COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW

[shwasty]

Sighs in French, German, Italian, and English.

Uneducated opinions are worse than uninformed opinions.

I just don't support thousands of people being together at a non esssential business during a global pandemic? Why take the risk so some people can get some popcorn?

 

[shwasty]

Virginia moved past the point of closing all but essential businesses in May of last year. That conversation has not really been a reality in this country since the beginning: while total lockdowns have been used in other countries to differing levels of success, America has always been balancing the needs of commerce and public safety, a dangerous game that due to a lack of coordination from the federal government and inconsistent approaches across states cost hundreds of thousands of lives that could have been saved with a federally-organized and supported response to the virus. However, the reality is that the situation was what it was, and states, local governments, and businesses had to adapt to that scenario.

As a result, the question is not about essential/non-essential, but rather whether or not different businesses have done the work necessary to operate safely under the circumstances. Once data emerged to suggest that outdoor transmission of the virus was rare, and more difficult than indoor transmission, the amusement sector made its case for reopening: this didn't work in California, which has been amongst the strictest states, but it worked in much of the rest of the country because a combination of natural protections (large outdoor space where it's possible to distance) and proactive measures (mask mandates even in states that didn't have them, physical distancing markers, capacity restrictions on rides/attractions, etc.) by the parks represent a stronger argument than other venues where these factors may not be in place. And in the case of Virginia, the state initially placed more restrictions on the parks than in other jurisdictions by enforcing the 1000-person cap, which BGW chose to accept and developed the multiple timeslot approach to maximize revenue while nonetheless respecting the state's guidelines. This earned them the ability to expand capacity after operating for a little over three months with no evidence of virus transmission or "outbreak" events associated with the parks.

In my 14-ish visits to the park since last August, it is simply wrong to suggest that thousands of people are "together." While there may be isolated instances where people violate your personal space or where someone is not wearing a mask correctly or abusing the "except when eating and drinking" rule, the number of "close contact" moments created during a park visit even with an expanded capacity is incredibly small. Once the science became clearer on the importance of proximity and duration, and as the general public adapted to the mask mandate in more parts of their everyday life, and as the weather became cooler, visiting the park felt like a safe way to leverage the outdoor nature of the park during a time when few other entertainment options could be considered safe. This does not mean there was no risk, but there is nothing we can do right now without risk, and thus having the park open creates a chance for guests to make that choice for themselves.

Could BGW be doing more in terms of enforcing distancing or cracking down on abusers of the walking-and-drinking policy? Absolutely, and the way KD was running things when they were open in December made that abundantly clear. But we are through the figurative looking glass as to "businesses operating during the pandemic," and all available evidence suggests that while there are elements of the theme park experience that can still generate some anxiety, when you spread those thousands of people across an entire park with pretty consistently good mask compliance and an increasingly adaptive public to the social distancing elements of the experience, it separates itself from other amusements (most of which are also open, and much riskier if indoors).

Why even risk spreading the virus 14 times? I'm just confused why people were so up in arms about not leaving your house and now we can go to BG because some kids wiped down Loch Ness? The hypocrisy is insane.

 

[bill s]

We never had an effective lockdown. If we had, there would have been periods by now where we were "done" and could go back to our normal lives. Those who quarantined themselves for months on end have not been rewarded with a safe world to go back to. But if it's almost completely ineffective, it just goes on and on, and it becomes desirable or even necessary to determine some things that people can do safely. There is little doubt that going to one of the better socially distanced parks is much safer per minute than going to Walmart to get out of the house; the risk compares at all because one is there much longer.

The statistics show a sharp drop in cases now, after peaking after Christmas at a level far above last spring and summer.

 

[shwasty]

Sighs in French, German, Italian, and English.

Uneducated opinions are worse than uninformed opinions.

trying to be pretentious, no substance. Cmon big guy.

 

[shwasty]

We never had an effective lockdown. If we had, there would have been periods by now where we were "done" and could go back to our normal lives. Those who quarantined themselves for months on end have not been rewarded with a safe world to go back to. But if it's almost completely ineffective, it just goes on and on, and it becomes desirable or even necessary to determine some things that people can do safely. There is little doubt that going to one of the better socially distanced parks is much safer per minute than going to Walmart to get out of the house; the risk compares at all because one is there much longer.

The statistics show a sharp drop in cases now, after peaking after Christmas at a level far above last spring and summer.

as of now the cases per day isn't plateauing. I just believe the people on this platform are being hypocritical. If they really cared so much about the pandemic they would not approve of a non essential business opening up. Especially if youre having thousands of people in one place. I will maintain my stance that i dont like hypocricy. The mods that flexed social distancing and the closing of parks are the same people trying to get the parks re-opened. Pocketbook?

