Personal meanderings about Canada's Wonderland post COVID

[SnakePlissken]

4 hours ago, MisterSG1 said:

Go ask Trudeau, he has no intentions to eliminate the restrictions anytime soon.

Even if restrictions were lifted, you’d probably face a lot of hostilities on the road as Canadians are still angry at Americans about the virus for the most part. I am not, but I realize I am a minority in this country.

Why is Covid American's fault? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

[MisterSG1]

1 hour ago, SnakePlissken said:

Why is Covid American's fault? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Well it is stupid and I agree, but go read the stuff on CBC, the comments sections that is, the media has basically framed that we have done a much better job because we have so fewer deaths. In fact at the beginning of this, there were stories of cars with US plates in Canada being vandalized.

[Honorarius]

Bookings are being snapped up pretty fast... Anyone hoping to get a visit in, book it quick!!!

Also, the booking system is only letting people book for 1 day currently, as opposed to the 2 days they announced...

[SnakePlissken]

33 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

Bookings are being snapped up pretty fast... Anyone hoping to get a visit in, book it quick!!!

Also, the booking system is only letting people book for 1 day currently, as opposed to the 2 days they announced...

Is the border actually open now?

[JimParker85]

No, it is not. I went ahead and booked a day on 8/27, hoping against hope that maybe they'll open to fully vax US travel by then. August calendar looks nice, it's always our favorite month to visit our home park. Open all 31 days, 10pm closures. 

[MisterSG1]

13 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

Is the border actually open now?

I find it mildly offensive that you practically ignored what I had to say.

if the border was “open”, than I would say it is “open” for non essential travelers.

 

For those being optimistic, let me remind you of the current situation in Canada. Anyone who enters Canada who isn’t an essential worker MUST quarantine for 14 days, failure to abide by this can lead to a fine of up to $750,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.

Canada Quarantine Act from Government of Canada

The fact this still stands means that you can kiss your dreams of coming across the border away this summer. And as I said, Canadians for the most part actually want this border to remain closed to Americans as they see them as being incredibly irresponsible in the handling of the virus, with having the highest case and death rate in the world. Public polling suggests that only about 1 in 3 Canadians support reopening the border at this point.

To compare two similar sized jurisdictions, Ontario has had around 9,000 deaths so far while Ohio has had over 20,000 deaths

 

 

I am but one person, who does not agree with this, but the fact a change.org petition is this strong tells you something.

Keep the border closed

[SnakePlissken]

3 hours ago, MisterSG1 said:

I find it mildly offensive that you practically ignored what I had to say.

if the border was “open”, than I would say it is “open” for non essential travelers.

 

For those being optimistic, let me remind you of the current situation in Canada. Anyone who enters Canada who isn’t an essential worker MUST quarantine for 14 days, failure to abide by this can lead to a fine of up to $750,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.

Canada Quarantine Act from Government of Canada

The fact this still stands means that you can kiss your dreams of coming across the border away this summer. And as I said, Canadians for the most part actually want this border to remain closed to Americans as they see them as being incredibly irresponsible in the handling of the virus, with having the highest case and death rate in the world. Public polling suggests that only about 1 in 3 Canadians support reopening the border at this point.

To compare two similar sized jurisdictions, Ontario has had around 9,000 deaths so far while Ohio has had over 20,000 deaths

 

 

I am but one person, who does not agree with this, but the fact a change.org petition is this strong tells you something.

Keep the border closed

I have no idea why you are so offended or what I even ignored. My last quote was not quoting you. It was someone in these here King's Island forums telling us to get our reservations in quick because they are filling up fast. Last I checked King's Island is in Ohio which is in the good old USA which is below your closed border. Which you seem to think is beneath you and the cause of Covid and all your problems. It is time you get off you high horse. I paid for a platinum in 2019 and I can not use it for one of the parks I bought it for.

