Outdated by Jonathan Pokluda

Note: Because I listened to this book as an Audiobook I will not be able to provide specific pages in this review and discussion, but will do my best to provide chapters. 

Singleness and Dating is not a new concept on this blog by any means. I've written about the struggles of trying to date while on the spectrum and having no success. I've written about the hurt that I feel that I am still single despite the fact that many people my age are in relationships or have been in relationships. And I have also feared the "spiritual gift" of singleness being in store for me. Since my first blog post about my life on the spectrum, I've grown a lot and gained a lot of new perspectives. I've also been able to do a lot of new things as a result of my lack of a romantic relationship, in part because I have a lot more time to devote to other people and interests. A close friend of mine, whom I have also mentioned in my blog recently shared a book with me called 'Outdated,' which I have been using some my reserve time to listen to. To summarize my feelings about this book, I thought it offered some really interesting points that many, including myself really need to ponder on. 

It is no secret that Hollywood loves to produce love stories. Furthermore, it is not even remotely a secret that I am a sucker for Disney movies. With that being said, these movies are written through the lense of a different worldview than what we should be looking to for dating advice. I myself am guilty of this. In fact, for a very long time, I found myself longing for my 'Happily Ever After.' But Pokluda pointed out something rather peculiar. How many fairytales that end in a 'Happily Ever After' wind up being remade instead of having sequels? Aside from Shrek, I can name quite a few. Beauty and the Beast was remade from the animated version to one featuring Emma Watson (who I still cannot see as anybody other than Hermione Granger). There was no sequel. Cinderella was remade from the animated version to one featuring Lily James. There was no sequel. Rapunzel saw her 'Happily Ever After' in "Tangled" 12 years ago and yet there have been no rumors of a remake. And even with movies that do have a sequel, like Shrek for example barely includes the romance as part of even a 'B' story. 

I bring this up to make it clear, I do not believe that happily ever afters exist in the real world. Marriage is not easy. If it was, divorce would be a very rare occurrence. In our broken world, there are so many reasons that so many marriages end in divorce, or wind up being extremely broken, even in communities of believers. I'm going to highlight a couple of the points that Pokluda mentions in his book 'Outdated' while also interjecting with some of my own thoughts. But the biggest point of all, is that so many marriages fail because they do not reflect God's design for them. The reasons many people choose to marry a certain someone is for reasons influenced by the world, by culture, rather than for reasons that will last much longer. 

Singleness

The first point that I want to highlight from 'Outdated' is actually not about dating at all, but rather singleness. I want to point out that one of the most important figures in the bible, the Apostle Paul was single. And he even addresses this in 1 Corinthians 7 where he states "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." (ESV). Now in this verse, Paul is speaking of his singleness as a spiritual gift, and Pokluda highlights this in two different ways. He highlights lifelong singleness as the spiritual gift, but also a season of singleness as a spiritual gift. He calls the idea that singleness being a period of waiting for something better a lie. And I used to think this of the season of singleness myself. You see, Pokluda is a pastor. But he is also married and has children. Because of this, his attention and time is split between his marriage and his congregation. But the single man has all his time to devote to the things that bring glory to God, whether this be through direct ministry in a church or even in the workplace. 

A good friend of mine has an uncle who attends my old church. He is in his 50s and is still single. Now one might pity him, but in reality, he is happy, and I would strongly consider him a Godly man. His entire life is dedicated to child evangelism. Bringing Children to Jesus. What an amazing life that must be! That on a regular basis, you get to see a child, with childlike wonder, turn their eyes and curiosity to Jesus. Despite the fact that the single person has more time and energy to devote to ministry, we rarely see single pastors in the protestant church. In fact, in many cases, you rarely see single people as leaders in the church. I believe this has part to do with the cultural belief that the single person is incomplete. This attitude is influenced by the worldly idea of a spouse being somebody's "other half." Now I have despised that saying for a while now, because to me the idea of not being complete until you are married is absurd. Why would you marry somebody who is incomplete? Why would you marry someone if you were incomplete? To me that is just asking for trouble. The reality is, that the single life, whether it be for but a season, or for life, is a spiritual gift, and the perfect opportunity to invest into others, and into the church as a whole. How this looks in practice will vary from person to person. 

"Physical Qualities don't last, but you can look for character that will."

The second point I want to highlight has to do with physical attraction. The lie that Pokluda points out is that physical attraction is ultimate. However, how many of us would consider an elderly person truly attractive? The reality is, that our bodies change as we get older. In fact, this is something that is even pointed out in Proverbs 31:30 as Pokluda points out "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." In fact Proverbs 31:10-30 really highlights this. Many people will choose to date because of physical attraction. But the reality of this is, as we get older, our beauty begins to fade. This isn't specific to women but also men. A relationship that is built on the foundation of physical attraction is guaranteed to fail. But a relationship that is built on the foundation of character, of a fear of the Lord that is reflected in that character, will succeed in the long term. 

