Volcano Bay in October with a toddler?

[JAMIESMITH]

We are looking at a four night stay at RPR in mid-October before a two night stay at a Disney resort for MNSSHP. It will be two adults, an 11 year old, and a 2 1/2 year old. We will have three days of park tickets. We plan to spend our arrival day hanging out at the resort pool and maybe venturing over to City Walk. We will spend the next three days in the parks. We plan to sleep late on our departure day before moving to Disney. Will we want to experience Volcano Bay? I'm trying to decide if I want to purchase 2 park or 3 park tickets.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi I went to VB twice this summer and enjoyed it very much. VB does have a really nice toddler area to use. If your family enjoys water parks there it is a really nice one to check out. If you are just meh on water parks I would say for the amount of time you are there probably not. If you pop over to you tube there are videos of the area called "Runamukka Reef and Tiki Reef".

 

[atricks]

The toddler can also go in the lazy river wtih a lifejacket, or the wave pool, there's a nice shallow quiet leisure pool over by the ohno and ohyeah slides that's good. And the main toddler area itself is great. There's the talking Vol character inside the tunnels in the volcano and a few other interactive things inside the walk-through volcano tunnels that they may enjoy too.

 

[hhoope01]

I guess the question is how big a fan of water parks are your family and you? If big time fans, then it will probably be worth going out there one day. Unfortunately, your EPs (from staying at RPR) won't do anything for you at VB, but you can still get in the water park an hour early (if you choose to go.)

I enjoyed visiting VB during my last September visit, but I was there for 7 nights too. Personally, if I were only visiting for 3 days, and given you will be lounging with the kids on your arrival day out by the pool. I'd probably save the cost and not do VB on this trip. If your kids would like a few "water" rides, I'd suggest one of the mornings/afternoons you wear swimwear and flip-flops to IOA park. Then with your EPs, first hit the Jurassic park water ride, then walk over to Ripsaw Falls and then flip back and forth between it and Popeye's & Bluto's Barge. You will be very very wet after a few times back and forth. And with EPs you normally won't have to wait very long in either line. My kids enjoy doing that for a couple of hours. We then head back to the room to get dried off and cleaned-up for either lunch or dinner (depending on the time.) I normally bring an extra dry shirt and change that after we finish. That way at least I'm a little bit drier when heading back.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Thank you all! Now I’m wondering if we should just skip Disney this trip. Decisions...decisions!

 

[macraven]

Suggest you book the RPR soon and don’t wait until this late summer to do so

Hhn is on going event at the Studios during your time period
Wednesday-Sunday

Studios close at 5:00 for it unless you have tickets to attend it
IOA closes at regular time

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Suggest you book the RPR soon and don’t wait until this late summer to do so

Hhn is on going event at the Studios during your time period
Wednesday-Sunday

Studios close at 5:00 for it unless you have tickets to attend it
IOA closes at regular time

We definitely want to avoid HHN. I’m thinking we can be in IOA or back at or hotel well before it starts.

I’m actually seeing that I can save money by doing our entire stay at Universal and skip Disney this trip. Will we get bored with 5 days in the parks?

Is PBH worth $100 more? I like the look of it, but aim not sure if it’s too stuffy for kids.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I guess the question is how big a fan of water parks are your family and you? If big time fans, then it will probably be worth going out there one day. Unfortunately, your EPs (from staying at RPR) won't do anything for you at VB, but you can still get in the water park an hour early (if you choose to go.)

I enjoyed visiting VB during my last September visit, but I was there for 7 nights too. Personally, if I were only visiting for 3 days, and given you will be lounging with the kids on your arrival day out by the pool. I'd probably save the cost and not do VB on this trip. If your kids would like a few "water" rides, I'd suggest one of the mornings/afternoons you wear swimwear and flip-flops to IOA park. Then with your EPs, first hit the Jurassic park water ride, then walk over to Ripsaw Falls and then flip back and forth between it and Popeye's & Bluto's Barge. You will be very very wet after a few times back and forth. And with EPs you normally won't have to wait very long in either line. My kids enjoy doing that for a couple of hours. We then head back to the room to get dried off and cleaned-up for either lunch or dinner (depending on the time.) I normally bring an extra dry shirt and change that after we finish. That way at least I'm a little bit drier when heading back.

Thank you for this suggestion!

 

[schumigirl]

We definitely want to avoid HHN. I’m thinking we can be in IOA or back at or hotel well before it starts.

I’m actually seeing that I can save money by doing our entire stay at Universal and skip Disney this trip. Will we get bored with 5 days in the parks?

Is PBH worth $100 more? I like the look of it, but aim not sure if it’s too stuffy for kids.

You won’t be bored by 5 days at Universal........there really is so much to do in both parks and there’s mini golf at Citywalk maybe the older one would love. Plus with the extra days you can relax and enjoy some resort time too.

PBH is a beautiful hotel and not at all stuffy for kids........there’s always plenty of kids there whenever we go over and we have plenty of posters that take their kids there. It’s sometimes perceived as more adult, but it really isn’t.....

They have the same kid activities around the pool as the other hotels.......I’m sure you’d love it.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

You won’t be bored by 5 days at Universal........there really is so much to do in both parks and there’s mini golf at Citywalk maybe the older one would love. Plus with the extra days you can relax and enjoy some resort time too.

PBH is a beautiful hotel and not at all stuffy for kids........there’s always plenty of kids there whenever we go over and we have plenty of posters that take their kids their. It’s sometimes perceived as more adult, but it really isn’t.....

They have the same kid activities around the pool as the other hotels.......I’m sure you’d love it.

Thank you! My husband would probably appreciate a more relaxing vacation.

 

[macraven]

All the deluxe hotels are great to me

I visit PBH for the pools, evening mini opera singers evening event and walk around the grounds

For me, I prefer HRH and RPR for staying

I do city walk a lot in the evenings and if I miss the water taxi, it is a 6 minute walk back to rpr

PBH has great pools but all hotel guests can pool hop

If you stay at rpr, many visit cabana bay hotel for their lazy river and pool

All 3 hotels have employee directed activities around the pool
And food areas that will deliver your food to you pool side



Do not know if the value hotels do the same entertainment at the pools