About this Plan
This touring plan is carefully crafted to optimize your time experiencing Volcano Bay’s rides and attractions. This plan can be used by travelers visiting the park for a single day or multiple days. It’s also suitable for those visiting multiple Universal Orlando parks within the same day.
Download the App
Before visiting Universal Orlando, we recommend downloading the Universal Orlando app from the App Store or Google Play Store. The app provides wait times, showtimes, a resort-wide map, and more.
Entering the Park
We suggest arriving at the park entrance at least 30 minutes before the park opens, particularly during summer, U.S. holiday weekends, and other busy periods. Keep in mind that it may take up to 35 minutes to reach the front gates from the parking booth if you’re driving. It’s a good idea to download the official Universal Orlando app in advance to view attraction wait times, check showtimes, navigate the park, and much more.
NOTE: Volcano Bay uses Virtual Lines for its attractions, eliminating traditional standby lines. This allows you to experience more attractions and enjoy the park itself. For this touring plan, instead of specifying when to visit each attraction, we have ranked them in specific categories to help you decide what to experience while at the park.
Priority Experiences
The following attractions are some of the park’s most thrilling rides. We recommend experiencing them before you leave. You don’t necessarily need to visit these attractions before others; instead, start with those that have shorter wait times. If you’re running low on time, prioritize these attractions. The attractions in this list are ranked, starting with our top pick.
Krakatau Aqua Coaster
Attraction type: Water coaster ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 700 pounds (318 kg) combined
Ko’okiri Body Plunge
Attraction type: Trapdoor water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg)
Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides
Attraction type: Trapdoor water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg)
Honu of Honu ika Moana
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 700 pounds (318 kg) combined
Experience at Any Time
The attractions in this section do not use a Virtual Line. Experience them while you’re virtually waiting in line for other attractions. This section is organized based on our rankings, with our top pick listed first.
TeAwa The Fearless River
Attraction type: Rapid-flowing river
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Additional Experiences
The attractions in this section are either shorter in duration in terms of the actual ride experience or aren’t quite as exhilarating, but they are still worth visiting. They are listed based on our recommendations, starting with the top pick.
ika Moana of Honu ika Moana
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 750 pounds (340 kg) combined
Tonga of Taniwha Tubes
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 450 pounds (204 kg) combined; minimum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg) combined
Raki of Taniwha Tubes
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 450 pounds (204 kg) combined; minimum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg) combined
Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
Attraction type: Body water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
Attraction type: Body water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 850 pounds (386 kg) combined; minimum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg) combined
Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
Attraction type: Raft water slide
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Weight requirement: Maximum weight of 1050 pounds (476 kg) combined; minimum weight of 300 pounds (136 kg) combined
Unlisted Attractions
Several attractions at Volcano Bay are not included in this touring plan. This is either because they are designed for children or do not offer a unique experience. However, if you have extra time, are visiting for multiple days, or are traveling with children, consider experiencing the unlisted attractions. To view all attractions at Volcano Bay, click here.
Dining
Universal’s Virtual Line allows you to enjoy a meal while waiting for an attraction, helping you maximize your time. In this section, we’ve highlighted the park’s main dining locations.
Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club
This quick service dining location, situated near the park’s entrance, offers a variety of chicken, seafood, longboard pizzas, burgers, and barbecue dishes.
Whakawaiwai Eats
Whakakawaiwai Eats, a quick-service restaurant situated near Taniwha Tubes, serves longboard pizzas, hot dogs, mac and cheese, and grab-and-go options.
Bambu
Bambu provides quick options like burgers, chicken tenders, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. This restaurant is located at the back of the park.
Vegetarians and Vegans
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, Volcano Bay offers a variety of meals for you. Click here to view our Universal Orlando vegetarian and vegan guide. This guide highlights various dining locations throughout the park with meals that cater to your dietary needs.
For complete information on all of Universal Orlando’s rides and attractions, click here.
Additional Information
Tips
- If you’re visiting the park for just one day, we recommend having breakfast before you arrive to maximize your time for enjoying the attractions.
- To reduce your wait times, consider purchasing Universal Express to skip the Virtual Line at participating rides and attractions.
- If you’re in a Virtual Line for an attraction, you should visit attractions in the “Experience at Any Time” section or those with “ride now” wait times, if available. Prioritize attractions with short Virtual Lines first. Since Volcano Bay is relatively small, walking between attractions doesn’t take much time. If the park is busy or you’re short on time, use our rankings for each section to determine your priorities.
- You can enjoy a meal while waiting in a Virtual Line, allowing you to make the most of your time.
- If you’re staying at a Universal Orlando on-site hotel, take advantage of early park admission. This gives you a head start, allowing you to experience more attractions throughout the day. To find out when early park admission is available and learn more about it, click here.
- At select quick-service restaurants throughout the park, you can use the Universal Orlando app‘s mobile ordering service. This feature allows you to order your meal in advance, so when you arrive at the restaurant, you can quickly pick up your food and avoid long lines at the ordering counter.
- Don’t rush from one attraction to another. Take your time to explore the park.
- Remember to capture your memories by taking photographs throughout the park.
To see more tips for visiting Universal Orlando, click here.
Note
This touring plan includes most rides and attractions at Volcano Bay, so visiting them all in a single day may not be feasible if crowd levels are high. It’s best to choose the attractions that interest you the most.
About Universal’s Virtual Line
Universal’s Virtual Line is a complimentary service that lets you virtually wait for attractions, allowing you to explore the park freely until your return time. At Volcano Bay, visit an in-park kiosk for an estimated virtual wait time, during which you can roam, dine, shop, and enjoy other attractions before being alerted to return.
