CityWalk metal – Universal Studios Hollywood has rolled out new security at CityWalk’s promenade, requiring metal detectors and bag scans for visitors who don’t have a theme park ticket. For some moviegoers, it’s an extra step; for many visitors, it’s a welcome feeling of adde
For the second time. Ernesto Lopez walked into CityWalk with his family and expected the kind of easy stroll the area is known for. Instead. he met the familiar sights of a theme-park checkpoint: a line. a metal detector. and a bag scan waiting at the entrance to the promenade that leads into Universal Studios Hollywood.
CityWalk—long defined by nightlife, neon signs, and eclectic food—used to let people move right in. Now, even visitors heading only for the restaurants or the IMAX theater are being funneled through the same park security protocols as theme park guests.
Lopez, who was coming in from Stockton, said the change surprised him. But after going through it, he felt safer. “I didn’t know we had to put our stuff in the baskets, but it’s actually a good safety measure,” he said, referring to the bag check process. His relatives agreed.
He also pointed to the visible presence of additional security guards and fences cutting off areas that had previously been open. People were directed to the new checkpoints as they approached the promenade.
“There’s no danger, there’s no nothing,” Lopez said. “It’s safer.”
The policy is already in place. It was first implemented this month. and a Universal Studios spokesperson said it was not spurred by the World Cup or by the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in two years. The spokesperson said the so-called “security bubble. ” which some users have discussed online. has been in the works for months. with construction visible during the changes.
If guests are continuing into the theme park, the spokesperson said they don’t need to go through security again. But for those who only want to grab a bite or see a movie at the IMAX theater, the checkpoint is an additional—and possibly frustrating—step.
That added friction is part of what has played out in the conversation online, with some commenters questioning whether the inconvenience could push people to skip CityWalk altogether. On Thursday afternoon, though, the response from visitors at the promenade was overwhelmingly positive.
Jackie Segura, there with her daughter, described the line as quick. “Fast and easy,” she said. Segura, a frequent visitor, said she had “no complaints.”
Business continued in the usual flow at the same time, with restaurants—many with patios—staying busy with patrons heading to shopping areas as well as the theme park.
For first-time visitors Ty Birtles and his girlfriend, the protocol didn’t read as much of a hurdle. “But I have to remember to leave behind the weed pen next time,” Birtles said.
The spokesperson said the approach is intended to align CityWalk with Universal Studios’ other venues. “This approach is consistent with our destinations across the country and at major sporting and entertainment venues throughout Los Angeles,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The policy is similar to the way Disneyland handles access to Main Street, U.S.A.—visitors must pass through security before reaching the theme park and California Adventure.
When The Times was at the promenade Thursday afternoon, the security line moved quickly at each checkpoint. That pace seemed to soften the disruption for people like Lopez. and it underscored what many visitors said they were feeling: not that the new barriers stopped the trip. but that they made it feel more protected.
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