Noah’s Ark Waterpark, America’s Largest Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, will open to start its 2020 Season on June 20, the first day of summer. The experience will be different from any other season in Noah’s Ark’s 41-year history, as the park strives to deliver a fun, family experience while ensuring the health and safety of guests and team members. Noah’s Ark will build upon its longstanding emphasis on a clean, safe environment with a series of measures following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and best practices within the amusement and attractions industries.
“The health and safety of our guests and team members continues to be our top priority as we work to reopen in this new environment,” said General Manager Mark Whitfield. “We will continue working in step with local leaders, health experts and our industry colleagues to ensure best practices are in place at Noah’s Ark.”
The most important elements of Noah’s Ark Waterpark’s new safety measures include limiting capacity, pre-entry temperature checks, face coverings and personal protective equipment, social distancing, adding sanitizing stations, enhancing cleaning measures, and educatingguests and team members. The changes will be apparent even before visiting. Noah’s Ark will limit capacity not only in the park, but on each pool, ride, slide, restaurant and building to ensure compliance with recommended social distancing standards. In order to accomplish this, all guests will need to RSVP for the day they wish to visit, in addition to having a pre-purchased ticket or Season Pass. The park will only sell tickets and Season Passes online. Walk-up sales will not be available this summer.
Upon arrival at Noah’s Ark, guests will find signage reminding all of the importance of social distancing, utilizing markers placed on the ground throughout the park, parking lots and entrance areas. All guests and team members will be required to have their temperature checked before entering Noah’s Ark Waterpark, with any person exhibiting a temperature of 100.4° F (38º C) or higher (or displaying other symptoms related to COVID-19) denied entry.
Face masks will be required for all team members and guests, except children under three years of age.guests will be required to remove their masks while swimming, and on water attractions. Team members may also wear additional personal protective equipment, including gloves and/or face shields, while performing select work activities. Dozens of hand sanitizing stations have been added all around the park, and thorough cleaning will be conducted at regular intervals throughout the day at high-traffic locations. All of these cleaning and safety measures will be reinforced through instructional signage and additional staff training, and visitors will be able to purchase masks and hand sanitizer at Noah’s Ark’s retail locations.
“We will serve our guests safely and effectively by limiting capacity, verifying all entrants do not have a temperature of 100.4° F (38º C) or higher and are wearing proper facial coverings, and following the CDC’s recommendations on cleaning, social distancing and sanitizing,” said Whitfield. “As America’s Largest Waterpark covering 70 acres (28 hectares), we have the space to effectively distance our visitors and provide the good, clean fun Noah’s Ark has been known for over the past four decades.”
Visitors to the Dells’ largest outdoor waterpark will find new sights beyond the cleaning and safety measures. It starts with a new destination to chow down while drying off, a large Johnny Rockets restaurant in the Surf Beach area! Two attractions, Paradise Activity Pool and Bermuda Triangle Slide, underwent complete remodeling over the winter, and so have several restroom facilities. Plus, guests will find plenty more places to relax, with new shade structures, lounge chairs, booths and benches added all around the Ark. These new additions will also be subject to the cleaning measures listed above. Given the disruptions and continuing adaptations this summer, some attractions may open later than June 20, or not open at all this year. The park will be open daily until September 7.
