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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

gavin said:
Visitor numbers were down 70% to 1.7 million, which clearly isn't good. However, considering there are no tourists here and the park has only been open for 40% of the time (with reduced capacity), that's very good in terms of local visitors. 1.7 million would look decent for most parks, but it's clearly not going to be anywhere near enough for Disney. Local attendance was up 46% per day in the first half of the year, but without the international visitors, it's just not enough.
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Heck, Merlin would be over the moon if Thorpe could pull those 1.7 million visitors. For a Disney park that's been on reduced capacity and strictly limited to locals, those are good numbers.

Hopefully, once the new Frozen area opens, they will boost attendance dramatically.
 
oriolat2 said:
Heck, Merlin would be over the moon if Thorpe could pull those 1.7 million visitors. For a Disney park that's been on reduced capacity and strictly limited to locals, those are good numbers.

Hopefully, once the new Frozen area opens, they will boost attendance dramatically.
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More locals will probably go than usual, but that's because we're all "trapped" with nowhere else to go. Numbers won't go up in any meaningful way until the tourists are allowed back in though. Given Hong Kong's ludicrous goal of "zero infections", they're not about to open up anytime soon. The best we can hope for at the moment is some sort of Guangdong province travel bubble, but that keeps failing.
 
After a year and a half of being closed, Swedish parks are finally back in action. Gröna Lund opens today, Liseberg tomorrow, Wildfire and the other rides at Kolmården are already back to operating full time, etc. Skara Sommarland opens on Saturday with Snake, the relocated flat ride from Gröna Lund, and has a pretty funny commercial to go along with it.

 
In case anyone’s going to Portugal from Britain any time soon, it’s now off the UK’s green list for travel: https://apple.news/A1oOTQLM0S3qidgrhJvsQyg

I’m not sure if there’s anything notable cred-wise in Portugal, but I know it’s a popular British holiday spot, so I just thought it was worth informing people about.
 
I think if you're heading to Portugal for creds you're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Good for food, sun, landscapes and drink, though.
 
I had looked into this option when the list was first announced but no, not even a slimline Poseidon made me go for it. The other 3 Portugal 'creds' are the opposite of clumped, and include a dragon wagon and an alpine slide.

If anyone is able to be flexible enough to book and leave within in a few days, then do that with any forthcoming green list countries.

Thankfully the UK offerings shine brighter when it's all there is. Instead of seeing all the places that are better I am glad we are not worse off. Plus the London resort will open any day now. (Unverified)
 
emoo said:
Thankfully the UK offerings shine brighter when it's all there is. Instead of seeing all the places that are better I am glad we are not worse off.
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Controversially, I think that might be one of the good things to come out of the COVID crisis. I really think that COVID has made enthusiasts appreciate what we have here in the UK a lot more; I know that’s certainly been the case for me.
 
Matt N said:
Controversially, I think that might be one of the good things to come out of the COVID crisis. I really think that COVID has made enthusiasts appreciate what we have here in the UK a lot more;
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That is definitely controversial! All it's done for me is make me angry that I can't get over to the likes of Sweden, the Netherlands and especially the US for all their far superior creds. Instead I've had to scrape around for new creds at Legoland, Pettits and Knowsley Safari Park FFS 😆
 
Of course, I’m not suggesting that I’m glad everyone’s trips got cancelled by any means; foreign travel is a big part of this hobby that opens up so many great rides and parks, and besides, my own plan to go out to Florida and ride VelociCoaster & Iron Gwazi for my 18th birthday got thrown out the window, and I’m now unsure when I’m going to be able to get back to Florida, so I’m equally as gutted as all of you that we can’t travel! I guess Paultons & Legoland for my 18th birthday is still pretty exciting, though; I’m certainly excited, especially for Paultons seeing as it’s my first ever visit!

My point was, though; I think when you have experience of what’s abroad, the grass can often seem greener abroad than it is here in the UK, and that can often make you almost take the UK parks for granted, and brush them aside as inferior. But when the lockdowns happened, and we weren’t able to go anywhere, I think it really made me realise that I truly love the theme parks in this country, and that there’s some truly great stuff right on our doorstep that we often forget about.

Do you get what I’m saying?
 
Some positive developments in Germany:

As of May 31st, Heide-Park stopped requiring test results before entry. Hotel guests may still need to present test results or proof of vaccination, however.

www.heide-park.de

Amusement Park in Northern Germany

Northern Germany's largest amusement park for the perfect getaway. Discover our Peppa Pig Land or experience our wooden rollercoaster Colossos.
www.heide-park.de www.heide-park.de

Hansa-Park, which will open on June 18th, will also not require a test result before entry.

www.hansapark.de

HANSA-PARK - Deutschlands einziger Erlebnispark am Meer

Erleben Sie Deutschlands einzigen Erlebnispark am Meer
www.hansapark.de
 
witchfinder said:
Yes, but the grass IS greener overseas as far as coasters and theme parks are concerned ;)
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For the most part it mostly really is - gimme that green light.

Its good to be optimistic and appreciative. Had fun visiting the parks here over the past year. Glad some places could open, and got to leave my room with a destination. England (with Wales as a top up) has a collection of decent models/types that are not the worse examples they could be, there is quality here.

But c'mon, there is much to do elsewhere that's new and fresh, or just better. Given the chance & choice, I'd be All Out.
 
You have to play the plans you are dealt. We had plans for a big family trip to Disney World/Universal/Sea World last year then this year - now tbc!

This week we went to the Lincolnshire coast. I had never been to Fantasy Island before - makes Blackpool feel classy. I was really impressed by Odyssey though, made me smile. I enjoyed Millenium too.

We then went to Flamingo Land too this week - mainly for the Zoo for the wife and little one. The zoo there is really impressive. Kumali was not running and ran out of time to queue for Hero (sadly). Really enjoyed Velocity (first time on a motorbike coaster). Mumbo Jumbo was a bit meh.

Probably enjoyed the Twistosaurus and Zoom coasters with the whole family most of all.

Plans to go to Blackpool for the first time as a family this summer - have not been since riding the Big One in the 90s so looking forward to trying out Icon.

Life is short, there are no guarantees when international travel will properly return- enjoy what you can when you can.
 
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