[MisterSG1]

5 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

I have no idea why you are so offended or what I even ignored. My last quote was not quoting you. It was someone in these here King's Island forums telling us to get our reservations in quick because they are filling up fast. Last I checked King's Island is in Ohio which is in the good old USA which is below your closed border. Which you seem to think is beneath you and the cause of Covid and all your problems. It is time you get off you high horse. I paid for a platinum in 2019 and I can not use it for one of the parks I bought it for.

I hate to burst your bubble, even prior to COVID, you never had a right to enter Canada unless you are a Canadian citizen. So that lame point you make that having a platinum pass demands you access to another sovereign country doesn’t stick.

Perhaps you are naive as to how the border works, they can deny you entry if they don’t like the way you look, and also detain you on “suspicion”. On such suspicion, the Canada Border Services Agency can take apart your vehicle piece by piece and even if they find nothing, it’s your responsibility to get it fixed. Don’t believe me on this, search about this happening to people.

 

it’s assumed from Honoraius’ post that he was speaking of booking to the park and we had established that the border was closed already.

 

That being said, the Canadian federal government officially extended the border closure to at least July 21.

[Honorarius]

5 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

 I paid for a platinum in 2019 and I can not use it for one of the parks I bought it for.

I feel your pain... I'm stuck up here and I can't use ANY of the parks I bought it for...  You got that shiny new coaster there and I haven't been able to give it a whirl...

And to top it off ya hogging all the baseball too

[MisterSG1]

2 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

I feel your pain... I'm stuck up here and I can't use ANY of the parks I bought it for...  You got that shiny new coaster there and I haven't been able to give it a whirl...

And to top it off ya hogging all the baseball too

And what is more important, dealing with the current pandemic or your desires of gratification to ride a roller coaster.

[Honorarius]

11 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

it’s assumed from Honoraius’ post that he was speaking of booking to the park and we had established that the border was closed already.

 

That being said, the Canadian federal government officially extended the border closure to at least July 21.

Yes, it's closed for now... But the decisions are seemingly being made by Magic 8-Ball... They could extend a week, they could extend a month, they may not extend at all. There is still lots of summer after July 21. Just wanted to let people know so they could book a date just in case. I've got some time off work later this year, and I have hotel reservations made should I have the chance to use them. 

It costs nothing, and it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it...

[Honorarius]

2 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

And what is more important, dealing with the current pandemic or your desires of gratification to ride a roller coaster.

If the powers that be say I can travel, I'll travel if it so pleases me...
 

[MisterSG1]

4 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

Yes, it's closed for now... But the decisions are seemingly being made by Magic 8-Ball... They could extend a week, they could extend a month, they may not extend at all. There is still lots of summer after July 21. Just wanted to let people know so they could book a date just in case. I've got some time off work later this year, and I have hotel reservations made should I have the chance to use them. 

It costs nothing, and it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it...

I’m just saying, Wonderland in Phase 2 doesn’t make much sense, it should have been in Phase 3.

The main reason why I’m acting like this as are most doctors is because of the socialist health care system we have. Since it is in fact a communal system of sorts, we must all work together to protect it so it doesn’t get overrun. You know as well as I do that there were involuntary patient transfer because GTA hospitals were getting overrun with COVID-19 cases over the last 6 months or so.

This becomes problematic, if the hospitals become full with covid patients, then they lose the ability to deal with normal hospital patients, a system that was stretched to the brink even before covid.

That hospital by Wonderland which you mentioned, other than Brampton Civic Hospital opening in 2007, how many other hospitals can you think of that have opened or underwent serious expansion. Not many, yet our entire metro area has probably gained over 2 million people over the last 20 years.

So yes, I do understand why the medical officials are stuck between a rock and a hard place with regards to this. As for the long term effects of a covid infection, it’s still unknown. Some are potentially linking an infection to causing diabetes.

[Honorarius]

None of this makes sense.

