Rehoboth’s Funland will not open for Mother’s Day 2020

For years Mother’s Day weekend has been the traditional opening of Funland in Rehoboth Beach. Due to COVID-19, that won’t be the case this year.

An April 27 message found on the amusement park website says much uncertainty still exists, and the most responsible route is to continue to delay the start of the 2020 season until further notice. Safety has always been a top priority, and until the safety of staff and customers can be guaranteed, Funland will remain closed, the message said.

“Our Funland family is doing everything we can to plan ahead so that Funland can open as soon as it is deemed safe,” the message reads. “Until then, stay safe and be well.”

In an interview May 5, Fiona Curry, who was born in Scotland but after working at Funland married into Funland’s Fasnacht family, said this will be only the third time in the history of the amusement park that it has not been open on Mother’s Day. She said in 1979 it wasn’t open because the new bumper car building was under construction, and then again in 1989, when the stucco building was not yet completed.

“We’re probably as sad as anyone,” said Curry. “Rolling those green doors up on Mother’s Day is something that everyone in the family looks forward to.”

The multigenerational family business, which opened in 1962, has been keeping loyal customers updated on opening plans since emergency orders were put in place in March.

In a March 25 letter, Funland said the oldest member of the family, Allen Fasnacht, is 91 years old, while the youngest is a fifth-generation one-month-old. The best way to keep everyone safe is by staying closed until the risks surrounding COVID-19 have passed, said the letter.

“We will get through this together, caring for one another. Looking forward to the sounds of laughter and joy filling Funland again soon,” reads the letter.

For more information go to funlandrehoboth.com.