Coronavirus Impacting Theme Parks

[JimParker85]

Not seeing a reservation option on the app yet

[DonHelbig]

2 minutes ago, JimParker85 said:

Not seeing a reservation option on the app yet

You won't until later this month. It will be announced when you can begin to purchase or reserve a visit. 

[PatchesC]

So CP Hotel Breakers reservation is July 10th-16th, I will be guaranteed entry starting the 11th, but can also attempt a reservation for the 10th. But is Hotel Breakers going to be open for the 9th & 10th or am I going to get canceled? 

[JimParker85]

Thank you for that clarification, Don. Very much appreciated! 

[chibul]

1 hour ago, DonHelbig said:

You won't until later this month. It will be announced when you can begin to purchase or reserve a visit. 

That's what the Cedar Point website says, but not Kings Island.

EDIT: Oops, I didn't realize you worked for the park. Insert foot in mouth

Hotels booked for both parks! Now just waiting on the reservations. 

So this is interesting:

• Requirements for all guests, associates and vendors to wear masks as directed by the protocols"

I wonder what said "protocols" are? The video says: "Masks are required to be worn wherever or whenever possible, especially when it's not as easy to maintain social distancing". 

Worlds of Fun is opening sooner (June 22) - they have some information up that I assume will apply to all parks. A good resource to look at: https://www.worldsoffun.com/welcoming-you-back

One thing I noticed that's interesting:

Some areas, rides and attractions are not conducive for social distancing and are closed for now. See the mobile app for Worlds of Fun’s open attractions.

 

[flightoffear1996]

7 hours ago, King Ding Dong said:

That is true.  So if you are tested on Monday and the test is negative you do not have the virus, however that does not mean you do not have the virus on Tuesday or at any point after that test.  A test tells us about the past, not the future. Testing is a key component, and but unfortunately is not widely available in all parts of the US.  It is still common practice in many areas to only give tests if you are showing symptoms.

Hey, @flightoffear1996 how long did it take for you to receive your test results?

48 hours or so. The positive results tend to come back faster. 

[medford]

What is a pre-entry health screening 24 hours prior to admission exactly?  Does that mean my whole family needs to swing thru a clinic and get tested the day before attending the park?

As chibul asked above, what does the mask requirements per protocol mean?

If I have to take my whole family to a clinic w/n 24 hours of visiting and have to wear a mask the whole visit, I won't be attending KI this season.  Cheers to those that do, but Orion and everything else can wait a year for me.  Of course I've never been the dude who feels the need to wait 4 hours just to say I rode something the first day it was available, I waited until mid August to ride Banshee when the lines were short cause "it was always going to be there later".

Any clarifications would be appreciated Don.  Sucks that you have to be dealing with all of this, can't imagine the stress level you and your associates have been going thru the last few months.

[chibul]

Just now, medford said:

What is a pre-entry health screening 24 hours prior to admission exactly?  Does that mean my whole family needs to swing thru a clinic and get tested the day before attending the park?

As chibul asked above, what does the mask requirements per protocol mean?

If I have to take my whole family to a clinic w/n 24 hours of visiting and have to wear a mask the whole visit, I won't be attending KI this season.  Cheers to those that do, but Orion and everything else can wait a year for me.  Of course I've never been the dude who feels the need to wait 4 hours just to say I rode something the first day it was available, I waited until mid August to ride Banshee when the lines were short cause "it was always going to be there later".

Any clarifications would be appreciated Don.  Sucks that you have to be dealing with all of this, can't imagine the stress level you and your associates have been going thru the last few months.

I'd recommend watching that video on the link for Worlds of Fun - it clears up a lot. Seems as though based on the video, masks are required only when social distancing cannot be maintained (i.e. they're not necessarily going to enforce it if you're walking the midway).

The health screening is a questionnaire on the mobile app. 

[cdubbs727]

2 minutes ago, medford said:

What is a pre-entry health screening 24 hours prior to admission exactly?  Does that mean my whole family needs to swing thru a clinic and get tested the day before attending the park?

 

I'm sure Don can clarify better than I can, but my assumption is the health screening is not an in-person doctor's visit, but a list of questions you can answer online or via an app. I work for a university and we're just starting to phase workers back in, and that's how we're doing it. You go in 24 hours before coming to work and answer questions about symptoms, recent travel and exposure. Takes five minutes. They give you a barcode to be scanned at the door and you're done. 

[jcovelli]

Park opening July 2nd for pass holders, July 12 to public, online reservations required and masks required.. 

 

[medford]

Thanks for that info, doesn't seem so bad.  Getting 3 kids to the clinic when they are perfectly healthy (and other patients there are not) doesn't seem like something I wanted to do.  Answering questions isn't bad, but honestly, if that is all it is, then that is more a CYA cause who's going to  verify if you are telling the truth.

