Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando Line 2019

WET ’N WILD WAS STARTED in 1977 by SeaWorld creator George Millay as the world’s first modern water park. It was independently owned until 1998, when it was sold to Universal Orlando, which also purchased the land under and around the park in 2013. That venerable park permanently closed December 31, 2016, and the property now holds Universal’s Endless Summer Resort, while the water park’s upstart successor opened May 25, 2017, as Universal’s first on-property water park option.

Universal Orlando describes Volcano Bay’s 28 acres as “a lush, tropical oasis that unfolds before you, instantly transporting you to a little-known Pacific isle.” Unlike the former Wet ’n Wild, whose only themes appeared to be concrete and plastic, Volcano Bay showcases a scenic, man-made mountain and a colorful atmosphere that goes toe to toe with those of Disney’s water parks. In fact, Universal bills this water park as its third theme park, which is both technically correct and an act of marketing hubris on par with the initial advertising of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a “theme park within a theme park.”

In practical terms, the park looks like an upscale resort in the South Pacific, with lush palm trees, thatched roofs, and tiki carvings (created by some of the same craftsmen behind Trader Sam’s bar at Disney). As long as you’re at ground level, you’ll hardly guess that there’s a busy interstate only yards away. The park is beautifully landscaped and contains many of the small details and inventive technology expected from the Universal theme park division. However, it is not substantially different from any other water park in style, no matter what the marketing suggests.

The park has an elaborate backstory (detailed at tinyurl.com/waturi) based on the fictional Waturi tribe, an ancient Polynesian people who set out on their outrigger canoes to find a new home with the mantra “Water is Life. Life is Joy.” The Waturi visited many Polynesian islands, drawing elements from each culture, until they caught sight of the legendary fish Kunuku playing in the waves of Volcano Bay and settled there. The Waturi legend also influenced the unpronounceable names of most of the attractions, but that’s about as far as the theming goes on the slides—don’t expect any animatronic figures or elaborate effects.

Nomenclature notwithstanding, no one can deny that Universal opened Volcano Bay before it was really ready for prime time. The park premiered in a semi-incomplete state, and guests who paid full price for an unfinished attraction loudly lambasted Volcano Bay on websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor. Today, the park has worked out most (but not all) of its operational quirks and offers a good variety of activities. If you’re staying on-site (or temper your attraction-riding expectations) and can relax into the park’s immersive atmosphere, Volcano Bay may just be your slice of paradise alongside I-4.

ONCE DROPPED OFF at Volcano Bay’s bus plaza, guests are ushered through an ornate underground tunnel (seemingly hewn from stone) before ascending an escalator into the park’s entryway. Here, fountains burble beside an Easter Island–style statue that occasionally speaks; you’ll also find more prosaic objects like an ATM, lockers, and Guest Services window outside the park’s turnstiles.

Volcano Bay is divided into four primary areas (also known as lands), each with a unique theme, but because all of the areas sport the same lush South Seas scenery, it’s impossible to tell where one section ends and another begins without a map. Guests enter the park at Wave Village, which is dominated by the Waturi Beach multidirectional wave pool and The Reef leisure pool. Paths from there lead clockwise to Rainforest Village, home to the park’s densest collection of thrill rides, including TeAwa the Fearless River, and counterclockwise to River Village, which has family-friendly attractions like the signature Krakatau Aqua Coaster and Kopiko Wai lazy river. The heart of the park puts The Volcano in Volcano Bay: 200-foot-tall Krakatau, home to hidden caverns with cascading waterfalls and special effects triggered by your TapuTapu band.

While there are signposts throughout the park, the winding walkways can make it confusing to find your way. Blissfully, many of the cement sidewalks are cooled by sprinklers, so at least you won’t burn your bare feet while wandering in circles.

UNIVERSAL BOASTS THAT it has eliminated the biggest hassles at water parks—standing in long lines for slides—by replacing queues with a Virtual Line mandatory reservation system. Where it differs from Universal Express or Disney’s FastPass+ is that there is no standby line at all; all guests save their places in line with their TapuTapu wearables, allowing them to do other things as they await their turns.

Every visitor is issued a waterproof TapuTapu wristband (think a slightly bulkier Apple Watch with a rubber wristband) that you use to claim your place in the Virtual Lines, as well as reserve and open lockers, and make payments throughout the park. The TapuTapu bands also trigger special effects throughout Volcano Bay, such as controlling streams of water in Tot Tiki Reef or shooting water cannons at other guests who are enjoying the Kopiko Wai Winding River.