I'd buy the "don't travel to protect the system" line if they did any more than pay it lip service.

I live in cottage country, a couple hours north of the GTA. Our hospitals are significantly smaller than those in the GTA.

If travel were such a concern for our hospitals, why does the population of the towns double/triple every weekend? Why is lining up for a roller-coaster a bridge too far but I can travel south to the Costco and line up nose-to-tail?

I'll obey the rules they make. And if the rule says I can go to a theme park, I will.


 

[MisterSG1]

4 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

None of this makes sense.

I'd buy the "don't travel to protect the system" line if they did any more than pay it lip service.

I live in cottage country, a couple hours north of the GTA. Our hospitals are significantly smaller than those in the GTA.

If travel were such a concern for our hospitals, why does the population of the towns double/triple every weekend? Why is lining up for a roller-coaster a bridge too far but I can travel south to the Costco and line up nose-to-tail?

I'll obey the rules they make. And if the rule says I can go to a theme park, I will.


 

I haven’t personally set foot into a Costco since March of 2020. Does Costco require people to sit on rides and touch handlebars/restraints that other people will touch all day long?

As for hospitals, it was reported in the news that they were sending GTA patients to hospitals in SW Ontario because of overflow of GTA hospitals. Heck probably the hospitals close to you experienced this as well.

The leaders in cottage country have basically made it clear that GTA residents aren’t welcome in town up there and thus I haven’t went up (heck, I can probably count on one hand how many times ive been on a 400 series highway since)

in those towns, are these people following the health protocols?

Guess what, despite living in the so called covid hell of Brampton in one of the nasty hot spots, I’ve never ever gotten sick.

 

So, considering Wonderland’s cavalier attitude towards security, can we honesty trust Wonderland to enforce social distance and mask rules correctly?

[disco2000]

And yet we haven't heard of an outbreak from any of the parks that opened in 2020, nor have we yet in 2021 and many parks by now that are open have dropped (or not enforcing) all social distance and mask requirements.

In the past week, Kings Island has basically removed the remainder of any social distance markings except for the show by the fountains, and the majority of the hand-sanitizers around the park are not being refilled, or at least not refilled as fast as they were last year.

You may agree or disagree with the operations of the parks, but they are following whatever guidelines are in place (or not in place) and it is your decision as a consumer to attend or not based on what they are offering for your entertainment dollar.

[SnakePlissken]

1 hour ago, MisterSG1 said:

And what is more important, dealing with the current pandemic or your desires of gratification to ride a roller coaster.

The pandemic is pretty much over. All the restrictions have been lifted in this state and many other. Should be the same in Canada but it isn't. Most of it was just the media trying to spread fear anyways.At this point everybody just needs to get over this stuff and live their lives. Keeping things shut is doing more harm than good.

Also in regards to dealing with a "pandemic" it should be my right as an American to choose which one is more important. Should be my right whether or not to wear a mask and most of those were taken away in 2020. When things started opening up in June 2020 I started traveling and went to the amusement parks that were opening. You only live once so enjoy it.

I also thought KIC members were over this whole debate and I think if they were not they were advised to not let it be known or stir the pot anymore. Since you think we all should still live in a cave with bubble wrap and you look down from your ivory tower at anyone actually enjoying life, I advise you pack up and leave this forum. The whole Covid is so bad we need to stay home and wear masks and live in fear thing was beat to death a year ago.

[MisterSG1]

1 minute ago, SnakePlissken said:

The pandemic is pretty much over. All the restrictions have been lifted in this state and many other. Should be the same in Canada but it isn't. Most of it was just the media trying to spread fear anyways.At this point everybody just needs to get over this stuff and live their lives. Keeping things shut is doing more harm than good.

Also in regards to dealing with a "pandemic" it should be my right as an American to choose which one is more important. Should be my right whether or not to wear a mask and most of those were taken away in 2020. When things started opening up in June 2020 I started traveling and went to the amusement parks that were opening. You only live once so enjoy it.

