When Universal Orlando first announced the water park Volcano Bay, they were keen to refer to the park as a “water theme park,” stressing that they consider this to be their third theme park in addition to Universal Studios Orlando and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. While Volcano Bay’s rides may be water-based, every inch of the park was designed to be in keeping with what establishes Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure as Universal’s premiere theme parks. It is one massive, cohesive experience, complete with a park-wide mythology, a gorgeous aesthetic, and truly thrilling rides.

I was recently able to get an early look at Volcano Bay along with some other journalists ahead of the park’s official grand opening on May 25th. During my visit, I got to ride nearly all the rides, sample the food and drinks, and talk with the people who made Volcano Bay a reality to get the skinny on this exciting addition to Universal Orlando Resort. Tackling an entire theme park can seem a bit overwhelming, but I’ve culled together what I found to be the highlights, and what you need to know, below.

1. The Rides Are in Keeping with Universal’s “Thrill Ride” Reputation

Image via Universal Orlando

One of the ways Universal Orlando has consistently set itself apart as a theme park destination is by leaning into the term “thrill ride.” Its parks are full of coasters, water rides, and dark rides that all provide exciting thrills to parkgoers whether it’s coaster-esque like Revenge of the Mummy or Escape from Gringotts, or utilizing 3D technology on The Amazing Spider-Man. This devotion to truly thrilling parkgoers is also prevalent in the various rides at Volcano Bay.

There are over 18 unique attractions throughout Volcano Bay, but the first one you see is also the most daring. The massive volcano greets you upon entry, and indeed inside the volcano are three signature attractions. The Ko’okiri Body Plunge is a 70-degree fall through a trap door, down 125 feet and out into a watery pool. You get into a tube, standing at a 70-degree angle, and as the door closes drumming music gets louder and louder. Look down and you’ll see a see-through door that you’re standing on, but not for long—when the ride begins, that trap door drops out from under your feet and you zoom on down the volcano.

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Image via Universal Orlando

In the same area are two more body slides, Kala and Tai Nui. These are set up the same as the Ko’okiri Body Plunge—you get in tubes and stand at an angle, then the floor drops out. But these serpentine slides don’t just go straight down and out into the water—you twist and turn all the way down the volcano, experiencing g-force after g-force instead of one fell swoop.

I myself figured Tai Nui would be the least-scary bet once I had ascended the volcano, and I was very, very mistaken. If anything, Tai Nui and Kala seemed even more intense than Ko’okiri, and if you make that trek up the stairs it’s best just to hop into the tube and rip the band aid straight off rather than debating if you really want to go through with it.

So yeah, you could say the rides at Volcano Bay are intense. But just as with Universal’s other parks, there’s really something for everyone. The Ohyah and Ohno drop slides are fairly mild slides that drop you into a 10 foot pool at either a four or six foot drop, depending on which slide you’re on. There are two different lazy rivers—one fast, TeAwa The Fearless River, and one slow, Kopiko Wai Winding River. And there’s even a fully fledged “aqua coaster” called Krakatau—more on that later.

Volcano Bay also doesn’t skimp on the raft rides. There are multiple options for those wanting to ride slides as a group. Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides offer two six-person raft options: one side is an incredibly fast zip down to the bottom, while the other catches serious zero-gravity hangtime. Yes indeed, your six-person raft essentially goes up a half-pipe, hanging in the air as you hang on for dear life.

2. The Entire Park Runs on TapuTapu Virtual Line Technology

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Image via Universal Orlando

One of the cornerstones of Volcano Bay is the introduction of TapuTapu technology. These wristbands (think a slightly heavier Tamagachi) come with the price of admission and are connected to your ticket and your credit card, if you desire. You simply tap your TapuTapu where applicable, and things happen! First stop is the lockers. Open it with your TapuTapu wristband, put all your belongings inside, and don’t worry about having to carry your wallet or cash around the park. You can use your TapuTapu to make purchases around the park and to activate special effects like triggering streams of water aimed at folks coming down the giant Ko’okiri Body Plunge.

But the key aspect of TapuTapu is eliminating the need to wait in line. At each attraction there’s a TapuTapu station that will tell you approximately how long you’ll have to wait to ride that particular ride. If you tap your TapuTapu onto the station, you are put in a virtual line and told when to come back and go straight on the ride. Your TapuTapu will then switch to, say, “20 minutes”. It’ll count down as the minutes wear on, eventually emitting a beep and saying “Ride Now!”, which means it’s time to go back to the ride.