I'll also add, that if masks are only required when one can't socially distance themselves, then I'll say you won't see many people masked once they get in the park based upon what I saw at my son's tee ball practice.  Not a single person, parent or kid showed up with a mask, while you can naturally spread out on a baseball field, you can do the same at KI.

[chibul]

2 minutes ago, cdubbs727 said:

I'm sure Don can clarify better than I can, but my assumption is the health screening is not an in-person doctor's visit, but a list of questions you can answer online or via an app. I work for a university and we're just starting to phase workers back in, and that's how we're doing it. You go in 24 hours before coming to work and answer questions about symptoms, recent travel and exposure. Takes five minutes. They give you a barcode to be scanned at the door and you're done. 

Yeah, the video I linked above shows the questionnaire in it. Pretty basic stuff, really. 

[jcovelli]

2 minutes ago, cdubbs727 said:

I'm sure Don can clarify better than I can, but my assumption is the health screening is not an in-person doctor's visit, but a list of questions you can answer online or via an app. I work for a university and we're just starting to phase workers back in, and that's how we're doing it. You go in 24 hours before coming to work and answer questions about symptoms, recent travel and exposure. Takes five minutes. They give you a barcode to be scanned at the door and you're done. 

i'm sure it's just a few checkbox questions before you make your reservation online.

[chibul]

2 minutes ago, medford said:

Thanks for that info, doesn't seem so bad.  Getting 3 kids to the clinic when they are perfectly healthy (and other patients there are not) doesn't seem like something I wanted to do.  Answering questions isn't bad, but honestly, if that is all it is, then that is more a CYA cause who's going to  verify if you are telling the truth.

Yeah that's how I feel as well, honestly. But realistically, that's what nearly every policy they have is, ultimately. 

[lifetimecoaster]

23 hours ago, robintodd said:

"Yea, and I'm not going back till they stop making you wear shirts, I hate when my pits sweat."  The virus numbers are up in 24 states.  Important to watch the next couple of days to see how the memorial day weekend affects the spread.

You're welcome to your straw man argument, and your fear. The difference between a shirt and sweaty armpits, and a mask soaked with sweat is that you don't breathe through your armpits. It's a neat argument, that can be combated by saying "wear a tank top then". 

 

Also, I'm not going to qualify to be able to visit this year anyway, because if I have to be able to say I've not been in contact with anyone with the virus.... I can't. I'm an essential employee and have been working with customers that work for the major hospitals in my area. 

[CoastersRZ]

It looks like most of the footage in that video posted to Worlds of Fun was actually filmed at Kings Island.

[PilotDude]

1 hour ago, DonHelbig said:

You won't until later this month. It will be announced when you can begin to purchase or reserve a visit. 

What is the process for ride ques? Is Cedar Fair/ Kings Island going to use a virtual system or is the idea to try to maintain social distancing in the "cattle corals"?

[cdubbs727]

This is good news. We're not season pass holders, but we'd been tentatively penciling in the end of July for a visit, so I'm glad to see that looks like it will be able to happen. 

I'm fine with masks. It's literally a $5 item and requires very little of me. Sure, it's uncomfortable. But it's Kings Island in the summer; standing in the 90-degree weather sweating always carries a bit of discomfort. I think we're more hesitant about masks because it's new and traditionally associated with sickness and emergency. But as we've gone to the grocery stores with masks, I've found I usually just forget about them after a few minutes, at least once my glasses stop fogging. 

Still a lot of questions. If they're controlling capacity, will we still be able to purchase two-day tickets? (Coming all the way from Detroit, two-day tickets are kind of what make it worthwhile). How much of the park is not going to be like normal (will there be shows? How is eating going to be handled)? And it sounds like a lot of this might evolve as they figure out what systems are working and assure that they are keeping the chance of a virus spread low. So, I'm curious and optimistic this will be a good thing. 

[chibul]

16 minutes ago, PilotDude said:

What is the process for ride ques? Is Cedar Fair/ Kings Island going to use a virtual system or is the idea to try to maintain social distancing in the "cattle corals"?

It sounds to me like standard queues - they mention social distancing in the queues, and there's no mention at all of a virtual system. 

 

Just now, cdubbs727 said:

Still a lot of questions. If they're controlling capacity, will we still be able to purchase two-day tickets? (Coming all the way from Detroit, two-day tickets are kind of what make it worthwhile). How much of the park is not going to be like normal (will there be shows? How is eating going to be handled)? And it sounds like a lot of this might evolve as they figure out what systems are working and assure that they are keeping the chance of a virus spread low. So, I'm curious and optimistic this will be a good thing. 

I may be wrong, but a season pass at this point might cost less than a two-day ticket? 

