ALTON TOWERS REVEALS ITS REOPENING RESTRICTIONS

BY GABRIELLE

Alton Towers has published details of how it is preparing for reopening its doors to visitors. The popular Staffordshire-based theme park has released the steps it will take to help ensure a safe environment for staff and guests when it reopens.

The steps include limiting the initial number of visitors entering the park daily, as well as restricting the numbers on individual attractions and facilities. An online booking system will be in place, where guests can book their visit in advance to guarantee entry to the park.

Temperature checks will be carried out on all employees and guests arriving at the park. Individuals with a high temperature will not be allowed to enter the site. Visitors and employees will be asked to monitor their own health and avoid visiting Alton Towers if they feel unwell or have a cough.

Jonathan Ellis, the Health and Safety director at Alton Towers Resort, commented on the health and safety restrictions being put in place: “Like many other businesses, we chose to support the Government efforts to reduce the transmission of Covid-19 by closing the Resort ahead of the lockdown.

“We have now been closed for more than 10 weeks except for a very small team who have continued to perform essential work and care for the animals we have on site.

“As the situation improves and Government advice changes, we hope to be able to confirm our reopening date soon, and there is much we are already doing to prepare for that day.

“For a few weeks now, the management team at Alton Towers has been reviewing our entire operation and planning the changes we need to make so that when we do reopen we can do so in a way that keeps our guests and our employees safe, and ensures that we can deliver a great day out,” Ellis continued.

An official reopening date for Alton Towers has yet to be confirmed.

GUANGZHOU CHIMELONG WATERPARK REOPENS

 BY GABRIELLE

Chimelong Waterpark is reopening to the public on May 29. The family friendly waterpark will be home to a new parent-child play area, a new climbing area, and several new high quality water attractions. The water music party, which is popular among young people visiting the site, is also ready to be launched when the water park reopens.

The opening hours of the park are temporarily scheduled from 10: 00 – 18: 00 daily. In accordance with the relevant regulations stipulated by the Chinese government, the park will strictly control the capacity of guests so that numbers do not exceed 30% of the approved maximum capacity. There will also be strict sanitation guarantees in place in all park facilities.

Several management measures will also be implemented, including online appointments, health registration, real-name admission, and body temperature screening. Visitors to the site must also make bookings in advance.

Chimelong Wildlife World and Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, both of which fall under the Chimelong Group, partially opened on April 30 and officially reopened their indoor attractions on May 15th.

PAULTONS PARK EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH ATTRACTIONS.IO TO PROVIDE IN-APP SOCIAL DISTANCING SOLUTION

 BY GABRIELLE

Paultons Park has broadened its partnership with mobile app platform Attractions.io to bring a new social distancing functionality to the park’s guest-facing app. The update will help the popular family theme park in Hampshire reopen safely as soon as government guidance allows the industry to begin opening.

The new functionality on the app comprises of virtual queuing and extended mobile food ordering capabilities designed to eliminate the need for guests to have to queue for rides and refreshments. Visitors can already import tickets into the app, which prevents the need to queue at the entrance of the park, helping Paultons Park overcome the social distancing challenges of the post-COVID world.

Rob Griffiths, head of marketing at Paultons Park, described how the app will be a crucial part of the safe reopening of the site. “The app already helps visitors make the most of their day out and delivers ongoing improvements to guest satisfaction. This made it the obvious solution to build upon, equipping our visitors with a tool that not only helps keep them safe but also improves their experience,” said Griffiths.

The updated app is expected to go live in the next few weeks.

EFTELING THEME PARK REOPENS ON MAY 20

 BY GABRIELLE

Efteling, the fairytale theme park in the south of Holland, officially reopened on Wednesday May 20, 2020. The theme park’s step-by-step approach to reopening has been planned closely with official regional authorities.

A series of test days have taken place, which involved the volume of visitors gradually increased to help staff at the park get used to new ways of working. These new working methods are constantly being evaluated and improved to help keep both guests and employees safe.

The safety initiatives introduced at the park are based on a protocol drawn up by the attractions industry association, Club van Elf and the Dutch Association of Zoos. Once international travel restrictions have been lifted and continuing to comply with the safety measures, Efteling hopes to welcome guests from abroad.

CEO Fons Jurgens commented on the reopening of the Dutch theme park: “In the World of Efteling, we have always made sure that our guests can enjoy the park safely. That is no different now. What is different is exactly what that safety entails. We know better than anyone how guests move in our park and how we can spread groups and we are using this knowledge to ensure guests can always keep a safe distance.

“Fortunately, we have plenty of space because our park is approximately the size of 140 football fields. We also allow a limited number of guests to pre-book their visit. This way we can guarantee that everyone has the space for their day out,” Jurgens added.

DOLLYWOOD OFFERS VIRTUAL RIDES AMID PANDEMIC CLOSURE

BY GABRIELLE

Fans of Dollywood Theme Park in Tennessee can enjoy a rollercoaster fix, as the attraction site is posting videos of its rollercoasters to take people on virtual rides.

The park is offering virtual tours of the Mystery Mine, Tennessee Tornado, Dragon Flier, Firechaser Express, Thunderhead and several more of its popular attractions.

