Some South Florida water theme parks open with some new rules. Here’s what to expect
A South Florida summer without water theme parks?
We seem to have skirted the possibility of deflated tubes and dried out water slides. As beaches and pools have opened in some parts of South Florida, so, too, have several water theme parks.
Beaches, it should be noted, are still closed in Miami-Dade until Mayor Carlos Gimenez lifts the curfew order he instituted on Sunday following weekend protests in Miami. Broward beaches opened last week.
When it comes to water parks, there isn’t a clear-cut rule.
Some private parks are already opened or opening including South Florida’s largest water park, Rapids in Riviera Beach. Rapids Water Park will open Friday. Of course, there are a slew of new rules in place to meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements.
“It really is a shared responsibility for guests to maintain the six-foot distancing and follow the new guidelines,” said Tina Hatcher, a spokeswoman for Rapids. “We will constantly evaluate in order to improve the experience, while keeping people safe.”
Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation doesn’t have any aquatic facilities that are considered “water theme parks,” with wave pools and lazy rivers, said Laura Phillips, spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department. But there are pools and aquatic centers with aquatic play features like splash pads, splash pools and water slides, she said.
Broward’s water parks — including C.B. Smith Park, which features slides and a lazy river — remain closed. It was not yet clear when the parks would reopen.
What will Rapids Water Park look like?
Going to a water park is going to take a lot more than sunscreen and a towel.
At Rapids, guests and staff members will be asked questions including whether they have traveled anywhere previously.
The park, which opens Friday, June 5, is urging people older than 65 to refrain from coming for now.
Under the title “Safe Splash,” the park, which features over 35 acres including 42 slides and rides, will open with new guidelines that restrict capacity and detail what the park is doing for safety.
Here are some of the changes:
▪ Capacity will reduced by half, from 6,000 people to 3,000 people.
▪ Guests are encouraged to buy tickets online to avoid long lines at the entrance.
▪ Anyone entering the park will be questioned about exposure and symptoms. Answers will determine whether a guest can enter.
▪ Temperature checks will be given to employees and every guest who enters the park. Anyone who has a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be allowed in.
▪ Social distancing signs and markers will be placed throughout the park to remind guests to keep their distance.
▪ Hand-sanitizing stations are placed throughout the park and signs are displayed to remind people to wash their hands frequently and cover their mouth and nose when sneezing.
▪ Tubes, mats, handrails and other common areas will be constantly cleaned by team members. Water attractions are treated with chlorination and constantly monitored by computer. The lazy river will have one entrance and one exit.
▪ Electronic Payment will be encouraged for entrance and for concessions in the park.
▪ A team of supervisors and managers is available to respond to COVID-19 concerns from guests or employees.
▪ Staff will be trained on the procedures and all safety protocols.
▪ Restrooms and other service areas will be disinfected regularly throughout the day.
▪ Management encourages people to bring patience, as wait times will likely increase to allow for social distancing.
What will Tidal Cove look like?
Tidal Cove Waterpark at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, 19999 W. Country Club Dr. in Aventura, was proving to be a nationally recognized bubbling hit since opening in 2019.
The water park features a 60-foot tower with seven water slides, including the Aqua Drop for thrill seekers. There’s also a 4,000-square-foot kids’ pool and a FlowRider Triple surf simulation pool and a Lazy River that winds its way through tropical Florida foliage.
How do you make all of that suitable and safe?
The water park looked to the CDC, local government and health officials for guidance, and then built upon that to arrive at its Monday opening earlier this week, said a spokeswoman for Tidal Cove.
Here’s what you will see and what you will have to do before taking that (take your pick) stomach churning or way cool plunge on the Aqua Drop:
▪ Self-dispensing hand-sanitizing stations will be located throughout the park. Use them.
▪ Social-distancing floor markers will let you know how far to stand apart from your fellow thrill seekers.
▪ Plexiglas barriers will be up at all the counters. You’re used to this from visits to grocery stores.
▪ Temperature checks for all guests and associates will be administered upon entering the park. Most facilities will be sending you home if your temperature is 100.4 degrees or more.
▪ You will be asked health screening questions. These may be along the lines of: “Have you had close contact with any person known to have COVID-19” “Have you had any signs or symptoms within the last 72 hours?” “Have you traveled recently?” Be truthful. There’s an element of the honor system at work here and it’s designed to protect you and others.
▪ Water park staff will be trained on proper sanitization and health safety.
▪ Tidal Cove is reducing capacity to 50% and that applies to the dining areas, too.
▪ Social distancing of six feet between all tables in the Surf House will mirror what you are seeing at opened restaurants across the state.
▪ All chaise lounges will be in groups of no more than six and all of the groups are spaced at least six feet from one another. The chaise lounges will be sanitized between guests with spritzes from mobile chlorine misters.
▪ The lifeguards may be cute but admire them from a distance. They will be wearing personal protection equipment and maintaining social distance from the guests — and washing their hands after every guest interaction.
▪ There will be no self-serve of any kind.
▪ All restrooms are single occupancy.
Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation
The Miami-Dade parks with splash pools, splash pads and slides will slide into the “new normal pool rules” other opened pools — like Goulds Park, A.D. Barnes Park and Oak Grove Park — have already employed, said county spokeswoman Laura Phillips. These rules will include clearing of the pool hourly for disinfecting so patrons will have to clear out and wait before they are allowed to jump back in.
▪ Face coverings should be worn if you can’t practice social distancing on the decks — but they can not, and should never, be used while swimming, the CDC says, because you can’t breathe through a wet face covering.
▪ There will be temperature checks. At 100.4 degrees or over you don’t get in.
▪ Changing facilities will be limited so patrons are encouraged to arrive and exit in their bathing attire.
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 6:53 PM.
