one spot?



It’s in one spot between Kohola Reef and the wave pool (the front-middle of the park).


----------



## Bethany10

There's a bus to VB from Royal Pacific? 

We've only stayed at Cabana Bay, so we just walked over. We're spending 2 days at Royal Pacific this June and I thought we had to go from the hotel to citywalk then on to VB.


----------



## CJK

Bethany10 said:


> There's a bus to VB from Royal Pacific?
> 
> We've only stayed at Cabana Bay, so we just walked over. We're spending 2 days at Royal Pacific this June and I thought we had to go from the hotel to citywalk then on to VB.


Yes, there is a bus from RP to Volcano Bay!


----------



## soniam

Bethany10 said:


> There's a bus to VB from Royal Pacific?
> 
> We've only stayed at Cabana Bay, so we just walked over. We're spending 2 days at Royal Pacific this June and I thought we had to go from the hotel to citywalk then on to VB.



There is a bus from RPR, HRH, and Portofino. I think Sapphire too. I'm always too out of it to remember, either too early or long day at VB. The bus is shared between HRH & Portofino and RPR & Sapphire.


----------



## Laurabearz

Going to VB next month and staying offsite. 

Zillions of questions...

 Is there an AP discount for tickets? I have a 2 park preferred pass... can I buy discounted tickets ahead of time or at the gate only?

if I buy at the gate, how early should I arrive to take care of all that and being able to walk in at opening? i was thinking about arriving about 30 minutes before early entry, about an hour before park opens.... Does that sound about right?

Can you pay for drinks with the Tapu? Can I link my husbands tapu to my account to pay? Would he also get the AP discount on food or do I have to tap it?

Is there only one way in and out of the lazy and not so lazy rivers?

Im guessing there are in and out privileges for lockers?

Express pass + works once per slide? can you also tapu?

thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

Laurabearz said:


> Is there only one way in and out of the lazy and not so lazy rivers?
> 
> Im guessing there are in and out privileges for lockers?



I'll answer the ones I am more confident about. 

There are two exits each for both rivers.

You can access your locker as many times as you'd like throughout the day.

I hope you have a good time!


----------



## soniam

Laurabearz said:


> Going to VB next month and staying offsite.
> 
> Zillions of questions...
> 
> Is there an AP discount for tickets? I have a 2 park preferred pass... can I buy discounted tickets ahead of time or at the gate only?
> 
> if I buy at the gate, how early should I arrive to take care of all that and being able to walk in at opening? i was thinking about arriving about 30 minutes before early entry, about an hour before park opens.... Does that sound about right?
> 
> Can you pay for drinks with the Tapu? Can I link my husbands tapu to my account to pay? Would he also get the AP discount on food or do I have to tap it?
> 
> Is there only one way in and out of the lazy and not so lazy rivers?
> 
> Im guessing there are in and out privileges for lockers?
> 
> Express pass + works once per slide? can you also tapu?
> 
> thanks!



 I don't know of any AP discount for VB tickets. We have preferred, so I always have to buy tickets for July at full price.
30 minutes may be OK. I don't know when the guest services team shows up to the booths. I would just buy it online if there's no discount.
Tapu can buy food and drinks if you have linked your credit card in the app.
All EP at VB are once per ride. You can use Tapu as much as you want for all rides that use it.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

I would like to hear if there is any good food...type and place to eat at volcano bay now a days. Thanks. Looking forward to many good mornings there and hopefully some good lunches or snacks!!!!


----------



## Bre23

Does anyone know who has been recently know if the snack stand still sell soft pretzels? Specifically the pepperoni one ? When we went Christmas of 2019 my 2 girls used a snack credit from the quick service dining plan on them and wanted to know if they were still available?


----------



## shawthorne44

DISNEY FIX said:


> I would like to hear if there is any good food...type and place to eat at volcano bay now a days. Thanks. Looking forward to many good mornings there and hopefully some good lunches or snacks!!!!



I really liked the long pizza. It was more than I could eat. Daughter had a mac and cheese with shrimp in it (I think). That was pretty good too. 
We were pleasantly surprised. The bar is low for park food, and even lower for waterpark. But, I look forward to those things.  

Nice thing about VB dining is that it doesn't have the social distancing causing limited seating. So, you can get your food as quickly as always.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

shawthorne44 said:


> I really liked the long pizza. It was more than I could eat. Daughter had a mac and cheese with shrimp in it (I think). That was pretty good too.
> We were pleasantly surprised. The bar is low for park food, and even lower for waterpark. But, I look forward to those things.
> 
> Nice thing about VB dining is that it doesn't have the social distancing causing limited seating. So, you can get your food as quickly as always.



Thank you! I'm hoping there is a fun treat or two to have!!!


----------



## shawthorne44

DISNEY FIX said:


> Thank you! I'm hoping there is a fun treat or two to have!!!



One other thing I meant to mention. Will you be using the QS dining plan? If you are, be aware that at one of the restaurants, the bonus item is an icee. Since we always have the freestyle cup and that includes free icees that was disappointing. Although I see why icees would appeal to people at a waterpark.

These are my notes on VB dining. You can see more detail on what they have on the mobile order menu. Although, those never have everything on them. For example, kids menus aren't on mobile ordering. 

1.    Bambu
a.    Near the highway on the middle of that side
b.    Combos include a shake
c.    Burgers, sandwiches, Chicken Tenders

2.    Kohola Reef
a.    Very close to Cabana Bay (South tower)
b.    Combos are served with shake
c.    Pizza, Chicken sandwiches, Burgers, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Ribs Combo ($21.50), wraps

3.    Feasting Frog
a.    Somewhat near the Kraka-whatever ride
b.    Tacos and Nachos, no combos

4.    Whakawaiwai Eats
a.    In the back middle of the park
b.    Combos are served with an  ICEE
c.    Pizza, hot dogs (including pretzel bun) and mac and cheese.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

shawthorne44 said:


> One other thing I meant to mention. Will you be using the QS dining plan? If you are, be aware that at one of the restaurants, the bonus item is an icee. Since we always have the freestyle cup and that includes free icees that was disappointing. Although I see why icees would appeal to people at a waterpark.
> 
> These are my notes on VB dining. You can see more detail on what they have on the mobile order menu. Although, those never have everything on them. For example, kids menus aren't on mobile ordering.
> 
> 1.    Bambu
> a.    Near the highway on the middle of that side
> b.    Combos include a shake
> c.    Burgers, sandwiches, Chicken Tenders
> 
> 2.    Kohola Reef
> a.    Very close to Cabana Bay (South tower)
> b.    Combos are served with shake
> c.    Pizza, Chicken sandwiches, Burgers, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Ribs Combo ($21.50), wraps
> 
> 3.    Feasting Frog
> a.    Somewhat near the Kraka-whatever ride
> b.    Tacos and Nachos, no combos
> 
> 4.    Whakawaiwai Eats
> a.    In the back middle of the park
> b.    Combos are served with an  ICEE
> c.    Pizza, hot dogs (including pretzel bun) and mac and cheese.



No dining plan for us. Thanks for the notes!!!!!


----------



## serene56

Is there seating around the aqua coaster?   I know this is where the kids will want to be at opening


----------



## Sehsun

serene56 said:


> Is there seating around the aqua coaster?   I know this is where the kids will want to be at opening



Not _right _next to it, but if you go across the nearby bridge and follow the path, head towards Punga Racers - there are some beach loungers over there. 

There are also some near a back path between the River Village restrooms and Honu Ika Moana.


----------



## princessebird

Lewisc said:


> What is the current policy regarding single riders? Precovid they would add a single rider to another group.



We were there last week. The default is to keep separate parties separate. But we were a group of three and several times a pair in front of us didn't weigh enough, so they asked to join us at the weigh in point and we said yes. One time DH and DD went without me, and they asked to join the threesome behind them and that group said no, but then there was another pair after them who also didn't weigh enough so they joined together. So, long story short: yes, you will be able to join another group once a group is willing to let you join.


----------



## jerseygal

Looking forward to one day with our adult son ! can’t wait, have always done either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon.. so excited to switch it up!


----------



## christophfam

Has anyone done the photo package for volcano bay? It’s listed as $39.99 and I’m wondering if it’s worth it. Are there a number of ride photo spots to tapu tapu in?


----------



## DisneyLifePapioNe

christophfam said:


> Has anyone done the photo package for volcano bay? It’s listed as $39.99 and I’m wondering if it’s worth it. Are there a number of ride photo spots to tapu tapu in?



Yes, you have the ride photos as well as throughout the park there are photo spots, not sure how many, but $40 doesn’t seem like a bad price, for as many as I’ve noticed throughout the waterpark.


----------



## bdyy

Do you need to pick out the photos after each ride or by end of day, or will they auto link to your photo card?


----------



## shawthorne44

bdyy said:


> Do you need to pick out the photos after each ride or by end of day, or will they auto link to your photo card?



You go by the photo booth sometime during your trip but after you've had a ride photo, and they will link your taputapu to the photopass


----------



## bdyy

shawthorne44 said:


> You go by the photo booth sometime during your trip but after you've had a ride photo, and they will link your taputapu to the photopass


Thank you!


----------



## serene56

there are ride pictures  and there are selfie areas   you use the tapu tapu for the pictures   and stop at the photo kiosk on your way out to transfer the pictures to your account
https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/my-universal-photos-universal-orlando


----------



## christophfam

serene56 said:


> there are ride pictures  and there are selfie areas   you use the tapu tapu for the pictures   and stop at the photo kiosk on your way out to transfer the pictures to your account
> https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/my-universal-photos-universal-orlando



Thank you so much! This shows me exactly what I’d be getting with the photo pass. Might be fun to do once.


----------



## kmedina

There is no way to get Express Passes before entering the park, correct? If I go during early entry (staying on site), will they already be on sale or do I have to wait until the park opens? Also, where do I go inside to get them (is there a dedicated place for Express passes or does it share a place with say guest services or something)? Thanks!


----------



## macraven




----------



## kmedina

.


----------



## macraven

Scratch what all I said !
I overlooked which thread I was in and I thought it was the theme parks I was a replying to

Volcano Bay has different policies and staying onsite does not give you free express passes!

I’ll delete my above post as don’t want anyone to be given wrong info

Sorry I messed up with giving incorrect info!


----------



## soniam

kmedina said:


> There is no way to get Express Passes before entering the park, correct? If I go during early entry (staying on site), will they already be on sale or do I have to wait until the park opens? Also, where do I go inside to get them (is there a dedicated place for Express passes or does it share a place with say guest services or something)? Thanks!


I thought you could buy it online or call. That’s what we have previously done.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

kmedina said:


> There is no way to get Express Passes before entering the park, correct? If I go during early entry (staying on site), will they already be on sale or do I have to wait until the park opens? Also, where do I go inside to get them (is there a dedicated place for Express passes or does it share a place with say guest services or something)? Thanks!


You can purchase them online or by calling Universal. However you buy them, you'll just have to stop at Guest Services in the park to actually have them added to your tapu tapu.


----------



## kmedina

soniam said:


> I thought you could buy it online or call. That’s what we have previously done.


Thanks.



03GirlsMom said:


> You can purchase them online or by calling Universal. However you buy them, you'll just have to stop at Guest Services in the park to actually have them added to your tapu tapu.


Okay, Is guest services open during early entry? Thanks.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

kmedina said:


> Thanks.
> 
> 
> Okay, Is guest services open during early entry? Thanks.


Yes, they'll be open during EE.


----------



## kmedina

03GirlsMom said:


> Yes, they'll be open during EE.


Great, thanks.


----------



## sahmoffour

Does anyone know how far out you can book cabanas? 1 year?


----------



## jerseygal

Reading some trip reports on VB on another site is disappointing in terms of potential lines, wait times, availability of chairs(not planning on renting a cabana). We would not be staying on site this particular time to take advantage of early entry. We are thinking of going non weekend on a Monday. Willing to get there as early we need to, but without the advantage of Early Entry , thinking it might be better for another triipnwhen we are staying onsite??? Not going on a Holiday, Spring break, nothing like that, actually thinking if going this coming Monday, May 24th.. Some are disgruntled with riding the bus, waiting for food like 1 and a half hours, etc.. Wondering if it is worth the $85 for the three of us, $255? Three adults, all love water parks.. this coming Monday, May 24th is listed as Moderately Busy on The Orlando Informer Crowd Calendar… TIA!


