OHIO — Cedar Point and Kings Island are slated to reopen next month with relaxed social distancing guidelines.

The parks announced that temperature checks will no longer be conducted upon entry and masks will not be required when outside except in areas where social distancing is not possible. Masks will continue to be required in indoor settings unless actively eating or drinking, matching Ohio Department of Health regulations. While not a mandate, the parks are still recommending visitors to wear masks while outside.


What You Need To Know

  • The parks are no longer mandating masks outside, but will still recommend them

  • Cedar Point will open the 2021 season May 14, while Kings Island will open May 15

  • Temperature checks and ride capacities have also been eliminated for 2021

Last year, the amusement parks required masks at all times except when eating and drinking.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden administration’s chief medical adviser, suggested Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week” that outdoor mask guidance for those vaccinated against the coronavirus could be changing.

“But I think it's pretty common sense now that outdoor risk is really, really quite low, particularly — I mean, if you are a vaccinated person, wearing a mask outdoors, I mean, obviously, the risk is minuscule,” Fauci said. “What I believe you're going to be hearing, what the country is going to be hearing soon is updated guidelines from the CDC. The CDC is a science-based organization. They don't want to make any guidelines unless they look at the data, and the data backs it up.”

Reservations will continue to be required at Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shore Waterpark. While Soak City will continue to require reservations, they will not be required at Kings Island.

Park employees will conduct a "health screen questionnaire" at the gate.

There will also not be any limits to ride capacity at Kings Island and Cedar Point. The parks added, however, that capacity limits will remain in place at the start of the 2021 season.

Opening day at Cedar Point is May 14, while Kings Island opens May 15.