Coronavirus and Amusement Parks- What will re-opening look like?

 Amusement Parks, Coronavirus and Re-opening.. oh my? 

 Nothing is normal and nothing will be the same for a long time. So how is this going to effect the summer season? 





 Amusement parks and theme parks across the country are starting to prep for reopening and what is left of the summer park season. With announcements beginning today and more expected to break their silence in the next week.

 As of 5/21/20, several parks have announced opening days including Six Flags Great Adventure and Holiday World. With social distancing in place, face masks required and dozens of new sanitation rules in place- the changes to your summer park fun are going to be massive. It's now time to take a look at what this strange, new amusement park world is likely going to look like.




Restricted Ticket Sales. 
Parks are going to strict their sales of tickets per day based on occupancy. Most states have set rules in place for this which everyone should be familiar with to comply with social distancing. Reservations are going to be a 'must' for the summer to visit your favorite park as most seem to be hinting they will not be allowing 'walk up ticket sales'.

Reservations
Reservations are another 'must have'. From Disney to Dollywood, nearly every amusement park out there was stated they will be accepting reservations for the day you plan to visit. Some seem to be restricted on those who stay on property hotels, others by numbers allowed in the park.  Be ready to plan in advance for your trip to avoid disappointment. As always, the most popular days will be the first to sell out (holidays and weekends).

Face Masks and Protective Gear
This seems to be the hot-ticket item right now. Some people are up in arms over having to wear a face mask to go to the grocery store, and I'm sure you can imagine the issue this will create for the amusement parks while they require them. While some parks have stated they will require people to wear face masks and follow social distancing, others have stated it's 'optional'.  Please check in advance if this is required. And please, we urge you to wear one to be safe!

Sanitation 
Every park, from local to national, have stated they have been working on additional sanitation protocols to help guests be safe during the season. This is all done by park but most seem to include more cleaning of common surfaces, additional hand washing and hand sanitizing stations as well as employee protection (gloves, masks, etc).

So, WHO is opening?

Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando just announced they plan to reopen their theme parks on June 5th (if accepted by Orange County). The park has stated face-masks will be required and they will supply one per guest if they did not bring their own. Social distancing will be strongly encouraged, as well as no single rider lines or any water features on rides.

Mount Olympus, Wisconsin. 

Mount Olympus plans to be the first amusement park to reopen for the 2020 season. The park  has stated they are opening on May 23rd, but only to guests who have a reservation booked at their hotel resort. 

Six Flags Great Adventure (Safari Only)

Six Flags has announced that their drive-thru safari will re-open to the public on May 29th for pass-holders and May 30th for the general public. Guests will be driving their own, personal vehicles though the safari rather than the park. Reservations with be required. There is still no word on the amusement park its-self. 

Holiday World 

Holiday World has stated that they will open to pass-holders June 14th and to the general public on June 17th. They will also have restricted ticket sales for but will not require reservations in advance.They will also be using a smart-phone based virtual line system to allow for social distancing rules to be followed.  

Holiday World- Splashin' Safari 

The water park at Holiday World, Splashin' Safari is set to re-open on July 4th. 

Indiana Beach 

Indiana beach is set to re-open to VIP guests on June 26th and the general public on June 27th. The park has previously been closed but the new owner intends to reopen for the 2020 season. Nothing has been noted about a reservation system or park limits. 

Silverwood 

Silverwood is set to open on May 23rd for reserved tickets, the park will reopen for daily operations on June 6th. Masks are suggested and they will supply them to any guest who asks. 

Overall, we are looking at a very different landscape for our summer adventures than we ever have in the past. A landscape that is going to require much more planning than in previous seasons and include a host of new rules to follow.  

We here at InSanity lurks Inside urge everyone to please be safe this summer! Please wear a mask when at all possible. Wash or sanitize your hands as frequently as you can. Do your best not to crowd up when at all able. We wish all our readers to be healthy, happy and safe because we couldn't do this without you.

Be safe and Happy Rides!