Universal Orlando’s official reopening draws a light crowd
There were no bustling summertime crowds who waited hours to ride the Hagrid roller coaster and clog up Diagon Alley.
Instead, the return of Universal Orlando’s theme parks after a nearly three-month shutdown saw light attendance Friday and no major back-ups as visitors mostly complied with new safety procedures, like temperature checks.
The parks — Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the Volcano Bay water park — had been shut down since March 16 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The vast majority of guests wore their masks, perhaps the biggest change at Orlando’s theme parks.
But in 90-degree weather like Friday’s, sweat can cling on a face covering.
A Universal employee cheerfully reminded a family who had taken off their masks as they left Islands of Adventure to obey the rules that extended throughout Universal CityWalk, too.
Jennifer Dececco came to the resort wearing a formidable black mask.
“I feel like ‘Silence of the Lambs,’” she said. “The Florida heat and humidity make it uncomfortable, but you have to protect yourself.”
About two hours into her day at the park, she had just about had her fill, she said.
Universal planned to reopen at about 35% occupancy, officials said during a Los Angeles County task force meeting earlier this week. Company officials declined an interview request Friday to discuss how the day went.
‘Well and beyond’
If Friday was the first true test for the attraction, Taylor Strickland, who runs the vacation planning website Orlando Informer, said he believes the parks passed.
“I don’t think anyone can be perfect on their first day, but they did well and beyond what they needed to do,” Strickland said.
A Volkswagen commercial shoot in Universal Studios shut down an entire block, hardly enough to affect the light traffic flow.
Universal has set up areas called “U-rest zones,” where visitors are allowed to remove their masks. There are tables and chairs spaced even farther apart than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend.
Jason and Kristina Busch, who live in Dallas, sat maskfree in a U-rest zone in Islands of Adventure.
“It’s a nice break — 5, 10 minutes,” Jason Busch said. They come to Orlando two or three times a year, they said.
“Other than some of the social distancing regulations, it’s felt mostly normal,” he said.
A pair of caricature artists were busy drawing. No one wearing masks had asked for a picture yet.
“I wish,” one said with a laugh. “It’s easier.”
No smiles seen
At Hollywood Rip It RockIt Coaster, an employee found success early in the day selling ride photos that sometimes looked surreal. No one could be seen screaming or smiling, although sometimes the Gforces tugged down their face coverings.
Earlier this week, Universal leaders publicly outlined their new operating procedures to keep their visitors and employees safe, including markers spread 6 feet on the ground in the ride queues where employees poured complimentary hand sanitizer.
“Many people instinctively think that large theme parks with crowds should be the last thing we should reopen,” said Universal Studios Hollywood President Karen Irwin said during the meeting in Los Angeles. “While this misperception is understandable, theme parks actually offer a more controlled environment than places like beaches, gardens or even hiking trails.”
Another major change for Universal’s reopening was the rollout of a new reservation system for some of the most popular rides, like Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which once easily drew a four-hour wait. When it first opened a year ago, some braved 10-hour lines.
Strickland snagged a reserved ride spot on what was essentially a walkthrough ride just after the park’s 9 a.m. opening. By 11 a.m., if your fingers moved fast enough on the app to get an online reservation, the wait was closer to 45 minutes in a socially distanced line.
New ride reservations were scattered on the app throughout the day. What could be confusing, Strickland said, was some rides could require virtual reservations and then stop doing so later in the day.
Out-of-town tourists
It was clear Orlando’s tourism machine was in motion again. Taking a break from strength-training for the Rutgers football team, Terrence Wilson, 19, woke up at 7 a.m. to drive to Universal from Florida’s east coast.
Andrea Anthony flew in from Indianapolis, Indiana, for a weekend at the parks as a belated birthday for her 3-year-old daughter.
Anthony, who owns a trucking company, hopes to come back next month to Disney World, too. Her birthday is July 10.
And in the U-rest zones, the Busch family booked a five-day trip when they thought Universal might reopen on June 1 and arrived Thursday night.
“The flights were cheap, and it was easy to get out here,” Kristina Busch said.
“Everyone’s been very kind. Everyone’s giving you hand sanitizer,” she added. “I feel safe. I feel secure. I don’t feel anyone’s being reckless.”
From their perch, they could see construction on an unannounced project going up near the park’s Jurassic Park. Jason Busch said he had been following talk of a new coaster online.
“I’m pumped,” he said. “This is the first time we are seeing it in person.”
Even so, John Saccheri, known as the cheerful theme parks reporter on BigFatPanda.com, decided against venturing to Universal’s official grand opening Friday after he said he felt the crowds were too big during the soft openings earlier in the week.
The parking line had been clogged with traffic, and he waited 70 minutes for lunch in a sit-down restaurant.
“The fact I had a disappointing experience on the day it was reserved, I will definitely not be going for a while,” Saccheri said. “I do hope it gets better. We need our theme parks back.”