[PatchesC]

@collin.klopfstein check your email, Orion First Rider update, congrats on the top 32 BTW

 

 

[chibul]

1 minute ago, PatchesC said:

@collin.klopfstein check your email, Orion First Rider update, congrats on the top 32 BTW

 

 

Just out of curiosity (I'm definitely not in that group lol) - is that before the park opens?

[Benjamin22]

Just now, chibul said:

Just out of curiosity (I'm definitely not in that group lol) - is that before the park opens?

The first rider event is scheduled to be on July 1st with more details to be released later this week.

[chibul]

2 minutes ago, Benjamin22 said:

The first rider event is scheduled to be on July 1st with more details to be released later this week.

That's awesome. I'm glad those people will still get to do that before the park opens for anyone else. Good to see!

I've been outspoken against the mask policy (and my feelings haven't changed on that) but we're going to give it a shot regardless. We have/use surgical masks currently but we'll likely downgrade to some cloth masks (I'd imagine those would be cooler/easier to breathe than a surgical mask) for this. Looking forward to it, already booked the hotel for opening day/weekend. 

[FUN&ONLY!]

Does that mean media day is probably on July 1?

[PatchesC]

Just now, chibul said:

That's awesome. I'm glad those people will still get to do that before the park opens for anyone else. Good to see!

I've been outspoken against the mask policy (and my feelings haven't changed on that) but we're going to give it a shot regardless. We have/use surgical masks currently but we'll likely downgrade to some cloth masks (I'd imagine those would be cooler/easier to breathe than a surgical mask) for this. Looking forward to it, already booked the hotel for opening day/weekend. 

I'm more nervous to get the July 2nd reservation cause we'll already be over for Orion event. Husband has been waiting on cloth masks that tie behind head to be delivered for 47 days now, we have have neck gaiter style right now, hopefully those would be acceptable.

[robintodd]

8 hours ago, King Ding Dong said:

That is true.  So if you are tested on Monday and the test is negative you do not have the virus, however that does not mean you do not have the virus on Tuesday or at any point after that test.  A test tells us about the past, not the future. Testing is a key component, and but unfortunately is not widely available in all parts of the US.  It is still common practice in many areas to only give tests if you are showing symptoms.

Hey, @flightoffear1996 how long did it take for you to receive your test results?

Which is why the president and everyone around him get's tested DAILY.

[chibul]

2 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

I'm more nervous to get the July 2nd reservation cause we'll already be over for Orion event. Husband has been waiting on cloth masks that tie behind head to be delivered for 47 days now, we have have neck gaiter style right now, hopefully those would be acceptable.

We have some cloth masks that tie behind our head, but we haven't used them - there's a local shop here selling masks with the little clips that hold them together behind your ears. I think we may go check those out.

I too am nervous to get the 7/2 reservation, simply because that already fits so perfectly with our previous plans - I took that week off for us to do Holiday World & Kentucky Kingdom, so KI would just replace Kentucky Kingdom. It works so perfectly that I'm afraid it'll backfire

[collin.klopfstein]

19 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

@collin.klopfstein check your email, Orion First Rider update, congrats on the top 32 BTW

 

 

Thankyou!

 

19 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

@collin.klopfstein check your email, Orion First Rider update, congrats on the top 32 BTW

 

 

Also, my dad runs my fundraiser page and gets all the emails. Could you PM a screenshot of the email?

[King Ding Dong]

 

9 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

I'm more nervous to get the July 2nd reservation cause we'll already be over for Orion event. Husband has been waiting on cloth masks that tie behind head to be delivered for 47 days now, we have have neck gaiter style right now, hopefully those would be acceptable.

I don't see why the neck gaiter style would be a problem with the park.  I only see a personal issue with them as some people like me perspire above average and wet cloth can be harder to breath through than dry.  Though we are talking about degrees of wetness here as one's exhaust is naturally moistened. 

[robintodd]

1 hour ago, lifetimecoaster said:

You're welcome to your straw man argument, and your fear. The difference between a shirt and sweaty armpits, and a mask soaked with sweat is that you don't breathe through your armpits. It's a neat argument, that can be combated by saying "wear a tank top then". 

 

Also, I'm not going to qualify to be able to visit this year anyway, because if I have to be able to say I've not been in contact with anyone with the virus.... I can't. I'm an essential employee and have been working with customers that work for the major hospitals in my area. 

That was sarcasm.  Kind of goes along the line with people who where unwilling to wear seat belts till it was made a law.  My mother was one of them.  Her best friend was trapped in a car by her seat belt after and accident and died back in the early 60's.  Scared my mother from ever wearing them till it was mandated. 

You should be able to qualify.  By that logic and the findings of how many asymptomatic people there have been I think a majority of people have been in contact with someone with it.  The questionnaire will probably contain a question like "Have you been in contact with anyone in the last X weeks that has had the COVID-19 virus?"  

Thanks for being an essential employee during these tough times (I'm essential and so is my wife who is a nurse and works in a hospital.)