News Disney mask policy at Walt Disney World theme parks

[Epcotfan21]

3rd. Not 4th.

You’re still in your 2nd.

I've lost count to be honest. I still think it's April 2020.

 

[Chi84]

The challenge of this is that there are lots of children who go to Disney World and they will not even be eligible for vaccinations for quite a while.

They can exempt children too young for a vaccine from the requirement, just as they now exempt children too young to wear masks from the mask requirement. People forget that WDW has been letting in children without masks since the day they reopened - not because very young children can't contract or spread COVID but because masks were deemed unsafe for them.

 

[uncle jimmy]

Uni Announced VelociCoaster opens June 10th.

WDW announces Relaxed masks date and the 4th Taco barge comes out.

 

[Doberge]

I must have missed when the requirement went away for masks while seated dining but not actively eating. There was a big hubbub about it around mid February.

 

[Peter Venkman]

for what it's worth, an article over the weekend in the Wall Street Journal by Nicole Saphier, who is a doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering and a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College says "if the coronavirus epidemic in the US continues on it's current trajectory, the need for masks outside particular local outbreak areas will pass in a matter of weeks" and that herd immunity is likely to be reached by Memorial Day weekend at the latest.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I think we can slow down with the thought that Disney will lift the mask requirements to be only while indoors. This will become a grey area with the majority of queues being outdoors and then indoors, and the “ I forgot” to put it back on while consistently going in and out of buildings all day. I think they will wait until they can basically relax the masks to a minimum with the encouragement to wear them.

 

[cmwade77]

The hard part is finding a place where you can be socially distant.

Not really, there were plenty of places where this was doable in Feb, especially where the photopass photographers are.

 

[cmwade77]

Indeed. You will need to remain distanced of course. Which I’m fine with. I hate strangers being close to me, especially when I’m drinking or have a Dole Whip. I’d be happy if strangers permanently stayed 3 feet away from me. Yuck.

I agree with that, let's keep social distancing to a point. 6 feet might be excessive, but 3 feet is reasonable. It would always help guests with certain disabilities as well.

 

[JoeCamel]

I agree with that, let's keep social distancing to a point. 6 feet might be excessive, but 3 feet is reasonable. It would always help guests with certain disabilities as well.

I'd settle for people not walking five abreast and stopping suddenly in the middle of the walkway.

 

[sullyinMT]

Uni Announced VelociCoaster opens June 10th.

WDW announces Relaxed masks date and the 4th Taco barge comes out.

If they don’t sell a “Harmonious Taco Flight” of four street tacos surrounding a circular dish of guacamole and pico at La Cantina de San Angel, they’re missing a golden opportunity.

 

[cmwade77]

well actually... here's my theory

I think disney wants vaccine passports.....They just can't come out and say that right now.

This new mask thing will cause issues, they know that. God bless those CMS.
The CM unions may fight for it.
This change may give Disney grounds to require it.

Down the line this could present them with the opportunity to say "hey you know what, its getting hard to control this, to make it easy and safe for our CMS and guests, we are now going to require that everyone is vaccinated.No more masks, just vaccinations."

I think they want proof of vaccines.

I don't think that they do, realistically, such a requirement would cause far more problems in trying to implement. Additionally, if they were to require vaccine passports, under federal they could legally be held liable for all damages a person incurs from any side effects from the vaccines since this vaccine is only approved for emergency use. This isn't something Disney would want to open themselves up to.

Now, Disney could encourage people with discounts if they can prove they have been vaccinated much like they are paying CMs to get vaccinated in Disney World.

 

[cmwade77]

I'd settle for people not walking five abreast and stopping suddenly in the middle of the walkway.

Yeah, I will go with that as well.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Additionally, if they were to require vaccine passports, under federal they could legally be held liable for all damages a person incurs from any side effects from the vaccines since this vaccine is only approved for emergency use.

This is not true. Thats all I'm gonna say about it.

 

[cmwade77]

Unless it leads to guests always claiming they're about to take a photo. Seems like more gray area for cast members to police. I think the change makes sense, but I don't envy any cast member dealing with the inevitable loophole finders.

