You don’t have to travel to Hawaii just for a tropical holiday! Spend a day at Volcano Bay’s sunshine paradise instead. Legend has it that this park was furnished by native islanders – the Waturis – who first discovered this island. The Waturi community warmly welcomes family and friends of all ages to their home, adorned with slides and clear waters for a splashing good time. From exhilarating water slides to chill wave pools, this water park has an attraction for all.
Armed with a free Tapu Tapu that links to your credit card, this wearable interactive device enables guests to go hands free with virtual attraction queues, cash-free purchases and various interactive points throughout the park. Get ready to go all out at this water theme park!
Top Attractions
There are three villages and over 10 attractions for guests to conquer in this picturesque water park. Here is a list of the top water slides of each village in the park.
Wave Village
Start the day with the best and go for the Ko’okiri Body Plunge at the top of the Krakatau Volcano. The country’s highest body slide drops you 125ft down into a spiral tube of water and fun!
Climbing up to Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides, two separate body slides that will swallow you down a vertical drop and send you splashing into the clear waters below.
At the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, your 4-person canoe propels you up a slope and through dark twists and turns throughout the volcano before charging down a gushing waterfall.
River Village
Head over to the easternmost side of the park and towards the back of Krakatau Volcano, which is where you will find the River Village, a highly suitable section for families with younger children. Kopiko Wai Winding River gently pushes you along the lazy river stream and passes through beautiful tropical landscapes, including the grand Krakatau Volcano.
Children will take delight at Runamukka Reef, which features exciting twisting slides. For the toddlers, Tot Tiki Reef located across is the perfect splash environment for those too young to ride a big slide on their own.
Older kids and adults can go on group raft rides at Honu Ika Moana, a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping attraction at River Village.
Rainforest Village
Towards the northernmost end of Volcano Bay is the Rainforest Village, where guests can find more group raft rides and slides. The multi-person honeycomb at Maku and Puihi Round Raft Rides sends guests through a dark and winding cavern. Hang on tight for an unexpected zero gravity hang time!
Brave souls can take on the Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides that send guests gliding down the water slides at top speed before finally sending them out with a sudden burst towards the sky and splash into the waters.
Cool things off with your not so average lazy river at TeAwa the Fearless River. Unlike the usual lazy river that gently drifts you forward, TeAwa features swift tides and choppy waves that propels you forward, creating a truly unique waterpark experience.
Must-Eats
Apart from the usual water park food options, Volcano Bay offers a great variety of quality island-inspired selection for its guests.
At the base of Krakatau Volcano is the Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club. This exotic hut features crisp and delicious food at affordable prices, like the Coconut Crusted Fried Chicken with a tangy mango coleslaw, Hawaiian Ribs and Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
Wash down the sticky ribs and quench your thirst under the sun with a tropical cocktail from one of the several bars across the park. These include Dancing Dragons Boat Bar in the Wave Village and Kunuku Boat Bar at the Rainforest Village. Try Vol’s Fire Punch at the Dancing Dragons, a refreshing concoction of rum, pineapple juice, agave, sprite and grenadine.
Grab midday snacks at Whakawaiwai Eats in the River Village where you can find standard but tasty theme park food fare like pizzas and pretzel dogs.
For more island-inspired treats, go for Poke Bowls and Taco Samplers at The Feasting Frog in Rainforest Village, or perhaps a quick takeaway of Bambu Burgers on a Hawaiian bun and Island Chicken Salads at Bambu.
Getting to Volcano Bay
Arrive at the theme park via the hotel shuttle buses provided for onsite staying guests. Hotels close to Volcano Bay include Aventura Hotel and Cabana Bay Beach Resort, both offering amazing scenic views of the waterpark! What’s more, these hotels are located only within a short walking range to the 3 theme parks (Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay).
Alternatively, visitors can book a private hire (Uber or Lyft) or drive to the main transportation hub at Universal CityWalk to catch the bus to the water park.
Tips
1. Stay at an on-site hotel
Aside from the close proximity to the accommodation, hotel guests are granted admission into the park an hour early! A reduced public crowd at early hours means shorter waiting times for popular rides and crowd-free Instagram shots!
2. Download the Universal Orlando Resort App
Creating an account on the Universal Orlando Resort app will save you plenty of time when you link your TapuTapu device once you enter the park.
3. Arrive early
Whether you are a hotel guest or regular guest, arriving early lets you pick the best spot amongst the free-to-use chairs located along the pools and beach.
Overall, Volcano Bay is an ideal place to come if you’re a big fan of water slides. However, with its many long queues, we strongly recommend arriving early to conquer the popular rides. If you only have a few days to spend in Orlando, you might want to consider completing the popular rides in the morning and leaving by noon to spend the rest of the day at the other parks across the city. With Volcano Bay’s attractions consisting mainly of thrilling water slides, families with infants and toddlers might want to consider Disney’s Blizzard Beach instead.
