Kennywood Park Reopens For 2021 Season With COVID-19 Safety Protocols In Place
WEST MIFFLIN (KDKA) -- Kennywood is opening for the 2021 season on Saturday for the first full season since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The park is doing so with protocols in place to help keep everyone safe.
It's perfect timing for the park as we start to slip into the summer months.
Last year, the park shut down after Labor Day for COVID-19 safety precautions.
If you're planning on attending the park this season, there's a few things you should know before you go.
The park, while open, is only allowing 75% capacity and there will also be a capped occupancy for indoor activities.
Masks will be required to be worn and there will be signs and markers throughout the park reminding people to socially distance.
There will be hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the park, and team members will be sanitizing high-touch rides and surfaces throughout the day.
Something new this season at the park will be that guests aged 17 years and younger will have to be accompanied by an adult beginning at 4:00 p.m. every day.
Like last year, not all of the attractions will be open.
"We're working to have the full experience pretty much open. There are a couple of attractions, primarily they're indoors, touch heavy, that won't be open to start the year. We'll have some others progressively through this month. We'll open things like the Raging Rapids waters ride, that probably won't open until Memorial Day weekend, and a few other attractions that might not be online this weekend, looking forward to adding them. So all in all it should be a much more closer to normal year and more encouraging last summer was for sure," said Nick Paradise, Kennywood's Director of Corporate Communications.
All in all, park officials say they just want people to enjoy as much of the experience as possible.
The Jack Rabbit and Potato Patch fries will return this season.
After a 17-year stint as Garfield's Nightmare, the Old Mill will also return.