Today, Disney announced that Disney Springs in Disney World would partially reopen beginning May 20th.
©Disney
This news came just two days after the company shared that Shanghai Disneyland would reopen with new health and safety measures on May 11th. Now, Walt Disney World President, Josh D’Amaro has sent out an email sharing information on the partial reopening of Disney Springs. The biggest difference we’re seeing from the initial information released by the company earlier involves the language used when discussing face coverings.
The first portion of the email reads as follows.
“Hello everyone,
Following recent state and local guidelines permitting the reopening of some Florida businesses, we’ve seen a strong interest in what our next steps may be. As we plan for the future, we’re keeping the health and well-being of both our cast members and our guests at the forefront of planning efforts.
Today, I’m pleased to share that we’re preparing for a phased reopening of select locations owned by third-party operating participants in the Disney Springs shopping and dining district, starting on May 20. We continue to monitor conditions and look forward to welcoming each of our guests back with enhanced health and safety measures in place including the changes below:
- Limited capacity based on Florida state and local guidelines
- Appropriate physical distancing
- Requiring both our cast members and guests to wear face coverings
- Additional cast safety training with a focus on limited-contact guest services and enhanced cleaning procedures”
Disney Springs
When Disney Parks Blog released the info earlier today it read as, “Disney Springs will begin to reopen in a way that incorporates enhanced safety measures, including increased cleaning procedures, the use of appropriate face coverings by both cast members and guests, limited-contact guest services and additional safety training for cast members.”
Now, Josh D’Amaro has clarified that the face coverings will indeed be required by both Cast Members and guests.
Shanghai Disneyland is implementing similar measures when it comes to face coverings. You can read more about the health and safety measures being implemented in Shanghai here.
We will continue to keep you updated as more information regarding the parks and the new health and safety measures are announced.
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Do you know if this means children as well? I don’t know if I want to take my toddler for a while anyway, but I’m certain hes not going to put up with a mask for more than 2 minutes.
Ditto on the kid question
To Linds, Alyson, and anyone else considering visiting WDW with young children/toddlers: As the mother of a now grown son who began visiting WDW before he was even walking, I have an observation and a suggestion.
Observation: Even without factoring in WDW and other highly populated places, there is at present no telling how long we are going to be wearing face coverings once we are able to go out again.
Suggestions: Unless you want to stay home with your children until they are 6 YO or whatever age they might be, now is the time to start training your children to wear a mask. Starting with however long you think they will tolerate it (5 min, 10 min, 15 min, etc.), encourage them to wear a mask. Have them play in a mask and you wear yours, too, a few times per day for gradually increasing periods of time, so they will gradually become accustomed to the mask. If you don’t already have them, go online and stock up on reuseable, washable straws so your children will not feel that they can’t even have a drink with their mask on. I think you will likely have to remove your masks when dining anyway, so that should not be an issue.
For parents of more than one children, you might consider this: Do your children share and trade off well? You can probably get masks in varying colors and designs (even various WDW characters) and each child can choose one any time you have to go out. If your children fight over everything you might consider choosing masks of one color or design so everyone wears the same thing. Or perhaps choose a couple different colors/designs and purchase one of each for each child if that is not a financial hardship. Use a permanent marker or embroider their initials on or in their masks so that each child can wear whichever they choose on any given day but can only wear his/her own masks. If your children have the same first initial, write their first name on the INSIDE of their masks so that strangers cannot address them by name and lure them away should you turn your back. Or, again using permanent markers, let each child select a color and color code their masks.
I’m no expert and I’m not trying to tell anyone what to do. Just observations and suggestions to make it easier for young children to adjust to wearing a mask. I’m 61 YO and I know 2 things well: (1) I’m dying to get to go back to WDW (I missed the F&W Festival last year and Epcot is calling my name); and (2) I know I, too, am uncomfortable wearing a mask and being claustrophobic does not help.
Good luck to everyone. Stay well and stay home until we’re told we can begin going out again. Hope to see you at WDW sometime this year!
From everything I’ve read with FL state guidelines, those under 2 are not required to wear masks as it poses a health hazard for them.
Notice From the CDC stating those under 2 or anyone unable to remove the msks themselves should not wear one:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
When they say cast members will be wearing masks/face coverings, does this mean Cinderella will be wearing a mask? I mean I get it, I just don’t know if I want my 4 year old having that visual 😢
Wondering how wearing a face mask in a restaurant is going to work… hmm. Thinking of postponing my Disney trip until well into 2021…
do you think when the parks reopen that Ride of the Resistance will go the fast pass route. you can’t social distance when you let hundreds of people into Hollywood studios at opening so they can get a boarding pass. Fast passes seem the only logical thing to do, and you limit the number of fast passes given out every hour.
Agree with Carla. With have to keep taking mask off and on for eating and drinking. That will be very tough. Will probably wait until 2021 with a vaccine.
In Shanghai the rule is face characters do not wear masks, but must keep appropriate distance. So Cinderella won’t be wearing a mask. But right now this is just Disney Springs, so the characters won’t be there anyway.
I agree Carla. See ya soon, in 2021.
WDW and Covid-19 Sageguards Do Not Intergrate!
See Ya when all of this is OVER!
Lets hope we are back to normal in 2021 !
yep I doubt I go back for awhile my AP is good for 10 yrs Have not activated it yet! DVC membership well thats a different story I will be paying for a dead horse for maint, dues. I do not want to ware a mask! So guess I will be vacationing at home till this is over!
I wont be back till masks are put away and this thing is in the history books. For the money and it is going to go up, no way. I dont want that kind of Disney memory. Those pictures in Shanghai look like too much reality, not enough fantasy. Very un-Disney no matter how you dress it up.
Our state has said that children under the age of 2 should not wear a face mask….so whether Florida and/or Disney say the same I don’t know.