Walt Disney's (DIS) Disney World and Comcast's (CMCSA) Universal Studios both compete for people looking to make a Florida theme park trip. Disney has four theme parks, two water parks, and a major shopping area while Universal has two theme parks, a water park, a shopping area, and a third major theme park under construction.
It's an epic battle where Universal Studios has Harry Potter, the Minions, Shrek, and the Transformers -- not to mention its army of classic monsters -- while Disney has Star Wars, Pixar, some of its Marvel characters (though Universal has some as well) and a lot of classic Disney characters. Both theme parks get marketed as family destinations where you should stay at an on-property resort for around a week.
The pandemic, as you might imagine, has wreaked havoc on both companies' properties. Tourists have been hesitant to commit the thousands of dollars it costs to visit Disney World or Universal Studios when the rules have been a moving target.
Now, temperature checks and most social distancing are long gone from both parks, but Disney has kept a rule that Universal has decided to get rid of. That could tip some consumers -- maybe a lot of them -- to book a Universal Studios Orlando vacation over a Disney World trip.
Image Source: Universal Studios.
What Rule Has Universal Studios Changed?
Throughout the pandemic, Disney has generally had stronger restrictions than Universal. The Mickey Mouse company enforced capacity limits, used social distancing, and did things like requiring that most food at casual restaurants (and even many food stands) be ordered via app.
Universal had most of the same rules, technically, but enforcement was generally looser. Now, Universal has decided to do a way with a Covid-related rule that may have kept some potential visitors from booking a vacation at its theme parks.
"Universal Orlando Resort announced they will no longer require fully vaccinated guests to wear face coverings at indoor or outdoor venues, effective Saturday, Feb. 12," WFLA.com reported. "The resort said the updated policy was based on local trends and conditions. As of the Florida Department of Health’s most recent weekly COVID-19 report, the state had a positivity rate of 18%."
Previously, guests had to wear a mask when entering any building or ride structure regardless of vaccination status. Neither Disney nor Universal has required guests to prove vaccination as doing that would be illegal under Florida law.
Technically, Universal is still asking unvaccinated guests to "wear face coverings while indoors,” according to its website.
Does This Give Universal an Edge?
Universal Studios joins Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Line, which recently loosened (but did not remove) their mask requirements. Disney will follow Comcast's theme parks sooner rather than later, but, at the moment Universal Studios may have an edge when it comes to bookings from consumers who desire a more normal experience (regardless of whether that's a safer experience).
"It remains to be seen if Disney will respond with a similar policy update, or it will continue to be more cautious. In summer 2021, Disney waited another week until June 11 to follow Universal.," WDWMagic.com reported.
Disney has, however, been bringing back some events that had been sacrificed due to social distancing. The company has already brought back nighttime fireworks and parades, as well as most shows and some of its buffets.
"Buffets have long been a mainstay experience at the Most Magical Place on Earth --that changed dramatically with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, and not just at Disney parks," wrote Theme Park Tourist, a popular Disney blog. "The return of buffets to restaurants around the world has long been a delicate issue, one Disney has had to navigate carefully."
