• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

What changes to operations should we expect post Covid-19?

Boris has said that he would like parts of the hospitality industry (I assume he’s talking about pubs & restaurants) to be open by July at the earliest. So if UK numbers continue to show a positive trend, then we could see theme parks open again in time for the busy summer period.

Parks shut in unison with pubs & restaurants, so I’d assume that they will open in unison with pubs & restaurants too. They were not banned when mass gatherings were banned; mass gatherings were banned on 16th March, and Chessington and Legoland opened until 20th March, when pubs and restaurants were forced to shut.
 
If the rates stay down and they can show they can safely social distance. Even by that standards it still won’t open till mid July/August as it won’t just open any of the parks. Systems have to be in place and ready.
 
Matt N said:
Boris has said that he would like parts of the hospitality industry (I assume he’s talking about pubs & restaurants) to be open by July at the earliest. So if UK numbers continue to show a positive trend, then we could see theme parks open again in time for the busy summer period.
Click to expand...

Restaurants and cafes with an enforced 2m seating arrangement, yes. Theme parks? absolutely not by July.
 
Stevie said:
Restaurants and cafes with an enforced 2m seating arrangement, yes. Theme parks? absolutely not by July.
Click to expand...
Alton Towers were planning to enforce social distancing on opening weekend in March up until only a few days before it was due to happen, so I definitely think it’s doable! Chessington also enforced it when they briefly opened, and I think Legoland did too. If a restaurant can, then a theme park can too.
 
Stevie said:
Restaurants and cafes with an enforced 2m seating arrangement, yes. Theme parks? absolutely not by July.
Click to expand...
Load of rubbish lol - easier to enforce in an enclosed area than an open area? Absolutely not. As has been mentioned, Chessington and Legoland were both successfully enforcing 2m distances before lockdown came into effect.
 
Matt N said:
Alton Towers were planning to enforce social distancing on opening weekend in March up until only a few days before it was due to happen, so I definitely think it’s doable! Chessington also enforced it when they briefly opened, and I think Legoland did too. If a restaurant can, then a theme park can too.
Click to expand...
Yes but Chessington was near empty on those two days, there is no way they could scale that to summer holiday crowds unless they cut the parks capacity which I doubt Merlin would actually want to do.
 
Thameslink Rail said:
Yes but Chessington was near empty on those two days, there is no way they could scale that to summer holiday crowds unless they cut the parks capacity which I doubt Merlin would actually want to do.
Click to expand...
Shanghai Disneyland is opening on Monday at 30% capacity, and they sold all 24,000 of their tickets within minutes. I'm sure this is something that Merlin could do, and I think it would work very well for them.
 
The pathways between attractions are not the problem here. Of course it'd be easy to keep your distance within the gardens or on the lawns, but the second you step foot into pretty much every queueline, there is no hope of enforcing social distancing. What if someone needs to leave the queue? Do they expect everyone behind them to also leave just so that they can pass while maintaining a safe 2m from everyone? And what about cattlepen sections of queue, where you constantly pass people inches from you? It isn't safe and in my opinion, it would be selfish to rush to get the parks open. I truly sympathise with the parks, especially the smaller ones such as Drayton, but the safety of the public has to come first.
 
Matt N said:
I'd assume they'll do some sort of temperature check or similar to ensure that COVID can't get into the park.
Click to expand...
Oh Matt, I agree with so many of your posts, but to state that by doing temperature checks (which will be horribly inaccurate) will ensure that "COVID can't get into the park" is madness :p
 
Islander said:
Oh Matt, I agree with so many of your posts, but to state that by doing temperature checks (which will be horribly inaccurate) will ensure that "COVID can't get into the park" is madness :p
Click to expand...
I should probably rephrase that. I know that many COVID cases are asymptomatic, so temperature checks would be futile for actually preventing the disease getting into the park, but it might make many guests feel safer, and has been floated as an idea for reopening by the likes of Disney, Universal, Six Flags and Plopsa amongst others.
 
Matt N said:
I'd assume they'll do some sort of temperature check or similar to ensure that COVID can't get into the park.
Click to expand...

They don't determine anything other than you having the virus right at that moment. (they are doing those too in China BTW)
 
I doubt we can look at Shanghai Disney for comparison really. They would always sell out if you limit the numbers. The uk theme park market is a different kettle of fish. When the parks do reopen it’s best to see the level of interest then.
 
If people need to leave the queue, they'll do exactly the same as what they currently do in every supermarket up and down the country. They'll just push their way past everyone else without a care in the world.

They won't give two hoots about floor markings. They'll crowd into each other as if doing so will make them get to the front faster. They'll cut each other up, invade the personal space of staff and other guests.

I've been seeing this every working day for weeks. They'll wear masks and put rainbow posters in their living room windows but, once they're in a confined space with other people all that goes out the window and people turn into self centred morons. The park will struggle to enforce it and will ultimately be blamed for being "irrisponsible".

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk
 
Matt N said:
Parks shut in unison with pubs & restaurants, so I’d assume that they will open in unison with pubs & restaurants too.
Click to expand...

Matt, I fully appreciate your youthful exuberance and enthusiasm, but you let it cloud your posts to such an extent that your wild guesses and “assumptions“ end up lookIng a bit silly.

A quick glance at tomorrow’s newspapers - filled with additional briefings from government officials - shows that pubs will open at a different stage to restaurants, possibly in August and maybe not until the autumn, even if they have a beer garden.

If there is any theme park season to speak of this year, I’d bet my house that it’s very short.
 
I thought it was already common knowledge that the parks will only get 2/4 months max of a season. And if social distancing in place you’d probably lose all the events till next year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top