Somewhere in an executive office at Six Flags, there had to be a collective sigh of relief when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday afternoon didn’t include outdoor theme parks.
Not that anyone would have been surprised.
“Every day, there’s always the potential of new guidelines to come down and we’re always ready to adhere to what they might be,” said Marc Merino, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Vallejo communications manager.
The Vallejo attraction dodged the latest bullet and “everything went smoothly” in the re-marketed park’s opening day Thursday of the rides-less “Marine World Experience,” said Merino.
Changes? Naturally. This is year of the virus. Admission was by reservation only, with the maximum 2,000 visitors accepted to prevent large groups and a way to promote social distancing. Anyone entering the park must go through a temperature tunnel. Basically, a 50-foot walk with an ultra-sensitive camera picking up body temperatures by reading tear ducts, “the most accurate way” to get a body’s temperature, according to a technician for United Command.
Anyone hitting 100.4 temperature or higher is accompanied to a first aid tent.
Next up: State-of-the-art security entry. No more emptying pockets of change, keys and cell phone.
The contactless system is calibrated to detect any weapons on someone’s person or in a backpack, Merino said.
A real live band, “Dirty Cello,” greeted guests, and a few feet away one of many virus-related signs was posted: “Do The Six: Wear your mask; wash your hands; cover your cough; keep your space; sanitize often; have fun.”
It was all well and good for Jesus Sanchez and Ingre Mendoza, making the trek from near Lodi to Vallejo.
“We’ll try and spend all day if we can to make it worth it,” Sanchez said.
Though a big-time rides enthusiast — “I love the adrenaline” — Sanchez was happy with the re-opening that spotlighted animals only, with games and food booths available.
No roller coasters? No big deal, said Sanchez, 27.
“I look forward to the dolphin show,” he said. “I always come back to the dolphin show. This is one of the best.”
Having the rides closed wasn’t a problem for Mendoza.
“I’m here for the animals. I’m not big on rides,” she said. “I’m definitely into the dolphin show and penguins.”
Tina Helwig said the park gave her and her two kids “something to do and just having some quality time with family, stretching our legs a little bit and enjoying nice weather. And seeing some animals being out and around people.”
Yes, the drive from Roseville was a jaunt in an effort to celebrate her birthday, Helwig said.
“That’s how desperate we are,” she laughed.
Another mother with two kids, Tara Moore of Crockett, was attracted to the park “hoping for the animal experience like I got used to when I grew up as a kid … all the animal shows … the ski boat shows.”
No ski boats, but the park believes there’s enough animals from tigers to alligators, lions, cougars, stingrays, seals, giraffes and birds to keep the temperature tunnel busy the rest of the summer.
A few minutes in, Moore’s 11-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter were all smiles.
“They are excited just to get out,” Moore said. “It’s a change from being stuck at home.”
The only attraction influenced by the latest state restrictions was the Shark Experience, closed “out of an abundance of precautions,” Merino said. “We weren’t asked to do that. We’re doing it on our own.”
Merino said it’s wasn’t just a good thing to open the park for the public.
“Team members are excited to be back to work,” he said. “It’s not just the first day back for our guests. It’s the first day back for employees as well.”
It’s a positive step getting Vallejo’s most visible tourist attraction up and running, even without rides operating, said Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan, on hand when the park opened Thursday.
“It’s a good thing for Vallejo but it’s also a great thing for residents and visitors to Vallejo to come back to the park … to get out of their house and to do things for fun,” Sampayan said, hoping guests strictly follow social COVID-19 protocol.
“Folks at Six Flags shave done a tremendous job monitoring folks who come in while limiting the number who can come at one time to avoid mob,” Sampayan said.
For park schedule and fees, visit sixflags.com.