Cedar Point and Kennywood reduce operating days

If I had to guess it's part attendance and part staffing.

I won't go anywhere that isn't taking this seriously and requiring masks. Wearing a mask at Dollywood in the Tennessee heat wasn't really an issue. After the first minute I almost forgot it was there.

I think one thing Cedar Point learned was that even with unemployment as high as it is, there still weren't that many locals willing to come work long hours doing physically demanding jobs in the hot sun for low pay in the midst of a pandemic.

Don't think it was limited to Cedar Point. Its estimated that more than 2/3rds of people receiving unemployment benefits are making more in jobless benefits than they did at work. In some cases 2 or 3 times as much. So its not so much a matter of working long hours or doing physically demanding jobs in the hot sun. Its having to show up at all.

Just because. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/26/861906616/when-returning-to-your-job...%20income.

Not sure that Cedar Point intended to be fully staffed when they opened this season. The limited capacity didn't justify it.

If the benefit was $600/week, three times as much would be $5/hour. Ohio minimum wage is $8.55.

That assumes a 40 hour work week. A 20 hour week is equivalent to $30/hr.

If you aren't working full-time, why would you get the full $600?

Pretty sure the $600 is regardless of your hours.
And the $600 is in addition to your normal unemployment

$600/week is the additional federal benefit. You also get what you would otherwise get under your state unemployment benefits.

Assuming you worked 40 hours per week, that is $15/hour from the federal benefit alone. Almost double what you were making if you were making minimum wage. Then you get state benefits in addition.

$600/week is actually more than I make working my full schedule at my school and I'm not the lowest paid person there. It's not 40 hours but that's because school isn't open 40 hours...

The mask thing...I finally tried Cedar Point last Friday. It looked like one of the coolest days we would have for a while so I went for it. Took a proactive Xanax in the parking lot on my way in. I managed about 4 hours before things got sketchy. At that point my face was so warm and moist it was crazy I switched to a different mask which was slightly cooler but more claustrophobic feeling. I laid down on a bench in the shade by Wicked Twister and took the mask off for a while. I know that wasn't the area but the mask free zone over there was completely in the sun, no shade and since I was overheating that was a no go. I was away from everybody so it doesn't really matter. Waited for a bit and decided it was time to ditch, I was done. I wanted to do more but That was my limit with a mask. A friend of mine who normally goes to the park often and has passes is not going because of the masks she just knows she won't be able to do it. I will probably try again when the temps drop a bit but unless I magically become less claustrophobic or tolerate heat better while breathing hot, moist air right back into my face it's going to have to be another very short trip likely mildly medicated again...

I went to Waldameer on Saturday and they had a very healthy crowd. They also had a crowd that didn't seem to give a **** about the pandemic, masks, or social distancing.

I went to Kennywood on Sunday and the park was dead, but the majority of the people were using masks and adhering to social distancing. The park also did a much better job as a whole enforcing best practices and sanitization.

Per Dave A's comment, I can't help but notice that most of the parks that haven't cut hours yet are located in yee-haw country. Coincidence?

GoBucks89 said:

$600/week is the additional federal benefit. You also get what you would otherwise get under your state unemployment benefits.

Assuming you worked 40 hours per week, that is $15/hour from the federal benefit alone. Almost double what you were making if you were making minimum wage. Then you get state benefits in addition.

Also, you pay the taxes on hours you worked. The $600 you get in additional unemployment is your take home.

I thought that unemployment benefits (including the $600 federal benefit) were taxed as ordinary income.

They are taxed, but you have to file to withhold. Gets reported as income and due next tax bill if you don't. Of the people I talked to getting the benefit it does not seem like common knowledge. (Maybe 50/50)

https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/is-the-600-unemplo...ent=topbar

Have a feeling there are going to be a lot of surprised people next tax season when they see they owe some major money.

I see comments from people who have spent all day on hot humid days wearing a mask and it was “no big deal.” That’s great for you. I darned near passed out in the air conditioning at UDF tonight waiting for the jerk* to make my malt. That’s a new one for me; normally I just get shakiness, brain fog and high blood pressure...and the cloth I am using can’t really be called a ‘mask’.

Anyway, I was at Kentucky Kingdom on Sunday, and not only have they not reduced their schedule, the park was quite busy. Correlation != causation but I really do think a major reason parks are not drawing crowds is literally right in front of their faces. It will be interesting to see the impact of new restrictions in Indiana on Holiday World and Indiana Beach, but so far I don’t think it will be a show stopper for me.

—Dave Althoff, Jr.

* That’s his job, not his personality. Actually seems to be a pretty cool dude.

—DCAjr

Just to be clear, as I'm one of those "it's no big deal" mask wearers, saying that does not mean I am belittling someone who cannot, for whatever reason, tolerate it.

I don't like turtlenecks. At all. It could be a comfortable 57 degrees, or a balmy 95 degrees.....if someone passed a decree that said you had to wear a turtleneck in public to leave your house, I would die a slow, lonely death in my home.

And tell you all about it on Coasterbuzz.

Socks in bed? Can’t do it. I’ll go insane before dawn.
But masks are ok by me, and thank the lord. I’ve gotten quite used to it. In fact right now I’m sitting in the barbershop with my mask on, not a care in the world. I’ve been to KI, spent two days at Knoebels, and I think tomorrow I’m gonna do a lap around CP. The mask seems like a way of life, a new normal.

I am in same boat with Dave. Masks almost gives me an anxiety attack It really messes with me just having my hot expelled breath trapped with no place to go. I hate it! In the past week, we have made trips to Wichita and Oklahoma City for doctor visits. Several stops where wife and her mom shopped, I chose to sit in hot car, rather than go into air conditioning and have to wear mask. I am glad many others can handle it. But not everyone can. We are all different. The plus side, if I do go into store, I get my crap and get out ASAP! As soon as I exit the building, the mask is off!

If the governor mandates masks, turtlenecks, and socks while sleeping all at the same time just shoot me...