Sesame Place To Reopen With Restrictions

After being closed during the spring and early summer season, Sesame Place has announced it is reopening.

The SeaWorld Entertainment-owned theme park in Middletown Township will be begin reopening next Friday. For summer, it appears to be opening for Friday through Sunday weekends.

“The reopening of the park will include strictly enforced and enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screening. A new online reservation system will also help manage capacity so that guests can enjoy a safe and fun experience while maintaining physical distancing. The phased reopening plan was approved by the State of Pennsylvania,” a statement from Sesame Place said.

Sesame Place draws thousands upon thousands of tourists to Bucks County and supports many jobs in Lower Bucks County. Tourism officials have said over the years that Sesame Place is one of the larger drivers of $1 billion tourism industry in the county.

“We thank Governor Wolf for his support of tourism in Pennsylvania as we prepare to reopen Sesame Place on July 24,” said Marc Swanson, interim SeaWorld Entertainment CEO. “We have worked diligently with state and local health officials, outside consultants and attraction industry leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health and governmental directives, and advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19.”

The theme park has placed safety information online and will require online reservations for guests.

Sesame Place, which has plans to open a second park in California, has released a list of the following changes to operations:

• Guest Arrivals & Ticketing – Enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented at arrival areas and for high-contact surfaces. Spacing will be increased for our touchless turnstiles enabling appropriate physical distancing.
• Restaurants – Restaurants at the park will include arranged seating layouts to accommodate physical distancing. Tables and chairs will be sanitized with increased frequency, condiment and topping stations will be closed, utensils will be pre-packaged, and guests with refillable products will be provided single-use alternatives. Buffet-style service areas will be adjusted or closed until further notice.
• Retail Shops – In our retail shops, we will have markings for physical distancing and signage directing guests to defined entrances and exits. To minimize contact of items at checkout, bagging and wrapping materials will be given to customers.
• Public Spaces – Across the park and especially in high-contact areas, enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented. This includes an increased number of hand sanitizer stations, areas with single-direction guest flow, modified seating in venues to maintain physical distancing and cleaning according to enhanced protocols. Lounge chair seating will also be modified to maintain physical distancing.
• Rides & Attractions – Queue lines for all rides will have markings for physical distancing and modified seating will be implemented to maintain physical distancing. We will have hand sanitizer available at the entrance and exit of all rides and will increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing. Specific protocols will be implemented for water rides for employees and guests and unless play areas meet distancing protocols, they will be temporarily closed. For a list of temporary changes and attraction closures, please visit the attractions page on the website.
• Parade, Shows and Meet-and-Greets – Depending on the ability to ensure physical distancing for guests and team members, certain components of shows and meet-and-greets, such as those involving guest interactions, character interactions and photo opportunities will be modified or removed. Parades will be temporarily unavailable. For more information on the parade, shows and character meet-and-greets, please visit the shows & parade page on the website.

Sesame Place said guests over the age of 2 will have to wear face coverings, aside from when they’re eating, drinking, and on water attractions. There will be “relaxation areas” designated where face coverings are not required.

“Out of an abundance of caution and safety for everyone in our park, if someone in your party is unable to wear a face covering, you will not be permitted to enter the park at this time,” the park said on their website.

The closure of Sesame Place has caused a tax impact on Middletown Township and the Neshaminy School District, which split a 10 percent amusement tax from the theme park. The full impact of the closure has not been released, but officials have raised concern about revenue decreases in recent months.

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