After three months of closing their doors, the Singapore Zoo, SEA Aquarium, Universal Studios and various other attractions will be welcoming visitors again starting from July 1 — great news for those of us who miss bringing our kids out for some fun!
These are part of 13 pre-approved attractions allowed to resume operations in stages. Do take note that advance booking is required and most attractions will take no more than 25 per cent of their operating capacity.
Access to the casinos will be limited to existing members and annual levy holders only for the time being.
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Attractions that are reopening
The pre-approved attractions are: Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, Jurong Bird Park, River Safari, Singapore Zoo, the ArtScience Museum, the casino, SkyPark and observation deck at Marina Bay Sands, Universal Studios Singapore, SEA Aquarium, and the casino at Resorts World Sentosa, Madame Tussauds wax museum on Sentosa, trampoline park Bounce, and virtual reality arcade Zero Latency.
Tourist attractions approved to reopen from Wednesday are gearing up to welcome smaller groups of visitors with safety measures in place. Some, like Wildlife Reserves Singapore, will be reopening their ticketed attractions in phases with advance bookings required.
Mr Mike Barclay, group chief executive of Mandai Park Holdings, said that the Jurong Bird Park, River Safari and Singapore Zoo will reopen to the general public on Jul 6, while members will be able to visit from Friday.
The Night Safari will reopen at a later date so that staff can focus on resuming daytime operations first.
The three parks will operate at 25 per cent of their usual capacity, and visitors will be required to pre-book tickets online.
“We have stepped up our disinfection protocols and the application of contactless payment solutions, and we will use technology to help us monitor in-park numbers and spacing within our parks,” Mr Barclay said, adding that some activities will be suspended to ensure safe distancing.
Gardens by the Bay said it will be reopening the Flower Dome first on Jul 11. Its Friends of the Gardens members will be able to visit from as early as Wednesday.
Its other ticketed attractions – Cloud Forest, OCBC Skyway, Supertree Observatory and Floral Fantasy – as well as the Garden Rhapsody sound and light show will resume in phases at a later date, a spokesman said.
Ticket sales for the Flower Dome will open to the public on July 7 through its website and newly launched app, which will be available for download from Monday.
The app will allow visitors to buy and scan tickets, check in and out using SafeEntry, and get real-time updates on crowd levels.
Physical ticketing counters at Gardens by the Bay will remain closed until the end of September, and tickets purchased through the app will be discounted by $1 during this period, the statement said.
The capacity of the Flower Dome will be reduced by 75 per cent for the time being to prevent overcrowding, and visitors will have to pre-book tickets for specified time slots.
Gardens by the Bay chief executive Felix Loh said: “Our operations team has been working very hard to ensure all safety protocols are in place, while our horticulturists have been toiling over the past three months to keep our precious plant collections in shape despite the limited staffing allowed onsite.”
Singapore’s two integrated resorts are also taking a cautious approach to reopening.
Resorts World Sentosa said its Universal Studios theme park and SEA Aquarium will reopen on Monday and Saturday respectively. Both will open four days a week with staggered operating hours for a start, and advance reservations required.
The casino, which will open its doors to Genting Rewards members and annual levy holders on Wednesday, will see antimicrobial-coated acrylic “safety shields” installed at all gaming tables and machines, among other safety and hygiene measures.
Marina Bay Sands (MBS) said the ArtScience Museum and SandsSkyPark Observation Deck will reopen to Sands Rewards members first on Wednesday, while its mall and some of its restaurants have already opened their doors to the public.
Other venues within the complex, such as the hotel, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, theatre and Marquee nightclub will resume later, in line with government guidelines, it said.
Sands Rewards Club members holding Gold status or higher as well as annual levy holders will be allowed to visit the casino from Wednesday.
MBS said it has trained more than 1,000 staff members to take on safe distancing roles to ensure both guests and employees adhere to the rules.
Mr Paul Town, its senior vice-president of resort operations, said that restrictions may be progressively eased as the Covid-19 situation improves.
“Our aim is to reopen with a fresh suite of experiences and safeguards in place to instil a greater sense of comfort and reassurance as we begin to welcome back our guests,” he said.
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Text: Tiffany Fumiko Tay/The Straits Times