ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – SeaWorld plans to reopen its Orlando theme parks to the public on June 11, according to interim CEO Marc Swanson.


What You Need To Know

  • SeaWorld proposing to reopen Orlando parks on June 11

  • Face masks, temperature checks will be required for visitors

  • Increased cleaning at high-contact areas at its water parks

Swanson shared the date while presenting the company’s plan to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force on Wednesday.

The reopening would include SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove and Aquatica Orlando.

The parks would first reopen on June 10 for an employee appreciation night followed by the public reopening the next day.

Swanson also laid out the new measures that would be implemented at SeaWorld’s parks. In addition to temperature checks, employees and visitors would be required to wear masks to enter the parks. The mask requirement would be for guests ages 2 and older.

Tickets would be scanned by employees who will be separated from visitors by plexiglass to limit contact. SeaWorld will also encourage contact payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Swanson also said that paper park maps will no longer be distributed. Visitors will instead be able to access maps electronically.  

Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available at the entrances and exits at attractions. High-contact areas throughout the parks will cleaned more frequently. Physical distancing markers will be placed in queues for attractions, and riders will be spaced out to maintain distance. SeaWorld will also remove the single rider line option from attractions. 

New measures will be put in place at restaurants, with tables being rearranged to allow for physical distancing.

Animal interactions, character interactions and parades will be modified as part of the new protocols.

Last week, SeaWorld began testing its coasters with riders wearing masks. Swanson didn't say during the presentation whether masks would also be required while on rides. 

At the water parks, SeaWorld said it will limit the number of visitors in its pools and rivers to maintain distancing. Also riders on rafts and other vehicles on water rides, will only be grouped with people in their party. Ride vehicles, rafts, tubes and life vests will cleaned and sanitized more frequently.

Many of the measures SeaWorld plans to implement are similar to what Disney World and Universal have proposed. Universal presented its plans last week and is set to reopen its parks to the public June 5. Disney World is planning a phased reopening that begins with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11 followed by Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15.

SeaWorld's parks have been closed since mid-March. SeaWorld previously said it would automatically extend annual passes and memberships for at least as long as the temporary closure lasts.

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