We Bet You Didn’t Know About This Universal Refillable Mug SECRET at Volcano Bay Nights

There are LOTS of water parks in Orlando, but many people agree that Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando is one of the best.

Because of that, though, wait times can get pretty high during the majority of the year. If you’re looking for a way to experience lower wait times, while also checking out an exclusive special event at the same time, the fall edition of Volcano Bay Nights is for YOU, and it’s happening NOW!

The fall edition of Volcano Bay Nights is running now through October 31st, only on Friday nights. The event takes place from 7-11 PM and features lower wait times to all your favorite attractions, live entertainment throughout the park like the Beach Bash on Waturi Beach, meet and greets with the Scooby Doo Gang and the elusive Ghost Clown, specialty menu items only available during the event, and more!

When we first walked in (you can enter as early as 4 PM), we were first given a complimentary Refillable Mug, which was pretty amazing! These usually cost around $20 to purchase, and considering the ticket to the event itself starts at $99 per person, per night, this immediately makes the experience worth it to some.

Also included with your ticket, you’ll get access to two complimentary snacks — the Golden Pineapple and Coconut Popcorn and the Island Churro Bites.

As for the Island Churro Bites, they were pretty good — crunchy on the outside and relatively soft on the inside — but they were a little bit tougher than we would have liked. They’re very similar to the other churros you can get on Universal Orlando property. We did enjoy the dipping sauces with them, though, and do think that could help elevate them.

As for the other food offered at this event, you’ll find that the pricing is not listed online — you’ll only find it on the menus inside the park during the event.

Here are our quick thoughts on the different items we tried!

• Crispy Pepperoni Tots (With meat is $11.49, and without is $10.49): These are very similar to pizza fries, and we loved that the mozzarella was nice and gooey, and the pepperoni was VERY crispy. If you’re really used to pizza fries, the potato tots might throw you off a bit at first, because they have a bit of a different taste.

• Beachside Boba (Alcoholic in a souvenir cup for $19 with $15 refills and Non-Alcoholic version for $9): This tastes just like that iconic blue Hawaiian punch you may have gotten as a kid, but the mango boba gives it an enhanced, fun taste. This is made with coconut water, so it may be a little thinner than what you’re expecting, but we really enjoyed it overall!

• Witch’s Demise Cookie ($6.99): This is going to be a BIG hit with kids! The chocolate cookie tastes just like a softer version of an Oreo, and the Oreo cream cheese filling is spot on (though it is pretty heavy on the cream cheese taste). Anyone with a sweet tooth will want to stop by and grab this one!

• Huli Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($15.49): The Hawaiian pretzel roll taste is wonderful — crispy on the outside and so soft inside — and while the cheese gives the sandwich the slightest kick, it’s not spicy at all. The pineapple and ginger sauce gives it a great tropical taste, and the grilled chicken was cooked extremely well. It was juicy and tender, but there wasn’t a ton of seasoning, which we appreciate, since there’s so much on the sandwich.

Overall, we think the food is pretty solid at this event, but a lot of the options won’t necessarily blow you away. After we checked out the food, we also got the chance to check out the Cabanas that are available for an additional fee during this event!

These Cabanas come with a private area to set your stuff down, complete with a safe, refrigerator, towels, and more. This is a great way to upgrade your experience, especially if you want a secure home base to come back to throughout the night, but we definitely don’t feel it’s necessary for your trip.

We also got a chance to check out the exclusive merchandise at this event, which is all themed to none other than the Scooby Doo Gang, Mystery Incorporated! You’ll find a sweatshirt, two different plushes, two different cups, and more that are all limited to this event.

There are also special meet and greets you don’t want to miss! Down near the beach, you can jam out with the DJ, as well as take photos near the Mystery Machine! Shaggy and Scooby trade off with Daphne and Fred at the car, but you can meet the whole team down near the beach to interact and take photos.

You can also find the Ghost Clown wandering around the Kohola Reef pathway, but he’s harder to find! There are no set times that he’ll be out, so you’ll have to stand by and be patient!

We talked to a lot of people around the event who said they were more than happy for the price they paid, but it was more of a spur-of-the-moment decision — they saw it in the Universal app and said, “Sure, let’s do it!” Many people felt what they got was well worth their money, and we totally agree, especially if you can’t stand waiting in lines, as they were nearly non-existent.

This is also a great event for people who are going to be in town during the Halloween season, but aren’t really into Halloween itself. The DJ was playing iconic songs like Monster Mash, Jeepers Creepers, the YMCA, and Funkytown, as well as some songs from the Scooby Doo films and TV shows, so we feel that if you are/were really into Scooby Doo, this is 100% a must-do for you. The nostalgia will be out of this world!

Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Universal Orlando news and updates!

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Would you attend this after-hours event? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Universal Orlando to attend Volcano Bay Nights. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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