Volcano Bay

[TotalOrlando]

We enjoyed seeing the scale of the new water park, and the quality of the slides and rides.
Sure, it was a little worrying that so much needed fixing, but, that will undoubtedly get fixed very soon.
I kind of felt sorry for the people involved. They were busting their bits off to make the resort as ready as possible.

Written differently, they launched a few weeks sooner than ready, but, in a month's time, this will be one major water park in Orlando.
In a year's time, it could easily be the most popular water park in the region!

 

[seascape]

We enjoyed seeing the scale of the new water park, and the quality of the slides and rides.
Sure, it was a little worrying that so much needed fixing, but, that will undoubtedly get fixed very soon.
I kind of felt sorry for the people involved. They were busting their bits off to make the resort as ready as possible.

Written differently, they launched a few weeks sooner than ready, but, in a month's time, this will be one major water park in Orlando.
In a year's time, it could easily be the most popular water park in the region!

VB may be the best water park in Orlando but it will not pass the attendance of either BB or TL until Universal has doubled their room count to over 10,000. Most people do not go on Vacation to Orlando to see a water park. The people who stay on site at either WDW or Universal will stay on site to visit their own water park. Those off site will most likely split their time between all the water parks. So it will take quite a while before VB draws more than 2 million a year.

 

[TotalOrlando]

VB may be the best water park in Orlando but it will not pass the attendance of either BB or TL until Universal has doubled their room count to over 10,000. Most people do not go on Vacation to Orlando to see a water park. The people who stay on site at either WDW or Universal will stay on site to visit their own water park. Those off site will most likely split their time between all the water parks. So it will take quite a while before VB draws more than 2 million a year.

We get you, but I think that Universal is challenging the traditional Orlando area travel market.
Short stays are easy at Universal and very appealing to a market that WDW struggles with; Families with Teenagers!

 

[JoeCamel]

VB may be the best water park in Orlando but it will not pass the attendance of either BB or TL until Universal has doubled their room count to over 10,000. Most people do not go on Vacation to Orlando to see a water park. The people who stay on site at either WDW or Universal will stay on site to visit their own water park. Those off site will most likely split their time between all the water parks. So it will take quite a while before VB draws more than 2 million a year.

You do realize there are currently 3800 rooms within a 5 minute walk currently and by next year there will be another 1200 along with the 2400 that are a short bus/boat ride away?

 

[dreamscometrue]

Well, this complete virtual queue thing sounds like it's going to be interesting. Bugs to work out or not, doesn't sound like something that I'd be interested in. How about some stand by?
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201705/5588/

 

[trr1]

We enjoyed seeing the scale of the new water park, and the quality of the slides and rides.
Sure, it was a little worrying that so much needed fixing, but, that will undoubtedly get fixed very soon.
I kind of felt sorry for the people involved. They were busting their bits off to make the resort as ready as possible.

Written differently, they launched a few weeks sooner than ready, but, in a month's time, this will be one major water park in Orlando.
In a year's time, it could easily be the most popular water park in the region!

I hope all issues are fixed before my trip at the end of June

 

[opshannon]

Well, this complete virtual queue thing sounds like it's going to be interesting. Bugs to work out or not, doesn't sound like something that I'd be interested in. How about some stand by?
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201705/5588/

Holy smokes. What a disaster! I don't see how this model is sustainable. You tap in for a ride that has a 45 minute wait and for 45 minutes you can't ride ANYTHING except the lazy river?! And you're nuts if you think that showing up in 45 minutes means there's not going to be a line. Jimmy Fallon's ride has proven that's not true. Conceptually a great idea. In practice, a disaster, it seems.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Holy smokes. What a disaster! I don't see how this model is sustainable. You tap in for a ride that has a 45 minute wait and for 45 minutes you can't ride ANYTHING except the lazy river?! And you're nuts if you think that showing up in 45 minutes means there's not going to be a line. Jimmy Fallon's ride has proven that's not true. Conceptually a great idea. In practice, a disaster, it seems.

I concur. At least with fastpasses at Disney, I can do whatever I want in the park while waiting for my return time. The Jimmy Fallon idea sounds decent because I assume I could do other things in USF, but I'm actually sure how that system is doing in practice. This Volcano Bay system is a deal breaker for me. I have no desire to tap for something, and be relegated to a beach or bar while waiting for a ride time that will allow me to go, wait, ride, tap, and back to the bar or beach. That's if no breakdowns. This system will actually keep me away from VP, which is too bad.

 

[opshannon]

I agree kind of. If the wait was 45 minutes, you'd just be standing on the stairs waiting for 45 minutes anyway... so at least you get to go on the lazy river, right? Remember, this is holding your spot in a virtual line, not removing lines. It's an advantage in theory- but a lot of what's wrong is our perception. If we aren't physically in a line, we aren't waiting... when we actually are. I don't know if the theme park goer is ready for "virtual lines" mentally.

Now what universal is going to need to do is ensure that when you return it's only a 5 min wait. Additionally, they need to make sure 45 mins is a max wait except in extreme cases whether it be through limiting attendance, express pass sales, faster ops/ride thorough put, or simply adding rides to that expansion plot immediately.

