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

I think parks will be focusing on simply opening in a safe manner this year. I cannot imagine any special events are going to take place as they have done in the past. Something like a scare maze for example does not seem at all practical whilst we have any form of social distancing measures.
 
Be interesting to see how they entice people to park in October. I’m guessing they will close some days during The week. So would they continue into November if no firework events are taking place.
 
I would hope that they could maybe extend into the Christmas season if possible. A bit like they did a few years ago when they opened the Christmas event to the public as well as hotel stays. Sure, rides will still need maintenance so not everything would be open, but I think they'd benefit from staying open weekends and running a Christmas event in December.
Who knows, certainly isn't going to feel the same at Towers for a long time.
 
If the real Oktoberfest is already canned, then the Merlin overpriced Princes hotdogs and Becks festival can wait :p Seriously though opening the park will be parks biggest hurdle, everything else is a bonus.
 
Just received an email from Merlin with a survey regarding spending plans and potential changes at theme parks.

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I love how the price related questions don't give figures but instead refer to 'discounted' tickets.

Throwing out 2 for 1s but continuing to set the gate price at £60 is really, really not what I consider to be a discount.

But I'm sure it's what they mean.
 
KolonelKlink said:
Asking people if they’d like to pay more for a reduced experience is so Merlin it’s physically painful.
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I don't agree with it but I can see the logic. Business is all about supply and demand - if lots of people want to visit and they have reduced capacity, it's a supplier's market and they can increase prices. If nobody wants to visit then it's a consumer's market and they'd have to reduce prices.
 
Alsty said:
I don't agree with it but I can see the logic. Business is all about supply and demand - if lots of people want to visit and they have reduced capacity, it's a supplier's market and they can increase prices. If nobody wants to visit then it's a consumer's market and they'd have to reduce prices.
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When lockdown is eased, my guess is that the overwhelming majority of people will - in the following order - want to:
  • See family and friends
  • Go to the pub
  • Consider other leisure activities if they can afford it
On that basis, let’s assume that the overwhelming majority of people planning to visit a theme park are previous visitors who have an expectation about what to expect during their day and are already savvy enough not to pay full price in normal circumstances.

Among this group, I can’t see a long line forming for an offer of “hey, we’ll charge you more to get in, have less stuff for you to do and make you follow a bunch of rules that will make you have a lot less fun anyway!”
 
There’s a lot to come into factor when it comes to demand for a park. If they can open in time for August then of course there will be demand. But what do you do during the months when the demand drops as people have to work or go school. You can’t predict how the demand levels will be till the end of the season. Obviously having no events will be a drop in demand.
 
When do you reckon they would announce that they will have no events this year?. I don’t know how the hotel bookings work after when they stop moving them as they are closed. If they don’t announce it till the last minute and not move hotel bookings then in my eyes I don’t think that’s right.
 
They'll no doubt communicate that when they can get the park open based on what precautions are being taken.
 
Mr Pearse said:
When do you reckon they would announce that they will have no events this year?. I don’t know how the hotel bookings work after when they stop moving them as they are closed. If they don’t announce it till the last minute and not move hotel bookings then in my eyes I don’t think that’s right.
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I suspect they won't annouce until the lack of marketing makes it obvious.

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I’d be very surprised if the park tries to press ahead with any sort of events this year. I think they’ll probably defer what they had planned for 2020 to 2021 events-wise; by that point, social distancing restrictions should have been mostly (if not completely) lifted.
 
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