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What to Know Before You Visit Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios

With Universal Studios Florida reopening in just a couple of weeks, guests are sure to have questions. Universal will be implementing specific procedures and practices that are in line with CDC guidelines for the safety and health of team members and guests.

The procedures will cover three areas: screening, spacing, and sanitization. Here’s what you’ll want to know before you visit the theme parks:

  • Guests and team members are required to wear face coverings
  • Guests will be required to wear face coverings on attractions. The only exception will be for attractions that include significant amounts of water as part of the experience, as well as Volcano Bay’s slides and pools.
  • Guests and team members are required to undergo temperature checks. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will not be able to enter Universal CityWalk or the theme parks
  • There will be staggered parking within the parking garage to help create distance between travel groups
  • Universal Studios Florida will be limiting and reducing daily park attendance and attraction ridership in Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay
  • A reservation is not required to visit the theme parks but there may be times when the parks reach capacity and additional guests will not be admitted
  • The majority of the attractions and experiences within the parks are scheduled to open. Select experiences will not be available during this phase, and some queue experiences may be slightly altered as the new procedures are implemented.
  • Prior to boarding a ride vehicle, Universal Orlando team members will provide guests with the hand sanitizer that is required
  • Virtual Line will be available for select attractions. Virtual Line allows guests to select a time to experience an attraction via the Official Universal Orlando Resort app so they’re minimizing the time they’re actually waiting in the queue line. Guests can make Virtual Line selections while they’re onsite at the parks on the day of their visit.

The following information is specific to Universal’s Volcano Bay:

  • Capacity on each attraction will be limited – including rivers and pools
  • For multi-person raft rides, only one travel party will be allowed to ride in a single raft. Please note that Volcano Bay’s standard height and weight requirements will be applicable.
  • Lounge chairs will be placed in a fashion that allows travel parties to sit together, while also maintaining at least six feet of distance between other guests.
  • Face coverings are recommended when guests cannot socially distance. They will not be permitted on slides and in pools.
  • All TapuTapu wearables will be cleaned and sanitized prior to guest use.
  • Team members who have “wet” roles, such as lifeguards, will wear a balaclava when they cannot socially distance. These will not be worn on slides or in pools for safety reasons. Face coverings are required for team members in “dry” roles.

The CDC advises that older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Guests should evaluate their risk in determining whether to visit. Universal Orlando cannot guarantee that guests will not be exposed to COVID-19 during their visit.

Will you be visiting the Universal Orlando Resort soon?

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Filed Under: News, Parks & Resorts, Universal Studios Orlando, Universal, SeaWorld, Legoland and More, Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Volcano Bay

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Universal Orlando Is Reopening June 5th and We’ve Got ALL the Details!

Universal Orlando is reopening its theme parks to the public on June 5th. 

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando is set to become one of the first major theme park resorts to reopen in the United States. Though they have set a precedent with the reopening of Universal CityWalk last week, the company is still working out many of the details about how their reopening will look on June 5th. Here’s what we know so far.

Going to the Theme Parks

According to the reopening plan that Universal submitted to the Florida government, the theme parks will implement a soft opening with limited guests on June 1st before moving to a public and official reopening on June 5th.

Universal

Unlike Shanghai Disneyland, guests will not be required to make a reservation to visit the theme parks. Still, the parks will be operating at limited capacity so Universal does note that the parks may reach capacity and additional guests will not be admitted.

The majority of attractions and experiences are set to be available when the park opens. Some experiences will not be available and some may be altered. More specific information will be released soon and we will be sure to update.

Islands of Adventure Gate

The rest of the Universal Resort health, safety, and hygiene measures will apply (below). We will keep an eye out for more specific information on the theme park operations.

Going to Volcano Bay

Universal’s water park, Volcano Bay, will be opening as well. To implement physical distancing, the water park will follow the same guidelines as the rest of the resorts plus a few more specific ones. Capacity will be limited on each attraction (rivers and pools included), one party will be allowed per raft for raft rides, and lounge chairs will be arranged so that parties may sit together with six feet between other guests.

