Will Silver Dollar City Open In 2020?

I have absolutely no insight into this at this point in time. None. While I have worked for them for the past few years I know no more than the next person, so I cannot say with any authority whatsoever that I know what, when or how (who and where do not come into play in this situation).

With that being said, I can postulate what will take place, when it might open and how we will be forced to adapt if and when it does open. Don't take me for granted, don't count on what I am saying; this is an exercise in thoughts based upon what we are experiencing, which is a pandemic the likes of which no one alive have seen or experienced in our lives unless we are approaching a century old.

This is the Big Question #1. Will Silver Dollar City open at all in 2020? This year is the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, 60 years since its grand opening in 1960. Big things were planned, a new ride was to open, and people were doing their best to make ready for a banner year, another record breaking year in attendance. Then, the stuff hit the fan and here we are, in a waiting world not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Some people still believe this pandemic is a hoax, something not to be believed in. It is a media created circus, spreading fear far and wide. Others believe it is exactly as described, a killing virus that is world wide. Whatever one believes, we are in it together and we are doing whatever needs done in order to survive this mess.

So, will SDC open this year? In a word, yes. Again, my thoughts, beliefs only but yes I believe it will open in 2020. As to what might be in play, or how we will be forced to adapt is another guessing game. So, let's guess, shall we?

Well, first and foremost will be masks I believe. Masks will lead to what will be The Look Of Summer for 2020: Covid Tan! Pale portions of skin on the face which will be a result of masks and sunglasses covering faces normally bare to the sun, thus resulting in a lack of suntans on faces, much like a farmer's tan on men or a bikini tan on women. Won't that be a sight?

So, who will wear these masks? Anyone who has a concern of catching covid in public. I fully expect workers to be required to wear masks at SDC this year, which will lead to them being uncomfortable at best in the heat of our Ozark summers. This will lead to concerns of overheating, of heat prostration in our park hosts, particularly in the elderly who work here. This, to me, is a serious concern.

As for our guests, I just don't know. Will they be required to wear a mask? If so, what to do on a water ride? What to do on a roller coaster? Will they be a suggestion, something a guest is told would be in their best interests?

And if it is merely a suggestion, how does one not be held accountable if a guest later comes down with covid and tries to blame the park? This is a slippery slope and might be the reason the park is delaying the opening this year. How to protect the park against those who would sue them for contracting this virus is serious and something to be reckoned with.

Jobs are appearing on the SDC website again. I have read that White Water (a part of the SDC family) in Branson is filling its pools and water features. Some have been recalled to be trained this week for the possibility of opening the parks in the near future. In the new job listing, an additional requirement is now appearing: wearing a mask and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) when working.

So, it appears as though SDC will open this year, perhaps by the end of the month of June. When this hit, and I was informed I was being furloughed, I told my boss that it would be Memorial Day at the earliest, and more likely July 4th. Looks like I might have been right.

But what if this thing doesn't go away? What if it fades during the summer only to return this fall or winter? Will Silver Dollar City be able to remain open? During the Christmas Festival, running from early November through the end of December, what will life at the park be like, what will be able to continue? After all, it is common to have 20,000 guests on park on a weekend day, standing shoulder to shoulder to see the shows, eat the food and watch the parade? If we are forced to continue to exercise social distancing, these numbers might be reduced to perhaps 5,000 at most. How does one prepare for this contingency? How does the park say "Yes" to a few and "No" to many others? How does it "play fair" with those who drive for hours to get to the park and find that the park is full, that no more are allowed in until people leave?

How does the park do this all year long? Do they limit those who enter? Will reservations be required? Will masks be mandated? Most of the shops are small and tight; will there be limits to those who enter, with a person standing at the entrance saying "Yes" or "No"? The logistics of this makes my head hurt, and I am not in the position of making a decision.

Small wonder no details have been released yet; there are so many variables to take into consideration in simply opening the park. For those who are demanding to know when, what and how, the ramifications are almost endless. We must give the park, and other entertainment venues such as baseball and other sports, concerts and such the latitude to decide how to best serve the country during this pandemic. I am among those who want answers, but I also understand what those who make these decisions are going thorough. And while I want to know if I even have a job to come back to, I must give them time to make this decision.

Patience is a virtue, and I am trying my best to be a virtuous person during this. But it is so very hard.