COVID-19 Impacts on Kings Dominion

[Mushroom]

I noticed on the park's newly posted reopening protocols page that a handful of changes have been made from Taste of the Season:

Changes from Last Season:

• Season Passholders will need to make a reservation to visit Kings Dominion and Soak City in advance. Single Day Ticketholders prior to April 26, 2021 will only need to make a reservation to visit Soak City; a reservation is not required to visit only Kings Dominion. Single-day tickets purchased on or after 4/26/2021 are dated and park-specific and do not require an additional reservation.
• Temperature checks for guests have been discontinued at the front gate.
• The health screen questionnaire will be conducted by associates at the front gate and will not be through the Kings Dominion mobile app.
• There will be no limitations to ride capacity except for in the waterpark and indoor attractions.

The removal of limitations on ride capacity is interesting, but what I find even more interesting is that temperature checks have been eliminated. Maybe they weren't that effective and the park decided they weren't worth the cost of staffing and the additional hassle for guests?

 

[rswashdc]

I noticed on the park's newly posted reopening protocols page that a handful of changes have been made from Taste of the Season:



The removal of limitations on ride capacity is interesting, but what I find even more interesting is that temperature checks have been eliminated. Maybe they weren't that effective and the park decided they weren't worth the cost of staffing and the additional hassle for guests?

Temperature checks aren't required in the executive order. My guess is CF is basically doing the state and federally mandated minimums and no longer trying to come up with additional restrictions and activities.

 

[Memles]

Temperature checks aren't required in the executive order. My guess is CF is basically doing the state and federally mandated minimums and no longer trying to come up with additional restrictions and activities.

Which makes sense, I think: temperature checks have always been mostly for show, only providing a VERY basic check of someone showing clear symptoms, and one that not all symptomatic people would even have.

The mask stuff is more interesting, insofar as we’re seeing the industry (or at least CF and Herschend) abandon its initial “we’re setting a separate standard” in favor of “whatever states require of us.” Gonna be an interesting May/June until we reach the July 4 date where most Americans who WANT to be vaccinated will be at full efficacy.

 

[warfelg]

Which makes sense, I think: temperature checks have always been mostly for show, only providing a VERY basic check of someone showing clear symptoms, and one that not all symptomatic people would even have.

The mask stuff is more interesting, insofar as we’re seeing the industry (or at least CF and Herschend) abandon its initial “we’re setting a separate standard” in favor of “whatever states require of us.” Gonna be an interesting May/June until we reach the July 4 date where most Americans who WANT to be vaccinated will be at full efficacy.

I can’t say this with confidence but I’d bet it’s that they get major pushback to that and/or industry leaders have been chatting about it and decided it’s not worth the hassle and with doing that the state minimum requires their employee can just say it’s a “state requirement” rather than “company requirement.”

 

[Memles]

I can’t say this with confidence but I’d bet it’s that they get major pushback to that and/or industry leaders have been chatting about it and decided it’s not worth the hassle and with doing that the state minimum requires their employee can just say it’s a “state requirement” rather than “company requirement.”

In many ways this is easier for CF as an Ohio-based company, and without a park in Florida which is where this battle is ultimately is going to be more interesting as a space with no State restrictions but with Disney ultimately driving the bus on this issue and Universal following their lead.

 

[vacoasterfanatic]

Does anyone here know what KD "covid guideline capacity" will be on passholder preview day specifically?

 

[Crunchewy]

At one point they said it would be required that at least one person in the party have the mobile app. That seems to have been dropped. Now it''s just suggested. There will be no paper maps.

 

[rswashdc]

At one point they said it would be required that at least one person in the party have the mobile app. That seems to have been dropped. Now it''s just suggested. There will be no paper maps.

The no paper maps was a pain during the winter event. Trying to find food stops on the mobile map was basically not workable except through trial and error.

 

[warfelg]

Why can’t we normalize memorizing maps before going so your super family of 20 doesn’t take up all of International Street? Oh....just me?

 

[Jonesta6]

Or that the park isn't but so big and there's a lot of standard theme park fare on offer so just browse around... Though that may just be me. Or go get a handstamp, go down to Ashland, eat there, then come back assuming you have a pass to not have to pay for parking...

 

[I64 Trekker]

Hey again!

Yeah, the current situation at BGW is very abnormal. Typically basically everything (minus water rides, a couple shows, and sometimes a few very minor attractions) open with the park in mid-March. Not having every coaster, major attraction, transport ride, restaurant, etc operational by this point is unheard of.

We hope to see more of the park open by the beginning of next month, but given how unpredictable staffing has been, I'd wait for official announcements from the park before getting your hopes up too much.

Tempesto and Loch Ness are likely the next (big) attractions to be added to the lineup—it's just a question of when. ?

On the staffing front, just saw this about Kings Dominion and their staffing issues...

Kings Dominion delays Soak City Water Park opening (wtvr.com)

 

[RocketChk]

Anybody wanna make an educated guess on what rides will be open on Sunday's pass member day?

 

[vacoasterfanatic]

If i had to guess, all of them besides the obvious, avalanche, will be open

 

[mtorange]

According to multiple sources, Kings Dominion is now allowing fully vaccinated guests to go maskless in outdoor areas. Masks are still required for all in indoor areas and in outdoor queue lines.

EDIT: This is one of the posts I saw. Looks like they amended it in the comments to reflect that only Flight of Fear is requiring masks in the queue line.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[rswashdc]

There havent been any mask restrictions in queues or inside buildings. Id guess 50-60% are wearing masks, which is probably fairly in line with the honor system in place. Also some employees are going maskless, but its a lower percentage.

 

[Memles]

There havent been any mask restrictions in queues or inside buildings. Id guess 50-60% are wearing masks, which is probably fairly in line with the honor system in place. Also some employees are going maskless, but its a lower percentage.

What are the crowds/lines like?

 

[mtorange]

There havent been any mask restrictions in queues or inside buildings. Id guess 50-60% are wearing masks, which is probably fairly in line with the honor system in place. Also some employees are going maskless, but its a lower percentage.

Oh wow! That’s more freedom than I had initially heard. I hope we see something on the park’s website soon that puts this in writing. Were there any announcements made in the park?

 

[rswashdc]

What are the crowds/lines like?

Typical Sunday. Waited about 30 minutes fof twisted timbers. Ferris wheel was really slow with the cleaning they were doing. Rest isnt too bad thus far.

Oh wow! That’s more freedom than I had initially heard. I hope we see something on the park’s website soon that puts this in writing. Were there any announcements made in the park?

No announcements, but they werent enforcing and you could see that some employees were maskless. Id assume the webpage updates were due to the order coming late on a Friday and not wanting to get a developer on the weekend to make a website update.

 

[Zachary]

The COVID policies were a mess today. Official park signage and the website both claimed masks were required everywhere. Some employees told guests they weren't required outdoors. Employee masking was inconsistent despite being required by the governor.

Like, going in, I expected it to be sloppy due to how recently the tides shifted, but I kept expecting an announcement over the park speakers telling people what they should be doing. Sadly, such a thing never came. That's preview weekend for you though I guess.

These issues definitely need to be addressed by next weekend though. A park full of guests with no instructions is not great.

 

[Crunchewy]

Yeah it was very unclear what the rules were, but it became apparent that they must not be required as there were a lot of people without masks and no employees were telling people to mask up. There was also a lot of people with masks on, maybe because it was unclear.