I also thought KIC members were over this whole debate and I think if they were not they were advised to not let it be known or stir the pot anymore. Since you think we all should still live in a cave with bubble wrap and look down from your ivory tower at anyone actually enjoying life, I advise you pack up and leave this forum. The whole Covid is so bad we need to stay home and wear masks and live in fear thing was beat to death a year ago.

No it is not, the delta variant will cause serious damage and has resistance to the vaccines, and factor in a huge chunk of the US who won’t get vaccinated and we’ll see spikes again.

As I said, up here this is not the US, this is CANADA and we have a socialist health care system. If someone decides to go to an amusement park and gets sick, jams up the hospitals, then it is very much my problem as a taxpayer and a citizen.

Seeing your condescending attitude makes me want to contact my local member of parliament and demand the border be closed longer as you can’t seem to grasp the severity of this.

[MisterSG1]

10 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

And yet we haven't heard of an outbreak from any of the parks that opened in 2020, nor have we yet in 2021 and many parks by now that are open have dropped (or not enforcing) all social distance and mask requirements.

In the past week, Kings Island has basically removed the remainder of any social distance markings except for the show by the fountains, and the majority of the hand-sanitizers around the park are not being refilled, or at least not refilled as fast as they were last year.

You may agree or disagree with the operations of the parks, but they are following whatever guidelines are in place (or not in place) and it is your decision as a consumer to attend or not based on what they are offering for your entertainment dollar.

Yeah, and the US has the highest deaths in the world, not exactly a model we should be embracing. But it’s more to me as a consumer if people do get sick.

[SnakePlissken]

Just now, MisterSG1 said:

No it is not, the delta variant will cause serious damage and has resistance to the vaccines, and factor in a huge chunk of the US who won’t get vaccinated and we’ll see spikes again.

As I said, up here this is not the US, this is CANADA and we have a socialist health care system. If someone decides to go to an amusement park and gets sick, jams up the hospitals, then it is very much my problem as a taxpayer and a citizen.

Seeing your condescending attitude makes me want to contact my local member of parliament and demand the border be closed longer as you can’t seem to grasp the severity of this.

At this point anybody that does not get a vaccine it is on them. Right or wrong it is their choice and so is any effects like catching Covid.

[MisterSG1]

Just now, SnakePlissken said:

At this point anybody that does not get a vaccine it is on them. Right or wrong it is their choice and so is any effects like catching Covid.

Oh yeah, remember your government blocked any vaccine distribution to Canada. So much for friendly neighbours, so getting a vaccine isn’t entirely easy.

The government instead has had to make a significant gambit in delaying the second shot for up to 16 weeks because they see getting everyone vaccinated with one shot with scarce supply is more important than administering the vaccines properly.

Perhaps it should have been tit for tat, you refuse to give up vaccines, than Quebec should have shut off the power to the east coast.

[MisterSG1]

No seriously, remember other good deeds of altruism that Canada has done in the past.

The Canadian Caper which got the hostages out of Iran, Ben Affeleck made a movie about it and said Canada basically did nothing to make it happen. That movie won Best Picture.

Then there’s Operation Yellow Ribbon on 9/11 where Canada opened its airports to transatlantic-transpacific flights to land because all US airports were closed. In some places in Atlantic Canada some passengers were taken in by the locals to spend multiple nights.

 

After all these good deeds, this is the thanks we get in return, that our largest trading partner is next to nothing?

[IndyGuy4KI]

@MisterSG1 I am curious about how Canadians reacted to taking the vaccine? Are there people that just plain refuse up there, or is everyone compliant?

[MisterSG1]

5 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

@MisterSG1 I am curious about how Canadians reacted to taking the vaccine? Are there people that just plain refuse up there, or is everyone compliant?

