News Disney mask policy at Walt Disney World theme parks

[Trauma]

can we at least grant the time necessary for children 5-11 to be fully vaccinated? Time for people to actually get in to first dose appointments, and then the 5 weeks total for them to be fully vaccinated? (3 weeks between doses, and full immunity being considered reached 2 weeks post the second dose).

it’s not as thought ages 5-12 were magically protected when the CDC approved it on Tuesday.

So we give it 5 more weeks.

After that if Florida numbers remain the same you are all for removing the mask mandate?

 

[sullyinMT]

When 5 to 12 are able to be fully protected people will move on to the 6 months to 5 years demographic and want to wait for them. When WDW dropped the mask requirements a few months ago, there were tons of kids there who were not yet able to be vaccinated.

It seems to me that the people who are concerned about the risk would not take their kids to WDW until they are fully protected, especially if they had to wait only 5 weeks or so for full protection to kick in.

If that happens, I hope the general public acknowledges the disingenuous nature of that argument. Or the clinging on to never let the pandemic end.

Look, I’m a personal advocate for masking right now, in my terribly situated locale. But there has to be a logical limit. As another poster said, daycares and preschools are hardly crowded spaces generally, and masking is intermittent at best if they’re trying at all in that setting.

Outside of Pre-K, what other adult should be in your kid’s face, anyway? Or, whose face are you allowing them near? Any interaction with the youngest among us is going to be fleeting for the non family member or daycare staffer. Those folks all have the opportunity to be vaccinated now and only have themselves to blame.

I’m on record hoping WDW waits the five-ish weeks. I don’t blame them if they don’t. At least now, parents who want to have an end date where they can delay the trip until their kids are protected. Same goes for the more crowded public school settings. Wait until after Christmas break and then run free, so long as local healthcare can handle it.

I’d also be in favor of a vaccine or tight window testing requirement for flights if it meant I could ditch the mask on flights. I don’t mind keeping it on most of the time, but I’d like to enjoy my beverage without constantly tugging on my ears.

 

[mikejs78]

If that happens, I hope the general public acknowledges the disingenuous nature of that argument. Or the clinging on to never let the pandemic end.

Look, I’m a personal advocate for masking right now, in my terribly situated locale. But there has to be a logical limit. As another poster said, daycares and preschools are hardly crowded spaces generally, and masking is intermittent at best if they’re trying at all in that setting.

Outside of Pre-K, what other adult should be in your kid’s face, anyway? Or, whose face are you allowing them near? Any interaction with the youngest among us is going to be fleeting for the non family member or daycare staffer. Those folks all have the opportunity to be vaccinated now and only have themselves to blame.

I’m on record hoping WDW waits the five-ish weeks. I don’t blame them if they don’t. At least now, parents who want to have an end date where they can delay the trip until their kids are protected. Same goes for the more crowded public school settings. Wait until after Christmas break and then run free, so long as local healthcare can handle it.

I’d also be in favor of a vaccine or tight window testing requirement for flights if it meant I could ditch the mask on flights. I don’t mind keeping it on most of the time, but I’d like to enjoy my beverage without constantly tugging on my ears.

Proof of vaccination or rapid antigen testing at the gate.

I still want my 4 year old vaccinated.

 

[Trauma]

Proof of vaccination or rapid antigen testing at the gate.

I still want my 4 year old vaccinated.

I think vaccination numbers among this age group will be nominal anyways.

I don’t see parents running out to get their 3 year old vaccinated.

I doubt Disney is considering that age group much when it comes to masking

 

[sullyinMT]

Proof of vaccination or rapid antigen testing at the gate.

I still want my 4 year old vaccinated.

At WDW, or any theme park, I don’t think that’s unreasonable. The rest of my response was more OT and directed at society at large, which we’re losing quickly as it is.

ETA: I agree with that being the rule for the vaccine eligible (5+). The 0-4 group, even at WDW, is small enough and so infrequently intermingling that they should be able to join the 5+ attendees without concern. I may be off base there, but I would think the risk to them would be so near zero that testing 3 year olds wouldn’t make much sense. Same with my air travel scenario above. Kids under 5 on any given plane, even to MCO, is a minuscule number. If parents choose to have their kids mask in those situations, I would be the last to judge.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

They could give you a mask free bracelet like when they card you for alcohol at some sports or concert venues.

And how likely is it that a CM could spot that from a distance in a crowd and actually do anything about it? Let's not pretend that people wouldn't ignore the rule just like they did with the honor system because they knew nobody could do anything about it.

 

[mikejs78]

I think vaccination numbers among this age group will be nominal anyways.

I don’t see parents running out to get their 3 year old vaccinated.

I doubt Disney is considering that age group much when it comes to masking

I mean, it's anecdotal but I know a number of people who want their younger kids (under 5) vaccinated. That group actually has a higher hospitalization rate than 5-12....

At WDW, or any theme park, I don’t think that’s unreasonable. The rest of my response was more OT and directed at society at large, which we’re losing quickly as it is.