My 45 minute wait scenario was generous. The article mentioned 6 hour wait for the coaster. That seems on the extreme end. But pick a day in July and let's say the coaster is 1:45. That's a lot of lazy river and wave pool. In fact I've been to water parks many times and never set foot in a wave pool and used the lazy river only to get me to the next queue. This system isn't going to last as it is currently designed. People won't go. I have no plans to go. Not with this system. I'll stand in line for 30 minutes three times to ride lesser slides at another park before I'll spend 1:45 in the lazy river waiting to ride one at VB.

 

[disney4life2008]

VB may be the best water park in Orlando but it will not pass the attendance of either BB or TL until Universal has doubled their room count to over 10,000. Most people do not go on Vacation to Orlando to see a water park. The people who stay on site at either WDW or Universal will stay on site to visit their own water park. Those off site will most likely split their time between all the water parks. So it will take quite a while before VB draws more than 2 million a year.

Lol you do realize that that entire area is filled with hotel rooms? The only group that is likely to not be interested is Disney guests. But volcano bay will appear to the same group as wet n wild

 

[felipenor]

One of my favorite things is a relaxing, well themed lazy river. Typhoon Lagoons really is gorgeous, lush, and it looks like it's been carved into the earth.

Volcano Bay's river gives me high wall, pool-tile realness chic.

Unimpressed

Ouch! That river looks awful! From the pool look to the multi-colored slides in sight, that looks just like Wet N Wild Redux.

 

[disney4life2008]

Did anyone who went get a survey or asked to complete one there? They are scoring on letter system

 

[Rob562]

My 45 minute wait scenario was generous. The article mentioned 6 hour wait for the coaster. That seems on the extreme end. But pick a day in July and let's say the coaster is 1:45. That's a lot of lazy river and wave pool. In fact I've been to water parks many times and never set foot in a wave pool and used the lazy river only to get me to the next queue. This system isn't going to last as it is currently designed. People won't go. I have no plans to go. Not with this system. I'll stand in line for 30 minutes three times to ride lesser slides at another park before I'll spend 1:45 in the lazy river waiting to ride one at VB.

One piece of info that I've heard is that the water coaster virtual queue is separate from all other slides. So you can get in the line for the water coaster while also in line for one of the other slides. During that theoretical 1:45 water coaster wait you might wait for and ride 2 or 3 other slides, with some lazy river and wave pool time mixed in.

-Rob

 

[Disneyhead'71]

They Grand Opened a brand new park (tech issues), with untrained ops (no soft opens), on a holiday weekend.


They hyper ventilating over getting a 300 min. return time is hilarious. Because in the pre-FP+ days, no one EVER showed up to TSMM at 10am and got a 3pm FP return time.....because they were all gone by that point. Disney now has fixed that with with FP+. Now hotel guests get a 129,600 min. return time. How come no one is apoplectic about that?

 

[lazyboy97o]

They Grand Opened a brand new park (tech issues), with untrained ops (no soft opens), on a holiday weekend.


They hyper ventilating over getting a 300 min. return time is hilarious. Because in the pre-FP+ days, no one EVER showed up to TSMM at 10am and got a 3pm FP return time.....because they were all gone by that point. Disney now has fixed that with with FP+. Now hotel guests get a 129,600 min. return time. How come no one is apoplectic about that?

Universal dropping the ball has nothing to do with Disney. The park wasn't ready and that is on Universal and no one else.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Universal dropping the ball has nothing to do with Disney. The park wasn't ready and that is on Universal and no one else.

Absolutely the park was not ready for prime time.

But I was talking about people being angry about long return times like they have never ever in their lives seen a 5 hour return time. I was just pointing out that we have seen them for years and on a daily basis at DHS. They are nothing new, and to be expected on crowded days such as Grand Opening weekend.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Absolutely the park was not ready for prime time.

But I was talking about people being angry about long return times like they have never ever in their lives seen a 5 hour return time. I was just pointing out that we have seen them for years and on a daily basis at DHS. They are nothing new, and to be expected on crowded days such as Grand Opening weekend.

Universal set the expectations of Tapu Tapu being something completely different and better.

 

[mergatroid]

Tim's video of his visit. Sadly he also believes they've opened this park too early with stuff not ready and major problems throughout the day. It does look great in parts though and hopefully they'll sort it all out over the coming weeks. One interesting thing he mentions is that to use the 'lazy river' it was compulsory to wear a life jacket even though it's shallow water and you're already on a flotation device?

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Universal set the expectations of Tapu Tapu being something completely different and better.

It will be. But with untrained ops (no soft opens) getting less than half the planned capacity through the attractions and new tech, an opening day cluster was all but guaranteed.

How long did Disney torture it's guests with the roll out of MBs? A year? And everyone expected Universal's system to be flawless on Day 1? Really? Or is everyone just having a hoot pointing out the obvious?

I guess if you're going to have a standard, may as well make it a double.

 

[seascape]

There is a major difference between a 300 minute wait in a regular line and a 300 minute wait in a virtual line with no other slide you can go on. The difference with fast pass plus is you can be on more than one line at a time. Using an example above with fast pass plus you are on 3 lines before you get to the park. With the new universal offering you can only be on 2 but during the wait are limited to the wave pool, lazy river and shopping. Also unless they severely limit the attendance or massively expand the park the number of rides one can experience in a day will be very limited. And think of the price for tickets and parking. Universal did not properly plan for this, unless it is going to be only for those staying in a universal hotel.