A conversation that Pokluda often has with young adults involves women who say they are never asked out on a date, and men who say women always say no. While I have never spoken to Pokluda, I have certainly found myself in this category. But here's the thing... most women I have asked out have been based on physical attraction and not so much on character. This was a less mature version of myself. In fact the first woman I ever actually told how I felt, shot me down really hard. I've written about that in earlier blog posts. We've become really close friends since then, and if I knew what I knew now, I would have asked her out at the time based on her character, rather than her physical appearance. But the same can be said about myself. While I wouldn't consider myself to be especially attractive, I am not so much focused on my physical appearance but more so how I treat others. I also try regularly but fail to be consistent in my walk with Jesus. But with all that rejection and the hurt that comes with it, a new question arises... do I really want to be sad about somebody who rejected me on the base of physical appearance? I am finding now that the answer is absolutely not, because that relationship was destined to fail from the very beginning. 

Pokluda also makes a really great point. When talking about sex and physical attraction, we often hear people discussing how important physical attraction is... but why is this so important when it comes to an activity that is usually done with the lights off? My mind was blown as soon as he made that point. It's actually quite comical how big of a deal is made over physical attraction. Unrealistic expectations are born out of this, and can result in men and women who would actually make incredible spouses being overlooked because they aren't seen as physically attractive enough. 

Finding the ONE

How many have heard of the idea of finding the 'one.' The one who is absolutely perfect for you, checks all your boxes. Now... married folks, how many of you have actually found that? Pokluda and I are in the same school of though that the one doesn't actually exist. In fact, Pokluda even admits that there are other women who are probably better for him than his wife and vice versa. But this alludes to the fact, that his wife is the woman he has committed himself to. I used to have a list of things I was looking for in a woman. Blonde hair, blue eyes, cute smile was only slightly different from me in height, and was NOT on the spectrum. But these expectations were based on worldly ideas. These traits have nothing to do with character. And like I mentioned in the last point, physical qualities are only temporary, but character is something that can even improve over time. 

How many years have we all wasted on trying to find the perfect person? The truth is, every year we spend trying to find that is a wasted year. There is no such thing as the perfect person. In fact, just like when it comes to physical attraction, so many people who would actually make amazing spouses get overlooked. The only perfect one is Jesus. The rest of us... not so much. But this is something perpetuated constantly in our culture, from romantic comedies to fairytales to books and beyond. The "one" ultimately is the person you choose to commit to for the rest of your life. Not that perfect long, blonde and handsome that doesn't exist. 

Why we date

The last point I want to highlight in this review and discussion is the purpose of dating. Now Pokluda points out that the idea of dating is actually relatively new, however the reason we choose to date will have a major impact on the outcome. The lie he points out is that dating is supposed to be fun. And this is something we see all the time. Many people I know had their first relationship in middle school. But here's the thing... if we are dating for fun, that relationship isn't going to last, and we are going to get hurt, and we are going to wind up hurting someone else. Let's be realistic... how many middle schoolers who are going on dates are thinking of marrying the person they are with? The answer is probably very few. How many of these couples wind up getting married? Again... the answer is probably very few. Dating for fun, or for the sake of dating will almost always result in failure, and unnecessary pain for everyone involved. 

What Pokluda points out is that the purpose of dating should be to determine if the person you are dating is someone you would actually be comfortable and willing to commit to for the rest of your life. If you are finding that this person you are with may not make for a good spouse, at least for you, don't waste any more of your time or theirs. In that instance, the longer you put off the inevitable, the worse its going to be. It's just like when we were all kids and we ran away from our parents to avoid punishment. The reality is... it just always made it worse. Likewise, when running away from reality when it comes to relationships that really don't have a leg to stand on anymore, just makes it worse in the end. 

In conclusion, dating in the modern era is significantly influenced by popular culture. Because of this, so many people, Christian and Non-Christian struggle immensely in the dating field. There is a lot more hurt and tears than there really needs to be. When the focus isn't so much on the physical, but more so what is inside, who the person actually is, there's a greater recipe for success. When we choose not to set our expectations on love based on movies and culture, we set ourselves up for better results. We recognize that even when we do get married, the race is far from over, because it takes an incredible about of work to maintain a relationship. And with that in mind, when you marry someone for all the wrong reasons, whether that be physical attraction or having a bunch of things in common with you... when you both get older, there will be nothing left. But when you marry someone for the right reasons, who they are, what Christ means to them, as you age, your character continues to develop. Results of course will vary based on what happens in your lives, but success comes from doing what's hard, not what is easy. 

HarmonioUS: A Review

 Background: HarmonioUS debuted in September 2021 as part of the Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration. It replaced Epcot Forever, which ran from October 2019 until September 27, 2021, with a hiatus during the Coronavirus Pandemic. The show serves as the long-term replacement to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. The show occurs nightly in the World Showcase Lagoon, with the most ideal viewing areas being in the Japan Pavilion, American Adventure and the entrance to the World Showcase. 