----------



## 03GirlsMom

jerseygal said:


> Reading some trip reports on VB on another site is disappointing in terms of potential lines, wait times, availability of chairs(not planning on renting a cabana). We would not be staying on site this particular time to take advantage of early entry. We are thinking of going non weekend on a Monday. Willing to get there as early we need to, but without the advantage of Early Entry , thinking it might be better for another triipnwhen we are staying onsite??? Not going on a Holiday, Spring break, nothing like that, actually thinking if going this coming Monday, May 24th.. Some are disgruntled with riding the bus, waiting for food like 1 and a half hours, etc.. Wondering if it is worth the $85 for the three of us, $255? Three adults, all love water parks.. this coming Monday, May 24th is listed as Moderately Busy on The Orlando Informer Crowd Calendar… TIA!


We went during spring break and found the wait times to be very manageable. I didn't think I'd like the virtual queue system but ended up loving it. Instead of waiting in a crazy long line for a slide in the heat, we could spend that time in the lazy river or the wave pool and the time passed so quickly in-between slides. We had purchased EPs for VB in advance and we really didn't need them. I don't think we will purchase those again regardless of when we visit. We did have a cabana so I can't speak to food lines or chair availability but I will say that there were chairs spread out everywhere throughout the park. While you may not be able to find one in your preferred location without EE, I would expect that you would still easily be able to find chairs somewhere for the 3 of you. You can always look at purchasing preferred seating if that's a major concern as these are much less expensive than a cabana.

Good luck with your decision!


----------



## becauseimnew

jerseygal said:


> Reading some trip reports on VB on another site is disappointing in terms of potential lines, wait times, availability of chairs(not planning on renting a cabana). We would not be staying on site this particular time to take advantage of early entry. We are thinking of going non weekend on a Monday. Willing to get there as early we need to, but without the advantage of Early Entry , thinking it might be better for another triipnwhen we are staying onsite??? Not going on a Holiday, Spring break, nothing like that, actually thinking if going this coming Monday, May 24th.. Some are disgruntled with riding the bus, waiting for food like 1 and a half hours, etc.. Wondering if it is worth the $85 for the three of us, $255? Three adults, all love water parks.. this coming Monday, May 24th is listed as Moderately Busy on The Orlando Informer Crowd Calendar… TIA!


 we will be there in 3ish weeks, this is making me nervous. I did reserve premium  seats for 2 days, Sunday and Tuesday, I was going to cancel the Tuesday but maybe we’ll just keep it.
I need to figure out where to read recent reports.


----------



## jerseygal

@03GirlsMom..thanks for your thoughts! Encouraging! To purchase EE, the cost is crazy prohibitive..much better to stay on site than pay those ridiculous rates in addition to the cost of the ticket. Many say just bring lunch, maybe we’ll stop off for some sub sandwiches before we go..supposedly food is pretty lame and lines are cray!  Do you know if you stay on site do those folks walk over and avoid bus?


----------



## 03GirlsMom

jerseygal said:


> @03GirlsMom..thanks for your thoughts! Encouraging! To purchase EE, the cost is crazy prohibitive..much better to stay on site than pay those ridiculous rates in addition to the cost of the ticket. Many say just bring lunch, maybe we’ll stop off for some sub sandwiches before we go..supposedly food is pretty lame and lines are cray!  Do you know if you stay on site do those folks walk over and avoid bus?


Keep in mind that EP for UO & IOA is different than for VB. You do not get automatic EP for VB by staying at a premier resort. Those have to be purchased separately although they are much less expensive than purchasing EP for the other parks!

We stayed at RPR and took the bus over. It took less than 10 min. I don't think that you can walk over to VB unless you're staying at or near Cabana Bay.


----------



## jerseygal

@03GirlsMom..Oh MUCH thanks for pointing that out..I mistakenly assumed that If you stayed at the 3 hotels that you would get early entry,  As you would with the two other parks. Didn’t realize that you have to purchase EE..separately for VB even if you stay on site! Thanks for the clarification!


----------



## bdyy

Jerseygal you get EE early entry by staying at ANY onsite hotels. It is EP that you have to purchase separately.


----------



## jerseygal

bdyy said:


> Jerseygal you get EE early entry by staying at ANY onsite hotels. It is EP that you have to purchase separately.


Ok, thanks! So EE to VB with any Universal hotel and EP must be purchased separately to VB regardless of the Universal Hotel that you choose.


----------



## Momtomouselover

becauseimnew said:


> I waited on hold for 3 hours yesterday to book premium seats for Sunday 6/13 ($69.99) & Tuesday 6/15 ($59.99).  I'm hoping to read a few more reports closer to our travel date to make the final decision, whether to keep one or neither dates. I actually only called to get pricing, but after being on hold for so long I didn't want to call back.
> 
> We were there 5/28/2017, had premium seating when they were scattered around and really enjoyed having the lockers and the servers.



We have never been to VB. Is this the price for two loungers? Is this the only way to reserve them? That’s a long time to be on hold :/
thanks!


----------



## soniam

Momtomouselover said:


> We have never been to VB. Is this the price for two loungers? Is this the only way to reserve them? That’s a long time to be on hold :/
> thanks!



Yes, it's for two. They are connected and share a shade with a lockbox between them. You can only do it on the phone. I did it last weekend and was on hold for ~90 minutes. Try in the morning on the weekend, particularly Sunday.


----------



## Momtomouselover

soniam said:


> Yes, it's for two. They are connected and share a shade with a lockbox between them. You can only do it on the phone. I did it last weekend and was on hold for ~90 minutes. Try in the morning on the weekend, particularly Sunday.


Thank you! I know this is general but any other advice for a first time visitor? It will be me and my teenager. If anyone has had a recent visit and has advice about current crowds, operations, expectations, I would love to hear it.  I have read many of the posts but didn’t know how things are for now/early June.


----------



## Claudia1

We are going to VB for for one day and will be transporting from a Disney resort.   I've spoken with a transportation service and they told me they drop off at the Adventura Hotel and we use the access to VB from there.

Is this allowed?  Do you need a room reservation to access from Adventura?


----------



## cartydog

We went on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend. The wait times were not horrible for rides. The food lines were insane.  We did have premium seating, which wasn’t all that, but I guess it was worth it for getting food delivered to us instead of waiting in the food lines. The snack cart lines weren’t as bad as the restaurant lines though. I got ice cream mid afternoon over by the marketplace, and there was no one in line there.  But the bar line by premium seating was long all day.

The ground and sand was also like a billion degrees. They do make an effort to spray the concrete, to help, but it’s not all covered. And they can’t do anything about the sand temp.  I highly recommend water socks.


----------



## shawthorne44

Claudia1 said:


> We are going to VB for for one day and will be transporting from a Disney resort.   I've spoken with a transportation service and they told me they drop off at the Adventura Hotel and we use the access to VB from there.
> 
> Is this allowed?  Do you need a room reservation to access from Adventura?



That doesn't make any sense. Cabana Bay is the one with special access, and you need to show your room key to go through there. So, maybe they mean you to walk from Adventura to the front entrance of VB.    I would Google Map that.


----------



## serene56

jerseygal said:


> Reading some trip reports on VB on another site is disappointing in terms of potential lines, wait times, availability of chairs(not planning on renting a cabana). We would not be staying on site this particular time to take advantage of early entry. We are thinking of going non weekend on a Monday. Willing to get there as early we need to, but without the advantage of Early Entry , thinking it might be better for another triipnwhen we are staying onsite??? Not going on a Holiday, Spring break, nothing like that, actually thinking if going this coming Monday, May 24th.. Some are disgruntled with riding the bus, waiting for food like 1 and a half hours, etc.. Wondering if it is worth the $85 for the three of us, $255? Three adults, all love water parks.. this coming Monday, May 24th is listed as Moderately Busy on The Orlando Informer Crowd Calendar… TIA!


did you go on Monday=-=  how was it


----------



## jerseygal

serene56 said:


> did you go on Monday=-=  how was it


We decided to skip it..envisioned lines, lines for food..decided to pass this time. Thanks everyone for all of the helpful comments.


----------



## atricks

shawthorne44 said:


> That doesn't make any sense. Cabana Bay is the one with special access, and you need to show your room key to go through there. So, maybe they mean you to walk from Adventura to the front entrance of VB.    I would Google Map that.



There is a gate to the tunnel entrance of VB next to Aventura, I've used it before.  It uses the same security as the resort bus drop offs and you walk through the tunnel.  Cabana Bay has it's own (nicer and shorter) path that doesn't go through there or the tunnel and has its own security.

To get to the Aventura one, use the sidewalk along the road (Adventure Way) and walk by the Aventura pool.


----------



## Nicole786

Can I just get an opinion on this, i'm so torn

For my fathers 60th birthday in July we are going to Universal, and on that particular Sunday, going to VB.   We rented the LAST cabana of the day, with the month of July being almsot completely sold out.  But it is an upper cabana for $750 + tax -- I know that it is summer, and I know that it is a weekend, but is that just utterly ridiculous? I want the family of 5 to have a chill space of our own, but i'm questioning how much that will impact our time at that price. 

Thanks for your input!


----------



## jerseygal

@Nicole786.. Sounds like you are very generous!Seems like it is SOoo expensive though.. personallly think that pricing is egregious.. enjoy your Dads bday


----------



## ForceofWill

Nicole786 said:


> Can I just get an opinion on this, i'm so torn
> 
> For my fathers 60th birthday in July we are going to Universal, and on that particular Sunday, going to VB.   We rented the LAST cabana of the day, with the month of July being almsot completely sold out.  But it is an upper cabana for $750 + tax -- I know that it is summer, and I know that it is a weekend, but is that just utterly ridiculous? I want the family of 5 to have a chill space of our own, but i'm questioning how much that will impact our time at that price.
> 
> Thanks for your input!



Wow, we'll be there in July as well and I was thinking about Cabanas.  NO WAY I'd be dropping $750!  That's nuts.  So many things to do with that money at Universal.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Nicole786 said:


> Can I just get an opinion on this, i'm so torn
> 
> For my fathers 60th birthday in July we are going to Universal, and on that particular Sunday, going to VB.   We rented the LAST cabana of the day, with the month of July being almsot completely sold out.  But it is an upper cabana for $750 + tax -- I know that it is summer, and I know that it is a weekend, but is that just utterly ridiculous? I want the family of 5 to have a chill space of our own, but i'm questioning how much that will impact our time at that price.
> 
> Thanks for your input!


We rented an upper cabana in April and loved the convenience of having it. With that said, we paid $250 for it. I don’t think any amount of added service or convenience it provides would be worth $750.


----------



## ForceofWill

So I just called to check our dates for the heck of it.  July 7-12th, the weekdays are $796 and weekends like $825.  Even the preferred chairs are $180!  Needless to say that was a HARD NOPE to both of those lol.  Guess we're packing light and stuffing stuff in a locker.


----------



## soniam

ForceofWill said:


> So I just called to check our dates for the heck of it.  July 7-12th, the weekdays are $796 and weekends like $825.  Even the preferred chairs are $180!  Needless to say that was a HARD NOPE to both of those lol.  Guess we're packing light and stuffing stuff in a locker.



Premium seating has definitely gone up from when they first opened. I got it this summer on 7/22 @ $150. Not a great price, but it's been worth it for us. We only need 1 set, and there are 3 of us.


----------



## christophfam

Has anyone done the premium seating recently? I had a member on another board tell me not to go to concierge. She said premium seating has their own sign in at premium seating. She just went in the last week or two.
I must have bought premium just before a rate increase. We’re going 6/3 for $89.99.


----------



## ForceofWill

christophfam said:


> Has anyone done the premium seating recently? I had a member on another board tell me not to go to concierge. She said premium seating has their own sign in at premium seating. She just went in the last week or two.
> I must have bought premium just before a rate increase. We’re going 6/3 for $89.99.



90$ I might have stomached for premium seating.  If we were only there a few days I could see it being worth it to make sure we got a good day in.  Right now we have 3 park tickets for the 8 nights we're there so we'll probably just pop in, in the evenings for our pool time.


----------



## becauseimnew

I booked our 6/13 & 6/15 premium seats back in April and paid $70 & $60.


----------



## soniam

christophfam said:


> Has anyone done the premium seating recently? I had a member on another board tell me not to go to concierge. She said premium seating has their own sign in at premium seating. She just went in the last week or two.
> I must have bought premium just before a rate increase. We’re going 6/3 for $89.99.



I think you go to the stand at the front of the premium lounger area. It's behind the bar near the front of the park.


----------



## cartydog

soniam said:


> I think you go to the stand at the front of the premium lounger area. It's behind the bar near the front of the park.


Yes it is there right by premium seating. We went Mother’s Day weekend. If you have a choice, get a lounger close(ish) to a path. That sand is sooooo hot!!!


----------



## soniam

cartydog said:


> Yes it is there right by premium seating. We went Mother’s Day weekend. If you have a choice, get a lounger close(ish) to a path. That sand is sooooo hot!!!



I just wear flip flops in the whole park. The first weekend they opened, the pavement was so hot that I burned a blister on the bottom of my foot. I just put my shoes near the entrance to the attractions.


