COVID-19 Coronavirus and Theme Parks Official Thread

[operative_me]

Well if you were planning a trip to bright, sunny Ohio (you weren't) don't. Mass gatherings over 100+ people have been banned, and now all bars and restaurants will be closed indefinitely after 9pm tonight.

 

This has been a rough few days as my staff is effectively laid off, and they need to make money. I feel horrible as I don't have answers for them. I'm lucky enough to still be working... For now.

 

I was looking to make a KD/BGW trip in April but that isn't happening. I am thinking that Cedar Point will have a delayed opening. They rely on international workers so heavily, even if things miraculously cleared up, they're not going to be here anytime soon.

[Canobie Coaster]

^ Massachusetts just dropped the hammer banning gatherings of more than 25 people and no dining in until mid-April.

 

I don't see how Six Flags New England opens on April 10 as originally scheduled, considering this ban will even impact the Holy Week masses that would occur that weekend for Easter.

[DoinItForTheFame]

... and how it's affecting you personally.

 

We have lost all 6 of our upcoming summer vacations.... and it sucks.... got nothing to look forward too now.

[tinaalsgirl]

I feel really bad because so far, my household's routine has had zero changes. If we didn't watch/read the news, we'd never know something was happening.

 

Okay, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole. We did make sure to stock up on some shelf food items last week at Walmart. I grabbed 3 12-pack boxes of ramen noodles. Not healthy at all, but it'll keep me fed, and since I live solely on food stamps, gotta go cheap.

 

My friend and I were planning a road trip in July, but we'll just have to see how things are going by then... Don't know if any of the conventions that far in the future will have had to cancel or not.

[VF15]

The CDC has recommended that gatherings of more than 50 people should be cancelled for at least the next eight weeks. If that is the case I would expect most if not all parks will likely be extending closures or further delaying openings.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

[Nrthwnd]

^ That's going to cancel some wedding plans, I bet.

[Canobie Coaster]

The CDC has recommended that gatherings of more than 50 people should be cancelled for at least the next eight weeks. If that is the case I would expect most if not all parks will likely be extending closures or further delaying openings.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

 

Before Holiday in the Park, the Northeast had no parks from the end of October to early April, or a 5 month gap.

 

Adding Holiday in the Park in November and December reduced that gap down to only 3 months without parks in this region.

 

If we lose 1-2 months off the start of the year, I guess it's the same length off-season I used to have. If 1-2 months of no parks is what's needed for this virus to spill over and keep everyone healthy, I'm all for it.

[gardyloo!]

The CDC has recommended that gatherings of more than 50 people should be cancelled for at least the next eight weeks. If that is the case I would expect most if not all parks will likely be extending closures or further delaying openings.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

 

This is only a recommendation, however, all parks seem to follow them. Hopefully the situation will be less critical around late April/ early May and parks can open up again. Right now, no park wants to gain the risk of getting bad publicity or 'causing a case', but if the situation improves in four weeks this attitude might change.

I wonder if this is gonna go even further/gonna get worse, and nothing will open until July. All we can do now is play the waiting game, sucks there is no fast pass for this one.

[SharkTums]

I feel really bad because so far, my household's routine has had zero changes. If we didn't watch/read the news, we'd never know something was happening.

 

Okay, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole. We did make sure to stock up on some shelf food items last week at Walmart. I grabbed 3 12-pack boxes of ramen noodles. Not healthy at all, but it'll keep me fed, and since I live solely on food stamps, gotta go cheap.

 

My friend and I were planning a road trip in July, but we'll just have to see how things are going by then... Don't know if any of the conventions that far in the future will have had to cancel or not.

 

Interesting take. Robb and I were just talking about this. I think that this 'shut down' is affecting people quite differently. Those of us who live in touristy places or big cities see DRASTIC changes. Those of us who travel a lot, are seeing tons of cancellations. More 'average' Americans (and that is not derogatory at all!) may not see big differences in their lives.

