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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

Nicky Borrill said:
Sucks for us regulars, but honestly cannot blame parks for wanting to maximise income from the limited number of guests they’ll be allowed... Imagine only being allowed 50% of your normal capacity then most of those guests being annual passes, how do they cover their costs?

Merlin are charging £1 per annual pass holder, and I am expecting them to limit the number of passholder bookings available per day... Even as a passholder, I don’t blame them.
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I mean if Walibi did the same as Merlin, I would not feel bad to be charged 1-5 euro(s) every time I make a reservation.
They told us at the beginning that the annual pass holders would only be able to make 15 reservations maximum this season. But then they changed that idea and just scrapped annual passes altogether. It kind of stinks, I have a huge Facebook fan base (Fan Club Walibi), I don't really know how to keep it relevant if I have to start paying huge amounts every time I visit.

But I understand their need of money at this moment. I will not be ignorant about this obviously. Still going to see what I can do and how I'm going to plan all of my visits this year.
 
I was thinking of going to go to Thorpe Park on 6th July, but, at the moment, Fastrack doesn't seem to be available, which I need because I struggle to queue. But with the reduced capacity, do you think the queues will be that long?
 
adrenaline1996 said:
I was thinking of going to go to Thorpe Park on 6th July, but, at the moment, Fastrack doesn't seem to be available, which I need because I struggle to queue. But with the reduced capacity, do you think the queues will be that long?
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It’s hard to predict that. No fast track or RAP should actually help the queues move much quicker.

Queues were very short at the parks I recently visited in Europe.
 
Looks like Alton Towers has sold out for opening day. Sorry if this has been mentioned already. But this is before annual pass bookings open... How many more days, particularly weekend days, will sell out before annual pass holders are able to book...

Good for them, it’s great news that they can sell out of full price only tickets, in a twisted kind of way I hope they sell out more days at full price!

edited to add: Also, if they have sold out, and distance is reduced to 1m, do you think we will see another batch released?
 
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Nicky Borrill said:
Looks like Alton Towers has sold out for opening day. Sorry if this has been mentioned already. But this is before annual pass bookings open... How many more days, particularly weekend days, will sell out before annual pass holders are able to book...

Good for them, it’s great news that they can sell out of full price only tickets, in a twisted kind of way I hope they sell out more days at full price!

edited to add: Also, if they have sold out, and distance is reduced to 1m, do you think we will see another batch released?
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Annual pass holders have separate allocated tickets that haven’t been released yet. Alton Towers is sold out for general tickets for the 4th, but annual pass holders still have a chance getting tickets for this date when they are released.
 
owentaylor121 said:
Annual pass holders have separate allocated tickets that haven’t been released yet. Alton Towers is sold out for general tickets for the 4th, but annual pass holders still have a chance getting tickets for this date when they are released.
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Where are you getting that info please? Not that I don’t believe you, just that I need a source before I can share it...

Edit: Nevermind I found a tweet reply from the official page :)

Confirms what I suggested earlier then, that passholders will only be allocated a limited amount of tickets... Good move imo.
 
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Typical braindead UK TV send in the screaming woman who has never been on a coaster before to ride a UK Roller coaster to check the new measurements for anyone who cares:

This is so old hat this screaming approach and laughing from the studio. Ugh...

But just to point it out again; an in-experienced rider again seems to have problems with wearing a mask on Icon.
 
AndrewRollercoaster said:
Typical braindead UK TV send in the screaming woman who has never been on a coaster before to ride a UK Roller coaster to check the new measurements for anyone who cares:

This is so old hat this screaming approach and laughing from the studio. Ugh...

But just to point it out again; an in-experienced rider again seems to have problems with wearing a mask on Icon.
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Surprised they aren’t selling the ‘snood’ type that other parks are selling... They’re perfect for coasters...

Having said that we had no issues with traditional masks... But we’re not squealers either ??

Pretty sure I already posted it but just incase I got the name wrong ? This is what I mean...

BF4B7A34-56B1-47F1-BC75-16930BAE9AF4.jpeg
 
AndrewRollercoaster said:
Typical braindead UK TV send in the screaming woman who has never been on a coaster before to ride a UK Roller coaster to check the new measurements for anyone who cares:

This is so old hat this screaming approach and laughing from the studio. Ugh...

