Roller Coasters in the time of COVID-19 pt 2

Recently Six Flags and Cedar Fair moved back the (re)opening of their parks to mid-May.  Disney announced their US parks will be closed indefinitely.  Hotels around Anaheim announced they are starting to take booking for after June 1.

Now that we are another week through the world of COVID-19 and our current shelter in place order being extended through the end of April, I can't imagine that at the end of the shelter in place order, everything will restart go on like planned before we knew about COVID-19.  When shelter in place ends, I think there still be limits on the size of crowds and type of activities people can undertake for months to come.  Even if we are not in total lock down, we will need some level of social distancing until there is a vaccine. 

My son's favorite thing to do is swim.  I have a hard time seeing us going back to the YMCA to swim this year.  I am not sure how you run a theme park in a world of social distancing.  I am not sure I'll be riding another roller coaster this year.

I am not sure this idea has sunk in for many people.  It is hard to tell what people think then podcasts, YouTube videos, and Facebook posts are your window on their insight.  Looking at Instagram and YouTube, I think I am in the minority of people thinking about this.  It seems like most people think as soon as Shelter In Place is over, everything will be up and running right away.  I think it will be a slow start and months before the world looks normal again.

This week Knotts Berry Farm made a big announcement.  Season Pass holders for 2020 will also get a free season pass for 2021.  Knotts Berry Farms is the only year round park in the Cedar Fair chain.  I think that we won't see this for California's Great America unless we get into July before the park opens. I think there is a good chance this will happen.

Furthering Reading
Navigating the Covid-19 pandemic: We’re just clambering into a life raft. Dry land is far away