There seems to be a common thread in the reopening of entertainment venues across the world — mandatory face masks.
©ShanghaiDisneylandResort on Instagram
We’ve already seen mandatory face masks for employees AND guests become the norm for Shanghai Disneyland, Universal Orlando CityWalk, and Disney Springs. Especially for Americans, wearing face masks is a pretty new concept. And our readers are asking plenty of questions about what this will be like. So we’re taking a look at when you WILL need to wear a mask at Disney, and when you won’t.
Shanghai Disneyland’s Policy
Let’s start by taking a look at Disneyland Shanghai’s policy since it is the closest measure we have for what to anticipate in Disney World and Disneyland. According to the health protocols and safety measures for the park, masks are to be worn during guests’ entire visit to the resort except when dining.
Shanghai Disneyland
We’ve seen this practice go into effect in the opening days of the park. So far, it appears that masks are mandatory in photos as well, so we’ll be saying “Cheese!” from behind that protective filter.
©ShanghaiDisneylandResort on Instagram
The park has even instituted bins to dispose of old masks safely. This mandatory policy is in place for the safety of guests and those around them as the CDC and other health organizations recommend masks as a precaution against the spread of illness.
Click here to see what the opening day looked like in Shanghai Disneyland!
Masks in the Domestic Disney Parks
Still, things are pretty different in Shanghai than they are here. Asian cultures are often a lot more comfortable wearing masks and many even did so prior to the world health crisis. So, is the expectation the same for Americans? The answer, it seems, is yes.
Walt Disney World
As we mentioned, Disney Springs is already requiring masks for Cast Members and guests. As the first officially reopened portion of Disney World, this could be an indication that masks will be expected in the parks. And Florida, in general, has the recommendation of face masks for all residents in public spaces!
The most telling factor indicating that the domestic parks will require guests to wear masks comes from the CEO of the Walt Disney Company. Bob Chapek recently mentioned that it is likely that masks will be required for all guests and Cast Members in the parks. He acknowledged how this will be a cultural challenge, but that it will be important for the safety and health of everyone.
©CNBC
Some Disney fans are unhappy with this prospect, especially considering the heat in Florida. Still, it seems like a likelihood as Disney deems masks an important piece of opening the parks responsibly.
Click here to read more of Bob Chapek’s comments on face masks and more!
You’ll probably only take those masks off when you’re eating or leaving.
So, yes, we can presume you probably will have to wear a mask in the domestic Disney parks. If they follow a similar model to Shanghai, it’ll only be okay to take them off when dining.
Grand Floridian Cafe Dining Room
There’s a good reason for you to be able to take your mask off for your meal! According to NPR, it is more dangerous to take your mask on and off between bites than it is to not wear it. All that touching your face is a no-go!
Crystal Palace
It can be kind of weird to imagine everyone wearing a mask in Disney parks, but Disney has prepared for this. Check out these cute branded face masks you can snag on shopDisney! Just remember, masks are for your safety and for the safety of others, including Cast Members. Disney takes this responsibility very seriously, so if masks will keep their people safe, then masks will be a part of the plan.
Need to stock up on face masks for your fam? Click here!
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How do you feel about wearing masks in the Disney parks? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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China is seeing MAJOR issues with kids wearing masks during PE class. Isn’t young kids walking around all day in the Florida heat just as dangerous? I’m also wondering how long (in terms of months) the mask policy will be in place. I understand the safety issue but man I’d sure like my family to have smiles in our castle pictures!
How do they enforce masks on children? Any ideas? Just thinking of my kids trying to wear masks makes me shudder. Haha!
However, in the summer in Florida, folks are also drinking constantly. And most folks are not going to wear masks in their vacation photos. I mean, who wants to see that in photos down the road? I feel like this is something that will hopefully lighten up over the next few months because it just isn’t realistic in a theme park type setting. And let’s just toss in for good measure that long term mask wearing isn’t 100% safe in and of itself. Still in addition, there are some other folks with medical conditions that can’t wear them at all.
We will unfortunately have to cancel our trip if this is the case. No one seems to be mentioning that Disney World is built on a swamp. Can you imagine walking 10 miles a day in the 95° heat and 80% humidity with a mask on your face? I’d pass out.
Disney is an expensive option for a vacation. With that said I believe wearing a mask takes away from the experience and doesn’t warrant the price tag. I’m going to sit this one out. Also for passholders who purchased passes prior to the mask mandate will they be offered a refund on unused portions if they refuse to wear a mask? This could be a potential class-action suit if Disney refuses.