----------



## christophfam

soniam said:


> I think you go to the stand at the front of the premium lounger area. It's behind the bar near the front of the park.





cartydog said:


> Yes it is there right by premium seating. We went Mother’s Day weekend. If you have a choice, get a lounger close(ish) to a path. That sand is sooooo hot!!!


Thank you! I would have stood in the wrong line. Looking forward to our first visit to volcano bay!


----------



## nb75685

Going toward the end of June for a day...

Where is everyone's favorite free seating? I'd like to know where to head at park opening to get a good spot (umbrella/shade, nice view, maybe not RIGHT in the thick of everything). It's just me and my sister (both adults). I'm looking to relax, and she's looking to ride.


----------



## WriterGina

ForceofWill said:


> So I just called to check our dates for the heck of it.  July 7-12th, the weekdays are $796 and weekends like $825.  Even the preferred chairs are $180!  Needless to say that was a HARD NOPE to both of those lol.  Guess we're packing light and stuffing stuff in a locker.



Yikes! We got an upper cabana for late August--granted, midweek--for $425. Even that felt like a lot to me, as we had had to move our dates around and were originally going to VB in early September, when we would have been able to get one for $250.


----------



## christophfam

Just had a glorious day at Volcano Bay!  Walked right in for early entry at 8am. Went straight to premium seating and within 5 minutes we were off for some rides!  I did like our premium seating. The lockbox by the chair for our phones was great but avoiding the huge lines for food was amazing.  They had us place a mobile order for food/drinks and it was delivered to our chair in 15 minutes. Great day! Will definitely return if the chance arrives.


----------



## bdiddy

So we'll be at USO this Sat, Sun and Mon. It will be our first visit to VB. Is it a bad idea to go to VB on Sat which will also be the hottest day? We are staying at Cabana Bay and can get in early but how early should we be lined up? 

I'm thinking we get the most popular ones out of way immediately then tap in for whatever we need to and enjoy the lazy River and wave pool until a little after lunch and then head out? What time does it get super packed on a Saturday?


----------



## georgina

nb75685 said:


> Going toward the end of June for a day...
> 
> Where is everyone's favorite free seating? I'd like to know where to head at park opening to get a good spot (umbrella/shade, nice view, maybe not RIGHT in the thick of everything). It's just me and my sister (both adults). I'm looking to relax, and she's looking to ride.


I usually head to the right on the main beach area, in front of the Dancing Dragons Boat Bar. There are several quieter pockets of chairs if you look at the map, but I prefer this location, close to lockers, restrooms, and food, and proximity to rum punch!


----------



## becauseimnew

christophfam said:


> Just had a glorious day at Volcano Bay!  Walked right in for early entry at 8am. Went straight to premium seating and within 5 minutes we were off for some rides!  I did like our premium seating. The lockbox by the chair for our phones was great but avoiding the huge lines for food was amazing.  They had us place a mobile order for food/drinks and it was delivered to our chair in 15 minutes. Great day! Will definitely return if the chance arrives.


Thanks for the report, we'll be there on Sunday and reserved the premium seating.


----------



## TikiRob

Called for pricing for our trip next week and premium was $189!  I can’t stomach that pricing. If anyone has recommendations for free seating and locker locations, that would be awesome! We will try to get food at odd times to avoid lines.


----------



## Sehsun

TikiRob said:


> Called for pricing for our trip next week and premium was $189!  I can’t stomach that pricing. If anyone has recommendations for free seating and locker locations, that would be awesome! We will try to get food at odd times to avoid lines.



For seating that is not too crowded, I like the seating area near Punga Racers and behind Taniwha Tubes (the walkway starts at near the smoking section near Whakawaiwai Eats and ends at the entrance near the Maku Puihi entrance).

For lockers, try the ones in Rainforest Village.


----------



## MinnieMSue

Bought our tickets through the app so they are on there. How does the tapu get linked to it? Also I have a credit card on the app - does it get linked to that too?


----------



## soniam

MinnieMSue said:


> Bought our tickets through the app so they are on there. How does the tapu get linked to it? Also I have a credit card on the app - does it get linked to that too?



When you enter and scan your tickets, they link the tapu to your account.. If your CC is on your account/app, it will automatically get linked to the tapu too.


----------



## MinnieMSue

soniam said:


> When you enter and scan your tickets, they link the tapu to your account.. If your CC is on your account/app, it will automatically get linked to the tapu too.



sweet! That should be easy enough thank you!


----------



## KayKayJS

How are you guys getting through for cabana rental? When I call its always 90min or more


----------



## ForceofWill

KayKayJS said:


> How are you guys getting through for cabana rental? When I call its always 90min or more



Yep, phone on speaker next to me while I'm on computer.


----------



## KayKayJS

ForceofWill said:


> Yep, phone on speaker next to me while I'm on computer.



GOod to know! Will try this tomorrow .. can't do that today haha


----------



## 03GirlsMom

ForceofWill said:


> Yep, phone on speaker next to me while I'm on computer.


Yep, same. I waited right around 90 min to get through to book our cabana earlier this month for our October trip. Speaker phone was my friend!


----------



## Nabz34

03GirlsMom said:


> Yep, same. I waited right around 90 min to get through to book our cabana earlier this month for our October trip. Speaker phone was my friend!


 We are going in October as well and I was planning to call soon to ask about pricing. Do you mind sharing what prices you were quoted for a cabana in October? For us it's gonna be over Columbus Day weekend so I'm expecting the price to be up there. Thanks!


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Nabz34 said:


> We are going in October as well and I was planning to call soon to ask about pricing. Do you mind sharing what prices you were quoted for a cabana in October? For us it's gonna be over Columbus Day weekend so I'm expecting the price to be up there. Thanks!


We booked an upper cabana for 10/28 - $224.99 + tax.


----------



## soniam

KayKayJS said:


> How are you guys getting through for cabana rental? When I call its always 90min or more



Bluetooth headphones


----------



## Nabz34

03GirlsMom said:


> We booked an upper cabana for 10/28 - $224.99 + tax.


Oh wow that doesn't seem too bad (relatively), I got scared when I saw prices of $700+ for July which someone else posted about earlier on this thread. Hopefully early October prices would be similar. Definitely worth a call.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Nabz34 said:


> Oh wow that doesn't seem too bad (relatively), I got scared when I saw prices of $700+ for July which someone else posted about earlier on this thread. Hopefully early October prices would be similar. Definitely worth a call.


I was a bit nervous about pricing, too. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be $25 less than when we rented one over spring break.


----------



## sparky68

03GirlsMom said:


> I was a bit nervous about pricing, too. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be $25 less than when we rented one over spring break.


What is included with the cabana rental? Is an upper unit enough room for 4 people?  I like to float the lazy river and hang out in cabanas drinking fruity alcohol at water parks.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

sparky68 said:


> What is included with the cabana rental? Is an upper unit enough room for 4 people?  I like to float the lazy river and hang out in cabanas drinking fruity alcohol at water parks.


The regular cabanas accommodate up to 6 people. Any larger would need a family cabana. There were 4 of us in the spring and there was plenty of space for everyone.

You get a mini fridge stocked with bottled water, a safe, towels (otherwise you have to rent some or bring your own), an attendant to take food/drink orders, and a really nice fruit and pastry spread in the morning.  There is also a tapu tapu station in the cabana so you can check in for the virtual lines without having to go to the slide entrance. This was a huge bonus for us as it was so incredibly convenient.


----------



## Naomeri

Trying to plan a bit for my long Labor Day weekend trip.  I arrive the evening of Sept 3, so my park days are the 4th-8th (leaving at 7pm on the 8th).  I have HHN tix for the 4th, so that’s definitely a Studios day.

My question:  I have never been to Volcano Bay, so I want to dedicate a whole day, and probably also pop over randomly since I can hop with my AP.  I’m going to spring for premium seating, so I need to decide on a dedicated day sooner rather than later—should I pick Sunday, Monday (Labor Day), or Tuesday as my day?

Editing to add: I decided to just go ahead and pick a day.  I chose Sunday with the logic that I’d want a more relaxing day after the late night at HHN.  I booked my premium seating with a cost of $63.89 with tax


----------



## DLgal

I don't have time to go through this whole thread, so can anyone answer whether the following are allowed to be worn at VB, specifically whether they can be worn or carried on rides:

-hats/baseball cap
-sunglasses
-waterproof phone pouch worn around neck 
-water shoes


----------



## georgina

DLgal said:


> I don't have time to go through this whole thread, so can anyone answer whether the following are allowed to be worn at VB, specifically whether they can be worn or carried on rides:
> 
> -hats/baseball cap
> -sunglasses
> -waterproof phone pouch worn around neck
> -water shoes


Not sure about hats on slides. I suspect you can't wear them, you could probably hold them, or just leave them at the entrance.

As to shoes, from a UO representative in response to a trip advisor question - Thank you for your question. You are able to wear water shoes in the pools and rivers like Waturi Beach and TeAwa the Fearless River. However, footwear is not allowed on any of the tube attractions. For more detailed information we do have a Volcano Bay Rider's Guide available on our website. I hope you found this information helpful.

I usually wear flip flops and leave them at the ride entrance (there are racks at most)

I always have a clear hard plastic case for my ticket, room, key, etc around my neck and am sometimes asked to tuck it into my suit. If you plan on doing the trapdoor slides (or body slides? I don't do those) they might no be allowed.

I usually hold my sunglasses on the tube slides. I sometimes can wear them on the water coaster (water sprays in your face on parts of it), sometimes they tell me to take them off.


----------



## DLgal

georgina said:


> Not sure about hats on slides. I suspect you can't wear them, you could probably hold them, or just leave them at the entrance.
> 
> As to shoes, from a UO representative in response to a trip advisor question - Thank you for your question. You are able to wear water shoes in the pools and rivers like Waturi Beach and TeAwa the Fearless River. However, footwear is not allowed on any of the tube attractions. For more detailed information we do have a Volcano Bay Rider's Guide available on our website. I hope you found this information helpful.
> 
> I usually wear flip flops and leave them at the ride entrance (there are racks at most)
> 
> I always have a clear hard plastic case for my ticket, room, key, etc around my neck and am sometimes asked to tuck it into my suit. If you plan on doing the trapdoor slides (or body slides? I don't do those) they might no be allowed.
> 
> I usually hold my sunglasses on the tube slides. I sometimes can wear them on the water coaster (water sprays in your face on parts of it), sometimes they tell me to take them off.



Thanks for the detailed reply!

I did just finish going over the Rider's Guide and they only show the "no footwear" sign on the body slides. All the slides where you sit in innertubea don't have the symbol, so that response isn't super clear. 

I always wear a fitted rashguard over my swimsuit so I can easily tuck the phone case away if needed (I have done that at other water parks). It's a clear vinyl pouch, so very slim). 

I have to wear sunglasses or a hat because I am prone to migraine and need to keep the bright sun out of my eyes. I can easily hold the hat around my wrist and the sunglasses in my hand when necessary. I've been to some water parks where they are super strict and won't allow you to even hold those types of items. 

I do not plan on doing any of the high speed body slides.


----------



## georgina

DLgal said:


> Thanks for the detailed reply!
> 
> I did just finish going over the Rider's Guide and they only show the "no footwear" sign on the body slides. All the slides where you sit in innertubea don't have the symbol, so that response isn't super clear.
> 
> I always wear a fitted rashguard over my swimsuit so I can easily tuck the phone case away if needed (I have done that at other water parks). It's a clear vinyl pouch, so very slim).
> 
> I have to wear sunglasses or a hat because I am prone to migraine and need to keep the bright sun out of my eyes. I can easily hold the hat around my wrist and the sunglasses in my hand when necessary. I've been to some water parks where they are super strict and won't allow you to even hold those types of items.
> 
> I do not plan on doing any of the high speed body slides.


I see the no footwear symbol on all the rides in the guide, including Taniwha tubes, Maku & Pulhi, Honu & Ika Moana, Krakatau, Punga racers, and Ono & ohyah. The guide I was looking at says version 2018.06, maybe you found a different one?

https://www.universalorlandoyouth.com/Pdf/volcano-bays-guide-for-rider-safety-and-accessibility.pdf
Have fun! I love VB and hope to go back in Oct.


----------



## DLgal

georgina said:


> I see the no footwear symbol on all the rides in the guide, including Taniwha tubes, Maku & Pulhi, Honu & Ika Moana, Krakatau, Punga racers, and Ono & ohyah. The guide I was looking at says version 2018.06, maybe you found a different one?
> 
> https://www.universalorlandoyouth.com/Pdf/volcano-bays-guide-for-rider-safety-and-accessibility.pdf
> Have fun! I love VB and hope to go back in Oct.



