Disney World has new health and safety guidelines to help keep guests and Cast Members safe on property, like temperature checks and distancing measures.
Cinderella Castle
As the policies around the parks continue changing, Disney World has been informing guests about what guidelines they will need to follow through signs and overhead announcements. Since this is an unprecedented situation, Disney has been updating and changing their policies frequently.
Disney has updated their face mask policy again to state that masks with valves, holes, or mesh material are not allowed during this time. Guests are also not able to wear neck gaiters or open-chin triangle bandanas.
Walt Disney World website screenshot
People coming to Disney World will need to stop, be stationary, and stay distanced to eat or drink in the parks as Disney continues to change their health and safety guidelines in accordance with the evolving situation. However, Relaxation Stations are available for guests to safely distance themselves from others and take off their mask during a break.
Face Covering Signs
As Disney continues updating its policies around the parks, we will give you all the information you need to know before your next visit to Disney World!
Take a look at Magic Kingdom’s recent health and safety survey here!
What has your experience been like back in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
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Unbelievable. They don’t need to increase capacity, no one wants to come.
why are neck gaiters banned? they seem to provide more coverage and stay more securely in place to me
What about acrylic face shields
I agree with Beth. I have a reservation around Christmas that I think I need to cancel
What is wrong with a valve?😡
You can’t ban an N95, valve or not!
It’s going to be such a joyless experience not sure why anybody would bother, particularly if travelling any distance. Have cancelled my Sep trip & re-arranged for April 21, hopefully the masks will be gone by then
Our son has epilepsy, he takes medication, and has an exemption for facemasks. Disney told us there’s no exemptions, and just don’t come.
It’s fine, it’s not insulting or personal, its their rules and we’ll just wait.
It’s just to say, they don’t really want a lot of people to come at this time. By their rules and attitude, it reflects that.
Again, not saying their attitude or rules are bad, they just reflect their business state at this time.
Don’t understand the face gaiter rule. No where on the CDC or WHO website does it say not to wear them. Seems like this is more of a personal rule from Disney and not based on Health guidelines. And I agree with Cathy they cover more of your face then a mask and regardless of what people say, they stay on your face better and some are water resistant. Better then those surgical or a face cloth mask
All this does not make sense. As Cathy said what they call gaithers provide better coverage than most mask and the ones with valves with replaceable filters would allow to refresh without changing the whole mask. They are getting to blame picky. Any one of them is as good as the other, none is going to offer very much so called protection as is.
As much as I love Disney. Coming there right now in my eye’s is unsafe. People want to do what they want and not follow the rules. Im sure cast members are nervous about asking people to please follow the rules & to put there mask on. I truely believe a vaccine Should be given to everyone before Disney is open.
Some people (like me) can’t wear regular masks, and I can only wear neck gaiters. Perhaps if Disney were to explore why some people wear neck gaiters, they’d change their policies. As it is, I won’t be visiting the parks any time soon. Oh well. Their loss.
Cathy, almost all neck gaiters are made from a single layer of synthetic material. As the CDC and other sources have shown, cotton fabrics – particularly two or three layers – are far more effective.
An easy way to see this is light a candle and put on your neck gaiter. Blow hard on the flame and see what happens. Now put on your cotton mask with two or three layers and do the same. The cotton mask does much, much better at reducing air flow and trapping droplets. Even one layer will do better than the synthetic gaiter.
They also ruled out surgical masks by requiring a mask with at least to layers.
Neck Gators only protect from from insects. The opening in the weave is too large to stop anything smaller than a piece of sand.
I understand why they reject the 1 way valves, but they are the only masks I can wear without my glasses fogging up.
The ones with the vents also come with removable filters. They are the best for breathing especially in the FL heat.
I wondered about the neck gaiters too but, since they now specify two layers, that might have something to do with it. My neck gaiter is single layer. I agree with you about the security and staying in place.
Are yhe neck gaiters just too thin? Right now they are my go-to
Valves faces should be allowed as Disney wants people to buy masks from them
This is all so ridiculous.
Although these regulations, at first glance, may seem extreme, I think it’s a good thing that they tell people ahead of time to minimize the aggravation if someone goes to the park without being aware of the rules. It helps staff not have to deal with irate customers and lets people who feel it’s too much know not to attend Disney. I am actually quite glad they’re going to these measures. I have a trip planned in a few months and am concerned about catching this virus since it’s in Florida. It makes me feel a bit easier to know that Disney is making us as safe as possible. I already have purchased many regular and disposable masks in anticipation of our trip.
If WDW would like guests to wear specific masks, it might be a magical gesture if an official Disney mask was included with admission to the Parks 🙂
Qualify vents. The N 95 mask is vented. Are these not permitted?
