News Disney mask policy at Walt Disney World theme parks

[DisneyCane]

If that's going to be the justification then it's going to be at least another couple months to allow enough people the opportunity to actually get their kids fully vaccinated since the 5-11 age just became eligible. A kid getting the first shot today still needs 5 weeks (3 for the 2nd dose and 2 for maximum immunity) and obviously not every kid can get an appointment on Day 1.

Anybody who thinks it is really important will have their kid getting shot 1 on day 1 (or 2 at latest). They can wait until 2 weeks post shot 2 to go to WDW if they are that concerned.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Anybody who thinks it is really important will have their kid getting shot 1 on day 1 (or 2 at latest). They can wait until 2 weeks post shot 2 to go to WDW if they are that concerned.

That is totally unreasonable. Any ADULT upset over sporadic masking can wait to go to WDW until CHILDREN are protected. I don’t know when Disney will make that move but, if they are waiting on kids, they won’t use your false assumption. It is very difficult to get a child in yesterday or today as there are not many doses available yet. 2nd shot by 1/1/22 is more reasonable.

We have people whining about adults STILL needing the shot 10 months after it became available but let’s rush children? When did adults become so infantile?

 

[DisneyCane]

That is totally unreasonable. Any ADULT upset over sporadic masking can wait to go to WDW until CHILDREN are protected. I don’t know when Disney will make that move but, if they are waiting on kids, they won’t use your false assumption. It is very difficult to get a child in yesterday or today as there are not many doses available yet. 2nd shot by 1/1/22 is more reasonable.

We have people whining about adults STILL needing the shot 10 months after it became available but let’s rush children? When did adults become so infantile?

The masking isn't protecting the unvaccinated children anywhere near as much as you appear to think it is. If you think a child is "at risk" without masking, they are still "not safe" with masking.

 

[Chi84]

These threads tend to become a bit insular. Don't forget that there are many parents who do not believe COVID is all that great a risk to either them or their children. (Not what I believe, but it's out there.) These people have no plans to get their kids vaccinated and I suspect they're the ones comfortable going to WDW now. We've taken two trips fairly recently, and if anyone there is concerned about getting COVID, they're doing a great job hiding it.

 

[DisneyCane]

These threads tend to become a bit insular. Don't forget that there are many parents who do not believe COVID is all that great a risk to either them or their children. (Not what I believe, but it's out there.) These people have no plans to get their kids vaccinated and I suspect they're the ones comfortable going to WDW now. We've taken two trips fairly recently, and if anyone there is concerned about getting COVID, they're doing a great job hiding it.

Exactly. If they changed the policy tomorrow at 9AM with a push notification from the app, over 90% wouldn't be masking indoors by 10. The overwhelming majority of people who would go to WDW right now with essentially no COVID protocols are not concerned about getting COVID. It could be because they are vaccinated or already had it or it could be that they just aren't concerned in general.

 

[legwand77]

These threads tend to become a bit insular. Don't forget that there are many parents who do not believe COVID is all that great a risk to either them or their children. (Not what I believe, but it's out there.) These people have no plans to get their kids vaccinated and I suspect they're the ones comfortable going to WDW now. We've taken two trips fairly recently, and if anyone there is concerned about getting COVID, they're doing a great job hiding it.

So true , just look at all the other entertainment options that are running and happening that are very full with kids and families, other theme parks, sports events etc. etc.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Anybody who thinks it is really important will have their kid getting shot 1 on day 1 (or 2 at latest). They can wait until 2 weeks post shot 2 to go to WDW if they are that concerned.

You're the one who is using that eligibility as the excuse to drop masking. So if that's the reason to end it, then the end date has to make sense and be consistent with what is known about the timeline for immunity from the vaccine. You can't drop it today under the guise of "kids 5-11 are now eligible" when it's unrealistic to assume that 1.)every kid who is going to get the shot can get the first dose today, and 2.) immunity is instantaneous upon getting dose #1. Since both of those criteria are literally impossible to meet, then the only reasonable end date for masking is 2 weeks after some pre-determined % of eligible kids get the shot (whatever % Disney were to decide upon, I have no idea) OR when they have determined that an adequate amount of time has passed for kids to have gotten vaccinated even if the % of kids actually vaccinated hasn't met their threshold.