I would not consider visiting disney with the prospect of having to wear a mask all day. Surely if it is limited capacity and being majority out doors surely it would be more beneficial to use social distancing. How can wearing a mask all day in the humidity of florida heat be in the best interest or health for anyone? What about hydrating and constant touching face for removing of masks?
I just don’t know how it could possibly be an enjoyable trip. Personally I would not want to visit under these circumstances.
Has there ever been a rule before where something previously prohibited is now mandatory? They formerly told us masks were not allowed at all for adults and now they have to be worn. Rules do change but not sure ever had anything completely banned at one time and now is a requirement for entry. And this changed from the last day the parks were open (no masks allowed) to the first day they reopen (now mandatory masks).
i will not be returning until this requirement is no longer in place.
How is this going to work in the heat. People will need to hydrate .so they will need to remove their mask to drink .also what about snacking in the park .everytime u remove your mask your touching your face and when u sweat your wiping your face so dont that defeat the purpose.
So glad theyre doing this and even more pleased at the number of comments of people canceling!
So what if you get on a ride and your mask flies off ? ( BTM, SM , TOT). I’m guessing swimming is out cause I doubt chlorine can kill the virus and nonetheless you definitely can’t swim with a face mask on. Disney banned straws a few years ago so that’s not gonna work unless they use those horrible paper straws..and lastly are they gonna provide the mask cause every one doesn’t have access to pay for masks let alone a new mask everyday for their trip. This just seems like a disaster waiting to happen…people passing out from the heat I can see it already.
What happens when you get off splash mountain and your mask is soaking wet? That’s a lot of mask changes.
Most everyone is wearing these masks improperly which is really only providing a false sense of safety/security. If forced to wear a mask, I will need to touch my mask to eat, snack, drink water as I usually do all day, increasing the touching of my face, after touching the dirty mask increasing cross contamination. Add to it the heat & humidity of Fl, these masks will be damp & absolutely pointless. Being forced to wear masks will only cause people to be miserable, struggle to breath, and will not even be helping anyone with any type of safety. As a passholder, I look forward to resuming my monthly trips & already have several WDW resort reservations booked over the next several months in anticipation of them reopening – but if it is announced face masks are required within the parks, I will be cancelling reservations & requesting a refund on my passholder.
If masks are still required by the time our 2020 trip comes around, we are out. It’s not going to be possible for me or the kids in that heats.
Annual passholder family here. Mask requirements of any kind will cost disney our money… and we spend a lot. Pay attention, Bob. Masks are ineffective and a social rejection here in the US by enough people you should be avoiding policy like this.
Do we know if under 2’s have to wear masks? CDC advises against this, so seems odd that Disney would require it. Anyone know?
Only medical professionals know how to truly wears mask safely. My knowledge prior to this pandemic was that masks must be changed every 30 minutes after being soiled by your breath. Now they’re enforcing us to wear it all day saying it’s “fine.” These masks sitting on your face all day is a petri-dish for bacteria and viruses to grow and makes it harder to breath. My husband and I love Disney, we just won’t be be visiting the parks anytime soon. We canceled our trip for November and won’t reschedule until they don’t require face masks. It just does not make anything enjoyable and not worth thousands of dollars to be forced to do something.
I’m interested in what will be required in pool areas.
I absolutely will not spend thousands of dollars for my family and I to have to
wear masks! If they are still requiring them in sept or oct we will definitely be cancelling our reservations. I want to enjoy my trip and a face covering is a deal killer. People have snacks and beverages in their hands almost constantly. How is that supposed to work?!
Karen, the official info from Disney yesterday stated 3 years and older are required.
No chance in Florida humidity and heat . Terrible . Swetrt full of bacteria face . Remove mas every t minutes to have a dryink . I need to cool my face with a fan to survive a day in the park . No holidays for me if mask have to be on .
Healthcare workers are wearing masks all day long. You can wear one to Disney. P.S. Don’t come here in the summer, go in the cooler months. January and February are the least crowded.
I wonder why they aren’t considering face shields instead of masks. They are safer they don’t have to be changed constantly, they don’t have to be touched as much , your not stewing in your own sweat, they don’t suffocate you and they are see through which helps with pictures
New study that says the COVID19 virus easily penetrates even surgical masks. Masks are a fad now.
