Noah's Ark Closes For 2020 After Positive Coronavirus Tests

WISCONSIN DELLS, WI — One of Wisconsin's most popular water parks is done for the 2020 season, and will be closed until 2021, just days after two employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Noah's Ark water park announced a temporary closing in a Facebook post over the weekend, and sent out subsequent updates continuing the closure through the week.

On Wednesday, the water park announced they're closing for the rest of the year.

Here is their full statement:

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to keep Noah’s Ark Waterpark closed for the remainder of the 2020 Season. We made this decision proactively with the health and safety of our Guests, Team Members, and the Wisconsin Dells community as our top priority.

We thank our Team Members for their flexibility and tireless efforts to provide people with a fun escape during this unprecedented summer. To our Guests: thank you for your understanding and support during these challenging times. All 2020 single-day tickets can be used next summer, and 2020 Season Passes will be extended to include the 2021 Season. Additionally, all 2020 Season Passholders will receive a free 2021 Buddy Ticket in appreciation of their commitment to Noah’s Ark Waterpark.

We will use the remainder of this year to prepare Noah’s Ark for its 2021 season, scheduled to begin Memorial Day weekend, and look forward to welcoming Guests and Team Members back at that time.

The U.S. Center For Disease Control says researchers have yet to see evidence that COVID-19 can spread through pools, hot tubs or water parks, such as Noah's Ark.

"Currently, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through recreational water. However, it is important to limit close contact with people outside of your home when visiting public pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds, as well as natural bodies of water—like beaches and lakes—to slow the spread of COVID-19," according to a frequently-asked-questions section on the CDC website.