universal orlando covid Archives - Go Informed

3 Surprising Things You Need to Know About Theme Park Travel in 2021

Sue Winter — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 17:20:55 +0000

Is a theme park vacation in 2021 right for you?

Consider these 3 important tips before you book those flights.

Dreaming of your post-vax vacation? Me too!

Theme park travel is absolutely feasible in 2021, if you keep these points in mind.

Further discussion about theme park travel in 2021 on Go Informed Podcast episode 66

I dive further into this topic on the podcast, which you can find on your favorite podcast app, or click below to listen.

1: If you’ve never been there, 2021 is probably not the time to go

Not the advice you were expecting?

The fact is that if your heart is set on a first visit to Universal or Disney, all your dreams may not come true right now. That’s because a lot of the typical theme park experiences just aren’t happening in 2021.

Yes most of the attractions are operating, and you can still eat Mickey waffles to your heart’s content, and cast your spells in Diagon Alley. But parades and fireworks are discontinued. Mickey will wave from a distance but you won’t get a hug.

If you truly want the fully magical experience, it’s going to be best to plan your first visit for 2022 or beyond.

HOWEVER, if you’re OK with a modified theme park adventure, now is absolutely a great time to make those plans.

2: Theme park travel in 2021 is safer than you might think

Orlando’s theme parks have been operating safely since last July. Following and enforcing strict protocols for employees and guests, both Disney and Universal have welcomed millions of visitors this past year without incident.

Many rules apply when visiting the parks, including mandatory face coverings even while riding attractions, temperature screenings at park gates, and enforced distancing in lines. This probably sounds familiar since you encounter some of the same guidelines even at your local grocery store.

The difference between a Disney park and the grocery store though is that at Disney these rules are constantly enforced. Guests are not just encouraged to wear a mask, it is a requirement that must be followed. Same goes for distancing and other safety measures currently in place.

As the California parks open this spring, expect the same level of compliance and enforcement.

3: In 2021 planning your travel in advance is essential

Look into your potential 2021 travel dates right now.

Summer 2021 is shaping up to be an explosion of travel, and guess what? The parks will still be operating at severely-limited capacity. Probably only 35% of the usual space will be available this summer at all the US theme parks.

The Disney parks require a reservation for entrance, and this is a good way to gauge whether your dates are a realistic time to travel. You can check out availability all the way through 2022 on the Disney World park reservation calendar here.

Here’s what Disney World June park reservation availability looked like as of mid-April 2021.

If you look right now (mid-April 2021) you’ll see that for the month of June 2021 pretty much every Disney World park is already booked. That means even if you have a ticket, if you don’t already have a reservation you’re not getting into that park.

The good news though is that July and August still look good. If you get your dates booked now you can grab those reservations. And since the park capacity is limited you can be sure that even though the reservations are full, the park won’t be wall-to-wall people. That’s exactly why they use this system.

The GoInformed store at TeePublic is updated for spring with lots of fun new designs. Get the coolest park shirts, masks, and lots more – and support Go Informed too! Shop now right here.

No reservation system at the Universal parks

Universal does not have a reservation system, even though they are operating under the same capacity limits. This means you’ll need to use some other tactics to ensure your entrance into the parks. This includes getting there early and staying in an on-site hotel. (Hotel guests get priority for entrance even when the parks are closed due to capacity).

Want to know if the Universal parks are likely to reach max capacity? Check your dates on the Disney World reservation calendar. If all the Disney parks are full, then it’s likely the Universal parks will max out too.

Bonus tip 4: Consider travel for the end of summer or early fall 2021

Even though the early summer is shaping up to be pretty frenzied, I’d expect things to slow down a bit by mid-August. As kids go back to school – like REALLY back to school! – family travel will taper off.

The end of August and most of September normally see some of the lowest theme park crowds of the year. If you have the flexibility and the tolerance for crazy weather, this is actually an excellent time to travel to Orlando.

Resources to help you get there

Check out these posts and podcast episodes for more tips to help you plan your 2021 (or 2022) theme park vacation:

10 things to know about Universal Orlando during COVID-19
Tips for Disney World during COVID-19
33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando (updated for 2021)
55 things to know before you visit Disney World (updated for 2021)
Disney World ticket buying guide

Plus tons of tips on the Go Informed Podcast in any of these places:

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The post 3 Surprising Things You Need to Know About Theme Park Travel in 2021 appeared first on Go Informed.

10 Things to Know About Universal Orlando During COVID

Sue Winter — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:36:56 +0000

Tips for Travel to Universal Orlando During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A lot has changed at Universal Orlando in response to the global pandemic. These are my top ten tips to help you plan your trip to Universal Orlando during COVID, updated frequently to reflect the evolution of policies and procedures.

Table of Contents for this post

[show]

This post was last updated on February 14, 2022.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 51. Click below to hear the show now, or search for Go Informed: Build A Better Vacation on your favorite podcast app!

Listen to my 2022 theme park update episode of the Go Informed Podcast here

Tip 1: Follow The Rules

Universal has implemented a lot of rules to help keep everyone safe. Be sure to get familiar with the requirements well before your visit. Your best resource for the complete rules and procedures will always be Universal’s official website.

In addition to Universal’s rules, make sure your state or country does not fall under a travel or self-quarantine restriction from the State of Florida.

Tip 2: You may need to wear a mask

Mask policies have varied a lot since Universal Orlando re-opened in the summer of 2020, and Universal will often make a change with very little notice. Current policy is that masks are optional for all guests, and encouraged for unvaccinated guests when indoors. Watch Universal’s website to be sure the requirement hasn’t changed before your visit.

