@UniversalORL

Could the long rumored waterpark being happening?

Do you mean this?

http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/volcano-bay-announcement

That looks so awesome but the total opposite of Disney's Blizzard Beach!

At the time I made the thread the announcement had not been made

Great. Another reason to raise the admission prices.....lol.. I assure you.... That area near a Sand Lake rd has a huge mountain of sand already formed as of today.

Based on the crowd here today, it will pay for itself in a split second.

Great. Another reason to raise the admission prices...

Annual pass holders already wanting to know how much more the pass will cost them, lol

^Yeah I thought it was interesting that the first 5 or comments I saw were all about pricing for annual passes increasing. It would seem that Wet n' Wild's days may be numbered.

It would seem that Wet n' Wild's days may be numbered.

 

NO! I still haven't been able to get back down there to finish my day at Wet 'n' Wild!

 

(For those who are newer, in 2012 I did a major vacation to Orlando, hitting all of the major theme parks and waterparks. But the day I tried to do Wet 'n' Wild was the day that Tropical Storm Isaac moved through, and the resulting heavy rain kept so many people away that they closed the park after just one hour due to insufficient attendance, and I didn't get a chance to go back.)

I would think that it would stay open at least through completion of Volcano Bay. I just don't see it lasting long after that.

I don't see Wet and Wild staying open that long after the new water park is open. Universal owns the land and I could see another park in the future.

Obviously Universal knows what they're doing, but seriously, it's absolutely ridiculous how much they've added and spent money on. How are they not bankrupt? Haha...

They must be selling a lot of wands and Butter Beer. And Duff. And Transformer stuff. 

They must be selling a lot of wands and Butter Beer. And Duff. And Transformer stuff.

Seeing how the Butter Beer and Duff sell out almost everyday I think your right.

YEa they're new additions are packing the parks and the new merchandis has to be making a huge profit. The wands and beer aren't cheap but probably don't cost a lot to manufacture.

Wands cost about $50 with wizard capes at $109.... and nearly every kid had one or the other....I think the wands have RFI in them, becauses kids were spending a lot of time waving them in front of store windows. Full trip report coming in the next few days.

Yea some of the store front windows, dont they do something when you wave your wand at it?

Some of the windows had what appeared to be holographic scenes. One in particular had a bird in a cage that appeared to sing and follow the motion of the wand. This was in a dark part of the alley, the area, overall for me, was way too crowded to be enjoyable.

Yea a lot fo the windows in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley have interactive stuff where you perform a spell and something will happen. There are also other interactive elements as well such as statues and fountains that are activated by the too. Only down part is can get lined up when it's busy for people to do it because it's not real easy. you have to perform the spell perfectly or it won't work.

...as in real life?

You guys are killing me with this discussion of USF/IOA. The wands and spell locations are one of my favorite things in any park ever. I've been counting down the days till my next visit there from the moment I last left.

It would seem that Wet n' Wild's days may be numbered.

 

NO! I still haven't been able to get back down there to finish my day at Wet 'n' Wild!

 

(For those who are newer, in 2012 I did a major vacation to Orlando, hitting all of the major theme parks and waterparks. But the day I tried to do Wet 'n' Wild was the day that Tropical Storm Isaac moved through, and the resulting heavy rain kept so many people away that they closed the park after just one hour due to insufficient attendance, and I didn't get a chance to go back.)

I'm going to make a prediction that Wet and Wild will remain as a waterpark and be a fourth venue for Universal. If they are smart, they will build a resort hotel on International Drive as a gateway to the main park with a shuttle/train/monorail type service. I would say that the resort would be comparable in price to the hotels on the strip.

Universal released a few new details on the Volcano Bay water park including a list of the attractions. Link below.

 

http://www.inquisitr.com/3296093/universal-orlando-resort-reveals-details-of-new-water-theme-park-volcano-bay-including-rides-and-new-hotel/

 

Still very curious what the secret project slide is they won't release details on. Looking forward to this to open up. The art so far has looked great and love the minimal queue system. Just hope that the waves in the wave pool will be strong waves like at Typhoon Lagoon and not the little ripple waves most wave pools have like at Kings Island. 

Can't wait to see what it looks like at night either with the "lava" coming down the volcano.

Universal has announced details on the park's marque waterslide - a themed water coaster that looks incredible. https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/volcano-bay-coaster-details/

 

Specifics of the virtual queuing system have also been released. Guests will be given an RFID wristband when entering the park that will be used to make waterslide reservations, trigger special effects (MagiQuest inspired?), and activate interactive water features to spray other park guests.

Im hyped about this knowing ill be able to go to Volcano Bay in a few years! 

It sounds like fun! We were just there last month and could see the volcano under construction.

 

I'm very interested to see how this ride reservation thing works out. They had one ride in the IOA park that was using a ticketing system...it was the glider ride back in Jurassic Park area. The first and last hour of the day was standby, but outside of that, you HAD to have a ticket to get into line. One of the workers back there told me that more rides would be going to that next year, including this water park, Despicable Me, and the new USF rides: Fast and Furious and Jimmy Fallon thru New York. 

Details on some of Universal's recently-filed patents have been making the media rounds, including an interesting drop slide enhancement that may be in store for Volcano Bay. http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/12/09/universal-theme-park-patents-tackle-drifting-cars.html

 

Having seen guests freak out at Tropical Plunge, I can only imagine reactions to a drop chamber filling with "fluid died to resemble blood" before the floor drops out. Here's a link to that patent application: http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20161013ptan20160296846.php

^ That sounds very interesting. Where do I sign up?

 

The Mario Kart-style racers also sound awesome.

Tomorrow, Wet 'n Wild closes its gates permanently. Sadly, I never made it there.

 

Volcano Bay, of course, opens this summer.

I only got a one-hour tease of Wet 'n Wild I got courtesy of Tropical Storm Isaac and management's inability to read a basic weather forecast, which left me with a permanent craving for more of the park that I never was and never will be able to fulfill.

 

Compared to that, I'd prefer to have never made it there in the first place.

There's not much new information, but the Universal Orlando website has been updated with pictures showing how the TapuTapu virtual queue system will work. https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Parks/Volcano-Bay.aspx#tap

From the looks of things, maybe the Spirit of Reason from COSI is headed there?