When we went to Dollywood and Silver Dollar City last summer they had the same rule and everyone followed the rules quite well overall. Yes, there are a few that didn't, but not that many.

 

[cmwade77]

This is not true. Thats all I'm gonna say about it.

Actually, it is indeed true that they could open themselves up to liability, there are various sites that have the information about it. But, the letter of the law does seem to read that any private company that requires a vaccine that only has emergency authorization can be held legally liable for the damages a person suffers from the vaccine. There is absolutely no doubt that this applies to employees, basically if a company requires you to get the COVID vaccine (or any treatment that only has emergency authorization and not full approval) to continue working there, they are liable for all damages. The slightly gray area is does this also apply if a company requires a customer to get the vaccine in order to continue being a customer, are they liable? This is why I said they could be opening themselves up to liability and didn't say the definitely would. It isn't something that a court case has been decided on with it yet, but there are some currently in the works.

This isn't something that has been explicitly written, as no one would ever have thought that companies would try to require their customers to show proof of vaccines, especially ones with emergency authorization. So, it will be interesting to see what side the courts come in on this in the end, but the point is valid that they could be in for a world of hurt if they try and I just don't see Disney opening themselves up to that mess.

 

[cmwade77]

I have a feeling this is what's behind it. That and they don't want their CM's to have to yell at people for taking off their masks for a second to snap a photo.

Honestly, I said the fastest way to increase photopass sales was to allow people to take masks off only when using photopass photographers and only at their direction. They just went a step further than that and allowed it for all outdoor photos if socially distanced.

 

[Chi84]

Actually, it is indeed true that they could open themselves up to liability, there are various sites that have the information about it. But, the letter of the law does seem to read that any private company that requires a vaccine that only has emergency authorization can be held legally liable for the damages a person suffers from the vaccine. There is absolutely no doubt that this applies to employees, basically if a company requires you to get the COVID vaccine (or any treatment that only has emergency authorization and not full approval) to continue working there, they are liable for all damages. The slightly gray area is does this also apply if a company requires a customer to get the vaccine in order to continue being a customer, are they liable? This is why I said they could be opening themselves up to liability and didn't say the definitely would. It isn't something that a court case has been decided on with it yet, but there are some currently in the works.

This isn't something that has been explicitly written, as no one would ever have thought that companies would try to require their customers to show proof of vaccines, especially ones with emergency authorization. So, it will be interesting to see what side the courts come in on this in the end, but the point is valid that they could be in for a world of hurt if they try and I just don't see Disney opening themselves up to that mess.

The letter of what law?

 

[CJR]

Not really, there were plenty of places where this was doable in Feb, especially where the photopass photographers are.

I was just there two weeks ago. It's packed. And, capacity is very likely to increase soon.

 

[ToTBellHop]

3rd. Not 4th.

You’re still in your 2nd.

They are calling it the 4th.

 

[MrPromey]

for what it's worth, an article over the weekend in the Wall Street Journal by Nicole Saphier, who is a doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering and a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College says "if the coronavirus epidemic in the US continues on it's current trajectory, the need for masks outside particular local outbreak areas will pass in a matter of weeks" and that herd immunity is likely to be reached by Memorial Day weekend at the latest.

This is one of those cases where I want to say "I'll believe it when I see it" but not in a sarcastic, snotty way.

If the true numbers pan out to match the prediction, you'll have me totally on board.

The only wrinkle I see with all of this is with Disney being an international destination (okay, more national at the moment) a local outbreak anywhere in the country is a potential problem for Disney since WDW isn't a regional resort.

This, I think, is one of the reasons we may see Disney hold onto their restrictions longer than many would like.

I could see this logic working for Bush Gardens but I don't think it works for any of the big players in the Orlando area - at least, not soon.

Just the same, fingers crossed that now that the vaccine is becoming redily available, enough people jump on it and that the next half dozen juniper/mars-backwards-double-dip strains that start coming out wherever are all still effectively treated by it.

I want this all to be over as much as anybody, to be sure!