COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW

[Nicole]

My understanding is that research paper on paper towels versus jet dryers is still being done. I’m not sure controlled experiments have been done with a large enough sample size and replicated enough to know in detail and for certain what the differences are.

One 2019 study found that while both are effective, paper towels spread fewer microbes when used to dry poorly washed hands. “Experts say that if you wash your hands following the appropriate protocol, the method of drying your hands won’t matter.”

The article I read about it also said that drying your hands is essential, so it seems that jet dryers are preferable to air drying.

Paper Towels Better Than Air Dryers to Stop Virus Spread

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routinely washing hands is an essential practice to prevent infection. However, poor handwashing can leave hands still contaminated with viruses. Recent research finds that using jet air dryers to dry poorly washed hands can spread viruses all over clothing and...

www.healthline.com

 

[r757chan]

One 2019 study found that while both are effective, paper towels spread fewer microbes when used to dry poorly washed hands. “Experts say that if you wash your hands following the appropriate protocol, the method of drying your hands won’t matter.”

The issue is this is assuming OTHER people properly wash their hands, right? Aren't the people who came before you the ones who dirtied the blower?

 

[Jonesta6]

The issue is this is assuming OTHER people properly wash their hands, right? Aren't the people who came before you the ones who dirtied the blower?

I thought it was because some blowers are recirculating the air in the room, so there's a chance airborne fecal matter could be spread onto surfaces that are then re-spread by a hand dryer.

Of course, more modern blowers such as the Dyson and JetDry models have the extra light to kill off cellular organisms, but I'd be curious to know if they're all that effective in reality.

 

[Nicole]

I was really just highlighting how narrow the findings have been.

 

[Memles]

SeaWorld's customer service problems have finally hit the local news.

Local family not amused with Busch Gardens' policy on pandemic refunds - WAVY

“I completely understand that,” Lawrence said about Busch Garnens’ “unforeseen circumstances” reasoning. “But I still don’t see it as my responsibility as a consumer to have to just keep paying, what I see as essentially donating money to Busch Gardens for a service I can’t use.”

Busch Gardens also offered an extension of her passes beyond October. “

We didn’t want that option because we don’t know when they’re gonna open,” she said.

Lawrence says a fair refund, given the circumstances, would be half her initial investment, about $420.

She says just this week Busch Gardens has decided to let her out of the last two payments – a refund of $140. But she says they wouldn’t confirm it in writing, and told her the only way she would know is to check her bank account.

 

[Memles]

And here's the "response" of sorts, which is more or less just the PR department getting the message out.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg gives season ticket holders options during the Coronavirus Crisis - WY Daily

Busch Gardens is giving their pass members “complimentary rewards” and “special benefits” to show their appreciation such as an additional “bring a friend days” and tier upgrades for the rest of the year and other pass member events, according to the “What are you doing for your Pass Members?” section of the Update on SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Operations webpage.

Pass members get those “special benefits” automatically before the park reopens.

Of course, this is obscuring that many of the upgrades the park offered to guests during this window (like the additional bring a friend tickets, and bring a friend tickets in general) are not actually active during the special events, so it's a bit disingenuous.

 

[BGWnut]

Of course, this is obscuring that many of the upgrades the park offered to guests during this window (like the additional bring a friend tickets, and bring a friend tickets in general) are not actually active during the special events, so it's a bit disingenuous.

The park isn't officially reopened so I'm not sure why it's disingenuous. They said that these events do not end the time period that will be added to memberships and that the added benefits will be available at the time the park is reopen and that time period is over

 

[Jahrules]

Of course, this is obscuring that many of the upgrades the park offered to guests during this window (like the additional bring a friend tickets, and bring a friend tickets in general) are not actually active during the special events, so it's a bit disingenuous.

The park isn't officially reopened so I'm not sure why it's disingenuous. They said that these events do not end the time period that will be added to memberships and that the added benefits will be available at the time the park is reopen and that time period is over

On a similar line of thought. Why would you want to consume a "bring a friend for free" ticket when only a small portion of the park is open and the value of that ticket is half (or less) what it would be on a normal full operations day?

 

[Memles]

The park isn't officially reopened so I'm not sure why it's disingenuous. They said that these events do not end the time period that will be added to memberships and that the added benefits will be available at the time the park is reopen and that time period is over

The benefits for not extending your membership were explicitly tied to the 2020 season and the 2020 season only. Meaning that the additional perks that were offered as an incentive not to cancel are not guaranteed to apply. As of now, none of the membership upgrades are scheduled to continue into the 2021 season, meaning that certain perks (preferred parking, the extra tickets, etc.) will not apply for those guests. As it stands, it is unlikely that BGW will open at full capacity in 2020, meaning that unless they extend the tier upgrades into 2021 many members will have received marginal extra discounts on merchandise and not much else. (Others will have received free parking they wouldn’t have had before, they’re the only group necessarily coming out on top in this case).

On a similar line of thought. Why would you want to consume a "bring a friend for free" ticket when only a small portion of the park is open and the value of that ticket is half (or less) what it would be on a normal full operations day?