To enter Volcano Bay, you must first register a ticket with an online account and assign it to your name; setting up a credit card charge account (with a secure PIN and custom spending limits for each family member) is optional. Attendants will assist you with this at the turnstiles, but your entry will be far smoother if you set everything up ahead of time through universalorlando.com or the official Universal smartphone app when purchasing your tickets in advance.

Every attraction that uses Virtual Lines has a tiki totem outside its entrance with a digital display. For the first hour or so after opening, most slides will show “Ride Now,” indicating that there is little to no wait to ride. Once its queue begins to build, each attraction activates its Virtual Line, and the totem displays a wait time; by 11 a.m., most slides will report at least an hour virtual wait.

Tap your TapuTapu band against the glowing symbol below any of the touch screens surrounding the tiki, and you’ll be assigned an approximate time when you can return. Your actual return time may be earlier than expected if other guests skip their return times, or later if the attraction temporarily closes due to weather or technical problems; your TapuTapu will notify you of any changes. You can hold a reservation for only one ride at a time, and TapuTapu will alert you when it’s time to return with a minimal wait (typically 5–15 minutes, but we’ve experienced Over 30 minutes during technical difficulties).

Reservations don’t expire once they become active, so you don’t have to rush to ride, but you can’t get in another Virtual Line until you use or cancel your first ride. However, you may jump into any queue displaying “Ride Now” without losing your place in a Virtual Line. Conversely, if a tiki says “Ride Full,” all the day’s reservations are claimed, but don’t lose hope; closed Virtual Lines often reopen in the hours before closing as other guests exit, abandoning their spots.

In theory, Volcano Bay’s Virtual Line system should allow guests to enjoy wait-free attractions like the wave pool and lazy river instead of standing in hot queues. In reality, guests who don’t enter early spend a lot of time baking on the beach and may only get to ride four or five slides on a busy day. We love the idea of the Virtual Line and being able to relax while waiting our turn. The problem so far has come in the execution, which has not been as smooth as Universal would have liked. The park’s initial months were plagued by multihour waits for most of the slides, with popular attractions completely filling up for the day by midmorning. Thankfully, TapuTapu’s implementation has made great strides since opening day, and we were able to experience everything we wanted to during our recent visits. However, the system still has too many glitches to feel seamless, so we recommend visiting Volcano Bay with measured expectations of how many slides you’ll ride in a day.

One final hitch: Though the TapuTapu wristband has two snaps to hold it more securely, it has a habit of coming loose, especially in TeAwa the Fearless River. If your TapuTapu takes a swim, swing by Guest Services for a free (though time-consuming) replacement.

Volcano Bay Universal Express Passes, which bypass the Virtual Lines and provide immediate access to the slides’ boarding queues, are sold in advance online and inside the park at the concierge huts; quantities are limited and sell out on busy days. Universal Express at Volcano Bay is not free for anyone (even those staying in the top three on-site hotels), and it is available only for one-time use, not unlimited. However, it is cheaper than purchasing Express at the theme parks, especially if you go for the version valid only on select slides. See page 60 for details.

YOU CAN UPGRADE YOUR VISIT with reserved padded loungers ($49.99 and up per pair), 6-person cabanas ($199.99 and up), or 16-person Family Suite cabanas ($599.99 and up). While they’re not a necessity, we recommend the private loungers for their included shade canopy, locking storage box, and attendant to deliver food and drink orders. The locker’s mechanism can only be activated by one TapuTapu at a time and is frustratingly finicky; carefully align your wristband with the sensor, and firmly push down until you hear it click.

The cabanas get all the same perks, plus towel service, free fruit and bottled water, the ability to order upscale appetizers (such as conch fritters and coconut shrimp) that aren’t offered on the regular menus, and a private kiosk for making TapuTapu reservations. However, many of the cabanas don’t offer much privacy, and the attendants get mixed reviews on their attentiveness, making them a dubious value.

The private loungers and cabanas are yours to use all day, even if you exit and return to the park, but they sell out early. Call

877-489-8068 (for loungers) or 877-801-9720 (for cabanas) up to 60 days in advance for reservations, and bring a printout of your confirmation to the park. When selecting a seat location, keep in mind that Wave Village is nearest to the entrance and gets the most morning sun; River Village is closest to the kids’ playgrounds and smoking areas; and Rainforest Village is right up against the interstate. Upon arriving, head to a concierge hut to be checked in and walked to your reserved area; most guests make a beeline to the concierge closest to the entrance, while there’s rarely a wait at the one in River Village.

