Making a splash again at Volcano Bay
COMMENTARY
Wouldn’t a gigantic candle look good atop Volcano Bay’s trademark mountain? It would be apropos in the coming weeks as Universal Orlando’s water park marks its first birthday. I dipped my toe back into the park recently to see how three things that I like about the park have fared over the year.
Number 1 with a bullet for me remains Krakatau Aqua Coaster, the flume-meetscanoe-meets-roller-coaster hybrid. You could also call it Face Full O’ Mist. Passengers are never submerged, and there’s only one drenching moment near the end. But those misters are relentless, mister.
I like that its format — repeated downs and ups — bucks the gravity-takes-over trend commonly found on slides.
Visitors must use the TapuTapu reservations system built into the water park’s wristbands to get time on the aqua coaster. On my recent trip, the wait was 15 minutes. After riding it with a Brit (“It always gets me in the face,” he said jollily), I immediately tapped back in for a wait time of 20 minutes. Then, the next time it was 40, so I drifted elsewhere and rode two of the “ride nows,”— attractions not backed up.
Pro tip: Early arrivers get a lot done quickly at Volcano Bay.
A trademark of VBay is its collection of body slides, three of which drip down the sides of the centerpiece volcano. These are for braver souls, but I enjoy the splashdowns, which come in three distinct styles.
Ko’okiri Body Plunge essentially drops straight down, then straight out, skirting the wave pool. Folks landing there fall into the Whew/Wow category of expression. They look back at the slide like they just can’t believe it. Then they raise their arms in triumph.
After the intertwined Kala and Ta Nui, splashdowners rub their eyes a lot, and then they look extra happy.
On the Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides, which are volcano-adjacent, visitors are ejected above a pool that’s 10 feet deep. It’s dramatic and disorienting. The lifeguards frequently say, “This way, this way,” to guide the swimmers out of the pool. This area is great for watching, though. It’s an alcove with sandy seating, two-story cabanas and a leisure pool suitable for kiddos. Every once in a while, you look over and realize there’s a highway right over there. (The Dancing Dragons Boat Bar near the base of Ko’okiri ain’t too shabby a spot either.)
I like fruit. I like desserts. I don’t like fruit-based desserts … but now there’s an exception at Volcano Bay. Well, maybe it’s more fruitinspired than actual fruity, but I can still recommend the Waturi Fusion, a softserve “mixture of banana, blue raspberry, orange and strawberry,” as the menu says. It’s a colorful respite from the Florida heat.
Additional notes and burning questions from my day at Volcano Bay:
I want to love parking in the Universal Orlando mega-garage. I’m fine with it for the theme parks — it’s (mostly) covered and it’s better than tramming, in my opinion. But to swear on my annual pass to the attendant that I’m there for Volcano Bay, then weaving to parking, bag inspection, getting on the bus, riding over, walking down a ramp, under the road, up the escalator and through the entrance to be … much. (Historical moment: I felt bad for a couple with a double-wide stroller doing all of that.) However, I have no alternative suggestion in those cramped quarters.
Lots of construction walls are up, including in the central part of the Waturi Beach. There appear to be more pavilions under construction, but that’s an educated guess. Universal has no comment.
Most common attire: Men in trunks that look like the American flag.
Remember on opening day last year how the Internet was sure, downright positive that a Volcano Bay expansion — totaling a few acres — was imminent? Whew, it’s been a long wait.