I just returned to my Universal hotel room, after spending the morning at Universal Studios, and I’m here to recap everything for you! Please note, this is my personal experience with my family. My goal with this article is to ease some of your stress and let you know what it was like to be in a theme park after quarantine and as we continue to navigate this pandemic. No matter what, always do what’s best for you and your situation  that being said, let’s dive in!
Our morning started off around 7:45 am when we left our room at Sapphire Falls and headed toward the water taxi to start our day. As we left, we were greeted by a Sapphire Falls team member who took our temperature. Afterward, we were given purple wristbands to wear all day. The wrist bands are a different color every day and are how the park identifies guests who had their temperature taken. No one in my family has gone through a process like this. As my boys stepped up to have their temperature taken, I held my breath. Any mom will tell you that when you’re not sure how your kids will react, you hold your breath for a second (As if that will stop a potential meltdown). The team member was fantastic with my children and they certainly picked up on that energy, which made it a great experience. I laughed because my kids actually asked if she could take it again!
Onto the question so many people have asked me in the past few hours, How did you feel?” To be completely transparent, I felt more comfortable bringing my children to Universal than I do bringing them to our local Publix grocery store. That’s not to say I wasn’t up all night, getting almost no sleep, just thinking about how the day would go and questioning my decision to even bring them into a theme park. The good news is, any fear or anxiety I had immediately gone away within the first five minutes.
From the start, I could tell Universal Orlando had devoted every second of the time they were closed, to figuring out how the could safely reopen their parks. If Universal’s overall goal was to earn the trust of their guests, they certainly accomplished it.
Onto the great debate, face masks. I get it, I hate them too. And I understand, it’s Summertime in Florida. Let’s be real, the list could go on with excuses and arguments, you name it, I’ve heard it. But if there’s one thing that’s stronger than my disdain for face masks, it’s my love of experiencing theme parks with my family.
The masks weren’t an issue for my husband and me, and surprisingly, they weren’t that big a deal for my children. The thing is, I’ve been approaching the issue of face masks with my children for several weeks. Rather than acting negatively towards the issue in front of my kids, I was positive and related the face masks to something a superhero wears. After all, our real-life superheroes, the medical front line, wear them, so I wasn’t entirely stretching the truth to my kids. Once I got them thinking face masks were the coolest thing since interactive Harry Potter wands, we were golden.
I did, however, start to pick up on the exact moment they were starting to be over them, and that’s when we decided to leave. At that point, we had been in the park for over 4 hours and decided to take a mid-day break at our hotel. That would be my biggest piece of advice regarding face masks, you’ll need breaks. Plan on going back to your hotel or having lunch somewhere, and take them off for a few.
Throughout the park and hotel, you’re made to feel comfortable with social distancing markers, hand sanitizer situations, low crowd levels, and above all, the team members. Every team member in the park was just happy to be there and so happy we were there with them. They enforced the new guidelines but not in a way where you felt they were being harsh or even overreacting. The team members absolutely made the experience one that allowed me as a parent to drop my guard and trust the new protocols in place.
I came equipped with extra bottles of hand sanitizer and purell wipes and was fully prepared to use them. Surprisingly, I didn’t need to break them out once! One thing I wasn’t aware Universal was doing, but I absolutely loved, was giving each guest a pump of hand sanitizer in their hands, before entering an attraction. Every attraction does this, and I was totally here for it. Yes, some people have commented they would rather have it after the ride, but that’s when having your own comes in handy!
Another idea I loved was Universal’s “U-Rest Areas.” Monitored by team members, U-Rest is a place where guests can take a break from their face masks in a more relaxed social distancing setting. The team members were constantly maintaining the area and making sure that although it was “relaxed,” it still followed every social distancing guideline.
The lack of crowds essentially made it feel like a customized theme park experience. It was amazing to have no one on top of us in lines, have space to spread out a little while walking, and having to wait in lines no longer than 10 minutes. The “new normal” of theme parks is here and rather than fight it, we embraced it. For our family, having that customized theme park experience was worth having to wear face masks for a few hours. I missed seeing my kids’ faces light up when they go on their favorite ride, or standing behind them as their favorite character rides by on a parade float, and they wave to them. I missed hearing their giggles, heck, I even missed the “Mommy, can we just go in the Minion gift shop? I’ll only pick one thing.” (Side note- it’s never just “one thing.) All of that was worth it to my husband and I. Our boys are only little for so long, and it’s safe to say, we are done missing out on these moments.
Universal Orlando Resort should receive a standing ovation for the work they did, and the new guidelines they set in place. In fact, during this entire pandemic, Universal emerged as a true leader in their industry. They constantly kept the lines of communication open with their guests throughout this entire time, which in return, created an environment where there was zero speculation regarding what their next move would be. As their parks reopen, communication with their guests is stronger than ever, only reaffirming my trust in them.
This morning, my family left the stress and anxiety of the last few months behind us, and finally got a chance to let ourselves Woah! Universal gave us back something COVID-19 took away, the opportunity to make memories again. The smiles on my boys’ faces, and the joy in their laugh, radiated through those face masks. We can’t wait to get back into the park, tonight! Thank you, Universal.
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