 

[DisneyCane]

You're the one who is using that eligibility as the excuse to drop masking. So if that's the reason to end it, then the end date has to make sense and be consistent with what is known about the timeline for immunity from the vaccine. You can't drop it today under the guise of "kids 5-11 are now eligible" when it's unrealistic to assume that 1.)every kid who is going to get the shot can get the first dose today, and 2.) immunity is instantaneous upon getting dose #1. Since both of those criteria are literally impossible to meet, then the only reasonable end date for masking is 2 weeks after some pre-determined % of eligible kids get the shot (whatever % Disney were to decide upon, I have no idea) OR when they have determined that an adequate amount of time has passed for kids to have gotten vaccinated even if the % of kids actually vaccinated hasn't met their threshold.

You are misunderstanding me. I don't think they should have ever brought the requirement back in the first place. People on here constantly say that my position that you can get vaccinated to protect yourself isn't valid at WDW because children 5-11 can't be vaccinated and therefore, fully vaccinated people like me need to wear masks to "protect" them. Well, now that reason is gone. People can get their 5 year old vaccinated if they want to and can stop worrying about me wearing an annoying, uncomfortable mask at WDW.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

You are misunderstanding me. I don't think they should have ever brought the requirement back in the first place. People on here constantly say that my position that you can get vaccinated to protect yourself isn't valid at WDW because children 5-11 can't be vaccinated and therefore, fully vaccinated people like me need to wear masks to "protect" them. Well, now that reason is gone. People can get their 5 year old vaccinated if they want to and can stop worrying about me wearing an annoying, uncomfortable mask at WDW.

But the giant hole in your argument is that the reason ISN'T gone yet. Even IF - somehow - every child whose parents want them to get the vaccine could get them in for Dose #1 today and Dose #2 in exactly 3 weeks, then we're still 5 weeks away from being able to honestly claim, "Now that reason is gone." Even in that ideal, but impossible, scenario we're looking at 12/9 before those kids would have "fully vaxxed" status. You can't argue that "the reason is gone" unless you acknowledge the fact that the Pfizer vaccine requires 2 doses 3 weeks apart and another 2 weeks for full effectiveness. A more accurate argument would be, "The reason will soon be gone."

 

[Touchdown]

You are misunderstanding me. I don't think they should have ever brought the requirement back in the first place. People on here constantly say that my position that you can get vaccinated to protect yourself isn't valid at WDW because children 5-11 can't be vaccinated and therefore, fully vaccinated people like me need to wear masks to "protect" them. Well, now that reason is gone. People can get their 5 year old vaccinated if they want to and can stop worrying about me wearing an annoying, uncomfortable mask at WDW.

Well you need to give kids a chance to get fully vaccinated, it takes 5 weeks from first shot. I can also attest that at least in north central Illinois kids vaccine dates are now full for the entire month of November. So no everyone who wants one can’t get one in the first two days. If that’s your criteria then you’re looking at January at the earliest you can drop the masks.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Exactly. If they changed the policy tomorrow at 9AM with a push notification from the app, over 90% wouldn't be masking indoors by 10. The overwhelming majority of people who would go to WDW right now with essentially no COVID protocols are not concerned about getting COVID. It could be because they are vaccinated or already had it or it could be that they just aren't concerned in general.

We just got back from a wonderful week at Disney and although mask compliance was very good it was entertaining to watch everyone take off their masks in the exit queue or the second they hit “outdoors”.

That alone tells me the vast majority are simply wearing them because it’s a Disney rule, not because they feel it provides any safety. I think you’ve underestimated at 90%, I think once Disney drops the rule 99% won’t wear them anymore.

 

[ABQ]

It's just so hard to accept that any parent can think that wearing a mask inside is going to keep their child safe and then take that same child out onto this crowded street and think they are just as safe there. Are there are likely even more crowded, outdoor, no mask wearing choke points the children will be dragged through. Ugh, that area round the Magic Carpets, yuck.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

But the giant hole in your argument is that the reason ISN'T gone yet. Even IF - somehow - every child whose parents want them to get the vaccine could get them in for Dose #1 today and Dose #2 in exactly 3 weeks, then we're still 5 weeks away from being able to honestly claim, "Now that reason is gone." Even in that ideal, but impossible, scenario we're looking at 12/9 before those kids would have "fully vaxxed" status. You can't argue that "the reason is gone" unless you acknowledge the fact that the Pfizer vaccine requires 2 doses 3 weeks apart and another 2 weeks for full effectiveness. A more accurate argument would be, "The reason will soon be gone."

