Universal Orlando Announces New Water Theme Park - Volcano Bay - Opening 2017

© Universal Orlando

Another highly anticipated announcement was made today: Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort will be a brand new "water theme park" that will open in 2017.  As expected, the park will be built just South of the Cabana Bay Beach Resort on a large triangular plot of land.

The resort is calling Volcano Bay a "remarkable vision" that will "reimagine what it means to be a water park," offering a "highly themed, completely immersive environment inspired by postcard-perfect tropical islands."

As seen in the only piece of concept art released today (above), the main feature of the park will be a giant volcano that features numerous waterfalls cascading down its side.

© Universal Orlando

For now the details of what the new park will offer are being kept a secret.  The resort is only saying that it "offers radically innovative, thrilling attractions, peaceful moments of relaxation and an inspired guest experience that will forever change the perception of water theme parks."  That's a tall order, but one we're confident that Universal can pull off.  With so many tricks still up their sleeve, Universal is promising more details on the project in the coming months.

© Universal Orlando

Zooming in on the concept art does show a few interesting items, however.  Beyond the wave pool we can see a large slide tower in the background, but if you look close there are a few others in the foreground.  They almost look like the entrance to large tube or even funnel slides, with their support towers built into the rockwork of the area.

© Universal Orlando

Two items to note in this piece of the art, well let's make that three.  Up in the left corner are two slides that can be seen winding their way in, out and down the backside of the volcano.  In the lower left is a waterfall covered entrance for the lazy river to pass directly into the volcano's base - imagine the theming that could be inside!  Finally, in the back middle and right is what looks like a traditional water play fortress of some variety.

© Universal Orlando

Finally - way up at the top of the volcano is a walking path, shielded from the waterfalls by rocks.  Below it is a translucent tube slide - certainly looking of the speed slide variety - that's plunging downward into the darkness of the falls.  Too cool!  The volcano is rumored to reach nearly 200 feet in the air, so this could be one tall slide we're looking at.

Universal will keep fans pretty busy while they wait for this new park to open - next year will see the opening of the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort on property along with Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Islands of Adventure.