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San Diego plan to enable attractions to reopen sooner

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San Diego Tourism Authority water park reopening procedure

The San Diego Tourism Authority has released an Attractions Re-Opening Plan for Legoland California, SeaWorld San Diego and more.

This strategy would allow attractions to reopen in stage three of California’s reopening plan, which is expected to be months away, rather than in stage four. Any attraction reopening in stage four will not be able to reopen until some sort of treatment for coronavirus is available.

By implementing this report’s safety precautions, attractions like the USS Midway Museum and San Diego Zoo will be able to reopen sooner than previously expected.

The plan states that it is a “living document” and so will be adjusted as needed based on new information from the CDC or local, federal and state governments. The purpose of the plan is to allow attractions to reopen safely, keeping staff and visitors as safe as possible.

Precautions for employees

All employees will have temperature checks before they start work. Staff should also take part in a training course to teach them how to keep themselves and visitors safe.

If an employee is not required to work on-site, they should be encouraged to work at home. Face masks will have to be worn by all staff and visitors before entering the attraction.

Six-feet social distancing

San Diego Tourism Authority water park reopening procedure

The capacity of the attraction will be reduced to allow for social distancing. However, no guidelines on the exact capacity limits are mentioned in the plan.

To reduce contact between visitors and staff, visitors will have to open their own bags at security and inspection tables will be at least six feet apart.

Social distancing of six feet must be observed during all activities, including in ride loading areas, washrooms (where possible), queues, ticket booths and park entry.

Signage should be located throughout the attraction to keep visitors aware of the social distancing rules that are in place. If there are narrow footpaths, these should become one-directional to avoid congestion.

Character meet and greets must be modified to maintain distance between visitors and the character. Photo Op sets should be modified to maintain this six feet distancing.

Additional cleaning

Hand sanitiser should be available at rides, park entry points, ride exit ramps and other locations in the attraction. To reduce hand to hand contact, contactless payment options should be utilised as much as possible.

Additional staff may be required to clean guest areas such as washrooms, door handles, counters and railings more frequently.  Staff break rooms and working areas must also be cleaned for frequently.

Ride vehicles should be disinfected regularly, and riders should only queue in their family groups. Each ride should have staggered seating.

Food and beverage precautions

Single-use menus or contactless menus should be in place. Condiment stations should remain closed, and restaurant seating should be modified to maintain the six-feet social distancing rules. Plexi shields should be in place for cashiers and food stations to reduce close interactions.

Extra surface sanitisation should occur. Furthermore, the safe delivery of food orders will be provided to prevent unnecessary contact.

Waterpark guidelines

For waterparks, locker rooms and changing rooms should implement a one-way access system. Social distancing markers should be placed throughout the park and rides.

Restrooms should have a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. Visitor capacity should be limited.

Florida’s Economic Recovery Task Force has also released a report on how Orlando’s theme parks, restaurants and hotels can reopen safely in two phases.

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Alice Sarsfield-Hall

Alice is business development manager and looks after blooloop’s clients, new business and events. She studied English Literature and French at the University of Leeds. A Disney and Harry Potter geek, you can usually find her reading, baking or at a museum.

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