Universal Studios Hollywood reopens and it has a new dinosaur to celebrate
As expected — and after a very long wait — Universal Studios Hollywood has reopened to the public, though it's not quite the same as it was before it shut down. The theme park opened its doors on Friday in California, giving the public access to its attractions, including a new ride and an updated Jurassic Park attraction with a massive new dinosaur.
As with many theme parks, Universal Studios Hollywood was down for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Several weeks ago, California made it clear that given its then-current COVID-19 cases and how they were trending (combined with vaccination rates) that it would start reopening things in the near future.
Today is the start of a new beginning, new dinos and new pets!
— Universal Studios Hollywood (@UniStudios) April 16, 2021
That process is already underway, with Disney having recently announced that it will open its Avengers Campus at Disneyland in California this upcoming June. Joining it is Universal with the announcement that its Universal Studios Hollywood destination is back and it has two new arrivals to show off.
Most notable is the change to 'Jurassic World – The Ride' at Universal, which now features a massive Indominus rex measuring about 22ft tall and 55ft long. The dinosaur makes her appearance at the end of the ride where she faces off with the similarly massive T-rex, giving riders something to marvel at just before they drop down the waterfall and again at the end of the ride.
Joining the new dinosaur is 'The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!,' a ride that Universal describes as: "Join Max, Duke, Gidget, Snowball, and all your favorite Pets characters for a thrilling new ride through the streets of New York City." Note that the park comes with some other distinct changes compared to the last time you were there, including a required temperature check, face mask, social distancing via floor markings, and more.