©Universal

Guests will be required to wear face masks during their time in Volcano Bay however they will not be permitted on the water slides or in the pools. Team members will be wearing face coverings as long as it is not required that they get in the water. Those who may need to enter the water (lifeguards, etc.) will wear balaclavas when not specifically on a slide or in a pool.

Health Measures

The general health measures at Universal are as follows:

  • Guests and team members are required to wear face coverings.
  • Guests and team members are required to undergo temperature checks. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will not be able to enter Universal CityWalk or the theme parks.
  • Parking will be staggered within the parking garage to help create distance between travel groups.
  • Park and attraction capacity will be limited and reduced in Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.
  • There will be increased cleaning and disinfection of food locations, ride vehicles, and other frequent touchpoints.
  • Physical distancing will be encouraged at all locations through the parks.
  • Virtual Line will be available for select attractions.
  • Cashless payments and “no-touch” policies will be available where possible.

CityWalk Reopening

With the exception of water rides, guests will be required to wear their face coverings while on the attractions. Hand sanitizer will also be required prior to boarding a ride vehicle and Universal team members will provide guests with sanitizer.

Soft Opening

As we mentioned, Universal Orlando will be opening with a limited number of guests on June 1st to get ready for the public reopening a few days later.

Universal CityWalk

At this time, Universal is still working through the details as to who those limited guests may be.

Passholder Update

Universal Orlando Annual and Seasonal Passholders received an email today announcing the reopening with a “Welcome Home.” Special Passholder experiences will apparently be announced soon.

Universal Email Screenshot

As a reminder, Universal is automatically extending all affected Annual and Seasonal passes by the number of days that the parks were closed.

Hotel Information

As for the hotels, Universal is still working out the details. Guests with reservations will be contacted as soon as plans are made available.

Universal Studios Aventura Hotel Heart Message

For now, guests can modify or cancel bookings held for the closure period with no fee. During the period, cancelation fees are waived for hotel reservations canceled more than 24 hours in advance of arrival.

Events

Universal has canceled all scheduled events including Grad Bash 2020 and Gradventure 2020.

On the subject of Halloween Horror Nights and the 2020 Holidays celebration, more details will be released at a later time. We will update you with any more events information.

We will update this post as more details are released about the opening of Universal Orlando Resort. 

Do you have questions about the Universal Orlando reopening? Put them in the comments below. 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, health and safety measures, Islands of Adventure, phased reopening, Universal Hotels, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando, Universal Orlando Passholders, universal orlando reopening, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal reopening, Universal Studios, universal studios reopening, Universal Volcano Bay, Volcano Bay

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BREAKING NEWS: Universal Orlando Is Officially Opening June 5th

Just yesterday, we found out that Universal Orlando had submitted a reopening plan that included an early June opening date.

Islands of Adventure Main Entrance

From there, the plan had to go through several rounds of approval. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings approved the plan last night. From there, the plan went on for approval from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and apparently it was approved.

Universal Orlando just released a statement that Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay will open to the public on June 5th.

A statement on the Universal Orlando website begins with the phrase “Welcome Back” and goes on to announce the reopening of Universal Orlando theme and water park properties. Health, safety, and hygiene procedures are acknowledged.

Universal Orlando Screenshot

The company also reminds guests that on top of the new protocols in the theme parks, guests will need to abide by CDC guidelines and the guidance of health officials. They remind that they cannot guarantee that a guest will not be exposed to health risks.

Just like at CityWalk, guests and team members must wear face coverings and undergo temperature checks. Those with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will not be able to enter.

Universal

There will also be staggered parking in the parking garage. Universal also shared that they WILL be limiting and reducing daily park attendance and the number of people on each attraction. At this time, “a reservation is not needed in order to visit the theme parks. Please note that since we’re limiting attendance, there may be times when the parks reach capacity and additional guests will not be admitted.” A virtual line will be available for select attractions.

Universal

Social distancing will be enforced throughout the parks including within attraction queues and at restaurants. There will be increased cleaning and disinfection of food locations, ride vehicles, and other “touch points.” They will also offer cashless payments and “no touch” policies where possible.