RESTROOM AND CHANGING FACILITIES with large banks of lockers are located around the park; the ones in Wave Village closest to the park entrance are always the most crowded, while the ones at the back of the park in River Village are rarely busy. Lockers come in three sizes and cost between $8 and $16. (Note that you’ll need a credit card—either in hand or linked to your TapuTapu account—to rent directly at the locker; see an attendant to pay with cash or a hotel key.) Lockers are yours for the full day and are opened and closed with your TapuTapu. Up to four other members of your party can also be assigned access to your locker; follow the prompts on the locker kiosk’s touch screen to add additional authorized users. A bank of large all-day lockers ($15) is located immediately outside the park, but we don’t recommend using them because you must return your TapuTapu and forfeit any Virtual Line reservations each time you exit.

Towels are not provided free (as they are at some other water parks), but you can rent one for $5 at any concierge hut. You’ll have to dry it in the sun between swims because that fee doesn’t include swapping out wet towels (unless you luck into a sympathetic employee). Souvenir towels are also sold for around $25.

THE BULK OF VOLCANO BAY’S SLIDES are hidden from the view of guests as they enter behind the mountain’s blown-out back side. Attractions range from mild family-friendly raft rides (all with convenient conveyer belts that carry your craft uphill for you) to heart-seizing drop slides from the caldera’s summit. Read the posted warnings carefully before you climb 20 stories to the top, and be prepared for a discreet weigh-in before most slides to ensure safety.

THE 200-FOOT VOLCANO Krakatau lies at the center of the park. Inside, guests can explore hidden caverns with cascading waterfalls.

The volcano contains a network of caverns concealed behind waterfalls and curtains of steam; look for entrances near the queues for Krakatau Aqua Coaster, Ko’okiri Body Plunge, and Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides. Once inside, you’ll find colorful fountains surrounding Vol, the spirit of the mountain who converses with guests through a digital projection, similar to the Mystic Fountain in Islands of Adventure. Make sure you trigger the light display depicting Kunuku, the mythical fish, on the cave wall.

What it is Two extreme twisting body slides. Scope and scale Headliner. Comments 48" minimum height requirement; 275-pound maximum weight requirement per rider. Duration of ride About 25–30 seconds.

After falling through a drop door, two riders go down 124-foot body slides simultaneously. Their paths cross several times as they hurtle down translucent intertwining tubes. The blue Kala slide is intense enough, but the green Tai Nui side is like The Incredible Hulk Coaster of slides: it starts fast and gets even faster as it goes. These slides are sometimes “Ride Now” even when other attractions have long virtual waits, perhaps because they are so intimidating. Note that you must climb more than 200 steps to reach the top of these slides.

What it is Mild family raft ride. Scope and scale Major attraction. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 1,050-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride About 30–40 seconds.

Maku and Puihi are Waturi for “wet” and “wild,” respectively, making this pair of group raft slides a subtle tribute to Volcano Bay’s predecessor. North America’s first “saucer ride,” the six-person Maku round raft plunges riders through bowl-like formations that are surrounded by erupting geysers before ending in a pool. Unfortunately, the advertised fountains usually fail to deliver on the slide’s name, making it one of the park’s bigger busts. On the plus side, there’s rarely a long wait for Maku, and the tower it shares with Puihi has one of the park’s only elevators, for those unable to climb stairs.

What it is Two twisting body slides with drop endings. Scope and scale Minor attraction. Comments 48" minimum height requirement. Duration of ride About 15 seconds.

Two short but intense twisting slides launch guests 4 and 6 feet above the water at the end, guaranteeing that splashdown sends water straight up your sinuses. Ohno is the taller of the two and typically has a longer wait; the extra 2 feet of free fall isn’t worth an additional 20 minutes.

What it is Thrilling family raft ride. Scope and scale Major attraction. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 850-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride About 45 seconds.

Maku’s mate, Puihi, is the far more frightening slide of the pair: a six-person raft launches down a dark, winding tunnel before shooting up a banked curve; riders glimpse the highway below and momentarily experience zero gravity prior to sliding back down. Among the park’s family raft slides, this is second only to Honu for making riders scream in terror.

This shallow pool near the Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides is framed by towering tikis and windmill-like contraptions that spray water when TapuTapu sensors are activated. The area around Puka Uli is a great spot to set up camp if you are keeping an eye on young kids, but not so much if you’re looking for peace and quiet.

What it is Side-by-side mat slides. Scope and scale Minor attraction. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone. Duration of ride About 20 seconds.

Guests on racing mats shaped like manta rays go down enclosed slides across four lanes and through “underwater sea caves” (also known as plastic tubes). For a swifter ride, face forward, hold your mat in front of you, and jump forward onto it when given the signal, then pull back on the handles as you slide. The orange slide in the center feels the fastest, while the two outside tubes are twistier; tuck your elbows in on the turns or you may be bruised.

