Theme Park Safety Tips – 7 Things Parents Can Do To Keep Their Family Safe

If you’re looking for something fun to do with your family, there’s nothing as fun as hitting up a nearby theme park. Rides, attractions, vendors and food – there’s a day’s worth of entertainment waiting for you and your family! 

But how do you stay safe while having a fun day at a theme park? I’m not talking COVID exposure, but ride safety, what do you do if your child gets lost, etc. From following the park’s rules to getting your kids to wear a medical alert necklace, here’s how you can make the most of your theme park adventure. 

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Follow all the rules

First of all, you and your family need to ensure that you follow the rules at all times. You need to remember that staying safe at any theme park requires attention from both the park and its guests. So while the park needs to uphold its own end, so do you. 

Some things to always remember: 

• Listen to ride attendants
• Do not go against weight and height restrictions for rides and attractions
• Do not wander off to where you are not allowed
• Do not leave your children 

So listen to the attendant when they tell you to remain seated with your limbs inside the vehicle. 

Be safe around water rides and attractions

You and your family equally need to be mindful when you’re near water rides, especially wave pools. While the theme park is sure to have one or a few lifeguards on duty to protect their guests, they won’t be able to see everything – they’re human, after all. This is especially true when the wave pool is packed to the gills. 

If you’re planning on letting your kids go into or by the wave pool, or any other water attractions and rides, you need to keep an eye on them. If they’re near the water, make sure they’re never out of view – and hardly out of reach. Beyond that, consider bringing along a pair of floaties or seeing if the park has life jackets available for renting. 

Again, staying safe at the theme park involves both you and the park putting in equal effort to maintain safety. 

Related – Trying to decide if you should take your teenagers to Disney World or Disneyland? Read our article on Which Disney Park is Better with Teens?

Remind everyone to use devices for emergencies only

There’s a considerable amount of danger to staring at your phone while walking. That loss of awareness can cause you or a family member to get seriously injured, as you could sprain your ankle and fall, walk into another person or (at worst) walk into a ride or attraction. 

You need to set ground rules for your family, where you state that phones are to be used for emergencies only. Why emergencies? Because if you tell your kids, “Don’t use your phone while walking,” they may be compelled to pull their phone out on a ride. They try to film a TikTok video and then WHOOSH, there goes their phone, right out of their hand, potentially harming someone below. That’s not mentioning that you now need to buy a new phone, too. 

If you think your kids or spouse can’t follow the rules, you may want to rent out a locker to store your phones in. Most parks offer secure lockers where your personal items will be kept secure while you have a fun-filled day at the park. 

Have everyone wear a medical alert bracelet

One of the greatest worries while at a theme park, especially if you and your family get separated while going on different rides, is that someone could have a sudden emergency. For family members with existing medical conditions, this is an ever-present concern. 

The best way to handle emergencies, in the event that they ever happen, is to have your family wear medical alert bracelets. Whether it’s a kids’ medical alert bracelet or a medical alert necklace, it makes it easy to carry your relevant medical history with you wherever you go. Whether someone has Type 2 diabetes, a heart condition, or a seizure disorder, your family can remain safe if an emergency were to ever happen. 

Want more tips on specific theme parks? See these articles:

• Before You Go to Silverwood, Get these Theme Park Tips
• 11 Schlitterbahn Tips That Save Money and Maximize Fun – New Braunfels, TX
• Essential Disney World Packing List
• Our Tips for Making the Most out of Disney World with Young Children
• 10+ Tips for Visiting a Water Park – Hint: It’s in the bag!

Know everyone’s limits

You should also be mindful of what everyone can handle. A major issue when it comes to going to a theme park is the ease through which you can spend an entire day. While you might be loving it from the moment you get there, some other family members might not be having as much fun. They may tucker out far more easily. Keep an eye on them and regularly check in with one another. It’s better to leave early on, when everyone still has some energy, than waiting for a family member to get dog-tired. 

Protect, hydrate, fuel

Don’t forget to take care of the basics, either. Whether the weather is overcast or sunny, you’ll want to make sure everyone wears their sunscreen. Moreover, you need to check in with others to make sure they’re hydrating and eating throughout the day. This will ensure they’re able to really enjoy the theme park, avoiding that sugar crash or dehydration dizziness throughout the day. Just make sure no one has too much soda or food before the wild roller coasters, though!

Know where to go in the event of an emergency 

Last of all, you and your family need to have an emergency plan. If anything were to happen inside the park, whether from a serious ride failure to an onset thunder-and-lightning storm, you need to know what you’re going to do. You should have an established space determined, where you and your family can reliably meet up so everyone can safely come together. 

And if anything were to ever happen, rely on using the park as a last line of defense. Ask local staff if they can help find your family, in case of emergency. Furthermore, set somewhere like a first aid station as a secondary meeting spot, in case anything were to happen. 

Staying safe is all about preparation. Don’t take your chances. Create a plan ahead of time and make the most of your theme park trip. It should be a day filled with fun, after all.