Theme Parks Reopening Post COVID-19

[themagician]

Forum to discuss the parks reopening, anything we notice that’s positive or negative, current and upcoming changes, etc

[DJKostya]

Some good news being reported on the reopening of SeaWorld with lots of people queuing to get in:

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/coronavirus-queensland-sea-world-reopens-as-state-records-new-virus-case/news-story/f3461fa9be96fc8be6d3c45740a290c1

[Brad2912]

Enjoyed a fun and relaxing day today at PC.

Don’t think numbers would have been above 100 in the time I was there, 

Only noticeable impacts from covid were social distancing in the seated show areas (1 row gap), no buffet component with meals (as expected), no damper to share (self explanatory) and all seats and contacts points wiped down after every cycle of the tractor ride. 
 

 oh, and the marmoset says hello

[themagician]

So I briefly visited SW today, did a lap around the park and through some of the exhibits to see how things were set up/operating, etc. 

As expected, there is a heap of signage everywhere, most of them looking like this:

At the park entrance there is signage showing how to use the app and add your tickets in

Some of the carpark has been fenced off, as it is being used for the extended queue area for park entry

We arrived at around 1pm and there was a quite the queue to get in. Partly because there were only two booths open, but also because for people who didn't have the app and hadn't added their tickets, the staff member had to take all the detail about each person of the group. I imagine this would have been the entry process when the park opened very long and slow.

Inside the park, every store has an entry and exit door, with queue markers throughout the park. There aren't too many of these, particularly around food outlets, so I imagine this could become chaotic during busy times (A staff member did tell me that they are prepared for massive crowds this weekend, with plenty of staff on). All indoor animal exhibits, have set up outdoor queue areas with green tape (as seen in the carpark), with a staff member at the entrance counting people in and out. For Penguin Encounter, they are only using the back door. For Shark Bay, they have set up a very long (back to Polar Bear Shores) queue area, as the capacity was only around 100. All touch pools are now 'no touch, only look pools'. In the underwater viewing area of Shark Bay, while there are markers for social distancing, no one was really obeying them and instead would stand where ever there was a view. The underwater viewing area for Polar Bear Shores has been closed off too.

In Castaway Bay, only the splash pad and boats are open. Storm Coaster are seating every second row, so that means the capacity is now only 4 people per boat. The queue wasn't very long, but there was a 30 minute wait. Jet Rescue was closed for maintenance, but I would imagine they will skip every second row too.

For stadium seating, they have marked out 1.5 metres as a guide for guests

One thing that did surprise me was I didn't see any hand sanitising stations. I was on the look out for them, but could not see them anywhere. I expected there to be one at the end of Shark Bay (as it is a one way system), but there wasn't. I did go on any rides, but I'd like to think they is some at the end of each ride. 

Also, I can confirm Sea World's current capacity is set at 6,500 (there was a sign at the entrance). The carpark was about 75% full and the park didn't feel too busy. Will be interesting to see if they reach capacity on the weekend.

Overall, the park was doing what we would be expecting and it was great to be back in the park. It was also nice to see VRTP staff happy and enjoying themselves. The staff that I spoke too/was served by were all really nice and welcomed conversation.

 

GENERAL PARK UPDATE:

No photos, but all park signage throughout has been replaced with an updated style. All references to the monorail and Spongebob 3D have been removed, this includes attraction signage.

[Flynn_Smith]

Also went for a visit today. Arrived at about 1:45, and there was no queue to get inside. 

I can confirm there are no hand sanitising stations at the end of rides, which is very surprising. Storm coaster can actually have a maximum of 6 riders, depending on the group sizes. On my ride, 5 of us were fit on, with a group of 4 in the front, and myself in the back row. 

Vortex is certainly interesting. It will be interesting to see what the area looks like once it has become overgrown with the greenery around it, but for now, I do think it looks very cheap and tacky. Time will tell.

Also, it seems like Jet Rescue is getting a re-paint. I'm not very knowledgeable on how the painting of a ride works, but i'm going to assume the paint in which is being put on the coaster now, is not going to be the final colour. 

[themagician]

10 minutes ago, Flynn_Smith said:

Also, it seems like Jet Rescue is getting a re-paint. I'm not very knowledgeable on how the painting of a ride works, but i'm going to assume the paint in which is being put on the coaster now, is not going to be the final colour. 

They may have also been checking for rust 

14 minutes ago, Flynn_Smith said:

I can confirm there are no hand sanitising stations at the end of rides, which is very surprising. 

Someone told me they were sanitising the restraints between each ride???

[Flynn_Smith]

40 minutes ago, themagician said:

They may have also been checking for rust 

Someone told me they were sanitising the restraints between each ride???

Not from my experience, they definitely weren’t. They stopped the ride after about 15 minutes and sanitised, but it certainly wasn’t after each cycle.

[Jdude95]

2 hours ago, themagician said:

Some of the carpark has been fenced off, as it is being used for the extended queue area for park entry

When COVID is more important that a disability. I get it, but surely they could have organised an extended queue without wiping out handicap parking spaces?

