We’ve seen plenty of violence in American theme parks over the summer. Now the theme parks are hitting back to save their safety and their images.
Whether it was the riots at Knott’s Berry Farm, the family group brawl in Magic Kingdom, or the fleeing throngs of people at Universal Studios in Florida as yells of an active shooter, theme parks have had a rough time. As violence across urban centers of America have increased, so have security concerns at entertainment and tourism venues. We had already seen Knott’s Berry Farm in California use a new requirement that minors be accompanied by adults. Now we’re seeing the same thing from Universal Studios Florida, albeit with a little less severity.
According to WESH out of Orlando, Universal Studios will now require that any minor meet one of three criteria should they be at CityWalk which connects the Orlando theme parks with retail and hotel space:
- Minors must be accompanied by an adult after 9PM or…
- Minors must have proof of seeing a movie at CityWalk or…
- Minors must have proof of hotel reservation.
Maddie Thompson and her younger sister, Emily, were visiting Universal from Salt Lake City and didn’t know about the curfew until WESH 2 told them. It’s something Emily would have to follow.
“I mean, I get it for people under 18, but over 18, it’s like, well, you’re an adult. You can make your own money. I think it’s kind of silly, but I mean, I also get it. It can be scary at night too,” Emily Thompson said.
— Christina Watkins, WESH
The changes also coincide with the startup of Universal’s Halloween offerings which often attract large numbers of teenagers and young adults, especially locally.
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