You can only get in line for one ride at a time, but this way you’re not spending your entire day standing on a winding staircase or in the hot sun. You can go chill out in the wave pool (TapuTapu is, obviously, waterproof) or grab something to eat without worrying about losing your place in line. It’s a pretty neat feature that’s also extremely comfortable—I forgot I was wearing the wristband almost immediately.

3. You’re Going to Want to Ride the Aqua Coaster Over and Over

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Image via Universal Orlando

So about that “aqua coaster” I was mentioning. The Krakatau Aqua Coaster is insanely addictive, and probably the most fun ride I rode in the park. It’s a four-person coaster that’s like a cross between a log ride and a genuine roller coaster, all using some crazy technology. You and your three best friends line up in a row, settle in, and are taken up and down and around throughout this trackless aqua track. You’re bombarded with water at every turn, and it’s an absolute blast. We had so much fun that when we pulled back into the station, we asked to go again straight away—we just stayed on the ride and went right through once more. I imagine this ride will likely be one of Volcano Bay’s most popular attractions, and for good reason.

4. There’s a Backstory for Everything

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Image via Universal Orlando

As I said, Volcano Bay really leans into its “water theme park” moninker, and that goes right down to the mythology of the park itself. It’s not just a random volcano at its center—there’s a story for nearly everything you see. The fiery god Krakatau dominated this land, but his wrath and fury couldn’t contain his adventurous daughter Tai Nui, who fell in love with a native youth named Kala. Krakatau subsequently banished Kala to the sky, where he became the Moon, but Tai Nui was overcome with grief and her tears became the sea. Realizing the error of his ways, Krakatau reached into the earth and pulled it to the sky, reuniting the lovers and creating the volcano of Volcano Bay while also trapping the remains of his anger inside in the form of the spirit Vol.

You’ll notice these names sound familiar—Krakatau, Tai Nui, and Kala are the names of the three intense slides found inside the volcano. Everything is on theme, and if you ask one of the workers at the park, they’ll happily explain to you how all the rides connect together.

As for the inhabitants of Volcano Bay, they’re a fictional people called the Waturi. Volcano Bay blends Polynesian cultures and architectures from throughout the South Pacific, extending from the aesthetic to the food choices. Speaking of which…

5. The Food and Drinks Are On-Theme

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Image via Universal Orlando

If you’re gonna spend all day at a water theme park, you’re gonna need to eat. Volcano Bay has you covered with a wide array of menu items, many of which are directly in line with the South Pacific-inspired aesthetic. There are a handful of dining locations around the park, and items range from Poke Poke Bowls to Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches to Hawaiian Ribs with boniato mash and sweet plantains. There are also quicker options, like a stand devoted to a variety of tacos, and for picky eaters they serve up some tasty pizzas, pretzel dogs, and, of course, chicken fingers.

As for adult beverages, there’s a hodgepodge of signature fruity drinks, like the not-too-sweet Guavaruma, and there’s even a signature beer, the Volcano Blossom, which is a tropical fruit forward pilsner. The diversity of food and beverage available here is all the more important considering the virtual line, so rest easy knowing there are agreeable options for pretty much every member of the family.

6. Afraid of Heights? Spectating Is Just Fine

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Image via Universal Orlando

And if you’re more of a spectator when it comes to a thrill-ride-filled water theme park, you’ll find Volcano Bay quite relaxing. The park is divided up into four sections: The Volcano houses the body plunge, aqua coaster, and body slides—basically the most intense rides; Wave Village is where you’ll find the massive Waturi Beach and wave pool at the base of the volcano; Rainforest Village is home to the larger raft rides as well as TeAwa The Fearless River; and River Village houses the toddler-centric Tot Tiki Reef, the children’s play area Runamukka Reef, and something quite a bit more intense: the twisting multi-person slides Honu ika Moana.

The beach below the volcano is a swell focal point, and here you can either set up shop a beach chair or rent out a full cabana for the day, the latter of which comes complete with your own attendant and personal TapuTapu module where you can get in line for rides without walking all the way over there.

All in all, Volcano Bay really is a great addition to the Universal Orlando experience, and it lives up to its “water theme park” name. It’s a thrilling, all-encompassing experience that offers a chance to cool off in between visits to Diagon Alley and stands tall as a worthwhile theme park all its own.

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Image via Universal Orlando
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Image via Universal Orlando
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Image via Universal Orlando
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Image via Universal Orlando
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Image via Universal Orlando