I looked in the one in the app. It's version 2021.06. The VB rides start on page 78 of the guide. Several of the rides you mentioned do not have the no footwear symbol.


----------



## Nabz34

Just in case anyone else was looking at Cabanas in October, I just booked one for Sunday 10/10 for $249+tax. The rep said the price was the same for a single standalone unit, a lower level unit, or an upper level unit. I was under the impression that the upper level is usually more expensive but apparently for this date it was not.


----------



## lisam70

How far in advance does a cabana or premium seating need to be booked? Going end of September and I don't have my VB day nailed down just yet.


----------



## Rory607

We are planning our first Universal trip for this spring(yay!) and are planning a day at VB. I am not that big of a fan of water parks, but I know the kids would really enjoy it. So I’m hoping to make it enjoyable for everyone, including myself, so I would love to rent a cabana if possible. However, it will be spring break and I’m assuming prices will be crazy. Do they get more expensive the closer you get to the date or is it a set price based on time of year?


----------



## Nabz34

lisam70 said:


> How far in advance does a cabana or premium seating need to be booked? Going end of September and I don't have my VB day nailed down just yet.



I haven't been before so I'm not exactly sure, all I've read is book them "as soon as possible" i.e. as soon as you have your tickets and have your dates nailed down. For what it's worth, when I called earlier this week to book for October 10 (which is a Sunday and a holiday weekend with Monday being Columbus Day), my impression from speaking with the team member is that availability was wide open as they offered me to choose from any of the cabana types (single, upper, lower). I think late September is not a very busy time so I think you should still have quite a bit of time before they are at risk of selling out, especially if going on a weekday.


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Rory607 said:


> We are planning our first Universal trip for this spring(yay!) and are planning a day at VB. I am not that big of a fan of water parks, but I know the kids would really enjoy it. So I’m hoping to make it enjoyable for everyone, including myself, so I would love to rent a cabana if possible. However, it will be spring break and I’m assuming prices will be crazy. Do they get more expensive the closer you get to the date or is it a set price based on time of year?


I believe that, yes, the cabana prices do increase as they begin to sell out. We went this year during spring break (early April) and I want to say we paid around $250+tax for an upper cabana on a Wednesday. So, not as terrible as I would have imagined. I booked it in early January.

For our fall trip this year, we’re planning a VB day on 10/28 and I booked our cabana last month. I would recommend purchasing as early as you can afford to.


----------



## Rory607

03GirlsMom said:


> I believe that, yes, the cabana prices do increase as they begin to sell out. We went this year during spring break (early April) and I want to say we paid around $250+tax for an upper cabana on a Wednesday. So, not as terrible as I would have imagined. I booked it in early January.
> 
> For our fall trip this year, we’re planning a VB day on 10/28 and I booked our cabana last month. I would recommend purchasing as early as you can afford to.


Thank you! $250 is not bad at all. I would say upwards of $300-350 would probably be our max, so I will have to look into it. Did you find it worth the cost? The idea of having a "homebase" that includes some shade really sounds nice.


----------



## sparky68

Rory607 said:


> Thank you! $250 is not bad at all. I would say upwards of $300-350 would probably be our max, so I will have to look into it. Did you find it worth the cost? The idea of having a "homebase" that includes some shade really sounds nice.


Having a cabana at a waterpark is game changing imo.  It just makes the day so much more relaxing.  
We have never been to volcano bay.  If you book a cabana is it non refundable ?


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Rory607 said:


> Thank you! $250 is not bad at all. I would say upwards of $300-350 would probably be our max, so I will have to look into it. Did you find it worth the cost? The idea of having a "homebase" that includes some shade really sounds nice.


With 4 kids to chase around, I prefer to have a cabana every time we visit VB. Not having to stand in long food lines, tapping into virtual queues from the cabana, and having a shaded place for the kids to rest throughout the day has absolutely been worth it to us. It is also extremely convenient to have cold bottles of water and clean towels readily available.


----------



## mlayman7

We just got back from our first trip to VB. We rented a cabana and now I cannot imagine ever going without having one. We had cabana 20c, it was an upper cabana with a great view of the park. A few downsides with the cabana though includes; we had early entry but by the time we were brought to our cabana the early entry time period was over halfway over so it cut down on the time we had before the park was open to other guests. It took about 60 minutes to get our lunch after placing the order, not including the 20 minutes it took after putting up our flag. We were okay with it because it was raining so we were not going anywhere at the time but still, plan on it taking much longer than waiting in line and getting it yourselves. Other than that having the cabana was all positive and worth the money we spent. VB easily beat out Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach as our favorite water park in Orlando.


----------



## Ladyfish77

Not sure if this has been asked and I didn't find anything when I searched. Can three people share a two person premium seating. We'd probably not all three be there at one time but it would be nice for the locker and home base aspect.  I don't really want to take up two when we really only need one. Three adults who will spend time on rides (maybe 2 riding and one at seating) don't want to break any rules. Thanks


----------



## Naomeri

Ladyfish77 said:


> Not sure if this has been asked and I didn't find anything when I searched. Can three people share a two person premium seating. We'd probably not all three be there at one time but it would be nice for the locker and home base aspect.  I don't really want to take up two when we really only need one. Three adults who will spend time on rides (maybe 2 riding and one at seating) don't want to break any rules. Thanks


The Universal customer service lady I spoke to said that the max for 1 premium seating is 4.  Their thought is that it would be 2 adults with 2 kids, but she didn’t mention that it had to be like that, so I don’t see why you can’t have 3 adults, as long as you don’t mind not everyone being able to sit with their legs stretched out at the same time.


----------



## DLgal

Can we bring Cabana Bay pool towels to use at VB and then bring them back to the hotel? Or is this a no no? Staying at CB and trying to figure out the towel situation for the waterpark.


----------



## georgina

DLgal said:


> Can we bring Cabana Bay pool towels to use at VB and then bring them back to the hotel? Or is this a no no? Staying at CB and trying to figure out the towel situation for the waterpark.


It's always been possible in the past to do this. I don't know what the pool towel situation is at CB now, used to be able to just grab a few.


----------



## soniam

Ladyfish77 said:


> Not sure if this has been asked and I didn't find anything when I searched. Can three people share a two person premium seating. We'd probably not all three be there at one time but it would be nice for the locker and home base aspect.  I don't really want to take up two when we really only need one. Three adults who will spend time on rides (maybe 2 riding and one at seating) don't want to break any rules. Thanks


I have done this with my husband and teen son. I had one rep who wanted me to get 2 pairs for the 3 of us, but that was the only time. I ended up getting just 1. We have rented them at least 4 times and haven’t had an issue with 3 of us.


----------



## yellowfish78

sparky68 said:


> Having a cabana at a waterpark is game changing imo.  It just makes the day so much more relaxing.
> We have never been to volcano bay.  If you book a cabana is it non refundable ?


Cabana's and premium seating are refundable up to 5 days prior.


----------



## mom2clr

I was wondering if arriving at the park in the early afternoon (1 or 2) with an 8pm closing on a Sunday would still allow my group to get the most out of our day ticket? We are driving down and our only available day to go would be the next day but we would want to have a leisurely morning before going. My thought is that the afternoon showers will have people leaving early and those folks who arrived at opening would hopefully be leaving when we arrive. 

We will be 2 adults, (2) 13yr olds, (1) 10yr old and (1) 9yr old. Thanks!


----------



## cschaaf

TikiRob said:


> Called for pricing for our trip next week and premium was $189!  I can’t stomach that pricing. If anyone has recommendations for free seating and locker locations, that would be awesome! We will try to get food at odd times to avoid lines.


Yeah, pretty much the same here. We just decided to make a quick trip to Universal next week and spend one of the days at VB - our first time there.

Yesterday morning, we booked Premium Seating for next Thursday (so, 11 days out) and it was $213 with tax. Far, far more than I wanted to spend, but we went for it anyway.  




KayKayJS said:


> How are you guys getting through for cabana rental? When I call its always 90min or more


I called three mornings in a row and didn't have crazy long waits. 
- Saturday around 9:30 AM - the auto response reported a 5 minute wait, an agent answered less than a minute after the initial message ended
- Sunday morning around 9:00 AM - message said 10 minute wait, it took about 6 minutes
- Monday morning at 8:15 - message said 10 minute wait, it took about 15 minutes.


----------



## ForceofWill

Spent the morning there yesterday.  The kids area was closed for cleaning from the night before(caddyshack) and the lazy/crazy rivers never opened while we were there. Supposedly they were waiting on lifeguards but it was like 11am when we left and still no go.  Seems like an ok place if you have teenagers but the only thing my kids wanted to do weren't even open.

That said, we got there during early entry and had basically pick of whatever chairs we wanted.  Even at around 10am there were plenty of chairs around.  We got a nice set right in front of the lazy river entrance to the right, accross from the kids area.  Can't see paying for premium seating.


----------



## nerdboyrockstar

mom2clr said:


> I was wondering if arriving at the park in the early afternoon (1 or 2) with an 8pm closing on a Sunday would still allow my group to get the most out of our day ticket? We are driving down and our only available day to go would be the next day but we would want to have a leisurely morning before going. My thought is that the afternoon showers will have people leaving early and those folks who arrived at opening would hopefully be leaving when we arrive.
> 
> We will be 2 adults, (2) 13yr olds, (1) 10yr old and (1) 9yr old. Thanks!



We mistered yesterday, Sunday, and arrived at noon and pretty much stayed until near the 8pm closing. We were able to do PLENTY, including lots of rest in our cabana during the shutdown for the afternoon storm. Definitely have a plan for that. Then, it was back to having fun.

The waits were SOME of the slides were really long (Krakatau was 150min long when we tapped in; got called in 120min). But in that time we were able to do plenty of loops on the Fearless River, Lazy River, and spend time in the wave pool and the leisure pool next to it.


----------



## kaed77

nerdboyrockstar said:


> We mistered yesterday, Sunday, and arrived at noon and pretty much stayed until near the 8pm closing. We were able to do PLENTY, including lots of rest in our cabana during the shutdown for the afternoon storm. Definitely have a plan for that. Then, it was back to having fun.
> 
> The waits were SOME of the slides were really long (Krakatau was 150min long when we tapped in; got called in 120min). But in that time we were able to do plenty of loops on the Fearless River, Lazy River, and spend time in the wave pool and the leisure pool next to it.


Does everything shut down when the storm comes through ?  Where do people go ?


----------



## Sehsun

kaed77 said:


> Does everything shut down when the storm comes through ?  Where do people go ?



Attractions temporarily close when the lightning is a certain distance away from the parks. If it's pouring, I've seen guests hang out in their cabanas/premium seating (if they have it), covered seating at the restaurants, restroom/locker areas, the north beach pavilion.


----------



## kaed77

Sehsun said:


> Attractions temporarily close when the lightning is a certain distance away from the parks. If it's pouring, I've seen guests hang out in their cabanas/premium seating (if they have it), covered seating at the restaurants, restroom/locker areas, the north beach pavilion.


Do the umbrellas over the regular chairs keep you dry or does the water go right through ?


----------



## Sehsun

kaed77 said:


> Do the umbrellas over the regular chairs keep you dry or does the water go right through ?



Have not personally tested them out, but I would think they keep you dry. The umbrella material is pretty solid. Would probably do well in a light-medium rain but probably not during heavy sideways rain.


----------



## TheGatekeeper

The umbrellas will keep you dry, but you're at a water park  so imo, keeping your stuff dry is more important than keeping yourself dry.  I would toss a garbage bag in your day bag to put your stuff in just in case a downpour comes and it looks like it may be a long one and you want to leave.  
Also, while the umbrellas are waterproof, they're not really big enough to make waiting a significant amount of time under them that comfortable.  Not to me, anyway.


----------



## georgina

Thats why I pick a chair near the dragon boat bar. I have headed there to wait out rain.


----------



## LORIANN

Does anyone know if cabana rental gives me early entry?


----------



## cschaaf

Anyone have experience wearing swim ear plugs at VB? I had a bad ear infection that I got over about a month ago and, this morning, my ENT recommended using ear plugs when swimming.

I was thinking about these with the string to help reduce the chance of losing them.


----------



## yellowfish78

LORIANN said:


> Does anyone know if cabana rental gives me early entry?


Nope.


----------



## jbrinkm

I just called to check on Cabana prices for a Tuesday towards the end of August and a small lower was $450 (a small upper was $550). Ooof, not paying that much, especially since we'll probably leave in the afternoon.


----------



## mastersenton

jbrinkm said:


> I just called to check on Cabana prices for a Tuesday towards the end of August and a small lower was $450 (a small upper was $550). Ooof, not paying that much, especially since we'll probably leave in the afternoon.