That’s totally fair, but I do think people would have used the tickets simply to save money in the short term without thinking about their long term value. I don’t think people always think through the financial value of “free” things, if it means saving money in the short term. But I do think that in terms of any EXTRA bring-a-friend tickets they would have earned from a membership upgrade that they will not be able to use in 2020 does strike me as a failure in terms of the broad SeaWorld plan and BGW’s specific opening situation.

 

[BGWnut]

The benefits for not extending your membership were explicitly tied to the 2020 season and the 2020 season only. Meaning that the additional perks that were offered as an incentive not to cancel are not guaranteed to apply. As of now, none of the membership upgrades are scheduled to continue into the 2021 season, meaning that certain perks (preferred parking, the extra tickets, etc.) will not apply for those guests. As it stands, it is unlikely that BGW will open at full capacity in 2020, meaning that unless they extend the tier upgrades into 2021 many members will have received marginal extra discounts on merchandise and not much else. (Others will have received free parking they wouldn’t have had before, they’re the only group necessarily coming out on top in this case).



That’s totally fair, but I do think people would have used the tickets simply to save money in the short term without thinking about their long term value. I don’t think people always think through the financial value of “free” things, if it means saving money in the short term. But I do think that in terms of any EXTRA bring-a-friend tickets they would have earned from a membership upgrade that they will not be able to use in 2020 does strike me as a failure in terms of the broad SeaWorld plan and BGW’s specific opening situation.

I thought they had said the upgrades would effective for a year from the park reopening. But I could be misremembering.

 

[Zachary]

I thought they had said the upgrades would effective for a year from the park reopening. But I could be misremembering.

That’s what it should be, but according to the website BGW linked in their response...

Additionally, as a sign of our appreciation for you, our loyal Pass Member, we will be granting complimentary membership tier upgrades for all active Annual Passes for the remainder of 2020 as well as additional SeaWorld Pass Member events.

This seemed fine this spring... but now that BGW almost certainly isn’t actually fully reopening in 2020, it’s a major issue that needs to be corrected in my opinion. I’m not going to be too grouchy about anything till the park actually does reopen—they better make everything right then though.

 

[Memles]

I thought they had said the upgrades would effective for a year from the park reopening. But I could be misremembering.

Yeah, as @Zachary notes, the original plan was very much imagining a situation where the park would be back in operations for enough of the 2020 season for that to be a meaningful incentive. And to be fair, in Tampa/Orlando/San Antonio, it probably was. But BGW is distinct, and even more of an issue than San Diego given that that park is less reliant on member income. And so we're left with a decision that imagined a world where COVID was under control by the fall, and where there wouldn't be state-level restrictions of this kind, and thus fails to really offer me much personal benefit as a Premier member beyond an extra discount on merch given I don't intend on traveling to Florida this calendar year.

The logical thing to do would be to extend those benefits into 2021, but that then exacerbates the objections to the devaluing of preferred parking/ride again privileges, which was a problem with the plan to begin with.

 

[deacfan31]

Guess a Taste of BG is better than nothing. I have to give them credit for trying. The 4 hour window still sucks but hopefully this will help the local economy.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

 

[BGWnut]

Guess a Taste of BG is better than nothing. I have to give them credit for trying. The 4 hour window still sucks but hopefully this will help the local economy.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Well the only way to increase from the current event plan is for the governor to lift the capacity restriction that is in place.

I will recommend writing or calling the governor, if you want it to change.

 

[deacfan31]

Well the only way to increase from the current event plan is for the governor to lift the capacity restriction that is in place.

I will recommend writing or calling the governor, if you want it to change.

Agreed. I'm having hard enough time here in NC with Gov. Cooper.

 

[Le Moose]

Well the only way to increase from the current event plan is for the governor to lift the capacity restriction that is in place.

I will recommend writing or calling the governor, if you want it to change.

Already have

 

[Zachary]

Given the park's apparent inability to police masks on 1000 guests, I can't imagine wanting the park to try their hand at 5000 right now.

 

[Memles]

Given the park's apparent inability to police masks on 1000 guests, I can't imagine wanting the park to try their hand at 5000 right now.

Yeah, I just replied the slightly longer version of this in the Coasters and Craft Brews thread: essentially, I feel like the way to approach this is to let the park go to 1500 in the current footprint, which could give them some additional room to up enforcement. I realize that 5000 people spaced across the whole park would still be a "dead day," but I just haven't seen enough evidence—in the park's enforcement or the state's numbers—to suggest that's feasible until the Spring.

 

[rswashdc]

Given the park's apparent inability to police masks on 1000 guests, I can't imagine wanting the park to try their hand at 5000 right now.

Considering HP, CP, KI and others are open with well over 5000 at a time and none have had known breakouts, I’m not sure this is a major issue for expanding capacity. I know Hershey’s mask policing on busy Saturdays is almost futile, but they haven’t had issues, though they enforce it around rides and stores well which protects employees.

IMO based on reports, mask wearing in the open outdoor areas is largely superfluous due to the open air and sunlight. I’d be much more concerned that they focus their effort and resources on close contact and indoor spaces, vice walkways and other low risk areas.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

I’m not sure “it hasn’t happened yet” is a good reason to expand operations.