Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[Joel]

EDIT: UO TWITTER LOLZ

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

^^According to Universal, yes. But Universal Ops has a long history of making things unnecessarily difficult for park guests in the name of safety and security, so this doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Is it safe to assume that for someone from Portofino to get back from Volcano Bay has to board a bus back to South Garage, then walk back through security and City Walk to take a boat back to the resort?

Seems that way. Could always walk to Sapphire and take a boat to City Walk and then boat hop from there

 

[darkridelover]

The last thing Universal is worried about this week is bus loops from Portifino bay. If it's an issue, which it will be, it will change. I promise. How many pages are we going to spend on this today? Do you think Universal isn't adaptable to guests needs? That they aren't going to survey every on site family that comes out of there for the next month to make improvements? Because they are and they will.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Based on an office resource, UO Twitter, yes. However I hope that will be changed because the resorts all had free transportation directly to WnW, I imagine that should continue to VB.

Seems that way. Could always walk to Sapphire and take a boat to City Walk and then boat hop from there

I was thinking if there is an exit and entrance from Cabana Bay, one could walk through that exit and go to Sapphire to catch the boat to appropriate location. Unless at Cabana gate you need a room key or Something to prove you belong there.

It'll be interesting to see. Love logistics.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

I can also see Universal barring entry from the Cabana Bay gate if a guest isn't staying at that specific resort. Looks like guests complaints will be flowing in even before parkgoers hit the turnstiles. They really should have offered more pedestrian friendly access points, and had the foresight to think of these things all the way back when they designed and built Cabana Bay & Sapphire Falls. Masterplanning 101.

 

[Hockeyman55]

I can also see Universal barring entry from the Cabana Bay gate if a guest isn't staying at that specific resort. Looks like guests complaints will be flowing in even before parkgoers hit the turnstiles. They really should have offered more pedestrian friendly access points, and had the foresight to think of these things all the way back when they designed and built Cabana Bay & Sapphire Falls. Masterplanning 101.

Wonder if they would bar someone who wants to walk back through Cabana to Sapphire

 

[12th Man]

Is it safe to assume that for someone from Portofino to get back from Volcano Bay has to board a bus back to South Garage, then walk back through security and City Walk to take a boat back to the resort?

Or you can just hop on the bus back to your Resort from the main transportation center in CityWalk, which isn't past any security checkpoint.

 

[darkridelover]

Lazy river is filled!

And so is the wave pool!

So pretty. Can't wait what this park is going to look like in a few months when all of the foliage really starts to fill in!

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Or you can just hop on the bus back to your Resort from the main transportation center in CityWalk, which isn't past any security checkpoint.

I never stayed on site. Didn't know the resorts has busses that went to the city Walk bus loop. Thought it was only Sapphire and Cabana since they were further away.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Bottom line is that Universal is taking what they call their "third gate" and limiting entry to really one point of access, while the other two gates have three. That's what makes Universal Orlando great... proximity. I can walk, boat, or bus into the parks, that's my choice - and a huge reason as to why people choose to stay on site. Paying for convenience is a priority for consumers in 2017, any validated study will show you that. Volcano Bay doesn't offer the same, which should have been a fundamental principle of designing these expansion plots. Clearly, they think otherwise.

It's probably easier and quicker for me to stay at Sapphire Falls and Uber ($15 private ride for a family of four) to Typhoon, Aquatica, or Blizzard than it is to make the trek to Volcano Bay. That's the core issue here.

 

[Scott W.]

They built an entire road from the south garage. The busses will follow that road and be able to loop around back into the garage with out ever interacting with street traffic except for the railroad crossing at the south garage.

The discussion is about buses from the hotels to VB.

 

[Andysol]

I was thinking the water transit is going to be crazy busy. I hope they have added the necessary boats to accommodate the extra traffic of people.

After building Sapphire- its a little less about the number of boats for half of the resorts, unfortunately. They now have the traffic light that is the main bottle neck. So for the RPR/SF side, they're pretty maxed out on boats already- I dont see how adding a boat to either resort would save any time whatsoever. Portofino/HR could take a couple extra though.