Crazy my reservation was near the end of august and I only paid $250


----------



## cschaaf

jbrinkm said:


> I just called to check on Cabana prices for a Tuesday towards the end of August and a small lower was $450 (a small upper was $550). Ooof, not paying that much, especially since we'll probably leave in the afternoon.


I paid $200 for the premium seats for next week with the thought that we'd probably stay a bit longer if we had those. But now I wonder if I put us in a situation where we feel like we HAVE to stay . I'm turning into my dad. That was our vacations growing up - 'we paid for the whole day, we're staying the whole day... even if we hate it'


----------



## jbrinkm

cschaaf said:


> I paid $200 for the premium seats for next week with the thought that we'd probably stay a bit longer if we had those. But now I wonder if I put us in a situation where we feel like we HAVE to stay . I'm turning into my dad. That was our vacations growing up - 'we paid for the whole day, we're staying the whole day... even if we hate it'


----------



## MudraOf3

Can you link multiple Tapu-Tapus to a single Photopass Package? We are party of 10 and wondering if this can be done..  TIA


----------



## Coach Holden

This will be our first time to VB first week of August. I think we’re dedicating Tuesday to be a full day there.  I’m not familiar with how fast virtual times are gone on some of the top tier attractions there… With that in mind and In comparison to the other Universal parks,  How necessary is the Express Pass at VB?


----------



## 03GirlsMom

Coach Holden said:


> This will be our first time to VB first week of August. I think we’re dedicating Tuesday to be a full day there.  I’m not familiar with how fast virtual times are gone on some of the top tier attractions there… With that in mind and In comparison to the other Universal parks,  How necessary is the Express Pass at VB?


I think it's all a matter of opinion. We were there during spring break crowds in April and I didn't find the EPs at VB to be worth it. Only Krakatau was long (1.5 hour wait in most cases) but we got there for EE and were able to ride it twice before the park opened to the public. Everything else was manageable (20-30 min) until later afternoon. By then, we had done everything we had wanted to anyway. Plus, the virtual queues here are incredibly efficient. We spent time in both lazy rivers and in the wave pool in-between slides so the time went by really quickly.

I have seen others post that EPs are absolutely necessary over the summer so I can't comment on that. I will say that we decided against them for our October trip to VB.


----------



## soniam

Coach Holden said:


> This will be our first time to VB first week of August. I think we’re dedicating Tuesday to be a full day there.  I’m not familiar with how fast virtual times are gone on some of the top tier attractions there… With that in mind and In comparison to the other Universal parks,  How necessary is the Express Pass at VB?



If you stay onsite and do Early Entry, EP is not as necessary. I won't be able to provide much feedback, since we will have EP on Thursday. I will try to provide some feedback though.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

Do you have to bring your own towels or are they for free at volcano bay?


----------



## Sehsun

DISNEY FIX said:


> Do you have to bring your own towels or are they for free at volcano bay?



Bring your towels if you can. They have towel rentals at a cost (I believe it's $6 per towel).


----------



## DISNEY FIX

Sehsun said:


> Bring your towels if you can. They have towel rentals at a cost (I believe it's $6 per towel).



Kreiky.....I'll be borrowing them.from the pool. Thanks for the quick reply.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

Are crocks  OK on all the water rides?


----------



## Sehsun

DISNEY FIX said:


> Are crocks  OK on all the water rides?



You will have to remove them for any body slides (where there is no raft). But otherwise I think you'd be okay. Every ride has little unsecured "cubbies" (made out of rope) where you can store shoes and other small items.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

Thank you!


----------



## DLgal

We are going in late August and getting the basic VB express passes. For only $20, I'd like to be able to get on all the rides in quick succession just in case of the afternoon thunderstorm, plus the fact that we will NOT be arriving within the first hour or 2 of park opening. We like to sleep in. I don't want to have to tap in and wait an hour between every ride.


----------



## DISNEY FIX

Noob here...once you tap for a ride you can't go on anther ride and just wait on line?


----------



## Naomeri

DISNEY FIX said:


> Noob here...once you tap for a ride you can't go on anther ride and just wait on line?


My understanding is that you can do the two rivers and the wave pool, as well as any slide listed as “ride now” without losing your place in whatever virtual line you’re tapped into.


----------



## DLgal

DISNEY FIX said:


> Noob here...once you tap for a ride you can't go on anther ride and just wait on line?



For the most part, no. You can go in the rivers or wave pool, but if the park is pretty full and every ride has a wait time, you can only tap into one ride at a time. Things like the water coaster can have hours long wait times and then once you tap in, you have to wait until you ride it to tap into another ride. That can waste a lot of time.


----------



## mlayman7

We will be coming down the week of Thanksgiving this year. We had a great time at VB a couple months ago, what is November like for a water park? Anyone been around that week? I know the theme parks will be packed. Think VB will be too?


----------



## georgina

mlayman7 said:


> We will be coming down the week of Thanksgiving this year. We had a great time at VB a couple months ago, what is November like for a water park? Anyone been around that week? I know the theme parks will be packed. Think VB will be too?


May not be a direct comparison, hard to predict travel this year, but we were there the weekend after Thanksgiving 2018. It was sunny but cool, so we went for a few hours in the afternoon. I don't recall it being super busy, I was with a bunch of young adult family members and they had a good time. The temperature may affect crowd level.

They were running a ticket special while we were there; it may have been for AP holders (not positive), but I was able to buy them 2 days at VB for the price of one, so we went Friday and Sunday afternoons.


----------



## Nickb23

Do they ever close due to rain (not thunder and lightning)?


----------



## DLgal

Does anyone know if there is a planned seasonal closure of VB scheduled for this year/early next year?


----------



## DLgal

Nickb23 said:


> Do they ever close due to rain (not thunder and lightning)?



I would think not, unless it's the type of relentless rain and wind that accompanies a tropical system. I know they have closed for the day in those types of situations.


----------



## Sehsun

Nickb23 said:


> Do they ever close due to rain (not thunder and lightning)?



What @DLgal said. At most I have seen them close a couple hours early if the rain is continuous. 





DLgal said:


> Does anyone know if there is a planned seasonal closure of VB scheduled for this year/early next year?



I have not heard anything about this yet. Last year was an exception.


----------



## RushDawg

mlayman7 said:


> A few downsides with the cabana though includes; we had early entry but by the time we were brought to our cabana the early entry time period was over halfway over so it cut down on the time we had before the park was open to other guests.


I have a cabana for October and am worried about just this, missing all the early entry time while getting set up.  I guess we could ride first then sign into our cabana later.  Is there a good place to dump our stuff while we did that.  This is our first time at VB.


----------



## mlayman7

RushDawg said:


> I have a cabana for October and am worried about just this, missing all the early entry time while getting set up.  I guess we could ride first then sign into our cabana later.  Is there a good place to dump our stuff while we did that.  This is our first time at VB.



If we rent a cabana again we would go right in, place our stuff in some chairs right as you get to the wave pool (plenty of places to put your stuff for that first hour) which is right next to the cabana check in hut, then get on the busy rides for that first 60 minutes. As soon as the big rides no longer have the ride now option, we would check in to our cabana. We went the week of the 4th of July, which I imagine is one of the busiest weeks for VB and walking around noticed plenty of available seats spread throughout the park at all times during the day.


----------



## cschaaf

mlayman7 said:


> If we rent a cabana again we would go right in, place our stuff in some chairs right as you get to the wave pool (plenty of places to put your stuff for that first hour) which is right next to the cabana check in hut, then get on the busy rides for that first 60 minutes. As soon as the big rides no longer have the ride now option, we would check in to our cabana. We went the week of the 4th of July, which I imagine is one of the busiest weeks for VB and walking around noticed plenty of available seats spread throughout the park at all times during the day.


Sounds like a good plan. We did Premium Seating and there was only one person in front of us., so it didn't take long. Unfortunately, when we walked back to the Aqua Coaster, there was some maintenance going on and it wasn't open. We chose to wait it out figuring the wait would only get longer.

We were there on a sold out day in late July and when we walked around the park, we were looking for good places for the free seating - by 11 or so, there were no empty chairs in the large seating areas and anywhere in the front of the park. There were smaller, quieter corners of the park that had a few empty chairs.


----------



## cschaaf

cschaaf said:


> Sounds like a good plan. We did Premium Seating and there was only one person in front of us., so it didn't take long. Unfortunately, when we walked back to the Aqua Coaster, there was some maintenance going on and it wasn't open. We chose to wait it out figuring the wait would only get longer.
> 
> We were there on a sold out day in late July and when we walked around the park, we were looking for good places for the free seating - by 11 or so, there were no empty chairs in the large seating areas and anywhere in the front of the park. There were smaller, quieter corners of the park that had a few empty chairs.


Sorry, wanted to amend this... not that there were no empty chairs, we couldn't find 2 open chairs next to each other. There were some solo open chairs here and there.


----------



## WriterGina

We are at VB today. Got the first bus from Royal Pacific at around 8:30 for early entry and were near the front of the tapstiles when they were opened right at 9. We were #3 at the concierge to get our cabana, checked in very quickly and escorted right back to our preferred one, #6. It’s perfect! Second level cabana with gorgeous views of the wave pool and volcano on one side and the kid zone on the other. We had plenty of time to ride Krakatau twice with no wait and then the Honu and Ika Moana slides as well. Wonderful day!!


----------



## jbrinkm

We were there yesterday and the park was glorious. One of the attendants said there were fewer than 1000 people in the park, which I guess is unusual... And it was overcast (but still warm!) so the lines & walkways weren't too bad. We sat in a shaded spot near the Dragons bar and I wasn't thrilled with it for my family. I would pick the back or the other side for teenagers who want closer access to thrill slides. Also, there were always tons of people waiting for the exit of the big drop floor tube slide, so we just were looking at people's backsides all day. AND, on that note, there were a bunch of bathing suits there that I would not consider "family friendly." I won't go into more specifics, other than I was surprised some of them were even allowed. I wasn't expecting that at all.


----------



## soniam

jbrinkm said:


> We were there yesterday and the park was glorious. One of the attendants said there were fewer than 1000 people in the park, which I guess is unusual... And it was overcast (but still warm!) so the lines & walkways weren't too bad. We sat in a shaded spot near the Dragons bar and I wasn't thrilled with it for my family. I would pick the back or the other side for teenagers who want closer access to thrill slides. Also, there were always tons of people waiting for the exit of the big drop floor tube slide, so we just were looking at people's backsides all day. AND, on that note, there were a bunch of bathing suits there that I would not consider "family friendly." I won't go into more specifics, other than I was surprised some of them were even allowed. I wasn't expecting that at all.


We saw a lot of those bikinis as well. I thought they were from Brazil due to the skimpy suits. However, they were drinking mate, which makes me think they were from Paraguay or Uruguay. I saw one that had gotten a bad burn. Ouch! That's a rough spot for a burn.


----------



## musika

I have officially read the whole (!!) thread and feel pretty confident my question hasn't been answered. 

How's the park for younger kids? We currently have an almost 10 yo and a 6 yo, who are likely to be almost 11 and 7 by the time we're allowed in. The 6yo is currently 42in so probably won't be more than 48in at time of travel. I don't think any of us have a huge interest in the drop slides (aside from my kamikaze baby but he will be too short). DH is on the fluffy side and concerned about weight limits on slides.  

Is it still worth going? What would be the most fun for us to do aside from the rivers and the coaster?


----------



## 03GirlsMom

musika said:


> I have officially read the whole (!!) thread and feel pretty confident my question hasn't been answered.
> 
> How's the park for younger kids? We currently have an almost 10 yo and a 6 yo, who are likely to be almost 11 and 7 by the time we're allowed in. The 6yo is currently 42in so probably won't be more than 48in at time of travel. I don't think any of us have a huge interest in the drop slides (aside from my kamikaze baby but he will be too short). DH is on the fluffy side and concerned about weight limits on slides.
> 
> Is it still worth going? What would be the most fun for us to do aside from the rivers and the coaster?


My 3rd child was 6 (now 7) when we went this past spring and just barely measured 48" for that trip. She was hesitant on the water coaster but did ultimately end up loving it once we got her on. She did the family raft slides (those that seat multiple people) and spent the rest of her time in the lazy river and wave pools. If my youngest would have been there, I'm sure she would have loved joining him in the kiddie areas, too.

Volcano Bay has easily become one of my favorite water parks for the sole reason that there is SO much to do regardless of age or interest. My kids ages span from 11 down to 2 with varying tolerances for water slides and there is enough to keep each of them entertained for the entire day. This is typically rare for our family. I literally have to drag them out of the park at closing; we shut the place down during our last visit. I would definitely recommend giving it a try!


----------



## gumbypee

Hi guys

I am a universal two park AP holder.  Going to volcano bay for very first time this coming Sunday or Monday.  Leaning towards Monday.  I have a few questions (I tried reading previous posts but 73 pages is a lot lol)

1) do most people rent a locker to put valuables-phones, wallet, keys in?