I think most people would be happy with this, if Disney made a press release today and said “now that Vaccinations are available to nearly everyone we’ll be dropping our mask requirement on January 1st” most people would be thrilled and bookings would likely skyrocket for next spring. I think it’s the unknown that drives people crazy.

 

[sullyinMT]

These threads tend to become a bit insular. Don't forget that there are many parents who do not believe COVID is all that great a risk to either them or their children. (Not what I believe, but it's out there.) These people have no plans to get their kids vaccinated and I suspect they're the ones comfortable going to WDW now. We've taken two trips fairly recently, and if anyone there is concerned about getting COVID, they're doing a great job hiding it.

You're the one who is using that eligibility as the excuse to drop masking. So if that's the reason to end it, then the end date has to make sense and be consistent with what is known about the timeline for immunity from the vaccine. You can't drop it today under the guise of "kids 5-11 are now eligible" when it's unrealistic to assume that 1.)every kid who is going to get the shot can get the first dose today, and 2.) immunity is instantaneous upon getting dose #1. Since both of those criteria are literally impossible to meet, then the only reasonable end date for masking is 2 weeks after some pre-determined % of eligible kids get the shot (whatever % Disney were to decide upon, I have no idea) OR when they have determined that an adequate amount of time has passed for kids to have gotten vaccinated even if the % of kids actually vaccinated hasn't met their threshold.

Within Disney decision making meetings, I think both of these things are probably true. Once Mayor Demmings dropped the State of Emergency for OCFL (whatever that actually meant), WDW was free to drop the requirement. Heck, they never needed it in the first place and could have gone the way of Universal and Sea World, but they chose to play the optics game and now need to find a way out of it. They could drop "required" to "strongly suggested" today and most people booking and going today wouldn't blink an eye. Those not going right now due to caution, though, and certain media types, would jump all over this change coinciding with the 5-11 authorization and say they're doing it too soon. Because they reinstated indoor masks, and because kids got authorized at the same time the current OCFL wave dropped to an acceptable level, WDW got caught in a limbo of sorts. So, for the sake of their own PR making, WDW is stuck in this purgatory state until probably 1/1 or thereabouts in an effort to at least say they waited it out for parents to be able to vaccinate their kids should they choose to do so. Personally, I wish all of the theme park operators would have done this, but that doesn't mean we can't make our own choices, either.

We went to Universal 10/19-24 and thoroughly enjoyed HHN with an 11.5 yo. We don't want him getting sick, of course, but are well aware that his risk of severe outcome is minimal. The rest of us are vaccinated, and adjust based on local transmission levels. We wore our masks indoors, and I was shocked at how many actually were doing the same. <50% probably, but it wasn't a small number of guests. There was also a bit of shell shock with sharing resort elevators. You could feel the sheepishness in other guests asking if it was ok to come on, or being the awkward one asking (of course it is, the parks are shoulder to shoulder). I didn't care if other guests masked or not, and we certainly didn't get any strange looks for doing so. I'd imagine Disney will be the same way once they finally drop indoor masking as a rule.

 

[ToTBellHop]

The masking isn't protecting the unvaccinated children anywhere near as much as you appear to think it is. If you think a child is "at risk" without masking, they are still "not safe" with masking.

Schools with mandatory masking beg to differ.

 

[Andrew C]

Schools with mandatory masking beg to differ.

Eek. My favorite subject…pass.

 

[Trauma]

Schools with mandatory masking beg to differ.

Who cares about this. This argument is dead. Children can now be vaccinated.

Scratch “must protect the children” off the list.

Please find a new place to move your goalpost.

 

[correcaminos]

Who cares about this. This argument is dead. Children can now be vaccinated.

Scratch “must protect the children” off the list.

Please find a new place to move your goalpost.

Not dead yet... come back in 4 or 5 weeks

 

[Andrew C]

Not dead yet... come back in 4 or 5 weeks

I am sure something else will come up in that time...

 

[G00fyDad]