Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
- Important things to know about Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu before you go
- 1. Tapu Tapu reserves your place in the virtual line
- 2. Open your locker
- 3. Eat and drink!
- 4. Use the Tapu Tapu wristband to purchase souvenirs
- 5. Use the Tapu Tapu wristband to selfie it up
- 6. Taptu Play – Interact with your environment
Volcano Bay is Universal Orlando Resort’s water theme park. Open since May 2017, Volcano Bay has many exciting and innovative features. Topping the list is the Tapu Tapu wearable wristband, which makes this destination extra awesome. Volcano Bay joins Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure as the third Universal theme park in Orlando.
There’s a lot to see and do at Universal’s Volcano Bay. What you won’t see? Long lines. Volcano Bay can reach capacity shortly after opening but the virtual line system allows visitors to enjoy water park amenities while they wait for their ride time.
My family and I went to Volcano Bay just a few months after it opened. It remains our very favorite water park. The ease and functionality of using Tapu Tapu and the lack of waiting in physical lines is genius and has a lot to do with how smooth (and fun!) our experience was. We can’t wait to go back.
Important things to know about Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu before you go
Tapu Tapu wristbands are included in your Universal Orlando Volcano Bay admission. Unlike a
If you lose your wristband, just go to one of the concierge huts and they’ll replace it. You may be required to show your park tickets. One of my kids lost his Tapu Tapu on a ride and it was absolutely not a big deal to get another one.
Download the Universal Orlando app prior to your visit and set up your payment info. I’ll go into more into detail on this below.
1. Tapu Tapu reserves your place in the virtual line
Each ride has a Tapu Tapu totem symbol attached to a post near the ride’s entrance that displays current wait time for that ride. This display gives estimated wait time, if any. To join the virtual line “tap in” by placing your TapuTapu wearable wristband against the symbol. This reserves your spot!
Your wearable will display current wait time in in five-minute increments, so you’ll easily see how you are progressing in line. When it’s time to ride, you’ll get a notification that says “ride now.”
You have one hour from the time you’re notified to check in at the ride. Once you check in, be prepared to wait in another line, although your wait will be short. We visited on a busy August Friday and the most we ever waited in a physical line was about 25 minutes. The virtual wait for the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, however, was up to 200 minutes at peak. We spent that 200 minutes lounging in our cabana and splashing in the pool.
Enjoy the pools, the Kopiko Wai Winding River (lazy river), the TeAwa the Fearless River or the fun tiki vibe of the wave pool while waiting in your virtual line. You can also ride any ride with a posted “ride now” but you can only be in one virtual line at a time.
Change your mind? No problem. Just use your Tapu Tapu to get out of one line and join another.
2. Open your locker
A locker is a necessity in a water park. You don’t want to worry about valuables while zipping down a waterslide. Rent a locker at one of Volcano Bay’s concierge huts. Once you do that, you can open and close your locker using your Tapu Tapu. No remembering a combination or keeping track of a key…just tap to open your locker. If you book premium seating or a cabana, locker access is included in the fee.
3. Eat and drink!
Volcano Bay has six different dining locations to satisfy your appetite. You can use Tapu Tapu to buy food and drinks throughout the park. Customize charging privileges to allow only the members of your party you designate to charge. Taptu Pay is easy to set up. I loved not having to worry about keeping track of my wallet.
4. Use the Tapu Tapu wristband to purchase souvenirs
You can use Tapu Tapu Pay to purchase souvenir items or sundries. With Tapu Tapu Pay, you can buy on the spot! No trekking to your locker to retrieve your wallet.
5. Use the Tapu Tapu wristband to selfie it up
There are fun, interactive photo selfie spots throughout Volcano Bay that allow you to capture your fun moment and share it. Your Tapu Tapu automatically links your photos to your account. You can view, purchase and share your photos at your convenience. This is a great feature for those who want to capture their experience without having to carry your phone/camera around and worry about it getting wet.
6. Taptu Play – Interact with your environment
With Taptu Play/Tapu Tapu Play, you can experience some really cool stuff, such as interactive effects and surprises. You might find hidden images on the wall of the volcano’s cave or the opportunity to shoot water cannons at unsuspecting guests. If you see the Tapu Tapu symbol anywhere in the park, tap and see what happens.
I recommend checking out Tapu Tapu Play while you’re waiting in a virtual line or if you need a break from the water, although a couple are in the water. No spoilers! You’ll have to make your own fun finding them!
Read more: Why you should (almost) never buy a Universal Express Pass online
Leave a Reply