Here are the 5 things you need to know in and around Osceola County for June 8, 2020:
1. The reservation system for SeaWorld’s re-opening goes online today.
Last week it was the Universal Orlando Resort, and this week it’s the SeaWorld parks — Sea World, Aquatica and Discovery Cove — that re-open after a nearly three-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Online reservations will be required for entry so as to limit capacity in the parks to meet current social distancing guidelines. You can make reservations starting at SeaWorld.com/orlando/reservation, aquatica.com/orlando/reservation or discoverycove.com. Guests will receive their reservation confirmation via email, which they must bring along with their single-day ticket, Fun Card, or Annual Pass to enter the park.
You do not need to use this system if you already purchased a date-specific single-day ticket.
The Busch Garden parks in Tampa will use much the same online reservation system, and Disney World is putting together its own system for its mid-July reopening.
2. There are new testing sites for COVID-19 in Osceola County this week.
Free coronavirus testing will take place at locations from Poinciana to Kissimmee to St. Cloud to Holopaw this week.
A new location with no appointments or testing criteria necessary will be at Prescriptions Unlimited at 2521 13th Street, Suite A in St. Cloud. Tests will be done on a first-come, first-served basis with a limited number of tests available.
The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County (1875 Fortune Road, Kissimmee) has testing available Mondays and Fridays for anyone experiencing symptoms or with concerns about COVID-19 exposure by appointment only. The department will also hold testing on Tuesday at the Holopaw Community Center and on Wednesday at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Call 407-343-2000 to schedule an appointment.
Osceola Community Health Services will have testing available at three sites from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Tuesday at the Osceola Community Health Services Poinciana Location at 109 Doverplum Avenue, Wednesday at St. Cloud High School, and Thursday at the Osceola Community Health Services Kissimmee Location, at the corner of Bill Beck Boulevard and Fortune Road. For those sites call 407-943-8600 for an appointment.
3. The NBA is coming to Walt Disney World to finish the season and hold the playoffs.
The National Basketball Association’s leadership approved a plan to finish the NBA season and hold the playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports, using the Disney sports facility’s three multi-court arenas.
Players and coaches from 22 teams will arrive around July 7, and each team in playoff contention will play eight games to finish the regular season. The playoffs will start in August, with an NBA champion crowned in early to mid-October. The plan now is for games to be played without fans.
Players, coaches and league personnel will stay on Disney property at the Coronado Springs Resort. Health guidelines will be the rule, with social distancing and frequent testing occurring. Any player testing positive would be quarantined from the team and that team facing extra testing to see if there are any other positives.
4. The United Soccer League will restart on July 18, meaning Orlando City B will get a season at Osceola County Stadium.
Over the weekend, the USL League One, a minor league of Major League Soccer, announced a plan to return to action with a provisional start date of July 18. Competition format, scheduling, fan and media access will become available in the coming weeks according to the league, but this is a sign that some soccer will be played at Osceola County Stadium this year. It was retrofitted from a baseball facility to soccer to become the home of Orlando City B, which is the USL minor league affiliate of the Orlando City Soccer Club. Orlando City moved into its new training facility next to the stadium at Osceola Heritage Park back in January. Stay tuned to uslsoccer.com and orlandocitysc.com/ocb for updates and schedule details.
5. The Classic car shows at Old Town return this coming weekend.
A 30-year tradition of the Friday Muscle Car Show and Saturday Classic Car Show return to Old Town beginning June 12 and 13, so we look forward to welcoming the show-quality muscle and factory-performance cars from 1964 and newer, and classics and hot rods from 1983 and older.
The Friday Muscle Car Show begins at 3 p.m., and the Saturday Classic Car Show begins at 1:00 pm. There will be a limited number of cars cruising at 4 p.m. to maintain the title of “America’s Longest Running Weekly Car Show” and ensure there are no large crowds gathering.
Live music also returns Saturdays beginning June 13. Old Town is taking all the precautions to keep classic car fans safe from the virus, and Event Staff will direct where cars will park to ensure everyone is maintaining safe social distance. Old Town shopping, dining, and rides are open seven days a week from noon to 9 p.m. For more information on what’s new at Old Town, go to myoldtownusa.com.
