News Disney mask policy at Walt Disney World theme parks

[bdearl41]

Are Cast Members still required to wear them inside, or is it their choice?

 

[Zummi Gummi]

This is all fantastic news. Thank God there is not a new variant picking up steam or anything.

More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries

The omicron BA.2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.

www.npr.org

Did you read the article?

Some experts think it's unlikely BA.2 will trigger a massive new surge because so many people have immunity from prior infections and vaccination at this point.

"The most likely thing that's going to happen is that it might extend our tail, meaning it might slow down the decrease in cases. But it's probably not going to lead to a new wave of cases," says Grubaugh.

 

[vikescaper]

Any firsthand accounts of how many people are wearing masks?

All the YouTube videos I’ve watched have maybe 5% of people wearing masks.

I’m at MK today and it appears that most people are not wearing masks. I’ve been playing it by ear and putting my mask on while in crowded indoor spaces like queues. There was one person in our monorail car that wasn’t wearing a mask but everybody else has them on.

 

[Tom P.]

“Omicron is still infecting more than 100,000 people and killing about 2,000 people every day in the U.S. So even though BA.2 doesn't appear to make people sicker than the original omicron, just slowing down the decline in new cases would translate to more serious illness and death.”

Disney, as well as most other businesses not to mention virtually all the states, has decided that the level we are at *now* is sufficient to drop Covid mitigations. I think cases would have to rise very significantly before any of them decided to reverse course. Simply slowing the rate of decline is definitely not going to move the needle on Disney's Covid policies, as it's still a decline.

Like it or not, the public has large has decided that they are ready to move on with "normal" life. At this point, if one still feels the risks from Covid are not reasonable, the best one can do is to protect themselves via the vaccine and wearing a good N95/KN95 mask, and perhaps avoiding unnecessary situations with large crowds like a Disney vacation.

 

[wdisney9000]

This is all fantastic news. Thank God there is not a new variant picking up steam or anything.

More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries

The omicron BA.2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.

www.npr.org

What would you suggest people visiting WDW do?

 

[correcaminos]

not to mention the scientists say if it is not an n95 mask, it is worthless anyway.

Please limit posts to any mask rule changes at WDW updates. Any further arguments about masks themselves will be deleted. 2 years of arguments about them is enough. Thank you.

 

[Horizons '83]

Come on folks. Let's honestly try to be better than this past exchange. There is a middle ground, let's try to find that.

 

[dreday3]

I can't even figure out who's on what side at this point...

 

[ToTBellHop]

So…which boats require masks? I’m assuming the open aired ones that frequent SSL and Bay Lake don’t but how about the enclosed ones? There has been a lack of consistency on boats in recent months so I’m curious about the current sitch. We are staying at BLT and Yacht Club on a split stay in April so I’m looking forward to some glorious, entirely mask-free days because we can walk to parks.

 

[TehPuddingMan]

So…which boats require masks? I’m assuming the open aired ones that frequent SSL and Bay Lake don’t but how about the enclosed ones? There has been a lack of consistency on boats in recent months so I’m curious about the current sitch.

I’m curious about this as well. Our DVC contract is at Copper Creek and I still haven’t gotten a definitive answer if they’re required on the MK boat. Our next stay there isn’t until June so hopefully it won’t be required on transportation by then.

 

[dreday3]

So…which boats require masks? I’m assuming the open aired ones that frequent SSL and Bay Lake don’t but how about the enclosed ones? There has been a lack of consistency on boats in recent months so I’m curious about the current sitch. We are staying at BLT and Yacht Club on a split stay in April so I’m looking forward to some glorious, entirely mask-free days because we can walk to parks.

I read Epcot area boats require if you are seated inside, which is most the boat!

 

[CarolinaSoprano]

So…which boats require masks? I’m assuming the open aired ones that frequent SSL and Bay Lake don’t but how about the enclosed ones? There has been a lack of consistency on boats in recent months so I’m curious about the current sitch. We are staying at BLT and Yacht Club on a split stay in April so I’m looking forward to some glorious, entirely mask-free days because we can walk to parks.

Not sure about now but last July when masks were dropped they did NOT require them on the friendship boats from the Yacht Club. At all.

 

[correcaminos]

So…which boats require masks? I’m assuming the open aired ones that frequent SSL and Bay Lake don’t but how about the enclosed ones? There has been a lack of consistency on boats in recent months so I’m curious about the current sitch. We are staying at BLT and Yacht Club on a split stay in April so I’m looking forward to some glorious, entirely mask-free days because we can walk to parks.

Just the friendship boats around Epcot/DHS if inside

 

[The Mom]

Please limit posts to any mask rule changes at WDW updates. Any further arguments about masks themselves will be deleted. 2 years of arguments about them is enough. Thank you.

 

[TikibirdLand]

then wear two masks. afterall, that is what you have been told is way more effective. better yet, just stay at home and live in your constant bubble of fear.

Several years ago, there was an SNL skit about razor blades. Some might remember when 2 blades came out: first lifts, second cuts? The skit involved adding a third blade to lift, second lifts higher for a closer cut and the third actually cuts. The next week, their new "commercial was the same but with 4 blades. Multiple masks?

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Are Cast Members still required to wear them inside, or is it their choice?

It is the Cast Members choice, if they are fully vaccinated. I will also say that a larger majority of CMs are wearing masks than I would've expected.

 

[TP2000]

Did you read the article?

Some experts think it's unlikely BA.2 will trigger a massive new surge because so many people have immunity from prior infections and vaccination at this point.

"The most likely thing that's going to happen is that it might extend our tail, meaning it might slow down the decrease in cases. But it's probably not going to lead to a new wave of cases," says Grubaugh.

Apparently that particular poster didn't.

Masking at any Disney theme park is silly at this point. Everyone there is either vaccinated, or has had Covid. Those who had Covid but no a shot are slightly more protected than those who only got a vaccination, and the most protected people are those who have had Covid and then got a shot, per the CDC. And as Bill Gates (not an epidimiologist or doctor, but an Official Good Person) recently said, Omicron did a great service for humanity by giving a lot of people a very mild variant of Covid in the last few months.

So let's move on. I'm glad to see Disney theme parks beginning that process, even if they are a bit behind the curve.

 

[Lilofan]

It is the Cast Members choice, if they are fully vaccinated. I will also say that a larger majority of CMs are wearing masks than I would've expected.

Can't blame them. The risk of getting covid, quarantine, missing work, , less of a paycheck etc.

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

Not sure about now but last July when masks were dropped they did NOT require them on the friendship boats from the Yacht Club. At all.

Meanwhile, just last week we were sternly told to put on your mask just after they finished telling us as we prepared to board that they weren’t required on outside seating in front or back of the boat from WL to MK. The weather was great so we wanted to sit out front. They neglected to inform us that it was needed for the 6 feet we walked through the boat to get to our seat. That being said, the return trip it wasn’t an issue so I’m honestly not sure what the official rule is at this point for resort transport.

Edit: Yes, we put on our masks and didn’t make a fuss or even say anything about it but still thought it was kinda silly

 

[Ayla]

It is the Cast Members choice, if they are fully vaccinated. I will also say that a larger majority of CMs are wearing masks than I would've expected.

Can you blame them?