Universal theme parks reopening
Bevil: Attractions adjust capacity, shows and more for added safety measures.
Yes, I was eager to get back into Universal Orlando’s theme parks. I was anticipating getting a sliver of “old normal” in my life. Like many Orlandoans, theme parking is part of my routine that has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The takeaway after Friday’s grand reopening: We can do this. It’s going to be different. We can do this. I keep saying “it’s a mixed bag,” although, truthfully, the category of Theme Park Things That Are Better Now is slender. But, again, we can do this.
Here are mixed-bag experiences from walking around Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.
Sounds
On one hand: With fewer people, there’s less screaming. It kind of echoes, eerily. Because rows and seats are purposefully left empty, it’s like riding a semiprivate
roller coaster.
On the other hand: You might notice things you had not before. As the Incredible Hulk coaster passes under the walkway, pedestrians can hear the onboard soundtrack as the train swoops past. In King’s Cross Station (the London departure point of the Hogwarts Express), I noted that the announcement of stops includes Peterborough, where my ancestors lived back when we were Bevilles.
Queues
On one hand: The 6 feet of
space between parties keeps snotty-nosed kids out of your air space and adults from breathing down your neck. It also presents a challenge for line cutters. We see you.
On the other hand: The
entertainment level of overheard conversations has subsided.
Shows
On one hand: There’s less crowd interaction/ forced participation in the shows. That’s a bummer when it comes to shaking your tail feather with the Blues Brothers at Universal Studios, but it eliminates the reluctant dad element of the Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees show at Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Reluctant dads, rejoice!
On the other hand:
Relocating the “Marilyn and the Diamond Bellas” show from the New York street level to a stage in front of Pantages Theater, usually the home of Horror Make-up Show attraction, makes it seem like a bigger deal.
Characters
On one hand: Universal’s “up and away” positioning is distant, but necessarily so. Some setups are creative, with
“Simpsons” characters in their RV, and the ScoobyDoo gang on multilevel tiers in front of Mel’s DriveIn, giving them a groovy “Hullabaloo” vibe. Puss in Boots felt far away in the lawn facing Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, but that’s how cats roll.
On the other hand: For maybe the first time ever, I felt bad for Fiona and Shrek, who were being largely ignored despite being stationed in a fairly prominent spot.
Sidenote: Universal employees can no longer take visitors’ cameras or phones to snap pictures
with the characters.
Food
On one hand: One of my theme parks pet peeves is waiting and waiting and waiting for food even though there are just four things on the menu. This is exaggerated by the spacing mandate. People of Earth and theme parks, use your time to study the menu before you get to the counter. (Wow, sir, how many questions about hot dogs can you ask?)
On the other hand: I
am encouraged to use mobile ordering more.
Masks
On one hand: Kudos for high participation in the face-covering game at Universal. For me, an unexpected benefit of the masks is that they’re visual reminders that snap me out of a non-pandemic mindset and prompt me to keep proper distancing. Also, Universal has U-rest areas, where mask-free breaks are allowed.
On the other hand: It’s hot. I got winded easier. When I encountered employees, I felt I had to speak up, which made me imagine microbes coming out of mouth at a higher force and frequency.
Cleanliness
On one hand: Universal employees appear diligent in the disinfecting effort. Among the items I’ve seen wiped down are the rubber handrails along the moving sidewalks, the sides of trash cans, the tops of sandwichboard signs and the handheld ticket readers at the entrance. In 90 percent of my bathroom visits, there has been a worker already cleaning.
On the other hand: I get a little mixed up myself at the sinks. I’ll be washing away, humming “Happy Birthday” twice and then reading the sign, which I assume concerns the 20-second rule. But it’s “Don’t use this sink.” Reading is fundamental, y’all, but a big ol’ Ghostbusters symbol might make me behave better.