Top 10 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Universal’s Volcano Bay Waterpark
Universal’s Volcano Bay is HANDS DOWN the best waterpark in Orlando! With waterslides, lazy rivers, wave pool, delicious food, and more, there is a little bit of something for everyone. However, if it is your very first time visiting, there are some things you need to know to have a successful trip and I’m sharing those tips with you today.
First things first, you’ve GOT to check out our full Volcano Bay Vlog Here:
Tapu Tapu
The MOST important thing you need to know about is Tapu Tapu. This is a little rubber bracelet that you wear (similar to a magicband if you’ve used one at Disney) and you’ll use it for everything from Virtual Queues, paying for meals and merchandise, photos, and even fun interactive elements all around the park.
Early Park Entry
Guests that stay at a Universal Resort or those with Universal Annual Passes qualify for early entry! That means you can get in the park up to 30 minutes before the park officially opens. This is absolutely the best time to grab the best chairs and catch a few waterslides (like the super popular Krakatau) before the lines get long.
Keep in mind, not all of the park will be open, but you can still experience some of the parks most popular attractions. Here is a list of the attractions that are typically open for early entry (please note that these are subject to change)
Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
Honu of the Honu Ika Moana
ika Moana of the Honu ika Moana
Krakatau Aqua Coaster
Ko’okiri Body Plunge
Waturi Wave Pool
I highly recommend getting your tapu tapu for Krakatau (unless there isn’t a line) and then hit up some of the other slides while you wait.
You can also use this time to get some of my FAVORITE breakfast pizza over at Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club. This is only served till around 10am, but it is delicious and big enough to share!
Study the Map Ahead of Time
I won’t lie, the first time I went to Volcano Bay, I had a bit of a difficult time navigating. There are some maps around the park, but not a ton and the signs can be a bit confusing. Take a few minutes before you go to check out the map located in the Universal App.
Take note of where slides and attractions that you want to experience are so that you have an idea of where to go.
Generally, Volcano Bay is a big circle with the Volcano and wave pool at the very center. I recommend working your way counter-clockwise for the easiest time.
Refillable Cups
You can of course use your rapid refill cups at any of the coke freestyle machines, BUT if you plan on indulging in some fruity adult cocktails, I highly recommend picking up one of the refillable cups!
These are 20oz cups that you can get at any of the bar locations around the waterpark and you can select any of the specialty cocktails to go in it. After your first purchase, you get $3 off any future drinks in your cup!
This is an excellent way to save some money if you plan on drinking and make sure to keep your cup because you can use it on future trips too.
Try the Food
This is not your typical Theme Park Food! Of course you can always get the classics like burgers and pizza, but you can also find more unique options like Coconut Curry Chicken, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Tacos, and Poke!
You MUST also get a Waturi Fusion. This is a rainbow soft serve ice cream with flavors of banana, orange, strawberry, and blue raspberry. I’ll be honest that it mostly just tastes like fruity pebbles, but it is delicious and super refreshing on a warm waterpark day.
Stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
If you plan on visiting the waterpark often on your trip, I highly recommend booking your stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort! This is a super retro mid-century style resort full of bright colors and great activities. (and even a fantastic pool with a lazy river itself)
You can check out our full tour of Cabana Bay here:
The perk with staying here is that you get a private walking path to the waterpark! This can make early entry super easy and convenient. You can also use this walking path when staying at Sapphire Falls and Aventura, it’s just a little bit longer of a walk.
Say hi to vol in the Volcano Tunnel
It took us a few visits before we found out this was a thing! Inside the volcano, you’ll find a walking path full of interactive elements like water spouts and light up cave walls. BUT my favorite this is the little splash pad fountains.
Make sure to pay attention and if you see a tikki face on the wall, listen! That’s Vol, and you CAN TALK TO IT! YES this is a super cool interactive experience. You can ask vol questions and they will speak back to you. (spoiler, it’s a real person, so this makes it a ton of fun)
I can’t guarantee that they are always there, but if they are, definitely spend a few minutes chatting. It might just be the highlight of your day!
Lockers & Bathrooms
If you are arriving later in the day and have difficulties finding a chair, or simply want to keep your stuff more secure, there are several locker locations around the park.
Most guests tendencies are to go immediately left when they walk in and head to those lockers (making them very busy). Instead head to the right and just past the Kohola Reef Restaurant you’ll find another locker and bathroom location that is typically less crowded.
If you are ok with walking, there is a third locker location near the back of the park too. This one is definitely the least busy out of any of them!
You’ll use your tapu tapu to get in and out of your locker, so no need to keep track of a key or code. You can also have multiple guests in your party have access to the same locker. Just ask a team member for assistance.
This is also the location you’ll rent towels. Fair warning… these aren’t great and they are kinda expensive, so if you can bring your own, I recommend it!
You’ll find really nice changing rooms and showers in the bathrooms, so feel free to bring an extra change of clothes if you want to immediately hit the parks afterwards, or simply just want to wash off all the sand.
Wear Water Shoes
You will be doing a ton of walking around this water park and if you aren’t used to walking around barefoot on concrete, you can easily rub your feet raw or even burn them a bit in the heat of the summer. (they do a pretty good job keeping the walkways watered, but they can still be hot in the warmer months)
I recommend bringing a pair of watershoes or sandals with straps that you can walk around in. You are absolutely allowed to wear them in the pools, lazy river, and on raft slides. The only place you won’t be allowed to wear them is on the body slides as they may damage the slide. But don’t worry! Outside of every slide (both raft slides and body slides) you’ll find a netted rack that you can drop off your loose articles. I don’t recommend leaving anything valuable there, but it’s a great place to store shoes or a hat.
Looking for recommendations? We have a few favs!
Tevas are great for lightweight sandals that easily velcro on and off.
Chacos are great if you are looking for a little more support from your shoes, and they tend to try fairly quickly.
My personal favs are my Reef Sandals. These are totally waterproof, cushioned, and they are super cute too!
Plan at least one full day
This waterpark is HUGE and although you can totally do most of it in around half a day, there are so many things to explore and discover that I recommend spending a full day or at least a few partial days here so that you can do it all!
I’ve been here a dozen times and I still am finding new things every time we go!
Have questions about Volcano Bay? Want to tell us your favorite thing about this park? We want to hear it all, so leave us those comments below!
