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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
For any of those that are thinking about travelling over to Europe from the UK with some of their theme parks starting to re-open, may want to take a look at this:


Looks like we’re catching up and making everyone quarantine for 14 days on arrival in the UK effective “at the end of this month” with a currently unknown end date.


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This is insanity ??

One of the most infected countries in the world introduces quarantine after the peak of their epidemic... Because you know... Filthy foreigners...

The time to do this sort of thing was January / February... This is literally just a way of silencing the far right who have been pleading for it.

Yes it may reduce ‘outbreaks’ by preventing new cases of the virus entering from countries where it is still emerging, but that effect will be minimal, compounded by the fact that this is the UK, so the quarantine will not be enforced, by police or technology.
 
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JammyH

Hyper Poster
Surely they should have done this mid-late march along with other EU countries?
Exactly correct, but this country is 5 steps behind all the others.

That's exactly why I don't for-see UK theme parks opening at all this year. If you look at the "leaked" exit strategy pubs, bars & restaurants will not open until September earliest.

The government are desperately trying to cover up the original mess they made at this point.

The most sensible measure to be introduced would be mandatory masks on public transport and in shops, but we are still yet to see that come into play. Probably to be announced in 2 months time lol.
 

Professor

Previously AndrewRollercoaster
Saw the airline thing too and thought it was bizarre and crazy late and makes no sense.
The only reason I can think of why lockdown might not to be eased by a lot (there will probably be some concessions) and this airline thing is being introduced is simply not to lose face due to high death toll. The government thinks it needs to be seen to be doing something I guess.

I think in reality this virus will slow down more on its own accord than a late airline quarantine measure. The hospital admissions should tell the government what is really happening.
These rules always seem so vague in the media anyway, are they really leaks or intended leaks? No mention of ferry or channel tunnel travel for civilians.

I'm a key worker but not a lorry driver. Lol.

Madness all this carry on.

In other news a UK-French study finds that the virus may have started in October last year in China.
My family including my mother was quite ill with a constant cough end of December / early January for weeks. I didn't seem to get it. I heard colleagues complain about this bug going around at the time too.
Really not sure it was this Covid 19 or just a random flu.

You would have thought China could be in big trouble if independent investigations find they covered up knowledge of this virus for several months. But nothing will probably happen I guess.
 
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JammyH

Hyper Poster
So I had another think about this overnight and in a way it makes some sort of sense. Basically, to cover up their a**es on the fact we had such a high spike of deaths, this new measure (if truly implemented- it was rumoured face mask laws would be implemented but never happened) will detract everyone in this country from going on an abroad holiday or other tourists coming in. That way, the government has less risk of getting even more blame than it already has as if the virus is under control in this country, if people coming in are put under quarantine, then this means we really shouldn't see a second wave and further deaths should be minimised. (which is a good thing as the death toll has been so high in the UK).

The major issue is the damage it will have on our economy. As other countries get back up and running, their economy is starting to get back into shape and the future of businesses looks more promising than it did before. I feel with rumours of an extremely slow exit strategy in this country, a lot of smaller businesses will collapse. UK based airlines will majorly suffer too- who knows how many will go bust and then when it's feasible to even get a flight out of the UK again. In terms of parks, we have already seen Dreamland and M&Ds suffer and if the government's furlough scheme isn't extended for the businesses who will be the last to get up and running, then we will see more UK parks suffer very badly this year.

Of course, a way to speed up the exit strategy is to make face masks mandatory on public transport and in shops as this will reduce transmission rates and means you can get things up and running faster, but the government appear too blind to see that. Instead, supposedly on Monday we will be seeing garden centres open and more freedom to exercise. Seems like they are "easing the restrictions" just to stop people complaining when in reality it's not really a change at all. Social distancing has fallen through in supermarkets and needs to be reintegrated through the use of masks, especially staff who should really be provided PPE by the supermarkets, because believe it or not, supermarket workers have been some of the most at risk during this outbreak.

The other major issue with this proposed quarantine is as @Nicky Borrill has said above, it won't actually be enforced by police or technology. In Poland for example, the 14 day quarantine has been enforced by the police who patrol your house and make phone calls to check you are staying inside. Here, the quarantine would probably just be "recommended to protect the NHS" or something like that. Well, no one seemed to care about protecting the NHS yesterday and saving lives when people on streets around me were having parties of about 30 people in the middle of the street, drinking, making lots of noise and not making any effort to social distance whatsoever. It's hardly fair on those of us who have truly put our selves in isolation for the good of others to then see them breaking the rules. The more people break the rules in this country, the longer this goes on for in my opinion and the more extended the exit strategy becomes.

Of course, no one seemed to really be sticking to the lockdown in this country in the first place, so perhaps this is why the government are introducing this 14 day quarantine, as a "punishment' to everyone who was breaking the lockdown no one can go an abroad holiday anymore this summer. But all the people who stuck to the rules now have to suffer the consequences for no reason.

These rules always seem so vague in the media anyway, are they really leaks or intended leaks? No mention of ferry or channel tunnel travel for civilians.

At the moment you cannot board the channel tunnel and will be turned away at the French border unless you have an essential reason for travelling into France. The ferry from UK to holland I am not so sure of the current restrictions.

