Universal Volcano Bay

Last updated

Volcano Bay
Volcano Bay 2023 logo.png
Krakatau at Volcano Bay.jpg
Krakatau Volcano
SloganWater is life. Life is joy.
Location Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida, United States
Coordinates 28°46′17″N81°47′28″W / 28.77139°N 81.79111°W / 28.77139; -81.79111
Theme Polynesia
Owner NBCUniversal
(Comcast) [1]
Operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences
OpenedMay 25, 2017;7 years ago (2017-05-25) [2]
Operating seasonOpen all year (water heated in winter)
StatusOperating
Area27 acres (11 ha)
Website Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Universal Volcano Bay Water Theme Park, or Volcano Bay, is a tropical-themed water park at Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. It is owned by Universal Destinations & Experiences, Volcano Bay. Owned and operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences, Volcano Bay replaced Wet 'n Wild as Universal Orlando Resort's only water park, and it was the first water park constructed by Universal Creative.

Contents

At the center of the park is "Krakatau," a 200-foot-tall (61 m) volcano. Its slides include water coasters and capsule plunge slides. [3] As the park's main icon, Krakatau is featured in the logo.

History

In February 2015, Universal Orlando Resort officials submitted plans for a new water park attraction to be located on their property near the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. [4] Construction was already underway when Universal Orlando Resort officially announced the project and its name on May 28, 2015. [4] In June 2015, it was revealed that the park would replace the Universal-owned Wet 'n Wild water park, which closed on December 31, 2016. [5]

Volcano Bay was constructed on approximately 53 acres (21 ha) of the resort complex's overall property and took an estimated US$600 million to build. [4] [6] Artist's concepts included a wave pool, a thrill slide coming from the park's central volcano, and other water slides. [4] A lazy river and rapids slide were also shown on the plans, although park officials stated they would reveal all of the park's planned attractions at a later date. [4] [7]

On June 21, 2016, Universal Orlando Resort officials revealed additional details on Volcano Bay, including its debut attractions and its planned opening date of June 1, 2017. [8] On January 25, 2017, Universal Orlando Resort revealed that the Grand Opening ceremony would be on May 25, 2017. [2] On May 25, 2017, Volcano Bay officially opened to the public. [9] [10]

Volcano Bay's first few months of operation were met with mixed reviews on social media sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor, with visitors praising the park's appearance and theming, while criticizing the lines and the TapuTapu ride reservation system. [11] Visitors complained about the long lines for the slides that could be reserved, which they say resulted in overcrowding in attractions that could not be reserved. [11] However, other visitors noted that they had better experiences arriving well before opening or later in the day. [11] A park spokesperson claimed that their internal surveys indicated guests were generally happy with the park. [11]

Attractions

Volcano Bay's attractions are located in four themed areas, each inspired by various Polynesian islands and cultures. [12] The centerpiece of the park is "Krakatau", a 200-foot-tall (61 m) volcano that will have waterfalls during the day and lava flows at night created by the French company Aquatique Show. [8] [12]

Krakatau

The area located in the park's signature volcano also includes a first-of-its-kind slide attraction. [8] [12]

Wave Village

Wave Village is designed for sunbathing and relaxation and includes one and two-story cabanas that can be rented by visitors. [12]

River Village

Kopiko Wai Winding River Kopiko Wai Winding River at Volcano Bay.jpg
Kopiko Wai Winding River

The River Village area contains attractions for families and for younger visitors. [12]

Rainforest Village

Ohyah and Ohno water slides Ohyah and Ohno water slides.jpg
Ohyah and Ohno water slides

The final section of the park contains a large number of thrill slides, including raft slides ridden with multiple riders. [12]

Attendance

YearAttendance
20171,500,000 [15]
20181,725,000 [16]
20191,811,000 [17]
2020551,000 [18]
20211,691,000 [17]
20221,850,000 [18]

The park appeared in season 6, episode 23 of the truTV television show Impractical Jokers , “Take Me Out at the Ballgame”. Additionally, the park has also appeared in season 14 of Food Network's show Food Network Star , [19] as well as Top Chef Junior season 1, episode 13.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water slide</span> Type of slide designed for recreational use in swimming pools or water parks

A water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at swimming pools or water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size. Some slides require riders to sit directly on the slide, or on a raft or tube designed to be used with the slide.

