ORLANDO, Fla. – Before you know it, all of Central Florida’s major attractions will be back up and running again after being shuttered for weeks to stop the spread of COVID-19.
SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Discovery Cove are expected to open June 11.
To help manage the capacity and maintain physical distancing within the parks, officials said all parks will require an advance online reservation.
Guests will be asked to visit the reservation pages of park websites where reservations will be required to guarantee entry given anticipated demand.
Reservations will be available starting at 10:00 a.m. on June 8, 2020. Visit the websites below.
- For reservations at SeaWorld, click here: seaworld.com/orlando/reservation
- For reservations at Aquatica, click here: aquatica.com/orlando/reservation
- For reservations at Discovery Cove, click here: discoverycove.com
SeaWorld Orlando got approval last month from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to open their parks after their plans were approved by Orange County’s Economic Recovery Task Force and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
Face masks, temperature checks and increased sanitation will be in place, officials said.
Interim SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson said guests will notice signs in the park reminding them to physical distance. Visitors will notice other changes, too, from the moment they enter.
“There will be a lot of signage as you arrive into the park, eventually as you make your way toward the ticketing area and ultimately the turnstiles. Our turnstiles, you’ll be able to walk up with your season pass or your ticket and actually have it scanned by an attendant who will scan it behind Plexiglas. It can actually scan right through the Plexiglas to your ticket and you’ll be allowed access to the park. There will be no need for any sort of finger scanning or anything like that. So it will be a very contactless entry process into the park,” Swanson said Wednesday.
Venues and rides will be open with staggered seating and Swanson said the parks are still planning to do character meet-and-greets as well.
“For our parades and meet and greets, certainly here in Orlando we have the Sesame Street and characters that are very popular with our children and to get your photo taken with. We will still be able to do some of that but we’ll do that at a safe distance with physical distancing so that everyone is safe but can still have a fun day and see their favorite characters,” Swanson said.