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Volcano Bay

Volcano Bay Basics

Last updated: July 10, 2023

Arriving at Volcano Bay

DRIVING TO VOLCANO BAY Universal Orlando has two multistory parking garages that hold 20,000 cars each. All resort entrances have signs leading to these parking structures. The south garage is closest to Volcano Bay.


To avoid delays, plan on arriving at the parking garages about an hour before the parks open.


The parking garages are divided into sections named after Universal movies and characters, such as Jurassic Park, King Kong, E.T., and Spider-Man.


Each section is color-coded, and each row in the section has and has a number. The first digit of the number tells you which level of the parking deck you're on, and the rest of the numbers tell you the row you're in.


For example, if you park next to a sign that says 'King Kong 409', then you're in the King Kong section of the parking garage, on floor 4, and in row 9.


Take a photo of the name and number of your section, level, and row when you park.


To get to Volcano Bay, follow signs to park on the lowest level of the south garage, where you'll find ticket booths, security screenings, and dedicated shuttle buses that will transport you to and from the water park.


WALKING FROM THE HOTELS You can walk to Volcano Bay from two on-site Universal hotels: Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura. These walks take under 10 minutes from anywhere in the hotel.

Getting Around Volcano Bay

Volcano Bay

Guests enter the park at Wave Village, which is dominated by the Waturi Beach multidirectional wave pool and The Reef leisure pool.


Paths from Wave Village lead clockwise to Rainforest Village, home to the park's biggest collection of thrill rides, including TeAwa the Fearless River, and counterclockwise to River Village, which has family-friendly attractions like the signature Krakatau Aqua Coaster and Kopiko Wai lazy river.


The heart of the park puts The Volcano in Volcano Bay: 200-foot-tall Krakatau, which is home to a water slide and hidden caverns with cascading waterfalls and special effects

Rope Drop at Volcano Bay

Early Park Admission is the most valuable free perk available to Universal on-site guests. It allows you to access to all of Volcano Bay's slides up to 1 hour before the parks open to the general public.


While guests begin arriving at the turnstiles an hour or more before the park opens, distribution of the mandatory TapuTapu wristbands doesn't begin until a few minutes before Early Admission starts.


Once Early Admission begins, only eligible guests are allowed through the turnstiles. Everyone else is held in the Volcano Bay entry plaza until the park officially opens.


Once in the park, most guests head for the lockers and beach chairs, with all of the best spots around the wave pool taken within an hour of opening. Long lines also form for guests trying to rent cabanas without a reservation.

Is Universal Express Worth Paying For at Volcano Bay?

Volcano Bay's version of Universal Express bypasses the virtual (TapuTapu) lines and provide immediate access to the slides' boarding queues. Volcano Bay's Express passes are sold in advance online and inside the park at the concierge huts.


Universal Express is not free for anyone—even those staying in the top three on-site hotels—and it's available only for one-time use, not unlimited. However, it's cheaper than purchasing Express at the theme parks, especially if you go for the version valid only on select slides.


Unlike the theme parks, there's only a small number of Express Passes available at Volcano Bay each day, and they often sell out. If you're planning to visit during a busy time, we recommend purchasing Express Passes online in advance.

See the list of Volcano Bay attractions that benefit most from Universal Express arrow

More Volcano Bay

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