[Garet]

^ That's going to cancel some wedding plans, I bet.

 

It was pretty bad in Korea. The wedding halls that people use here wouldn't allow cancellations with refunds or postponements because of course no-one else will take those slots so people's weddings had to go ahead. I got married in a church but I've been to plenty to know how the halls work.

 

In Korean culture, at the wedding halls here, you don't give gifts you normally give money in envelopes when you attend, usually around $50 and they give you the meal ticket to the buffet areas. Meals costs for the buffet are about $30 a person and when you book the wedding hall you have to give a number of people coming and there's a minimum. So you say 100 people as a minimum $3000 is charged to the bride/groom. If 90 people come you still charged that and if more than that come they just add it so if 110 people come you pay $3300. This is even though the buffet area is shared between multiple weddings that are going on in the halls and it’s one of the things you pay for after the wedding once numbers have been counted.

 

If everyone shows up or you're a bit under it's offset by the gift money. But people who had already paid and couldn't get a refund had to have their weddings anyway. So not only do you have an awkward day of most of your guests missing and wearing masks but ending up out another $1000 or 2 on the food they normally would pay for with the gift money. I know back home it’s already been paid for but here it meant couples were out of pocket on their wedding day for something that is normally covered by guests.

[tinaalsgirl]

I feel really bad because so far, my household's routine has had zero changes. If we didn't watch/read the news, we'd never know something was happening.

 

Okay, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole. We did make sure to stock up on some shelf food items last week at Walmart. I grabbed 3 12-pack boxes of ramen noodles. Not healthy at all, but it'll keep me fed, and since I live solely on food stamps, gotta go cheap.

 

My friend and I were planning a road trip in July, but we'll just have to see how things are going by then... Don't know if any of the conventions that far in the future will have had to cancel or not.

 

Interesting take. Robb and I were just talking about this. I think that this 'shut down' is affecting people quite differently. Those of us who live in touristy places or big cities see DRASTIC changes. Those of us who travel a lot, are seeing tons of cancellations. More 'average' Americans (and that is not derogatory at all!) may not see big differences in their lives.

 

Honestly, I'd consider my house to be "below average". We live in a rural town of 1200; nearest town to us is 2800pop and we have to make a 10 mile drive with only crop fields to look at to get there. Our nearest Walmart is a 30 minute drive northeast of, again, just crop fields.

 

Our town has a Casey's and a Dollar General... that's it. We have to go to that above-mentioned nearest town to find a grocery store and pharmacy. There are a couple restaurants, one Chinese and one Mexican. The only franchise food is Subway. We have to drive south 20 minutes for McDonald's.

 

So... our routine has mostly consisted of just... "chilling". My mom and I don't work (she's got Lyme disease, I'm autistic). So she plays games on Facebook and binges shows on Netflix. I spend most of my time online; keeping caught up on Tumblr takes up a good chunk of my day, and when my hyperfocus turns to it, I can spend hours/days on YouTube watching video game play throughs (because my own computer is 10 years old and I can maybe run Roller Coaster Tycoon... but only 1 or 2.

 

I've felt rather bad the last few days and very helpless because while my routine is the same it's been for the last 5.5 years, my friends in the city are dealing with empty shelves at the grocery stores and worse. My friend with whom I travel relies heavily on the income he and his boyfriend get from running a traveling Pachinko parlor at various conventions. This weekend was supposed to be their biggest weekend of the year - 20% of their annual business. But that con had to cancel.... and now they're having to run a GoFundMe because they are short this month without that business and if they can't pay the rest of what they owe on property taxes that they got behind on... the city will take the house and auction it to collect. Thankfully, the fundraiser has, just as I'm writing this, managed to reach its goal. *PHEW* I have been so worried for them!!!

[KarlaKoaster]

Chessington World of Adventures opened yesterday for annual passholder preview day. The UK is maybe a week behind Spain in terms of the outbreak and cases are accelerating quickly. Almost all large events have cancelled and I'm surprised Chessington opened.