Raging Waters is a chain of two water theme parks in San Dimas, California, and Sydney, Australia. The parks are operated by Palace Entertainment and owned by its parent company Parques Reunidos, but they each contain different attractions. The parks are generally closed during the winter months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Blizzard Beach</span> One of two water parks in Walt Disney World Resort

Disney's Blizzard Beach is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. All water areas are heated to approximately 80 °F or 27 °C, with the exception of the melting snow in the ice cave of Cross Country Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Typhoon Lagoon</span> One of two water parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida near Orlando, and is one of two operating water parks at the resort. It is the second water park to open at the resort, preceded by Disney's River Country which closed in November 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Destinations & Experiences</span> Theme park division of NBCUniversal

Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX), formerly Universal Parks & Resorts, is the theme park unit of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah's Ark Water Park</span> Outdoor water park in Wisconsin, United States

Noah's Ark Family Park Inc. is the largest outdoor water park in the United States. It features 51 water slides and dozens of various attractions. The park is located in the village of Lake Delton, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adventure Island (water park)</span> Water park near Tampa, Florida, United States

Adventure Island is a water park located northeast of Tampa, Florida, across the street from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The park features 30 acres (12 ha) of water rides, dining, and other attractions. The park opened on June 7, 1980, and is part of United Parks & Resorts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast</span> Water park on the Gold Coast, Australia

Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast is a water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, owned and operated by Village Roadshow Theme Parks. In 2019, the park received 1,120,000 visitors making it the most visited water park in Australia and the 19th most visited water park in the world. Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast is located adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, a movie-related park also owned by Village Roadshow Theme Parks. The park remains open all year with some seasonal ride closures and maintenance periods in winter. It is one of several water parks operating under the Wet'n'Wild brand globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Country USA</span> Water park in York County, Virginia, United States

Water Country USA is a water park in York County, Virginia, United States, near Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the Mid-Atlantic's largest water park, and it offers live entertainment, shops and restaurants, water rides, and other family attractions, all of which have a 1950s or 1960s surf theme. It is owned by United Parks & Resorts. The park is just a few miles away from Busch Gardens Williamsburg, with which it shares clientele. Multi-park passes are available, and a parking pass at Water Country USA is valid for same-day entry to Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark is a water park located in the Poconos in Tannersville, Pennsylvania at Big Pocono State Park. Opened in 1998, it is the summer operation for Camelback Resort, which is a skiing and snowboard resort during the winter.

<i>Jurassic Park</i>: The Ride Attraction at Universal theme parks

Jurassic Park: The Ride, also known as the Jurassic Park River Adventure is a water-based amusement ride based on the Steven Spielberg 1993 film Jurassic Park and Michael Crichton's 1990 novel of the same name which the film is based on located at Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. It was formerly located at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California, where it was turned into Jurassic World: The Ride on July 12, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park</span> Amusement park in Wisconsin

Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park Resort is a theme park and water park resort complex in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The resort is themed after Ancient Greece, particularly its mythology and gods, and is named after the mountain in Greece where those gods were said to live. Mt. Olympus features an indoor and outdoor water park and amusement park rides, and the complex includes dozens of motel buildings that were acquired by the resort in addition to its purpose-built hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Splish Splash (water park)</span> Water park in Calverton, New York, US

Splish Splash is a 96-acre (390,000 m2) water park located in Calverton, New York. It has 30 rides and is open for visitors from May to September. Travel Channel ranked Splish Splash as the third-best water park in the United States in the year 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crush 'n' Gusher</span> Water slide at Typhoon Lagoon

Crush 'N' Gusher is a water coaster in Disney's Typhoon Lagoon on the Walt Disney World Resort property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Splash Works</span> Water park in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada

Splash Works is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park located within the park boundaries of Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Entry is free with park admission. Splash Works is home to "Whitewater Bay", the largest outdoor wave pool in Canada, and is today home to 16 waterslides. Splash Works operates during the summer months of May through September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Creative</span> Engineering, architecture and design division of Universal Parks & Resorts

Universal Creative is the division of Universal Destinations & Experiences responsible for designing, developing, engineering, and producing themed attractions, rides, and, resorts. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the company operates at Universal Parks & Resorts locations around the world in the United States, Singapore, Japan, and China.

