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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

I'd rather ride Coaster Express than watch another press conference, especially when I'm having a very pleasant day - but do let me know if anything important is said :)
 
Will said:
I'd rather ride Coaster Express than watch another press conference, especially when I'm having a very pleasant day - but do let me know if anything important is said :)
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On the subject of UK Conference's we need IMAscore to get involved make the preconference hype!

EDIT: Look's like the 12th is going ahead whoop!
 
Dutch parks may re-open from May 11th as long as the number of cases and pressure on hospitals peak and decline before then, the Dutch cabinet has announced. The previously suggested compulsory testing for entry (which has been tested at Hellendoorn last week and will be tested at Efteling on April 24th. Toverland's test was supposed to be tomorrow, but the park cancelled it) is off the table for theme parks after pushback, but it will be in place for movie theatres, museums, and all-day indoor attractions like the Amsterdam Dungeon and Plopsa Indoor Coevorden.

https://www.looopings.nl/weblog/165...entuinen-onder-voorbehoud-open-op-11-mei.html (in Dutch)

Edit: And just now, Belgian authorities have announced May 8th as when Belgian theme parks can re-open.

www.looopings.nl

Nieuwe openingsdatum voor pretparken in België: zaterdag 8 mei

De Belgische pretparken kunnen toewerken naar een nieuwe openingsdatum. Waarschijnlijk mogen de attractieparken in België op zaterdag 8 mei open....
www.looopings.nl www.looopings.nl
 
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Overall, yes, slightly.
But the actual rates vary by country.
India is the nation that is really struggling, but with the millions that have attended the Kumbh Mela over the last month, that is really no surprise.
 
Matt N said:
Are cases starting to decrease in mainland Europe, then?
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Not necessarily. The May start dates are in hope that the post-Easter peak will have been reached and cases start seeing a noticeable decline. Netherlands and Belgium are still way above in daily cases than they were in February/early March, and if it stays that way, those dates are probably getting pushed back even further.
 
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Unless you've had both your vaccines (or REALLY want the two new creds) - my advice is to avoid Fantasy Island.

I was HORRIFIED when I saw how the place has been allowed to operate, specifically queue lines with Spinning Racer's queue lined up around the side of the ride and all packed in together as if it was 'the old days'. I was also asked to move in Millennium's station whilst trying to keep a respectful distance from other park guests. Staff are all fully masked up etc. but you can count the guests in masks on your fingers, even on rides where the website claims it to be enforced.
There's signs in queue lines stating 'failure to abide by social distancing rules will result in ejection from the park' but these may as well be written in hieroglyphics for all the attention anyone paid.

I'm no 'Karen' but I admit, I asked to speak to a senior staff member (after voicing my concerns at Millennium, I was told 'I know, it's crap, isn't it...') to suggest measures other parks were taking and point out possible consequences. He turned up (flanked by a guy who looked like a nightclub bouncer) and at first implied that I shouldn't have come on a busy day if I didn't want crowds - he had a fair point, but this was by the by. In the end, I think he elected to humour me and smile and nod politely, but the end result is that I've come away without the Spinning Racer cred. I may go back in the morning, or I might not. Their attitude was very much 'well, we've tried telling them, but what else can we do?'

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Happily, after a pleasant meal outside a quiet pub and having checked into my 'apartment' in a pleasant village a good 20 minutes from Skeggy, I'm no longer quite as pissed off...
 
I mean, that sounds horrendous @Will. Makes me a little anxious for my visit in about a month. But then, I really want to get the Odyssey cred so I'd have to just suck it up I suppose. :(

I wonder if there is any sort of official complaints route you can report non-compliant businesses to...?
 
I think I'm going to wait till later in the summer when my wife and I are fully vaccinated. Hopefully this rush to "get out there" calms down a bit by then as well, possibly when other things are open. It's one of the reasons I've been in no hurry to get to a park yet.
 
Odyssey wasn't open yesterday despite the air being very still...

I've had a slightly apologetic message from FI this morning saying that they'll be bringing in 'enhanced safety measures' from today. I'm hoping someone has taken a severe rapping on the knuckles overnight, I shall let you know.

