Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay waterpark is centred around the 200-foot-tall erupting Krakatau
Universal’s “next-generation” waterpark, Volcano Bay, promises to redefine the waterpark experience, with everything from the virtual queue line to the park’s immersive theming inspired by the Pacific isles.
Featuring 18 attractions across four themed areas, the 28-acre (11-hectare) park will be anchored by a 200ft-high (61-metre) volcano structure. Universal says the waterpark, which opens on 25 May, will put the focus “entirely on having fun and spending time together”. Volcano Bay is being built near the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, with guests able to visit the waterpark as a single experience or as part of a three-gate ticket in conjunction with the operator’s other two Orlando theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
Volcano Bay replaces Universal’s Wet ’n Wild Orlando, one of the first waterparks in the US, which closed in 2016. Universal is yet to reveal what it is doing with the site on International Drive, although there have been reports that a hotel will be built.
Dale Mason is vice president and executive art director for Universal Creative, where he develops experiences for guests worldwide. He tells Attractions Management about this season’s biggest opening.
Universal says it wants to redefine the waterpark experience. How is Volcano Bay doing this? Volcano Bay will be filled with thrills and relaxation where we take waterpark theming to the next level. Spanning almost 30 acres, the waterpark features a variety of experiences that range from daring to serene. And the best part – guests won’t have to wait in long lines to enjoy it.
Volcano Bay has been designed by the Universal Creative team and will feature the same level of detail, immersion and adventure found in Universal’s other attractions and theme parks.
What can guests expect? The park combines exhilarating experiences with hassle-free convenience so families can get the most out of their vacation together. The state-of-the-art Krakatau Aqua Coaster will take guests on an exciting voyage unlike any other. The all-new TapuTapu wearable technology will vastly improve the way guests experience waterparks. Fortunately, they won’t have to stand in long lines or wrestle with tubes before enjoying the unique attractions around the park.
Volcano Bay guests will be able to enjoy a variety of experiences – from winding rivers and private, two-storey cabanas, to family raft rides and twisting body slides that launch them above the water.
How did you research the project? To help shape our vision, our team travelled around the world visiting waterparks and tropical resorts. We went to Bali in Indonesia, the Middle East, Europe and all across the United States. And from there, we started designing what we wanted Volcano Bay to be.
Can you explain the inspiration and concept for theming at Volcano Bay? Volcano Bay is made up of four highly themed areas, all with Polynesian influences ranging from Easter Island and Hawaii to New Zealand and more.
Can you tell us about the relevance of Krakatau? Why this centrepiece? And what will it be like? The 200-foot volcano, Krakatau, will lie at the heart of the park, inviting guests to venture through its hidden caverns and cascading waterfalls. And by night, the volcano will illuminate with blazing lava. We’re excited for all guests to experience the centrepiece of the water theme park.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 1
People profile: Nolan Bushnell
Nolan Bushnell, father of the video game industry, on his new VR business and the future of technology
People profile: Ron Magill
Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill gives the lowdown on the attraction’s new Florida: Mission Everglades zone
People profile: Kim Gladstone Herlev
Denmark’s Experimentarium has reopened after a major renovation. CEO Kim Gladstone Herlev shares his vision for the future
People profile: Jimmy Fallon
Hold on tight! US TV star Jimmy Fallon is the subject of a brand new ride at Universal Orlando
Interview: Matthias Li
Matthias Li, chief executive at Hong Kong’s
Ocean Park, on his response to a changing
visitor profile and rising competition
Pipeline: Opening Doors
There’s an array of attractions set to launch.
We anticipate the hot debuts of the year
Tourism: A Plan for Oman
The Ministry of Tourism’s Maitha Al Mahrouqi
on Oman’s status as a budding destination
Guests will be able to book ride slots and avoid queuing in the waterpark thanks to Universal’s TapuTapu virtual queuing technology. Each visitor will be issued with a wristband device that enables them to hold their place in a line, unlock “surprises” around the location and trigger special effects like water cannon and illuminations.
The Four Themed Areas • Krakatau Inside the volcano, guests can board specially-designed canoes to ride the Krakatau water coaster. The aqua coaster uses leading water ride technology to propel them uphill as well as down. There are also three waterslides. The Ko’okiri Body Plunge plummets 125-feet through the centre of the volcano and tunnels through a swimming pool of guests. Kala and Ta Nui Serpentine offers a dual free fall while guests can race on mats on Punga Racers.
• Wave Village Situated at the base of the towering volcano, Wave Village features a multi-directional wave pool, sandy beach and a selection of cabanas. There’s also a calmer pool area, which does however offer exciting views of riders speeding through the Ko’okiri Body Plunge.
• River Village A river meanders through the family-friendly River Village. Guests float into the volcano’s hidden caves where there are special light and water effects to discover. Tot Tiki Reef is a toddler play area with Maori fountains and a mini volcano, while Runamukka Reef is an aquaplay area for older kids.
• Rainforest Village There are thrills aplenty in this zone, including Maku, a three-saucer ride; Puihi, a multi-passenger raft ride with a zero-gravity drop; Ohyah and Ohno, a duo of drop slides that launches guests into the air as it spits them out; and Taniwha, four Easter Island-inspired tube slides.
Located in River Village, Stargazer’s Cavern reveals a ‘magical night sky’ above
Dale Mason, Universal Creative
Multi-person raft ride Honu
Krakatau Aqua Coaster
Ohno drop sllide, that launches guests above the water
Kopiko Wai Winding River, which passes around the volcano and through its hidden caves
An overview of the upcoming water theme park
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Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay waterpark is centred around the 200-foot-tall erupting Krakatau
Universal’s “next-generation” waterpark, Volcano Bay, promises to redefine the waterpark experience, with everything from the virtual queue line to the park’s immersive theming inspired by the Pacific isles.
