Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

[Nicky Borrill]

Nobody actually pays the gate price though do they? In fact they can't at the moment as you have to pre-book. So the real question is have they dropped the advance booking price? Because if they haven't then they're not really passing any discount on to the consumer.

A quick look at their website says they're charging £34 in advance which sounds very much like the same amount they've always charged (I'm not sure because I would usually use 2-4-1 vouchers) so in reality they're probably not passing any saving to their guests.

I don’t think they are...

Which, despite my earlier comments r.e VAT being passed on this time around, is a little naughty on Merlin’s part. Purely because they’ve lobbied, campaigned and complained that the reason their prices were so high was because of VAT...

But to be fair, who can blame them? You’d save £4.25 if they applied the cut fully... You’re not going to miss that... And given the difficulties getting tickets at the minute, people will still book... But any business is certainly going to benefit from say (5000 x £4.25) £21250.00 extra income per day... Much needed boost after a no fault period of disruption imo.

 

[Professor]

I don’t think they are...

Which, despite my earlier comments r.e VAT being passed on this time around, is a little naughty on Merlin’s part. Purely because they’ve lobbied, campaigned and complained that the reason their prices were so high was because of VAT...

But to be fair, who can blame them? You’d save £4.25 if they applied the cut fully... You’re not going to miss that... And given the difficulties getting tickets at the minute, people will still book... But any business is certainly going to benefit from say (5000 x £4.25) £21250.00 extra income per day... Much needed boost after a no fault period of disruption imo.

Shame most of that extra income will be used to for Merlin Entertainment share dividends rather than investment in rides probably.

 

[Nitefly]

I don’t think I’ll visit Alton Towers again with the silly opening hours and delayed ride openings. I want to have a relaxed time, not a clock watching ‘rush’.... let alone in the corona-climate.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

I don’t think I’ll visit Alton Towers again with the silly opening hours and delayed ride openings. I want to have a relaxed time, not a clock watching ‘rush’.... let alone in the corona-climate.

Delayed ride openings? All rides open at the same time at the moment (Those that are operating that day)

On a side note, I forgot to mention... All queues were listed as an hour plus the other day, with the exception of smiley and wicker... We waited no longer than 20 mins...

Wicker was on 120 min queue we waited 55 mins... Smiler was on a 90 minute queue we waited 120 ?

 

[Professor]

Towers is opened till 6pm starting Saturday. Strange to see Thorpe Park still at 5pm next week. Not 6pm until August.

Both seem to have astronomically long queue times these days. Was planning a visit to either next Thursday but not so sure.

BPB has both parks trumped with opening times till 7pm from Saturday and the near bi-weekly 10pm closes on Saturdays. No fireworks this year due to Covid btw so more possibilities to ride all rides in the south park till closing time.

I do get the impression BPB is trying to make the most of this year with the extended season close date and incentives to get cheaper season tickets for next year (I paid £48 for a 2021 season pass, what a steal!) with Merlin taking a far more conservative approach. Duel re-opening the other day is good though. Hopefully Hex will follow. No chance Derren Brown will open with the headset thing.

(With regards to Derren Brown I actually sort of enjoyed the experience when I tried it last year but really just as a one off. I was expecting it to be quite terrible from what I had read. Still a bad investment for the park I think.)

Wonder if Thorpe will attempt to re-open the Walking Dead coaster or if it will remain closed this year completely.

 

[cookie]

Due to corona Europa Park have confirmed their Halloween Horror Nights event Traumatica has been cancelled this year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1283378366528331776

And Phantasialand have called off their annual pride event.

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I figured the Halloween events weren’t going to happen even if the parks remained open. Universal should stop dragging their heels and cancel HHN30 already.

 

[Nitefly]

Delayed ride openings? All rides open at the same time at the moment (Those that are operating that day)

On a side note, I forgot to mention... All queues were listed as an hour plus the other day, with the exception of smiley and wicker... We waited no longer than 20 mins...

Wicker was on 120 min queue we waited 55 mins... Smiler was on a 90 minute queue we waited 120 ?

Thanks for the correction. Last time I visited the rides in Forbidden Valley didn’t open until after other rides, which was annoying.

Two hour wait for a UK ride though, eeesh.