For those concerned - stick to the major parks, as I think Alton & Paultons are doing a pretty good job covid-wise. Can't comment on anywhere else. I'm braving Mablethorpe later, so may need to pack full PPE :D

As an aside, I DO recommend self-catering in Alford if you're visiting the Lincs coast and want to stay somewhere that isn't scummy :D
 
Hixee said:
I mean, that sounds horrendous @Will. Makes me a little anxious for my visit in about a month. But then, I really want to get the Odyssey cred so I'd have to just suck it up I suppose. :(

I wonder if there is any sort of official complaints route you can report non-compliant businesses to...?
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Did that myself last year regarding the South Pier at Blackpool, absolute chaos with no distancing or checking on entry, dangerous levels of crowding in the main arcade, and staff who didn't seem to care.
Complained to the HSE...I wasn't the only one apparently.
They told me it was not in their remit, and redirected me to Blackpool Council, who sent in the inspectors the next week.
Things were much improved a few weeks later...threats of closure in Blackpool became routine apparently.
So if you want to stir them up, try the local council in the area.
Sadly, from what I hear, yours is not an isolated incident.
 
Indeed - I saw an acquaintance on Facebook posting pictures of taking her kids for a day out to the South Pier yesterday and things looked little better than Skegness. She didn't appear to give a monkey's...

I like monkeys.
 
So apparently, Heide-Park won a court battle against the local government and is set to re-open this weekend with the caveat that visitors present a negative test result that's less than 24 hours old. The park is apparently also planning to let people take tests in the resort's parking lot between 7:30 A.M and 6 P.M for an 18 euro fee (if you're a visitor from outside the state of Lower Saxony).

EDIT: If you've been fully vaccinated since at least 15 days, you will be allowed to enter the park without issue. Masks are still mandatory in all queues and indoor areas.

www.ndr.de

Heide Park Soltau: Saisonstart mit 35 Tagen Verspätung

Achterbahn frei seit 1. Mai: Als erster Freizeitpark Deutschlands ist der Heide Park in Soltau in die Saison gestartet. Das nutzen vor allem Familien.
www.ndr.de www.ndr.de

Plan your visit at Heide Park Resort

Are you planning a trip to Northern Germany's largest amusement park? Get the opening hours and your directions here for Heide Park Resort.
www.heide-park.de www.heide-park.de

Whether other German parks could attempt similar strategies is unknown.
 
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That all sounded very sensible, until 18 EUROS!!!???

I've got six on my windowsill at home that didn't cost me anything and I suspect they're moreorless the same test!

However, taking one of said tests to a park entrance, there'd be no way of proving it was under 24hrs old!
 
Wow; have they somehow managed to bypass lockdown laws or something? Or are the laws just less stringent in that part of Germany?
 
Matt N said:
Wow; have they somehow managed to bypass lockdown laws or something? Or are the laws just less stringent in that part of Germany?
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Basically zoos and the like were allowed to open in Lower Saxony, but not amusement parks. So Heide Park went to court and argued that amusement parks can be just as safe as zoos, with the right procedures in place! Oddly, the decision is specific to Heide Park, but other parks could now sue and us this as precedent

https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/nied...-Park-Soltau-darf-aufmachen,heidepark184.html
 
cookie said:
Dutch parks may re-open from May 11th as long as the number of cases and pressure on hospitals peak and decline before then, the Dutch cabinet has announced. The previously suggested compulsory testing for entry (which has been tested at Hellendoorn last week and will be tested at Efteling on April 24th. Toverland's test was supposed to be tomorrow, but the park cancelled it) is off the table for theme parks after pushback, but it will be in place for movie theatres, museums, and all-day indoor attractions like the Amsterdam Dungeon and Plopsa Indoor Coevorden.

https://www.looopings.nl/weblog/16520/Pretparken-en-employee monitoring-dierentuinen-onder-voorbehoud-open-op-11-mei.html (in Dutch)

Edit: And just now, Belgian authorities have announced May 8th as when Belgian theme parks can re-open.

www.looopings.nl

Nieuwe openingsdatum voor pretparken in België: zaterdag 8 mei

De Belgische pretparken kunnen toewerken naar een nieuwe openingsdatum. Waarschijnlijk mogen de attractieparken in België op zaterdag 8 mei open....
www.looopings.nl www.looopings.nl
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I read the article through a translator, I seem to understand everything, but there is a question
tests will be carried out right in front of the park entrance? Or will you need a certificate of a preliminary test and a negative result? and how will the payment be made if the test is done right at the entrance to the park?
I apologize if this information was there, apparently I missed it or did not understand it because of the translator
 
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