Oh and one more question… we were told by the Disney rep on the phone that gaiters and bandanas were permitted IF they had ear loops attached and IF the bandanas were folded so that they enclosed around he face without gaps. Can you verify this please AJ?
Please read this article. https://www.onthewater.com/is-a-buff-a-good-face-mask
Buff the most successful company who produces gaiters/Buffs does not recommend their product for Covid use.
Holly, we’ve asked over and over regarding gaiters and bandanas. Word on the ground and word on disneyworld.com is no to both. Some CMs might make exceptions if there are loops or ties, but I would definitely recommend bringing traditional mask styles to have in case you’re required to change.
Holly, I don’t know if Disney has clarified on that point.
Valves and vents aren’t helpful for keeping you from exhaling the virus via droplets onto others. They literally just let it pass through as though you’re not wearing a mask at all. They protect you, but no one else. Which is the primary purpose of wearing the face masks – to keep you from unintentionally spreading the virus to others.
I have an 8 day stay starting next Monday I now have to cancel. My daughter has terrible allergies and the only mask that doesn’t build up pollen and make her lungs burn is a N95. I’m an annual pass holder but won’t be renewing or returning in any other way due to these ridiculous and exclusionary policies.
Not disagreeing with Disney- just didn’t get why the gaiters weren’t approved and the comment above about the thickness of gaiters makes sense to me
and, for the record, I’m good with Disney doing what they can to protect patrons and staff. These are risky times and I don’t think wanting us to be as safe as possible if we visit the parks is not fun.
Dying of covid is what’s not fun
Their sandbox, their rules. I want to return to Disney and plan to when the situation stabilizes
LOL All useless rules.
Mary Anne, so far face shields are not accepted unless guests also wear a mask under them.
I get the rule on bandannas, we aren’t in the Wild West robbing banks and I get surgical mask and N95 as really those should only be worn by professionals. But some of the face gaiters these days are 2 layers of material, water resistant and way better to breath in. There actually better then the cloth mask that Disney tries to push on us and I agree with one person here, if you want us to wear certain mask, make them available for free.
There’s a solution to the whole mask debate at Disney. At the end of the day Disney will make mask mandatory until things are back to normal. Disney doesn’t trust that the mask we choose to wear everyday will protect us or anybody else. So arguing the fact is just stressful, if Disney was smart then they would tell guest if you want to enter the parks, then you must purchase a mask provided by Disney for $2 and all proceeds will go to some kind of COVID relief fund or something. Will Disney ever do that, no, because they’d rather you buy one for $19.99. They say their following health guidelines but really it’s part health guidelines and part their guidelines. You have a choice, wear the mask they want you to wear and enjoy the parks with only 70% the magic or wear the mask you want and don’t go. I hate the mandatory mask rule not just at Disney but everywhere but I where one when in need to and when I don’t, I stay home. And for places like Disney is rather stay home and not where a mask and the only person that suffers is me but I’m not about to shame someone for going or believing mask work or for wearing them.
No valves based on WHAT GUIDELINES, from which HEALTH Authorities?Walt and Roy are spinning in their graves knowing the people now running Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and for many years now, are making things harder and more expensive every year, not easier, for Disney loving visitors to be able to visit. I understand and accept no bandanas and that masks must fit against the face, but no valves? The replaceable filters cover the valves. I have to agree with to commenters who said Disney is just making rules to reduce attendance. All the while making it prohibitively expensive for those us who visit every year to visit at all. Maybe ever again. I live in South Florida and came to the Magic Kingdom for the first time in October 1971. I came to my favorite park, EPCOT, for the first time in 1982. I visited the Studios and Animal Kingdom the first year each was open. It breaks my heart to think I may never be able to visit WDW again.
The reason they’re looking for double thickness is because you’re not supposed to be able to blow a lighter out through the fabric. That was the example used. If it has holes that you can blow through Or the material is too thin, it’s pretty useless.
I work in the death care industry and there are several things the news doesn’t tell you. Things you can directly verify on the cdc under mortality rates: The reason I’m telling all of you this, is because Disney really gets bullied in the news. The news does not give all the facts. I live it daily as an essential employee in the trenches.
You can pull this directly from the cdc under mortality tables: The death count has been going down for 13 weeks across the United States and it was reported today that the case count is going down in Texas, Florida and Arizona.
You can pull this directly from cdc under death certificates:
Death certificate by a hospital administrator only needs to say possible for plausible. It doesnot have to be a confirmed case to be counted and hospitals medical agencies are receiving large subsidies from the government for Covid cases. Therefore the counts that you see have a lot of noise in the numbers.
