Like most other theme parks, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Six Flags Parks in the United States suspended operations on March 13, 2020. And though there are no concrete reopening dates for these parks in the US, CEO Michael Spanos laid out a health and safety plan earlier this week that will ensure that Six Flags parks around the country are as safe as possible as soon as they get the green light to open back up from the CDC and local governments, which is the CEO estimates to be mid-May “or as soon as possible thereafter.”
This health and safety plan was formed with theme park workers, executives, and annual passholders, and will be in effect for as long as COVID-19 is still a threat. Here are all the components of this new plan:
Keeping guests apart
According to Six Flags, the plan is to start small with park attendance capped at 25% of normal park capacity and then ramp up based on state and local guidelines. Once guests are in the parks, Six Flags will limit the number of riders waiting in queues and will paint markers on the ground to keep guests at least six feet apart.
These measures are similar to those that are under consideration at Disney and Universal parks, and seem like commonsense ways to keep guests away from one another. However, physical distancing isn’t the only new requirement that will be in place when the Six Flags family of parks reopen.
Establishing a new normal
In addition to the physical distancing measures described above, Six Flags CEO Michael Spanos has also said that he is hoping to implement temperature checks at the entrances of every single park, and those who do not have their temperature within a certain range will not be admitted.
In addition, sanitization will be improved, with theme park operators wiping down rides throughout the day. Guests will also be able to make use of hand washing stations throughout the parks, as well as free sanitizers and masks
All of these additional measures are being introduced to establish the “new normal” at Six Flags parks, which will be in place for the foreseeable future.
Additional changes to ensure a “contactless” experience are coming soon
Though not ready yet, it looks like Six Flags is in the process of testing additional social distancing measures, including totally virtual queues for attractions, mobile fast food ordering, and cashless transactions, which will all help the parks move toward a contactless environment as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Though mid-May seems a bit optimistic for a theme park reopening, it looks like a lot of these measures that are being implemented for Six Flags’ parks’ reopening are similar to those that are being considered for other parks, and should hopefully help keep transmission of the virus at these parks to a minimum. If you would like to read the full transcript of the earnings call, you can do so at The Motley Fool.
As always, while this situation is evolving, all theme park fans should check out the CDC’s official site here, which has information on the virus and how to prevent its spread.
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