How low-touch can you go? 5 theme-park ways to spend pandemic
Full disclosure: Some days I’m fearless when it comes to theme parking in the coronavirus pandemic era. On other days, I stay home and pull the covers over my head.
The attractions have installed many health and safety precautions since reopening, and the vast majority of visitors that I’ve seen have played along, particularly on the face-covering front. In addition, I’ve gotten decent at dodging giant groups that walk six-people wide.
On days that I’m up for escaping the living room and going to a park, I play a game called “Can I Just Not Touch Anything With My Hands?” The truth is, you can do it if you concentrate, but it’s limiting, especially if you’re hot to ride a ride. (Those lap bars aren’t going to secure themselves, unless you’re on Haunted Mansion, an attraction ahead of its time.)
Here are five (mostly) hands-off ways to enjoy an outing to the parks.
Parading past animals
At SeaWorld Orlando, there are multiple opportunities to come face-to-face with nature, sometimes while remaining in the great outdoors. There are big windows that look into tanks at fish, dolphins, whales. manatees and more. I recommend not touching or tapping the glass, even if it’s just been cleaned. I mean, what’s the point, kids?
That’s also true at Shark Encounter, where visitors ride a moving sidewalk through a curved underwater enclosure that’s stocked with aquatic animals. (Fun new bonus: The walkway has new shark figures every six feet to indicate social distancing.)
That’s street show biz
At Universal Studios, several musical shows are going on multiple daily with a few coronavirus-driven modifications. Visitors can watch Beat Builders drumming, basically on the side of a building, “Marilyn and the Diamond Bellas” on a raised stage, the Blues Brothers in concert and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees (in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley) without entering a fully enclosed area. They productions have ground markings to help spread out audience members, even whilst shaking their tail feathers.
Stepsister act
The parks have tweaked interactions with characters in multiple ways, creating distance but maintaining connections. One successful transition at Magic Kingdom is the placement of Cinderella’s stepsister — a.k.a. Drizella and Anatasia — on a balcony on the Fantasyland side of the castle. They are amplified and riffing on each other, innocent passers-by and any topic that comes to mind, apparently. It’s a weird angle, but selfies can be obtained. Those sisters can pose. On a recent visit, I heard Drizella say that Anatasia acted like she owned the castle because her dress matches its new pinkish paint job. No comment from Cinderella, but wouldn’t that be a hoot?
You can currently make the character rounds at Magic Kingdom and may spot costumed bears atop Country Bear Jamboree, Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland and slew of fan favorites on floats down Main Street (or, in a couple of cases, aboard horses).
On the hunt
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is an interactive scavenger hunt that’s , activated by clue cards obtained at the firehouse near the front of the theme park. There are challenges and a story line that incorporates Disney villains, enchanted crystal shards and 20 “magic portals” to check out. It’s included with Magic Kingdom admission. At Epcot, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt returns during the tweaked version of the park’s food and wine festival, which is underway.
At Universal Orlando, visitors armed with special wands can activate special effects on both sides of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It involves standing in special spots, waving the wand just so and the proper incantation. The collectible wands sell for $55 and can be purchased at the park or in advance online.
What’s going up (and down)
At Islands of Adventure, coaster watchers are monitoring a waterfront construction project along the backside of the park. Although Universal Orlando has made no announcement about its identity, the dinosaur logo that’s popped up on it sure makes it feel Jurassic Park-related. (Among its unofficial nicknames: Velocicoaster.) There are multiple ways to view the work, from Port of Entry, behind Mythos and Three Broomsticks restaurants, from plazas along Marvel Super Hero Island and from near the base of Me Ship the Olive.
Once you’re done looking at the rail and imagining the future, there are a couple of nearby rides with dramatic and watchable splashdowns. Spectators have the option of (probably) getting wet at the based of Jurassic Park River Adventure (watch a few boats come down or look for soaked pavement before picking a standing spot) or just spritzed a bit from the ledge above Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls.
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Want more theme park news? Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters or the Theme Park Rangers podcast at orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-podcast.
———
©2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)
Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
