As the situation with COVID-19 develops, we’ve seen a number of updates announced.
Face Masks
Recently, the Orange County, Florida mayor recommended that individuals wear masks indoors again, and noted that the county is in “crisis mode” due to the COVID-19 situation there. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also updated their guidance and are now recommending that vaccinated individuals wear masks in indoor, public locations in certain areas. Now, we’ve got an update regarding Disney World’s mask rules.
Currently, at Walt Disney World, masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests in most places (except transportation, save for the Disney ferry boats). Guests who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks in certain locations, including all indoor locations, including restaurants, except when actively eating or drinking while stationary.
©Disney
Previously, the CDC’s mask guidance noted that vaccinated individuals did not need to wear their masks indoors in most places. As noted above, however, the CDC has recently revised its mask guidance. The CDC now recommends that vaccinated people who live in places with “high” or “substantial” COVID-19 transmission resume wearing masks indoors. The CDC has also recommended that vaccinated people who live with vulnerable household members, including young children and/or individuals who are immunocompromised, wear masks indoors in public spaces.
Fourth of July Masks
Recently, the Orange County, Florida Mayor (Mayor Demings) held a press conference and shared that he recently signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 situation in Orange County. Mayor Demings also shared that he is urging residents and visitors, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, to wear a mask when in indoor spaces with others.
Rainbow Mickey
Now, Disney has announced changes coming to its mask rules.
Face Mask Sign
Beginning July 30th, Disney World will require all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks in any indoor locations. This includes upon entering and throughout all attractions, either indoor or outdoor. However, masks will continue to not be required outdoors at the parks. Masks are also not required on pool decks.
©Disney
In a statement about the update, Disney notes, “As we have done since reopening, we’ve been very intentional and gradual in our approach to our COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Based on recent trends and regulatory guidance, Walt Disney World Resort will be making adjustments to these measures.”
Disney Mask
As with any other health and safety guidelines, Disney’s new mask policies are always subject to change. We’ll keep an eye out for more updates and let you know what we find. Stay tuned for the latest Disney news.
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It just makes me want to cancel our whole trip. What did I get vaccinated for?? Why do they follow what the CDC says?? They don’t even follow the data.
Just venting – it will so no good
Disney caves to non-science. Bad decision! I hope this nonsense is over before my September trip. My heart goes out to guests with trips on 07/30.
We made reservations for the week prior to Halloween at the Wilderness Lodge ONLY because the face mask requirements had been lifted. Masks just don’t make any sense for someone who is fully-vaccinated. The main issue is with those who refuse to get vaccinated. The risk from the “common” flu is much higher, particularly to children. We can wait until the week before our trip to cancel hotel reservations and flights. Hopefully, we can use the 5-day park-hopper tickets next year. Boo Bash tickets are not refundable, as far as I know.
Thank goodness. I almost canceled our trip yesterday.
You got the vaccine so you wouldn’t die from the virus if you got it or need to be hospitalized. Children under 12 can’t be vaccinated yet so the more adults vaccinated protects them.
Too many people think this isn’t real and aren’t masking or getting the vaccine – this virus is being transmitted by asymptomatic people. So yeah for Disney doing the right thing protecting all of us.
If people vaxxed and masked all year this wouldn’t be necessary but we don’t have herd immunity to protect kids
Me, too, Nancy!
You know how sometimes in school, the whole class had to forfeit something because a few people couldn’t follow the rules? That’s why vaccinated people need to wear masks indoors right now. People who aren’t vaccinated were acting as if they were and were refusing to mask up inside instead of complying with requests that they do so. So the Delta variant is spreading like wildfire, and the only way to try to contain it at this point is to require everyone to mask up, thus forcing the people who have basically been passively lying about their vaccination status to do the right thing. Don’t blame Disney. Blame the people who didn’t follow the guidelines for masking Disney put in place on the honor system.
I am not sure I fully understand this new requirement. Do you have to wear a mask in an outdoor line or food? Do you need to wear a face covering on all rides, outdoor rides like Slinky Dog Dash, or just in their lines?
Surprise!?! 🙂
I am beyond upset. I already moved my trip once, to avoid having to wear a mask. I got vaccinated, so I’m good. The unvaccinated knowingly risk themselves. That is on them, it’s not on me to protect them. The ones who cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons or the little ones, should stay home to protect themselves till it’s safer for them. I got vaccinated so I could travel and be maskless and this is not okay.
