Even though the coronavirus crisis continues to be a problem for those around the world, many different facets of our society are set to reopen, including Universal Studios in Orlando. On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Universal Studios in Orlando would partially open on Thursday. This news comes months after the park announced that it would be closing for the time being amidst this pandemic.
THR reported that the CityWalk portion of Universal Studios will reopen on Thursday and will involve select venues operating from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. They will implement a variety of safety measures when it does open. Guests who wish to visit the location are required to wear a face mask upon entering. They will also be subject to a temperature check before they can enter CityWalk. The publication reported that Universal Studios park and Islands of Adventure would be closed through at least May 31. Universal Studios in Hollywood is also closed for the time being and will remain closed through May 31, as well.
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Universal Studios’ update comes as other theme parks around the world are either preparing to reopen or have already done so. According to THR, Walt Disney Company recently announced that it would be opening its Disney Springs shopping and dining complex in Orlando on May 20. However, its theme parks in the area would remain closed. The company has not released any details about when the theme parks will reopen.
This news about Universal Studios in Orlando also comes a day after Shanghai Disneyland Park reopened in China. The park previously closed in January amidst the coronavirus crisis in the nation. When the park did reopen on Monday, strict safety protocols were in place to keep both visitors and employees safe. Like with Universal Studios in Orlando, visitors at Shanghai Disneyland are required to wear face masks and are subject to temperature checks before entering the location. The first week of tickets for the site completely sold out, which was great news to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who said that he was “encouraged” by what he saw in China.
Chapek also addressed the possibility of reopening Disney locations in the United States. He said that the decision to reopen the theme parks in California and Florida would rely on local and state restrictions. Chapek said, per THR, “We want to open up as soon as we can across the world, but we are going to do so in a responsible way. We want to get our cast back to work as soon as possible.”
