COVID-19 Coronavirus and Theme Parks Official Thread

[teacherkim]

Coasterstock at KI is officially cancelled. While I no longer had any expectation that it was going to happen on the original date I was really hoping they might reschedule but I guess that was just too difficult since they do not have a firm opening date yet. Money has been automatically refunded. I guess we could put that toward a HW,KK,KI,CP run later in the summer.

 

At this point now waiting to see about CCon. Just read that Pennsylvania is planning to start opening up things slowly after May 8th.......which may cut it awfully close for late June and theme parks. However, hope springs eternal and so back to the wait and see mode.

 

Meanwhile our not yet been used CF platinum passes are sitting on the shelf, mocking me

[mark549]

Georgia will be a good case study with most "gathering" type businesses being able to reopen by the end of the month. Hopefully it works out and will serve as a blueprint for the rest of the nation.

 

Besides Atlanta being a massive metropolitan area it's easy to forget that the rest of Georgia is fairly rural and the population density is considerably lower. I hate to call something this serious a "case study" but I agree and hopefully it does go well for them.

 

 

Albany, Georgia, a rural town in southwest GA, is a CV hotspot. Their local hospital is full of CV patients.

 

Their governor said earlier this month he had only just learned that the disease can be spread by asymptomatic carriers, information that was publicly available in January. I hope to be wrong, but I don't think the reopening will last long.

 

If everyone really took this seriously the crisis would already be over because the virus cannot live outside a host (humans).

[tndank]

Per Live Pigeon Forge Chamber video:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will reopen May 1st.

Pigeon Forge is reopening May 1st & some businesses may open Monday April, 27th. Hotels will be doing "contact-less checkins". Restaurants will be doing limited seating to follow distancing guidelines. Most theaters will reopen May 9th & will also do limited seating. Dollywood and Splash County will tentatively open June 1st.

[Jew]

Good for Georgia. I don't really think of it as a "case study". Sweden already sort of did a case study for everyone.

 

Unfortunately people in Sweden are responsible, they have good universal healthcare, and great Infrastructure so many already worked at home.

 

Basically the opposite of the U.S.

[KarlaKoaster]

Also Sweden has a small population. Their number of deaths per 1m people is actually worse than America.

[prozach626]

I am sure the days of cramming people in a cattle pen queue line are over.

Queues aren't going anywhere long term.

[Nrthwnd]

Pre-shows for most Disney attractions (like Runaway Railway?) might have to be re-thought,

as to 'how many people do we put together'? Queue railing might actually have to be put

within a pre-show "theater" itself, if it's standing room, etc. And then there's the 360' films,

like those in the Canada and China pavilions in EPCOT. "Every other railing"...?

 

Just a thought on that.

[teacherkim]

Per Live Pigeon Forge Chamber video:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will reopen May 1st.

Pigeon Forge is reopening May 1st & some businesses may open Monday April, 27th. Hotels will be doing "contact-less checkins". Restaurants will be doing limited seating to follow distancing guidelines. Most theaters will reopen May 9th & will also do limited seating. Dollywood and Splash County will tentatively open June 1st.

 

 

That's great news! Hope it works out alright and other parks can target June 1.

[Jpw2512]

^ This however is not a fake picture nor fake news. It was from a live towercam. Please stop with misinformation, aka lies.

Your a flog.

[bert425]

^ This however is not a fake picture nor fake news. It was from a live towercam. Please stop with misinformation, aka lies.

Your a flog.

[coasterbill]

Please keep this discussion civil.

[SharkTums]

^Thank you, and yes!

[Alice Kane]

Meanwhile, in Canada...

 

Bill, thanks for this bit of levity in these taxing times! As the "old sayin'" goes:

Dark humor is like food;

not everyone gets it

 

Hope Canada is hanging in there (and you, too!)

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^ Welcome. I actually find the entire concept of

Canada's Obsession w/National Hockey, "Dark Humor", hee hee.

 

But I enjoy it when they get involved with the Winter Olympics...

and whup the butts offa every other team, eh?

 

2010 is an awesome memory of those times. I wasn't there, but on the porch, hearing the cheers from the

Coliseum, downtown, from where we were. Chilling and freeky to hear a sound like that, from that far away.

[KarlaKoaster]

Parks are either opening or preparing to open in Asia. Here are some of the more visible changes at both Shanghai Disneyland and Fanta parks.

Oriental Heritage Jingzhou loading every other seat. Masks are mandatory. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/rcdchina

Shanghai Disneyland with markings in queues. Photo:

[Satans Hockey]

Pre-shows for most Disney attractions (like Runaway Railway?) might have to be re-thought,

as to 'how many people do we put together'? Queue railing might actually have to be put

within a pre-show "theater" itself, if it's standing room, etc. And then there's the 360' films,

like those in the Canada and China pavilions in EPCOT. "Every other railing"...?

