Is 5 hours at Volcano Bay worth $300?

[jgenie]

We’re heading to Universal and planning to buy Seasons Passes. Adding on Volcano Bay adds $300 to the cost of our Season Passes. Is the park that different from say a Six Flags water park which we will go to this summer? We are going with friends that won’t be staying much longer than 4 - 5 hours which means my guys will bail then too. I’m having a hard time justifying $300 for 5 hours. Should I spring for Volcano Bay or not? TIA

ETA - Can I buy Season Passes at the hotel or do I need to buy them online before we arrive?

[SnuggleBuggles]

It's not $300 fun. How much are just day tickets? Are you planning to go back again this year? If not, why buy everyone season passes?

[jgenie]

It's not $300 fun. How much are just day tickets? Are you planning to go back again this year? If not, why buy everyone season passes?

I come out $600 ahead by purchasing at least one season pass. I booked season pass holder rate on the room. I could save $50 purchasing daily tickets for DC but I’m buying season passes in case we make it back again before they expire. Day tickets for Volcano Bay are $75 x 2 for kids and $80 for me or $100 each to add on to the season passes.

[WatchingThemGrow]

So it's $300 for season passes? We REALLY like water parks and go to FL 2-3 times each year. We had season passes last year to the Busch Gardens/Sea World parks and enjoyed 3 days at Aquatica. We decided that buying the front of the line pass was totally worth it during the summer months, that having the passholder parking was totally worth it, and that being able to go for a few hours before we caught a flight was totally worth it. Being able to go in Dec. and "try it out" was awesome as they heated the water and made it completely enjoyable. It looks like Volcano Bay lights up at night, so that would be a neat experience if your family tires out when your friends leave and you decided to go back at night for an hour, just to see what it's like at night. We would totally need to add in the cost of the front of the line wristbands, though...and check to see if those get a discount if you're a passholder. They did at Aquatica!

[TwinFoxes]

So it's $300 for season passes?

I think it's $300 extra for OP to add Volcano Bay access to Universal annual passes.

[KrisM]

We went last year and that's about how long we stayed because the virtual lines were so long it was hard to get very much in by then. If you can work it to go for a few hours at the start of a couple of days, it might be more worth it.

I'm not sure it's worth $100/person for just 1 visit. If you're pretty sure you'll go back, that's different.