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Japan’s Theme Parks Ban Screaming on Roller Coasters to Combat Coronavirus

Executives at a major amusement park filmed themselves riding a top attraction in silence, urging thrill-seekers to “scream inside your hearts.”

Amusement parks in Japan have banned screaming on roller coasters due to concerns that screaming could project droplets that contain coronavirus. To bolster the message, two executives of the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park filmed themselves riding the park’s main attraction, Fujiyama, in total silence, ending the video with a note saying, “Please scream inside your heart.” Amusement parks began reopening in May in Japan, as the country regained control over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Mask wearing in the country and its amusement parks is voluntary but nearly universally followed. While mask-wearing will be mandatory at Florida’s Disney World, set to begin reopening Saturday, there is no such ban on screaming on roller coasters.