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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

From a personal perspective, I think it's highly reckless of any park to be considering opening in the current climate and given the current guidance from the government (AND taking a lead from our neighbours on the continent).

From a business perspective, I sort of understand it though. The government haven't mandated any closures, so Alton would close 'at their own cost'. Although they're likely operating at a significant loss. Difficult balance to strike, I suspect.

A perverse part of me hoped we finally see insurance companies have to cough up some money, but I guess they lobbied Boris better than anyone else...
 
OK an update on my BPB ‘issue’ - they have said they ‘cannot refund‘ but in the circumstances they are OK to defer my ticket to another date subject to paying any price increases that may apply. I think that’s a good result - they keep the cash and I don’t have to pay twice. Win win. Not sure it’ll apply for some of the bonus extras I had booked but I’ll save that discussion for a later date and be glad about the entry tickets :)
 
davidm said:
(although there is a line of argument that says most business policies wouldn't cover them even if the government mandated them to shut)
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Now the counter-counter-argument is that if the insurance companies don't have to pay out, then Boris should have forced closure. :p
 
UP87 said:
Seriously... you should not go, either! To protect yourself and everyone!
https://twitter.com/x/status/1240086435874643970
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Not that I don't agree with the sentiment necessarily, but this is a perfect example of information being spread falsely to make a (reasonable) point, but also ends up causing unnecessary panic..

-South Korea have not tested everyone. They've tested about 270,000 of their ~52m population. Still a significant amount, but not everyone.

-Some amount of the spread in South Korea was caused by a religious sect who did not react as told, and at one point rubbished the threat of the virus. This sect has a large following in young people.

-Many younger people are the ones who will work in retail and the food industry, places which are having to remain open at the moment. It's quite possible many of them will remain asymptotic if they catch the virus. They can't justify feeling fine and not going to work in an important industry at this time. (This is why entire households are being told to self isolate if one person shows symptoms, to justify keeping these people from spreading the virus)

There's certainly enough evidence, in my mind, to suggest that there's some people who shouldn't have to self isolate and continue as normal as possible for now. Whether opening theme parks is really the smartest call at the moment, given that people will ignore the recommendations, is a different matter.

tl;dr - don't believe everything you read just because there's a graph attached to it.
 
JoshC. said:
There's certainly enough evidence, in my mind, to suggest that there's some people who shouldn't have to self isolate and continue as normal as possible for now. Whether opening theme parks is really the smartest call at the moment, given that people will ignore the recommendations, is a different matter.
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Thank you. I didn't know some of the facts. But I assume we agree that the sample size of 270 000 is enough to have an overview of the whole population of South Korea. Especially as most of the relevant age group won't have significant symptoms.

The graph made a lot of sense to me and seemed compareable as young adults here in Germany are taking the closure of the educational system as an additional holiday. They are meeting outside, drinking and having fun. It's totally stupid! If one of those is infected it's going to spread like a wildfire. I'm pretty sure there is a huge number of unknown cases in this age group. If it's as big as in South Korea...? Most likely we'll never know that... But the thing is: No symptoms doesn't mean not infected. Everyone should minimize social contacts to help the whole population.
 
JoshC. said:
Not that I don't agree with the sentiment necessarily, but this is a perfect example of information being spread falsely to make a (reasonable) point, but also ends up causing unnecessary panic..

-South Korea have not tested everyone. They've tested about 270,000 of their ~52m population. Still a significant amount, but not everyone.

-Some amount of the spread in South Korea was caused by a religious sect who did not react as told, and at one point rubbished the threat of the virus. This sect has a large following in young people.

-Many younger people are the ones who will work in retail and the food industry, places which are having to remain open at the moment. It's quite possible many of them will remain asymptotic if they catch the virus. They can't justify feeling fine and not going to work in an important industry at this time. (This is why entire households are being told to self isolate if one person shows symptoms, to justify keeping these people from spreading the virus)

There's certainly enough evidence, in my mind, to suggest that there's some people who shouldn't have to self isolate and continue as normal as possible for now. Whether opening theme parks is really the smartest call at the moment, given that people will ignore the recommendations, is a different matter.

tl;dr - don't believe everything you read just because there's a graph attached to it.
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While there are some good key takeaways here, I *almost* want to call this misinformation as well. The original tweeter's caption isn't good, but the entire point of the graph is this: if you are a young, able bodied person, you can be carrying the virus and ultimately be a vector towards many other people regardless of whether you're showing symptoms or not. The graph clearly shows that the virus does not favor age, no matter who's tested. Hell, the NBA player that caused every sport in North America to shut down felt good enough to put up 32 points in his last game - that's not easy for even a healthy player to accomplish. You shared great points regarding South Korea's situation, but to say that people shouldn't self isolate is not the right conclusion.