2) I have the app and already have a credit card linked-I think I need my ticket before I can link it to the tapu tapu, right?

3) is it a good idea to buy ticket in advance or at the gate is fine?

I thought I had more questions but this is all I can think of right now.

thank you!!!!!


----------



## gumbypee

Do i have to park at city walk garages and take a bus over?  If so, how early do I need to be there to get to park opening at 10 am

oh and do I get free parking still or not since my annual pass is only two parks?

thabks


----------



## Mr. Drauer

gumbypee said:


> Do i have to park at city walk garages and take a bus over?  If so, how early do I need to be there to get to park opening at 10 am
> 
> oh and do I get free parking still or not since my annual pass is only two parks?
> 
> thabks


yes - park at City Walk.  Yes free parking.  They will direct you to the correct garage for VB.
9:00 - 9:20 depending on how crowded things are. You still have to take a short bus ride from the garage to the park.

If you have a CC linked to the app, it should be able to link to TapuTapu. You can link the ticket to the app first.  you can buy at the gate or in advance, or at the gate, but it takes a little more time to wait in line at the gate.

you can get a locker if you want, or keep your stuff at your chairs.  We don't get a locker ever.  Others do.


----------



## gumbypee

Mr. Drauer said:


> yes - park at City Walk.  Yes free parking.  They will direct you to the correct garage for VB.
> 9:00 - 9:20 depending on how crowded things are. You still have to take a short bus ride from the garage to the park.
> 
> If you have a CC linked to the app, it should be able to link to TapuTapu. You can link the ticket to the app first.  you can buy at the gate or in advance, or at the gate, but it takes a little more time to wait in line at the gate.
> 
> you can get a locker if you want, or keep your stuff at your chairs.  We don't get a locker ever.  Others do.



Thank you so much! You rock!!


----------



## Princess Michele

We are thinking of going to Volcano Bay for the first time on our trip next summer.  I read through some of the previous posts and Universal's website but did not find much information on Waturi Beach.  My DS who will be 15 loves the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon.  He is not a big fan of most slides and prefers the lazy rivers and wave pools.  How do the waves at Waturi Beach compare to Disney's wave pools?   Thanks for any information.


----------



## Mr. Drauer

Princess Michele said:


> We are thinking of going to Volcano Bay for the first time on our trip next summer.  I read through some of the previous posts and Universal's website but did not find much information on Waturi Beach.  My DS who will be 15 loves the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon.  He is not a big fan of most slides and prefers the lazy rivers and wave pools.  How do the waves at Waturi Beach compare to Disney's wave pools?   Thanks for any information.


waves are the bobbing wave type like Blizzard Beach - not the big surf wave like Typhoon.  VB has both a regular lazy river and a "fast" river which you wear a life vest and cruise it (no tubes).


----------



## Princess Michele

Mr. Drauer said:


> waves are the bobbing wave type like Blizzard Beach - not the big surf wave like Typhoon.  VB has both a regular lazy river and a "fast" river which you wear a life vest and cruise it (no tubes).


Thanks for the information.  I guess I will need to see if DS would be interested if the waves are more like Blizzard Beach.


----------



## BabiesDaddy

For anyone wondering about pricing, we booked 1 premium seating (2 chairs) for Oct 13th. It was $106 with tax. Didn't seem bad compared to the $532 cabana rental.


----------



## zbsigpi

Going next week, are pub subs allowed with a soft sided cooler?


----------



## Hopscotch

Is it possible to leave the park and walk over to Cabana Bay to have lunch by their pool or in their food court?  We are staying at a different Universal resort.  From what I recall the walk was pretty short?


----------



## georgina

Hopscotch said:


> Is it possible to leave the park and walk over to Cabana Bay to have lunch by their pool or in their food court?  We are staying at a different Universal resort.  From what I recall the walk was pretty short?


The walk is very short, you should be able to walk over and have lunch at the Bayliner Diner (pool access requires a CB room key I think). You would have to then take a bus from CB to city walk, can’t get back to VB without a CB room key. (If you were thinking of going for lunch and then back to VB it won’t work)


----------



## snoopboop

georgina said:


> The walk is very short, you should be able to walk over and have lunch at the Bayliner Diner (pool access requires a CB room key I think). *You would have to then take a bus from CB to city walk, can’t get back to VB without a CB room key.* (If you were thinking of going for lunch and then back to VB it won’t work)


Or walk to Aventura from CB, and take the Garden Walk path from Aventura to VB. I think you can get through that one with ANY UO onsite hotel key, not just Aventura.


----------



## georgina

snoopboop said:


> Or walk to Aventura from CB, and take the Garden Walk path from Aventura to VB. I think you can get through that one with ANY UO onsite hotel key, not just Aventura.


Interesting. I was not aware of that!


----------



## Hopscotch

georgina said:


> The walk is very short, you should be able to walk over and have lunch at the Bayliner Diner (pool access requires a CB room key I think). You would have to then take a bus from CB to city walk, can’t get back to VB without a CB room key. (If you were thinking of going for lunch and then back to VB it won’t work)





snoopboop said:


> Or walk to Aventura from CB, and take the Garden Walk path from Aventura to VB. I think you can get through that one with ANY UO onsite hotel key, not just Aventura.




Okay, thanks so much.

I though t you used to be able to pool hop at Universal if you were staying on-site.  Is that no longer the case?


----------



## soniam

Hopscotch said:


> Okay, thanks so much.
> 
> I though t you used to be able to pool hop at Universal if you were staying on-site.  Is that no longer the case?



I think that stopped that with covid, but I don't know if it has resumed.


----------



## mamapenguin

Hopscotch said:


> Okay, thanks so much.
> 
> I though t you used to be able to pool hop at Universal if you were staying on-site.  Is that no longer the case?


Yes you can pool hop. I was told in July that you could and to go to the front desk of the hotel with the pool you want to visit and they will make you a key to access the pool.


----------



## Withnail

What kind of wait times do you typically have on a September weekday at Volcano Bay?


----------



## karly05

Do you choose your Tapu Tapu color, or are you just given a random color?


----------



## Sehsun

Withnail said:


> What kind of wait times do you typically have on a September weekday at Volcano Bay?



I was hoping someone would chime in, as it varies. But I would say that weekdays generally have decent wait times. In September, things are slowly starting to slow down at VB. If the park has a 5:00 closing time, it seems to be more of a low-crowd day.



karly05 said:


> Do you choose your Tapu Tapu color, or are you just given a random color?



You are given a random color.


----------



## DVCKev

Talk about inflation, I just booked a stand alone cabana for our trip next summer and it was $699 for a Sunday in the middle of August, just wow!


----------



## Rory607

DVCKev said:


> Talk about inflation, I just booked a stand alone cabana for our trip next summer and it was $699 for a Sunday in the middle of August, just wow!


Omg! That is not in our budget and I wouldn’t pay it even if it was. That is highway robbery.


----------



## NJlauren

My girls will be 8 and 4, is the 4 year old going to enjoy Volcano Bay?  I want to make sure this is the right water park to check out with her this up coming trip.


----------



## mnmmoney

Cabana question.  We are a party of 5 adults a 5 year old and a 1 1/2 year old …. Can we still get a 6 person cabana will they count the baby?


----------



## Claudia1

mnmmoney said:


> Cabana question.  We are a party of 5 adults a 5 year old and a 1 1/2 year old …. Can we still get a 6 person cabana will they count the baby?


We were told that they only count ticketed guests when we booked for last June.   They don't ticket guests under the age of 3.  We ended up not taking the little ones (got an in-room sitter) so I can't confirm that for sure but I was told by 2 Universal people that they would not count.


----------



## tiggergalttfn

Hello everyone! Visiting Universal for the 1st time end of March.  Trip will be for my family of 4, 2 adults and kids 13, 15. We will be spending 1 day at Volcano Bay and have a few questions:

1) Don't see hours listed yet but will be going to VB on a Sunday and won't be able to arrive until about 11 am and seems most days it closes at 5 pm. I know we won't be able to do everything but in that amount of time should we be able to still enjoy? 

2) If we don't do premium seating (looking at the prices don't think I want to spend the $$ there) because of arriving later will we even be able to find seats?

3) When we leave VB if we want to go to City Walk for dinner do we have to take the shuttle back to the parking or can we walk there?


----------



## BroadwayHermione5

tiggergalttfn said:


> Hello everyone! Visiting Universal for the 1st time end of March.  Trip will be for my family of 4, 2 adults and kids 13, 15. We will be spending 1 day at Volcano Bay and have a few questions:
> 
> 1) Don't see hours listed yet but will be going to VB on a Sunday and won't be able to arrive until about 11 am and seems most days it closes at 5 pm. I know we won't be able to do everything but in that amount of time should we be able to still enjoy?
> 
> 2) If we don't do premium seating (looking at the prices don't think I want to spend the $$ there) because of arriving later will we even be able to find seats?
> 
> 3) When we leave VB if we want to go to City Walk for dinner do we have to take the shuttle back to the parking or can we walk there?


Ok so I actually highly recommend the cabana at VB-I know they are pricey but they are worth it. You have your own Tapu tape, get a breakfast platter, towels, water, a safe. It’s very worth it.
You would have to take the shuttle to City Walk as it’s a rather long walk


----------



## Sehsun

tiggergalttfn said:


> Hello everyone! Visiting Universal for the 1st time end of March.  Trip will be for my family of 4, 2 adults and kids 13, 15. We will be spending 1 day at Volcano Bay and have a few questions:
> 
> 1) Don't see hours listed yet but will be going to VB on a Sunday and won't be able to arrive until about 11 am and seems most days it closes at 5 pm. I know we won't be able to do everything but in that amount of time should we be able to still enjoy?
> 
> 2) If we don't do premium seating (looking at the prices don't think I want to spend the $$ there) because of arriving later will we even be able to find seats?
> 
> 3) When we leave VB if we want to go to City Walk for dinner do we have to take the shuttle back to the parking or can we walk there?



@BroadwayHermione5 covered things well. I wanted to add a couple things:

- At the end of March, the park could possibly close at 6:00 or even 7:00. When you see a park close of 5:00 pm, that’s usually for non-peak days. Usually in March, and especially if it’s a weekend, the park might close a bit later than 5:00.

- It might be harder to find seating arriving later in the day, but you should be able to find seating towards the back of the park if the front is crowded. There is a path that goes from the smoking section (near Whakawaiwai Eats) to the entrance of Maku Puihi where there are lounge chairs scattered throughout.

- The walk to CityWalk is long but could be done. To get to that walkway to CW, after leaving VB, you would have to go through the Cabana Bay or Aventura gates.


----------



## bocaj1431

yellowfish78 said:


> Nope.


cabanna rental does come with early entry.  I just paid for a Cabanna rental for March and was told that is one of the features offered.


----------



## bocaj1431

LORIANN said:


> Does anyone know if cabana rental gives me early entry?


Yes it does.  I booked for March and was told that is a feature of booking a Cabanna


----------



## bocaj1431

We booked a Cabana for 5 people in March. I just found out two more family members will be going to the park that day.  Do they increase the price if there are 6 people instead of 5? If we end up with 7 is that allowed?


----------



## NoRagrets

How crowded has Volcano Bay typically been in the winter months? Especially on days when it’s less than 80 degrees out. Just curious to know what to potentially expect in terms of crowds if I visit on a day when it’s in the 70s, and whether I’d see a noticeable difference if I visit on a weekend vs a weekday. Thanks!


----------



## Sehsun

NoRagrets said:


> How crowded has Volcano Bay typically been in the winter months? Especially on days when it’s less than 80 degrees out. Just curious to know what to potentially expect in terms of crowds if I visit on a day when it’s in the 70s, and whether I’d see a noticeable difference if I visit on a weekend vs a weekday. Thanks!



Those are the best times for low crowd levels.

I still feel like even with weather in the 70s or lower, the weekdays might be slightly less busier.


----------



## mamapenguin

Nvm…I clearly need my vacation to hurry up and get here.


----------



## coronationday

Are the Cabanas and Premium seating price in the lower end in the beginning of January?


----------



## Kitch280

Has anyone heard of an upper cabana cost at $780?  We called for 4/20 and were told only upper available…for $780.  My other question is, does it make sense to book and then keep  calling to check availability and see if the price changes? I feel like this is an insane cost.


----------



## ladyderks

Kitch280 said:


> Has anyone heard of an upper cabana cost at $780?  We called for 4/20 and were told only upper available…for $780.  My other question is, does it make sense to book and then keep  calling to check availability and see if the price changes? I feel like this is an insane cost.


Wow! I just booked an upper and a lower (family cabanas were both taken for my dates) on a Tuesday in September - cost for both the upper and lower was $199 (each). That’s a huge price difference!


