Low-decibel thrills

An association of amusement park owners in Japan is asking customers to stop screaming on roller coasters. As the nation comes out of quarantine, officials with the East and West Japan Theme Park Associations say customers should maintain social distance, keep conversations to a minimum, and keep their mouths closed while on park thrill rides. This will be difficult for riders on some roller coasters: A ride at one park reportedly travels at 112 mph; a ride at another park is one of the tallest roller coasters in the world at 318 feet and also one of the longest at more than 8,100 feet; another ride has seven inversions. Officials say the no-screaming rule will help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The guidelines from the association of 30 Japanese theme parks also suggest park employees keep spoken words to a minimum by using “a combination of smiley eyes, hand gestures, etc., to communicate with visitors.” Some major Japanese theme parks had been closed since early February.

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