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15 Volcano Bay Tips

If you’re planning a Universal Orlando vacation and want to visit Volcano Bay, this is for you. After these 15 Volcano Bay tips, you’ll be a Volcano Bay pro!

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Now that you have tickets and a rental car, on to the Volcano Bay hacks. When you’re done here, don’t miss our 2024 Universal Orlando Planning Guide.

Now, let’s get to the Volcano Bay Tips and Hacks.

What is Volcano Bay?

Volcano Bay is Universal Studios’ third theme park in Orlando, Florida. I have lots of Volcano Bay tips for first-timers to share. I will even let you know some secrets, including Volcano Bay hacks. 

But first, here is a little background on Volcano Bay. 

Volcano Bay was not the first water park for Universal Studios. Before opening this park, Universal purchased and operated the Wet ‘n Wild Water Park. (Fun fact! Now, you can share your knowledge with your friends and family.) 

Volcano Bay opened to the public in May 2017, shortly after Universal Orlando closed Wet ‘n Wild. The entire park was designed with the artificial volcano Krakatau in mind. The volcano is 200 feet tall and is the main feature of the water park. 

Krakatau features waterfalls all day and night. Once the sun goes down, there is a fiery lava flow. 

Rides at Volcano Bay

Krakatau has four different rides/slides. The first is the Krakatau Aqua Coaster. Climb into the 4-person canoe to go uphill. Once you reach the top, you will twist and turn through the volcano until you plunge to the bottom pool through a waterfall. 

The Krakatau Aqua Coaster is unique, unlike anything you’ll see at another water park. Although it’s considered an “aqua-coaster,” it is pretty tame and family-friendly.

Punga Racers are body slides where you can race with your family. The Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides drop guests straight down into the pool below.

Now, for one of the scariest things to do in Universal! The Ko’okiri Body Plunge will have you going down a 125-foot-long slide at a 70-degree angle. I will be honest: I have not done this one, but my older two kids have and they say it’s fun but terrifying.

Other water rides can be found within Wave Village, Rainforest Village, and River Village. 

Now that you know a little more about what is offered at Volcano Bay, I will start sharing my favorite Volcano Bay tips for first-timers! 

Volcano Bay Tips

Here are 15 Volcano Bay Tips and Volcano Bay Hacks on your next Universal Orlando vacation. Check out 20 Universal Mistakes to avoid for even more Universal Orlando tips!

1. Stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel

You can easily stay at any Universal Orlando Resort Hotel and have a fantastic time at Volcano Bay. But one of my best Volcano Bay hacks is to stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. 

You get early park admission half an hour before Volcano Bay opens (you can get this with all Universal hotels), but there’s also a short walkway from Cabana Bay to Volcano Bay! 

It’s worth paying for the “Volcano Bay view” rooms because 1) it’s an epic view, and 2) you’re guaranteed to be close to Volcano Bay!

Although I recommend staying at Cabana for easy access to Volcano Bay, you can’t go wrong with any Universal hotel! Universal Orlando is home to eight resorts: Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Loews Royal Pacific, Aventura Hotel, Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and Universal Endless Summer Resorts – Dockside Inn and Suites and Seaside Inn and Suites.

Click on any of the links to check pricing during your vacation dates. Remember that Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay, and Loews Royal Pacific all include free Express Passes for your entire group. Check out more about that here: Which Universal Orlando hotels offer Express Pass?

Pro Tip: It’s best to go on Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides, Krakatau Aqua Coaster, and Ko’kiri Body Plunge early. There won’t be long lines since everyone staying off-site can’t enter the park early.

2. Purchase a Multi-Day Park to Park Ticket

You can spend just one day at Volcano Bay, but two is better! It can take two days to see and experience everything in Volcano Bay. 

If you’re visiting during a slow time, spending two full days at Volcano Bay may not be necessary. 3-Park tickets ensure you can “park hop” whenever you’d like. 

3. Always Arrive Early 

Arriving at Volcano Bay early ensures you can enter the park. Volcano Bay can reach maximum capacity quickly. When that happens, no one else is allowed to enter until later in the day when people begin to leave. 

If you are not planning on spending all day at Volcano Bay, you still have options. For later-in-the-day arrivals, I recommend waiting until mid-afternoon for your arrival. This will give you a better chance of walking right in and enjoying the water rides. 

You can also call 407-817-8317 to see Volcano Bay’s current capacity before heading to the park. 

4. Create a Universal Account

One of my favorite Volcano Bay tips for first-timers is to create a Universal account. Once you have your account, you can connect your credit card and passes.

Your account will be used when you utilize Tapu Tapu at Volcano Bay. Tapu Tapu has a tap-to-pay capability. Renting a locker, paying for food and drinks, and shopping are so much easier when you tap to pay!

5. Always Choose a Locker Away from the Entrance

The entrance can become quite crowded, especially around the locker areas. If you want to avoid the crowds (trust me, you do!), I recommend choosing a locker away from the entrance area. 

Another Volcano Bay locker tip is to have only one person visit your locker. Lockers can be difficult to reach when entire families are crowded around a single locker. You do not want to be the person who blocks other people from their lockers. 

6. Reserve Cabanas and Premium Seating Options in Advance

There are plenty of places to sit between being in the water and on the rides at Volcano Bay. One of the best Volcano Bay tips I can share with you is to make sure you reserve a cabana or premium seating in advance. 

