Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[Scott W.]

I finally took a peek at how giant wave pools work. It was not as I expected it to be. (I am not sure this is how a blizzard beach or typhoon lagoon works but it seems logical that they do)

I start you at page three of the article as the previous pages are regarding kiddie gentle wave pools. Don't click the video links as none of them work:

Just Add Water - How Wave Pools Work
(3,4, and 5 are the most pertinent)

This video about the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon always makes me proud. It's a few miles down the road from me. This blew my mind when I was younger seeing it.

 

[Mad Dog]

That's a great wave pool. I don't remember the ocean being that tough. :hail: It ate my sunglasses and I didn't even realize it till I got back to my beach chair.

 

[Teebin]

Wow, thanks Scott! So they do use the drop tanks technique. Now we have a better idea of what all of those massive underground chambers beneath the volcano will be; water tanks and pump/ filtration rooms. Have we seen any of the filter stuff being dropped into the building before it was sealed?

 

[Absimilliard]

My best guess is that the concrete pour for the wave pool is what is taking so long right now. I saw an interesting tv show a few years back that showed how Siam Park (Tenerife, Canary Islands) was constructed and their main issue was with the wave pool. The company who built the equipment was not very happy with the end result of the concrete pour and it simply could not work as it is. Murphys Waves from the UK designed that pool and it held the world record for the largest surf waves in the world, nearly 10 feet and here is the link to that video:



I don't know if Murphys Waves is involved at Universal or they went with Aquatic Development Group? Aquatic Development Group new wave pools have two break points, so the waves break twice along the way and they claim it makes them more family friendly.

 

[Teebin]

Grabbed this from Nearmap today and drew a bunch of colored circles/squares around points of interest for discussion. The color I am most curious about is the pink. What is that crooked concrete wall thing??? The river wasn't supposed to run through at that direction so I am confused by it. Perhaps staircases and ramps going every which/way? Click image for larger.

 

[WAJAS]

Grabbed this from Nearmap today and drew a bunch of colored circles/squares around points of interest for discussion. The color I am most curious about is the pink. What is that crooked concrete wall thing??? The river wasn't supposed to run through at that direction so I am confused by it. Perhaps staircases and ramps going every which/way? Click image for larger.

Looks to be the backstage areas between scenes.

 

[Teebin]

I just went back and looked at some pictures and stuff. I am reminded now that everything concrete that has been built for the volcano so far is UNDERGROUND and the top flush with the surface grade!

Too, I reviewed my "dream drawings" and discovered that I made, quite possibly, and incorrect assumption about the river paths. With that said, the crooked concrete in pink may well be the path of the interior river (meaning, a mounting wall for the cave stonework). Perhaps the green area is a cooling point for the water.

I kinda enjoy not knowing and guessing...

 

[Scott W.]

Does anybody know just how far down VB is going to go?

Also, is that the Universal Creative HQ in the bottom left hand corner?

 

[Teebin]

Does anybody know just how far down VB is going to go?
Also, is that the Universal Creative HQ in the bottom left hand corner?

It is not going as far as one would think. The pointy point is being held for something else.

UC hasn't been in the buildings south of Cabana Bay for some time. Nearly everything UC is backstage of US now. I believe I told you all that they purchased the backstage office building land back from whoever built them 10 or so years back. That is now where Mark Woodbury and other UC VPs hang their hats now.

 

[WAJAS]

It is not going as far as one would think. The pointy point is being held for something else.

Could it be used for employee parking and other back of house stuff as a satellite to the main facilities for the water park?

 

[Scott W.]

It is not going as far as one would think. The pointy point is being held for something else.

UC hasn't been in the buildings south of Cabana Bay for some time. Nearly everything UC is backstage of US now. I believe I told you all that they purchased the backstage office building land back from whoever built them 10 or so years back. That is now where Mark Woodbury and other UC VPs hang their hats now.

In my head, I thought it would be nice that they would be able to look out their window and see something they've been looking at on paper for years finally getting built from the comfort of their office.

But that's pretty nice too.

Do they still own the land the old building is on? It would make for a pretty nice extension further down the road.

 

[Teebin]

In my head, I thought it would be nice that they would be able to look out their window and see something they've been looking at on paper for years finally getting built from the comfort of their office.

But that's pretty nice too.

Do they still own the land the old building is on? It would make for a pretty nice extension further down the road.

There might be some Universal department still located there... I don't know about that. Lowes Hotel offices once had their offices there and probably still do.

I have never known who owns the property or buildings that I recall.

 

[*Q*]

I'm intrigued about the pointy point now.

 

[darkridelover]

Outside the building says Lowes. I think its still the Hotel headquarters.

 

[floridakid]

The building at the south end of the property is still the headquarters for the hotels..sort of. That building is also where they keep an eye on hotel guests through the security cameras.

I took a drive over there once to see if UC was in fact located within its walls, and they were, but were moving offices (I now know they moved just up the street!). One would also need "clearance" to get past certain doors, however, security was very nonchalant about me walking into the building like I was a part of the team.
UC had very nice offices upstairs and as small as that little complex is, it all felt very secretive and I felt myself on high alert for no reason.

I was under the impression that Wardrobe had/has been using a portion of the building on the north end for dry cleaning, amongst other things.

 

[Mad Dog]

Seth Kubersky has a bunch of Volcano Bay construction pictures on his Cabana Bay (Star Wars) story on the Touring Plans blog. Probably the best assortment I've seen in a while.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Seth Kubersky has a bunch of Volcano Bay construction pictures on his Cabana Bay (Star Wars) story on the Touring Plans blog. Probably the best assortment I've seen in a while.

Oh! So he is who I follow on Twitter . Awesome!

 

[UniversalCityFL]

The color I am most curious about is the pink. What is that crooked concrete wall thing???

My uninformed guess: the crooked wall is the themed rear retaining wall of the wavepool.

 

[AdamLR89]

Walls have gone up yesterday at Volcano Bay it looks like they are building either an office or parking Garage right now

 

[martymcflyy85]

I don't trust Unknown from OI as much as I used to....that being said, he/she has came out with the following information concerning Volcano Bay....


"Every one entering Volcano Bay will be given a device that will send you to the next ride so you don't have to stand in any lines."

"Volcano Bay will open with 10 or more attractions, including 2 slow moving lazy rivers which both will run through the volcano."

"You can also expect to see a "Rain Forest Bar" in the park which should be awesome for some specialty adult beverages while the little ones go play in the park."