By: Gracie Swind, Managing Editor
On July 11, 2020, Disney reopened their Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks to annual passholders at a limited capacity for the first time since closing them down earlier this year; on July 15, Epcot and Hollywood Studios will follow suit. Disney is the last of the major Florida theme parks to reopen and they, like the other parks before them, do so with lengthy new guidelines and safety procedures for guests in the park.
Each park has instated new policies in an effort to safeguard their guests from risk of exposure, but each action plan is somewhat different. Here is a brief overview of what each of the major parks is requiring of their guests.
(Please use the links provided below to research further into the detailed specifications each park outlines should you decide to plan a trip. Also note that all of the parks mentioned below have released similar statements saying that while they are doing what they can to minimize risk of transmission between guests, none of the parks can guarantee that a guest will not be exposed during their visit; visit the parks at your own risk.)
Disney World’s parks have placed a strong focus on enhanced cleaning, physical distancing, and reducing contact among guests and between guests and employees. Park reservations and face coverings are required, and temperature screenings will be required to enter certain areas of the parks.
Universal Studios requires all their guests and employees to wear face coverings, submit to temperature screenings upon arrival, social distance, comply with floor-markings where applicable, and use hand sanitizer when prompted (including when boarding rides). Additionally, Universal is limiting capacity in their two parks and increasing their aggressive cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
Aquatica and Adventure Island are both owned and run by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, and so their measures are all nearly identical. Temperature screenings are required for guests and employees upon arriving on the property, six-feet physical distancing will be promoted and contactless payments will be encouraged where possible, enhanced cleaning and sanitation will be in place, and employees will receive “COVID-19 training” and will be required to stay home if feeling sick.
Restaurants with a buffet-style service will be adjusted or closed until further notice and new seating arrangements will encourage distancing. Hand-sanitizing stations have been added around the parks, ride and shop queues and seating have been adjusted for distancing, and extra cleaning will be implemented in ticketing and public spaces.
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are also divisions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, but in addition to the measures listed above, they also require face coverings in all areas of the parks, unlike the water parks which strictly prohibit them in the water and only require them in certain designated areas of the park such at the entrance gate, retail stores, and food and beverage areas. Guests for all four SeaWorld parks are also required to choose their ticket for the day they plan to attend to parks.
Although it’ll surely be hot to wear a mask in the Florida summer heat, limited capacity could mean shorter wait-times for lines and less-crowded shops. Parks may be faced with more closures in the coming months due to the apparent spike in reported cases, but until that time, they are tentatively remaining open for the guests willing to visit.
