COVID-19 & Coasters: Coronavirus Impacts on the Amusement Industry

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I’m not too pressed about Hershey’s decision. If you’re fully vaccinated you don’t need a mask. We’ve been following CDC guidelines this whole time. CDC guidelines state that those who aren’t vaccinated need them and those who are don’t need them. This forum seemed to always side with “well the CDC says this so let’s do this” and that’s what Hershey did. Are there some things they could have done better to avoid conflict? Sure, but they are just following CDC guidelines.
 
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Without limiting admission to vaccinated persons or having any enforcement mechanism to require masks and social distancing for unvaccinated persons, Hershey is not providing a CDC-guidance-compliant environment. If I had a kid and a pass, I'd be demanding a suspension or refund.
 
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RollyCoaster said:
I’m not too pressed about Hershey’s decision. If you’re fully vaccinated you don’t need a mask. We’ve been following CDC guidelines this whole time. CDC guidelines state that those who aren’t vaccinated need them and those who are don’t need them. This forum seemed to always side with “well the CDC says this so let’s do this” and that’s what Hershey did. Are there some things they could have done better to avoid conflict? Sure, but they are just following CDC guidelines.
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This characterization of the forum consensus (such that you seem to think it exists) lacks nuance: speaking personally, my position has always been about a combination of policies and enforcement that provides the safest possible experience for guests.

The problem with this policy is that it contains absolutely no enforcement, and as @Zachary notes that choice implies that the likelihood of enforcing the parts of the policy that COULD be more easily enforced (masks on younger kids who can't be vaccinated) is highly unlikely. While it's clear that parks will make adjustments to their operations in order to thread the needle of maximizing guest flow and a public image in support of guest health/safety, Hersheypark isn't even bothering to pretend the latter matters to them here.

And again, before this becomes a whole thing: this is not going to create an outbreak. This CDC guidance wouldn't have been made if there was a risk to the overall stability of public health efforts, and this is especially true for largely outdoor spaces. But the increase in individual risk for parents of young kids—who are less likely to experience significant damage from COVID-19 but still don't deserve to be put at risk as some sort of sacrifice—feels entirely antithetical to the public safety messaging central to the industry.
 
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I dont think they could limit admission to vaccinated persons, that would be descrimination. So what about those that cant or are told not to vaccinate? Do you just tell them to fuck off, thanks for buying tickets, memberships or passes but you can never come here again? Ok so you say they will need a doctors note? Really how will the park implement a policy for that and how will the park verify that what people are showing as a doctors note is real? Better yet, so they check you at the gate and require a mask if your not vaccinated, then you take two steps in and take it off....whos going to stop you or be able to enforce it. All these whiny people crying about not letting unvaccinated people in.....well suck it up because they are going to be standing in line just inches away from you enjoying their day riding rides and having churros.
Now consider employees....what happens if a employee cant be vaccinated, do they fire them? Im not sure they could get away fro firing a person because they have a medical condition. Will they require all employees and vendors to be vaccinated? How about outside repair companies working inside the park, the guy from CocaCola there to work on the machine? Where does it end? It dosnet...these companies are going to do the least they have to to make as much money as they can. Many like BGW cant afford to only allow in a select few they need cash and need it now.
 
It's not discrimination to require vaccination.

In a theoretical vaccine-required park, people who "can't" get vaccines would likely be required to have a very recent negative COVID test (this is how vaccine passports at parks in Europe work) or be required to follow masks and social distancing requirements (likely via a wristband system like someone else suggested).

Realistically though, I don't think anyone is expecting many domestic parks to go this route. That's why we've been saying the new CDC guidance likely doesn't justify any change in policy for parks. Parks are mixed vaccine status environments and they're likely to stay that way. Hence, unfortunately, parks almost certainly need to enforce the current CDC guidance for unvaccinated persons on all of us since the park can't tell us vaccinated folk apart from the unvaccinated people.
 
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Zachary said:
It's not discrimination to require vaccination.

In a theoretical vaccine-required park, people who "can't" get vaccines would likely be required to have a very recent negative COVID test (this is how vaccine passports at parks in Europe work) or be required to follow masks and social distancing requirements (likely via a wristband system like someone else suggested).

Realistically though, I don't think anyone is expecting many domestic parks to go this route. That's why we've been saying the new CDC guidance likely doesn't justify any change in politicy for parks. Parks are mixed vaccine status environments and they're likely to stay that way. Hence, unfortunately, parks almost certainly need to enforce the current CDC guidance for unvaccinated persons on all of us since the park can't tell us vaccinated folk apart from the unvaccinated people.
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Or they will all follow Hersheypark........
 
I’m willing to bet parks are gonna sit back and see what happens at Hershey first.

But as long as our state guidelines don’t change there isn’t much BGW can do. So withholding business from BGW over something out of their hands feels really shitty to me.
 
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WDWRLD said:
Or they will all follow Hersheypark........
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This is most likely what will happen. A few care passionately on both sides of the argument, but the majority will just go with whatever state and federal guidelines are and aren’t going to want to be inconvenienced too much.
 
I went in a store the other day that offered samples because as he said "as long as your eating you can keep your mask off right?"....I bout way more specality nuts than I needed just because!
 
Universal follows the lead of Dollywood et al and switches to “no masks outdoors,” but doesn’t differentiate between vaccinated/unvaccinated in any way.

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