I had the pleasure of seeing HarmonioUS in person for the first time on March 13, 2022. As of that date, I have now seen every show at Epcot that has existed in my lifetime. I did watch the World Premier on September 28 on the official social media accounts of the Walt Disney World Resort, though seeing this show on a screen does not do it justice. My viewing was from the Norway pavilion, so while I did get a clear view of the pyrotechnics and fountains, I was unable to see the projections on the water-based screen. 

The show reminds me in some ways of the World of Color nighttime show at Disney's California Adventure as it features large fountains that are illuminated at the base, affixed to the show's structure. The projection screens also remind me of the projection technology used for Disney's Illuminations which takes place at Disneyland Paris. Of course it also features the fireworks we all know and love from the Disney parks. Overall, I would consider the show to be quite breathtaking. The fountains are beautiful, the LED screens add a whole new dimension to nighttime entertainment at the Epcot Center, and the fireworks are amazing as usual. 

A departure from the tradition of nighttime spectaculars at Epcot, HarmonioUS is a celebration of the music of disney, representing different cultures around the world. This is fitting considering the show takes place in the World Showcase Lagoon. In a true Epcot touch though, not only is the music performed in English, but each song is also performed in the language native to the country in which the movie is based. 

There are some things that I feel HarmonioUS does extremely well at, especially where Disney Enchantment at the Magic Kingdom seem to fail at. First of all, the show does a very good job at connecting with younger and older audiences alike. Younger children will most certainly recognize music from Frozen, Moana and Coco, while older audiences will immediately recognize classics from movies like The Jungle Book, The Lion King and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Younger and Older fans alike will be enthralled from the very beginning when How Far I'll Go and Go the Distance are combined for an incredible introduction to this amazing show. 

In addition to this, I feel that the show does a very good job of reaching out to nearly every guest that is gathered around the World Showcase. The show is very intentional about featuring Disney music that is featured in films based all around the world. Almost every guest looking on in awe will see their culture represented in this nighttime spectacular. The only downside I see of this show is that the pyrotechnic features are a bit more muted when compared to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and Epcot Forever. 

HarmonioUS has seen plenty of controversy since its inception. For starters, many have complained about the showpieces (which are permanently affixed in the center of the World Showcase lagoon). The sightlines from across the World Showcase lagoon are now obstructed by the showpieces. This is something I can agree with. However, this could be improved by making use of the fountains during the day, turning the showpieces into a massive water feature by day, and dazzling light and firework display by night. 

There were also may complaints that this show is inferior to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and that it is not a suitable replacement. Many would agree with me when I say that Illuminations is an icon in the history of Epcot. Afterall, the show did run for 20 years, won multiple awards and even saw its soundtrack featured in a Super Bowl halftime show. But here's the thing... the show began in 1999, with technology from 1999. By the time I saw it for the first time in 2014, it had become a bit dated. That isn't to say I didn't like the show, but considering what Disneyland had to offer with their shows, I felt there was definitely a lot more that could be featured. Parks also must experience change as they grow and develop. While I believe Illuminations was a critical part of Epcot in its time, It doesn't really have a place in the future of Epcot. 

With that being said, I do find HarmonioUS to be a suitable replacement for Illuminations, and well representative of what Epcot is becoming. As Walt Disney once said... "EPCOT will always be in a state of becoming, It will. never cease to be a living blueprint for the future." EPCOT is becoming much more modern, especially with the developments that are currently underway towards the front of the park. HarmonioUS breaks technological barriers when it comes to nighttime entertainment. The show within itself is in a state of becoming. 

Overall, I absolutely love the show, and believe many of the complaints about it are simply that it isn't the old show... it isn't what they grew up with. It isn't the EPCOT they've been visiting for years. They scoff at what it is becoming, saying that the magic is gone. In reality, the magic is only beginning. To those who complain about the changes, I say only this. It was Walt Disney himself who said... "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, trying new things, because we are curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." 

 

Whatever happened to the Splash Mountain retheme?

Disclaimer: This article makes mention of a controversial subject. I did my best to write this in a neutral voice, focusing primarily on what is occuring. 

Splash Mountain is perhaps one of the most iconic attractions at both the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California and the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. If you've visited either park outside of the past two years, you may have noticed consistently extensive wait times for these attractions. It is not controversial to say that these attractions are extremely popular. Based on the 1946 film, Song of the South, these attractions have garnered some controversy over recent years, due to portrayals (or perceived portrayals given the wide range of viewpoints that exist regarding the matter) of individuals of multiple different races. 