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-1342
Agree with the comments about face masks! They are more unhygienic than effective! Besides maybe a face imprinted N95 mask, they’re not protecting anyone from anything. And if you are wearing an N95…you’re still touching it and taking it on and off to eat/drink. It’s indeed a false sense of security. They’re supposed to be single use and not taken off and put back on throughout the day. Official surgical masks even state right on the box what they actually protect and that they are single use. Imagine that lovely moist mask you’ve been breathing into holding all your lovely germs for you to spread more so than not wearing it. Common sense.
We had a trip planned for 2020 senior grad. Cancelled until next year .No way are we going to wear a face mask,very sad with all she’s missing out on ,but even a teenager said “I want the whole Disney experience.”
Well as a local and annual passholder. Where a mask or don’t come. We really don’t need us locals that have been protecting ourselves have to fight the virus even more with all you visitors not wanting to wear masks.
How are the cast members, especially the Princesses supposed to remain in their “Disney bubble” if they have to wear a mask? I’ve heard they never break character but now they’re going to wear a mask that indicates they DO know of the outside world? Also, children ages 3 and up have to wear a mask? I know of 3-5 year-olds who don’t want to keep their clothes on, let alone a mask. I’m still holding out hope we can still do our December trip but if this continues I may wait another year. As disappointing as that would be, the upside to that is we’d be able to afford a more expensive different resort.
I love Disney, my family and I travel there every year. We will be canceling if this the case. I have been working 40 plus hours and dealing with the public no gloves no masks, no at my work place or their families have gotten sick. I feel this is ridiculous and I feel people need to start judging for themselves, if you want to wear a mask then okay but don’t tell me that I have to wear a mask. I’m sorry but I will not go on vacation and have to deal with this crap, Disney is supposed to be a place of fun and magic. I feel Disney should let people decide wether or not wear a mask
We had a trip planned to Disney this fall.
Wont go if masks are required.
I can see it for this summer. I won’t be going to Disney World knowing I need to wear face masks. It is a game changer for me. I will miss Disney World.
We will definitely cancel our October trip if the mask requirement is not lifted for guests AND cast members. Also no fireworks or parades? Cancelling. Ride closures or restrictions? Cancelling. If the experience is going to be less than normal we won’t lay out that much money for certain. Right now we are just hoping and praying that this will be behind us by September.
I honestly don’t mind the masks. Safety is more important than comfort to me anyway. However, I do see an issue with the water parks and the typical face mask. The typical face mask isn’t made to hold up to water.
No way, goodbye to visits.
As so many have stated already, me and my family will not plan anymore trips to Disneyworld if masks or any type of face shield are required. I should be able to make my own health decisions and not have it dictated to me.
I’m hoping they open up the parks in the next 2 to 3 weeks. The push back from visitors should be sufficient to have this “requirement” removed, for all the reason listed in prior comments. Masks should be recommended not required. If you feel like you should wear one then you should. If someone else doesn’t, then they shouldn’t be required to. Remember back before all this nonsense started when people were walking around coughing in each others faces……. yeah me either.
I have a trip scheduled for late August early Sept. If mask are required I will cancel mask in Florida in August are not possible I don’t think as the humidity is already 100%. So wearing mask all the time are a deal breaker for me and my family.
I am no way no how spending that much money to wear a sweaty itchy mask in 100 recent humidity.
Just not my idea of a good time
Health care workers have to wear masks to protect themselves and others while they do their job.
We do not have to spend a lot of money and ruin vacation to do so.
Trip in early September , if masks are in we are out!!!
Resident Annual Passholders here. Go a head and inforce the mask rule Disney, my husband and I will not be returning to your World. This mask rule is insensitive, cruel and inhumane in the FL heat, and all those that can not wear a face covering due to a special circumstance. Your company is punishing the biggest contributors to your tourism. The mask wearers are not the norm, they are the temporary! Most of them are the one trip a year people. You keep making your Residents and Annual Passholders mad, Disney suffers in the long run. Make everyone happy and leave it up to the individual if they choose to wear a mask.
I’m in my 70s and my daughter, who’s in her 40s, has disabilities, so we won’t be coming back for a long time, I’m afraid. We both would love to be there, but I don’t believe masks and gloves – with that many people (even if the numbers are somewhat limited) – are a good enough protection to ensure we won’t get sick. What if we’re eating and someone walks by and is coughing or sloughing off the virus? Or if we’re in the park and getting a drink? The same thing could happen. I just can’t take that kind of chance. For us, it’s a life or death issue. So, we’ll be staying home. But for everyone else who goes, please have a wonderful time and be safe!
