Universal's Volcano Bay Premium Seating

If you’ve read our recent blog, Universal's Volcano Bay Basics, you may recall that Volcano Bay has a variety of seating options available for guests. One of the options you can pay to reserve is Premium Seating.

Premium Seating is a great option for those that don’t need a Cabana but would like to have the convenience of reserved seating and some additional amenities. My family was visiting during peak season, and I wanted to make sure we weren’t stressed about finding a place to take a break or having to wait on food. I was torn about whether we really “needed” this experience upgrade, but I am so happy we went for it!

For the best price, you should try to reserve your Premium Seating as far in advance as possible.  While you may be able to get a reservation upon arrival at the park, it’s always a risk. Plus, you will be paying top dollar if you wait to book.

You’re probably wondering, what exactly does Premium Seating include? Here is what you get with your reservation:

• Reserved seating for the day: This may seem like an obvious one, but it is so convenient to know your family has a place to relax in a prime location with a fantastic view!
• 2 lounge chairs: You can have up to 4 guests on your reservation to share the chairs. The chairs are very comfy, with thick padding. There is also a shade that you can put up if desired. We had some rain on our visit and discovered the shade is water resistant but not waterproof. For us, it kept our seat dry during a light rain, but once it became saturated and the heavy rain came there was some leaking. 
• Ability to order food easily: You can either put up the flag on your chair to call your server over or you can place a mobile order through the Universal Orlando Parks app.
• Private locker: A lockbox is attached to your chairs just for your party. The attendant will give you a lock and key when you select your seat.

Private locker attached to your chairs.

Our Experience with Premium Seating

When we entered Volcano Bay we went directly to the Concierge desk (straight ahead and to the left).  Here they verified our reservation and gave us the information needed to access our premium seating.  Then we headed to the Premium Seating area to check in with an attendant.  They had us select our seat from any available. 

We chose a seat that was near the initial entrance, kind of in the back corner for some added privacy.  We didn’t’ account for the hidden speakers in the shrubbery though, so it was a bit loud at times.  The next time we go, I will choose a seat that is on the far side from the attendant desk because it is more convenient to the bathrooms!  No matter which seat you choose, your view will be incredible!

Our family arrived in time to take advantage of the park’s Early Admission Hour (available to guests staying at any of Universal Orlando’s onsite hotels).  I believe we were the first to arrive to the Premium Seating area and select our loungers.  After our attendant gave a quick explanation of how everything worked, we put some items in our locker and went straight to the Krakatau Aqua Coaster. After a few slides and some time in the wave pool, we were ready for a break.

We headed back to our seats and immediately put in a mobile order for an early lunch. It is not an immediate delivery, so be sure to take that in to account. There was a quick service restaurant with Coke FreeStyle machines just behind the Premium Seating area, so we reactivated our Coke Freestyle cup we had purchased the day before while we waited on our food to be delivered. 

This is where our Premium Seating really came in handy! My daughter needed some quiet time after such an exciting morning.  She was happy to curl up on one of the padded chairs with a book under the shade for about half an hour and then eat some pizza.  As luck would have it, our son wasn’t feeling 100% on our visit.  He ended up taking a short nap after munching on his chicken fingers. I also enjoyed some quiet time while my husband took my daughter to the kid’s area.

Throughout the day we were able to come and go as we pleased with the assurance we would have a somewhat quiet and semi-private area to ourselves.  It provided just the break we needed so that we didn’t feel the need to pack it in early and head back to the resort.

Do I think we will reserve it every time we go?  Nope. If we're doing multiple parks in one day and plan to spend just a few hours in Volcano Bay I would skip Premium Seating.

Would I reserve Premium Seating for our family again?  YES!!!

There are 2 major scenarios that I can envision my family reserving Premium Seating again:

1. If we are planning to spend most of the day at Volcano Bay and don’t want to go back to the resort for a break.  It was awesome to have a quiet place with shade for resting!
2. If we want to sleep in and come to Volcano Bay late morning or early afternoon but plan to stay until evening. Knowing we had reserved seating would allow me to relax and not worry about finding chairs for us when we arrive late. 

If your family is planning to go to Volcano Bay for just a few hours, then paying for reserved seating may not be the best choice for you.

As always, be sure to ask your Kingdom Konsultant Agent for assistance if you have questions about Premium Seating at Volcano Bay. 

Aubrey Cooper

Aubrey's love of Disney started at an early age with her first visit to Walt Disney World when she was just 9 months old. You can email Aubrey at aubrey@kingdomkonsultant.com.