Universal Studios’ new water park, Volcano Bay, opened its doors to eager guests on May 25th, capping off an extensive project that eventually replaced the old Wet ‘n Wild park. Volcano Bay exceeded expectations, with everything from water slides to wave pools, providing guests the perfect chance to cool off. However, one feature has all the guests and theme park experts talking—the arrival of Universal’s own wristband technology.

Similar to Disney’s popular MagicBand, Universal Studios’ new TapuTapu bands enable guests to engage in a virtual park attendance experience at Volcano Bay. Designed to remove the hassle of standing in long queue lines, carrying wallets and money around the park, or keeping track of a locker key, the TapuTapu wristbands are given to each park guest upon admittance.

TapuTapu’s Many Features in Volcano Bay

Among the most useful features on the band, the TapTu Pay feature stands out. Synchronised with a guest credit card, your TapuTapu band will enable you to pay for food, souvenirs, and more by extending your band to an RFID (radio-frequency identification) receiver. This eliminates the need to carry around cash while you enjoy a day at the waterpark, and should improve checkout lines at vendor stations. Guests can also scour Volcano Bay for photo ops using their bands, which link to personal accounts. After a day of fun taking photos, all you need to purchase prints and share pictures is your TapuTapu band.

Locker rentals are essential to a successful and hassle-free water park experience, and TapuTapu makes that process even easier. Store your belongings in a keyless locker while you enjoy the park’s attractions, then use the very same RFID feature on your band to retrieve them when you leave. What’s more, the TapTu Play feature allows you to interact with hidden park features and special experiences (much like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s wand-based features). You can glimpse hidden paintings in the heart of the park’s man made volcano, or blast unsuspecting guests with water cannons.

Finally, there’s the feature that has everyone talking. TapuTapu wristbands’ first and foremost function is to reserve spots in attraction lines for guests, eliminating the need to wait. Simply check into an attraction you’re interested in, and go off to explore other areas of the park. When you’re next in line, you’ll be alerted to make your way to the ride.

A Bright Look Toward the Future

Universal Studios’ Volcano Bay park is at the forefront of theme park innovation with TapuTapu wristbands, pointing toward an easier and seamless vacation experience for traveling families. As modern technology makes its way into Orlando-based attractions and presents travelers with cashless payment systems, virtual lines, and the ability to enjoy bonus features we can expect all major parks to adopt similar tech to stay abreast of the growing trend.

Have you tried the new TapuTapu bands? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!