 

This could last until 2021 with cases peaking in 10 weeks, dipping a bit during summer and then increasing again next winter. The impact this will have could be enormous. If this is right, I'm not sure how even events like Winter Wonderland in London can go ahead.

[Invertalon]

No real change for my household… As mentioned above, if not for the constant mention of the virus anywhere you look, it’s business as usual.

 

Even the stores around here (NE Ohio) have not been bad. Went to a few stores the past few days and aside from the TP and Milk being short (weirdos…) all else has been stocked otherwise. No long lines, in/out in a few minutes if you wish. For some reason, I think all the crazies are hitting up the Costco’s. Parents went to Walmart last night for a few items and it was empty, pictures with nobody in sight. Plenty of stuff on the shelves.

 

Ohio closed all dine-in and bars and the like indefinitely. Not a huge deal to us (feel bad for the waiters and such depending on that income, however), but since we don’t eat out anyway it doesn’t change our day-to-day.

 

Plenty of hobbies to keep me occupied, all of which don’t require me to be around others. Brewing beer, cooking/BBQ/baking, gaming, hiking with the dog, drumming, etc…

 

We did have a big trip booked for May, which likely will be cancelled for sure at this point, but it is what it is. Will take advantage of cheap airfare once the virus is behind us and do a bunch of domestic trips this summer/fall instead.

[Krandor]

For me it is mostly self-imposed changed. I normally work from home 2-3 days a week and last week did WFH all week and this week will be the same (mainly because somebody in our office building but different company came down with it) and I'm trying to avoid going to restaurants and bars. So mostly jus trying not to go out if I don't have to. Grocy store has been insane.

[coasterbill]

So... party at Fun Spot?

[A.J.]

So... party at Fun Spot?

Fascinating, they're actually still open! Not-pocalypse fallout shelter! Free Four Rivers Barbecue and Auntie Anne's pretzels for everyone! Save $6 when you buy online!

[Krandor]

As one of the first to announce closing I expect other theme park companies will look at disney to see what they do next.

 

Now it appears disney is trying to do this in an ordered plan to avoid overwhelming call centers, airport, etc. by not anouncing the closing of resorts and springs until right around the time the parks actually closed. Finish park closing then announce resorts/springs. I don't think anybody at this point expects they will be open April 1. The question is when will they be announced. Based on what they did thiis weekend, but speculation is once the resorts are fully closed then they'll announce an extension to the closures. So probably friday night or Satuurday Ii bet is when we hear disney is extending their closure and that my trip in mid-April is officially cancelled.

[SharkTums]

So... party at Fun Spot?

 

I maintain that they're only still open because the owners are hardcore Trump republicans and believe the virus is a democratic hoax!

[SharkTums]

Chessington World of Adventures opened yesterday for annual passholder preview day. The UK is maybe a week behind Spain in terms of the outbreak and cases are accelerating quickly. Almost all large events have cancelled and I'm surprised Chessington opened.

 

This could last until 2021 with cases peaking in 10 weeks, dipping a bit during summer and then increasing again next winter. The impact this will have could be enormous. If this is right, I'm not sure how even events like Winter Wonderland in London can go ahead.

 

Very odd about Chessington opening. I read a lot of British news sites to try and avoid all my info coming from US media and it seems like you guys are about to get pretty bad over there!

[coasternut79]

As one of the first to announce closing I expect other theme park companies will look at disney to see what they do next.

 

Now it appears disney is trying to do this in an ordered plan to avoid overwhelming call centers, airport, etc. by not anouncing the closing of resorts and springs until right around the time the parks actually closed. Finish park closing then announce resorts/springs. I don't think anybody at this point expects they will be open April 1. The question is when will they be announced. Based on what they did thiis weekend, but speculation is once the resorts are fully closed then they'll announce an extension to the closures. So probably friday night or Satuurday Ii bet is when we hear disney is extending their closure and that my trip in mid-April is officially cancelled.

