PHOENIX — After initially planning to reopen on June 16, Great Wolf Lodge said Thursday it would open its resorts and indoor water parks a week earlier on Tuesday, June 9.
Arizona is home to one Great Wolf Lodge resort, which opened last fall within the Salt River's Talking Stick Entertainment District near the Loop 101 and Talking Stick Way, near Scottsdale. The resort has been closed since March 15.
As most businesses and restaurants, the water park has implemented a number of procedures to stay in line with the current CDC-recommended guidelines surrounding COVID-19, including physical distancing:
- Reducing capacity to at least 50%, potentially more, at its resorts and water parks
- Installing markers to encourage physical distancing at water slides, attractions, stores, restaurants, and food outlets, and at front desk
- Removing or rearranging tables and chairs at restaurants and water park to ensure family groups can be separated from other groups
- Providing disinfectant wipes, sanitizer, and face coverings to guests
- Increasing the number of hand sanitizing stations around the resort
- Installing Plexiglass barriers
- Requiring staff to undergo temperature checks and wellness checks before returning to work
- Requiring staff to clean frequently touched areas in the water park, attractions, restaurants, and other areas, with hospital-grade disinfectants
- Making sure rooms are disinfected before guests check-in with increased focus on door handles, light switches, phone, thermostats, and TV remotes
“The health, safety, and well being of our guests, pack members, and the community has long been our guiding principle at Great Wolf Lodge. We have been working to develop and implement comprehensive reopening plans based on guidance and protocols recommended by the government and CDC, and we’re excited to get families back to having fun with confidence because of the new safeguards we put into place across our resorts,” said Murray Hennessy, CEO for grand Wolf Resorts, in a prepared statement.
Day-passes to the water park will not be available right away, the resort's public relations agency said.
As for concerns surrounding COVID-19 and water, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is no evidence that coronavirus can be spread through water and that pool chemicals and filtration systems should inactivate the virus.
Within the last three weeks, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has lifted restrictions on nearly all businesses and industries that were forced to close in March as efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Arizona increased. The state's stay-at-home order expired on May 15.