Disney Parks, Products and Experiences as a business organization is no stranger to such controversies, as similar concerns have arisen in regards to the portrayal of indigenous people, particularly on the Jungle Cruise attraction. In response to these controversies, the company announced that some components of the attraction would be redone and integrated into a new story line to ensure that the attraction promotes an environment where guests of all cultures feel welcome. One of these changes that has already occurred was the removal of Trader Sam, although his Tiki Bar is expected to remain a part of the story, at least for the time being. 

What does all this have to do with Splash Mountain? For those who aren't up to speed, Disney announced on June 25, 2021 that Splash Mountain would be reminaged and themed to the Princess and the Frog. According to the announcement on the Disney Parks Blog, the storyline for the reimagined attraction will "pick up after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure - featuring some of the powerful music from the film - as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance." (Ramirez). This announcement also included an initial rendering of the rethemed attraction that was met with mixed reactions. 

Credit to Disney Parks, Products and Experiences

It is important to discuss the context of this announcement. Though Disney has stated this redevelopment has been in the planning stages since 2019, the official announcement comes on the heels of large scale protests following several high profile incidents of police brutality against people of color. This announcement came less than a month after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Department officers, and not much longer after Breonna Taylor was shot during the execution of a no-knock entry warrant by officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department. It is needless to say that the concept of racial justice and police brutality became a common theme in 2020 headlines, sparking conversations and heated debates in multiple facets of live, ranging from media, to schools, and reaching as far the Attractions & Entertainment industry.  

With all of this in mind, many people have asked the question... why the retheme? Typically when a theme park makes the decision to close and replace an attraction, there are a number of factors that park management will consider. These range from operating and maintenance costs, labor demands, as well as ridership. Attractions that have increasing operating costs and dwindling ridership counts are often the ones that get put on the chopping block. Such is the case for Vortex at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, which closed at the conclusion of the 2019 Haunt event. While the attraction was a historical icon at the park, the truth is that the manufacturer of the ride, Arrow Dynamics had ceased to exist over 15 years prior to its closure. This was due to dwindling ridership counts, increasing maintenance costs, and a growing lack of spare parts. The trains for Vortex can be found today on Carolina Cyclone at Carowinds. 

What is interesting about the case for Splash Mountain however is that it does not appear to meet any of the traditional criteria for putting an attraction on the so-called chopping block. This of course would be the reason for re-theming it rather than outright replacing it. But even in its current form, it is a very popular attraction. Even during the days of Covid when the parks were operating at reduced capacity and a number of popular rides were walk-ons, Splash Mountain still had a noticeable wait time. To give some perspective, during my visit to the resort in August 2021, extremely popular attractions such as Soarin, Expedition Everest and Flight of Passage had no wait times whatsoever, and yet Splash Mountain still held steady with a 30 minute wait. My estimate is that the ride has a theoretical hourly capacity of 1500 riders per hour. As such, if the attraction was not popular, it would have been a walk-on. 

Even with all this in mind, one important fact remains. Since making the initial announcement, Disney has remained mostly silent on the matter. the most recent information about the retheme came in August 2021  in an interview with Melissa Valiquette, who serves as the Vice President of Disney's Magic Kingdom. In this interview with Theme Park Rangers, she indicated that there was a lot of ongoing discussions and developments, but that such a project can take months to years. This begs the question, was the timing of the announcement the result of the current events that were happening at the time, or was Walt Disney Imagineering ready with the concept? At a seasonal amusement park, work typically would begin just a few weeks after such an announcement. At a destination resort that operates year-round like Disney, projects may even begin before they are announced.  

The primary reason for the retheme appears to be the concerns regarding the portrayal of people of color in the film, and also on the ride itself. Disney has been public about efforts to become more inclusive to all Cast Members and guests, and with this has come some changes to what were once considered timeless favorites. This of course has come with some pushback, particularly from longtime visitors. It has also been used as artillery for political discourse on both sides of the political spectrum. I personally think this is as big of a deal as it is because of the influence that Disney has on American Culture and society. 

Another question that is circling around is whether the retheme will happen at all. It's no secret that the global Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on every sector of the travel and tourism business. And it's also no secret that Disney is currently interested in making and retaining more money rather than less. New programs such as Genie+ and the reduction of resort benefits should serve as glaring evidence of this. The complete redevelopment of an attraction is a multi-million dollar project and would result in the long-term closure of a key attraction at the Magic Kingdom. From a business perspective, Disney would not have any interest in moving forward with this project, especially considering the fact that there are several other large-scale projects that are still under construction and development, such as Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot, and Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom. From a business standpoint, there is no financial incentive to redevelop another attraction regardless of the ongoing circumstances. I'm not even going to mention the ongoing situation with the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser resort slated to open March 1. 

From a Guest Experience perspective, Disney Parks, Products and Experiences might be more inclined to make this investment, to ensure that all guests who pass through the turnstiles of the parks feel welcomed. Inclusion after all is the newest core value of the company. With that being said, Disney seems to be less and less focused on the overall Guest Experience, and more and more on revenue. See the above paragraph for examples of this. 

