Volcano Bay

[Disneyhead'71]

The "most people won't notice" road is not one people should happily see Universal head down.

It's not that they won't notice. They won't care.

Universal ALWAYS lets the edge of the magic show. It's kinda their thing. This is like FJs show building. I think they do it because they know it's a non-issue and it'll spin out the pixie dusters.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It's not that they won't notice. They won't care.

Universal ALWAYS lets the edge of the magic show. It's kinda their thing. This is like FJs show building. I think they do it because they know it's a non-issue and it'll spin out the pixie dusters.

Except they do care when it comes to actually being in Diagon Alley, where significant effort was put into not exposing anything within the land. It was only part of their "thing" as a movie studio backlot, a poor basis of design that even more recent Universal Studios parks tend to eschew. Universal repeatedly shows that they are very much concerned with such issues, they just lask consistency.

But for a guy who loves to harp about Universal doing their own thing, good job bringing up Disney, again.

 

[Quinnmac000]

The "most people won't notice" road is not one people should happily see Universal head down.

It ain't that deep, USJ, Lotte World and tons of other theme park prove people care little about sight lines as long as there is a good experience within the park which matters more than how well themed something is.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It ain't that deep, USJ, Lotte World and tons of other theme park prove people care little about sight lines as long as there is a good experience within the park which matters more than how well themed something is.

Then why bother in the first place? Universal considers themselves leaders in themed entertainment, and rightfully so as it is Universal who has set the bar for theme and issues such as immersion and sight lines. If Universal was just interested in running amusement parks then that is what they would do, instead this thread is about what they have taken to calling a water theme park.

 

[Mike S]

I'm hearing a whole bunch of complaints and no solutions. So what you're saying is- they should have done better. You're not sure how they could have done better... but you're just sure they could have. Ok. Thanks for the great discussion.

I think he's saying VB should've gone in one of the spots that were used for hotels, but then you would have a hotel next to the highway.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think he's saying VB should've gone in one of the spots that were used for hotels, but then you would have a hotel next to the highway.

That would be one means. A single loaded corridor would be an easy way to handle a hotel located against a highway ramp.

 

[JT3000]

I was using the debris thing as joke but it is possible certainly. Also given that I live here I have driven on that exit MANY TIMES and when I tell you I can toss my coke and fries and hit the slide I mean it. The other day driving on it I thought if I didn't make the turn and went for I would impact the slide. The distance is not that wide my dude but again that was a joke to exasperate the point that this thing is literally adjacent to a huge highway exit. So much so it could considered part of the experience getting to see the volcano erupt from there during traffic hour is going to be a delight. But seriously as a sightline it's awful imo I don't understand why this is free from criticism. I think the park is going to fantastic, doesn't fix the terrible and I mean TERRIBLE sightlines.

You posted a photo of a few buildings, slides and dirt. Lots of dirt. Do you know what other parks would have terrible sight lines if that were all they consisted of? Every park on Earth. Luckily, the park in question isn't finished. And regardless of its proximity to the highway, why is anyone talking about debris on an enclosed slide? Are you throwing your Coke through an Aperture Science portal? Because it's not hitting anyone otherwise.

Really? You're going with the trite "ruin a day" line?

It appears to be ruining your day. Trite indeed.

If I remember correctly, a barrier wall is going to be constructed between the highway and Volcano Bay, although I could be wrong. With a barrier wall, the noise from the water and music and such I highly doubt people will notice the highway unless you are on top of the mountain or at those slides on the top left.

Don't be silly, mere music can't cancel out the sound of cars. Universal knew this, so they built a top secret invisible, sound-proof bubble around the busy Turkey Lake Road so we would all get to enjoy Jurassic Park in peace! Maybe if we're all good boys and girls they'll do the same here.

 

[Mouse Trap]

I4 and Turkey Lake will be quite visible from multiple slides. They aren't investing heavily to hide it, because it's simply not possible.