 

[qdeathstar]

Are you suggesting the people running this site are getting paid by Busch Gardens to post stuff about how they should reopen to less restrictions? LOL.

You aren’t allowing for changes in reality in your “hypocrisy” comments. In March no one had immunity, there was no vaccine, and there was very limited data on how to deal with it.

now there are people who have some immunity either through vaccine or contraction of the virus. No, we aren’t close to hers immunity, but the more people who have immunity the less risk of transmission. We don’t need heard immunity to reopen some things, we just need enough so that the delta of new cases doesn’t change so fast we don’t have time to react to it and overrun the hospitals.

now we know that wearing masks is effective, and crucially there is a supply of masks available.

Now more people know what the risk is, how to mitigate the risk, and whether or not they want that risk is ultimately their decision.

 

[bill s]

as of now the cases per day isn't plateauing. I just believe the people on this platform are being hypocritical. If they really cared so much about the pandemic they would not approve of a non essential business opening up. Especially if youre having thousands of people in one place. I will maintain my stance that i dont like hypocricy. The mods that flexed social distancing and the closing of parks are the same people trying to get the parks re-opened. Pocketbook?

Some people here still really care. I cared a lot about the pandemic back last year but in June I got a positive antibody test and believe I may have gotten it as early as 12/31/19. So whatever concerns I may have it is old news and coulda, shoulda at this point. Fortunately I believe the vaccine will have greater effect than most expect. The US has already had 25M confirmed cases so probably 100M people have had it already, in particular those most likely to catch it, of our total 331M people. As maybe 80M of the first 100M vaccinations will be non-overlapping with those already infected and of course include those most vulnerable, the numbers should begin dropping much faster. Biden's goal was to vaccinate that many in his first 100 days, which end May 2 or so.

As to "pocketbook", the cost is not lives vs. money, it's lives vs. living. We have lost a half million lives, but also millions of years of living, at least a million lifetimes of productivity as well as the money that represents. I certainly know I've gotten older waiting for it to pass, to the extent I have waited for anything.

 

[Nicole]

as of now the cases per day isn't plateauing. I just believe the people on this platform are being hypocritical. If they really cared so much about the pandemic they would not approve of a non essential business opening up. Especially if youre having thousands of people in one place. I will maintain my stance that i dont like hypocricy. The mods that flexed social distancing and the closing of parks are the same people trying to get the parks re-opened. Pocketbook?

Your apparent unwillingness to acknowledge that scientists’ understanding of the pandemic has grown, allowing society to respond is a more targeted and sophisticated way than in the initial months is unfortunate, but essentially your problem. Your attacks, however, against a mysterious group of Forum members who have supposedly hypocritically changed their positions on the pandemic is both insulting and without merit.

You may feel free to rail against what you think is a baseless change in government policy. You may even present evidence to dispute the claims of whomever you think is being irresponsible in their response to the pandemic. What you need to stop doing, however, is throwing insults around.

even if the rules changed, why should we be grouping together with thousands of people? Personally I think its irresponsible to have thousands of people together in the same spot? If its such a concern why would you even risk having thousands of people together during a global pandemic?

Once again, please stop putting words in my mouth. You have absolutely no idea what my views on the current theme park rules are.

I didn’t defend any policies. I said that your assertion that the changes were entirely cynical and based on nothing more than money completely ignores the provable fact that we know a lot more about COVID-19 than we did last March.

 

[ijerngvidsnvk]

Me reading this whole thread

 

[shwasty]

Some people here still really care. I cared a lot about the pandemic back last year but in June I got a positive antibody test and believe I may have gotten it as early as 12/31/19. So whatever concerns I may have it is old news and coulda, shoulda at this point. Fortunately I believe the vaccine will have greater effect than most expect. The US has already had 25M confirmed cases so probably 100M people have had it already, in particular those most likely to catch it, of our total 331M people. As maybe 80M of the first 100M vaccinations will be non-overlapping with those already infected and of course include those most vulnerable, the numbers should begin dropping much faster. Biden's goal was to vaccinate that many in his first 100 days, which end May 2 or so.

As to "pocketbook", the cost is not lives vs. money, it's lives vs. living. We have lost a half million lives, but also millions of years of living, at least a million lifetimes of productivity as well as the money that represents. I certainly know I've gotten older waiting for it to pass, to the extent I have waited for anything.

like i said its hard to respond to the whole mulitverse. I could care less about your antibody test. Why are we having thousands of people in BG It's a non-essential business.