With all this taken into consideration, only time will tell if this retheme ever comes to fruition. Personally, while I love the movie, Princess and the Frog, I find that retheming an attraction to the movie a bit disingenuous. I see a lot of opportunities for attractions and experiences inspired by this movie far greater than a rethemed attraction. Given how much there is to this movie, a better option would be to build a new attraction from the ground up, and build a plaza inspired by the movie around it complete with shops, quick service and table service dining options, and a theatre for live entertainment. 

Revisiting Theme Parks in the Age of Covid-19

 A while back, I made a post about what I thought would change at theme parks across the country when they reopened in the era of COVID. Some of those predictions included the requirement of face coverings, capacity management through the use of reservation systems, among other things. Let's go through each of my predictions to see how I did. 

Slinky Dog Dash at Disney's Hollywood Studios

1. Limited Capacities- This prediction was spot on. In most cases, capacities at parks were determined by state and local restrictions, but even in areas without capacity restrictions, in most cases parks limited their capacities. All parks operated by Cedar Fair, Six Flags and Disney Parks, Products and Experiences managed capacity through the use of reservation systems. Many parks have now done away with reservation systems as the availability of vaccines and treatments improves, but this is not the case for every park across the country. For parks that did not utilize reservation systems, the concept of dated tickets made a return. An example of this is with Herschend Family Entertainment. Good any day tickets were not available in the early phases of reopening, and only a certain number of tickets were available each day. Reservations were available to season pass holders. 

The Ugly- The necessity of capacity management due to state and local restrictions resulted in major headaches for season passholders at quite a few parks. With few exceptions, almost every park required passholders to make reservations, and with the exception of Hersheypark, inventory was not set aside for passholders. This notably impacted Disney AP holders, who early on experienced great difficulty securing reservations when the Walt Disney World Resort initially reopened. 

2. Phased Reopenings- This wasn't very relevant to some of the smaller parks out there but we did see phased reopenings at resort destinations. For example, just like at Shanghai Disney Resort, Walt Disney World's phased reopening started with Disney Springs. Universal CityWalk opened before the parks did, and out in California, Downtown Disney opened well before the Disneyland Resort parks did. At Knott's Berry Farm, California Marketplace opened prior to the park. For some parks that were able to reopen, due to staffing and timing constraints, aquatic attractions were often left behind. Such is the case for Wildwater Kingdom at Dorney Park, and Oceans of Fun at Worlds of Fun. Many aquatic attractions opened late in 2021 due to staffing shortages. 

3. Increased Sanitation of Ride Units- Every park that I visited in summer 2020 placed an emphasis on frequent cleaning of ride units. This led to longer wait times, though thanks to the accompanying capacity restrictions these wait times were not excessive. Many parks began to dial back on these protocols later on in the summer when new information about transmission of COVID-19 became known, such as how long it is able to survive on surfaces and how it spreads in outdoor environments. By late summer, all the parks I was visiting had stopped doing hourly sanitation and limited to doing so prior to park opening. These changes often came in conjunction with increased capacities. 

4. Increased Sanitation Stations- This is something we started to see before the initial lockdowns began. Days before announcing its closure, cast members at Disney were seen setting up portable handwashing units throughout the park. Upon reopening, many guests noticed a dramatic increase in the number of hand sanitizer dispensers placed throughout the parks. Over the past several months, I started noticing that some of these stations were disappearing. Upon talking to Cast Members at Disney during my August trip, I found out that they were gradually removing these portable stations as they continued moving back toward 'normal' operations. 

5. Masks- This became an almost universal policy across the country. With very few exceptions, every park required gusts to wear face coverings both indoors and outdoors early on in the pandemic. Later on this was relaxed to just indoors. Even in December 2021, there are still some parks that require face coverings for all guests while indoors. Few parks if any however still require face coverings to be worn outdoors. 

6. Virtual Queues- This is one of my few predictions that wasn't seen as widely as I expected. Universal Orlando Resort and Cedar Point are the only parks that I am aware of to have used virtual queues at any point during the pandemic. While Disney's Hollywood Studios did make use of boarding groups for Rise of the Resistance, this is not related to pandemic restrictions as this was in place prior to the pandemic, and actually ended recently. 

7. Temperature Checks- Like masks, this was a policy applied almost universally with the only exceptions being parks that didn't have the means to screen every guest, such as Knoebels. Six Flags made use of thermal technology to screen all guests entering the parks, Cedar Fair and Hershey Entertainment (along with Disney) made use of more traditional hand held thermometers, and any guest with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees was denied entry. Most parks if not all have done away with temperature screenings at this point in time. 

8. Cashless Payments- This is one of those things that's a little more complicated than meets the eye. Cedar Fair has announced a transition to all cashless payments at all parks by the start of the 2022 season. Most orders at Disney Parks are completed through mobile ordering, and parks that are not cashless encourage cashless payments. This is one of those things where every park is doing something a bit different. 