Unreal! Got vaccinated, but this has proved to me never again! No booster no matter what the CDC says. They have lost all credibility.
2 weeks ago we booked a week at the Polynesian for the first week of September, including an Ohana and many other dining reservations. I just cancelled that due to the mask rule. Total of 3 trips booked in the next 6 months and all will be cancelled as they come up if mask rule stays. Not paying a tremendous amount of money to have a crappy vacation due to being forced to wear a mask, even though we are vaccinated. We are not AP holders either, those were all rack rate tickets for each trip.
Does this include restaurants too? Disney doesn’t specifically mention them, so I’m a little confused.
We just cancelled our trip. I don’t think we’ll be back to Disney for a long time. A beach trip sounds amazing though!
Nancy – I hear you. Unfortunately, it’s the unvaccinated that are driving up the numbers of cases, not the vaccinated, yet we who are vaccinated have to comply for the unvaccinated’s sake. Plus, it is extremely rare for children to be hospitalized even with the delta variant and those who are immune compromised will most likely wear masks and protect themselves anyway. It’s the many other unvaccinated that we have to accomodate for their protection when they should be protecting themselves and each other.
Makes me wish Disney would ask for vaccination status at the gate and allow us vaccinated to unmask (& give us a bracelet or whatever as a “pass”) and make the unvaccinated mask up. But didn’t the governor make it illegal for businesses to ask for vaccination status? If so, wish he didn’t. In California, some businesses are even requiring all their employees and patrons be vaccinated (or show negative result tests) and some events are also requiring patrons to prove vaccination status or negative results tests before entering.
The CDC still says that breakthrough infections of vaccinated are rare AND transmission rate from the vaccinated are possible but rare as well and under certain conditions. They still won’t cite the studies that their theories are based on so it makes me take their statements with a grain of salt.
I kinda knew it was coming. It was too soon to just do without and to say we’re going on the “honor system” with enforcing just wasn’t good enough. I was gonna be masked up when indoors anyway in our trip in October. I just don’t want another shutdown!!!
I agree, we were going to go in November and now are discussing canceling. This is all getting ridiculous. What was the point of getting vaccinated then?
This is completely ridiculous!! Guess we’ll be cancelling yet another Disney trip!! There is no reason for these actions! Allow people to be responsible for their own health decisions, ya know like before covid!! Disney, you continue to overstep and disappoint!!
This makes our decision for us on annual pass, we will not renew and spend our vacation dollars somewhere else. Disney has already gotten over priced and has lost a lot of the magic, and expects visitors to pay full price for limited activities.
Masks for the vaccinated, huh? Very interesting.
I wonder how many people are going to cancel their trips now. This is so sad.
Mickey knows more about COVID safety / the effectiveness of masks than Ron DeSantis does!
I want a safe place to go to. Why can’t Disney require a CDC card upon entry?
I agree with Nancy. I just cancelled my WDW trip. My entire family are fully vaccinated and just because COVID infections are up, does not mean death rates are up. This is ridiculous. We cannot wear masks for the rest of our lives! The death rate for COVID is extremely low, considerably less than 1%. Vaccination does not mean that you will not catch COVID, but it will lessen your symptoms. The CDC doesn’t know what it is doing. (I am a physician and have followed the statistics and the studies.) Disney will lose money again over this and more employees will be laid off.
We’re booked in late December. Since we did that, Disney killed Christmas and reinstated these controls. I’m pretty sure we will cancel this trip unless this goes back to the way it was when we booked the stay.
You can still possibly get it but not end up critical, hopefully staying at home. Masks are more protection for those not vaccinated . I would rather be
inconvenienced …
No surprise thanks to those who are unvaccinated and still spreading the virus. I respect those who do not want to get vaccinated, but at least wear a mask to help stop the spread. Seriously unless you have a legitimate documented medical issue wearing a breathable mask, is it that much of a hassle or that unconvertible? And please don’t give me the “its my right” excuse. Remember, private business’s can make their own rules and policies (like requiring shoes and a shirt), as long as they don’t violate any laws. So get use to living with Covid-19 restrictions and policies, because of the unvaccinated refusing to following the health and safety guidelines, it is going to be with us for a long time.
