1
Credit: UniversalBig changes are coming to the Universal Orlando Resort.
Related: Disney Introducing New $180 Upcharge for One of Its Oldest Theme Parks
Universal Orlando has announced that its Volcano Bay water park will begin a new seasonal closure next fall. Volcano Bay will close on October 26, 2026, and will reopen on or before March 24, 2027, a closure of just about 5 months.
In addition to this new seasonal closure, Universal Orlando has also announced that TapuTapu and virtual line will no longer be available to use at Volcano Bay starting October 1, 2025.
TapuTapu is a wearable device that will look and feel similar to those who have used MagicBand at Disney’s theme parks. TapuTapu was designed to cut down on the time spent waiting in line at Volcano Bay, as the wristband allows visitors to hold their spot in virtual lines for attractions.
Volcano Bay opened in May 2017, adding to Universal Orlando in a way the resort had not seen yet. Not only does the park give Universal Orlando more variety, but it also helps it compete with Walt Disney World’s two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu bracelet also interacts with certain locations around the water park. With no wristband to reserve places in line, it’s unclear what the Volano Bay experience will look like once this feature is axed.
These are two very large changes for Universal Orlando’s one and only water park, though they are hardly the only things happening at the resort. This summer, Universal will officially open its highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park.
Officially announced back in 2019, Epic Universe has been the talk of the town for the last several years. Epic Universe will officially open on May 22, 2025, with special preview windows now available to those who qualify.
The new park features a variety of new rides and attractions, some more thrilling than others, with the highlights of the park so far being Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Stardust Racers, and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
These three attractions have all received immense praise for their theming and overall fun factor, with some even calling Monsters Unchained the best dark ride in the world. Other attractions at Epic Universe include Curse of the Werewolf, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders.
All of these attractions are spread across several unique lands in Epic Universe, each one tied together with a core theme. The darker attractions can be found in Dark Universe, whereas Yoshi, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser can be found in Super Nintendo World. Epic Universe also features an entire land based on the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all theme park news updates!