PHOTO CREDIT: Joanna Semsey
SeaWorld successfully re-opened on Thursday with all the preventive measures typical of the day to fight the spread of COVID-19. It was much anticipated after being closed for over 10 weeks.
Guests and employees had their temperatures screened, wore face coverings and were spaced out six feet apart at shows and on rides. Like many other public places, face masks are the rule and guests largely cooperate, and park ambassadors, clearly as glad to be back in the park as guests, provide occasional reminders about them. There are also”relaxation zone” to sit and de-mask for a few minutes at a time.
The park will operate at 30 percent of maximum capacity the next few weeks, controlled by reservations and tickets purchased online. For the rest of the month, SeaWorld will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Tuesdays and Thursdays for sanitizing.
Rides like Mako and Kraken flew through the air with riders masked and in every-other row or car, and employees disinfected the used seats after each ride, meaning slightly longer wait times. There was no water at the Journey to Atlantis ride, so that’s yet to open. The Antarctica ride is temporarily closed but the penguin habitat is open to walk through and it was highly welcomed as a method of cooling off on what was a very hot day!. The dolphin, killer whale, sea lion shows and the like went on, groups and families were kept socially distant and exited by sections in order to maintain CDC guidelines in social distancing. Well done SeaWorld Orlando! The crowds were smiling and obliged the ambassadors in charge!
Aquatica, SeaWorlds’ water park, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed Monday and Wednesday. Online reservations are required and available at aquatica.com.