Many of these policies were implemented when Universal CityWalk opened a few days ago.

We will be sharing all of the details on the reopening on Universal soon. Stay tuned! 

Are you planning to visit Universal when they reopen in June? Let us know in the comments below. 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, Islands of Adventure, Universal, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando, universal orlando reopening, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal reopening, Universal Studios, Universal Volcano Bay, Volcano Bay

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Getting to Know Universal – The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

Today in Getting to Know Universal, we are covering the ins and outs of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Located in the heart of Marvel Super Hero Island, Spider-Man opened with the park in early 1999.

Photograph courtesy Hunter Underwood.

Spider-Man combines 3D projections, physical sets, practical effects, and a dynamic motion ride vehicle to put you inside a Spider-Man comic. Praised and voted on as one of the best attractions in the world, the lineage of many modern-day attractions such as Rise of the Resistance and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts can trace their roots back to Spider-Man.

The Experience

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man starts at the fictional newspaper The Daily Bugle. The owner, cigar aficionado J. Jonah Jameson (J.J.), runs a tight, frugal ship, often working his employees hard. One such employee is the freelance photographer Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man.


Our tour begins in the office lobby, where a grinning portrait of J.J. looms over us. As we make our way through the offices we learn of the evil Sinister Syndicate. Doctor Octopus and his minions (Electro, Hydro-man, Scream, and Hobgoblin) are terrorizing New York City as a distraction while they steal the Statue of Liberty. Their ransom? Surrender the city or the Statue is destroyed.

Not one to let a good story go unreported, J.J. enlists us as replacement reporters to get the scoop on the Syndicate and hopefully catch Spider-Man in the act. Guests are deployed into the city on prototype Daily Bugle vehicles, aptly named SCOOP (get it?). The ride vehicles are a moving motion simulator base that buck, pitch, spin, and vibrate through dark ride sets.

While patrolling the streets we catch the Spider signal and before long we are caught up in the fight between Spider-Man and Doc Ock. Guests will find themselves spinning through sewers, speeding through New York City, and even flying high in the air. In the end, Spider-Man saves us from near doom, captures the Sinister Syndicate, returns the statue, and even leaves J.J. with a parting present.

In 2012, Spider-man went through a facelift to bring the attraction up to modern standards. New 4K projectors were installed along with a new, high-definition ride film that brings the characters to life. A new soundtrack was recorded and new ride programming was created. Even the late Stan Lee was added as an Easter Egg throughout the attraction.

The Opinion

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a “Best Dark Ride” Golden Ticket Awards winner for 12 years straight. Spider-Man continues to wow guests 20 years later with its engrossing characters, exhilarating ride system, immersive scenery, and humor. While many attractions attempt to copy Spider-Man, none come as close to greatness. All these years later Spider-Man remains one of the best attractions in Orlando or even the world.

Photograph copyright Universal Orlando 2020.

The influences of Spider-Man still echo through the themed entertainment industry. Parks like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and even the Tokyo Dome created their own versions of the ride. Universal copied the ride system and some plot beats for the sister attraction Transformers: The Ride and used similar technology in Escape from Gringotts. Disney took inspiration when creating Toy Story Mania, Ratatouille, Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai, and Rise of the Resistance.

Restrictions & Accommodations

  • Guests riding The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man must be at least 40 inches tall to ride; guests under 48 inches tall must ride with a guardian.
  • Rider Swap is offered for parties with members under the height requirement; see a Team Member at the entrance for assistance.
  • Guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to the ride vehicle.
  • This attraction features ride vehicles that spin; those who suffer from motion sickness could become sick.

When to Visit

Spider-Man is a co-headliner at Islands of Adventure with Harry Potter. It is also one of only four attractions in the park that remains open during inclimate weather. Queue wait times will increase throughout the day and spike during storms and hot weather. TouringPlans recommends riding Spider-Man after experiencing Hagird, Forbidden Journey, Skull Island, and The Hulk.

The attraction participates in Universal Express and sometimes offers a Single-Rider line; inquire at the attraction entrance if they are accepting single riders.

