John Raoux/AP
- TikTok user @damarri_eddie posted a video on September 5 that shows a crowd of people at Universal Orlando in Florida.
- The resort closed in March and reopened on June 5 with limited capacity and social-distancing guidelines, according to its website.
- The video shows what the user thought Universal would look like during the pandemic — mostly empty — compared with the crowds captured on video.
- Parkgoers in the video were wearing masks but didn’t appear to be following recommendations from health officials to stand 6 feet apart.
- The CDC recommends staying at least 6 feet from those who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A video of Universal Orlando shows a crowd of people gathered inside the Florida theme park amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On September 5, TikTok user @damarri_eddie posted a video that shows a cluster of parkgoers at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. It’s unclear when exactly the video was captured, but since parkgoers are shown wearing face masks, it appears to have been taken sometime after the theme park reopened to the public on June 5.
“It’s the Social Distancing for me…#Spooktember,” @damarri_eddie titled the video.
The TikToker’s video began by showing an empty portion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The caption read: "What I thought Universal was looking like during COVID."
Then, the frame switches to show a video of a crowded park, and captioned it: "SSSIIIIKKKKEEE."
Though parkgoers in the video clip appear to be wearing face coverings, they don't look like they are standing or walking 6 feet apart as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines on social distancing.
Many users commented on the TikTok video — which has almost 890,000 views at the time of writing — stating concerns about crowds at theme parks and other attractions during the coronavirus pandemic.
"This is why the pandemic is never gonna go away," one user wrote.
"I caught the rona just watching this," another commented.
Universal Orlando encourages guests to 'evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend' the theme park
Universal Orlando reopened to the public in early June after closing in March to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Its website states that park capacity is currently limited, but it doesn't specify a percentage or number of visitors allowed to enter.
Representatives for Universal Orlando did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment when asked about the park's guidelines for limits on attendance or the TikTok video that appears to show crowds at the park.
Universal Orlando states on its website that it cannot guarantee that visitors will not contract COVID-19 during their visit.
"Guests should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend," reads Universal Orlando's website.
"People who show no symptoms can spread COVID-19 if they are infected, any interaction with the general public poses an elevated risk of being exposed to COVID-19, and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed during your visit."
AP Photo/John Raoux
The park checks guests' temperatures upon entry and requires hand sanitizer to be used at 'select locations,' including before entering a ride vehicle
On its website, Universal Orlando lists a number of safety precautions that have been implemented at the park. The theme park's website says that guests are encouraged to stand on floor markings "when present," which are meant to help people measure a 6-foot distance.
Guests are also required to wear coverings except when eating, drinking, or at one of the park's designated "U-Rest" face-mask removal areas. Temperature checks are mandatory upon arrival to Universal Orlando, and guests with a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater are not admitted, according to the resort's website.
The park also states that at "select locations, including prior to boarding ride vehicles," guests are required to use hand sanitizer.
Online, people have shared mixed reactions to other amusement parks that have reopened.
In July, when Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando reopened, some people edited the park's reopening advertisement, adding eerie music to encourage fans to stay at home. Meanwhile, some influencers who are avid parkgoers documented Disney World's reopening procedures to keep their followers informed.
TikTok user @damarri_eddie did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
- Read more:
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- Theme parks across Japan are discouraging future visitors from screaming on roller coasters