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

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?
 
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.
 
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!
 
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. 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.
 
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.
 
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)
 


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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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:thumbsup2
 
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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