In coaster related news, it looks like Castles n Coasters out in Arizona has closed indefinitely and let go of their entire work force (I'm unsure of the original source):

1584536885080.png

What an awful situation the smaller businesses have been put in...
 
Fantasy Island in Skegness, UK have announced they will not open and don't expect to be either over Easter.

Drayton Manor also announced temporary closure.

Madness if the other UK parks don't follow.
 
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I worry less about the theme parks themselves, and more about the workers and their families that could be in serious trouble because of all this. I'm sort of lucky and unlucky in my job. I work in supermarket management, and although I don't interact face to face with too many customers, I still do. I most definitely interact with the staff that are on the front line, though. I'm glad that I'm in supermarkets as it means my job is secure, but it also makes me a sitting duck to the virus. Plus I'm in the 20-29 category and could possibly be spreading the illness without even knowing. It's so difficult and I don't really know the solution tbh,
 
Ethan said:
I worry less about the theme parks themselves, and more about the workers and their families that could be in serious trouble because of all this. I'm sort of lucky and unlucky in my job. I work in supermarket management, and although I don't interact face to face with too many customers, I still do. I most definitely interact with the staff that are on the front line, though. I'm glad that I'm in supermarkets as it means my job is secure, but it also makes me a sitting duck to the virus. Plus I'm in the 20-29 category and could possibly be spreading the illness without even knowing. It's so difficult and I don't really know the solution tbh,
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Keep your staff safe, provide them with antibac at their workstations and avoid direct contact when possible. Everyone needs to take responsibility to socially distance themselves as much as they can, don't shake hands, don't go out if you have the symptoms, practice good hygiene.
I'm worried about those who can't rely on their employers to look after themselves, freelancers, small business owners, the homeless. They are the ones who will be hit hardest.
I'm very lucky to have a job which I can do from home, which is in the pharmaceutical industry, and not customer facing. I can almost live like a hermit (also known as a @Howie ;) ), with the fiance and kids and be reasonably safe and not worry too much about my job. Others can't do that, those with kids who now need to be at home with them everyday and can't go to work, they won't get paid forever.
You are lucky too Ethan, keeping your stores open will help everyone, so keep yourself and your staff healthy, allow everyone to get what they need to survive and give out free beer to your friends.
 
DelPiero said:
Keep your staff safe, provide them with antibac at their workstations and avoid direct contact when possible.
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Anti-bac products, in the UK? I'd have a job finding any haha. The company said they would send sanitizer to all stores ages ago, but still nothing. And this is one of the major supermarket chains I'm talking about here.
 
Hearing from a couple of friends in Govt that UK lockdown is going to be announced before the weekend. This would mean that the last of the parks still operating will be closed imminently. Ugh, not prepared at all.
 
Ethan said:
I worry less about the theme parks themselves, and more about the workers and their families that could be in serious trouble because of all this
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*waves* - as someone who works* for the Walt Disney Company It's definitely been an interesting week. Going from business as usual, to the partial shutdown, to still having to go in after the shutdown....to now being at home until they tell us to come back... (the 28th at the earliest....but in all likelihood.... mid April, May?) It's somewhat surreal. Being paid this week, and next week for sure...not really sure what's gonna happen next.
But it was kinda....cool...being in the middle of Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom with absolutely no one else around. Not even other cast members.
 
Sandman said:
Hearing from a couple of friends in Govt that UK lockdown is going to be announced before the weekend. This would mean that the last of the parks still operating will be closed imminently. Ugh, not prepared at all.
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Good! The Govt need to stop faffing and be more decisive. I am sure the Parks who are open are awaiting this decision and then can claim insurance and any other income protection policies they have as they will have been 'forced' to close.
 
Sandman said:
Hearing from a couple of friends in Govt that UK lockdown is going to be announced before the weekend. This would mean that the last of the parks still operating will be closed imminently. Ugh, not prepared at all.
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My boss is saying the same thing. So now, not only do I want theme parks to shut, but I DON'T want the office to shut!!
Situation upgraded from concern to terror...
 
Must be the only roller coasters in operation currently here in the UK. I'm afraid to say it is incredibly stupid. Not so much for the coaster riders but for vulnerable people.
 
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