An increasing number of Orlando area entertainment venues have re-opened or are preparing to shortly! Whether guests are ready to return or not is another question entirely. There are some major theme parks already available for visiting. We’ve compiled a list of Central Florida attractions that are open now, or will be in the near future.
Each attraction has set its own guidelines for both its employees and visitors to follow. Before making travel plans, please be sure to review these guidelines on park websites so you know what to expect. Many parks now have shorter hours of operation or will remain closed on certain days of the week.
(This article originally ran on May 25th and has been updated with new opening dates and links to additional reviews and photos)
Here’s What’s Currently Open in Central Florida
We’ve listed all the tourist attractions of Central Florida that are currently open (by their opening date). Keep in mind that most of the attractions are operating differently than you might remember, but it’s a way to safely bring in visitors rather than having to stay closed. We’ll update this list frequently as we learn of more planned reopenings.
Wild Florida – Reopened 5/4
Wild Florida in Kenansville opened earlier this month with a modified operating plan than usual. Their Gator Park and the airboat tours are temporarily closed, but their Drive-Through Safari park is open for business.
Lion Country Safari – Reopened 5/7
Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee is partially open for their Drive-Through Safari as well. Bet you didn’t know we had two drive-through zoos. Additionally, an outdoor gift shop is open on the weekends between 10AM-6PM.
Universal CityWalk – Reopened 5/14
CityWalk, Universal Orlando’s shopping and dining district was the first section of the resort to open.
We were there on the opening day of CityWalk. Universal Orlando is doing a lot of things right for approaching a theme park reopening in a less-than-normal time. Read the article below for our thoughts on reopening.
Orlando Reopening Update – CityWalk Visit, Disney World & Epic Universe Aerial Images
ICON Park – Reopened 5/15
ICON Park in Orlando has reopened as of May 15th. Guests can now visit ICON’s SeaLife Aquarium, Madame Tussaud’s and select dining locations. The StarFlyer re-opened on May 22nd, while The Wheel will reopen on June 3rd.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium – Reopened 5/15
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is open and ready for visitors! This beautiful aquarium is currently offering a Florida-resident special to encourage local guests to see the animals. Or, if you’re looking for some animal videos to watch at home, check out their live webcams overlooking habitats!
Disney Springs – Reopened 5/20
May 20th brought the mask-wearing crowds to Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista. Disney-owned retail locations, such as World of Disney and Disney Pin Traders opened a week later. There are still some shops and restaurants lagging behind, but more are opening every day.
Want to know what it was like on opening day? See our overview here:
Disney Springs Back in Business – Our Opening Day Experience!
FunSpot America – Reopened 5/22
FunSpot America‘s Orlando location was the first Florida theme park to re-open! While it’s no Disney World or Universal, there’s still a lot of fun to have here. Did you know FunSpot admission is free on your birthday? It’s true!
There are actually two FunSpot locations. According to their website, FunSpot’s Kissimmee park is set to re-open on June 2nd.
Gatorland – Reopened 5/23
Orlando’s infamous Gatorland is ready for you to visit. As part of their safety efforts, they’ve introduced their “Social-Distancing Skunk Ape!” No, we’re not kidding.
Island H20 Live! Water Park – Reopened 5/23
Margaritaville Resort’s Island H2O Live! Water Park in Kissimmee reopened on the 23rd. The park is “Social Media Influencer” themed. Only in Orlando.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games – Reopened 5/27
If you’ve been looking for a way to satisfy a need for speed, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games in Orlando may be the place for you.
Kennedy Space Center – Reopened 5/28
You can check out all that’s interestingly intergalactic just east of Orlando at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. You’ve got to visit at least once, add it to your bucket list.
LEGOLAND Florida – Reopened 6/1
Not only are LEGOLAND Florida‘s theme and water parks re-opening, but their all-new Pirate Island Hotel also debuts on June 1st! Resort reservations for 6/1 and after are now available for both LEGOLAND’s hotels.
We took a trip to LEGOLAND for its reopening yesterday. Read the article below to see what steps they’re taking to make the park safer for employees and guests.
Orlando Area Theme Parks Reopening Soon
The next several listings are the attractions that are scheduled to be opening within the next few days and weeks.
Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure & Volcano Bay – Reopens 6/5
Universal Orlando’s three main theme parks are already in previews for employees and some hotel guests. Passholder days will be held on June 3rd and 4th. Then all guests will be welcomed back starting June 5th! Ticket reservations are not required, but park capacity will be limited. So there’s a chance you could be turned away at the gate.
The resort is implementing more virtual queues for select attractions, touchless payments, reducing ride capacity and amping up their cleaning procedures. Most importantly, both team members and guests will undergo temperature checks before entering, and wearing a face covering is required at all times.
Note that staying at a Universal Resort hotel will guarantee your park entry.
SeaWorld & Busch Gardens – Returns 6/11
Both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa will be reopening on June 11th. The animal care experts have continued to look after the welfare of the creatures in the parks during their almost 3-month long closures.
Busch Gardens will have limited daily operations; remaining closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the first few months. Here’s everything we know about the park’s reopening:
Busch Gardens Tampa Reopening June 11 – Here Are the New Procedures
Walt Disney World – Returns 7/11 through 7/15
Florida’s most anticipated reopening is Walt Disney World will open two theme parks on July 11th, followed by two more parks on July 15th! Disney Springs has already re-opened. The reopening plans for WDW are extensive, so we’ve created a whole article about if for you.
Here are all the details on Disney World’s plans:
Universal Halloween Horror Nights – Returns 9/10 – 11/1
We were wondering if Universal would attempt the popular Halloween events this year since mazes/houses are generally high-touch environments that put guests in close quarters with other guests and scare-actors. But the Halloween Horror Nights tickets have gone on sale. If you buy a Halloween event ticket by July 22nd, you’ll get a 2nd event night free.
The event will be held on select nights from September 10th through November 1st. If you buy a Halloween event ticket by July 22nd, you’ll get a 2nd night free (Online only. Select nights, blockout dates and restrictions apply.). Tickets start at $84.99 through July 22nd. We assume they’ll go up after that. No word yet on Universal Hollywood’s plans.
Don’t be Jealous – Make Plans
The theme parks are reopening, and there’s no better time to lock in low rates on future travel. Special comeback rates are now available at some of your favorite theme park hotels with deep discounts in many locations.
Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with your theme park shutdown concerns and rescheduling plans. We know you’re as uncertain about the future as we are. That’s why Get Away Today is offering the most flexible Disney travel options available:
Price Protection – If a better special comes out after you have booked, you’ll get the better deal.
Peace of Mind – Make hotel changes, reschedule dates, drop nights, change ticket vouchers and more, as many times as you’d like for a small, one-time fee.
Layaway Plan – Lock in your 2020 or 2021 Disneyland Resort vacation for just $175 down. By booking early, you secure your availability and have the flexibility to pay as you go. Make as many interest-free payments as you’d like, whenever you’d like, with final payment due just seven days prior to travel.
Give your family something to look forward to:
Visit Get Away Today HERE Or fill out a request form and they’ll call you back: Vacation Information Request Form HERE
Let’s Hear From You
While we are all excited to see our favorite parks again, Universal Orlando wants to remind guests that visiting might still be a dangerous proposition. A disclaimer on their website reads: “Note that any public location where people are present provides an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed during your visit.”
With so many of Florida’s visitor destinations either already opened or about to, are you planning on visiting in these early days? Did we miss anything important you’d like to see us add to the list? Which parks are you missing most?
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