Trip Report: Visiting Universal Studios Hollywood on the first day of the new vaccine mandate

As of Oct. 7, 2021, guests ages 12 and up visiting Universal Studios Hollywood must now show proof of full FDA or WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccination (14 days after final dose was administered) or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entering park, per a new L.A. County mandate. I visited the park on the first day of this new policy.

By Carly Caramanna

Although they had previously announced that guests over the age of 18 must also show an accompanying photo ID, that additional requirement has been delayed until Nov. 1. This new mandate is in addition to the requirement of masks while both indoors and outdoors inside the theme park. Universal CityWalk currently only requires guests to wear a mask while indoors.

Upon entering CityWalk 30 minutes prior to park opening, I noticed a heavy security presence. New signage is up throughout City Walk and leading up to the park’s entrance.

Team Members checked my proof of vaccination just before going through park security. They did mention that this was all a learning process and because it was only the first day of this new mandate, the checkpoint location could be changed at any moment.

This protocol proved to be seamless and I didn’t feel like it added time to the security and entrance process. Guests were warned before security to have your documentation out and ready.

Upon completing security, there was, again, heavy security presence and many Universal executives just before the park’s entrance. After entering the park, new signage was up explaining the new mandate.