Rain, covid-19 restrictions don't dampen Idlewild Park's opening weekend crowd

While rain soaked some visitors Saturday who ventured to Idlewild Park & SoakZone in Ligonier Township, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of those who waited a long time for the park’s opening weekend, which was delayed because of covid-19 restrictions.

“They were looking forward to coming. They’ve been coming here since they were babies,” said Tammy Weaver of Jeannette, said of her children, Andy, 10, and Abbe, 8.

Tammy and husband, Mike, were taking a break from the rain, huddled underneath an awning as the rain came down.

The rain didn’t bother Morgan and Jim Emdlich of Lower Burrell, nor their children, Sawyer, 6; Flynn, 2; and baby Merlin, who was kept warm and dry and close to Mom in a baby wrap. The couple’s pre-park strategy was to wait until Saturday before telling them they were going to the park, Morgan Emdlich said.

The Weavers and Emdliches were experiencing Idlewild Park’s “phased reopening” that started on Tuesday for season ticket holders with about 60% of the rides operating, park spokesman Jeff Croushore said. The park expected about 1,000 people would visit the park Saturday, Croushore said.

Even though not all the rides were operating, it didn’t bother Jim Emdlich, who was happy that there were no lines and, in some cases, they were the only ones on the rides.

Not all the rides were open because Idlewild Park’s maintenance staff wasn’t permitted to work for weeks because the governor ordered non-essential businesses closed from mid-March through May, Croushore said. Maintenance workers were furloughed and lost the time when they could have been disassembling the rides, as is the normal procedure, Croushore said. With less time to prepare for the season, the park’s leadership decided not to open for the July 4 holiday, he said.

“Opening before that would have been too limited” for the customers, Croushore said.

What was offered was good enough for Destiny and Eric Zavilla of Uniontown, who went swimming in the soak zone with their daughter, even th0ugh they could have moved out in the open to get a good soaking.

“We went here on Thursday and we had a blast,” Eric Zavilla said, pulling a wagon with a blanket-covered top protecting his child.

Visitors could not hop on the Rollo Coaster on Saturday because the park staff has to determine how to safely space the riders from different families in cars separated by only a few feet. The running of the trolley through Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, is being delayed for updates.

The Ferris wheel was not giving anyone a bird’s-eye view of the park Saturday because the maintenance staff had yet to attach the chairs to the giant wheel. The Ferris wheel could be operating sometime this week, Croushore said.

Some attractions won’t open

Some rides, like the bumper cars for children and adults, are victims of covid-19 restrictions on social distancing and will not operate this season, Croushore said.

For the youngsters, covid-19 has caused the closing of the popular Story Book Forest, where story book characters come alive. No princess or Old Mother Hubbard will be wearing a mask greeting children this year.

The same for the Jumpin’ Jungle climbing ropes and the ball pit where children can jump into and under the small balls.

Visitors accustomed to being entertained by singers or dancers on a stage in the middle of the park, will not see local talent because of the need for social distancing in the audience, Croushore said. Instead of seeing groups perform, Croushore said that section of the park has been designated as the only mask-free zone, where visitors can take a short break from having the cloth around their nose and mouth.

Other victims of the covid-19 restrictions are the numerous community picnic and the popular Italian festival, a culinary delight.

”They’re coming back bigger and better next year,” Croushore said.