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BREAKING NEWS: Universal Orlando Is Officially Opening June 5th

Just yesterday, we found out that Universal Orlando had submitted a reopening plan that included an early June opening date.

Islands of Adventure Main Entrance

From there, the plan had to go through several rounds of approval. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings approved the plan last night. From there, the plan went on for approval from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and apparently it was approved.

Universal Orlando just released a statement that Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay will open to the public on June 5th.

A statement on the Universal Orlando website begins with the phrase “Welcome Back” and goes on to announce the reopening of Universal Orlando theme and water park properties. Health, safety, and hygiene procedures are acknowledged.

Universal Orlando Screenshot

The company also reminds guests that on top of the new protocols in the theme parks, guests will need to abide by CDC guidelines and the guidance of health officials. They remind that they cannot guarantee that a guest will not be exposed to health risks.

Just like at CityWalk, guests and team members must wear face coverings and undergo temperature checks. Those with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will not be able to enter.

Universal

There will also be staggered parking in the parking garage. Universal also shared that they WILL be limiting and reducing daily park attendance and the number of people on each attraction. At this time, “a reservation is not needed in order to visit the theme parks. Please note that since we’re limiting attendance, there may be times when the parks reach capacity and additional guests will not be admitted.” A virtual line will be available for select attractions.

Universal

Social distancing will be enforced throughout the parks including within attraction queues and at restaurants. There will be increased cleaning and disinfection of food locations, ride vehicles, and other “touch points.” They will also offer cashless payments and “no touch” policies where possible.

Many of these policies were implemented when Universal CityWalk opened a few days ago.

We will be sharing all of the details on the reopening on Universal soon. Stay tuned! 

Are you planning to visit Universal when they reopen in June? Let us know in the comments below. 

Related posts:

  1. Universal Studios Has EXTENDED Its Temporary Closure
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  3. Universal Sends Out Surveys About Potential Re-Opening Scenarios

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, Islands of Adventure, Universal, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando, universal orlando reopening, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal reopening, Universal Studios, Universal Volcano Bay, Volcano Bay

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NEWS: Many Smaller Florida Attractions Are Looking to Reopen This Weekend

The full Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force met today to discuss and review plans submitted by several smaller Orlando attractions, including Gatorland and Fun Spot. It was at this meeting today that we also learned of Universal Orlando’s proposed soft preview reopening of June 1 for team members, with a public reopening on June 5.

Universal Orlando Resort

But many smaller attractions are looking to open sooner than that, with some attractions hoping to welcome back guests within the coming days.

In addition to a proposed reopening date, all of these attractions were required to submit plans of keeping their employees and customers safe, similar to the plan proposed by Universal Orlando. In all, there were 12 smaller attractions with proposed reopening dates, which are noted in parenthesis:

Proposed Re-Opening Dates from Smaller Orlando Attractions

Any attraction with a proposed reopening date that has already passed, like Nona Adventure Park, would need to re-submit their plans with an adjusted proposed reopening date that is in the future. Once these plans are signed off by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, they will then be passed on to Governor Ron DeSantis for his approval.

DeSantis is already receiving plans at his desk to give the green light for amusement parks to reopen, including Legoland, which has already received local approval to reopen on June 1.

Welcome to Orlando!

Committee members participated in on-site visits this morning at all of the smaller attractions and have confidence that most can reopen safely and meet their proposed guidelines. At the end of the Task Force Meeting, Demings said that he will likely pass these plans on to DeSantis today, May 21.

Do you live in the Orlando area and are planning on visiting any of these smaller attractions in the coming weeks? Let us know in the comments.

Related posts:

  1. Universal Sends Out Surveys About Potential Re-Opening Scenarios
  2. What You Need to Know From Florida’s Latest Orange County Economic Recovery Meeting
  3. Breaking News! Orlando is Going Under Curfew Starting Tonight

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, central florida, Gatorland, governor ron desantis, legoland, mayor jerry demings, orange county, Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, Orange County Task Force, Orlando, Universal Orlando

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Disney News Disney Parks

NEWS! Universal Orlando Resort Presents Plan for Safety Measures Upon Reopening

Universal Orlando Resort has presented a plan for reopening its theme parks with a proposed date to reopen to the public on June 5, 2020. (This would follow a proposed reopening to Universal team members on June 1st and 2nd and “invited guests” such as Annual Passholders on June 3rd and 4th.)