But just to point it out again; an in-experienced rider again seems to have problems with wearing a mask on Icon.
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This isn’t the woman’s fault her mask came down, the same happened in the last report when that man was riding Icon too. The issue is the actual mask, both of them are wearing the premium Icon mask you can buy from Pleasure Beach, the issue is is mask is way too big, it doesn’t sit on your face properly, I have the same mask and I have to have a mask grip for it so it fits tighter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
JoshC. said:
sverigesradio.se

Inga lättnader för nöjesparker i sommar - Nyheter (Ekot)

Sveriges nöjesparker får inget undantag från förbudet för folksamlingar på över 50 personer, det säger inrikesminister Mikael Damberg (S) till Ekot. ...
sverigesradio.se sverigesradio.se

Swedish parks are still not exempt from the "no crowds larger than 50" rule, meaning parks still don't have a date for reopening. Zoos are exempt from this rule and can still open.
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Really surprised to see that. Liseberg still doesn't have an opening date which must be worrying. Was hoping to make it there this year as my BA flight out was cancelled last minute last year in July. I did notice it does have some opening times listed for October and beyond till Christmas on its website. Not sure if that is all correct however.
 
owentaylor121 said:
This isn’t the woman’s fault her mask came down, the same happened in the last report when that man was riding Icon too. The issue is the actual mask, both of them are wearing the premium Icon mask you can buy from Pleasure Beach, the issue is is mask is way too big, it doesn’t sit on your face properly, I have the same mask and I have to have a mask grip for it so it fits tighter.
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Glad I didn't bother ordering them, one size fits all can't possibly be right when it is simply ear hooks, and thus got some custom ones made that seem to fit quite snuggly.
 
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Six Flags over Georgia reopened last Monday to Members and Season Pass Holders and is to open to the General Public today. I spent the day there yesterday and had a great time. Masks were required except in few designated mask free areas, also they were available for purchase at the tram stop. Weather was sunny and the temperature reached 90F with high humidity. I wore a regular surgical mask and although uncomfortable it never felt like it was going to come off on any ride. Hand sanitizer was available at every ride entrance and exit queue, restaurant, shop, as well as free standing everywhere. Drink refills were served to you in a cup that you transfer into your bottle, no self service. Food was served in closed carry out trays instead of open baskets, also food can now be ordered via the Six Flags app. Social distance marks where everywhere.

I rode every open coaster at the park, that included Goliath (B&M Hyper), Georgia Scorcher (B&M Standup), Superman Ultimate Flight (B&M Flyer), Twisted Cyclone (RMC), Dahlonega Mine Train (Arrow), Dare Devil Dive (Gerstlauer Eurofighter), Blue Hawk (Vekoma MK1200), and Great American Scream Machine (PTC Woodie), as well as Acrophobia drop tower. Gotham City area is still closed. Most lines were fairly short with Goliath being the shortest, see the image below. My longest wait was about 30 minutes for Dahlonega due to both having the longest line and a sanitization break. All coasters were dispatching with every other row closed. Only the 3 B&M's and Dare Devil Dive were running with more than one train.

I was surprised that Great American Scream Machine was running as it was closed and being retracked the one weekend the park was open in March. GASM also had brand new trains identical to the old ones. The retracking replaced approximately the first 1/4 of the overall length and had a new bright red paint job. Unfortunately the remaining track is still in bad shape and it is still very rough.

Goliath.jpg
 
Disneyland Paris re-opening July 15th.
Masks compulsory.
Staggered seating on rides.
Maximum 12.000 guests.
No Single Rider queues
No FastPass
Only Hotel New Port Bay Club will be opened from that date, followed by Cheyenne July 20th and the others in the following weeks.

Relatively short opening days. 10am till 7pm main park. Studios till 6pm. Hotel exclusive entry between 8am -10am, which I believe is an half hour earlier entry than last year if Loopings has that right. That will be eerily quiet with 1 hotel at the beginning I would have thought.

