It’s been quite the day at Disney World!
Guests at Disney World after new mask policy
Temperature checks are no longer required to enter the park. The plexiglass dividers on Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are gone. More guests are being seated during the A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And guests are no longer required to wear face masks while outdoors (with some stipulations).
The thing that is probably the most confusing for guests is the new policy regarding face masks, and we’re here to break down our experience with it today and answer some questions you may have. So let’s get to it.
Can You Walk And Eat/Drink Without A Mask?
Although it isn’t explicitly stated anywhere, guests can potentially eat and drink while walking without a mask while outside. We spotted many guests doing just that, and it appears to be allowed under the new policy. BUT…there are some exceptions. If you’re indoors, you must remain stationary while eating and drinking.
Main Street today
We spoke with a Cast Member at World Showplace at EPCOT that explained that masks must remain on there except when eating and drinking while stationary. And that’s still the general policy for all indoor locations at Disney World.
Can You Eat While Standing In Line?
We spoke with a Cast Member who told us that guests standing in overflow lines may remove their masks and eat and drink while standing in those lines. However, once guests are in the “real” lines (basically where the ride’s structure begins or where a Cast Member would greet you), everyone must be masked and can no longer eat and drink.
Guests can be mask-free in overflow lines
However, we did see one Cast Member at the Jungle Cruise inform a family drinking Starbucks that they needed to finish their drinks before getting in line at all. The policy is still very new, and we expect Cast Members to be on the same page in the near future.
Do You Have To Wear A Mask On Outdoor Rides?
At the Prince Charming Regal Carousel, we saw a Cast Member telling guests that they still had to wear masks while riding on the carousel. So the policy is that you must not only keep your mask on during the “real” line for the ride but also during the ride itself, even if the ride is outdoors.
Cast Member Telling Guests to Put On Masks for the Caroussel
So for now, once you put that mask on in line, it needs to stay on until you exit that attraction.
Do You Have To Wear A Mask In Outdoor Queue Lines?
The answer here is “it depends.” If you are in an outdoors overflow line, it seems you can keep your mask off (and eat and drink, as we previously mentioned). But once you reach the “real” line for the attraction, you must put your mask back on, even if that line is also outdoors.
You must be masked upon entering the “real” line
The rule of thumb here is to listen to what Cast Members say because they will be at the appropriate locations to remind you when you need to have your mask on. If you have any questions, they will be happy to help.
However, we would like to point out that this policy is VERY new and Cast Members are still learning their way around it (it’s new for them, too!). Listen to what the Cast Members say, and just know it may take a few days for them to all be on the same page because of how new the policy is. As the situation continues to change at Disney World, we’ll be here to keep you updated.
Here’s A FIRST LOOK! Masks are No Longer Required Outdoors in Disney World
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Okay, it’s a start, but it’s still not good enough to get me and my family back to WDW. Dump the masks 100%. Why are we playing this stupid “masks needed here but not needed here” game? My family and I would sign a form releasing WDW of all liabilities if one of us got sick because of something we caught in the park. Not a problem with doing that. Wearing a mask while on “outdoor” rides……NO. Having to stand perfectly still while eating or drinking……NO. Am I the only one who sees how absurd these mask rules are?
So basically, even though it is a “new” policy, it is exactly the same as back in the beginning of April 2021 when I visited. Nothing has changed so readers should not be fooled thinking this is lessening of policy because it isn’t. This is exactly how it was in April before the policy change.
I know it may be miniscule but I am so excited that we can eat and drink while walking around. In every park but especially EPCOT! It became a large annoyance and really did put a damper on the trip. Very glad to see this change and all changes back to normalcy! 🙂
The only way this “new” policy will impact the Disney Experience is if they slow the rides down to normal speed. When I visited in April 2021, every member of my family said that the rides were sped up significantly from our Disney experience in August 2019. The rides that I am talking about exclusively are the rides like “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”, and “Space Ranger Spin.” You May attribute this to ride malfunction and technical difficulties but add to that, the uneven distribution of wait times in the park, when has “A Small World’s” wait time ever rivaled “Flights of Passage”?, and the marketing reports not showing a significant amount of loss of revenue, and the fact that the general public doesn’t know what numbers represent 100% capacity, and I visited in 2019 with no limitations and I visited again in 2021 with 35% capacity limitations and my experience was worse as far as wait time’s (yes I got to ride Flight of Passage but I waited over twice as long at “The Many Adventures Of Winnie the Pooh” and didn’t not get to participate in any of the activities normally available while waiting in line. My trip in 2021 was an incredibly horrible experience compared to my trip in 2019. Add to that that I had almost the exact same trip planned in 2021 as 2019 except the hotel was an “All Star” instead of “Pop Century” and I didn’t have a dining plan. The trip in 2021 was more expensive than in 2019, now you may say inflation but I also supposedly had a “free” dining plan in 2019.
So overall from my experience I DO NOT RECOMMEND GOING TO DISNEY UNTIL ALL THE RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED, DO NOT GO AS I DID THINKING A MORE ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE WITH LESS PEOPLE, WAIT TIMES, ETC. It will not be beneficial thinking that you will endure the pain of a mask, in return for less wait times overall and less people. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN EXPERIENCE IF ANYTHING IT IS WORSE.
The “Mask” waring requirement is also associated with the full vaccine requirement, but there is no way to determine who is and who is not vaccinated. Requesting a guest to show their vaccine card is against HIPPA laws. The make everyone in the Disney Parks exposed to COVID-19. This exposure fact needs to be clearly communicated to all guests coming on to Disney property.
Unless this HIPPA law is changed, park guests should not be permitted on to property without a Mask.
What a ridiculous policy. Zero basis in “science”. You can stand in line with people outside with no mask, but as soon as you cross an arbitrary line, you must put on a useless mask to stand with the same people youve been standing with outside for the last 30 minutes.
Just do away with them 100% right now!
It would make more sense if they kept the 6′ distancing and no masks on attractions that are fully outdoors, like the carousel, Tomorrowland Speedway, teacups, etc. Touching the mask then touching the ride probably make it worse.
And please, Disney, open the flappers again.
Looking for clarification here. So in Epcot you still have to wear the face mask? “We spoke with a Cast Member at World Showplace at EPCOT that explained that masks must remain on there except when eating and drinking while stationary.”
I expect the cast members to know more than me though lol.
I think that Disney has removed the mask mandate too soon . people cant be trusted to do the right thing
We were in Animal Kingdom today. Pretty much the same as you describe at Magic Kingdom. No masks in overflow lines, but once you get to the “real” line, then you are asked to put it on.
Just making sure I read this correctly. Masks are required when walking around outside in world showplace? I may have misunderstood that part of the article.
The mask or no mask I think all the state s have the same approach . Inside wear the mask outside no mask s people
agree and other s do not think it is the right time . If this is for you I glad that you can do it I feel that I will wait to see if people get sick of the population gets vaccinated .
Jennifer, we were referring to World Showplace, the indoor area that’s housed four or so festival booths throughout the past year. It’s located between Canada and the U.K., and a person enjoying food and drink from those booths while still inside World Showplace will need to be masked unless they’re stationary and actively eating/drinking. I hope this clarifies.
Bob wrote:
“Requesting a guest to show their vaccine card is against HIPPA laws.”
Just an FYI: It’s HIPAA.
As of 01 July 2021, it will be unlawful for ANY Florida business to require vaccination proof of their customers. Including Disney.
Just a point of clarification. HIPAA does not apply to private business, only medical health providers.