Most other areas throughout the park should conceal the outer world quite nicely. It'll be interesting what areas get more effort to conceal then others.

I still haven't really seen anything that has convinced me that attendance will be all that great though. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are built in so well as cheap add-on's to a Disney vacation. I don't think Universal can hit a grand slam by targeting people who don't typically consider water parks as an integral part of their vacation.

 

[JT3000]

I4 and Turkey Lake will be quite visible from multiple slides. They aren't investing heavily to hide it, because it's simply not possible.

Most other areas throughout the park should conceal the outer world quite nicely. It'll be interesting what areas get more effort to conceal then others.

I still haven't really seen anything that has convinced me that attendance will be all that great though. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are built in so well as cheap add-on's to a Disney vacation. I don't think Universal can hit a grand slam by targeting people who don't typically consider water parks as an integral part of their vacation.

They're targeting the exact same people. And I'm sure there will be discounts for people adding VB to the other parks.

 

[*Q*]

I don't think it's been brought up yet that there's lots of junk you can see from Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, like Team Disney.

 

[Bob Harlem]

I4 and Turkey Lake will be quite visible from multiple slides. They aren't investing heavily to hide it, because it's simply not possible.

Most other areas throughout the park should conceal the outer world quite nicely. It'll be interesting what areas get more effort to conceal then others.

I still haven't really seen anything that has convinced me that attendance will be all that great though. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are built in so well as cheap add-on's to a Disney vacation. I don't think Universal can hit a grand slam by targeting people who don't typically consider water parks as an integral part of their vacation.

With the adjacent proximity to 2 (and 3rd being constructed) large onsite hotels and just the sheer visibility of it it'll probably become the most popular water park in town. Typhoon, Blizzard and even Aquatica are both off the "main path", and are a lot easier to outright miss than this. You can't get to the Universal garage or go by it on I-4 without seeing Volcano Bay.

I think people here are very much underestimating how much this will change things.

 

[BubbaQuest]

I still haven't really seen anything that has convinced me that attendance will be all that great though. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are built in so well as cheap add-on's to a Disney vacation. I don't think Universal can hit a grand slam by targeting people who don't typically consider water parks as an integral part of their vacation.

Location, location, location. It's easy to spend a week at WDW and not even see the water parks.

I'm already contemplating giving up Express Passes to stay at the new Cabana Bay Towers so I can walk to Volcano Bay at night. And I'm not a huge water park fan.

 

[erikjp]

I4 and Turkey Lake will be quite visible from multiple slides. They aren't investing heavily to hide it, because it's simply not possible.

Most other areas throughout the park should conceal the outer world quite nicely. It'll be interesting what areas get more effort to conceal then others.

I still haven't really seen anything that has convinced me that attendance will be all that great though. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are built in so well as cheap add-on's to a Disney vacation. I don't think Universal can hit a grand slam by targeting people who don't typically consider water parks as an integral part of their vacation.

This is just of course me, but I think Volcano Bay will work specifically because of its ease of access as well as very visible presence on I-4. Even on Disney Vacations a lot of people skip Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach because it's not considered integral as much as going to the parks, but Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach are also out of the way and as such slip out of the minds of a lot of Disney goers. That won't happen with Volcano Bay as its massive structure will entice visitors from the highway as well as people staying at Universals hotel/hotels close to it.

I also think that Volcano Bay will work with the larger theme park eco-system of Orlando. As Disney World becomes increasingly expensive as well as tries more and more to keep people locked on site, I think more people will consider an Orlando sans-Disney World vacation, to which then Volcano Bay becomes a convenient add on to Universal Studios.

This is however predicated on the idea that they don't charge a high admission price to get into Volcano Bay, and its transportation makes it easy to just on the whim pop into it.

 

[Daveeeeed]

It's not that they won't notice. They won't care.

Universal ALWAYS lets the edge of the magic show. It's kinda their thing. This is like FJs show building. I think they do it because they know it's a non-issue and it'll spin out the pixie dusters.

