Reopening Considerations for WhiteWater Attractions

With numerous resources and strategies available for parks right now, it can be overwhelming when trying to plan for reopening. One resource that cuts through the noise is a webinar hosted by WhiteWater. With a panel of industry professionals, the webinar provides a solid knowledge base on operational considerations and tools to aid park operators in the post COVID-19 era. For those of you who couldn’t tune in, here is a quick recap:

1. Cleaning Protocols & Team Training: Franceen Gonzales, Executive Vice President at WhiteWater, moderated the panel. After brief introductions, Franceen and Jody Kneupper, Park President at Wild Waves Theme and Water Park, discussed cleaning and disinfection protocols. Jody brought up the preopening training that he is doing with his staff and the regulatory inspections he needs to accomplish before he will be allowed to reopen. There was some interesting discussion regarding lily pad walks and other difficult-to-clean items. One insight was to sanitize hands before touching handholds on attractions that cannot be sanitized frequently.

2. Managing Capacity: Aaron Mendelson, Director of Customer Success & Product Innovation at Vantage, discussed the Vantage platform and the capabilities of managing in-park density and real-time attendance monitoring. The amusement setting is unique when it comes to keeping people six feet apart because most of the time operators cannot see the entire queue line and manage how many guests are in line. Vantage’s reopening solutions offer virtual queuing, so that once lines reach capacity, remaining guests are given a time to come back, eliminating crowds at the bottom of attractions. Vantage’s real-time attendance tracking can be used for park attendance and defined areas within a park, to help ensure that capacity stays within regulations.

3. Logistical Challenges: David, J. Bromilow, Director, Parks & Attractions at Mobaro discussed how Mobaro can give operators the ability to set up automated reports for sanitary cleaning. With a real-time COVID-19 dashboard, Mobaro can support owners in monitoring completed versus missing audits and/or protocols at different locations. Capturing this data and alerting management greatly improves consistency in operations and reduces risk.

4. Emergency Procedures: The group also discussed setting up new radio codes and procedures for both staff and guests in case anyone were to fall ill while on property. Communication about what security issues could arise relative to guests refusing to distance from other parties or refusing to wear a mask were topics of discussion, as well as how often parks should be screening, frequency of water quality checks, and the importance of the visibility of the cleaning team.

5. Q&A: What was perhaps the most interesting about the WhiteWater webinar was the Q&A at the end of the webinar. Although there were a lot of questions pertaining directly to WhiteWater rides, the majority of the questions related to things outside of the company’s attractions, suggesting attendees appreciated the knowledge of the panelists and see WhiteWater as a thought leader and resource for quality information regarding water park operations, maintenance, and design. Although the group ran out of time due to so many questions, each one has been answered and can be found in the Considerations for Operating WhiteWater Attractions.

To obtain a copy of the Considerations for Operating WhiteWater Attractions, you can send a request to sales@whitewaterwest.com. To view the full webinar, you can visit: www.gotostage.com/channel/whitewater.

As you develop your reopening plans, we want to provide you with as much information as possible relative to WhiteWater attractions. The primary driver should always be the safe use of rides and attractions as well as supporting a healthy environment.

DISCLAIMER: WhiteWater like many private companies is fully supportive of the measures taken by the various level of governments and authorities to stop the propagation of COVID-19. We have attached tips that are supplementary to such measures and relates more specifically to the use of our equipment. These are only indicative and local public guidelines prevail over any of the content provided.

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