Absolute compliance at least here in Ontario, where 14.5 million live. 75% of adults have gotten the first dose, as I explained in above posts, the second dose is delayed but people are getting it sooner than expected now.

It harkens back to how Canada was founded in my opinion. But that’s a story for another day.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I'm sorry you guys had a delay in getting your vaccines. So how does healthcare cost get calculated for you there? In a surge like this, does that mean your health care costs go up for you?

[MisterSG1]

24 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

I'm sorry you guys had a delay in getting your vaccines. So how does healthcare cost get calculated for you there? In a surge like this, does that mean your health care costs go up for you?

It’s socialized medicine, meaning that for the vast majority of procedure, we have “free healthcare”, in that we don’t pay for it out of our own pocket for each visit. Of course such a system needs to be funded strongly by government.

I’m no expert on healthcare funding, but prior to COVID, over at Brampton Civic Hospital, the concept of “hallway medicine” was common, that is rooms being full and thus patients have to be in the hallways.

I do recall reading that Ontario’s bed per 1000 capacity was less than 2. So yeah that means there are in essence one hospital bed available for every 500 citizens. Back in the 1980s, this number was 7.

 

What happened earlier this year with the ICUs filling up stronger than ever were patients against their will being sent to other hospitals. I’m not sure how far the biggest patient transfers went, but to put this into perspective, to reach the city of Thunder Bay in north western Ontario, that’s actually a longer drive than driving from here to Florida!

[Honorarius]

50 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

@MisterSG1 I am curious about how Canadians reacted to taking the vaccine? Are there people that just plain refuse up there, or is everyone compliant?

We will have some people that refuse to get it, but I believe that the percentage that don't want to is between 10% and 20%...

We've been behind the curve on vaccination rates largely because of supply and distribution issues, now that we're getting a good supply, we're catching up....

I know in the rural area where I live, people are still having trouble getting appointments for their first shot, whereas a few hours away there are places taking walk-ins...

[Honorarius]

52 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

I'm sorry you guys had a delay in getting your vaccines. So how does healthcare cost get calculated for you there? In a surge like this, does that mean your health care costs go up for you?

No, it just means that it costs the government more money than they budgeted for.

They either just tack it on to the deficit or try to balance it out by cutting somewhere else.

[MisterSG1]

50 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

I know in the rural area where I live, people are still having trouble getting appointments for their first shot, whereas a few hours away there are places taking walk-ins...

Which health region are you in by the way, Simcoe-Muskoka?

[MisterSG1]

The one thing defines Canadians is anti-Americanism, heck even Wonderland opening 40 years ago was a nasty political battle. Perhaps it only got allowed to build because the Vaughan mayor and Premier of Ontario supported it.

 

“You could say Yogi Bear won and Maple lost,” -Vaughan Councillor James Cameron

”Taft think they’re doing us a favour by building a plastic replica of the Canadian frontier when we have Black Creek Pioneer Village two miles down the road.” -Vaughan Councillor James Cameron

“For God’s sake, Disneyland isn’t the real world. We don’t need a place like this. We have everything we need in Metro Toronto … It’s an abomination and I don’t want my children exposed to more of this kind of hucksterism,” -Mayor of King Township Margaret Britnell

“Unless we want to turn Maple into a row of touristy boutiques, I can’t see the park doing much for local businessmen.” -Vaughan Councillor Lorne Jackson

”You could pick this thing up, lock stock and barrel, and move it to Pretoria and call it South Africa’s Wonderland. There is nothing Canadian about it at all,” -Vaughan Councillor James Cameron

 

But we had those who supporter the park as well.

“All this anti-American feeling is baloney. Building this park is no different than watching American television” -Mayor of Vaughan Garnet Williams

”Are you against children having fun?” -Premier of Ontario William Davis

 

The point I’m making here is that there was strong opposition to Canada’s Wonderland, it wasn’t a hunky dory project. A good chunk of this opposition was again fuelled in part by anti-American hatred.