A number of measure related photos on Loopings' site

www.looopings.nl

Disneyland Paris binnenkort weer open: datum bekend

Een bezoek aan Disneyland Paris behoort binnenkort weer tot de mogelijkheden. De Europese Disney-parken heropenen op woensdag 15 juli na een sluiting...
www.looopings.nl www.looopings.nl

220620distan1.jpg


220620distan2.jpg


220620distan3.jpg
 
JoshC. said:
sverigesradio.se

Inga lättnader för nöjesparker i sommar - Nyheter (Ekot)

Sveriges nöjesparker får inget undantag från förbudet för folksamlingar på över 50 personer, det säger inrikesminister Mikael Damberg (S) till Ekot. ...
sverigesradio.se sverigesradio.se

Swedish parks are still not exempt from the "no crowds larger than 50" rule, meaning parks still don't have a date for reopening. Zoos are exempt from this rule and can still open.
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On that note, Skara Sommarland won't open at all this year:
https://www.sommarland.se/information (in Swedish)

Edit: Gröna Lund will remain closed for the entire summer season as well:
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/stockholm/grona-lund-tvingas-halla-stangt-i-sommar (in Swedish)
 
cookie said:
On that note, Skara Sommarland won't open at all this year:
https://www.sommarland.se/information (in Swedish)

Edit: Gröna Lund will remain closed for the entire summer season as well:
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/stockholm/grona-lund-tvingas-halla-stangt-i-sommar (in Swedish)
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This is really sad. I hope parks & resorts Scandinavia are able to survive as a whole business.

Sweden's strategy is honestly so messed up. They will allow 50 people to have a party inside but won't allow the theme parks to reopen, where people come in small groups and can be distanced in queue lines and on the attractions. Not to mention the fact that theme parks are mostly outdoors where transmission rates are lower, compared to an indoor gathering of 50 where transmission rates will be much higher.

Honestly a crazy strategy, the virus is going to spread much faster if people are going from party to party than if they go on a day out in small groups where distancing is enforced. Not to mention, the economy will get even more screwed over if these parks don't get up and running soon and some of them may even struggle to survive.
 
Some info on Kings Island. Reservations for passholders go live sometime tomorrow (Tuesday, 6/23).

Carowinds Reopening Plan | Welcoming You Back | Carowinds

At Carowinds, we want you to have an AMAZING day & feel safe when visiting so we developed an extensive coronavirus reopening plan. Learn more!
www.visitkingsisland.com www.visitkingsisland.com

Reservations are required prior to arriving at the park. Reservations can be made online. Season Passholders may only have one active reservation at a time. During the initial Passholder preview days from July 2-11, 2020, passholders may only visit once.
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We're all in this together!

Kings Island has developed an extensive coronavirus reopening plan with new processes and enhanced procedures throughout the park. Learn more at our blog!
www.visitkingsisland.com www.visitkingsisland.com

1592852249287.png

Unfortunately with these early closings, it looks like any hope of true night rides on Orion (and of course, The Beast), is gone this year. Unless that is, you go for a LROTN on Fourth of July.
 
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With the social distancing rules being changed for england tomorrow, and the “2m rule” supposedly being changed to the “1m plus rule”, do people think we could see UK theme parks loading coasters full, but with mandatory face masks instead, or do we think they will stick to the original concept of leaving empty seats free on the rides?
 
Good question! I think it all depends on what the government tells them to do; Europa Park and Phantasialand are loading full coaster trains with 1m distancing and facemasks, so I don't see why UK parks couldn't!

Also, wouldn't the 1m rule allow the parks to let in more guests if they made masks compulsory?
 
Matt N said:
Good question! I think it all depends on what the government tells them to do; Europa Park and Phantasialand are loading full coaster trains with 1m distancing and facemasks, so I don't see why UK parks couldn't!

Also, wouldn't the 1m rule allow the parks to let in more guests if they made masks compulsory?
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Yes, they wouldn’t have to leave (as many) empty seats and therefore park capacity could be thereotically doubled. You could also fit double the amount of people in the queuelines.

We will see what happens tomorrow, but I don’t think the idea of compulsory face masks will go down well with the British public.
 
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