Universal Studios Hollywood is finally set to reopen after its pandemic-forced closure shut its doors for more than a year, but the theme park will open at first only to California residents.
Comcast, which owns Universal, announced Tuesday that the theme park will officially reopen on April 16.
It will open only to California residents to comply with state regulations that discourage travel from out-of-state. It’s not clear when it will open to everyone.
The announcement of Universal’s reopening comes after Disneyland announced a reopening date of its own, signaling the revival of the amusement park industry in California.
Universal Studios Hollywood is preparing to reopen to the public on April 16, 2021
Universal Studios Hollywood has been shuttered by the pandemic since March 14, 2020
A number of health/safety guidelines will be in place, including a facial covering requirement
The park first closed due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 14, 2020, leaving it out of commission for over a year.
Some rides and attractions will not be open yet, however – it’s not clear which rides and attractions are affected.
Capacity limits will be in place, with Los Angeles’ current tier status within the state allowing for 25 percent capacity, according to ABC7.
Temperature checks will be given at the entrance and face coverings will be required. Meanwhile, social distancing will be enforced and eating and drinking will only be allowed in designated areas.
‘We are incredibly thrilled to finally be able to open Universal Studios Hollywood, return team members to work and welcome guests back to enjoy our amazing rides,’ said President & COO of Universal Studios Hollywood, Karen Irwin.
Annual and season pass members will be allowed to book tickets for a ‘preview’ on the day before of the official opening.
Those with passes can begin booking tickets on April 5, while the general public will have to wait until April 8 to book their own tickets.
Two new rides will be available when the park opens: ‘Jurassic World—The Ride’ and ‘The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash,’ which features ’64 technologically-advanced animated figures with hyper-realistic media and projection mapping.’
Additionally, only California residents will be allowed to go to the park right now, which is in accordance with state mandates.
Additionally, Universal Studios Hollywood will only be open to California residents for now
Universal Orlando reopened in June after being closed for just a couple of months
After Universal Orlando reopened, capacity limits at the park quickly became an issue
‘It has been a very challenging year and we are overjoyed to have arrived at this moment.’
Disneyland, which closed the same day as Universal Studios Hollywood, recently announced it would reopen on April 30, meaning Universal Studios has a two-week head start.
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, meanwhile, is set to reopen on Thursday, the first day allowed under the state’s guidelines.
Meanwhile, Universal Orlando reopened over the summer and quickly found itself hitting capacity limits.
Crowds particularly became a problem during the holiday season, often an annual boon for the theme park industry.
On December 30, the theme park hit its capacity limit within 10 minutes of its 8am opening for the day.
‘We have been working to give our guests a great experience while we manage park attendance and access to our attractions as part of our COVID health and safety protocols,’ Universal said in a statement at the time.
‘We are doing the best we can during a busy holiday period, while making sure we do not compromise our strict protocols and we ask guests for their patience and understanding.’
Over 30.3 million people have been infected with COVID-19 in the United States so far
Coronavirus cases have been leveling off in Los Angeles County in recent weeks, though COVID-19 remains a threat.
On Monday, the county reported 378 new cases, reaching a total of 1,218,583. They also reported seven new deaths, with the death total standing at 23,084.
In the United States, more than 30.3 million people have been infected with COVID-19, with 550,071 dying from the disease.