9. Social Distancing- This is another one of those universally applied policies. Queue lines at every park I visited over the past two summers had social distancing markers in the queue lines. The problem was, that nobody paid any attention to them. Most parks did not have the staffing to have employees in the queue lines to enforce social distancing policies. At this point in time, most parks have removed social distancing markers from the ground, and all remaining markers that were painted onto the ground will likely be pressure washed at the conclusion of the 2021 operating season. For parks that do not host holiday events, this process has likely already begun. This will likely hold, at least in the United States regardless of new concerns surrounding Omicron. 

Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion

Overall, I would say I was pretty spot on for most of these pandemic changes. As we get further from 2020 most parks have returned to a more normal version of their operation, with few restrictions if any still in place. Globally, there could be some new restrictions as a result of Omicron, but I find it unlikely that parks, at least in North America will be forced to shut their doors again. 

Special Note- One question some experts have asked is weather parks would require proof of vaccination as a criteria for admission. As of writing this article, the answer is primarily no. Park management teams really do not have an interest in mandating vaccines to enter parks, as doing so would cause major headaches for arrival attendants and would likely result in a sizeable number of people refusing to visit. That being said, there are a couple of parks that do require proof of vaccine due to local restrictions. One such example is Six Flags Magic Mountain, and this is due to requirements by the County. A caveat to this is that Six Flags has been strategic in the way they've gone about doing this. The county's vaccine mandate is based on crowd size. As a result, Six Flags Magic Mountain only requires proof of vaccination on certain days where they expect crowd sizes to meet or exceed the county requirements. These days are noted on the park's operating calendar. Universal Studios Hollywood is in the same county, and indicates a vaccine or negative PCR test result as a condition for entry, but such policies are enforced based on park attendance. At this time to my knowledge there are no other parks that have such requirements in place. 

Singleness After College: Lessons learned so far

 At the time of writing this blog, I am 23 years old, unmarried, and have never had a girlfriend. Growing up, I always dreamt of one day getting married, settling down and having a family of my own (yes, guys have dreams too). When I was 19 years old, I enrolled at Lancaster Bible College. Being a small, conservative Christian school, there was certainly some pressures associated with dating. Some even went as far as to call it Lancaster Bridal College because apparently every female who attends is looking for their Mrs. degree. Four years later, I walked across the stage, received my diploma, and moved on to the next stage of my life, still single. I wasn't alone in this. My best friend graduated with the same status. I guess that should bring me some comfort. 

Going into my senior year, I had a sense of dread. This realization that I was in my final year of college, and if I didn't find "the one," I would be destined for singleness, a life that I did not want to live. This was not made any easier by the pressure that comes from attending such a small, christian college, where dating and marriage is essentially viewed as the end goal. I felt lonely, even though I was surrounded by people who mean the world to me. I felt scared, knowing that I would be taking my next steps in life... alone. I felt sad. I don't experience the same self doubt that I used to, but sometimes, singleness feels like a wound. That wound, can sometimes get infected, leading to depression and other complications. 

Going into my final semester of college, I began looking for full-time jobs. I've known since I was little that I wanted to work at an amusement park. Even at the time of my job search, I was working at Hersheypark for my eighth season. I was specifically looking for a job in the amusement industry. I applied for a variety of full-time jobs at Hersheypark, a few at Dorney Park, and one at Knoebels. All I got was rejection. I began to feel discouraged, fearing I may not get to stay in the amusement industry. That is until I was made aware of a job opening at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina. For most of my adult life, I dreamed of moving back down south. I was after all, born and raised in Alabama. I did not expect this opportunity to come. I applied for the position, recognizing that I would likely be rejected. This rejection that I was expecting however, would not come. The day after my interview, I was offered the role of Location Supervisor of Ride Operations at Carowinds, which I accepted. This meant I would be moving my entire life to not just another state, but another region. 

While I still dream of meeting "the one" and getting married, that dream would have made the career dream an impossible one. Because I was on my own, I did not have to take anyone into consideration when deciding on my next move. Two months after accepting this new role, I packed all my stuff into a U-Haul and moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina. I have since fallen in love with the area. I did exactly what I was afraid of doing, taking that next step alone. While I experience the occasional loneliness of walking into an empty apartment after a long day at work, I take one step outside into the Carolina heat, take a sip of sweet tea, and remember that I am home. 

As I have adjusted to life in South Carolina, I have found myself effectively going out with myself. Without having to take anyone else into consideration, I've been able to do whatever I please, sometimes without any planning at all. For example, last Wednesday on a whim I traveled to Atlanta for two back to back Braves games. While traveling back to Pennsylvania for my graduation party, I made an impromptu stop at Kings Dominion for a couple of hours to take a break from driving. I was able to take the long drive slow, and do what I wanted to do along the way. I was able to eat where I wanted to eat, stay where I wanted to stay, and listen to the music that I wanted to listen to. 

