So according to Screamscape Six Flags is making a virus announcement today. My guess is they’re just going to announce all the park closures will be extended until mid May.
They've also added membership and season pass info.
In short, memberships get an extra month free (at the end of the membership) for every month the park is closed, plus a free one level upgrade for the 2020 season (unless you're an old Regular or Gold member, in which case you get a permanent upgrade to Gold Plus).
Passholsers will get days at the beginning of 2021 based on how ever many days they're closed this year.
Extension of Park Closures until at Least Mid-May Announced by Six Flags
March 30, 2020
Reduces Salaries for Management and Team Members
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: SIX), the world’s largest regional theme park company and the largest operator of waterparks in North America, today announced that all the company’s parks will remain closed until mid-May, or as soon as possible thereafter, reflecting federal and local restrictions in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The company will continue to closely monitor the evolving global health crisis and follow the most current guidance from federal, state, and local officials as it assesses when it can reopen some or all of its parks.
The company also announced it is reducing salaries for all executive officers and team members in an effort to enhance the company’s financial flexibility while it faces the operating and financial impact of COVID-19. Effective April 6, 2020, the company is taking the following measures:
Reducing base salaries of executive officers by 25% Reducing salaries of all full-time salaried employees, subject to state and federal minimum thresholds, by 25% Reducing scheduled hours for full-time hourly employees by 25% to 30 hours per week
These changes allow employees to retain their existing health plan coverage at current premiums.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and team members is our most important priority,” said Mike Spanos, President and CEO. “While these actions are difficult for all of us, they will help the company weather the current crisis by reducing expenses. We decided to decrease salaries rather than implement a workforce reduction to ensure our team members have income and health benefits so that Six Flags has an experienced workforce in place when we are in a position to re-open our parks. Our hope is that these measures are only temporary and will help bridge the financial gap the company is facing, in the fairest manner possible, until we can return to normal operations.”
I haven't received the e-mail but my wife has. Also, I'm curious if this will be automatic or what we have to do to activate the upgrade.
Sent from my LM-G850 using Tapatalk
It's all on the webpage. But I think it's all automatic.
'You do NOT need to take any special action to receive these benefits -- your account will automatically be upgraded as soon as Six Flags Great America reopens.'
I haven't received the e-mail but my wife has. Also, I'm curious if this will be automatic or what we have to do to activate the upgrade.
Sent from my LM-G850 using Tapatalk
It's all on the webpage. But I think it's all automatic.
'You do NOT need to take any special action to receive these benefits -- your account will automatically be upgraded as soon as Six Flags Great America reopens.'
"What are you doing for Season Pass Holders? Thank you for being a 2020 Season Pass Holder! It's important to us that we provide you with all of the value you paid for. For each operating day that the park is closed during the 2020 Season, we will give you one additional operating day during the 2021 season. We will also be providing bonus free friend days and special benefits this summer when we re-open to make up for the inconvenience."
I'm wondering how they will actually give us passholders one additional operating day during 2021 season for each day the park is closed in 2020.....
Single Day Ride Count Record
50 rides 8/17/2018 (Without Flash Pass - Coasters After Dark)
^ I'd assume that, say the park is closed for 30 days, instead of 2020 Season Passes expiring at the end of the season, they would expire 30 days into the 2021 season.
DeathbyDinn wrote:^ I'd assume that, say the park is closed for 30 days, instead of 2020 Season Passes expiring at the end of the season, they would expire 30 days into the 2021 season.
Which really does very little for 95% of people since the only parks open in January are like MM,DK,FT & Mexico.
DeathbyDinn wrote:^ I'd assume that, say the park is closed for 30 days, instead of 2020 Season Passes expiring at the end of the season, they would expire 30 days into the 2021 season.
I want to use my 30 days on the days with the best weather or during Fright Fest.
Last edited by UnclePennybags on April 1st, 2020, 12:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
DeathbyDinn wrote:^ I'd assume that, say the park is closed for 30 days, instead of 2020 Season Passes expiring at the end of the season, they would expire 30 days into the 2021 season.
Which really does very little for 95% of people since the only parks open in January are like MM,DK,FT & Mexico.
I have to assume it's based on the park the season pass was bought for, or they're just asking for pissed off customers. I.e. if you have a SFGAm pass and SFGAm is closed for 25 operational days (the first few weeks and the beginning of daily operations, say) you would get the first 25 operational days at SFGAm of 2021. But a SFMM holder might get 60 days. The interesting part is what they do for people trying to go to other parks...