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando — along with Walt Disney World Resort and SeaWorld — has been closed since mid-March in light of the global health situation. Along with the proposed opening date, Universal Orlando Resort has also presented safety measures to implement upon reopening, which we will be exploring here.

We have already seen new safety measures in action at the reopening of Universal Orlando’s CityWalk on May 14th, which is currently the only area of the Resort open to guests. (Disney Springs began its phased reopening yesterday.)

Bubba Gump at CityWalk

And Universal shared that they are looking towards a “gradual capacity reopening” with a slow ramp up and a focus on three types of measures: Screening, Sanitation, and Spacing Standards.

Guest Services at CityWalk

However, the theme parks will also operate under a set of guidelines encompassing the specific offerings within parks like ride and other attractions. The proposed measures would begin even prior to the guest’s arrival.

Pre-arrival Communications

According to the proposed plan, guests planning to visit Universal Orlando can expect to find pre-arrival communication on the Universal Orlando Resort website and on Universal’s social media accounts.

CityWalk Reopening

Within these communications, the goal will be to make it very clear to guests what Universal intends to do to keep them safe, and also what expectations Universal has for its guests. Representatives of Universal at the meeting shared that “some things are going to be different,” and that they will ask guests to “cooperate.”

Universal

And within the Resort, guests will continue to have access to helpful information. One way that will be presented is with “Ambassadors” placed throughout the Resort to help guests with the new procedures and answer questions. “They will be everywhere and very visible.”

Screening

Screening measures will apply to both Universal team members and guests. Team members will undergo temperature checks each day, as will guests upon arrival — as we’ve experienced already at CityWalk. (There will be additional procedures for team members to employ with guests, and training will begin this weekend.)

Temperature Check

Guests will also be required to wear face masks. Universal plans to provide a free disposable mask for guests who arrive without one.

Sanitation

Upon reopening, water and mist will be eliminated from rides.

Restroom Signs at Universal

Additional measures will include the requirement that team members wash their hands every 30 minutes, noting that Universal will increase amount of breaks for employees to wash hands and remove their masks away from guest areas.

Spacing Standards

Resort capacity will be “managed” and ramped up slowly. Spacing will start in the parking lots with staggered parking for team members and guests (while valet parking will not be in operation).

CityWalk Reopening

And capacity measures will continue to be managed throughout venues within the Resort, with plans in place for physical distancing in restaurants, stores, and more.

Store signage to promote distancing

For instance, attraction lines will utilize virtual queues while single rider lines will be eliminated. Attraction queue entry will have social distancing plans posted at the attraction to explain to guests what the system in place is.

Universal CityWalk signage

Post-show meet and greets will be eliminated (though performers will stay onstage so guests may take photos of them).

Safe distancing will be encouraged for team members outside of work. Mobile food ordering will be utilized in the “back of the house and the front of the house.”

There is more information to share, and we will continue to update this post with proposed plans from Universal Orlando Resort!

Universal Orlando Resort presented its plans to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings during today’s meeting of the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. Mayor Demings has stated it will take 24-48 hours to review the plans before submitting them to Governor DeSantis.

This process of local approval is in keeping with instruction from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that theme parks should work alongside their local governments on their plans for reopening and that local government officials will need to endorse any potential plans prior to submitting them for state approval. So we will be keeping you posted on this developing story!

You can read more about the current status of Disney Resorts and parks around the world by following any of the links below.

Have you visited Universal while in Orlando? Please let us know with a comment.

Related posts:

  1. NEWS and PHOTOS: Face Masks and Hand Sanitizer Available for Purchase at Universal Orlando Resort Stores
  2. Universal Orlando CityWalk is Reportedly Planning a Partial Reopening SOON
  3. Universal Sends Out Surveys About Potential Re-Opening Scenarios

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, health and safety measures, Universal Orlando, Universal Orlando News, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal reopening, Universal Reopening Plan

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Disney News Disney Parks

BREAKING NEWS! Universal Orlando Resort Proposes Reopening Date

Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld have been closed since March due to the current global health situation.

Universal

The state of Florida is currently in “Full Phase One” of reopening its economy. It’s within this phase that both Universal Orlando’s CityWalk and Disney Springs have started a phased reopening while the theme parks have remained closed until further notice. Today, however, in a meeting of the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, Universal Orlando Resort has presented a plan for its reopening, including a proposed reopening date.

Universal Orlando Resort has proposed a reopening date of June 5th, 2020 to the general public. John Sprouls proposed a gradual capacity reopening for team members beginning June 1st and 2nd and to AP’s June 3rd and 4th. The proposed June 5th opening would be for the rest of the public.

