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Universal Orlando's CityWalk to reopen Thursday — here's what it will look like

The company says all visitors and employees will have to wear masks and maintain 6 feet of distance among other restrictions.
/ Source: TODAY

With more states loosening stay-at-home orders and reopening their economies after lockdown due to the coronavirus, one of the country's major tourist attractions will start welcoming visitors this week.

On Tuesday, Universal Orlando in Florida announced on its website that guests will be permitted on its CityWalk starting Thursday.

The experience of strolling through the area packed with bars, shops and restaurants will be different this time around, however. Both guests and employees are required to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines to reduce the risk of transmission, among other restrictions.

This includes: wearing a face covering, getting your temperature taken upon arrival (visitors with temperatures higher than 100.4 won't be let in), maintaining social distancing of 6 feet between others, following floor markings when waiting in lines and washing hands often.

The company added that it has enhanced its sanitization procedures, switched to cashless payments at all venues and will be limiting the number of guests in restaurants and stores. Staff members are also required to pass a temperature check before starting work.

In addition, not everything inside CityWalk will be completely open come Thursday. Eateries will have limited menus and seating, and the Blue Man Group, nightclubs and the Universal Cinemark movie theater will all remain closed.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed," the resort explained on its website. "Additional venues may be added over time, and hours of operation are subject to change."

Starting Thursday, hours of operation will be 4 to 10 p.m.

The company also stressed that guests, especially those who are older or with serious underlying health conditions, should evaluate risk before visiting CityWalk, and that it cannot guarantee an exposure-free visit.

The rest of Universal Orlando, namely theme parks and hotels, will remain closed until at least May 31.

On Monday, Disney reopened Shanghai Disneyland in China before any of its U.S. locations. It's requiring many of the same restrictions as Universal Orlando, like social distancing in lines and face masks. Photos of its first reopened days provide a glimpse into what theme parks may look like in a post-coronavirus world.

Universal Orlando Resort is part of our parent company, NBCUniversal.