Universal's "Getting Closer to Normal" Guidelines

[ThemeParks4Life]

I went to Universal yesterday afternoon with a KN95 and felt comfortable. Indoor masking was a lot higher than I expected; I'd estimate 40-50% of guests were wearing them at attractions, and a sizable portion were using N95s/KN95s. Every ride I went on had 40-60% of the vehicle masked including myself. It makes me cautiously optimistic about HHN.

 

[shiekra38]

Wonder if we will see that mandate hit the parks sooner than later.

For staff or guests?

 

[HalfGlass]

For staff or guests?

Staff - I don’t think that will be mandated for guests given Florida’s lack of restrictions.

Masks inside HHN houses however…that I could still see being mandated for guests and staff.

 

[shiekra38]

Staff - I don’t think that will be mandated for guests given Florida’s lack of restrictions.

Masks inside HHN houses however…that I could still see being mandated for guests and staff.

I think you're correct, I will eat my pass if any park mandates vaccines (here or in any other state)

 

[RevFreako]

The email from 8/11, which is the one quoted in the article above, does not mention requiring vaccination, only disclosure of status. That may or may not still come, but has not been announced anywhere. Article is wrong at best.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I went to Universal yesterday afternoon with a KN95 and felt comfortable. Indoor masking was a lot higher than I expected; I'd estimate 40-50% of guests were wearing them at attractions, and a sizable portion were using N95s/KN95s. Every ride I went on had 40-60% of the vehicle masked including myself. It makes me cautiously optimistic about HHN.

Bought a 10 pack of individual N95 for my trip. Probably jump between those and three ply reusable during my trip.

 

[Clive]

Bought a 10 pack of individual N95 for my trip. Probably jump between those and three ply reusable during my trip.

This is our plan, too.

 

[FatalBubbles]

I'm so glad they aren't requiring masks. Granted my trip is still 5 weeks away and anything could happen but I really didn't want to cancel coming down.

 

[RevFreako]

I'm so glad they aren't requiring masks. Granted my trip is still 5 weeks away and anything could happen but I really didn't want to cancel coming down.

Br ready for masks in the houses

 

[Clive]

Given what I'm hearing, I would be shocked if they didn't require masks in houses for guests. I imagine it'll be open season in the streets, which should be fine.

 

[RFRees]

For those discussing plastic barriers for HHN houses....Today's NY Times (paywall)..."Those Anti-Covid Plastic Barriers Probably Don't Help and
May Make Matters Worse". "Erecting plastic barriers can change airflow in a room, disrupt normal ventilation, and create 'dead zones' where viral aerosol
particles can build up and become highly concentrated'...The article quotes a number of studies and discusses why plastic shielding is probably
a negative health effect in supermarkets, restaurants, schools, etc.

I think the plastic barriers make matters worse in certain circumstances. It would likely make it worse for the guests, as their germs would be contained rather than flowing into the lungs of a Scareactor.

I'll say this about the plastic barriers... every HHN, *hundreds* of drunken guests think it's funny to touch / punch the Scareactors. This includes women and men being sent to the hospital with broken bones. Plastic barriers eliminate this problem. I hope the plastic barriers stay.

 

[shiekra38]

I think the plastic barriers make matters worse in certain circumstances. It would likely make it worse for the guests, as their germs would be contained rather than flowing into the lungs of a Scareactor.

I'll say this about the plastic barriers... every HHN, *hundreds* of drunken guests think it's funny to touch / punch the Scareactors. This includes women and men being sent to the hospital with broken bones. Plastic barriers eliminate this problem. I hope the plastic barriers stay.

I've always thought we'd hit a point where barriers (nets or otherwise) would be a permanent part of the houses

Perhaps Covid is just an excuse to test new safety protocol.

 

[Clive]

I really encourage everyone to read the New York Times piece that just came out re: plexiglass barriers and how they are generally more harmful than helpful with COVID transmission. You want to encourage airflow wherever possible. It's linked earlier in this thread.

Having performed as a scare actor before, I'm all about improved safety measures. I think you'd accomplish a lot more with cameras in the mazes (as they have in Hollywood). Plexiglass barriers dramatically lower the efficacy of the scare, and there's a reason other haunts don't generally use them.

 

[RevFreako]

I really encourage everyone to read the New York Times piece that just came out re: plexiglass barriers and how they are generally more harmful than helpful with COVID transmission. You want to encourage airflow wherever possible. It's linked earlier in this thread.

Having performed as a scare actor before, I'm all about improved safety measures. I think you'd accomplish a lot more with cameras in the mazes (as they have in Hollywood). Plexiglass barriers dramatically lower the efficacy of the scare, and there's a reason other haunts don't generally use them.

A camera won't stop me punching you in the face or grabbing a handful if I'm drunk and stupid.

 

[Clive]

A camera won't stop me punching you in the face or grabbing a handful if I'm drunk and stupid.

