Volcano Bay - Actually want to go now!

[nicohna]

Originally Posted by Princesa

Is there a video that shows you the slides? I've watched ones walking around the park but I want to see what the actual rides are like.

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I've been watching The Tim Tracker and he'd been a few times when the park first opened. Then, he was allowed to have his go-pro on the rides but the most recent video they are clamping down it seems.

[deeley]

Shutting from 8 starting Monday. Tsk.

[DFussy]

I haven't ready all the posts in this thread, but wanted to add our experience Monday 14th going with early entry at 7.30am.

To use the most of express, we decided to go early and leave at 10am to then check out of RPR and go into the park. Got there for opening, sorted a small locker, and found some loungers - no problem. We walked round to the aqua coaster and went on ride now, an odd number of riders so up the left q right to top of the ride. We went round straight after, and had a few people in front of us at the top but still great. Next we went to the drop slides - again ride now. we went off to try and find the raft rides, with a recommendation from other people in the park - scanned the wrong one of the 2 sets of tapus - as we hadn't memorised the names of rides we wanted to go on - but ride now, small q at top of steps. we scanned for the better raft, and given a 40 min return time. we went off to the fearless river, and then the wave pool while we waited. they were having problems with raft ride, so our times started to diverge, and 5 min wait seemed to take 10 as I have a waterproof watch. Eventually we abandoned the raft attempt and called it a day.

Definitely worth using an early access for volcano bay in my opinion, but was building up towards the end. In our 2 weeks, we really only had 3 afternoon/evening rain sessions, so banking on that to clear the waterpark may not work out?

[Guest]

We came this morning at 7:30. I don't hate it, but I don't love it.

The park itself is very pretty. There is a very cool feature in the volcano that's worth a visit - I don't want to spoil the surprise but definitely check out the interior of the volcano.

The main pool is a colder temperature than the resort pools but some are warm. Temps are nice overall

It's VERY crowded. At 7:45 we waited half an hour just to hire towels. Premium seating etc all taken up before we arrived so none left but there are cabanas still available (10:30). Sun loungers were nearly all gone by 8:15.

The bus from hard rock was almost full when it arrived so get there early and prepare to wait.

Rides very hit and miss - the Ride Now lines are long and twice we've been turned away. Krakatau has been closed all morning and staff don't know if it'll open later yet.

The food court is nice and lunch looks good quality.

The taputapus are quite flimsy so be careful - 3 of ours keep falling off. They've been nicknamed crapoocrapoo lol.

Overall I'd say wait until the afternoon, we popped in last night and it was much nicer!

[Guest]

Anyone know what its like now ?

[Ellibop]

We went yesterday and found it to be lovely and quiet in the morning until about 11am-ish. We got the shuttle bus from Royal Pacific just before 7.30am (we would have made the 7.15am bus but husband had to run back to the room for his sunglasses!), the bus was only half full, if that. We walked straight into the park and had sunbeds with an umbrella by 7.45am, and were straight on the slides. They were all 'Ride Now', and no waiting, so we did all the tube and raft slides. Krakatau was initially down, but then reopened and was Ride Now, so we walked almost to the top, but then it went down and remained down for most of the morning. We got pizza for lunch and there was plenty of seating in the shade. We really enjoyed it, despite being apprehensive beforehand due to the negative reports (including from our Uber driver who said he hadn't heard a single positive review since it opened in May). We did all of the rides except the ones that drop you out 6ft above the water, as we didn't fancy those. The only one we had to tap and wait for was the 125ft vertical drop one, think it was around a 2 hour wait for that, but we went in one of the 2 lazy rivers and had lunch etc during that time.

We then decided to pop back this morning as husband really wanted to ride Krakatau, but we didn't want to get up early again, so we just got up when we woke up at 8.30am and got there for just after 9.30am. A small wait at the bag check area, just a few minutes, and only 3 people ahead of us to get through the ticket check. The sunbeds by the entrance were all taken but we found a whole row free at the other side of the park overlooking the fast 'lazy' river, and did 2 tube rides as walk ons. Got a 65 minute return time for Krakatau and went in the lazy river and splash zone whilst we waited. By about 12.30pm it was really busy everywhere, much busier than the same time yesterday, with long lines of people everywhere. We just had a chillax on our loungers and left at about 1.30pm.

It was better than we were expecting, and it's definitely worth making the effort to get there during early hours if you can. The rides are more thrilling than Typhoon Lagoon, but it doesn't have the Disney touches and attention to detail. Glad we tried it though and I'd recommend a visit.

[Logan]

We're not staying at a Universal hotel, so won't have the benefit of early entry. But here's hoping it will be a good bit quieter by the time we visit in October.

[Enchanted-nadi]

Oh I love Tim ! And yes I agree his most recent vids have made me really excited to go now too !

[Guest]

I was always willing to give it a go so we managed to get in for early entry.
Park looks lovely , very spacious but signage was rubbish.
We enjoyed the water coaster and dh and ds enjoyed the dropslide (nutters) but the wave pool was cold and I just didn't get a nice vibe from it.
Glad I went but wouldn't go back.
Prefer Aquatica

[Moorlandman]

Originally Posted by PumpkinKitty

I was always willing to give it a go so we managed to get in for early entry.
Park looks lovely , very spacious but signage was rubbish.
We enjoyed the water coaster and dh and ds enjoyed the dropslide (nutters) but the wave pool was cold and I just didn't get a nice vibe from it.
Glad I went but wouldn't go back.
Prefer Aquatica

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If you pay £150+ for hotel stay and £300+ for a Cabana you will find it much better