I guess someone hit the freakout button again. I wouldn't worry about it. It will all workout ok. Breathe.

As the original poster of "breathe" I can say that this is enough to have me email Universal about it. It's not about music choices- it's a significant, and unnecessary inconvenience to their best customers. Hell- charge us more to stay on-site and run busses, thats fine. This isn't.

The last thing Universal is worried about this week is bus loops from Portifino bay. If it's an issue, which it will be, it will change. I promise. How many pages are we going to spend on this today? Do you think Universal isn't adaptable to guests needs? That they aren't going to survey every on site family that comes out of there for the next month to make improvements? Because they are and they will.

dark- I love you, but this wasn't designed in a day and it's inexcusable. They have enough PR nightmare to deal with. You think they wants Loews to have to hear it from their guests and to have on-site hotel guest's first and last experience to VB be an absolute ass-whipping? Its the first thing they have to experience on the way to the new park and the last thing they experience after coming back. It'll start them on the wrong foot and if theyve had a subpar experience at VB- it will amplify that. Again- they should have had the foresight to not have this happen- we all know its a bad idea- and we don't need a survey- and we're huge universal apologists, if nothing else.

I never stayed on site. Didn't know the resorts has busses that went to the city Walk bus loop. Thought it was only Sapphire and Cabana since they were further away.

Ya- I had to use it one time to get back to portofino during lightning when the boats were down. I wouldve just walked, but a 3 and 7 year old in the rain alters plans sometimes Its the size of the shuttle in the front of this pic. It also provides transportation within the resorts after 5pm (I think) for dinner reservations.

 

[darkridelover]

Try to get to Typhoon or Blizzard Beach from any of the Deluxe Resorts at Disney using their transportation. It's the same amount of time. And it's not a deal breaker. But if this is all anyone's going to talk about today then have a good time worrying about nothing.

 

[rhino4evr]

Another thing you aren't considering is the mass exodus a heavy rain storm could cause. If everyone leaves the park at the same time, and you need to shuttle people in and out, you better have a lot of shuttles....

It's going to be real interesting how all this works out in the coming months. I'm sure everything will eventually run smoothly, but these first few summer months are going to be "rocky".

 

[Andysol]

Oh please. Try to get to Typhoon or Blizzard Beach from any of the Deluxe Resorts at Disney using their transportation. It's the same amount of time.

And it's the worst transportation that Disney offers to any of their parks, agreed?
And I could also Uber from Animal Kingdom if I wanted to and bypass that, could I not?

If you're ok with comparing Universal's transportation to their brand new theme park with Disney's absolute worst transportation method they offer- by all means, do.
Me? I'll hold Universal to their incredible standards they have now as being the easiest and most convenient resort in Florida.

 

[Fallout4life]

What you guys fail to realize is that you can't make roads go through buildings and there is only 1 bus loop at city walk which is already beyond full with taxis and all the other busses going to other destinations. This is the best they could do right now and if people are so worried about time they could rent a car and drive to south parking garage

 

[rhino4evr]

I wonder if cabana bay will cease being a "value" resort, and be considered the "water park" deluxe hotel. Seems like it.

 

[darkridelover]

And it's the worst transportation that Disney offers to any of their parks, agreed?
And I could also Uber from Animal Kingdom if I wanted to and bypass that, could I not?

If you're ok with comparing Universal's transportation to their brand new theme park with Disney's absolute worst transportation method they offer- by all means, do.
Me? I'll hold Universal to their incredible standards they have now as being the easiest and most convenient resort in Florida.

I go back to my original comment. For the next month, it's Test and Adjust.

 

[Andysol]

What you guys fail to realize is that you can't make roadsgo through buildings and there is only 1 bus loop at city walk which is already beyond full with taxis and all the other busses going to other destinations. This is the best they could do right now

How do they service these busses? How do they add new ones? Lift them with cranes over buildings?

There are roads, and that's an incorrect statement.