It may be a bit chillier in Florida this week, but that hasn’t stopped us from visiting TWO water parks!

Disney’s Blizzard Beach had its grand reopening earlier this week as we took you with us to explore everything new and different. Yet, Universal’s very own Volcano Bay also reopened recently at the end of February to welcome guests back! And, now that we’ve visited both sets of reopened water parks, we’re putting them to the test to see how they compare to one another!

Comparing the Water Parks of Universal Orlando and Disney World

Pricing

When Disney guests enter Blizzard Beach, the parking is free as cars are placed in every other space to allow distancing.

On the other hand, Universal guests may have to pay $26 at Volcano Bay for parking. It’s free for Passholders, though, so be prepared for these differences!

Disney’s Blizzard Beach has regular 1-Day tickets for adults for $69 plus tax. Passholders, however, are able to snag a discounted Passholder ticket option for $49 plus tax. Disney has also just reinstated the Park Hopper Plus Ticket option, so guests can add the ability to visit the water parks to their other plans to visit Disney World’s parks.

Volcano Bay doesn’t seem to have the Passholder discount for guests visiting the park with tickets available to purchase, starting at $70 plus tax.

Guests can bundle their park tickets, though, choosing to visit all three Universal Parks during their time at the resort.

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Health and Safety Procedures

After guests park at Volcano Bay, they are then bused over to the actual water park.

Guests are required to wear face masks inside the Universal transportation as the distanced seating is similar to that we’ve seen on Disney Buses.

Everyone must undergo temperature checks prior to entering the parks to ensure that nobody has a fever before their visits.

Inside both Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Universal’s Volcano Bay, signs are positioned throughout the parks promoting health and safety regulations like distancing and face coverings.

At Blizzard Beach, the mask requirements are basically the same as the other Disney Parks, but there are a few exceptions. Specifically, guests are not allowed to wear masks in the water, and they’re not required in queues.

Yet, Disney does recommend that guests keep their face coverings with them at all times. Then, guests won’t have to go all the way back to their chairs or lockers to grab their masks before heading to public areas like the restrooms or restaurants.

Masks are also encouraged, but not required at certain spots around the parks, including the lockers in Blizzard Beach.

Meanwhile, Universal provides a lot more specific regulations about where masks are and are not required. Signs state that masks are necessary at dining locations, bars, merchandise locations, and upon entering and exiting the park.

Guests are encouraged to wear their masks when they’re walking around the park, but it’s not mandatory. Masks will need to be removed at attractions and pools.

The chairs around Blizzard Beach and Volcano Bay are both distanced, so guests can sit apart from other parties.

Universal states that the chairs are cleansed and disinfected each day before opening.

Various health and safety regulations around Disney and Universal’s water parks are similar with distancing markers on the ground…

…and six feet of space between parties.

Guests can opt for contactless pay through Mobile Order at Disney’s Blizzard Beach…

…while Universal offers Taptu Pay through its app to use around the water park as well (linked to your Tapu Tapu). Universal also offers mobile ordering through their app at certain dining locations.

Another difference between the two parks is the sanitizing of tubes. At Disney, we were told they are cleaned periodically throughout the day, whereas Universal is sanitizing the tubes between each rider.

Other than the few changes about when and where guests are not required to wear masks and sanitization schedules, the health and safety procedures are pretty much the same between both parks.

Read about our experience wearing face masks in water parks here!

Ride Availability

Unique to Universal, every guest at Volcano Bay has access to the Virtual Queue called Tapu Tapu. The bands operate similarly to MagicBands, where guests will need to go to the kiosks to choose which ride they would like to ride.

Only one attraction can be “booked” on Tapu Tapu at a time, but parties can switch the rides that they chose, if they wish.

Guests will be notified when it’s their turn to visit their chosen attraction. In the meantime, though, they are welcome to hop to other rides throughout Volcano Bay. Sometimes the options on Tapu Tapu will say “ride now,” meaning that the designated attraction has a short enough line that the Virtual Queue isn’t necessary.

Single rider guests cannot ride attractions like Maku Puihi because it requires a minimum of 2 people or 300 pounds. Disney has similar requirements of not putting separate parties together.

The Krakatoa Water Coaster also has a few differences as guests are given sanitizer since there’s no pool water that guests dip into at the end of the ride.

Over at Blizzard Beach, the only big change in ride availability is the fact that parties won’t be put together on the Ski Lifts in the parks.

The wait times are still posted throughout the park or through the Disney World app for guests to view.

The rest of the attractions in Disney World and Universal Orlando are available in the water parks for guests to explore when they’re in the park!

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Dining Options

Volcano Bay has six open dining locations, compared to nine in Blizzard Beach. Yet, it’s important to not that Blizzard Beach has more kiosk stands outside for guests to visit.

Volcano Bay, on the other hand, has more sit-down restaurants with seating around the area.

Many of the restaurants have regular Quick Service food with ice cream, burgers, pizza, and hot dogs to eat in the parks.

Adults can also enjoy bars that are open with various mixed drinks and cocktails to sip on while relaxing by the pool.

And, the options of contactless pay at spots around Volcano Bay and Blizzard Beach makes it even easier to grab snacks and drinks on the go!

Find out our details of the NEW refillable mug procedures in Blizzard Beach!

While we’ve enjoyed both water parks now that they’re reopen, we have to say that Volcano Bay emerges as the winner with the Tapu Tapu Virtual Queue. It made our experience a lot smoother hopping around to various attractions, rather than having to wait in lines for every single attraction in the park. But, Blizzard Beach was still a blast with fan-favorite slides and experiences open once again.

As we make our way around the theme parks in both Disney World and Universal Orlando, we’ll be sure to update you on everything happening soon! Stay tuned with All Ears for more details!

Here’s what you should eat for every meal at Universal’s CityWalk!

Have you gone back to a water park yet? Let us know in the comments below!

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