SANTA CLAUS, Ind. — Masks will be required at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari starting on Monday, July 27, according to a press release from the theme park.
The Santa Claus, Indiana attraction said the requirement follows Governor Eric Holcomb's statewide mask mandate for Indiana, which was issued on July 22.
Guests will be required to wear masks or face coverings when they enter the park and any time they go into an indoor space, like roller coaster stations, gift shops and restrooms.
The park said guests will not be required to wear masks on any water rides or in the midways, as long as social distancing is possible. Children under the age of seven will not be required to wear masks, although the park does strongly recommend that they do.
The park also said exceptions will be made for medical conditions, but did not elaborate on what those conditions are.
If a guest does not have a face mask, they can purchase one at the park for $1.
"From the time we developed our reopening plan, we have worked closely with the State of Indiana and our local health department for guidance on how to operate as safely as possible," Holiday World President Matt Eckert said. "This is a natural next step, and we're grateful for the guidance from the state."
For the 2020 season, Holiday World has implemented a virtual queue system that visitors can access on their phones. That system will be used in the water park as well as the main park, but reservations are not required for kids' play areas and wave pools.
Guests will need to buy tickets online before going to the park. Other changes to Holiday World's operations for this year include different hours and no Halloween weekends this fall.
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