I'm right there with you. My wife and I were trying to come up with a plan B from flying and had decided to just drive to avoid planes but like you I fully expect them to announce an extension to the closures. I have no idea when we would be able to reschedule. My kid has so many activities through the summer and then with school we probably wouldn't be able to do a weeklong trip until next spring break. I wonder what their policies will be as to how long you have to re-book and whether or not they will offer refunds? Has anyone here been affected by the current closure that could shed some light on their policies?

[coasterbill]

In the defense of planes and airports, we spent quite a bit of time in them this weekend and it's probably not as much of a coronavirus risk as you think because the airports are ghost towns and the planes are mostly empty. Plus, everyone is freaking out about catching the virus from the nonexistent people at the airports and on the planes so everyone is wearing masks.

 

I snapped this picture at Newark Airport last night. Newark Airport...

Edited March 16, 2020 by coasterbill

[Krandor]

As one of the first to announce closing I expect other theme park companies will look at disney to see what they do next.

 

Now it appears disney is trying to do this in an ordered plan to avoid overwhelming call centers, airport, etc. by not anouncing the closing of resorts and springs until right around the time the parks actually closed. Finish park closing then announce resorts/springs. I don't think anybody at this point expects they will be open April 1. The question is when will they be announced. Based on what they did thiis weekend, but speculation is once the resorts are fully closed then they'll announce an extension to the closures. So probably friday night or Satuurday Ii bet is when we hear disney is extending their closure and that my trip in mid-April is officially cancelled.

I'm right there with you. My wife and I were trying to come up with a plan B from flying and had decided to just drive to avoid planes but like you I fully expect them to announce an extension to the closures. I have no idea when we would be able to reschedule. My kid has so many activities through the summer and then with school we probably wouldn't be able to do a weeklong trip until next spring break. I wonder what their policies will be as to how long you have to re-book and whether or not they will offer refunds? Has anyone here been affected by the current closure that could shed some light on their policies?

 

As of right now they are waiving all cancellation fees for trips booked through end of june. That is the only reason I'm paying the rest of my package today (I'm at the 30 day mark) since I know I can cancel if need be.

 

For people who have tickets during the closure they are automatically extending the tickets through 12/15 and if you cannot go by then then you can convert them to credit for future tickets.

 

So i think they are taking very sensible plans to help people especially with waiving the normal $200 cancellation fee and with everything in MDE some of this they can just do automatically. I know somebody who is there now and when they looked in the app yesterday their tickets for the last 2 days are just automatically good through 12/15 now with no need to do anything.

[Dar]

Chessington World of Adventures opened yesterday for annual passholder preview day. The UK is maybe a week behind Spain in terms of the outbreak and cases are accelerating quickly. Almost all large events have cancelled and I'm surprised Chessington opened.

 

This could last until 2021 with cases peaking in 10 weeks, dipping a bit during summer and then increasing again next winter. The impact this will have could be enormous. If this is right, I'm not sure how even events like Winter Wonderland in London can go ahead.

 

Very odd about Chessington opening. I read a lot of British news sites to try and avoid all my info coming from US media and it seems like you guys are about to get pretty bad over there!

 

I've seen that it could be an insurance thing because the Government hasn't explicitly said places need to close, so if they close unilaterally they might not be covered by their insurance for losses.

 

Blackpool Pleasure Beach also opened this last weekend and Flamingo Land's zoo has been open this whole time and they are re-assuring people that when the main park re-opens they will disinfecting all rides between cycles.

[Krandor]

Ariel footage of disney and some other orlando attractions this morning.

 

[coasterbill]

I so badly wanted White Lightning to send a test train...

 

Flying over Fun Spot at 9am zooming in on empty parking spaces to show how abandoned it is when they're less than an hour from opening is dumb and they're dumb and I feel dumber for having watched it.

Edited March 16, 2020 by coasterbill