Universal Orlando Officially Reopening June 5; Hours Revealed and Free Face Masks Retracted
It’s official – Universal Orlando theme parks will reopen on June 5 to the public. Park hours have been revealed along with other important information regarding safety procedures. As of now, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure will be open from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Volcano Bay will be open from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. CityWalk will be open from 8:00 am – 10:00 pm. These hours of operation are subject to change.
Team members will soon be scheduled for training on new procedures with the parks reopening on June 1 and June 2 for team member previews so the new procedures can be practiced and refined. After this preview, a limited amount of guests will be invited on June 3 and June 4 before the public reopening on June 5. Attendance will be limited during this period, so it’s possible that the parks could be closed due to capacity. Reservations will not be required to get into the parks
Almost all of the guidelines that Universal presented as part of their plan to reopen are still in place.
Universal is requiring all guests to wear a face covering during their visit. If you don’t have a face covering, they will be available for purchase. During the proposal to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, Universal claimed that a free disposable mask would be given to guests who don’t have one, but that has now changed. Universal will also continue the temperature checks for each guest prior to their arrival to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk. A guest will be denied entry if they have a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater.
Team members will also be undergoing temperature checks and wearing face coverings. All team members are required to participate in training on the new procedures. Universal will be increasing their cleaning and disinfection procedures along with limiting capacity and following social distancing guidelines in all attractions, restaurants, and shops.
Mobile food and drink ordering will be available for select venues in the parks and at CityWalk and can be accessed through the Official Universal Orlando Resort App. All guests are encouraged to download the app, so they can also make cashless transaction, utilize Virtual Line for select attractions, and more.
Select rides and attractions will utilize Virtual Line. With Virtual Line, you select a time you want to experience an attraction with minimal wait. Staggered spacing will be implemented in the queues and on ride vehicles to help promote distancing. Hand sanitizer will be required before boarding ride vehicles and 3-D glasses will be handed out individually if necessary for the attraction. Masks will be required during attractions with the exception being attractions that include significant amounts of water. The majority of attractions and experiences are scheduled to open, but several will not be available.
Volcano Bay will not be permitted on slides or in pools, but are recommended when guests cannot socially distance. Face coverings will be required for team members in dry roles. Those in wet roles will wear a balaclava when they can’t socially distance.
Other measures at Volcano Bay include limiting the capacity on each attraction. Multi-person raft rides will only allow one travel party per raft. Lounge chairs will be placed in a way that allow parties to sit together, but will still maintain six feet of distance between other guests.
As of this time, Universal has not shared official information about the hotels reopening, but the hotels are available to book Loews Hotels’ site as well as Universal Orlando’s.