Universal is requiring all unvaccinated employees to wear face coverings indoors.

Here’s a great post from Disney Dream Co. with some excellent tips about wearing a mask at the parks.

60-Second Universal Orlando Quick Guide

Tip 3: No Park Reservation Required at Universal Orlando

Unlike Disney, Universal does not require advance reservations to get into any of the Orlando theme parks. All you need is a park ticket or annual pass.

Click here for my guide to Universal Orlando park tickets

If you’re also planning to visit Disney World, you will need advance park reservations there. Be sure to read this post before planning your visit to the Disney World parks.

Tip 4: Capacity may be Limited

Universal officials have confirmed that park capacity is now operating at 100%. This means everyone with a ticket should be able to enter.

You may encounter capacity limitations on some attractions and shows, and it still really pays to get there early and consider an Express Pass. Be sure to review all my touring tips here before you go.

How do you know when the parks will be crowded? Universal’s date-based ticket pricing can provide a big clue. If your park tickets are at the top end of the pricing that means Universal is expecting a full house. Paradoxically, Disney can also predict when Universal will max out on capacity.

Busy at Disney World means busy at Universal Orlando

Disney World’s park reservation calendar is also a very good indicator for Universal Orlando attendance. Even if you don’t plan to visit Disney World on your trip, it’s a good idea to find out whether those parks will max out on capacity during your dates. You can view the Disney park reservation availability here.

If the Disney parks are full you’ll know that there’s a lot of theme park visitors in Orlando on that date. Many of them will also be heading to Universal, so be sure to have some tactics to beat the crowds.

You can learn more about how Disney is operating during COVID-19 in this post.

Every Universal Orlando hotel is now open

These are the Universal Orlando hotels that are currently operating and taking reservations:

Click here for your Universal Orlando hotel guide

Tip 5: Availability is Limited

Along with lower capacity, a lot of things at Universal Orlando will have limited availability. This means dining options, hotel amenities, and a lot of the stuff you usually take for granted when you travel. So be sure to make dining reservations before you go. And check the website for your hotel to be aware of limitations on amenities like pool and gym access.

Another thing to be aware of is that locker capacity at the rides may be limited. To keep everything spaced out and avoid crowding, Universal may de-activate some ride lockers. If you can avoid carrying a bag, purse, or backpack into the park it is highly advised to do so. Or find a locker to stash your stuff and plan to leave it there while you ride multiple attractions.

Otherwise the longest line you stand in all day might be to put your stuff in, or get it out, of a locker.

Tip 6: Not Everything Has Changed

There are a lot of modifications at Universal Orlando right now, but a lot of things are still the same as always, including:

Express Pass is still available, and still included in your stay at select hotels
If you stay on-site you get an hour early admission every day
Most of the rides are operating
You can still get your favorite treats like butterbeer!
Characters are available for pictures – just from a six-foot or more distance
You can still experience most outdoor shows, like the Blues Brothers and Tales of Beedle the Bard
The evening Cinematic Spectacular that takes place on the lake in Universal Studios Florida has returned on some select nights

Tip 7: Some Things Are Just Not Happening

Almost everything has returned to Universal Orlando, with the exception of parades. Even the wildly popular Halloween Horror Nights returned in 2021, and Mardi Gras is returning in February 2022.

Thinking about a California trip instead? Here’s my detailed comparison of Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood.

Tip 8: Get the Official Universal Orlando App

One of the most important things you can do before you head to Orlando is to load the official Universal Orlando app on your phone. Universal is using the app for a bunch of important functions right now and you will need it.

You can access Universal’s Virtual Line on the official Universal Orlando app

One of the main uses for the app is to get in a “virtual line” for major attractions. This system works a lot like Disney’s FastPass and for some of the attractions this is the only way you’ll be able to ride.

Once you enter a park, or CityWalk, you’ll be able to access the virtual line options in the app. Choose an attraction, then choose the time you’d like to ride. You can have up to two virtual line reservations at a time, and they don’t have to be in the same park. Note that the time on your reservation is the time you’ll be allowed to enter the queue, not the time you’ll be stepping on the ride. Universal’s using this system to keep crowds down in the queues for popular attractions like Hagrid’s Motorbike coaster.

Another use for the app is to mobile order food, so be sure to set up your profile in the app and store your payment info before you leave home.

Tip 9: Be Patient

Theme park touring always requires a lot of patience and flexibility. Take the amount of patience you usually bring to the park and multiply it by a lot. Not only will you have extra challenges, the park staff is working with new procedures under very stressful conditions.

Set your expectations as you probably have throughout the pandemic. Some things will go your way and some won’t. But if you stick to Tip 1 everything should go just fine.

Tip 10: Everything is Subject to Change

Watch Universal’s website for updates and changes. These can happen daily, so make sure you check the latest info even the day before your visit.

And be sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you’ll stay in-the-know as we move forward through 2022. Click here to sign up.

Universal Orlando Re-Opening Video

Want to see what it looked like inside Universal Orlando when it reopened? Here’s a great video tour from Prince Charming Dev.

Additional Resources for Planning Your Trip to Disney World and Universal Orlando

Considering a trip to Hawaii in 2021? Click here for my tips for Hawaii travel during COVID-19

The Go Informed Podcast

On the Go Informed Podcast you get all my top tips on-the-go. Find it now on your favorite podcast app and be sure to hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss an episode.

Looking for a good guidebook? I highly recommend T he Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando.