My Family Just Returned From Universal Orlando – Here's What It's Like to Visit Amid COVID-19

We stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort during our trip, and in accordance with CDC guidelines and Orange County’s current mask mandate, face coverings were required in all public areas of the hotel (indoor and out), CityWalk, and all of Universal’s theme parks. We only removed our masks once we were in our hotel room, when we were swimming in the pool, and when eating or drinking.

Most people seemed so excited to be at a theme park that they were happy to comply. When people did have their masks off or weren’t wearing them correctly, Universal team members were quick to give a friendly reminder. We were so busy that we didn’t take advantage of them, but Universal does have “U-Rest” areas in both parks and at CityWalk where guests can remove their masks if they need a break. Most of these are in outdoor theater areas that aren’t being used right now, making it easy to stay socially distant from other guests.

I wasn’t sure what it would feel like to wear a mask for the better part of the day in the Florida heat, but we spent so much time going in and out of attractions (many of which have sweet, sweet air conditioning) that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. My husband and I actually took turns bringing our 7-year-old into the parks, and he only complained a few times about it hurting his ears or being hot. When that happened, I just bought him a frozen Butterbeer and he forgot all about it (bribery is an important tool in my parenting toolbox).

My younger sons are only 1 and 3, and we chose not to bring them to the parks. Masks are required for all guests ages 2 and up, and my 3-year-old had a hard time keeping his mask on just to get from our hotel room to the pool. A full day at a theme park can already be a lot for a little kid, and we didn’t want to take away from his enjoyment (or ours) by fighting with him to keep it on all day.

By now, my family is used to constant handwashing, disinfecting, avoiding close contact, and wearing masks anytime we leave the house, per the CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I had my reservations about how easy it would be to follow these guidelines at a theme park, but Universal made it so simple.

Safety signage was everywhere, floor markings helped us stay distant while waiting in line, rides were loaded with social distancing in mind, and I often saw team members wiping down hand rails and other high-touch areas (like the Jebediah Springfield statue in the Simpsons area of the park where people like to take photos). We were given hand sanitizer anytime we walked into a restaurant or boarded a ride, and most rides had a second hand-sanitizing station near the exit.

Most of the rules were easy to follow, but waiting in line was definitely the most confusing. After years of visiting theme parks, I just naturally begin to move forward when the person in front of me does. It took a few tries to stay in my spot and make sure there was a marker to move forward to before I moved up, but the learning curve was short.

I was aware of Universal’s new health and safety protocols before our trip, but that didn’t stop the overplanner in me from being prepared just in case. For our trip, we packed mini bottles of hand sanitizer (to use when soap and water weren’t available), disinfecting wipes (for cleaning off tables before we ate), and a box of disposable face masks. We do have some cloth masks, but I knew they might get pretty gross after a full day outside (I was right). It was nice to have disposable masks that we could switch to if needed.

For the time being, Universal is operating at a reduced capacity level to make social distancing easier for guests and team members. Though the park hasn’t shared exact attendance limits, I guarantee you’d never be able to stroll through an empty Diagon Alley on a typical summer day in Orlando.

While I appreciated the low crowds for safety’s sake, it didn’t hurt that we got some pretty sweet pictures out of the deal. I’ll take any silver lining I can get right now.

I may be teetering on the edge of turning 40, but I love sharing a hug and a photo with my favorite theme park characters. I was worried that in the age of social distancing, meet-and-greets just wouldn’t be possible, but Universal found creative (and safe!) ways to have them out all over the park.

In most instances (like this photo op with Optimus Prime), there was a floor marking where guests could stand at a safe distance from the characters. You could take a selfie or have the photographer take your picture if you wanted the option to purchase it later in the day. Other characters were on stages that kept them naturally distanced from guests.

Universal’s lower crowds also meant shorter lines. Its app makes it easy to track wait times, but I found that most lines were even shorter than the published time. We didn’t wait longer than 20 minutes for a ride all day.

Universal already utilized a Virtual Line system for some of its attractions and at Volcano Bay, but many more rides have been added to accommodate social distancing while standing in line. Instead of waiting over an hour for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure like I have in the past, I reserved a return time and showed up when it was my time to ride.

I was surprised to find that a few things about our visit actually felt more special than on a normal trip. On the Hogwarts Express, which travels between the two sections of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, we got our own train car instead of being crammed in with other families. At Ollivanders Wand Shop, we were treated to our own private wand ceremony, as opposed to hoping to be chosen from a large crowd of other witches and wizards.

Social distancing was fairly easy to navigate inside the parks, but there were a few other times during our trip where keeping a safe distance was a bit more difficult.

While we were there, both parks closed at the same time, which meant a mass exit into the CityWalk area. Everyone spread out pretty quickly, but we could have avoided this by not staying until closing time.

During the hotel pool’s naturally busy late afternoon and evening hours, it was harder to find a secluded spot in the water than in the early morning, but not impossible. To avoid close contact on buses, we chose to walk to and from the parks on Universal’s scenic Garden Walk.

I could tell as soon as I stepped into the hotel lobby and received my first temperature check (a daily requirement at Universal) that this vacation was going to be different. The team member who checked me in let me know that only one of the two pools would be open, dining and other hotel activities may be limited, and unless I needed anything, housekeeping would service my room after I departed.

While the changes were noticeable, they were all implemented with safety in mind and worked out fine for us. When we needed towels, I simply texted the number they gave me and fresh towels were delivered. Anything we needed was still available, we just had to request it first.

Theme parks are typically an escape from the the troubles of the real world, but there’s no escaping a pandemic.

I already knew parades and shows would be canceled during our visit, but that didn’t stop an impromptu SpongeBob cavalcade from coming down the street. I still cried when I walked through Hogsmeade with my son for the first time. I still screamed my head off on all the coasters.

It was definitely harder to leave my cares behind as I passed through the gates, but there were still many moments throughout the day where I was offered brief glimpses of that carefree feeling I love.

Editor’s Note: This piece was written by a POPSUGAR contributor and does not necessarily reflect the views of POPSUGAR Inc. Interested in joining our POPSUGAR Voices network of contributors from around the globe? Click here.