Volcano Bay v Disney / Aquatica Waterparks

[toonarmani]

Wondering how VB compares.

We will be staying onsite for all of our visits to VB and we all love waterparks/swimmings.

Do onsite guests receive free towels like at Disney?

What's it like for seats/beds? We usually take a pac-safe bag and secure this to 2 beds and/or an umbrella, but not sure if a viable option at VB?

Is the virtual queue effective compared to standing in line at other parks?

Any other hints/tips?

[Ball81]

if your onsite Volcano Bay is great first thing early admission .

you'll have pick of beds.


Ride Krakatua multiple times 1st. when we've been you can just stay on and keep going round 4 times is most we managed. do all other main rides, then when park open to all guests use tapu tapu for few rides remaining. the river rapids and pool are brilliant to pass time between rides. or chill on sunbeds with drinks/snacks. Also evening is great to if the storms dont come in .


also we have done same for any stuff, just strapped to bed, dont get me wrong is minimal stuff, normally few dollars and water, cloths, never an issue

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by toonarmani

Wondering how VB compares.

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Disney waterparks are more family/kids oriented, when VB is more thrill oriented.

so depends on what makes your party, but adults only, or families with teens will most probably prefer VB

Do onsite guests receive free towels like at Disney?

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no
you can rent them for $5 a day (non refundable)

you are not supposed to bring your hotel room towel ... errrr ... no sir, they're not our hotel room towel, we took them from the dispenser at our unversal hotel pool

If you don't have your own towels, I would advise to go get towels from the pool the previous day, simply because as you get early entry (and you should really use them) your hotel pool will be closed by the time you set off to VB ... so you wouldn't be able to grab the towels ...

of course, since we borrow towels from the main pool at our hotels, we keep them (we don't leave them at VB) and return them at our hotel pool as soon as we come back from the waterpark

What's it like for seats/beds? We usually take a ... and secure this to 2 beds and/or an umbrella, but not sure if a viable option at VB?

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loungers are basically the same than at disney's waterpark
if you arrive early enough you'll find plenty of loungers on the main beach, but do arrive early, umbrellas are quite quite sought for.

Is the virtual queue effective compared to standing in line at other parks?

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it's effective in the sense that you can do lazy rivers, wave pools, and other "ride now" rides while "waiting in line", but since it's a line you can't be in 2 lines at the same time

so be sensible when picking a ride to enter the virtual line, if the return time is 3 hours away, this means you can't do any ride with a wait time, until you have been on the ride 3 hours from now

so that's essentiel to clear the big rides as early as possible. They won't require a return time until one hour after regular opening time (well, most of the time)
so definitely go for early admission , you'll get most of the park done by lunch time
then you can chill by the wave pool while you wait for your next return time in a virtual queue

as far as we're concerned, we hit VB first thing for early admission, then leave the park by noon, and do other things for the rest of the day


you may also consider going "late" if the park closes later. Usually the last couple of hours will be much lighter (especially if their has been a thunderstorm before)

[DisneyIrishMama]

would there be many things for a 4 and 6 year old to do in VB? our 10year old really wants to go this year as she is such a thrill seeker. When we last went to Typhoon lagoon it was Oct and there was a tonne of ride closures so she was pretty bored in the wave pool and baby area with her brother and sister

[Ball81]

I think so. There is a really good area for younger kids that my 9yrs also stilled loved. some family raft rides and rings still to do together to. our 5yrs old missed some when he was 4 that he could do this time round aged 5.

personally we really enjoy VB . I think largely because if your onsite the early admission works great

[DisneyIrishMama]

Originally Posted by Ball81

I think so. There is a really good area for younger kids that my 9yrs also stilled loved. some family raft rides and rings still to do together to. our 5yrs old missed some when he was 4 that he could do this time round aged 5.

personally we really enjoy VB . I think largely because if your onsite the early admission works great

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ah brilliant thanks a mill

[YorkshireT]

VB is the best water park by some margin. Agree get there early.
Best thing there? The really fast ‘lazy river’ and the water coaster.

[Fraser789]

Personally I feel the Disney water parks are quite out dated now. I've always preferred Aquatica until Volcano Bay opened. I've been twice and it really is amazing if you like thrill slides. The rapids are also so much fun.

If you stay on site and get early entry you will get all the popular rides done before it gets busy.

[BaconAndAvocado]

Is there a bus to VB from RPR in the morning for early opening?

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Is it only by staying at Cabana bay gets you in early or all Universal hotels?