 

[cookie]

I think Tivoli's booking system may be just a little bit skewed.





Just a little bit.

 

[Professor]

Th13teen reopened at Towers. 100 mins queue though. ?
So that's all 9 major coasters open.

 

[UP87]

I figured the Halloween events weren’t going to happen even if the parks remained open. Universal should stop dragging their heels and cancel HHN30 already.

Movie Park Germany is working on making their Halloween Event happen. According to a recent interview they are in contact with the authorities and really confident that they can make it happen.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Thanks for the correction. Last time I visited the rides in Forbidden Valley didn’t open until after other rides, which was annoying.

Two hour wait for a UK ride though, eeesh.

It wasn’t great, thankfully we left it until last... Had one of those breakdowns, you know the ones so long that everyone is camped on the floor by the time it reopens? One of those! Wasn’t ideal as we were right in the thick of the cages near the vending machines... Which to top it off didn’t work, took my money and just stood there staring at me with their bellies full of orea chocolates and bottles of diet coke!!! ?

 

[Matt N]

Interestingly, Boris Johnson is apparently going to announce tomorrow his tentative plans to return the country to near-normality post-COVID: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-Britain-near-normal-coronavirus-crisis.html

His plans cover various things, including how to make the NHS ready for winter, how to get people back into the office and how to gradually remove social distancing, will span over a 9-month period, meaning that Boris’ plan is currently for near-normality to have returned by approximately April 2021.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Interestingly, Boris Johnson is apparently going to announce tomorrow his tentative plans to return the country to near-normality post-COVID: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-Britain-near-normal-coronavirus-crisis.html

His plans cover various things, including how to make the NHS ready for winter, how to get people back into the office and how to gradually remove social distancing, will span over a 9-month period, meaning that Boris’ plan is currently for near-normality to have returned by approximately April 2021.

Feels like near normality in many places now... Tesco seem to have removed all measures besides screens! :/

 

[JammyH]

Interestingly, Boris Johnson is apparently going to announce tomorrow his tentative plans to return the country to near-normality post-COVID: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-Britain-near-normal-coronavirus-crisis.html

His plans cover various things, including how to make the NHS ready for winter, how to get people back into the office and how to gradually remove social distancing, will span over a 9-month period, meaning that Boris’ plan is currently for near-normality to have returned by approximately April 2021.

That’s very ambitious to gradually remove social distancing, I’m afraid, and being very pessimistic here, the chances of a second wave setting us back to square one are quite high.

Normality will only be resumed in April 2021 dependent on a sufficient treatment or vaccine. Otherwise we will have to keep living as we are (masks and distancing) until we find an appropriate way forward as the virus is too deadly to go back to normal with the way it is circulating right now.

I’m afraid to say it but chucking everyone back to offices right now is very risky as workers don’t social distance and could lead to lots of localised outbreaks.

Feels like near normality in many places now... Tesco seem to have removed all measures besides screens! :/

I’ve heard about this, and exactly why I’m staying well clear of tesco. Apparently they think it’s ok to ditch all measures such as one way systems, hand sanitiser and queueing and just let everyone free for all.

—-

Completely separate, but visited Clarence pier today and did the two coasters. I can confirm, masks stay on!

Clarence pier was very well set up with hand sanitiser stations and social distancing markers, staff in PPE and cleaning after every cycle. 4/5 (only downside is a couple of staff had masks under nose but I avoided those rides).

I then went on to Funland Hayling island and oh my god I was in for a shock. Hand sanitiser at the entrance but apart from that NO social distancing whatsoever. Kids running around everywhere, parents chasing and barging past, no one had a care in the world for social distancing. No hand sanitiser at attractions, no cleaning, no social distancing in queues, staff weren’t in PPE but were still doing the restraints and sitting right next to the people in the ride cars and breathing all over them! Felt so uncomfortable, left after less than 5 minutes and didn’t get the coaster count and went for a walk on the beach, but safety is top priority in my eyes at the moment and they had no measures in place.

Oh yeah, a couple of the staff at Hayling island had masks on when doing customers restraints, but the masks were under their chins. ?

 

[Matt N]

With regards to what I said above, Boris is apparently investing £3bn into the NHS to help it prepare for the winter, so maybe that new investment will help us get back to normal by April 2021?