Details about what a reopening would look like are being shared at this time and will be updating you with all the info — stay tuned! 

Universal Orlando

The task force approved the proposal. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings must sign off on Universal’s proposed plans before they will be presented to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Demings has said that he will need 24-48 hours to review the plans before submitting them to DeSantis.

Islands of Adventure Main Entrance

Walt Disney World and SeaWorld have not yet presented reopening plans to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. Amanda Dukes, a reporter at WESH TV, NBC Orlando, said that Disney World is “not submitting a plan to the Orange County Economic Recover Taskforce yet and does not have a date to do so.” When they do, they will be required to submit a proposed reopening date within their plans.

Walt Disney World

We will continue to keep you posted on this story as it develops. For more information about the current status of Disney Resorts and destinations around the world, you can click here or visit any of the links below.

Are you following the reopening of the Orlando area theme parks? Please let us know with a comment. 

Related posts:

  1. SeaWorld Orlando Tested Their Mako Coaster With Masked Riders Today!
  2. Universal Orlando’s CityWalk Has Just Reopened! See What Our Experience Was Like Here!
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From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, disney springs, reopening, reopening date, requested reopening dates, seaworld, Universal CityWalk, Universal Orlando, universal orlando reopening, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World, walt disney world resort

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Disney Parks

3 Things We Hope We DON’T See At The Disney Springs Reopening This Week

CityWalk at Universal Orlando began a phased reopening on May 14th, and we were there to report back.

There were a number of new health and safety measures implemented including temperature checks, limited hours, and social distancing protocols. Overall, we thought the reopening of CityWalk went pretty smoothly, but there were a few things that we hope NOT to see when Disney Springs begins its own phased reopening on May 20th.

Let’s check ’em out.

Use of Paper Menus Instead Of Digital Menus

When dining at Margaritaville, we were given disposable paper menus which our server informed us are thrown away after each use. This adheres to sanitary standards, but if this practice is maintained for long, it’s costing a TON of money and creating significant waste.

If we’re gonna go to the effort of implementing a new system, let’s do it in a sustainable, inexpensive, and even more sanitary way by using digital menus that can be scanned with your smartphone.

Margaritaville Menu

I imagine we’re going to be in this “new normal” for a while, so if restaurant guests get used to digital menus, it can be the wave of the future.

PLUS it will be WAY easier for restaurants to change their menus if they run out of a dish, highlighting a new special menu item, or offering a short-term discount (you know, to get rid of the stuff that’s NOT selling). Just changing the code on a website vs. re-printing hundreds of menus week after week? That could save SO MUCH MONEY, which is something restaurants definitely need to be thinking about right now.

Wine Bar George at Disney Springs has announced that they will be using digital menus upon reopening. And we recently visited Plancha Restaurant at Four Seasons Orlando, where guests could scan a QR code in order to view the menu.

Plancha Digital Menu

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see more digital menus at Disney Springs restaurants — and everywhere else — instead of disposable ones!

Limited To-Go Food Options

We also noticed there were few to-go food options at CityWalk. We were able to mobile order at Voodoo Doughnut and Red Oven Pizza Bakery, plus Auntie Ann’s Pretzels offered their standard grab-and-go service. But the carry out service at Margaritaville was unavailable — to order any food or drinks, we had to put in our name and wait for a table.

Red Oven Pizza Bakery

We would have liked to have had more to-go options so we could get a substantial meal to carry out with us instead of having to wait the 2.5 hours to dine-in!

Limited Access to Masks Outside of the Entrance

All guests are required to wear masks at CityWalk as part of the additional health and safety measures. And this same requirement will be implemented at Disney Springs. But we did find some confusion about the availability of masks outside of the CityWalk entrance in case a guest forgets theirs.

According to the Universal website, masks are available for sale outside of the entrance to CityWalk, but we weren’t able to find any there on our visit. There were plenty stocked at the Universal Studios Store, but since guests wouldn’t be able to get that far without a mask, that wouldn’t help in an emergency.

Face coverings

We hope that Disney Springs either offers masks for sale outside of the entrance or has a large stock of disposable masks for guests who may have forgotten theirs!

Overall, we were impressed with Universal’s handling of the CityWalk reopening. But, we did notice a few not-so-great processes that we hope Disney doesn’t replicate at Disney Springs!

What protocol do you want to see when Disney Springs reopens? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com