 

Just a thought on that.

 

I've always wanted queue railing in any room like that simply because I always end up with a group that rushes to the door to be the first ones out and I end up getting on the ride after people who were behind us in line. It's not something that I would stop riding a ride about but it's just a pet peeve of mine.

[A.J.]

I've always wanted queue railing in any room like that simply because I always end up with a group that rushes to the door to be the first ones out and I end up getting on the ride after people who were behind us in line. It's not something that I would stop riding a ride about but it's just a pet peeve of mine.

Meh, the difference is often only a few minutes.

[Satans Hockey]

I've always wanted queue railing in any room like that simply because I always end up with a group that rushes to the door to be the first ones out and I end up getting on the ride after people who were behind us in line. It's not something that I would stop riding a ride about but it's just a pet peeve of mine.

Meh, the difference is often only a few minutes.

 

It's more that I somehow always end up around people who feel the need to be right on top of your back or even push to get through the door asap than waiting a few extra mins that annoys me.

[Jason Maier]

The longer we don't hear of any re-opening plans; the more I think 2020 is going to be a lost Park season for most parks

[DoinItForTheFame]

The longer we don't hear of any re-opening plans; the more I think 2020 is going to be a lost Park season for most parks

 

I'm thinking the same thing... Sadly.

 

I'm wondering in places like California that have stated: "large gatherings of 100 or more people are not likely to happen by the end of 2020" how are the parks in those states going to handle this? Does that mean they won't be able to re-open this year? (Assuming the ban on large gatherings does in fact stay in place through the rest of 2020.)

 

Given that:

 

Mass gatherings are defined as any event or convening that brings together 100 or more persons in a single room or single space at the same time such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, theater, or any other confined indoor or outdoor space. This would include parades, fairs, and festivals.

 

I'd think theme/amusement parks would fall into the same category as fairs for this topic...?

[teacherkim]

Apparently Universal has sent out surveys to passholders asking about different measures like; masks, lowering park capacity, virtual queues, wiping down rides between riders, temp taken, etc etc. Which would indicate they are at least working on ways to open. Will be curious to see if CF and SF do something similar. Although everyone is going to have such different opinions on that I'm not sure it's practical to even bother with a survey. They will just have to make a decision and then see if people show up.

 

I think the reopening plans are being worked on but for the most part they are not publicizing much yet because it makes people jump to conclusions. And I find it very unlikely if the rest of the states start opening up that CA will be able to stay shutdown.......just not practical.

 

Coronavirus is not going away entirely and staying shut down until when or if a vaccine is available is also not practical. I'm guessing things will start to open up in May and it will come down to the feelings of the individual. If you are still nervous or feel at risk then don't go. The million dollar question will be how many people stay away by choice if they don't have to. I tend to think people will come (whether they should or not) but of course I could be totally wrong, lol.

[KarlaKoaster]

May seems optimistic to me, at least for larger parks, but I agree with pretty much everything else. I think the main difference between parks and fairs is that with parks it will be a lot easier for them to limit capacity, use virtual queuing and social distancing measures, so it's quite easy for them to create a safer and more predictable environment.

 

I think people will go, but not in huge numbers, and bearing in mind everything said above that's not a problem because it's not like things will be running to full capacity probably for at least the rest of the year.

[teacherkim]

AND unlike fairs, theme parks can, and I have no doubt will, have jugs of hand sanitizer at every ride, restaurant, store, and bathroom entrance. Fairs tend to be much more temporary so that will be harder to do, as well as limiting capacity like you said.

 

I meant May in general for businesses not necessarily theme parks. Does seem though some are starting to target June 1 as a possibility.

[A.J.]

Every time we hear news of a new model predicting when restrictions can be lifted, there's a huge amount of speculation about what date(s) we'll start seeing parks reopen again.

 

For example, a current model is predicting a June 14th date for relaxed distancing requirements here in Florida. However, that same model pegged it as June 11th yesterday, and June 1st a week ago.

 

And, much like we're seeing at China parks right now, there will be at least several weeks before the parks actually open, that will be used for adequate re-training. I don't anticipate any re-opening dates being made public until each park is confident that they can have the situation under control. A park could (in worst case) be in this testing / training phase for months, too.

[Nrthwnd]

At this stage, and after reading through "all of the above," I'm kind of glad

Playland didn't schedule it's re-opening, until July 1st. And of course, I hope it does!

 

Seems like a lot of other parks are headed that direction, in opening much later than (originally) planned.

 

EDIT to add: I am hoping that everyone will finally get to

visit their respective fave park(s) sooner, than later.

"Playland(PNE) In Oils"