Though we’ve heard a lot of chatter about what kind of precautions will be put in place once Disney parks reopen to slow the spread of COVID-19, Universal parks have been relatively silent about their plans once the theme parks are given the go-ahead to begin welcoming guests once again. However, it looks like Universal has started weighing their options, and have sent out a survey to select Annual Passholders, detailing what kind of social distancing measures they are considering in the wake of this pandemic, and we now know that there are several options on the table, including some common sense measures, as well as some more extreme ideas.
Ride changes, capacity reductions and closures
Rides and shows are the cornerstone of the theme park experience, but in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, theme park visitors may view these experiences very differently. However, Universal is having some internal discussions about how to make these experiences safer for guests. Among the ideas being discussed are filling every other seat or row in ride vehicles to keep guests physically apart from one another, and lower attraction capacity to 50%. In addition, Universal is considering removing the 3D element from all attractions so that guests will not need to touch those plastic glasses, and Team Members will be required to sanitize vehicles in between ride cycles.
Though these all seem like pretty common sense procedures that could be put in place to help keep guests and Team Members safe, another idea that was more extreme that was proposed in the recent survey that was sent out to Annual Passholders was the closure of all indoor rides and experiences, which doesn’t seem particularly feasible considering there are only a handful of outdoor experiences between the two theme parks.
Mandatory COVID-19 testing and temperature checks
While some of the common sense social distancing measures outlined above seem fairly unobtrusive, Universal is apparently also considering some additional health safeguards for guests. Among these are required rapid response COVID-19 testing for all guests entering the park, or temperature checks at the front of the theme park. These measures are certainly more extreme, but if they help guests feel safer in the theme parks, they could be worth the investment.
Masks for both Team Members and guests
Right now, mask-wearing has become a part of every day life, and even after spread of the pandemic slows, many are predicting that mass mask-wearing will continue. And in an effort to help guests and Team Members feel more at ease in the parks, Universal may also be considering either allowing or requiring both guests and Team Members to wear masks while in the theme parks at all times (except while dining of course).
Park capacity changes
Looking more broadly, Universal Orlando Resort may be looking to let in fewer guests in general so that crowded areas of the park won’t be as densely packed and guests can spread out in queues, restaurants, and other areas in the park. Reducing the total capacity of the park by 25% or even 50% could help continue social distancing while guests are still concerned about the spread of COVID-19.
Right now nothing has been decided or announced about the future of Universal Orlando Resort, and technically we don’t know when the resort might even reopen. However, it looks like Universal is definitely considering as many options as possible to make guests feel safe when the resort eventually reopens.
As we’ve said previously, there is no way to know exactly how long theme parks will be dealing with the effects of Coronavirus, but while this situation is continuing, all travelers should check out the CDC’s official site here, which has information on the virus and how to prevent its spread.
