Thoughts on park reopenings
Bevil: What about face masks, virtual lines and more?
COMMENTARY them, no doubt with smiles on faces, to visitors. The least we can do is smile back and ask questions politely, right?
While we’re at it, let’s be polite to each other. On one hand, the parks are businesses that can set rules and guidelines as they see fit. If they say wear a mask, well, you should. On the other hand, freaking out when you spot someone unmasked isn’t that healthy either. If you’re that unnerved by folks without masks, consider avoiding the attractions for a while.
Last week, the phrase “virtual line closed” started popping up more on the Universal Orlando app. Although the technology has been used at Universal Studios theme park for Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Fast & Furious: Supercharged, you could see it for others, including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, a popular roller coaster at Islands of Adventure theme park.
The Hagride debuted on June 11 last year. The week before that, a post on Universal’s official blog said “beginning June 14, there may be times when our team members ask you to join the Virtual Line.”
And so we’ve waited, even as the posted wait times for the ride consistently have been more than two hours.
So, this could be a good thing, although if VL works like it did in the past, you would have to be at Universal before you could “get in line.” It may be less time physically standing in the brick-and-mortar queue but the same amount of time in the park. It’s a new world.
Or is it? This week, the designations for Hagrid’s Virtual Line and most others are gone. Good thing we packed our patience.
Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay water park are scheduled to reopen to the public on June 5.
We know SeaWorld Orlando tested its roller coasters on multiple days last week, and we’ve seen that there were humans on board and that they were wearing various styles of masks.
We don’t know what that feels like or sounds like. I’m imagining a muffled roar, but it’s hard to factor in what the people-produced noise might be with fewer folks on board.
Some people have commented online that it doesn’t look like fun at