What's new

Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

JammyH

Hyper Poster
Merlin have sent out a huge consumer survey this morning. It is blatantly trying to gauge whether there will be any demand for them to open attractions, and what restrictions the public are looking for to make them feel safe.

I don’t know if it’s a good thing that they’re checking before diving in, or a bad thing that they’re clearly not sure that they should open.
Is it a link-based survey. Would those of us on here who don't receive it directly be able to take part?
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Is it a link-based survey. Would those of us on here who don't receive it directly be able to take part?

It is, and I would have posted it, except it has a unique identifier token to me... It was sent to all MAP holders though as far as I know, check your spam...
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
I have a MAP but no email, must be on their naughty list ?

was excited about the new antibody test from Roche. 98% accurate. I know Ive said I dont want to know, but we can all change our minds
I need to know Ive had it. everyone needs to know if they have had it, the only way to lift lockdowns

so was all excited then read

"Health minister Edward Argar said the tests would mainly be used on those in the NHS and social care settings to begin with.

He could not give an exact date for when the testing could start."




o_O yep that'll be another 4 months till the UK gov roll it out to the masses, will be too late then
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Cedar Point emailed out Covid-19 response surveys today. The survey covered general perspective, and planned visits/trips I'd consider in 2020 and 2021. Some details broached in the survey on how Cedar Point could mitigate/adapt:

  • implementing arrival times for park entry rather than a large crowd arriving at once.
  • offering touchless payment throughout the park
  • requiring guest bags be see-through to eliminate the need for security to touch personal items
  • cleaning all seats and restraints in ride vehicles between rides
  • all food and beverage served by employees rather than self-service by guests
  • using virtual queue lines with an app rather than a standard queue line
  • requiring all employees to wear masks
  • requiring guests to wear masks
  • limiting the number of guests in restrooms at any given time
  • adding thermal image scanners at park entrances to monitor for those with high temperatures
  • not offering concerts and parades
  • implementing social distancing (6 feet between parties) in queue lines
  • attendants present at all times to keep restrooms clean
  • providing automatic sanitizer dispensers throughout the park
  • not offering indoor attractions or shows
  • selling on pre-packaged food and beverages
  • requiring guests to sit in every other row on transportation, rides and attractions
  • offering food and beverage ordering and pickup with an app
For park staging concepts of controlling guest entry, some scenarios offered:
  • Open from 10-10 with no restrictions
  • dividing the park day in half, with guests purchasing tickets for either half.
  • extending park hours from 8-midnight with no restrictions on the number of guests in the park. However, guests would need to enter the park at specific times provided by the park

Again, these are not official policies being advanced by Cedar Fair/Cedar Point, but surveyed on receptivity to guests. Interesting to see some of the mindset and current headspace; for many U.S. states, amusement parks will be given explicit guidance for operation by their respective Dept. of Healths as well, which will most likely consider some of these elements.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
For park staging concepts of controlling guest entry, some scenarios offered:
  • Open from 10-10 with no restrictions
  • dividing the park day in half, with guests purchasing tickets for either half.
  • extending park hours from 8-midnight with no restrictions on the number of guests in the park. However, guests would need to enter the park at specific times provided by the park
All very sensible, reasonable and would not really spoil the day.

As for the above, option 2 would be great if it was 8-midnight. Splitting 16 hours in half still gives you longer than an average day at Alton Towers!!!
 

Professor

Previously AndrewRollercoaster
According to BBC:

Germany to relax quarantine for EU and UK arrivals
Germany will ease quarantine rules for visitors arriving from the EU and the UK, the interior ministry says.
On Wednesday it began to open some border crossings with Austria, France and Switzerland. The country said it is aiming for "free travel" in the EU by June.



----
Also I've been saying this for a while regarding Vitamin D. Please check you get enough Vitamin D to keep your immune system up to scratch. I think sadly this is part of the reason why so many people succumbed to this disease in care homes. My partner works in one and she says residents hardly get out. They get cold quickly, which is understandable but the lack of sun we get in our lives I think is a huge problem in the UK and USA. And perhaps we have made too much fuss about skin cancer meaning many people cover up too quickly or avoid the sun altogether. You only need about 20-30 minutes in the sun on your bare arms and bare legs to get your Vitamin D levels up naturally. Or take a 25 micro-gram tablet every day (that's what I'm doing now) if you're a bit of a house hermit.

https://uk.yahoo.com/style/new-study-suggests-vitamin-d-linked-covid-19-mortality-141201888.html
 
Last edited:

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
Phantasia here I come. Get me a flight. Or a train or something. ?

And yes yes yes to vitD

This is why everyone is always sick I never understand why the govs don’t promote this more any time of the year, the easiest and cheapest to keep the population healthy.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
According to BBC:

Germany to relax quarantine for EU and UK arrivals
Germany will ease quarantine rules for visitors arriving from the EU and the UK, the interior ministry says.
On Wednesday it began to open some border crossings with Austria, France and Switzerland. The country said it is aiming for "free travel" in the EU by June.