In a blog post about the virtual rides, Dollywood noted the best way to experience the virtual rollercoaster, stating: “It’s best-experienced on a device other than a desktop – a device like a smart phone or tablet you can move to “look” around you as you ride.”

During the park’s temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dollywood has been providing vital items to support at this difficult time to the community of Tennessee. Items have included reusable face masks for the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The theme park has also been providing ponchos to the Sevier County Ambulance Service, which has been in desperate need of such protection.

UNIVERSAL BEIJING RESORT’S WATERWAY DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER

BY GABRIELLE

A2.8-kilometre-long waterway that winds through Universal Beijing Resort in China, is set to be completed in November this year. The project, which will enable guests to enter the theme park by boat, is due to open in the public in May 2021.

The waterway will wind through the cultural and tourist zone of the park, starting at Jiukeshu Middle Road to the west side of East 6th Ring Road.

Guests will be able to embark the boats at docking stations at the resort’s hotels, which will transport them to the main entrance at the park.

Construction of the waterway began in September but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Work resumed on March 10. The structure of the river has been completed and the remaining work, including bank greening, river seepage reduction and the construction of a water treatment station, is underway.

The waterway will comprise of 40 to 100-metre-wide landscapes and a water area of approximately 120,000 sq. mt. Along the waterway there will be eight major tourist spots, all named after both modern and old poems related to the Grand Canal.

DISNEYLAND RESORT IN CALIFORNIA ACCEPT HOTEL BOOKINGS FROM JULY 1

BY GABRIELLE

Reservations to stay at the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel can now be made for July 1 onwards.

Reservations for dining and merchandise experiences at the resort cannot be made until the Anaheim parks set a re-opening date.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure were closed on March 14 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The sites remain closed until further notice.

On May 11, Shanghai Disneyland theme park re-opened following be closed for 107 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

EUROPA-PARK CARRIES OUT GRADUAL RE-OPENING WITH STRICT MEASURES TO REDUCE RISK OF INFECTION

BY GABRIELLE

Europa-Park, Germany’s largest theme park, has been preparing intensively for a gradual reopening of its facilities.

Working closely with the authorities and making the health and safety of employees and guests a priority, the theme park is re-opening with strict measures in place to reduce the risk of infection.

The measures include placing a daily limit of visitors through the sale of day-specific online tickets. The observation of mandatory minimum distance will also be a priority of the park, with the introduction of distance markers.

Hygiene measures will also be ramped up, with additional standards and processes, including disinfection stations installed across the park and more regular cleaning.

To assist with social distancing and the management of queues, digital technology is being introduced at Europa-Park. Contactless payments will also be available, and employees will receive health and safety training.

Before entering the park, visitors will be informed about the new health and safety measures implemented at the site.

The gradual reopening of the theme park will see the hotel and restaurant open from May 18 and from May 29, the re-opening of Europa-Park, the hotels and camping facilities.

In a statement, Europa-Park said: “We look forward to also welcoming our international guests as soon as travel from and to our neighbouring countries is possible again.

“We are confident that will also soon be about to start our show and cinema program, as well as opening the water world Rulantica.”

SEAWORLD CONDUCTS “HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES” SURVEY

BY GABRIELLE


SeaWorld has sent out a survey asking recipients their opinions on procedures related to health and safety when the parks eventually reopen.

The survey was focused on potential safety measures at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld resorts. Participants were asked to give their responses ranging from “this would be a major problem” to “this is absolutely necessary.”

Potential measures include a virtual line waiting system for rides and attractions, every other row and every other seat set ups, and the suspension of parades and night-time shows. Plans are also in motion to introduce a touch-free payment system for merchandise, food, and parking.

Those taking part in the survey were also asked their thoughts on guests being required to wear face masks and site capacity being limited to 25, 50 or 75 per cent. Survey participants were asked whether they would be likely or not likely to visit SeaWorld of Busch Gardens this summer.

Whenever the sites reopen, they will need to comply with health and safety measures set by federal and state governments.

SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND PREPARES TO REOPEN ON MAY 11 WITH LIMITED CAPACITY

 BY GABRIELLE


Shanghai Disneyland Resort is planning to reopen on May 11 with controlled capacity and other renewed safety guidelines.

During the initial reopening phase, the park will have limited attendance with an advanced reservation and entry system.

The resort will also be implementing controlled guest density with numbers managed in queues, rides, restaurants and other facilities. Social distancing will be set out around the park.

Temperature screening, hand sanitisation and disinfection measures will also be in place,, particularly in high-touch points, such as queue railings, handlebars and turnstiles.

Employees and members of cast will undergo training on social distancing, cleaning and contactless guest interaction procedures. Masks and additional protection equipment will be handed out to members of staff and cast.

Bob Chapek, chief executive officer at the Walt Disney Company, commented on the imminent opening of Shanghai Disneyland Resort. “We know how much our guests have been looking forward to returning to Shanghai Disneyland, and our cast is excited to begin welcoming them back,” said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.

“As the park reopens with significantly enhanced health and safety measures, our guests will find Shanghai Disneyland as magical and memorable as ever,” Chapek added.