Waterworld is a water park located in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The park attracts 400,000 visitors per year. The park first opened in 1989 and is generally open year-round, but is closed for a few days of the week during term time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapids Water Park</span> Water park in Riviera Beach, Florida

Rapids Water Park is a water park in Riviera Beach, Florida, United States, that occupies 30 acres.

Aquatica is a chain of water parks owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. Aquatica parks are operating in Orlando, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.

Hangzhou Bay Sunac Tourism City is a theme park and entertainment complex under construction in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China, about 45 miles from downtown Shanghai. It was announced by the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation in 2015 as part of the company's bid to open multiple parks in China. In February 2020, Six Flags dropped out of the project when their partner, Riverside Investment Group, encountered was unable to meet their financial obligations. In June 2020, Sunac China Holdings took over the project and opened the Sunac Water Park in June 2021. The complex is projected to open in stages, with the rebranded Sunac Land theme park to open in 2024, and the rest of the project to be completed by 2025. However, construction delays may postpone the openings.

References

  1. ↑ James, Meg (July 1, 2011). "NBCUniversal completes takeover of Universal Orlando theme parks". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Bevil, Dewayne (January 25, 2017). "Universal sets grand opening date for Volcano Bay water park". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Universal Orlando". www.universalorlando.com. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Dineen, Caitlin (May 28, 2015). "Universal Orlando's Volcano Bay to open in 2017". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. ↑ Schroder, Tom (June 17, 2015). "Thank You To All Our Fans For Decades Of Wet 'N Wild Orlando". Universal Parks & Resorts Blog. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  6. ↑ Barnes, Brooks (May 30, 2017). "Taking the Plunge at the New Volcano Bay Water Park in Orlando". Archived from the original on June 3, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ↑ Woodbury, Mark (May 28, 2015). "Announcing Universal's Volcano Bay – A Water Theme Park Unlike Any You've Ever Experienced". Universal Parks & Resorts Blog. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Dineen, Caitlinn (June 21, 2016). "Universal: Plan on Volcano Bay opening by June 1". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Newspapers. Archived from the original on June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  9. ↑ Salamone, Gina (May 25, 2017). "Universal Orlando opens Volcano Bay water theme park". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  10. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne; Pedicini, Sandra (May 25, 2017). "Volcano Bay draws crowds, complaints on opening day". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 26, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Warmoth, Justin (July 27, 2017). "Universal works to improve Volcano Bay after poor online reviews". Click Orlando.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mason, Dale (June 21, 2016). "First-Ever Details Revealed For Universal's Volcano Bay". Universal Parks & Resorts Blog. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Universal Orlando Resort's Highly-Anticipated Water Theme Park to Open In 2017". media.universalorlando.com. Universal Orlando.
  14. ↑ "Water Slide Database". Water Slide Database. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016.
  15. ↑ "TEA and AECOM Release 2018 Theme Park Attendance Statistics, Magic Kingdom is World's Most Visited Park - WDW News Today". wdwnt.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  16. ↑ "TEA and AECOM Release 2018 Theme Park Attendance Statistics, Magic Kingdom is World's Most Visited Park - WDW News Today". wdwnt.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  17. 1 2 "Adobe Acrobat". acrobat.adobe.com. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  18. 1 2 "Adobe Acrobat". acrobat.adobe.com. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  19. ↑ "A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the "Food Network Star" Premiere". Close Up. June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.

Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

28°27′41″N81°28′23″W / 28.4614°N 81.4731°W / 28.4614; -81.4731

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.