Featuring 18 attractions across four themed areas, the 28-acre (11-hectare) park will be anchored by a 200ft-high (61-metre) volcano structure. Universal says the waterpark, which opens on 25 May, will put the focus “entirely on having fun and spending time together”. Volcano Bay is being built near the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, with guests able to visit the waterpark as a single experience or as part of a three-gate ticket in conjunction with the operator’s other two Orlando theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
Volcano Bay replaces Universal’s Wet ’n Wild Orlando, one of the first waterparks in the US, which closed in 2016. Universal is yet to reveal what it is doing with the site on International Drive, although there have been reports that a hotel will be built.
Dale Mason is vice president and executive art director for Universal Creative, where he develops experiences for guests worldwide. He tells Attractions Management about this season’s biggest opening.
Universal says it wants to redefine the waterpark experience. How is Volcano Bay doing this? Volcano Bay will be filled with thrills and relaxation where we take waterpark theming to the next level. Spanning almost 30 acres, the waterpark features a variety of experiences that range from daring to serene. And the best part – guests won’t have to wait in long lines to enjoy it.
Volcano Bay has been designed by the Universal Creative team and will feature the same level of detail, immersion and adventure found in Universal’s other attractions and theme parks.
What can guests expect? The park combines exhilarating experiences with hassle-free convenience so families can get the most out of their vacation together. The state-of-the-art Krakatau Aqua Coaster will take guests on an exciting voyage unlike any other. The all-new TapuTapu wearable technology will vastly improve the way guests experience waterparks. Fortunately, they won’t have to stand in long lines or wrestle with tubes before enjoying the unique attractions around the park.
Volcano Bay guests will be able to enjoy a variety of experiences – from winding rivers and private, two-storey cabanas, to family raft rides and twisting body slides that launch them above the water.
How did you research the project? To help shape our vision, our team travelled around the world visiting waterparks and tropical resorts. We went to Bali in Indonesia, the Middle East, Europe and all across the United States. And from there, we started designing what we wanted Volcano Bay to be.
Can you explain the inspiration and concept for theming at Volcano Bay? Volcano Bay is made up of four highly themed areas, all with Polynesian influences ranging from Easter Island and Hawaii to New Zealand and more.
Can you tell us about the relevance of Krakatau? Why this centrepiece? And what will it be like? The 200-foot volcano, Krakatau, will lie at the heart of the park, inviting guests to venture through its hidden caverns and cascading waterfalls. And by night, the volcano will illuminate with blazing lava. We’re excited for all guests to experience the centrepiece of the water theme park.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 1
People profile: Nolan Bushnell
Nolan Bushnell, father of the video game industry, on his new VR business and the future of technology
People profile: Ron Magill
Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill gives the lowdown on the attraction’s new Florida: Mission Everglades zone
People profile: Kim Gladstone Herlev
Denmark’s Experimentarium has reopened after a major renovation. CEO Kim Gladstone Herlev shares his vision for the future
People profile: Jimmy Fallon
Hold on tight! US TV star Jimmy Fallon is the subject of a brand new ride at Universal Orlando
Interview: Matthias Li
Matthias Li, chief executive at Hong Kong’s
Ocean Park, on his response to a changing
visitor profile and rising competition
Pipeline: Opening Doors
There’s an array of attractions set to launch.
We anticipate the hot debuts of the year
Tourism: A Plan for Oman
The Ministry of Tourism’s Maitha Al Mahrouqi
on Oman’s status as a budding destination
Guests will be able to book ride slots and avoid queuing in the waterpark thanks to Universal’s TapuTapu virtual queuing technology. Each visitor will be issued with a wristband device that enables them to hold their place in a line, unlock “surprises” around the location and trigger special effects like water cannon and illuminations.
The Four Themed Areas • Krakatau Inside the volcano, guests can board specially-designed canoes to ride the Krakatau water coaster. The aqua coaster uses leading water ride technology to propel them uphill as well as down. There are also three waterslides. The Ko’okiri Body Plunge plummets 125-feet through the centre of the volcano and tunnels through a swimming pool of guests. Kala and Ta Nui Serpentine offers a dual free fall while guests can race on mats on Punga Racers.
• Wave Village Situated at the base of the towering volcano, Wave Village features a multi-directional wave pool, sandy beach and a selection of cabanas. There’s also a calmer pool area, which does however offer exciting views of riders speeding through the Ko’okiri Body Plunge.
• River Village A river meanders through the family-friendly River Village. Guests float into the volcano’s hidden caves where there are special light and water effects to discover. Tot Tiki Reef is a toddler play area with Maori fountains and a mini volcano, while Runamukka Reef is an aquaplay area for older kids.
• Rainforest Village There are thrills aplenty in this zone, including Maku, a three-saucer ride; Puihi, a multi-passenger raft ride with a zero-gravity drop; Ohyah and Ohno, a duo of drop slides that launches guests into the air as it spits them out; and Taniwha, four Easter Island-inspired tube slides.
Located in River Village, Stargazer’s Cavern reveals a ‘magical night sky’ above
Dale Mason, Universal Creative
Multi-person raft ride Honu
Krakatau Aqua Coaster
Ohno drop sllide, that launches guests above the water
Kopiko Wai Winding River, which passes around the volcano and through its hidden caves
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
