A Wild Ride

With many sports and live events being closed or having limited capacity this year, some theme parks  have begun allowing visitors. Like sports teams and live event venues, the reopening of theme parks is determined by state guidelines in which the theme parks reside. Most states are allowing theme parks to reopen at 25% capacity, while visitors follow their safety guidelines. The CDC recommends every park to require face masks at all times, distancing when possible, constantly disinfecting frequently used surfaces, and having guests set appointments to visit the parks to alleviate long lines. However, states like California are more strict with their recent guidelines, and we may not see theme parks in the Golden State open until 2021.

California is home to several of the largest and most well known theme parks including Disneyland, Universal Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knotts, Berry Farms, and Legoland California. These theme parks have not been able to open this year due to the guidelines set by the state government. The guidelines are based on a tiered colored system relating to each individual county positivity rate over a 7-day period.

Purple = High risk

Red = Substantial risk

Orange = Moderate risk

 Yellow = Minimal risk

For theme parks to open, their home county will need to reach the minimal yellow risk level. Currently in Orange County, the home of Disneyland, the risk level is red, meaning the county will need to go down two levels before reopening to 25% capacity. Theme park owners in California believe this blueprint to reopen is unattainable, especially when in other parts of the country they have been able to reopen parks successfully with a limited capacity.

Although places like Disneyland and Universal Hollywood’s gates are still closed, their counterparts in Orlando, Florida have been open to the public since July 2020. Disney World is currently operating at 25% capacity, and to enter the park you will need to make a reservation on Disney World’s new Disney Park Pass system, as well as having your valid park admission. Temperature screenings will happen at the gates, face coverings will be required at all times, and lines will still make it seem like the park is at full capacity. However, that is due to the park requiring guests to distance themselves 6 feet apart while queueing up for attractions. According to Disney’s website, some attractions will remain closed but the public can expect one of Disney’s waterparks, Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, to reopen on March 7, 2021.

Universal Orlando is handling their reopening very similar to Disney World’s. They have been open to 25% capacity since June and are rolling out many of the same safety measures seen at Disney. However, Universal Orlando and Island of Adventure do not require you to make a reservation prior to your visit. Instead, they strongly suggest downloading their mobile app to keep updated on wait times and to use their contactless admission and ordering features within the mobile app. Universal will also require visitors to wear masks at all times, follow floor markings to ensure social distancing, and have extra staff on hand to direct visitors and sanitize the park.

Some theme park chains like Six Flags and Cedar Fair have multiple parks that have been reopened since the summer or not reopening at all.  In California, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Magic Mountain remain closed until an undetermined date, as well as Six Flags New England (MA), Six Flags Great Escape (NY), and Six Flags Darien Lake (NY). Cedar Fair will not be opening their Great America and Gilroy Gardens locations in California, as well as Carowinds in North Carolina and Kings Dominion in Virginia due to local and state restrictions. Each Six Flags and Cedar Fair owned parks are handling reservations differently. Some theme parks will require reservations, so visitors will need to check their local park’s website to see if one is necessary before entry. All parks will follow the same CDC guidelines and some parks, like Six Flags St. Louis, will require guests to watch a safety video before entering their park. All waterparks will also remain closed until further notice, most likely until Spring 2021.

If you are interested in visiting a theme park during this time, it is good practice to visit the theme park’s website before planning your trip. Things are constantly changing with openings, closures, safety guidelines, and state restrictions. You don’t want to be left at the gate because something was missed while planning your trip.