I hope they are considering face shields as well. ADA says if you can’t wear a mask they need to provide an alternate choice. I have tried but can’t wear one for more than 3 minutes without coughing and feeling dizzy. I feel for the CMs in the humidity. And what about snacks? Popcorn, ice cream, etc. Do you think those will be removed as well? or if you’re on a ride like haunted mansion would you be able to slip your mask off as long as it was on when you left? It’s a completely different culture in America and it’s going to be very difficult in such a short time to introduce masks into everybody’s life that they can never take off while they’re there. What about staying at the resort and going swimming do you have to wear it in the pool? Lol…. Too many questions unanswered
Tucker, I’m with you! The more people who cancel because they don’t want to follow simple measures to lower the spread of the virus, the better chance people like us will have a great time in the park.
I have not seen anything about kids in China suffering through PE, but here in Singapore, masks are not required when doing strenuous exercise. Unless you plan on running in Disney World, against already existing rules, I think most people will be ok. I walk over 6 miles everyday, and I am doing ok.
I get really disappointed with all the negativity when people are trying to keep others safe. You wear a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself, you smoke only where it’s permitted, you don’t urinate wherever you desire. These are all measures that weren’t normal at some stage. Now they are.
This is our new normal, at least for now. Be on the right side of history and be someone who is willing to do something different, for the greater good.
We have a trip planned for September with our friends. If masks are required, we will cancel our trip. Hopefully we will rebook when the mask policy is removed. No way 6 kids, 8 years old and younger are wearing masks all day. And no way I’m paying $$$$ to have masked Castle pictures 🙂 Once all this slides out of the public eye, then we will return to Disney World.
I do not want to wear a mask! It is going to be extremely hot and people are going to be passing out! Masks should be optional! People were passing out on Friday in NJ at Farmer’s markets because it was 80 degrees. I’m a preschool teacher. Do you really think young children are going to wear those all day? This is so impractical!
I understand wanting to keep guest and cast members healthy. That being said, if wearing a mask is a requirement in October when I was planning on visiting Disney for my honeymoon, I will cancel my trip. Wearing a mask for 20 minutes when I’m in a store is one thing, wearing them all day at a theme park is totally different, not only is it uncomfortable, but I’m not sure it’s healthy according to some of the studies I have seen. I pray everyone stays healthy during this time and look forward to a time we can get back to a more normal life.
I can understand the safety measures but how can Disney expect guest to pay thousands of dollars to visit the parks and be uncomfortable the whole time. Not to mention the limited capacity and potential for limited or closed attractions and experiences. They are depriving you of seeing the smiles on your children’s faces when they meet there favorite character and ruining those beloved family photos. I would rather just leave the parks closed until the restrictions are dropped.
Masks to protect against a virus such as this are only effective if they are rated for medical use (and let’s face it , those are simply not available to the general public at this time) and if they are properly used by being changed frequently or disinfected. Otherwise it’s a breeding ground for the virus and other bacteria. Attempting to monitor usage in a park filled with ten of thousands of people, most of which are children, is COMPLETELY unfeasible. Guests that are spending thousands of dollars for the Disney experience should have the right to protect themselves and clean themselves as they see fit.
I have a rescheduled Disney trip on August. If masks are required does that mean the resort pools and water parks will not be open?
Disney is not going to give passholders refunds because they stomp their feet and refuse to wear a mask. That is just ridiculous. They are allowed to require anything they want and you can’t just decide you don’t like it and demand they give your money back. If they are open, your pass is active and they are holding up their end of the deal. That would be like me saying they stopped offering my favorite vegan dish at one of the restaurants or I have a health problem that makes being touched in any way unpleasant for me and people just insist on rubbing up against me in the parks, so I demand all my money back. It’s absurd, entitled, and spoiled.
Masks ARE effective (look at the data from the places they are required), it IS possible for people, including children to wear them (it’s called being a parent. Require your child to keep their mask on or leave), and is IS completely practical in a theme park environment (Shanghai has been open for a week and doing just fine without all these temper tantrums). It’s completely ridiculous to complain about having masks in your pictures or worrying about them on the rides.
AP saying you are gonna sue if you have to wear a mask.. our contract says we agree to abide by Disney’s rules.
As for policy saying no masks, they are referring to masks that make you look like a character not a medical one 🤦🏻♀️