Also, it might be worth remembering that Oxford University has previously said it could begin delivering doses of vaccine in September/October 2020, and the recent phase 2 human trial results were very promising! So that in itself should offer a path back to normality if it passes phase 3 trials.

 

[JammyH]

Cases and deaths up by a considerable amount from this time last week ☹

 

[Professor]

Cases and deaths up by a considerable amount from this time last week ☹

There is a big debate starting about how these deaths are calculated as most of it is historical data and not death numbers on a specific date.

Personally I think a far more accurate measurement, indeed to ensure the health system isn't overloaded, is to look at hospital admissions.

These are now incredibly low and most likely if these weren't is what would concern government.

Considering these daily admissions now are 150 or less during the first two weeks in July in England (trending towards 50 in fact) whilst far more measures have been eased I really do not think there is massive concern any longer. Scotland btw didn't report a single death in a week I believe.

 

[Professor]

Blackpool Pleasure Beach have reduced the opening hours from 7pm to 5pm next week during the week. Still showing tomorrow at 7pm and Sunday 6pm.
Further ahead it still states 7pm and so are the late night ridings still scheduled.

I'd imagine they are playing it week by week to see what the expectations are and possibly the weather, which is not looking particularly superb in Blackpool at the moment. Won't surprise me if the following week we will see further hour reductions as the weather just isn't looking great for the rest of July for Blackpool at all.

Better to be safe than to be sorry with reducing expense and improving profit where possible in the current situation especially.

 

[JammyH]

Ok so I’ve been really patient so far and I still haven’t been to a major park yet, with Clarence pier being the largest park I’ve been too...

I won’t lie I still feel on edge about the whole covid situation but I’m desperate for a theme park holiday. Either a theme park holiday combined with city sightseeing or a resort holiday stay in a park that has bars/pools etc.

But I have some worries.

I want to go to a park which makes me feel safe. I went to Funland Hayling island and Clarence pier with the mindset of if I don’t like the measures I will turn around and come home. I left Funland after 5 minutes, but I felt safe at Clarence pier so I stayed. If I go abroad it’s harder just to turn around and come home if I don’t like the measures in place.

I’m a bit nervous to use public transport. I’m just worried about rule breakers and people not wearing their masks and as a result feeling uncomfortable on a plane or a train or bus on the other side. I’m unlikely to feel relaxed unless everyone is doing what they are supposed to properly.

So I was just wondering to anyone who’s been anywhere so far, what’s flying and foreign public transport like in the current circumstances? Is it nerve racking? And where are the best parks to go to, in terms of covid-safety? I really want to feel safe and be able to enjoy my trip. I know @Nicky Borrill went to energylandia and walibi and they were chaos, so they are already a no-go(and energylandia is for other reasons but not related to covid).

 

[jj23w]

Ok so I’ve been really patient so far and I still haven’t been to a major park yet, with Clarence pier being the largest park I’ve been too...

I won’t lie I still feel on edge about the whole covid situation but I’m desperate for a theme park holiday. Either a theme park holiday combined with city sightseeing or a resort holiday stay in a park that has bars/pools etc.

But I have some worries.

I want to go to a park which makes me feel safe. I went to Funland Hayling island and Clarence pier with the mindset of if I don’t like the measures I will turn around and come home. I left Funland after 5 minutes, but I felt safe at Clarence pier so I stayed. If I go abroad it’s harder just to turn around and come home if I don’t like the measures in place.

I’m a bit nervous to use public transport. I’m just worried about rule breakers and people not wearing their masks and as a result feeling uncomfortable on a plane or a train or bus on the other side. I’m unlikely to feel relaxed unless everyone is doing what they are supposed to properly.

So I was just wondering to anyone who’s been anywhere so far, what’s flying and foreign public transport like in the current circumstances? Is it nerve racking? And where are the best parks to go to, in terms of covid-safety? I really want to feel safe and be able to enjoy my trip. I know @Nicky Borrill went to energylandia and walibi and they were chaos, so they are already a no-go(and energylandia is for other reasons but not related to covid).

My personal opinion if you didn’t feel safe maybe don’t risk it stay in the country.