Living in Central Florida, nearly all residents take advantage of our world-class theme parks from time to time. But with the availability of so many theme parks so close to each other, what sets one park apart from the others? Positively Osceola recently paid Universal Studio’s new Volcano Bay a visit. We arrived on Friday evening to Lowe’s Sapphire Falls and absolutely loved this beautiful resort! It wowed us from the start and the staff was extremely welcoming and friendly. Sapphire Falls was clearly not just another central florida resort… it was one of our favorites we’ve visited!
The next day we woke up bright and early at 6am and hopped on the shuttle bus to Volcano Bay with the rest of the eager guests. Once on the bus a video began by greeting us and showing us an overview of Volcano Bay. It was an animated explanation video and showed us how to best utilize Tapu Tapu while in the park. Soon after the video finished we arrived at Volcano Bay. We went through security and prepared ourselves for a day of “island” fun!
Here’s a breakdown of the things you can do with Tapu Tapu:
- Connect your credit card so you don’t need to carry it throughout the day
- Rent a locker and Tapu Tapu serves as the key
- Enjoy Tapu Tapu “touch points” where you can spray other guests with water or light up the walls inside the volcano
- Tapu Tapu vibrates when it is time to get on a ride
- Tapu Tapu vibrates when there is a ride delay
The best part of having Tapu Tapu was barely having to stand in line, which we were ecstatic about. You simply walk up to the ride you want to ride, tap the Tapu Tapu to the touchpoint (typically) across from the entrance and you’re “virtually” in line.
We “waited” 130 minutes for Honu ika Moana (the giant blue slide) during the wait. During the wait we laid down to tan for 30 minutes, had lunch and then rode the lazy river for about an hour. When Tapu Tapu began vibrating to let us us know to ride Honu ika Moana we began to make our way to the ride. We had an hour grace period to enter the ride which was amazing! We were so pleased with the functionality of the Tapu Tapu and courtesy of the Team Members. It was a great experience and an made Volcano Bay that much more impressive.
As an overnight resort guest we were admitted to the park one hour early – before other day guests, which gave us an advantage in picking what we wanted to ride first. We rode most slides without waiting.
Another overnight resort guest perk was being able to claim the perfect spot to relax at the park. We loved where we were able to relax in between rides. We were centrally located to everything making the day even more fun! By midday the park was running at full capacity and the park still didn’t seem crowded at all. We were able to have fun and relax in luxury at our own pace. We spent the entire day at Volcano Bay, from open to close, and we were able to experience every single ride in the park.
Living in Osceola County made the drive to Volcano Bay only 35 minutes via the Florida Turnpike and I-4, and when you go we suggest spending the entire day at the park . There is simply too much to experience in less than a full day,.Please remember to stay hydrated, bring a hat and plenty of waterproof sunscreen. After all, it is Central Florida.
Simply put, Volcano Bay is amazing and there was something for everyone. There were rides and experiences designed for everyone, and being so close to Osceola County makes it the absolutely perfect choice for a Osceola staycation!