----------



## soniam

Kitch280 said:


> Has anyone heard of an upper cabana cost at $780?  We called for 4/20 and were told only upper available…for $780.  My other question is, does it make sense to book and then keep  calling to check availability and see if the price changes? I feel like this is an insane cost.





ladyderks said:


> Wow! I just booked an upper and a lower (family cabanas were both taken for my dates) on a Tuesday in September - cost for both the upper and lower was $199 (each). That’s a huge price difference!



There is a huge difference in crowds in September versus a day in April near Easter. I think prices have increased for the same day before due to demand, but I don't know if prices ever decrease.


----------



## MMSM

soniam said:


> There is a huge difference in crowds in September versus a day in April near Easter. I think prices have increased for the same day before due to demand, but I don't know if prices ever decrease.


$780 for a family cabana?


----------



## soniam

MMSM said:


> $780 for a family cabana?


I believe I have seen close to that quoted before. I have never bought a cabana though.


----------



## soniam

@MMSM Here are some posts with rates that are comparable. Also, if you booked it recently, then it's getting much closer, where prices tend to increase.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63599033https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63140735https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63177790https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63031552https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63094050https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63041375https://www.disboards.com/threads/volcano-bay-info-and-question-thread.3608057/post-63033071


----------



## youngdeb12

Just booked a family cabana for 10/17.  The person I initially spoke to said most of June/July and August were already booked up for cabanas.  I was quoted $799 for Sunday 10/16 and $599 for Monday or Tuesday 10/17-18 for the family cabana.  I believe the smaller ones were still $449 for the week day.  $499 for the Sunday.  Weekends are obviously more expensive and it seems that there is certainly a demand for them right now.


----------



## MMSM

Just booked a preferred seating area for $213 for Easter Sunday.  A single cabana was quoted to me for $789.  I got it purely for early entry (we are offsite). However someone just wrote on other board that early entry only 30 min. Is this correct?  I couldn’t fathom getting the express passes. They were $119 each


----------



## soniam

MMSM said:


> Just booked a preferred seating area for $213 for Easter Sunday.  A single cabana was quoted to me for $789.  I got it purely for early entry (we are offsite). However someone just wrote on other board that early entry only 30 min. Is this correct?  I couldn’t fathom getting the express passes. They were $119 each


Yes, it's technically only 30 minutes. It's listed on the website. However, they could open earlier if they are expecting crowds. You can get a lot done in that 30 minutes. I would rather stay at an onsite hotel though to get early entry, then to pay ~$800 for a cabana, unless I wanted a cabana. We have done the premium seating every time and have enjoyed it.

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission


----------



## pigletgirl

We have not been to Volcano Bay. The park map seems a bit confusing. I don't think its necessary (or is it?) for preferred seating for the second week in May. What is our best bet in terms of where we should sit in the park? I'd ideally like to go in the opposite direction of the crowds. We are staying onsite (Cabana Bay) so we will have an easy walk over.

Thanks for all your help!


----------



## WonderKid

I would base your seating decision on where you think you will spend most of your time.  If you like the big wave pool, head straight to the big beach.  If you like 1-2 person water slides and/or the fearless river, head to the left of the volcano to the back of the park (this area does not always open with early admission).  If you like 4-5 person water slides and Krakatau, the lazy river, or want easy access to the kiddie area, head to the right of the volcano.  I would think that preferred seating is not a necessity for second week in May.


----------



## ADisneyQueen

Can someone show me a picture or tell me where to get a cooler that is 8×6.5×6.5 inches?That seems so tiny. Even the small lunchbag one measures too big for the parks.


----------



## iona

Just to add another couple of price points:

Yesterday I booked an upper cabana on Monday 10/3 for $225 + tax.

I also asked about premium seating for Wednesday 10/5. That would have been $119 + tax.


----------



## hhoope01

For that small a price difference, I'd choose the Cabana every time.  Great find.


----------



## ChrisM

Adding on to the price points...

Was delaying our decision on when we were going to hit Volcano Bay to puzzle out the weather until the day before we decided to visit, so prices were going to be at a premium.

We ended up buying a single set of premium seats (so the two loungers plus lock box) on Tuesday, 3/22 for a visit the next day on Wed, 3/23.  Total cost was $159.

Were near the front of the line for 9am Early Entry - second person at the nearest Concierge Desk upon entry, and one of the first groups seated once making our way from there to the Premium Seating check in stand.  That ate up 20 minutes of our Early Entry time before we were walking over to Krakatau.  Still managed to get one ride in (with about a 5 minute wait) before regular park open.


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## youngdeb12

Question regarding checking in at the concierge desk.  We have a family cabana rented for October.  Since there are only 2 and they are located near Krakatau, would it make sense to head to the concierge desk towards the volcano and River Village or is it open right away?  Trying to avoid waiting in a long lineup.


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## neverenoughtime

Does premium seating need to be reserved in advance?  For the first time we are staying at Cabana Bay and trying to decide if we need the premium seating or not. It looks like the walk back to the hotel is pretty close. Just don't know how feasible it is to walk back and forth during the day.


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## robl45

neverenoughtime said:


> Does premium seating need to be reserved in advance?  For the first time we are staying at Cabana Bay and trying to decide if we need the premium seating or not. It looks like the walk back to the hotel is pretty close. Just don't know how feasible it is to walk back and forth during the day.



I'm a little confused by the question. You seem to imply that you had premium seating before and aren't sure if you need it because cabana bay is closer.  However I would assume you would know how it needs to be reserved if you got it before.  I can just say I've been to volcano bay 3 times, we never had premium seating and we were just fine.  In fact, we really just dropped our bags at the chairs and that was about it.


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## neverenoughtime

robl45 said:


> I'm a little confused by the question. You seem to imply that you had premium seating before and aren't sure if you need it because cabana bay is closer.  However I would assume you would know how it needs to be reserved if you got it before.  I can just say I've been to volcano bay 3 times, we never had premium seating and we were just fine.  In fact, we really just dropped our bags at the chairs and that was about it.


Never had premium seating, I guess what I am asking is the premium seating worth if for people staying at Cabana Bay? I know the cabanas have to be reserved in advance because they sell out quickly, but what about premium seating?


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## robl45

neverenoughtime said:


> Never had premium seating, I guess what I am asking is the premium seating worth if for people staying at Cabana Bay? I know the cabanas have to be reserved in advance because they sell out quickly, but what about premium seating?


its worth it if you plan on using it.  For me as I said, we were never at our seats.


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## Sehsun

neverenoughtime said:


> Never had premium seating, I guess what I am asking is the premium seating worth if for people staying at Cabana Bay? I know the cabanas have to be reserved in advance because they sell out quickly, but what about premium seating?


If you plan on getting one, I would reserve them in advance. I often see them sold out when I pass by the concierge huts.

The premium seating is located just behind the general seating area at the wave pool. I guess this would make it quicker to leave at the end of the day, as it is near the entrance/exit of the park, and therefore quicker to get back to Cabana Bay.


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## SquashBanana

Is it a common practice for people to leave bags unattended on loungers while they are touring the park? I know there's always risk involved in doing so, but I was just wondering if such a practice is out of the ordinary.


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## djmeredith

SquashBanana said:


> Is it a common practice for people to leave bags unattended on loungers while they are touring the park? I know there's always risk involved in doing so, but I was just wondering if such a practice is out of the ordinary.


I left our stuff at our chairs when we went last Labor Day weekend. I was there part of the time, but there was no one at our seats part of the time. Nothing happened to our stuff, but of course there is always a risk.


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## djmeredith

To add another data point about cabana rental prices, I just called to check the price of a cabana for May 31 (day after Memorial Day) and it was $945. That was for an upper or lower.


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## SquashBanana

I have a quick question about swimwear requirements. Does VB allow trunks with zippers or grommets on water slides? I've been to waterparks were they were forbidden on any slide that didn't require a tube. Just curious if VB was the same. Thanks!


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## Chiasgirl

SquashBanana said:


> I have a quick question about swimwear requirements. Does VB allow trunks with zippers or grommets on water slides? I've been to waterparks were they were forbidden on any slide that didn't require a tube. Just curious if VB was the same. Thanks!


We have never had an issue. My son’s trunks have grommets.


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## nurseberta

Can anyone comment about cabanas in the 4-8 location which is right near the volcano/ great views of everything? 
I am specifically wondering if there is anywhere below it to sit on a beach chair in the sand/sun? I like the looks of the location of 21 upper due to the area of private beach directly in front of it.  not sure if its worth the better view, or the beach with more privacy..... 
will def be riding most of the day so not sure if i should even care about the beach chairs


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## djmeredith

I know there are fixed shade structures with lounge chairs under them located around the park (for free, not the cabanas). However, the only locations I remember are at Hammerhead Beach and at the landing for Kala/Tai Nui volcano slides. Does anyone know where there are other fixed shade structures like those?


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## WonderKid

IIRC, umbrellas are located in nearly every seating area.  Try Google Maps satellite view to get a better idea.


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## Sehsun

nurseberta said:


> Can anyone comment about cabanas in the 4-8 location which is right near the volcano/ great views of everything?
> I am specifically wondering if there is anywhere below it to sit on a beach chair in the sand/sun? I like the looks of the location of 21 upper due to the area of private beach directly in front of it.  not sure if its worth the better view, or the beach with more privacy.....
> will def be riding most of the day so not sure if i should even care about the beach chairs


There aren't any chairs directly around cabanas 4-8 like there are for 21. The nearest ones would be the near the secondary entrance for Kopiko Wai (the lazy river) and maybe around the Reef Leisure Pool on the other side of the cabanas (near the entrance to Ko'okiri).


djmeredith said:


> I know there are fixed shade structures with lounge chairs under them located around the park (for free, not the cabanas). However, the only locations I remember are at Hammerhead Beach and at the landing for Kala/Tai Nui volcano slides. Does anyone know where there are other fixed shade structures like those?


Yep, you got it! I know what you're talking about. There is one more - in the sandy seating area between Ohno Ohyah and Bambu (restaurant).


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## djmeredith

More pricing info fyi. We are headed back to UO for Labor Day weekend, and I called to price the VB cabanas. Sat Sept 3 is $452.62 for a single, Sun Sept 4 is $532.49, and Mon (Labor Day) was $239.62. She said all they had available was an ADA compliant cabana, which just means they are lower or single with a ramp. She said there are several of them spread around the park. I decided to spring for a cabana on Labor Day since the price was so good. I have the option to cancel up to 72 hrs before.


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## nurseberta

djmeredith said:


> More pricing info fyi. We are headed back to UO for Labor Day weekend, and I called to price the VB cabanas. Sat Sept 3 is $452.62 for a single, Sun Sept 4 is $532.49, and Mon (Labor Day) was $239.62. She said all they had available was an ADA compliant cabana, which just means they are lower or single with a ramp. She said there are several of them spread around the park. I decided to spring for a cabana on Labor Day since the price was so good. I have the option to cancel up to 72 hrs before.


curious how you got the option to cancel? we just booked for mid september and it was clear the cabanas were non refundable


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## nurseberta

more questions about cabana  rental!
where does the food come from? a certain restaurant? i know there is a limited menu so would a certain cavan location be more convenient on a busy day? do people still go wait in lines to get certain foods? drinks? will the servers fill your coke freestyle cup for you? tia


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## djmeredith

nurseberta said:


> curious how you got the option to cancel? we just booked for mid september and it was clear the cabanas were non refundable


That’s the official policy. I asked what the cancellation policy was and she said 72 hrs. Then I saw it on the website. If you look on the Uni website VB page, there is a link to the Terms and Conditions, which say 72 hrs.


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## hhoope01

nurseberta said:


> more questions about cabana  rental!
> where does the food come from? a certain restaurant? i know there is a limited menu so would a certain cavan location be more convenient on a busy day? do people still go wait in lines to get certain foods? drinks? will the servers fill your coke freestyle cup for you? tia


We haven't rented a cabana since the start of Covid, so things might have changed.   We could order food from some of the restaurants in VB, but not all of them. The cabana attendant can tell you which they can and can't get food for you from.  I remember the kids wanting some tacos, but the cabana attendant would go there for us, but would for other places.  I never asked the attendant to refill our cokes, but my guess would be they wouldn't as the attendant has to service a number of cabanas, not just ours alone.  So they are limited in how much they can do.


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## gottalovepluto

Can you buy VB tickets last minute? (I’m looking to purchase the night before going to VB as I’m flying in the evening before going to VB & the tickets would be useless to me if my flight is cancelled.)


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## lisam70

gottalovepluto said:


> Can you buy VB tickets last minute? (I’m looking to purchase the night before going to VB as I’m flying in the evening before going to VB & the tickets would be useless to me if my flight is cancelled.)