The truth is, I still long for the day that I meet the woman who makes me go weak at the knees. The one who I am able to fall in love with every day, the one who challenges me like nobody else ever has, or would ever be able to. The one who will join me for spontaneous adventures, or take things the southern way, slowly. The one who will sit on the back porch with me sipping sweet tea and listening to country radio on a summer night. The one who no matter how frustrated I am with, I simply cannot stop loving. The one who despite how crazy I drive her, simply cannot stop loving me. I dream of that moment almost daily. 

The reality is, my time has not yet come. I remain in this season of singleness, but out of it, has come something that many people lose out on. My dream of working in the theme park business has been realized. I am exactly where I have dreamed of being for so many years. My desire of returning to the south has been realized. I no longer feel like a fish out of water. I'm able to continue focusing on improving myself, while also continuing to build my relationships with my friends. 

Theme Parks in the age of COVID-19

One cannot deny the level of disruption that has been caused by novel coronavirus, COVID-19. First surfacing in November of 2019 in Wuhan, China, this virus has spread worldwide and wreaked havoc on every industry, especially travel and tourism. As the world emerges one nation at a time from this pandemic, many wonder what the new normal will be. As someone who works in Attractions & Entertainment, and has roughly 7 years of experience spread across 3 unique locations (Hersheypark, Hershey's Chocolate World, and Cedar Point) I am painfully aware of the unique challenges that face amusement parks face as we come out on the other side of the pandemic. With that being said, this new normal is starting to surface, and there are some things you should know before you plan your next Disney Vacation, or visit your local amusement park. 

Thunderhead at Dollywood
Smoky Mountain Christmas 2019

The biggest challenge that amusement parks face is the nature of such entertainment venues. Especially during the summer months, amusement parks draw in large crowds, where people are crammed into queue lines, and are in close proximity to thousands upon thousands of people. We will see this again, but it will take time to get back to that 'normal.' Every park will go at its own pace based on federal, state, and local guidelines. With Shanghai Disneyland set to reopen Monday, May 11, we will be able to get an idea of some of the measures we may see implemented here in the United States. Some amusement companies, such as Six Flags have already made announcements on some new procedures. Here are some of the measures we can expect to see for the foreseeable future. I will point out that most of these will likely be short term, and will disappear once we have a proven treatment and vaccine against the virus.

1. Limited Capacities- This concept has been floated by many, and has been confirmed by several different companies. Shanghai Disneyland will be operating at 30% of the park's maximum capacity. In order to prevent guests being turned away, Shanghai Disney Resort is selling dated tickets, and a limited number of tickets for each specific date. Sales for dated tickets will begin on May 8. Six Flags has announced that all park-goers will be required to make a reservation to visit any Six Flags property. As with Disney, this prevents parks from having to turn guests away. We can expect to see amusement and theme parks across the United States implement limited capacity to satisfy state and local guidelines. I should note that parks such as Six Flags St. Louis, Worlds of Fun and Silver Dollar City may not have to implement these policies as Missouri has lifted its statewide ban on large gatherings. 
2. Phased Reopenings- This mainly applies to larger resorts such as Walt Disney World, where it may not be possible to open everything at once. As has been seen with Shanghai Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland, we could see a phased reopening at large scale parks such as Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal etc, beginning with shopping areas, such as Disney Springs or Universal CityWalk. According to insider sources, employees working at Universal Orlando's CityWalk will return to work on May 11. Time will tell however whether this points to CityWalk opening sooner than the advertised date of at least June 1. 
3. Increased Sanitation of Ride Vehicles- This is something that we started to see before parks began to shut down. Some parks, including Six Flags have announced that ride vehicles will be cleaned throughout the day. This will likely only be short-term as doing this will reduce capacities, and will only be viable during those limited capacity periods. Ride Vehicles are always cleaned during daily inspections before the parks open, this has been an industry best practice for years, but for the foreseeable future, you will likely see ride attendants delaying dispatches to spray and wipe down seats and other high touch surfaces such as restraints. 
4. Increased Sanitation Stations- Hand sanitizer is something that has become a true commodity in the COVID-19 world. Some parks, such as Hersheypark have had hand sanitizer dispensers at nearly every attraction for a long time, but this is something that is likely to become commonplace at parks everywhere. This is one of the only changes that you should expect to become permanent. You will likely see these at strategic locations such as ride exits, park entrances and near dining locations. 
5. Masks- Some parks have announced that all employees will wear masks for the time being. It

   