Florida just had a big scandal in the news only last week about five major laboratories falsifying their positive case count and then blaming it on clerical or technical errors when they got caught.
Disney is the safest it has ever been or will ever be again. In saying that, I am quite happy for those of you who are cautious to venture out…to just stay right there at home. No crowds truly make for the happiest place on earth 🙂 LOL
I was at AK 3 days ago and honestly I felt safer there than a grocery store. This park is large, spread out and the crowds are low. We got there and walked straight into Flight of Passage. It took longer to walk to the ride from the entrance than to wait to get on the ride. They even let us go back around and ride again! There were parts of the park that were eerily empty. Granted, we missed the festive atmosphere and many food stands. But if you just want a chance to ride the rides you can hardly ever ride because of long lines or lack of fast passes then this is the time to go.
This might seem like a stupid question but do you have pics of the masks that are not allowed in Disney
My valved mask stops me fogging up, it has a cotton inner pocket which houses a removable five layer filter!
If that’s not good enough what is – fairly sure five layers beats 2!?
I was hoping to travel in November but I fear that pretty soon Disney will point blank refuse entery to UK travellers who are silly enough to try and pay though the nose for a vastly reduced experience
Mark Walker you can’t go based on one company. Some fishing gaiters are very thin but there are others that aren’t. Bikers wear them and there not the same as these fishing ones. And I got some off Etsy that are stretching and I’m not able to blow a candle out which they say is a good test and I can still breath wearing them. So nobody can say for sure which mask someone is wearing is doing anything to protect me or you. So unless the CDC, Disney whoever want to tell America to buy a certain brand we shouldn’t assume and we shouldn’t mask shame. At the end of the day mask don’t really protect us anyways. So what if I’m wearing a gaiter or a mask with a filter. There have been people who have said they’ve worn a mask since day one and still got it.
1) It’s pretty darn clear from the Florida data that the hospitalization and death rates are on the increase, not a leveling off or decline: https://tallahasseereports.com/2020/07/24/two-charts-show-positive-trends-for-florida-in-coronavirus-battle/. I may be that the rate of newly reported cases are finally starting to level off. But remember, hospitalizations lag new cases, and deaths lag hospitalizations.
2) And again, gaiters are synthetics, which the CDC, NIH, Harvard Medical, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, and probably every health agency around the globe recognizes as not as effective as cotton. A double layer of synthetic gaiter (which, by the way I have and wear when I’m hiking the trails of Colorado) is simply not as effective as a double layer of cotton.
3) If your face mask has a vent, and the reason you wear it is because it makes it easier when you exhale, guess what? It doesn’t help anyone: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html. As a friend said, if you’re wearing a mask with a valve it’s like wearing a condom and cutting the tip off…
If I had a penny for every time Walt is rolling in his grave in the comments it would cover my annual pass.
Masks and the kind required aren’t about us. Its about others. The guests who paid as much or more than you to be there and the CM’s who make the magic happen. I am abstaining from the parks for now specifically because mask usage is a debatable subject for some. Others can rely on me to mask properly and care about their health. But it is obvious I cannot rely on others to mask properly and care for anyone else. Selfishness kills the magic, not the lack of fireworks, parades, fast passes, etc.
Two questions. Can you put duct tape over the valve and still wear mask in parks? Traveling to Disney late September, mom has 7 day park hopper, will we be able to convert to AP before ticket used up ( I know I asked question wrong place but you love me and will do best to answer!) Thanks in advance
The purpose of the masks is to restrict your breath from getting out to potentially infect others, and restrict other’s breath from getting to you. The problem with the one-way valve masks is that they are designed to allow your breath out, without letting contaminants in. Meaning they only support one part of the process we now require. They were designed for use in conditions where all of the contaminants were considered to be in the air around you, and not IN YOU. That’s why the valve masks are prohibited.
As far as people not wanting to go, we just got back from a trip last week, and we had a fantastic time. Yes, the humidity combined with the mask was pretty brutal, but all things combined, we had a great time. We have another reservation coming up (this one was made almost a year ago) and we plan to go back for it. Can’t wait!
Alice, I’m not sure about that. I’ll check with the team, and if they know, I’ll update!
Looking forward to returning to WDW as soon as we can we would normally have our next visit planned and a countdown board on the go. We are in England and have visited 7 times over the years. We wanted to return in 2021, we hope for a vaccine by the end of 2021 and will probably not visit whilst masks and the many other restrictions are still required. At the moment we are not even allowed to travel to the USA.
Valve masks likely caused the deaths of tens of thousands as every hospital was using them turning all doctors and nurses into super spreaders.