The post Getting to Know Universal – The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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Filed Under: Attractions, Universal Orlando Resort, amazing adventures of spider-man, Islands of Adventure, Spider-man

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NEWS! Universal Orlando Resort Presents Plan for Safety Measures Upon Reopening

Universal Orlando Resort has presented a plan for reopening its theme parks with a proposed date to reopen to the public on June 5, 2020. (This would follow a proposed reopening to Universal team members on June 1st and 2nd and “invited guests” such as Annual Passholders on June 3rd and 4th.)

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando — along with Walt Disney World Resort and SeaWorld — has been closed since mid-March in light of the global health situation. Along with the proposed opening date, Universal Orlando Resort has also presented safety measures to implement upon reopening, which we will be exploring here.

We have already seen new safety measures in action at the reopening of Universal Orlando’s CityWalk on May 14th, which is currently the only area of the Resort open to guests. (Disney Springs began its phased reopening yesterday.)

Bubba Gump at CityWalk

And Universal shared that they are looking towards a “gradual capacity reopening” with a slow ramp up and a focus on three types of measures: Screening, Sanitation, and Spacing Standards.

Guest Services at CityWalk

However, the theme parks will also operate under a set of guidelines encompassing the specific offerings within parks like ride and other attractions. The proposed measures would begin even prior to the guest’s arrival.

Pre-arrival Communications

According to the proposed plan, guests planning to visit Universal Orlando can expect to find pre-arrival communication on the Universal Orlando Resort website and on Universal’s social media accounts.

CityWalk Reopening

Within these communications, the goal will be to make it very clear to guests what Universal intends to do to keep them safe, and also what expectations Universal has for its guests. Representatives of Universal at the meeting shared that “some things are going to be different,” and that they will ask guests to “cooperate.”

Universal

And within the Resort, guests will continue to have access to helpful information. One way that will be presented is with “Ambassadors” placed throughout the Resort to help guests with the new procedures and answer questions. “They will be everywhere and very visible.”

Screening

Screening measures will apply to both Universal team members and guests. Team members will undergo temperature checks each day, as will guests upon arrival — as we’ve experienced already at CityWalk. (There will be additional procedures for team members to employ with guests, and training will begin this weekend.)

Temperature Check

Guests will also be required to wear face masks. Universal plans to provide a free disposable mask for guests who arrive without one.

Sanitation

Upon reopening, water and mist will be eliminated from rides.

Restroom Signs at Universal

Additional measures will include the requirement that team members wash their hands every 30 minutes, noting that Universal will increase amount of breaks for employees to wash hands and remove their masks away from guest areas.

Spacing Standards

Resort capacity will be “managed” and ramped up slowly. Spacing will start in the parking lots with staggered parking for team members and guests (while valet parking will not be in operation).

CityWalk Reopening

And capacity measures will continue to be managed throughout venues within the Resort, with plans in place for physical distancing in restaurants, stores, and more.

Store signage to promote distancing

For instance, attraction lines will utilize virtual queues while single rider lines will be eliminated. Attraction queue entry will have social distancing plans posted at the attraction to explain to guests what the system in place is.

Universal CityWalk signage

Post-show meet and greets will be eliminated (though performers will stay onstage so guests may take photos of them).

Safe distancing will be encouraged for team members outside of work. Mobile food ordering will be utilized in the “back of the house and the front of the house.”

There is more information to share, and we will continue to update this post with proposed plans from Universal Orlando Resort!

Universal Orlando Resort presented its plans to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings during today’s meeting of the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. Mayor Demings has stated it will take 24-48 hours to review the plans before submitting them to Governor DeSantis.

This process of local approval is in keeping with instruction from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that theme parks should work alongside their local governments on their plans for reopening and that local government officials will need to endorse any potential plans prior to submitting them for state approval. So we will be keeping you posted on this developing story!

You can read more about the current status of Disney Resorts and parks around the world by following any of the links below.

Have you visited Universal while in Orlando? Please let us know with a comment.

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Filed Under: Featured, News, health and safety measures, Universal Orlando, Universal Orlando News, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal reopening, Universal Reopening Plan