   Skyrush at Hersheypark
   Hersheypark in the Dark 2019

   is not known how this policy will impact guests, and due to concerns with wearing masks on high-speed attractions, I would be surprised if parks made wearing them mandatory for guests. Many have speculated that parks will require guests to wear masks, but this is something that should be taken with a grain of salt, and not taken as reality until it is truly confirmed, and even then every park will handle this as they see fit. 
6. Virtual Queues- Social distancing in queues is especially challenging, and in an effort to try to control the density of guests in a specific area of the park, it is likely we will see virtual queues become more common. A virtual queue means that you are given a specific time slot to ride (think of Disney's FastPass program). This is certainly not a new concept for theme parks, as many have seen this concept as a source of revenue. For example, Six Flags utilizes THE FLASH pass, in which guests who purchase the pass are given a specific time to ride each ride. The same is true with most park Alternate Access programs. This is something we should expect to become permanent, mainly because guests will probably fall in love with the idea of being able to do other things in the park while they wait to ride their favorite attractions. 
7. Temperature Checks- This is another possible change we should take in stride, as this has been more speculative in nature, and will likely be implemented as needed on a park-by-park basis. This is not the most practical procedure to put in place as many parks don't have enough medical staff to have individuals stationed at the park entrance as well as first aid locations. It is also important to note that this type of procedure would be more theatrical than effective, as many people who contract the virus have been asymptomatic. Appearing to be doing something will be vital to ensure guests feel safe to return. 
8. Cashless Payments- This isn't to say that parks won't accept cash, but some parks have the capability of mobile ordering. Parks that have this capability will likely encourage guests to order food and beverage items through mobile ordering, to reduce person to person contact. While it is unlikely for any amusement park to become fully cashless anytime soon (especially considering budget conscious park-goers), we can expect to see an increase of cashless payments through mobile ordering and online payments. Post COVID-19 this will prove to be especially convenient for guests on busier days. 
9. Social Distancing- While some states have begun to relax social distancing guidelines, in areas in which these guidelines remain stringent, we can expect to see social distancing markers on the ground at parks. Social Distancing at amusement parks is not a forever thing as it is not feasible in the long term, and as parks are allowed to increase their capacities, the practicality of social distancing becomes less and less. 

An open letter to singleness

A Quick Background

Fall and Spring are two big seasons for romance. A lot of new relationships form in the fall, and a lot of marriage proposals happen in the spring. This is especially true when you are like me and made the mistake of attending a bible college. THERE IS A REASON BIBLE COLLEGES HAVE A REPUTATION FOR HAVING A RING BY SPRING ATTITUDE, but I digress. What I do want to say before you read this letter, is that these two seasons can be very challenging for the single folk. It's not hard to feel forgotten when all the new relationships begin and sometimes you really do feel alone. Don't get me wrong, there are so many benefits to being single, but there are also drawbacks.

One more thing.... when you are in a relationship and you are talking to a single friend who is down on their relationship status, don't tell them they aren't missing out on much. Everyone knows that is complete and utter bullcrap and does more harm than good. On the other hand, single people are 100% less likely to get broken up with than individuals in relationships. Without further ado, my open letter to singleness.

An open letter to singleness

Oh Singleness, 

You have a way of keeping life interesting. Some days I just adore you and never want you to leave. Other days, well lets just say I want to shove you into a box and send you down the river. 

Thanks to you, I can binge watch an entire season of Stranger Things on Netflix without having to wait for a significant other. Thanks to you, I have nobody to binge watch Stranger Things with while cozy on a couch with a significant other who may or may not be more enthralled by the story of Jane. 

Thanks to you, I am able to focus on maintaining some of the most important relationships in my life. Thanks to you, I lack a truly intimate relationship with someone who knows me on a deeper level than my closest friends. 

What a double edged sword you are. Thanks to you, I can follow my passions without taking someone else’s life into consideration. I can go anywhere I want, whenever I want. Unfortunately because of you, I haven’t got a partner to share my passions with. I can ride whatever I want to ride at the amusement park, but I might as well wear a shirt that says ‘single rider’. 

You are very friendly to animals. I don’t have to spring into action ready to kill something at the sound of a scream. Instead, I can marvel at the fascinating creatures I find in my bathroom! Whenever we go to the Zoo, we just love to check out the snakes, and we even secretly hope there’s a tarantula we can play with! If it weren’t for you, I would have no idea that tarantulas found in the United States don’t actually rely on their fangs for defense against predators. Who knew?

You’re my best friend in the summertime, but my mortal enemy in the winter. We just love riding all the rides at the park and marveling at the fireworks on July 4. When the holidays come however, you just have a way of bringing me down. We look at all the couples together during the holidays and we wonder what it’d be like to be able to ring in the new year with someone special? What would it be like to watch Christmas movies cuddled up on a warm couch with some fresh hot cocoa? 

There are days where you have me pinned down. There are days where I have you pinned down. Here’s to hoping one of these days we finally break up. Sometimes we get along, sometimes I just wanna grab you by the neck and squeeze. Love or hate each other though, I’m stuck with you for now. 

Signed, 

The one signing Backstreet Boys with Jake Peralta