Adventureland, the longest-running amusement park on Long Island, will reopen this spring after a year-long, pandemic-induced shutdown, said co-owner Steven Gentile.
In following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan for outdoor amusement parks and indoor entertainment centers to reopen, Adventureland’s indoor arcade will open March 26, and its outdoor rides and activities will open on April 9.
“After the governor’s announcement, we were ecstatic,” Gentile said. “Now we know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
To add to the excitement, Adventureland is debuting a new ride, the Sports Tower, this year. The park is also holding a drive-in concert series starting in April. Season passes and gift cards for the park are now available on the Adventureland website.
Gentile said that he and his staff have been ready to reopen the park with Covid-19 guidelines in place since July of last year. Social distancing markers and sanitization stations are all in place. When the park opens, mask-wearing will be enforced, and rides will be cleaned throughout the day.
“Kids need to see their friends and get out and play,” Gentile said, “and what better place than Adventureland or any of the amusement parks in New York? We can provide that safe place for families.”
The indoor facility will allow for 25 percent capacity, and the outdoor park will open at 33 percent capacity under the governor’s executive order. However, fewer guests will not mean fewer employees, Gentile said. In a normal season, which would run from March to the end of October, the park employs about 600 to 650 people. Gentile said he anticipates hiring additional staff from prior years to help implement safety precautions.
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