TRAVEL BRIEFS

Volcano Bay water park to open May 25

Universal Orlando has set a grand opening date for Volcano Bay, its under-construction water park. The attraction will be open to the public as of May 25.

The water park is being built on land wedged between Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort hotel and Interstate 4. Its centerpiece is a 200-foot-tall volcano that encases a raft ride called Krakatau Aqua Coaster.

Universal has sprinkled other details about the attraction, including that it will use technology that will allow visitors to not have to stand in lines for rides. The associated wristband will be known as Tapu Tapu. Other elements will include Tot Tiki Reef, Kopiko Wai Winding River, Ko’okiri Body Plunge, Punga Racers and Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides.

In November, Universal started selling combo tickets for Volcano Bay, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios with options ranging from two to five days. A three-park, three-day lists for $244.99 ($234.99 for ages 3-9). Universal has not yet released pricing for oneday tickets.

DisneyQuest in Orlando to close in July

DisneyQuest’s last day of operation at Walt Disney World will be July 2.

The five-story center with video and virtual games at Disney Springs was originally supposed to close last year but was given a temporary reprieve.

The NBA Experience, which will include high-tech experiences, a restaurant and a store, will be going in its place.

DisneyQuest’s attractions include CyberSpace Mountain, a design-your-ownroller-coaster motion-simulator ride, and Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam, a life-size game in which players stand on a joystick that controls cartoon characters on a screen. DisneyQuest has more-traditional video games too.

It was once planned to be a worldwide chain of 20 virtual-reality centers.

Opened in 1998, the Orlando, Fla., location had a longer run than others The Walt Disney Co. tried building. One in Chicago closed shortly after opening because it didn’t live up to the company’s expected returns. Plans for another in Philadelphia fell through amid financing problems for a proposed urban entertainment center there.

Disney Springs has been undergoing a major expansion that has included the opening of many new restaurants and stores. Previously it had been known as Downtown Disney.