Six Flags’ two California parks will become the first major theme parks in the state to operate rides and attractions in more than a year.
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo will both reopen to season passholders and members on April 1 and 2. Tickets will be open to the general public on April 3.
“Our team is eager to return to work and entertain our guests in a safe environment, providing the much-needed fun and escape we have all missed this past year,” said Magic Mountain park president Don McCoy. “I am also looking forward to seeing guests come out and experience West Coast Racers, our newest racing coaster that was only open briefly in 2020.”
The parks will adopt similar COVID-19 safety standards as other Six Flags parks, including:
- Requiring guests to make reservations to manage limited capacity
- Requiring face masks to be worn, including on attractions
- Temperature checks
- Physical distancing enforced throughout the park
- Increased sanitation procedures
April 1 was initially the earliest date for theme parks in California, but changes to the state’s metrics would have allowed parks to reopen this past weekend — a bit too soon for parks which have to recall, hire and train thousands of employees.
Other parks have chosen to wait longer to welcome back guests. Disneyland’s two theme parks will reopen April 30, while Knott’s Berry Farm plans to reopen in May. By then, counties could move into the next tier of the state’s reopening plan, allowing park capacity to be increased to 25 percent of its pre-pandemic maximum.
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