Volcano Bay Construction & Preview Discussion

[Jon84]

I'm guessing the Tapu Tapus will be like 3D glasses, cleaned after every use, and new ones added to allow tatty/broken ones to be pulled from service

 

[Alicia]

I'm guessing the Tapu Tapus will be like 3D glasses, cleaned after every use, and new ones added to allow tatty/broken ones to be pulled from service

Plus, it looks to me that the middle part will be removable so they can replace the worn out bands and keep the (more expensive) electronics longer. (Hopefully they need a tool or something so guests aren't pulling the middles out on their own all the time.)

 

[fryoj]

So remove the difficult spells and you don't have the helpers - and maybe even reduce the lines since it'll work.

And why not get multiple rides at once like FP? You just get paged to return at various times. The computer can figure the logistics out.

The issue I see is groups. What if you get paged to return but your other half is waiting longer because of a gap in the time it took you to tap and register or a sudden jump in returns?

Yeah I think the tapu spots will just be walk up and tap your band. Not complex waving to slow things down.

I think it gets held to one ride reservation at a time just to keep the wait times shorter. Theoretically, if they let you queue for two lines, it doubles wait times for the whole park.

On the return times, as long as they have a long enough return window and it only jumps 10 minutes or less at a time, groups shouldn't be a problem. Using the Fastpass model, if you have an hour window and while your group is reserving there is a 10 minute jump, there is still a 50 minute window for the group to stay together. And on the slides with 4-5 riders per raft, I'm sure if a group walks up together and 3 of them have an open window, and the 4th has a 5-10 minute wait, they'd just go ahead and let the group in.

 

[KFCbowlcombo]

Potters "Wand Magic" positions roam and aren't assigned to particular spells from what I understand. They just happen to be at the more popular and difficult spells to help people.

So remove the difficult spells and you don't have the helpers - and maybe even reduce the lines since it'll work.

And why not get multiple rides at once like FP? You just get paged to return at various times. The computer can figure the logistics out.

The issue I see is groups. What if you get paged to return but your other half is waiting longer because of a gap in the time it took you to tap and register or a sudden jump in returns?

I think the Group issues are simply unavoidable. They happen at Disney too. Sometimes FPs run out for a specific time frame and part of your group gets FPs for the next time frame. Pretty common actually. I would almost guarantee you'll be able to reserve multiple Attractions. At least 2 at any given time. Have to remember, Disney has been performing the leg work for this stuff for years. Universal has the benefit of stepping in and using Fastpasses as a foundation, and taking it to the next level. There really is no reason why this shouldn't work extremely well.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

As of last night, Adventure Way southbound has been shifted back into place after having been diverted for the entrance tunnel construction.

 

[mitchada04]

Reserving more than one defeats the object of the system. You're not meant to plan your day around it. Unlike Fastpass+. You'll walk up to one ride that you want to ride but instead of joining the line you'll come back in x amount of time. You then ride the ride and go to what you want to do next and repeat. If you can reserve for more than one it'll inflate queues well above what they would naturally be. It's actually a really simple system. Also if they run it similarily to the way we trialled at Thorpe park then it'll be a very accurate return time to minutes, so if you join and it's 27 minutes return then your next person might have 28 minutes as it'll work like joining a queue just without the queueing aspect. I don't see a need to complicate it more really.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This isn't good design though, this is just fixing a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.

Maybe, I see it as an answer to "how do I get to x". By having colored awnings and (somewhat) visible slides it solves an issue I've seen at other parks on finding your bearings. Would signage or something else be a better decision?

 

[epcyclopedia]

If the system can't do multiple slides then what are you supposed to be doing while waiting for your one slide at a time?

This isn't a normal theme park. There won't be shows or merch and going for food will be a rare event.

 

[sonoma15]

If the system can't do multiple slides then what are you supposed to be doing while waiting for your one slide at a time?

This isn't a normal theme park. There won't be shows or merch and going for food will be a rare event.

Lazy river, action river, exploring, relaxing, etc.

 

[epcyclopedia]

So...

Amid the say, really conservative, 5 slides I went to do I'm expected to eat and ride the lazy river how many time and for how long?

 

[Alicia]

Plus wave pool, tiki bar, and tiki bar too.

 

[Alicia]

You could stand in line or you could stand right out front of the entrance until it's time. Same thing.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Plus wave pool, tiki bar, and tiki bar too.

Ok...

Arrive.
Tapu for first slide.
Wave pool.
First slide.
Tapu.
Lazy river.
2nd slide.
Tapu.
Rapid river.
3rd slide.
Tapu.
Lunch (it's about 1pm)
4th slide.
Tapu.
Explore.
Lazy river (lines are getting longer)
5th slide.
Tapu.
Tiki bar (it's 4pm)
Explore
6th slide.
Tapu.
Rapids river.
Lazy river
7th slide.
Tapu
Watch volcano erupt (its 6-7pm)
Tiki bar again
8th slide.

I can't see that being a fun day. Seems like a lot of wandering around.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Where there are 4 slides grouped together do I need to tapu for each one and wait individually?

 

[Alicia]

If you really want a traditional water park experience then you can just do the following:

Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Wave Pool
Lunch
Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Lazy River
Tapu
Wait in front of attraction until time to ride
Leave

You can wait however you like. Traditionally it's been in line. Universal's trying something new where we're not beholden to the line, but are still technically waiting "virtually." We are still technically waiting in line, just not physically. Not sure what's so hard to understand?

If you want to wait in line. Stand out front and do nothing for the time it takes. It'll mean more room for me in the river and shorter lines at the tiki bar.

EDIT: I don't mean to direct this at you in particular... but this conversation is taking up more than half of this thread at this point. And we all keep going in circles with the same arguments. TapuTapu is meant to replace waiting "in line" but we still have to wait until it's our turn, and what we do with that time instead of standing on stairs is up to us.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The unintended consequence of virtual lines is that people need a window to return and some won't return. Which is math no one seems to have figured out yet - as seen in the spike of FP wait times throughout the day at various rides.

Tapu is more fluid in that it's not promising a specific return time - from what we can tell, rather works like a restaurant and pages you - but how long do you have to return?

In a traditional park each slide of a group of 4 racers at most has a 5-10min wait. Why bother with tapu on those?

Will they?

 

[epcyclopedia]

And as Tokyo Disneyland proves, the lines to sign up for FP/Tapu can be longer than the actual wait time.

How are they planning to queue people up for tapu at what becomes the most popular ride?

 

[Alicia]

And as Tokyo Disneyland proves, the lines to sign up for FP/Tapu can be longer than the actual wait time.

How are they planning to queue people up for tapu at what becomes the most popular ride?

Perhaps we can wait and see?

 

[epcyclopedia]

Perhaps we can wait and see?

I'm supposed to be doing something else until the time comes.

 

[Brian G.]

First Look at TapuTapu Wearable Coming to Volcano Bay Water Park First Look at TapuTapu Wearable Coming to Volcano Bay Water Park « Orlando United