None of this will matter for a lot of people, though, because it doesn't really help you at all if you're buying a 2021 pass.
It should be pointed out that even mid-May seems ridiculously optimistic for parks reopening. By all accounts, we're going to have many many thousands of people dying all through April. That's not just going to stop in 6 weeks or whatever. And even once the strictest 'stay at home' orders are done, there will probably be a lot of less strict 'social distancing' recommendations for a while. Keep in mind too that many events well into the summer have canceled already. Basically I really wouldn't bank on going to the park anytime soon...
I was almost going to post something similar. Until there is overwhelming containment of Covid-19 in the USA, I don't think any amusement park should open. Parks have so much that the experts say to avoid, that I would think that amusement parks should be some of the last things to open once society starts heading back to normal.
How do you stay 6 ft. away from people at a park? How do you avoid touching common surfaces? Amusement parks are petrie dishes of germs and grossness. I think there is a greater chance that the 2020 season passes become 2021 passes than the park opening up Mid-May.
*Edit: On Saturday, April 4th, Knott's Berry Farm let season pass holders know that their 2020 passes will be valid through 12/31/21. I have a feeling it's only a matter of time before the rest of CF follows suit and possible SF.
^ I'd assume that as we see parks reopen, it won't be back to full operation. For example, these are some things that parks in Asia have been doing as they start to reopen: - Only allowing in guests wearing face masks - Taking temperatures and not allowing in people with fevers - Keeping space between parties in line - Only loading every other row - Cancelling things like parades and fireworks that draw in big crowds, and keeping theaters closed, etc.
That being said, these are obviously very different cultures with very different healthcare systems. I'm not sure if these are things that all Americans would be receptive to, or would follow.
I cancelled my membership last Fall for other reasons. I plan on getting one during the flash sale for 2021 season (assuming a positive outlook).
I've been trying to keep up with all these updates on the season passes and memberships though. It's very confusing. I am glad I do not have to deal with that right now.
Sucker for a launch, custom audio and Viper | Coaster Count: 507
Wisconsin has just extended their stay at home order through May 26th.
And now that Illinois is joining in a pact with them (and a bunch of other Midwestern states) seems likely it'll join in soon and (to get to the topic) the park opening will be delayed further.
Even in the unlikely event that Illinois doesn't extend their order, not sure opening the park with no Wisconsin guests or employees would go very well.
I'm guessing that most theme parks will be ghost towns even after the lock downs are lifted. 2020 will be a terrible year for the amusement park industry
A lot of people won't risk their lives for entertainment purposes and stay home until next year. God forbid we have a second wave in the fall and these lockdowns happen again.
I wasn't even going to go back until the flash sale as I do not have a season pass. If I did though I would be hesitant to return so soon. I think need to see some more precautions before I go back. More readily available hand sanitizer is a must. Some hot water to wash my hands with would be nice as it seems every sink is stone cold... Possibly some scheduled closures of rides and a team going around wiping down rides, I'm not sure how often though.
I was fine with how the park operated before. Looking back cleanliness was not the best, but it was never a thought when I was there. Truthfully, unless vehicles are cleaned after every ride, which will not happen, you're still going to be sitting in someones swass or the seat's going to be soaked from someone who rode a water ride in the last hour or two.
Even if the virus nearly disappears altogether some day, I will still need to see some changes to feel comfortable coming back. During quarantine I've actually caught/developed ringworm, and I've been abiding all the guidelines. Haven't left the house in weeks. It's not limited to just the virus. Some diseases like ringworm are highly contagious, and even cleaning the rides every 3 hours will prevent many cases of various ailments and sickness.
Thing's don't have to be perfect, but I will need to see added precautions of some sort before I feel comfortable going back. But sooner or later, the itch to ride a roller coaster will overpower my will to hold out.
Sucker for a launch, custom audio and Viper | Coaster Count: 507
Although the Illinois Stay At Home Order still hasn't been officially extended past April 30th, this statement from Pritzker leaves no doubt, the entire month of May is a no-go.
JB Pritzker wrote:If in fact the peak comes in mid-May or whenever that may come, we need to have 14 days after that… according to many of the experts
That means we are now looking at mid-June as the absolute earliest the park could open.