ETA: I agree with that being the rule for the vaccine eligible (5+). The 0-4 group, even at WDW, is small enough and so infrequently intermingling that they should be able to join the 5+ attendees without concern. I may be off base there, but I would think the risk to them would be so near zero that testing 3 year olds wouldn’t make much sense. Same with my air travel scenario above. Kids under 5 on any given plane, even to MCO, is a minuscule number. If parents choose to have their kids mask in those situations, I would be the last to judge.

I wouldn't fault places for lifting mask mandates at this point provided case counts are low enough. If we get back to Florida summer 2021 numbers though, I would hope any mask mandates are reinstated.

 

[Danissmart]

 

[mkt]

Enough arguing. Let's dance

 

[DisneyCane]

I would be in favor of a system like that. But I'm pretty sure it's not legal in Florida.

It is 100% legal in Florida. I have read through the law several times and very carefully. Disney could have a negative test or proof of vaccination for entry policy if they wanted to. They just can't require proof of vaccination or post infection recovery for entry or service.

 

[mkt]

Enough arguing. Let's dance

 

[HairyChest]

Enough arguing. Let's dance

 

[tallica]

Also, to add regarding the Cast change... ya boy didn't do so bad on his predictions, did he?

Wrong, CMs had to be fully vaccinated by the 22nd. They had to have last shot by October 8th.

 

[Tom P.]

You guys, I get it, I'm tired of masks too. I was sweating my face off in Target today with the heat on...

But honestly, you have your mask off waaaaaay more than you have it on when at Disney. It's really, really not an issue. We barely noticed them on the rides. Put them on in stores, how long do you spend in there anyway?
Yes we needed them in the hotel, but the second you sat down to eat or drink, you could take them off.

If you already have a trip planned, there is absolutely no reason the masks should cause you to cancel or regret your trip. Truly.

Sorry, but I will not spend even 30 seconds wearing a mask at Disney. Won't happen. If someplace I need to go, like the grocery store, mandates masks then I will wear one. But Disney is an optional luxury and I will skip it until I can go 100% mask free. And, yes, it's that big a deal to me.

 

[dreday3]

Sorry, but I will not spend even 30 seconds wearing a mask at Disney. Won't happen. If someplace I need to go, like the grocery store, mandates masks then I will wear one. But Disney is an optional luxury and I will skip it until I can go 100% mask free. And, yes, it's that big a deal to me.

Great, skip it! Maybe others will see it might not be that bad.

If I can reach one person...

 

[Trauma]

Great, skip it! Maybe others will see it might not be that bad.

If I can reach one person...

I read your post about masking in the parks not being a big deal.

I think that’s subjective.

For me it might not be a big deal because I’m DVC and there is always another trip.

Many people here will have many more trips to come.

What if your that family that can only go once. Once in a lifetime for whatever reason.

To that family it may be a big deal.

Maybe you disagree but if you only got one trip and you could choose when to take it would it really be in the mask era?

Out of all the arguments for masking the argument of “who cares it’s no big deal” seems the weakest to me.

 

[Angel Ariel]

So we give it 5 more weeks.

After that if Florida numbers remain the same you are all for removing the mask mandate?

All for is strong..more like am ambivalent once the 5-11 age range has time for full protection. The writing’s been on the wall for a long time.

Though i will also point out - it’s not like all kids ages 5-11 magically got vaccinated this week. One of our hospital systems here was already booking first appointments into December within 24 hrs of approval going through and scheduling opening. I’m thankful we got in with our county health dept due to a fluke (I caught a 5 min testing window totally accidentally and managed to schedule an appt for the first day, yesterday), because our health care system (Kaiser) is warning parents of delays due to supply chain issues - much like January when vaccines opened for adults. Except this time there was no priority system in place - so those who are high risk in this age range were just duking it out for appointments with everyone all at once. It’s been a bit of a mess, esp. for the amount of time they had to prepare, TBH.

If I had a child in the 6 month for 4 year age range, we likely just still wouldn’t be going places until they can be vaxxed because of the increased difficulties of that age group actually wearing masks at all. But hopefully those vaxxes will also be available by the end of the year, which was the latest timeline I’d heard.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Great, skip it! Maybe others will see it might not be that bad.

If I can reach one person...

We need the relief of visiting our family’s happy place after the last 20 months more than worrying about masks. Happy to wear masks to do so - which we have plans for, after DD is fully immunized.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Sorry, but I will not spend even 30 seconds wearing a mask at Disney. Won't happen. If someplace I need to go, like the grocery store, mandates masks then I will wear one. But Disney is an optional luxury and I will skip it until I can go 100% mask free. And, yes, it's that big a deal to me.

I don’t think that is an unreasonable stance.

 

[Stevek]

Great, skip it! Maybe others will see it might not be that bad.

If I can reach one person...

Wearing a mask indoors doesn’t bother me at all beyond the occasional fogging of glasses. Yes, I’d prefer not to but it’s not ruining my experience.