NEW ORLEANS — Universal Orlando says visitors to its
upcoming Volcano Bay water park won’t have to stand in long lines, but Universal
did not reveal how it will accomplish that.
Scheduled to open in 2017, the 28-acre Volcano Bay (Universal
Orlando’s third theme park) will feature a volcano rising above a beach
surrounded by waterfalls by day and glowing lava by night.
Experiences will include a multi-directional wave pool with
sandy beaches, a peaceful winding river, twisting multi-rider raft rides, body
slides that drop from the top of the volcano into water below, and private
two-story cabanas.
The Kopiko Wai winding river will pass through the volcano's caves.
“We did a lot of research before building it and wanted to
make sure we were building something that answered a lot of people's
reservations about water parks,” Frank Belzer, Universal Orlando’s senior vice
president of sales and marketing, said at the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW
show in New Orleans. “People didn’t like standing in long lines in the baking sun.
They want to relax, not lug tubes around. The food is not usually great. We
addressed a lot of that.”
Belzer said Universal would reveal over the next few months
how it is tackling the problem of long lines — a fix that could ultimately end up in its other
parks.
“If it's successful, we won't hold it back in other places,”
Belzer said.
Volcano Bay is due to open next year.
Universal said Volcano Bay would “redefine the queue
experience so guests can focus entirely on having fun and spending time
together. Guests won’t even have to carry their own rafts up the slides.”
The park will have 18 attractions ranging from “daring to
serene” in four themed areas with themed restaurants and bars offering volcano
views.
Volcano Bay will be located adjacent to the park’s Cabana
Bay Beach Resort.