Those areas are out of the sun, so they disappear quickly! 

I prefer the cabanas because they are private. They come with snacks, a personal server, and other amenities. The premium seating, with the attached safe and canopy, is also worth it. 

The pricing varies depending on the date, so if it’s outside your budget, arrive early to snag some of the chairs. 

7. Have a Plan in Place

One of the biggest Volcano Bay tips is ensuring you have a plan. The worst thing you can do is arrive at Volcano Bay and have no idea what you want to do.

It’s better to have a plan to know which rides/slides are at the top of your list. Then, make reservations through Tapu Tapu to get into virtual lines. Ensure you allow downtime in one of the pools or your chairs. 

8. Always Pack Essentials

Sunscreen, towels, hats, sunglasses, and even waterproof cases for phones are necessary. Yes, you’ll have to rent a locker, but it’s cheaper than buying what you need at the stores! The towel rentals alone are $7!

I recommend buying any necessary items, including a fuel rod to charge your phone (there is a fuel rod swap station at Volcano Bay), in advance.

9. Stay When It Rains

Most people leave as soon as a bit of rain starts to fall. One of my favorite Volcano Bay hacks is to stay put and wait. You’re probably wet from the rides anyway, so a bit of rain won’t hurt you. Everything will continue to run as long as there is no lightning. 

Besides, most rain in Florida ends after a short period. If you leave, you may not be lucky enough to return to the park. 

10. Stay Late at Volcano Bay

Like the other theme parks in Orlando, many people choose to leave Volcano Bay by late afternoon because they are tired or ready to grab some dinner.

You can take advantage of that and see another side of this theme park. If the park is open late enough, the volcano will light up and change colors. 

Of course, the ride lines are much shorter later in the day. So, you should be able to go on a few extra rides when you stay later than everyone else. 

11. Be Prepared to Walk a Lot

The rides and slides at Volcano Bay are all spread out. So, you must be prepared to do a lot of walking when you are there. Flip-flops are the shoe of choice for obvious reasons. 

If you are tempted to walk around without shoes, you can. Just remember that the walkways can get hot under the Florida sun. 

12. Beware If You are Claustrophobic or Afraid of Heights

If you happen to be a person who is afraid of tight spaces or heights, you will want to be cautious of which rides you go on. Anyone who dislikes small, tight spaces will want to avoid the Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides. 

And any rides at the top of the Krakatau Volcano might be out if you don’t like heights. 

13. Bring Pre-Packaged Snacks

Pre-packaged snacks are allowed inside Volcano Bay. So, if you have children who are always hungry, take advantage of this Volcano Bay hack to save a little money. 

Remember that coolers cannot be taken in unless they are soft-sided and no bigger than 8.5” x 6” x 6”. 

You can also take in water bottles if they are not glass. 

14. Save Time and Use Mobile Ordering for Food

Sitting down to grab a bite to eat will sound wonderful during the day. The restaurants at Volcano Bay can get crowded, though, especially if you eat during regular meal times.

I recommend using the Universal Orlando app to order your food. Then, you can show up when it is ready instead of waiting in line for an hour. 

15. Bring a FuelRod to charge your phone

I mentioned this already, but one of my top Universal Studios tips is having a portable phone charger. This is a good tip for Volcano Bay too! Universal has FuelRod rental stations on site where you can swap out your fuel rod for a new one. There is even one station at Volcano Bay inside Waturi Marketplace.

I recommend buying your own on Amazon (cheaper!) and then switching out at the parks if you need to.

Bonus Volcano Bay Tips for Young Children

You might think of water parks as more fun for adults or “big kids,” but Volcano Bay has plenty of things to do for younger kids too.

If you are traveling with children, your options for some of the slides at Volcano Bay will be limited. That doesn’t mean your little ones won’t have fun! I recommend checking out Waturi Beach and The Reef within the Wave Village for the littles. Anyone under 48 inches must wear a life vest in the pools. 

In River Village, the Runamukka Reef is a play area complete with slides for kids under 54 inches. The Tot Tiki Reef is another play area for any child under 48 inches. Kopiko Wai Winding River is another favorite. Just make sure your children under 48 inches have their life vests on. 

The Puka Uli Lagoon in Rainforest Village is always a hit with younger kids. However, anyone under 48 inches must also wear a life vest in this pool.

More Universal Travel Tips:

• 20 Universal Orlando Mistakes to avoid
• 15 Genius Universal Studios Hacks
• Hidden Secrets of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• 15 Genius Volcano Bay Tips
• 7 things to buy BEFORE going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• A full guide to Cabana Bay vs. Endless Summer Resorts
• How to Eat at Universal on a Budget
• Is club level at Universal hotels worth it?

Volcano Bay Tips

There you have it: 15 Volcano Bay Tips and Volcano Bay Hacks. Which one was your favorite?

I am often asked, “Is Volcano Bay worth it?”. My response is always, “YES!”. This waterpark is truly unique, and I promise there is something for everyone!

Have you visited Volcano Bay? If so, what is your favorite ride or slide? If not, which ride or slide are you looking forward to the most? Let me know in the comments! 

You also won’t want to miss the 10 best thrill rides at Universal. (Two of them are in Volcano Bay!)

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