It won't, but most offenders are repeat offenders. It's hard to get someone booted and arrested without hard evidence. Eyewitness testimony can sometimes be enough, but many actors have low visibility in their hides and masks. Cameras make that process easier and more efficiently eliminate problematic guests. My understanding is that because Orlando does not have cameras in a majority of their haunt spaces, it is extremely difficult for performers to identify and catch perpetrators. Even when they do, it often turns into they said/they said situation.

If you're trying to run a haunt event with no guest-on-performer contact, you're in the wrong business. You have to focus on avoiding creating blocking/hides that put actors in excessively vulnerable positions and do everything possible to address incidents.

 

[RevFreako]

It won't, but most offenders are repeat offenders. It's hard to get someone booted and arrested without hard evidence. Eyewitness testimony can sometimes be enough, but many actors have low visibility in their hides and masks. Cameras make that process easier and more efficiently eliminate problematic guests. My understanding is that because Orlando does not have cameras in a majority of their haunt spaces, it is extremely difficult for performers to identify and catch perpetrators. Even when they do, it often turns into they said/they said situation.

If you're trying to run a haunt event with no guest-on-performer contact, you're in the wrong business. You have to focus on avoiding creating blocking/hides that put actors in excessively vulnerable positions and do everything possible to address incidents.

Plexi solves every problem you just described. Creates others which require creativity, but it solves those.

 

[RFRees]

Having performed as a scare actor before, I'm all about improved safety measures. I think you'd accomplish a lot more with cameras in the mazes (as they have in Hollywood). Plexiglass barriers dramatically lower the efficacy of the scare, and there's a reason other haunts don't generally use them.

Having been a five time scareactor-veteran of HHN (performing in over a dozen houses/streets), with multiple degrees in psychology, I can say the cameras will not prevent a majority of bad behavior. Could help punish severe incidents.

Also, having been through the three houses in 2020 dozens of times, I can say the impact of the barriers was minimal.

 

[Clive]

Plexi solves every problem you just described. Creates others which require creativity, but it solves those.

Sure, but it creates several others, including less-than-ideal airflow at best and unsafe airflow at worst during a respiratory pandemic. It also - again - dramatically reduces the efficacy of a haunted house's intended effect and presentation.

I'm afraid we'll have to disagree if your position is that the benefits of plexi outweigh the negatives. I'm of the opinion this whole approach is a boneheaded decision born of skittish execs that want to make it appear like they're doing something when they have no guts to actually address the fundamental issues at play.

Having been a five time veteran of HHN (performing in over a dozen houses/streets), with multiple degrees in psychology, I can say the cameras will not prevent a majority of bad behavior. Could help punish severe incidents.

Also, having been through the three houses in 2020 dozens of times, I can say the impact of the barriers was minimal.

The cameras will not proactively prevent bad behavior - as I said, they will take offenders off the streets and prevent additional issues. You'd be shocked at how many incidents are caused by the same handful of people.

As for your experience with the 2020 mazes, I will again have to agree to disagree. One creative use of plexi to misdirect aside, they spoiled and diluted scares. Opinions will differ, of course, but I also know scare actors who hated performing with them. I personally would have no desire to, and that's without taking into consideration the health considerations.

It was a perfectly fine compromise when we were happy to have anything and when we knew less about transmission. We know more now, and I wish Universal would take more bold and beneficial steps to protect performers and guests.

 

[RFRees]

The cameras will not proactively prevent bad behavior - as I said, they will take offenders off the streets and prevent additional issues. You'd be shocked at how many incidents are caused by the same handful of people.

So I'll play along with you and say, yes A) most incidents are caused by a handful of people and B) cameras would catch serious offenders and kick them out. The problem is the level of offense for someone to be kicked out is typically very high, for example a man purposefully punching a scareactor. This makes up a significantly small portion of the harassment scareactors endure.

For the rest of thousands of other incidents that don't result in an injury, the camera does nothing... unless you have rooms full of people monitoring them, and proactively warning/removing guests even for minor offenses.

I'm for putting cameras in houses, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't compare to the protection a physical barrier provides. I have a dashboard camera in my car, but I don't trust that to save my life in a car crash.

From my experience, my "best" scares were in my first year when I was sneaking up to guests whispering terrifying things in their ears (without the knowledge of my management). You want a terrifying event, let's have more of that. But this is obviously reckless and untenable to allow scareactors to be that close to guests. (I was young and stupid.) You need a happy medium somewhere. Some sort of physical barrier between the guest and scareactor seems the most logical (at least in houses), whether that be a plastic barrier or otherwise.

 

[shiekra38]

From my experience, my "best" scares were in my first year when I was sneaking up to guests whispering terrifying things in their ears (without the knowledge of my management).

I hate to say it, but if anyone wants that they'll probably have to go to Howl-O-Scream from now on