Over the past few months, we’ve seen various rules at Disney World and elsewhere regarding COVID-19, masks, travel, and more change as the situation with the pandemic continues to evolve.
Disney Face Mask
Orange County, Florida, where Disney World is located, currently has a mask mandate in place. Recently, the Orange County Mayor, Mayor Jerry Demings, commented  about when the mask mandate may end. Today we got more updates from Mayor Demings about when mask mandates and social distancing rules may start to change.
During a recent press conference, Mayor Demings said that they are “working with the Department of Health on a plan to phase reducing requirements of wearing facial coverings and social distancing.”
Physical Distancing Signs
Mayor Demings noted that they are reviewing how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s requirements are evolving, along with COVID-19 infection data. Mayor Demings indicated that a plan regarding reducing mask requirements and more will be announced soon.
When asked a bit more about the phased approach Mayor Demings didn’t give too many details, but he did say that they “will be looking at a phased approach to be looking at reducing the restrictions” that will be based on both indoor and outdoor capacity for various locations.
You Can’t Wear These Masks in Disney World
What factors prompted this reconsideration and change, and what factors are being looked at for the phased approach? Mayor Demings noted that they are considering 3 factors: the rate at which they are vaccinating individuals, the infection rate in the community, and the requirements of the CDC (which continue to evolve).
Face Mask Signage
When it comes to outside activities and venues, Mayor Demings noted that they may be able to reduce some restrictions of limiting capacity. But, he said that doesn’t mean no one will be requested or required to wear face masks.
When it comes to face masks, Mayor Demings said, “I think that we are still a few months away from that [meaning a time where face masks won’t be required or requested at all]. But it will be a phased approach as we move towards the summer months.”
Orange Bird Mask
Previously, regarding Orange County’s mask mandate, Mayor Demings said that changes may be made with that depending on how quickly they are able to administer the vaccine.
Keep in mind that masks continue to be required in Orange County, Florida and specifically in Disney World. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more details and let you know what we find.
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My question is when restrictions are lifted or eased up. is places like Disney World, Sea World, and other entertainment venues protected against people wanting to sue them because they got the Convid virus while their locations. Because you know some people will do anything to make a buck and there are lawyers who would sue their own mother if they could make a buck.
There is a bill currently in legislation that would limit counties to have only 10 days of edicts ,only when the governor declares a state of emergency, for a 60 day max. It may not matter at all what Demings wants to do.
Joseph Martin,
Read the disclaimer that we all agree to before we visit WDW.
It releases WDW from just about everything under the sun, including COVID.
If anyone ever fully reads the disclaimer, it is eye opening…..like many agreements where we just click “OK”.
Enjoy….
It always should have been a personal choice. If you think a pice of cloth or a paper surgical mask can stop, or even slow down, a molecule the size of the Wuhan virus molecule ( a sars molecule down to 128Nm ) then go ahead and wear a mask. For those of us that have worked in the field to protect against pathogens and diseases, we know otherwise.
@Matt
But those of us who didn’t stop reading after the first sentence of a Health Dept., CDC, or WHO press release knows that a DRY molecule can pass through a mask, but a wet one exhaled sticks to the fibers of a mask. Which is why it has always been stated that a mask is for protecting others around from you.
Surgical personnel don’t where masks to protect themselves for the most part. It’s main use is to protect the patient. Same concept.