What it is Four intertwined two-passenger raft slides. Scope and scale Major attraction. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 300-pound maximum weight requirement per rider; 450-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride About 25–30 seconds.

One tower sports four Easter Island–inspired waterslides with rafts for single or double riders, who sit single file bobsled-style. The slides are similar but not identical—bear left to Tonga (the green slides) with more open-air sections if you get claustrophobic, or go right to Raki (the blue ones) if you like enclosed slides with lots of twists. The best thing about Taniwha Tubes is that they are almost always “Ride Now,” and you’ll rarely wait more than a few minutes for your turn, so you can try out all four slides to find your favorite.

What it is Rapids river. Scope and scale Headliner. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; everyone must wear approved life vest.

On this racing-torrent river, guests hang tight in their mandatory life vests amid roaring whitewater rapids as they surf beneath the slides inside Krakatau. This is the best attraction of its kind that we’ve experienced outside of Atlantis in the Bahamas, but if you’re looking for a lazy river, this ain’t it! A tip for hopeful surfers: Paddle upstream as you exit from under the volcano long enough to catch a curl from the wave generator.

NAMED AFTER THE WATERWAY that winds through it, River Village features family-friendly attractions.

What it is Extreme family raft ride. Scope and scale Headliner. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 49" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 700-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride About 35–40 seconds.

Honu and ika Moana are two separate slides attached to the same tower, where guests board multiperson animal-themed rafts (a sea turtle and a whale, respectively) before speeding down into a pool. Honu is a blue raft slide that sends two to five riders vertically up two giant sloped walls before sliding back down, giving a terrifying taste of what skateboarders call hang time at the top. It’s the scariest group raft ride in the park, and our pick as the best. It’s also the most popular, along with Krakatau Aqua Coaster, so make it one of your top priorities on arrival.

What it is Moderate family raft ride. Scope and scale Major attraction. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 800-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride About 45 seconds.

Though both are boarded from the same platform, don’t confuse ika Moana with its neighbor, Honu. Ika Moana (no relation to the Disney princess) is a much gentler journey in and out of twisting green tunnels, on a raft that’s supposed to spray water from its center. Much like Maku and Puihi, ika Moana isn’t necessarily a bad ride; it’s simply upstaged by its sibling.

What it is High-speed vertical drop slide. Scope and scale Headliner. Comments 48" minimum height requirement; 300-pound maximum weight requirement per rider. Duration of ride About 20 seconds.

Hop on this 125-foot slide, featuring a drop door with a 70-degree-angle descent, straight through the heart of the mountain. Drumbeats building up to the drop get your heart pounding, but the plunge itself is over before you have time to scream. You won’t be able to see much with all the water in your face, but other guests can watch your splashdown through a clear tube located between Waturi Beach’s wave pool and The Reef pool. As with all body slides, cross your ankles, fold your arms across your chest, and arch your back for the best ride. Ko’okiri commands the longest waits of the extreme body slides, so daredevils should make it their first stop. Note that you must climb more than 200 steps to reach the top of this slide.

What it is Lazy river. Scope and scale Headliner. Comments Children under 48" must wear an approved life vest and be accompanied by a supervising companion.

This gentle, lazy river passes through the park’s landscape and into the volcano’s hidden caves. The highlight is Stargazer Cavern, a mist-filled grotto with constellations of pinpoint lights blanketing the rocky ceiling. Beware of spots where guests on dry land can target you for soaking by triggering TapuTapu-activated fountains. You’re allowed to swim along without an inner tube, but snag one for maximum relaxation.

What it is Roller coaster–style family raft ride. Scope and scale Super-headliner. Comments 42" minimum height requirement; 48" minimum height requirement if riding alone; 700-pound maximum weight requirement per raft. Duration of ride 11⁄3 minutes.

Guests board a specially designed canoe that seats up to four. The ride uses linear induction motor technology, which launches the canoe uphill as well as downhill as you twist and turn around the volcano’s blown-out interior. It’s similar to Crush ’n’ Gusher at Typhoon Lagoon but far longer and more thrilling, delivering delightful moments of air time like a real roller coaster. It’s a shame that Universal didn’t make Krakatau a full-blown dark ride by including indoor scenes or special effects, but this is still the best waterslide on which we’ve ever been. Krakatau is the park’s starring headliner and can only service about 700 guests per hour, so take advantage of “Ride Now” at rope drop or get your Virtual Line reservation as early as possible.

What it is Wet playground. Scope and scale Minor attraction. Comments 48" maximum height requirement for slides.

