The Fuji-Q Highland amusement park near Tokyo has asked roller coaster riders to “please scream inside your heart” in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Fuji-Q Highland reopened on June 1, following three months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, and asked visitors to “please scream inside your heart” (via NPR).
The park has released a promotional video showing a pair of executives riding the main attraction, the two-kilometre-long Fujiyama coaster, named after nearby Mount Fuji.
In the video, which you can watch below, the duo are seen wearing face masks and silently enjoying Fujiyama.
‘Scream inside your heart’ while riding Fujiyama
Fuji-Q also launched a #Mao (serious face) campaign, which involves riders posting a video on social media of their silent and serious faces while riding Fujiyama.
They will then be entered in a prize draw to win free tickets to Fuji-Q, according to The Guardian.
Japanese theme park associations released guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus in late May, also suggesting a ‘no screaming’ rule on roller coasters.
The advice for ‘roller coasters and other conveyance-style attractions’ is as follows: “Have guests wear masks, and urge them to refrain from shouting/screaming.”
Fuji-Q launches #Mao (serious face) campaign
And it’s not just roller coasters that this protocol applies to. It’s also recommended that visitors ‘refrain from shouting/screaming’ at indoor attractions and character shows.
However, some guests have complained, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. One visitor at Tokyo Disneyland told WSJ that the rule was “too strict”.
“If a scream comes out, it comes out,” he added.
Meanwhile, the opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan has reportedly been indefinitely postponed.
However, the best footage yet of the expansion recently emerged online, unveiling a detailed look at attractions including Bowser’s Castle and Yoshi.