Wearing masks is not fun but if it provides even the smallest amount of protection it’s worth it. Found out today a friend is in hospital fighting to breathe with covid. Florida is a hot spot again.
It is the numbers. Florida is a hotbed for new cases… 90% of which are unvaccinated. It is not Disney’s fault, rather the fault of those who value independence over life and refuse to take simple precautions to prevent contagion. Because of them we have to step backwards to: NO VAX, NO MASK, NO SERVICE.
I agree with Nancy! This just makes me want to scream! When will it end!?!
Will be canceling my trip for next June! Will not wear a mask.
Nancy, I totally get your frustration. But thank you for getting vaccinated! The whole reason policies are changing again is because of the people who refuse to do so.
We left in mid-June the day the mask rules changed to no masks except for public transportation and our visit was fine with the masks. We are 4 vaccinated adults and 2 younger children so we rented a car and didn’t eat inside. Everyone does what they are comfortable with.
I do think Disney is wise to make this change given the Delta variant is out of control in the area. While we may be vaccinated, relying upon the honor system for those unvaccinated doesn’t seem to be working out in our country. It stinks, but it’s reality.
Canceled my trip
I agree. Took the risks associated with being vaccinated and now have to go backward. I’d rather have a big V sharpied on my forehead than start wearing a mask again. Starting to reconsider whether I want to go to DW in December
This is All because ignorant Americans won’t get vaccinated. In Canada over 60% of my fellow citizens are fully vaccinated with it climbing a percentage point every day. Coming down from Toronto for 3 weeks mid September. All you non believers please stay out of Disney property. This vaccine is not political, it’s life saving.
Seems like Disney tried to get back to full capacity too quickly. Was there in early May and I can assure you there was no way they were only at 30%. The parks were packed. And this coming from someone who has been numerous times, at different times throughout the year including holidays and Spring Break. So I know what the crowd levels look like. Cut back on the capacity again before a mass outbreak is blamed on WDW and it’s forced to shut down completely again.
Wow… Mickey knows more about COVID safety than the governor of Florida!
My husband and I will be going in October. We’ve always planned to wear our masks. We’re vaccinated, but wearing masks is just an extra safety precaution.
The Orange County major should be mandating Vaccines not Masks 😷
After our annual passes expire we won’t be renewing. People who are vaccinated still have to wear a mask for what reason? I will not be bringing my 2 year old son to the parks any time soon. I refuse to make him wear a mask.
Agree 100% with Nancy’s post. So glad we did NOT have to wear masks when we went to WDW in early July.
the new variance is spreading like wild fire and they are at 100% masks won’t help me October 1st
we will cancel our trip if they say we have to wear a mask the whole time. inside and outside! it’s to
hot and can make a person with health problems like I have unable to wear a mask.
YEAH!!! Our family of 11 will be visiting WDW for 8 days in October! Woohoo!!! Thank you Disney for putting the public’s health first. The majority of people support this decision.
Lisa, in restaurants when you’re not seated at a table — like the previous rule.
David, we are seeing some signs today indicating where folks should wear masks in outdoor lines as you’ve defined, but we’re also seeing a lot of guests not complying with those signs yet.
As usual many people do not fully understand this vaccination. It does not keep you from catching covid. It is supposed to help you not get as sick. Everyone can potentially be getting and spreading illness.
Yes i agree, Disney is doing nothing but caving in.. That is why i got the vaccine, To stop wearing these stupid mask… I know the risk i am taking and its my decision to make… I dont need Disney to protect me i am an adult and i protect myself……. This just makes me not want to go…. if people want to wear mask thats up to them, just leave me alone if i decide not to wear one…….
The Covid vaccination does reduce your odds of infection from the virus but it does not eliminate it. If you are infected it will reduce your symptoms and likely keep out of the hospital. Additionally, inoculated person can be asymptomatic and spread the virus. That is why masking is important.
Sorry I’m not going to be forced to be vaccinated when half the people I know who have been vaccinated caught the virus!
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness is our Guaranteed RIGHTS. Any Government Official or Public/Private Organization that dictates that individuals must be vaccinated or wear masks is debunking those Guaranteed Rights. It is our Right to make choices that we each feel is Right for ourselves and/or Family. Let’s not blame others, let’s step up and act like responsible adults and utilize the Rights so many others have died to maintain. All these other issues can be settled by doing so.