Japan Rollercoaster Rules Require Riders to Scream Silently to Avoid Spreading the Virus

• The park’s rule asks riders of the roller coasters to avoid screaming in order to minimize the spreading of droplets.
• They also encouraged riders to put their “serious face” on for the obligatory ride photo.
• The park even created a video featuring two of its executives remaining calm during a rollercoaster ride.

Screaming your heart out is part of the roller coaster riding experience. Of course, with screaming comes the unavoidable exit of saliva, which is a no-no during these times. It’s only natural that amusement parks are closed because of this and a lot of other reasons.

But leave it to Japan to make workarounds for this problem. As coronavirus restrictions have gradually eased in Japan, Fujikyuko Highland amusement park in Tokyo decided to open their doors last month. However, the park has one strange rule for its visitors: Scream inside your heart.

Screaming away your fears is part of the rollercoaster experience.

The park’s rule asks riders of the rollercoasters to avoid screaming in order to minimize the spreading of droplets.

To set an example, the park created a video featuring two of its executives on the rollercoaster, both of them in corporate attire and masks over their faces.

As the ride progresses, the two remain silent. They only move to re-adjust their hair or their masks, but they remain stoic as the car goes up and down the rails.

They also encouraged riders to put their “serious face” on for the obligatory ride photo.

You can watch the video here:

The photos can be shared online under the #KeepASeriousFace challenge. The ones who can keep the “straightest face” will be given free day passes for the park.

Here are some of the riders’ attempts to keep it down:

今日は夫婦で心の中で絶叫❗️いろんな疲れやストレスが吹っ飛びました。
FUJIYAMAよ…またいつか会いに行くから、待っててね❗️
#真顔チャレンジ pic.twitter.com/qY84W2D4jg

— はると (@E2MMiCmqSNMrDxR) July 5, 2020

#真顔チャレンジ#富士急ハイランド

ここ以外終始気持ち悪いほど笑ってました pic.twitter.com/SBwMQKWgnn

— 垢移行先固ツイ (@yadoya_ni) June 23, 2020

According to a spokesperson for the Fujikyuko Highland, they have received complaints that it is impossible or difficult to “refrain from speaking loudly,” as per the park’s guidelines. So the park did the video to offer a good example to the public.

Knowing how difficult it is to apply that rule, the park’s executives cleared that those who violated the no-screaming rule will not be punished. But they will still keep this as part of the measures to keep the place safe and encourage visitors to return to the park again after the lockdowns.