So Fresh and So Clean! Health and Safety at Universal Orlando Resort

I recently had the opportunity to visit Universal Orlando Resort to experience their health and safety measures in place firsthand! From hand sanitizer to face coverings to physical distancing...here's the real scoop!

With our face coverings at Universal Orlando Resort!

Face Coverings
Guests and team members are required to wear face coverings, plain and simple. Everyone, ages  2+, needs to wear a face covering that covers your nose, mouth, and chin. They must be secured with ear loops or be secured around your head. This means that, unlike Disney, Universal does allow neck gaiters. Bandanas are not permitted. On our trip, we noticed mask compliance 99% of the time. (A woman in line for Hagrid's removed hers multiple times while in line, as well as for the duration of the ride. She was stopped after the end of the ride by a Team Member. Cameras are everywhere.) Of course, removing face coverings is allowed while eating/drinking, as long as you're stationary and distanced from others. There are also relaxation areas, where mask breaks are permitted. (Find my face coverings infographic here!)

Temperature Checks
Temperature checks are performed daily, and corresponding colored wristbands are issued upon completion of that temperature check. One of the absolute best perks to staying on-site at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel (we stayed at Endless Summer - Surfside Inn and Suites) was the fact that we were able to have our temperature checked at the hotel, rather than at the parks. This saved us a ton of time! Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater after 3 checks would be asked to seek medical attention and get medical clearance prior to being permitted to enter. I encourage all clients to pack a thermometer to keep in the room. That way, if anyone does register a fever, it isn't a surprise and you can seek medical attention immediately.

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Hand Sanitizer in our room. Perfect for on the go!

Cleaning and Sanitizing
The parks and our hotel were all immaculate. We stayed at Endless Summer - Surfside Inn and Suites and were blown away at how clean and safe we felt both at our resort and at the parks. From the time we checked in to the time we left, we noticed increased cleaning by team members everywhere. I did learn that all guest rooms are cleaned immediately after checkout, and when possible, rooms are left vacant for 24-48 hours. In the rooms, team members have increased the frequent cleaning of areas such as telephones, remote controls, door handles, light switches, elevators, and table tops. Hand sanitizer was waiting for us in our room, but that's not the only place we saw it! Sanitizer stations were abundant in public areas and elevator landings. Also, prior to boarding ride vehicles, team members also gave every guest a pump of hand sanitizer to use.

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Social distancing marker on the ground.

Social Distancing
Universal knocked it out of the park when it came to the social distancing markers on the ground. (Seriously, I'm mind-blown at how long it must have taken to have measured this all over the resort!) I never felt like I was too close to another party, and I did notice 99% of other guests adhering to this. (Remember the lady from the Hagrid's queue? Unsurprisingly, she also ignored these markers! *eye roll*) In all honesty, this is one area where Universal really blew Disney out of the water. 

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 Odds and Ends
The only caveat, for me, was the use of the mobile order in the parks. (This was a non-issue at our resort.) Both at the Leaky Cauldron and the Three Broomsticks, I had issues with my app crashing, so I could view menus at our table, but couldn't pay. (I'm usually pretty tech-savvy, so this really bothered me!) Both times, I was able to flag down a team member who allowed me to pay at a counter with a credit card, then our meals were still delivered to our table. However, this was also a very quick process, and one that only really affected me! I didn't notice this issue with any other guests. Overall, we were so incredibly pleased with the way that Universal Orlando Resort issued and handled the health and safety measures. I would absolutely travel to UOR again in a second! Contact me to book your stay!