----
Also I've been saying this for a while regarding Vitamin D. Please check you get enough Vitamin D to keep your immune system up to scratch. I think sadly this is part of the reason why so many people succumbed to this disease in care homes. My partner works in one and she says residents hardly get out. They get cold quickly, which is understandable but the lack of sun we get in our lives I think is a huge problem in the UK and USA. And perhaps we have made too much fuss about skin cancer meaning many people cover up too quickly or avoid the sun altogether. You only need about 20-30 minutes in the sun on your bare arms and bare legs to get your Vitamin D levels up naturally. Or take a 25 micro-gram tablet every day (that's what I'm doing now) if you're a bit of a house hermit.

https://uk.yahoo.com/style/new-study-suggests-vitamin-d-linked-covid-19-mortality-141201888.html
I advocate the Vitamin D, supplement it myself as well as spend plenty of time in the sun (Tan is looking lovely ?)

But there are still questions to be answered, like why some of the sunniest climates in Europe were the worst hit, places where residents generally spend a lot of time outdoors like Spain and Italy.
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
I advocate the Vitamin D, supplement it myself as well as spend plenty of time in the sun (Tan is looking lovely ?)

But there are still questions to be answered, like why some of the sunniest climates in Europe were the worst hit, places where residents generally spend a lot of time outdoors like Spain and Italy.
maybe they have a higher amount of elderly people
Italy number 2

but then again
UK number 24

?
Its all to confusing, I'm only a stupid plumber

just keep the vitD up, it cant hurt ?


https://www.prb.org/countries-with-the-oldest-populations/
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
I hate to say it in this thread too, as we all want to travel... But almost every place that was hit hardest was a tourist hotspot within it’s respective country.

This suggests to me that in these places, transmission was already high before any country even thought about taking action, and I believe this was due to the ratio of foreign travellers.

London, New York, Madrid, Paris and the only one I’m not sure about is Lombardy, is Bergamo a tourist hotspot? Or is it the close proximity to Milan?
 

Professor

Previously AndrewRollercoaster
I advocate the Vitamin D, supplement it myself as well as spend plenty of time in the sun (Tan is looking lovely ?)

But there are still questions to be answered, like why some of the sunniest climates in Europe were the worst hit, places where residents generally spend a lot of time outdoors like Spain and Italy.
From the article:

Published in the Irish Medical Journal, the report analyzed vitamin D levels of older people in countries heavily affected by the coronavirus and found that places with high death rates from COVID-19, including Italy and Spain, also had rates of vitamin D deficiency.

Countries such as Norway, Finland and Sweden, although typically less sun-filled, actually showed lower rates of vitamin D deficiency as well as lower mortality rates from COVID-19. The researchers suggest that “supplementation and fortification of foods” could be why vitamin D is at healthy levels there — and that “optimizing” vitamin D levels elsewhere may prevent serious coronavirus complications.
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
I'm still a little hopeful UK parks may open before the end of year,
we will also be getting into that spooky time of year of scare parks

I cant envision any of these will be opening. cant really social distance when face to face with a killer prison inmate in a dark passage.

can these smaller one off events survive a year off. Hoping so and they all come back next year.

still cant see when the cut off to social distancing will be, when will it be ok to be close to people again without infecting people
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
Energylandia have outlined their plans for reopening:

Google Translate is a bit rough, but from what I gather the key points are:
-Drones used for disinfecting the park
-300 disinfection stations for guests to clean hands
-Staff temperature checked at start of each day
-Some form of mass temperature check upon entry for guests
-Ability to buy food in advance via an app (you can even order food when in a queue for a ride)
-Staff divided into areas, and to stay strictly in those areas

On top of the standard social distancing, wearing of masks, etc measures we've seen other parks do. Unlike other parks, you can buy tickets on the day, but it's encouraged as much as possible to buy in advance.
 

Peet

Giga Poster
Energylandia have outlined their plans for reopening:

Google Translate is a bit rough, but from what I gather the key points are:
-Drones used for disinfecting the park
-300 disinfection stations for guests to clean hands
-Staff temperature checked at start of each day
-Some form of mass temperature check upon entry for guests
-Ability to buy food in advance via an app (you can even order food when in a queue for a ride)
-Staff divided into areas, and to stay strictly in those areas

On top of the standard social distancing, wearing of masks, etc measures we've seen other parks do. Unlike other parks, you can buy tickets on the day, but it's encouraged as much as possible to buy in advance.
At least they have plenty of room in those queue lines to space everyone out by 2 metres.
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
At least they have plenty of room in those queue lines to space everyone out by 2 metres.
I was joking about this the other day. Think about how many large attractions have such big queues that are rarely used at capacity. 6 ft. distancing is pretty easy to achieve, all things considered!
 
Top