Nevertheless, the 14 day quarantine would apply for anyone arriving into the uk, regardless of travel medium, not just people arriving in via plane.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
In a very promising sign for how parks will do post-COVID, Shanghai Disneyland’s 24,000 tickets for opening day on 11th May sold out in minutes yesterday: https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/...and-tickets-sold-out-in-minutes-for-reopening

In my opinion, this is a very promising sign for the industry’s future performance, and I honestly think that there is a lot more pent up demand for tourism during lockdown than I think some might expect!
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Haven't seen this mentioned, but Six Flags CEO Michael Spanos announced earlier this week that the six locations expected to open first are Six Flags Mexico, Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Frontier City, Six Flags Over Texas, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. He also said that Six Flags Magic Mountain would reopen "as soon as possible thereafter".
Also worth mentioning is that the chain's parks will require all visitors to make advance reservations to be admitted once they reopen, according to the parks' individual websites. Sample
 

Antinos

Slut for Spinners
Haven't seen this mentioned, but Six Flags CEO Michael Spanos announced earlier this week that the six locations expected to open first are Six Flags Mexico, Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Frontier City, Six Flags Over Texas, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. He also said that Six Flags Magic Mountain would reopen "as soon as possible thereafter".
Also worth mentioning is that the chain's parks will require all visitors to make advance reservations to be admitted once they reopen, according to the parks' individual websites. Sample
I'm intrigued to see how this plan plays out. Depending on the amount of rides they open and the exclusivity of the reservations, it could possibly lead to a great day at one of their parks with short lines...or it could be like any other day.
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
My family including my mother was quite ill with a constant cough end of December / early January for weeks. I didn't seem to get it. I heard colleagues complain about this bug going around at the time too.
Really not sure it was this Covid 19 or just a random flu.
I have said this my friends and work colleagues too we were all very sick in December a dry cough that wouldn’t go. Put me in bed a few days and took a few weeks to get over
I’m convinced it was covid
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
I have said this my friends and work colleagues too we were all very sick in December a dry cough that wouldn’t go. Put me in bed a few days and took a few weeks to get over
I’m convinced it was covid
You can book an antibody test in London to see if you have been previously infected, but they are very expensive at the moment unfortunately.
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
You can book an antibody test in London to see if you have been previously infected, but they are very expensive at the moment unfortunately.
Ill save my money for future themepark holidays ?
Im just going to carry on believing I had it, knowing either way wont change anything, carry on following the rules

also the case of all these people who believe they had it in December/ January
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52589449

maybe, just maybe this has been around alot longer and we are all way past the peak of everything,
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
also the case of all these people who believe they had it in December/ January
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52589449

maybe, just maybe this has been around alot longer and we are all way past the peak of everything,

The absolute latest that the outbreak started in Wuhan was in December, meaning it's been circulating around the world for at least 5-6 months now. There are reports of people going to hospital in France in December with pneumonia and this has now been traced back to the coronavirus, meaning the virus was prevalent in Europe in December.

There are reports saying the outbreak could have started as early as October/November in Wuhan, meaning it could have been going around the world for a long time now.

At this point, due to insufficient testing worldwide, it is really impossible to know how many people have had the virus and what % of the population might have immunity, and that's why we need to act so carefully now incase of a major second wave.
 

SimonProD

Mega Poster
I assume we'll have to cope with Covid and the restrictions for a long time. Since this weekend leisure travel is again allowed in Germany and yesterday saw the pictures on the tv news: inner cities, parks, beaches full - long lines on ice parlors, food trucks with no disntacing and no masks. The virus reproduction rate is already climbing due to the opening of stores two weeks ago. All reminds me of a quote from Men In Black by Thommy Lee Jones: "A person is smart. Poeple are dumb, panicky animals!"

I hope I am wrong but I assume we will see a hard lockdown with curfew rather sooner than later - and its all the poeple's fault.
 

BlueSonicHD

Mega Poster
The absolute latest that the outbreak started in Wuhan was in December, meaning it's been circulating around the world for at least 5-6 months now. There are reports of people going to hospital in France in December with pneumonia and this has now been traced back to the coronavirus, meaning the virus was prevalent in Europe in December.

There are reports saying the outbreak could have started as early as October/November in Wuhan, meaning it could have been going around the world for a long time now.

At this point, due to insufficient testing worldwide, it is really impossible to know how many people have had the virus and what % of the population might have immunity, and that's why we need to act so carefully now incase of a major second wave.
act carefully... unless you are the PM who has tweeted this out and on the face of it says oh just do what you want , but be careful... oh and wash your hands..
isnt this how we started ?
EXpuTIEXQAIht_w
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
act carefully... unless you are the PM who has tweeted this out and on the face of it says oh just do what you want , but be careful... oh and wash your hands..
isnt this how we started ?
EXpuTIEXQAIht_w

Yep... It’s also ‘more or less’ how Sweden have handled the entire situation... If it doesn’t work we have ourselves to blame, not the government!
 

TheCoasterCruiser

Giga Poster
The Danish government has put out a reopening-plan and outdoor theme parks are a part of "phase 3" - allowing them to open from June 8th, given things don't take a turn of course.
This opening will naturally be with quite a few precautions. - For example, here's some of the biggest changes Djurs Sommerland (looking at opening around June 10th or 11th) will open with:

- Limited number of visitors per day and tickets should be bought online.
- Distance markers in queueing areas.
- Hand sanitizer will be available all over the park and is required to be used before and after every ride.
- Surfaces that's frequently touched, like restraints and handles, will be sanitized regularly.
- No physical contact between the employees and guests - no high fives or hugs from park mascots.

Hopefully Denmark will stay on track and we can start enjoying theme parks again in less than a month!
 
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