This three-story water playground for older children inspired by the coral reef includes twisting slides, sprinklers, and more. Even though it’s intended for kids, parents will want to clamber around the structure too.

What it is Infant splash area. Scope and scale Diversion. Comments 48" maximum height requirement for slides.

A small toddler play area with spraying Maori fountains, slides, and a kid-size volcano. Visually imaginative but hardly expansive, this is little more than a glorified splash pad, but it’s entertaining enough for the swim-diaper set. Speaking of which, swim diapers are mandatory for all babies and may be bought at Whakawaiwai Eats.

LOCATED AT THE BASE of Krakatau, Wave Village contains wave and leisure pools, as well as the park’s largest beach.

What it is Calm pool with a view. Scope and scale Minor attraction. Comments Children under 48" must wear an approved life vest.

Leisure pool with calm waters and its own waterfall. Relax and watch braver souls shoot down the Ko’okiri Body Plunge through a clear tunnel where the pool meets Waturi Beach.

What it is Wave pool. Scope and scale Super-headliner. Comments Children under 48" must wear an approved life vest.

The central swimming lagoon at Volcano Bay, situated at the foot of Krakatau Lagoon and fed by waterfalls cascading off the volcano’s peak, contains a cutting-edge wave pool capable of cycling through different types of surf. Every 10 minutes a musical fanfare sounds as the sign above the pool rotates, indicating a shift in the seas: from calm waters, to moderate multidirectional chop, to powerful unified breakers.

DUE TO THE NATURE of the Virtual Line system, it’s impossible for us to provide a precise touring plan for Volcano Bay like we do for other parks. We can share basic touring strategies to maximize the number of attractions you experience during your visit, which worked out well for these readers from Lee’s Summit, Missouri:

Just remember that your enjoyment of Volcano Bay is not dictated by the quantity of slides you ride. Simply vegetating in a lounge chair or lazy river all day is perfectly valid:

1. Purchase your admission in advance, and create an online account at universalorlando.com or through the Universal Orlando smartphone app to register your tickets and members of your party. You can also set up a credit card for charging purposes if you wish.

2. Arrive at Volcano Bay as early as possible, at least 75 minutes before the park’s official opening, leaving extra time for parking and transportation.

3. Upon entering, secure seats and a locker, if needed. The loungers on Waturi Beach are the first to be claimed, but you’ll find plenty of options around the rear side of the volcano until midmorning.

4. Tackle the most popular slides while the queues are in “Ride Now” mode, starting with Krakatau Aqua Coaster, Honu, and Ko’okiri Body Plunge (for thrill seekers only), in that order.

5. Circle counterclockwise from River Village to Punga Racers; ride a couple times if there’s no line, then tackle Puihi in Rainforest Village.

6. By now you’ve experienced the majority of the major slides, and the Virtual Line system has probably been activated. Get a return time for Ohyah or Ohno (whichever is sooner). While waiting, ride Kala & Tai Nui (if you’re brave and they still show “Ride Now”) or relax in the Puka Uli Lagoon.

7. After using your Ohyah or Ohno return time, backtrack clockwise to experience Maku, which should still say “Ride Now.”

8. Cross the park back to River Village and ride ika Moana. Check one of the park’s wait time boards while walking there; if ika Moana is “Ride Now,” you can use TapuTapu to get a return time for your second ride on Krakatau Aqua Coaster, Ko’okiri Body Plunge, or Honu along the way.

9. You’ve now conquered all of the park’s slides save for Taniwha Tubes, which you can experience at any time. Virtual Line waits may be in the triple digits by now, so enjoy the wave pool, Fearless and Winding Rivers, and any other slides still showing “Ride Now” while waiting for your next return time. Also take time to explore the volcano’s caverns and search for interactive TapuTapu effects.

10. Lines for food at Volcano Bay build early and move slowly. Order an early lunch before 11 a.m. or wait until after 3 p.m. It’s important to stay hydrated, so feel free to visit the bars early and often. Restaurants begin to shutter 2 hours prior to park closing; Kohola Reef and Dancing Dragons typically stay open the latest.

11. During the summer, you can count on a thunderstorm sweeping through in midafternoon. Everyone is ushered out of the water as soon as lightning strikes within 5 miles, and many guests flee for the parking buses once a downpour starts. Sit tight; Orlando showers are usually short-lived, and you’ll have the slides to yourself once the all clear is given.

12. As closing time approaches, Virtual Line waits will begin to drop, and some queues that were formerly full may reopen, so secure your last re-rides on any favorites.

13. Try to stay in the park past sunset to see the volcano erupt with crimson water. Don’t forget to return your TapuTapu wristbands on your way out.