Volcano Bay Ditches TapuTapu & Refurbishment News

Volcano Bay is seeing some big changes this fall and into 2027, and we have all the details here.

Today Universal announced that the TapuTapu and Virtual Line systems used at Volcano Bay are being retired. Starting October 1, 2025 guests will no longer receive a complementary Tapu upon check in and guests will no longer be required to book a Virtual Line for the slides. The park opened to much fanfare about the TapuTapu but the little gadgets never really took off, with common complaints about long waits for slides when using Virtual Lines, Tapu falling off on rides like the action river, and technology issues.

Universal also announced a five month refurbishment of Volcano Bay spanning October 26, 2026 to March 24, 2027. During this time we expect the park to go through a major refurbishment of several aspects of the park, including several slides that need replacement or upgrades. Universal has remained mum about these changes, but we do not expect any new attractions to open with the park.

Stay tuned to TouringPlans for more information on Volcano Bay touring without TapuTapu later this year and more details on the parks’ refurbishment next year.