 

[Zachary]

I gotta give it to @shwasty—his argumentation may be weak, his data may be nonexistent, and his motivations may be entirely unsavory, but good god this is a bold strategy.

An Obama-voter-turned-Trump-supporter coming into a BGW thread in February of 2021 advocating for the continued complete closure of all nonessential businesses. I know there’s a first for everything, but damn this is beautiful.

I know he is advocating for all nonessential businesses to be closed, but I wish he would elaborate on the mechanisms by which he would facilitate that. Is he advocating for a mass government bailout of all nonessential businesses for more than a year of complete losses? Interesting strategy given his political position. Does he want to let every nonessential business in the country die? Seems like a bad stance for anyone to take.

I honestly wish I lived in a universe like @shwasty’s sometimes—just entirely separated from reality—never having to actually pitch a single solution—just sticking to one shaky rhetorical position forever—no matter how the winds or seas change—just floating above it all, criticizing everyone down below me trying to navigate the real world. It must be nice up there @shwasty.

 

[shwasty]

Your apparent unwillingness to acknowledge that scientists’ understanding of the pandemic has grown, allowing society to respond is a more targeted and sophisticated way than in the initial months is unfortunate, but essentially your problem. You attacks, however, against a mysterious group of Forum members who have supposedly hypocritically changed their positions on the pandemic is both insulting and without merit.

You may feel free to rail against what you think is a baseless change in government policy. You may even present evidence to dispute the claims of whomever you think is being irresponsible in their response to the pandemic. What you need to stop doing, however, is throwing insults around.



Once again, please stop putting words in my mouth. You have absolutely no idea what my views on the current theme park rules are.

I didn’t defend any policies. I said that your assertion that the changes were entirely cynical and based on nothing more than money completely ignores the provable fact that we know a lot more about COVID-19 than we did last March.

it's a play on sarcasm. It's called humor.

 

[Nicole]

Pardon? What was meant to be a sarcastic joke?

 

[shwasty]

Pardon? What was meant to be a sarcastic joke?

I didn't know having a difference of opinion would create such hatred.

 

[Zachary]

Pardon? What was meant to be a sarcastic joke?

Since @shwasty sadly dodged, I can take this one off his hands!

Roughly anything you could have identified as rude, aggressive, or offensive—those were the jokes! Lots of jokes! Comedy is my passion.

 

[bill s]

like i said its hard to respond to the whole mulitverse. I could care less about your antibody test. Why are we having thousands of people in BG It's a non-essential business.

From my point of view, the test meant I was ready to move along. It also means, since I don't even know when I had it except possibly January, that the response was way late and the response was even poorer than appreciated. But that happened and a choice was made a long time ago to reopen nonessential businesses. We don't hate you but do find it inexplicable now to criticize the extension of a policy becoming irrelevant and history. We went the tread water route and waited for the vaccine and now it's here. Good luck convincing enough people to do a truly effective quarantine now!

 

[Nicole]

I didn't know having a difference of opinion would create such hatred.

So... there was no sarcastic joke? Or is the weird claim that you have evoked hatred here somehow the sarcastic joke?

I am honestly very confused at this point.

 

[warfelg]

I used this earlier today but:

Lol

I use this gif a lot where I’m a mod TBH.

Anyways, I’m finding most people who whine about businesses being open now are the same exact ones that complained of closers in the first place. Mostly for me compounding the fact that the basis in their argument isn’t the virus itself, but rather its political or conspiracy based.

And honestly, I just feel bad for people that live life being contrarian for attention and to get people to engage with them. It’s not a way to live life at all for the stress it causes.

 

[Wings]

The Admins vs shwasty rap battle page.

Regarding having BGW or any theme park open; I think we now know a lot more about how the virus spreads, preventative measures, and have some kind of percentage of natural/vaccine immunity to do so safely. Now I haven't been to BGW during the pandemic, but I would argue at this point they could lift attendance limitations even more. If people are wearing masks properly, and distancing where indicated, going to Busch Gardens is probably safer than some maskless gatherings you might have with close friends/family at home.

I work at a college and we made it a point to try to conduct safe events for students in the fall semester. Whenever we had spread on-campus, it was never traced back to an event or class where precautionary procedures were being followed. The transmission was almost always traced back to them riding in a car with friends, going out to dinner with friends and eating maskless, or people not wearing masks properly.

 

[warfelg]

I think we now know a lot more about how the virus spreads, preventative measures, and have some kind of percentage of natural/vaccine immunity to do so safely

This has always been the core of the discussion that we didn’t know enough about the virus, and I can’t tell is some were too ignorant, too blinded, too stubborn, or flat out too stupid to realize it.