Volcano Bay Touring Plan

Touring plans make it easy for you to get the most out of your trip by highlighting which rides and attractions you should experience.

This touring plan was created for those visiting only the Volcano Bay park for a single day; however, those visiting the park for a longer period may still take advantage of this plan. This touring plan assumes that you are entering the park at the opening time and staying until the closing time. Although this plan is specifically designed for those not staying on-site and for those without a Universal Express pass, which allows you to skip the Virtual Lines¹ at the attractions, it may still be used by such visitors.

Prior to visiting Universal Orlando, we recommend that you download the official Universal Orlando Resort app on the App Store or the Google Play Store. The app provides a resort-wide map and other useful features.

We recommend getting to the park turnstiles at least 30 minutes prior to park opening, especially during the summer months, U.S. holiday weekends, and other break periods. Keep in mind that it may take up to 35 minutes to arrive at the front gates from the parking booth. You should download the official Universal Orlando app beforehand to help locate the park’s attractions and more.

Because Volcano Bay utilizes Virtual Lines for its attractions, following a specific order can be difficult. Due to this, we placed each attraction in categories that will help you determine what you should experience when at the park.

Image: Universal Orlando

Priority Experiences

The following attractions are some of the park’s most thrilling attractions. We recommend experiencing them before leaving the park. You should not necessarily visit these attractions before the park’s other experiences. Rather, experience attractions with short queues first. If you’re running low on time, begin to prioritize these attractions. The attractions in this section are listed based on our rankings, starting with our top pick.

Image: Universal Orlando

Experience at Any Time

The attractions in this list do not utilize a Virtual Line. We recommend experiencing them while waiting you’re virtually waiting in a line. The attractions in this section are listed based on our rankings (our top pick is listed first).

Image: Universal Orlando

Additional Experiences

The attractions in this section are either shorter in duration or aren’t quite as exhilarating; however, they are still worth visiting. These attractions are listed based on our rankings, starting with our top pick.

Image: Universal Orlando

Unlisted Experiences

There are several attractions in the park that have not been listed in this touring plan. This is either because they are areas designed for children or do not provide a unique experience. However, if you have available time in your day, are visiting the park for more than one day, or are traveling with children, you should consider experiencing any unlisted attractions. To view all attractions at Volcano Bay, click here.

Image: Universal Orlando

Dining

Universal’s Virtual Line makes it possible for you to enjoy a meal while waiting in line for an attraction. In this section, we’ve highlighted the park’s main dining locations.

Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club

This quick service dining location, situated near the entrance to the park, features a variety of chicken, seafood, longboard pizzas, burgers, and other barbeque dishes.

Whakawaiwai Eats

Located nearby Taniwha Tubes is Whakakawaiwai Eats, a quick service restaurant that serves longboard pizzas, hot dogs, mac and cheese, and grab and go options.

Bambu

Bambu offers quick options for you to enjoy, such as burgers, chicken tenders, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. This restaurant is situated near the back of the park.

Vegetarians and Vegans

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, there’s no need to worry. We’ve highlighted the dining locations and meals that will satisfy your diet in our vegetarian and vegan guide, which can be viewed by clicking here.

For full information about Walt Disney World’s rides and attractions, click here.

TIP: If you don’t have a Universal Express pass, you can still experience most attractions using the Virtual Line system. As previously noted, the Virtual Line system can make it difficult to follow a specific order. Due to this, we recommend visiting attractions that display “ride now” first, if available. Afterward, experience attractions with short Virtual Lines. While waiting in the Virtual Lines, visit the attractions in the “Experience at Any Time” section. The park is not exceedingly large, so proximity is not a major issue. When it begins to get busy or you are running low on time, use our rankings for each category to determine what to prioritize.

NOTE: We recommend skipping any ride or attraction you may not be interested in.

ON-SITE HOTEL GUESTS: We recommend taking advantage of early park admission to Volcano Bay. This will help you visit more attractions throughout the day.

UNIVERSAL EXPRESS VISITORS: Although you can skip the Virtual Lines at the attractions, greatly reducing your wait times, following this touring plan may still better enhance your trip.

GUESTS VISITING MULTIPLE DAYS: If you’re visiting this park for more than one (1) day, we recommend following the recommendations in this touring plan to ensure that you visit the top attractions. The next time you visit the park, you can choose to revisit the attractions you enjoyed most or experience the attractions that you previously skipped.

MOBILE ORDERING: If you’re dining at a quick service restaurant, you have the option to use Universal’s mobile ordering service at select locations via the Universal Orlando app. This will allow you to easily choose your meal and quickly pick up your food.

¹ Universal’s Virtual Line system is a complimentary system that allows guests to virtually wait in line. Guests visit an in-park kiosk and receive an estimated virtual wait time. During this time, guests can freely roam the park, dine, shop, and experience other available attractions; they are then alerted when to return to the attraction.