Yes you can purchase them at onsite hotels although the ticket desks usually close around 5-6 pm or can purchase at citywalk or in the morning


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## brad813

Don't know if this has been asked, but does anyone know how they actually handle swim goggles in the parks? I normally wear glasses or contacts, and there are a couple slides I am worried about my contacts getting washed out on.


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## Sehsun

brad813 said:


> Don't know if this has been asked, but does anyone know how they actually handle swim goggles in the parks? I normally wear glasses or contacts, and there are a couple slides I am worried about my contacts getting washed out on.


You should be good to wear them! I prefer wearing my swim goggles at the parks, too, as I felt like I almost had my contacts fall out at a water park once. I wear mine regularly in the rivers and slides, and no one has said anything to me yet.


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## brad813

Sehsun said:


> You should be good to wear them! I prefer wearing my swim goggles at the parks, too, as I felt like I almost had my contacts fall out at a water park once. I wear mine regularly in the rivers and slides, and no one has said anything to me yet.


Aside from the contacts issue, I am under medical advisement to wear sunglasses anytime I am outside during the day time. The right pair of goggles would cover this. I understand some slides may have an issue with it, same as they would with regular glasses, but the big ones I am worried about are Ohyah and Ohno, considering the drop.


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## Sehsun

brad813 said:


> Aside from the contacts issue, I am under medical advisement to wear sunglasses anytime I am outside during the day time. The right pair of goggles would cover this. I understand some slides may have an issue with it, same as they would with regular glasses, but the big ones I am worried about are Ohyah and Ohno, considering the drop.


I think you will be okay. I remember wearing swim goggles on Ohno before because I disintinctly remember seeing the pool when I landed in it.  I feel like goggles would help more than harm on those slides anyway - when I see where I am in the pool, it helps me be less disoriented when I surface.


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## MODisFan

Called today for single family cabana pricing for Sunday, July 23, 2002. $899+ tax. Premium seating $214+ tax. We went with premium seating.


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## gottalovepluto

Anyone been solo lately? I went last year solo and road the water coaster and absolutely hated it because I was on my own and the thing seemed real close to flying off. I’m wondering if that was a Covid thing that strangers didn’t ride together or is that a permanent thing?


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## georgina

gottalovepluto said:


> Anyone been solo lately? I went last year solo and road the water coaster and absolutely hated it because I was on my own and the thing seemed real close to flying off. I’m wondering if that was a Covid thing that strangers didn’t ride together or is that a permanent thing?


I rode solo a few weeks ago. I have been solo pre-covid when I went for EE and there was almost no one there. Haven't had an issue being solo, my favorite ride there! Never felt like it was close to flying off.


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## gottalovepluto

georgina said:


> I rode solo a few weeks ago. I have been solo pre-covid when I went for EE and there was almost no one there. Haven't had an issue being solo, my favorite ride there! Never felt like it was close to flying off.


Hmm, everyone raves about it so nice to see a fellow solo traveler who enjoyed it! Maybe there was just something off that day I went, I’m gonna try again!


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## nurseberta

When Volcano Bay opens for early entry, do you just get in line or do you still have to use tapu tapu


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## djmeredith

nurseberta said:


> When Volcano Bay opens for early entry, do you just get in line or do you still have to use tapu tapu


It depends on how fast the crowd builds. The two times we went, we dropped our stuff on chairs and went straight to Krakatau. Last fall, we were one of the first people in the park and able to ride it twice in a row with no/little wait. By the time we got off the second time, there was a Tapu Tapu wait time. Over Memorial Day this year, we were able to ride once and then it was a 45 minute wait on Tapu when we got finished.


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## nurseberta

djmeredith said:


> It depends on how fast the crowd builds. The two times we went, we dropped our stuff on chairs and went straight to Krakatau. Last fall, we were one of the first people in the park and able to ride it twice in a row with no/little wait. By the time we got off the second time, there was a Tapu Tapu wait time. Over Memorial Day this year, we were able to ride once and then it was a 45 minute wait on Tapu when we got finished.



hmmmmmmmmm, I wonder how that is going to work with us stopping to get our cabana set up


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## soniam

nurseberta said:


> hmmmmmmmmm, I wonder how that is going to work with us stopping to get our cabana set up


Have one person get the cabana and let the other people go to Krakatau.


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## nurseberta

soniam said:


> Have one person get the cabana and let the other people go to Krakatau.


 That is a perfect plan!! except I'll be the one to get the cabana!! lol


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## soniam

nurseberta said:


> That is a perfect plan!! except I'll be the one to get the cabana!! lol


I'm always that person too. Sometimes I have had time to sneak over and get a Krakatau ride in before it gets busy.


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## nurseberta

soniam said:


> I'm always that person too. Sometimes I have had time to sneak over and get a Krakatau ride in before it gets busy.



I wonder how long the line gets for early entry. I don’t mind walking over early because we are staying at Cabana Bay


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## youngdeb12

soniam said:


> I'm always that person too. Sometimes I have had time to sneak over and get a Krakatau ride in before it gets busy.





nurseberta said:


> That is a perfect plan!! except I'll be the one to get the cabana!! lol



I will be that person too.  We have a family cabana booked which is right across from Krakatau so my plan is to get there early so I'm close to the front of the line for the Cabana so we don't lose all of our early entry time.


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## djmeredith

nurseberta said:


> I wonder how long the line gets for early entry. I don’t mind walking over early because we are staying at Cabana Bay


It can be very crowded! On Labor Day last year, we got there over an hour before early entry. There were already 3 or 4 families in line ahead of us. By the time they let us in, it was pretty crowded at the turnstiles. A few months ago on Memorial Day, we got their about 15-20 minutes before early entry and the turnstile area was packed. We were pretty far back but we were still able to drop our stuff and get one ride in before the line built up. 

A tip I saw on here for people getting cabanas is to wait and check in until after you ride Krakatau. People have said they just drop their stuff on regular chairs and then get it after they ride.


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## georgina

nurseberta said:


> I wonder how long the line gets for early entry. I don’t mind walking over early because we are staying at Cabana Bay


It seems a lot busier on weekends and holidays. I have had better luck walking over from CB on weekdays, but I still head over at least 20 mins before EE starts (Along with my coffee from Starbucks). I have never gotten a cabana though.


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## vinotinto

Is Early Entry worth it if we go during a busy time (Columbus Day weekend)? Or is it just super crowded? How was early entry during Labor Day weekend?


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## HopelessRmntc

vinotinto said:


> Is Early Entry worth it if we go during a busy time (Columbus Day weekend)? Or is it just super crowded? How was early entry during Labor Day weekend?


We went every day during Labor Day weekend using early entry and yes it was worth it for my family.  It was around noon when it would start to get too busy and we would leave.  Early entry gave us lots of seating options and ability to get on some slides before it got too crowded.


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## vinotinto

HopelessRmntc said:


> We went every day during Labor Day weekend using early entry and yes it was worth it for my family.  It was around noon when it would start to get too busy and we would leave.  Early entry gave us lots of seating options and ability to get on some slides before it got too crowded.


Sounds great! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!


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## brad813

vinotinto said:


> Is Early Entry worth it if we go during a busy time (Columbus Day weekend)? Or is it just super crowded? How was early entry during Labor Day weekend?


Bear in mind Volcano Bay may or may not open on Columbus Day this year. Right now, the city of Orlando is under water restrictions due to sewage seepage caused by the hurricane, so it may not be open on October 10th. Make sure you keep check on that.


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## vinotinto

brad813 said:


> Bear in mind Volcano Bay may or may not open on Columbus Day this year. Right now, the city of Orlando is under water restrictions due to sewage seepage caused by the hurricane, so it may not be open on October 10th. Make sure you keep check on that.


I had no idea! I had seen it reopened on Sept 30th so assumed it would be open. So, it may close again?


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## brad813

vinotinto said:


> I had no idea! I had seen it reopened on Sept 30th so assumed it would be open. So, it may close again?


I'm saying you just have to keep an eye on things because there is a developing situation with repairs in Orlando and the surrounding areas. I'm not sure on the power grid right now, but I do know there was some damage to the sewer system and water lines and internet has been down. If there are changes to the operating schedule, they will post them on the Universal website. Just keep check and be prepared for sudden changes.


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## vinotinto

brad813 said:


> I'm saying you just have to keep an eye on things because there is a developing situation with repairs in Orlando and the surrounding areas. I'm not sure on the power grid right now, but I do know there was some damage to the sewer system and water lines and internet has been down. If there are changes to the operating schedule, they will post them on the Universal website. Just keep check and be prepared for sudden changes.


Thank you! I would have not thought to keep an eye on it, but I will. That would impact the type of pass we renew. We were thinking of upgrading from 2-park to 3-pass, and I was going to do it before our trip so I would not spend time on that during the trip, but I’m now going to wait.


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## brad813

vinotinto said:


> Thank you! I would have not thought to keep an eye on it, but I will. That would impact the type of pass we renew. We were thinking of upgrading from 2-park to 3-pass, and I was going to do it before our trip so I would not spend time on that during the trip, but I’m now going to wait.


It is an unusual situation, and Orlando rarely has this much damage from hurricanes. That said, you can easily do the upgrade when you have a spare moment, at a hotel desk(if staying on property), or at the CityWalk ticket booth(if paid in full). If you see an opportunity to go, I would upgrade the day before. We should know something on the most critical repairs to the area by midweek at the latest. I have friends in the area so I am getting information a little at a time.


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## iona

Is anyone else looking to book a cabana/premium seating for a 2023 trip? If so, maybe we could keep each other updated on when they’ve been released for booking (I was told maybe later this month…)?


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## dspads

Trying to plan for our trip in June. We will be staying at DVC and doing 3 or 4 days of Disney. We want to hit Universal and VB also. We were there in 2018 so somewhat familiar, and are OK that we will not be able to do everything. Was thinking of  getting a 2-day/3 park ticket (park to park) so we can do 1.5 days US/IOS and half day at VB. We really liked VB, even if just mostly to chill in wave pool/river, but I think we may have trouble hitting the rides we want at US/IOA if we just did one day (and a full day VB).

Looking for pros and going  to  VB morning vs afternoon. I guess we would need a locker to store our stuff, unless we go all the way back to our actual car, and I don’t recall how out of the way that may or may not be. Any tips or ideas are appreciated.


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## soniam

dspads said:


> Trying to plan for our trip in June. We will be staying at DVC and doing 3 or 4 days of Disney. We want to hit Universal and VB also. We were there in 2018 so somewhat familiar, and are OK that we will not be able to do everything. Was thinking of  getting a 2-day/3 park ticket (park to park) so we can do 1.5 days US/IOS and half day at VB. We really liked VB, even if just mostly to chill in wave pool/river, but I think we may have trouble hitting the rides we want at US/IOA if we just did one day (and a full day VB).
> 
> Looking for pros and going  to  VB morning vs afternoon. I guess we would need a locker to store our stuff, unless we go all the way back to our actual car, and I don’t recall how out of the way that may or may not be. Any tips or ideas are appreciated.


Mornings are less busy, unless you go in the late afternoon/evening. You have to take a bus from the parking garage to VB, so going back to your car is a big ordeal. Lockers are easily rentable. If you haven't been to UO in a while and don't have express pass, then you probably need those 1.5 days.


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## sipnride

iona said:


> Is anyone else looking to book a cabana/premium seating for a 2023 trip? If so, maybe we could keep each other updated on when they’ve been released for booking (I was told maybe later this month…)?


Where are you staying?


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## iona

sipnride said:


> Where are you staying?


We’ll be at Portofino Bay.


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## sipnride

iona said:


> We’ll be at Portofino Bay.


Sorry meant that for dspads


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## cdunn03

iona said:


> Is anyone else looking to book a cabana/premium seating for a 2023 trip? If so, maybe we could keep each other updated on when they’ve been released for booking (I was told maybe later this month…)?


I am!! If you hear anything let me know!


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## Wells Larsen

cdunn03 said:


> I am!! If you hear anything let me know!


@iona @cdunn03
For what it's worth, I just called to book for December 2023 and they said they only were able to reserve through November 2023.
*Edit* Just to know the price I called back. Nov 30th - $324.99


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## iona

We’re leaning towards not booking for April as prices for an upper cabana are:
Monday 4/24 - $649
Tuesday 4/25 - $549
Wednesday 4/26 - $549


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## georgina

Anyone going in the next couple of weeks, the wave pool is closed for refurbishment. All walled off, no sounding gong. I still had a good morning there, no crowds at all. No waits for anything.


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## cdunn03

Wells Larsen said:


> @iona @cdunn03
> For what it's worth, I just called to book for December 2023 and they said they only were able to reserve through November 2023.
> *Edit* Just to know the price I called back. Nov 30th - $324.99


Thanks!


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