That is not good practice. You can see Universal's quality go up for a few reasons. Notice how Spider-Man is incredible, but the line isn't. Then comes Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey with its epic line, but it doesn't hide the show building as with Transformers (although the latter really is out of place). Then come Escape from Gringotts & Kong, both are great attractions, but still well below Forbidden Journey and Spider-Man, but the show buildings are hidden and they both have epic queues.

Bottom line is, Universal has improved a lot and is making new epic attractions not really seen at Disney World since Everest, but at the same time, you can't just give Universal a pass when they don't hide or theme a show building. The only logical answer to rides like Forbidden Journey is money. That's one of the reasons why Diagon Alley was more expensive.
And as an all of my life mega Disney fan, and lover of Universal they both have their pros and cons. Personally, my favorite park in Orlando is IOA, but for me at least USP's only thing that's really cool is Diagon Alley (plus IOA doesn't have a screen problem like US & Epcot have, but at least at Epcot WS is so pretty, but that park needs cash badly and is thankfully getting it).

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don't think it's been brought up yet that there's lots of junk you can see from Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, like Team Disney.

So? It's not some sort of credit system where if one entity makes a poor choice then the other gets to make one, or three good choices allow for one poor choice.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I don't think it's been brought up yet that there's lots of junk you can see from Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, like Team Disney.

Not even remotely comparable. You can see them, they're still in the distance. From the looks of it you are going to see I-4 and Turkey Lake from anywhere in the park except the center area. I just drove past it and the on-ramp from Kirkman to I-4 West is no more than 20 feet from what are definitely guest walkways.

I know they didn't have a choice and I applaud them for making the most out of the land they have... but it's not going to be amazing or remotely close to immersive as Typhoon Lagoon.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Not even remotely comparable. You can see them, they're still in the distance. From the looks of it you are going to see I-4 and Turkey Lake from anywhere in the park except the center area. I just drove past it and the on-ramp from Kirkman to I-4 West is no more than 20 feet from what are definitely guest walkways.

I know they didn't have a choice and I applaud them for making the most out of the land they have... but it's not going to be amazing or remotely close to immersive as Typhoon Lagoon.

I'm thinking a lot of this park will be dense with plant life much like DAK.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

What you are asking for is an Armchair Imagineering of a completely different site plan.


And that's all great. It still doesn't make the proximity of Volcano Bay to I-4 go away.

Who cares, those slides are amazing. The action river will be a HUGE visitor favorite. Disney will have to open the pocketbook to close the gap that's about to open up. Slashing unique features like Shark Reef isn't the way forward. My wife and I each have hundreds of thousands of points and Southwest Companion passes and our kids are ready to go to Vocano Bay, we'll get more bonus points from Portofino or Hard Rock via Southwest's hotel portal. We might go out of our way to visit Avatar but don't see us hitting Disney property till Star Wars opens and that's if we don't hit up Disneyland's version first.

This will be a major hit for Universal, nit picking the immersion is just throwing a hissy fit because Disney didn't add those kind of slides and features. This park looks amazing.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Look at that thing on the right. You are going to be watching the faces of your kids or your eyes will closed as you pray.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Who cares, those slides are amazing. The action river will be a HUGE visitor favorite. Disney will have to open the pocketbook to close the gap that's about to open up. Slashing unique features like Shark Reef isn't the way forward. My wife and I each have hundreds of thousands of points and Southwest Companion passes and our kids are ready to go to Vocano Bay, we'll get more bonus points from Portofino or Hard Rock via Southwest's hotel portal. We might go out of our way to visit Avatar but don't see us hitting Disney property till Star Wars opens and that's if we don't hit up Disneyland's version first.

This will be a major hit for Universal, nit picking the immersion is just throwing a hissy fit because Disney didn't add those kind of slides and features. This park looks amazing.

Disney is completely and totally irrelevant to an evaluation of Universal's design choices.