Universal Orlando to re-open to public June 5

Just announced at the OC Task Force meeting

John Sprouls, CAO Univeral Orlando presenting the plans to Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force.

Temp checks and masks required for guests.

June 1st have employees in parks, a few days later open to the annual pass holders and open guests on June 5th

https://www.orangecountyfl.net/OpenGovernment/OrangeTVVisionTV/OrangeTVLive.aspx#.XsbCvWhKiUk

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Universal plans to use their virtual queue form Volcano Bay, reduced rider capacity and crowds, no single rider lines.

Will provide masks for guests who do not have one.

Sorry - but the mask is a sticking point for me. Not gonna go to a theme park and wear a mask.

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Will volcanoe bay require masks?

Read in Liner Chat that Legoland is not requiring masks. I don’t know very much about that park, though.

How are they going to reduce crowds? Limit attendance? Fist-come first-served? Only on-property guests?

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I’m betting that international and domestic travel restrictions + mask requirements + recession + pandemic fears = automatic lower crowds and they won’t have to do much more. But at some point their normal capacity measures (shut down parking, turn away guests at the gate) will kick in.

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I am curious too about who gets to visit. Will an onsite stay guarantee admission? Will AP holders get guaranteed admission (both FL and nonFL APs)? So many questions, I am excited to see how this all works out.

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Touring Plans Blog Story about the re-opening

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I wonder how Express Pass will work with virtual queues.

From CNN Travel:
“This plan will now be evaluated by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who said Wednesday that he plans to make a recommendation to Gov. Ron DeSantis within 12 to 24 hours. Part of that evaluation period involves county staff making site visits.”

Maybe similar to how Jimmy Fallons or Fast and Furious work? You can enter the line immediately? Or I can see something like the virtual queue is 60 minutes, with an EP its only 20.

As part of the Task Force meeting today, it was presented that these county officials already visited and gave their approval to the plan.

Dr. Raul Pino, Health Officer, FDOH –
Dr. Christian Zuver, Orange County EMS Medial Director
Jon V. Weiss, PE, Director Orange County PEDS
Shane Gerwig, Orange County Official

Great news!

But Mayor Demings still needs to discuss the plans with Governor DeSantis and make a decision soon. Correct?

I thought it was interesting in the TP Blog article on the reopening, they said UOR plans to turn off water effects on their rides. I actually would prefer that since I hate getting soaked! You would probably still get wet on Jurassic Park, etc. but not soaked without the water canons splashing you (I believe they augment the natural splashing when you touch down at the bottom of the hills).

On the basis of them not having water effects on the rides (I had been thinking of Hydroman in the Spiderman ride), I thought the water rides (Dudley, Popeye and Jurassic) wouldn’t be running at all.

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I too was thrilled to hear this. I hate getting splashed/soaked unless I am at a water park in my bathing suit.

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Could be - I guess we’ll see. Seems to me that if Volcano Bay is going to be open (which supposedly it is) and given that the wet rides are mostly outside, wet rides should be in play.

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Fair point if VB will be open.
Makes me wonder about mask use though. I thought the water effects would be off so that masks don’t get wet, therefore no water rides.
Are masks mandatory at VB too? I can’t imagine that being the case.

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I was surprised that they said VB would be open. But I suppose outdoors is pretty safe, even without masks. At this point I’ll believe it when it happens.

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