covid-19 and theme parks

SeaWorld Orlando, Walt Disney World, and Universal Studios have officially reopened since their closures in mid-March. With these reopenings following the statewide shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has led to a significant change in the theme park experience. From the mask-wearing policies to the social distancing markers, here's what you can expect from your time returning to these Orlando destinations.

Walt Disney World

Disney World has undergone serious changes in response to the pandemic, the first of which starts with who gets in and when. As part of their tactic to minimize the number of guests in the parks and provide guests the ability to adequately social distance, a new reservation system has been instituted that everyone should know about before venturing to Orlando in search of Mickey Mouse and his friends.

This reservation system can be accessed through a Disney Account with a valid theme park admission ticket. It is important to note that not all guests interested in visiting the parks will necessarily get the opportunity to do so on the day they are most interested in. However, reservations for entry are able to be booked all the way through September 26, 2021, so there is plenty of time to book in the off-chance your “first choice” isn’t available.

Once that park reservation is made and you enter the park, you will find that social distancing is an important and routine practice. Spacers allow for guests to keep their 6-foot distance from one another while waiting to board attractions, eat at dining locations, and shop in stores.

In addition to these spacers on the ground, select rides are also operating at a lower capacity, with many skipping entire rows and ride vehicles to keep guests far enough apart. While this practice may mean an increase in the wait times of certain select attractions, for many guests, they find it is worth the wait.

“I think it was really important and nobody really cared that the wait times would be increased due to that,” said Mia Perry, 12.

But while all these changes may greatly impact your park memories, they serve one purpose: to keep everyone safe. Sure, all your photos may come with a mask covering the majority of your face and you may find yourself using more sanitizer there than nearly anywhere else, but it is sure to at least be one of the most unforgettable (and craziest) vacations you may ever take.

Universal Studios

Universal has taken on a very similar approach to reopening as Walt Disney World, with some noticeable differences. Masks, much like in many public places these days, are mandatory. Those wearing masks that are mesh or have valves as well as any not covering both the nose and the mouth will not be permitted to enter the parks, though unlike at Disney, gaiter masks are still permitted.

For those seeking to fill their stomachs with everything from Butterbeer to corn dogs, the process of eating has changed dramatically. Mobile food ordering is the new go-to system of getting most meals at the Universal theme parks; orders at select locations can be placed via the Official Universal Orlando Resort App.

Once receiving a mobile order meal, guests still have the opportunity to sit down and relax while eating. Unlike normal days in the theme park, tables are no longer inches away from one another. In fact, tables are now socially distanced to allow for visitors to eat without concern, even after removing their face covering.

Worried about cleanliness? No problem! Universal Studios has increased their already considerable sanitation practices in many high traffic areas. Besides this, the parks have also instituted social distancing markers for all attractions, restaurants, and shops to keep parties 6-feet apart as well as instituting hand sanitizer dispensers prior to boarding and after exiting rides.

For some attractions, a Virtual Line is also being offered to minimize the length of time standing in the queue. This system can also be utilized through the Official Universal Orlando Resort App and parties interested in riding select rides will have the chance to choose the number of members in their party and at what time they wish to return to come experience the attraction.

These new policies to visit Universal Orlando may seem daunting, and like a lot to remember, but Universal team members are always there to assist as needed. These team members are there to do everything in their power to make your families visit as epic, and as safe, as possible, including through reminders to guests about mask wearing.

“If you take your mask down, like a little bit below your nose, they’ll get on to you and ask you to back up and away from other people that aren’t with your party,” said Britain Bayer, 7.

Despite all the things you may need to remember while visiting, you will quickly fall into the routine of virtual queues and mask wearing. It may be different from the “normal” that we're all used to, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to be any different!

SeaWorld Orlando

Soaring through the sky on the Manta, coming face-to-face with penguins, and experiencing the world’s tallest water raft attraction drop- where else would you do it other than SeaWorld Orlando? Reopened now is the park of thrills and gills, ready to welcome you and your family back for another visit. In a park with so many animals, it may seem risky to have hundreds of guests visiting everyday, but this theme park has made it happen, and with plenty of safety requirements to protect their animals and for you and your crew to stay safe as well.

Employees and guests will be required to have a temperature under 100.4 degrees in order to enter the parks; anyone with a higher temperature will be retested in another area, and if still above the 100.4 mark, will be allowed to have their visit rescheduled for another date. Masks with holes, exhalation valves, mesh, or that are not secured around the ear or head, are not allowed for entrance into the park. Masks may be removed while eating, drinking, or in relaxation areas similar to those at other theme parks.

Physical distancing is another important aspect of visiting SeaWorld Orlando. Signs and markings have been placed all through the park to make it easy and painless to maintain distance from other parties. In areas where physical distancing is difficult to achieve, physical Plexi-glass dividers have been implemented.

This distancing does not just apply to the walkways and waiting queues; it also takes place in seating areas, like those in restaurants. Lounge chairs and tables for dining have been moved in order to accommodate the 6-foot spacing needed for mask removal.

“There was a lot of space, and whenever you were eating, you always kind of had your back turned to people because of how the chairs were. It wasn’t like people were eating on lunch benches and everyone could face each other,” said Haley Hamilton, 12.

Other safety measures put in place at restaurants throughout the park include an increase in the grab-and-go food offerings, the closure of condiment stations as well as the denial of refillable articles such as water bottles.

Increased sanitation is also prevalent at SeaWorld Orlando. Cleaning in key park areas and the amount of hand sanitizer dispensers have been significantly increased in order to combat the possible spread of COVID-19, and this increase also applies to the spaces for employees. As part of this sanitation increase, rides and attractions will have an increased cleaning frequency as well as specific requirements for those rides involving water.

“When you got on the ride, it would only be one party per ride, no matter if you were one person, two people, three, or four because there are usually four rows with seats. Then after you got off, they would spray your area and run the ride so it could dry,” Hamilton said. “In terms of rides, they are very safe about that. They sanitize everything; more than I’ve seen on any other ride."

For those looking to visit the Orlando theme parks, the biggest “word to the wise” that could be given is to think carefully about whether or not your family should visit amidst a pandemic. While these parks have done everything in their power to institute practices that could stop the spread of COVID-19, there is never a complete guarantee that large gatherings of people will be safe in the current climate. This article does not cover everything that you or your family may need to know before returning to the theme parks; doing further research and gaining more information will help you make the best judgement on whether returning is really the best option for you. However, if you do decide that it's safe for you and your family to visit an Orlando theme park, you can rest assured that sanitation, social distancing, and safe practices have been implemented to protect park visitors.