[themagician]

@Jdude95 valid point, but the red area highlighted is the entire area they are using for the queue, so they’ve only lost two disabled spaces. They’ve still got 16. The carpark was almost full today and there were still, disabled spaces available 

[Jdude95]

Seeing it from this angle, the set up of those spaces doesn't even make sense. Two random ones on the other side of the road. I can see why they used that area but now i'm just questioning why their parking is set up that way.

[T-bone]

No free hand sanitizer? Are they atleast selling it in the shops?

[rappa]

To be fair if the parks capacity is reduced so is the prescribed number of Ambulant parking spaces required. 
 

Calling them handicapped spaces is considered quite offensive. 

[Jdude95]

42 minutes ago, rappa said:

To be fair if the parks capacity is reduced so is the prescribed number of Ambulant parking spaces required. 
 

Calling them handicapped spaces is considered quite offensive. 

As someone with an ambulant parking permit, I personally take no offence to the term

[T-bone]

Does it matter what they are called? The world has gone mad, but if people are now getting offended by what people call a parking space, then I don’t know if I want to live in this world anymore. When did everyone become such snow flakes?

[rappa]

39 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

As someone with an ambulant parking permit, I personally take no offence to the term

Oh yeah cool so that’s how we’ll live is it? If something doesn’t offend you then to hell with what anyone else thinks or feels. 

By your logic I’m not upset that they took away a couple of parking spaces so you shouldn’t be either. 

[Jdude95]

 

8 minutes ago, rappa said:

Oh yeah cool so that’s how we’ll live is it? If something doesn’t offend you then to hell with what anyone else thinks or feels. 

By your logic I’m not upset that they took away a couple of parking spaces so you shouldn’t be either. 

Well, no, as a person who this directly involves. I'm saying I have no problem with the word. 

You can't call a little person a midget, that's offensive. But if the little person calls them-self a midget because they have no problem with it, that's setting that whole group back? 

Try calling a person of colour the n-word right after seeing them use it casually and see what happens. All because someone in a minority uses a word that was once used to degrade them, it doesn't mean suddenly no one gives a shit anymore. 

[rappa]

If there was a best white male post award yours would have just won it 👍

[Jpw25111]

36 minutes ago, rappa said:

If there was a best white male post award yours would have just won it 👍

Look you handicapped sjw take it too some leftist forum.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

What do golfers and bowlers call the score levelling system they have based on skill, if we can’t use the word “handicap” ?

disability space, disabled space, handicap space... I know people who find each of these terms offensive (including the “don’t dis my ability” movement)

“ambulant” Is a term meaning a patient who can walk, so is therefore offensive to call those spaces ambulant spaces for those who can’t walk.

also, take a look at Westfield bathrooms these days. They have disabled bathrooms (wheelchair accessible) and “ambulant” bathroom stalls which are inside the main bathroom, with additional handrails and in some cases different TP dispensers for easier reach.

From my wife, who is a construction administrator who frequently works with plans involving both parking spaces and bathrooms, the appropriate term is “disabled” or “accessible” parking/ bathrooms.

 

so you’re both wrong.

[Jpw25111]

27 minutes ago, AlexB said:

What do golfers and bowlers call the score levelling system they have based on skill, if we can’t use the word “handicap” ?

disability space, disabled space, handicap space... I know people who find each of these terms offensive (including the “don’t dis my ability” movement)

“ambulant” Is a term meaning a patient who can walk, so is therefore offensive to call those spaces ambulant spaces for those who can’t walk.

also, take a look at Westfield bathrooms these days. They have disabled bathrooms (wheelchair accessible) and “ambulant” bathroom stalls which are inside the main bathroom, with additional handrails and in some cases different TP dispensers for easier reach.

From my wife, who is a construction administrator who frequently works with plans involving both parking spaces and bathrooms, the appropriate term is “disabled” or “accessible” parking/ bathrooms.

 

so you’re both wrong.

Who really cares

[pin142]

1 hour ago, Jpw25111 said:

Who really cares

Jesus, Jesus cares. Also lifeline.

[Smol bean]

Here’s a good video from Gold Coast theme parks showing around sea world after reopening 

 

[RileyK]

There is certainly hand sanitiser. I seen quite a few, what looked like new units that have a foot pedal at the base so they are touch free. Also can confirm that each attraction I visited (I visited with young kids) the attractions frequent touch locations were all cleaned and sanitised before the next guests were admitted. This included the Storm Coaster. 

Edited June 27, 2020 by RileyK

[Flynn_Smith]

22 minutes ago, RileyK said:

There is certainly hand sanitiser. I seen quite a few, what looked like new units that have a foot pedal at the base so they are touch free. Also can confirm that each attraction I visited (I visited with young kids) the attractions frequent touch locations were all cleaned and sanitised before the next guests were admitted. This included the Storm Coaster. 

Maybe they’ve fixed things up after the opening on Friday. There was definitely no sanitiser or cleaning of the rides after each cycle. Good to know they’ve pulled it together.

[Park Addict 93]

I was there on Friday and can confirm I saw they were wiping down the Storm Coaster, Kids Coaster and Rails in the stadiums after each cycle/show. 

The foot pedal operated hand sanitiser stations were all around the park, but not always in the most obvious places.

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by Jordan M.