Orlando Health and SeaWorld partner to reopen theme parks safely
By News Release | June 22, 2020
ORLANDO — Orlando Health has partnered with SeaWorld’s Orlando parks (SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove) to prepare its theme parks for a safe reopening and to work together on an ongoing basis to monitor guest and employee safety, a top priority for SeaWorld.
Members of SeaWorld’s leadership team consulted with Orlando Health’s Business Ready team on the best way to welcome guests and employees back to the theme parks, including a review of reopening plans and a pandemic-safety assessment throughout SeaWorld’s three Central Florida theme parks.
The Orlando Health team provided guidance in areas including guest parking and screenings, proper face coverings, cleanliness, and physical distancing in ride queues. In addition, Orlando Health clinical team members will staff secondary evaluation areas set up within each of the three SeaWorld theme parks to further evaluate guests showing possible symptoms of COVID-19.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made it a priority to maintain an environment in our hospitals and facilities that is safe for our patients and team members so that we could serve the healthcare needs of the community,” says Thibaut van Marcke, president of Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, and executive champion of Orlando Health Business Ready. “We’ve listened and learned what works best in different settings and we are excited to share those best practices with a great community partner like SeaWorld so they can get back to serving their customers and guests while protecting their employees.”
“SeaWorld greatly values our long-standing partnership with Orlando Health. We are grateful to have had their expertise and assistance as we designed our enhanced health and safety protocols to reopen our parks and to having them work alongside us as we welcome our guests and ambassadors back to our parks,” says SeaWorld Orlando Park President Kyle Miller. “We are committed to the well-being of our guests and ambassadors and are confident that our enhanced protocols will provide a clean and safe environment.”
Business Ready is a program started by Orlando Health in response to Central Florida’s need for expert guidance in ensuring that businesses and organizations can safely reopen following the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides tips and best practices on proper masking, self-screening, social distancing, hand washing, surface cleaning, and other advisory services. Information about the program can be found at www.orlandohealth.com/businessready.