News Disney mask policy at Walt Disney World theme parks

[mergatroid]

I think majority is. There will always be isolated cases.

I'm curious how you know this?

 

[CosmicRays]

Sounds straightforward to me. And Disney will continue to loosen rules moving forward. The only question is how soon they remove the mandate altogether. I still see it gone by July 4. Only exception may be transportation to the parks. They want people packed on buses ASAP.

I would think at least a couple of weeks before unless they want it to be a public spectacle "CELEBRATE THE MAGIC OF FREEDOME WITH US AT DISNEY!"

 

[Chi84]

I think I understand where you are coming from. The "two sides" are not being treated with the same level of respect. But the situation is completely different, so it's a false equivalency.

I'll phrase it differently.

Those who complained about wearing masks a year ago were told to suck it up because it was a pandemic! People were dying.

Those who are fully vaccinated today and still wear masks are...

What exactly are you complaining about?

Let's go back to you original quote:

A year ago people who were uncomfortable wearing masks were ridiculed, called babies and told to get over themselves. Now the vaccinated people who can’t stop wearing masks despite the CDC’s position that they’re not necessary are demanding that their comfort level be given consideration. Okay.​

Are you complaining that people don't want to be mocked for continuing to wear masks?

What exactly is wrong with that?

To me, it's very simple. We wore masks because it saved hundreds of thousands of lives. (Remember when the predictions were for 2 million dead?) We all had to tough it out the way our parents or grandparents toughed out the challenges of their generations.

But fully vaccinated people who continue to wear masks aren't hurting anyone.

Leave them alone!

I was just complaining about the mean comments made to and about people who said they were uncomfortable wearing masks but did so anyway. Maybe you didn’t see those threads. I didn’t mean to trigger you to this extent. I absolutely agree that everyone should mind their own business now that mask mandates are all but gone.

 

[wdwmagic]

Another reminder to please keep politics out of the thread. Thanks.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Here's the issue:

The CDC has not made it explicitly clear what the significance of the current number of unvaccinated people are to future of COVID-19 in the United States (in terms of a future surge of immunity evading variants). However, their messaging has very much been "you're responsible for your health" and "you are at risk if you aren't vaccinated and don't wear a mask."

But, as far as I know, they have not said that unvaccinated people resuming normal activities without masks is a risk to the country as a whole. They have said that they are not a risk to those who are vaccinated.

Unfortunately, until they are explicit that COVID-19 is now endemic and the risk lies only with each individual unvaccinated person and not to the overall community, this controversy will exist.

Until they feel that they have reached a true plateau in vaccinations, we probably won't hear much of anything like that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I imagine that Steve is the exhausted Dad and you are all children not listening to him.

 

[jaklgreen]

I would think at least a couple of weeks before unless they want it to be a public spectacle "CELEBRATE THE MAGIC OF FREEDOME WITH US AT DISNEY!"

I think that they will wait until after the holiday rush. Don't want to take any chances with a huge crowd.

 

[disneygeek90]

We just got back from Disney yesterday. We had a wonderful trip and enjoyed not wearing masks outside. Putting the masks on for attractions and indoors was a bit annoying, considering we could go maskless literally anywhere but within Disney. I also spoke with cast members outside who were beyond frustrated in having to still wear the masks. Most folks we talked to in lines had been vaccinated like us, and I’m not one bit worried about my children who are too young to be vaccinated… so I’m not sure how that would be anyone else’s worry. I had to call and wait on hold for one hour to ask about missing ride photos— sure enough, some others on the ride had pulled down their masks, so the folks had to crop them out. Then, our photos appeared, but they would have never appeared if I hadn’t called they said. The cast member on the phone said that is why the hold times were so long because this was happening a lot.

I did see folks not wearing masks indoors and one guy got super angry when asked to put a mask on to enter World of Disney. He yelled at the CM and still went into the store. That was upsetting. Even though I didn’t want to wear a mask, I would never yell at a CM or disrespect rules.

side note— I did score a boarding group for ROTR— boarding group 7. Thanks for y’all’s help in understanding how to do this!

If wearing a mask while on rides and in queue was this annoying for you, just be glad you hadn't visited Disney anytime in the past 11 months.

For me, I can't believe I had gone 100 days with masks a required protocol at all times. It's all about perspective in a pandemic I guess.

 

[ParentsOf4]

If wearing a mask while on rides and in queue was this annoying for you, just be glad you hadn't visited Disney anytime in the past 11 months.

For me, I can't believe I had gone 100 days with masks a required protocol at all times. It's all about perspective in a pandemic I guess.

It was a lot easier walking around with a mask last summer when crowds were like this...

 

[legwand77]

I think that they will wait until after the holiday rush. Don't want to take any chances with a huge crowd.

take what chances?

 

[danv3]

So are you saying that those organ transplant individuals, cancer patients, etc, that have been "fully vaccinated", but whose conditions prevent their body from producing an immune response to Covid 19, and still need to wear a mask, make no sense?

Applying this logic, at what possible point would it be acceptable for society to stop requiring masks in public, if ever?

 

[danlb_2000]

That is very true. Although a way to get over anxiety is with rational thought.

I don't really think it's that simple. I am a very rational, logically thinking person, but I will not get on an airplane. It will take more then repeating the safety statistics to fix that fear.

 

[TYOTimer]

I think that they will wait until after the holiday rush. Don't want to take any chances with a huge crowd.

Isn’t that what ParkPass is for though? Disney can’t magically release masks and then go back to their pre-pandemic capacity. They barely have enough staff to work their parks as it is right now.

 

[MaryJaneP]

Requiring masks of those that don't want them, don't need them, or are suffering from mental stresses while wearing one was not the issue. Absolutely prohibiting anyone from wearing one, ever, especially when medically prudent, seems to remain an issue. Masks serve a purpose and WDW has been relaxing their policies on mask wearing. Could be a win-win unless something gums up the works. Glad to hear that anti-maskers recognize that.

 

[disneygeek90]

It was a lot easier walking around with a mask last summer when crowds were like this...

View attachment 562453

Why? 90 degrees and humid is 90 degrees and humid. Walking around in larger crowds doesn't change the temperature outside of any significance.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Why? 90 degrees and humid is 90 degrees and humid. Walking around in larger crowds doesn't change the temperature outside of any significance.

Lines were almost non-existent.

It was easy to hop into indoor queues, dining, and stores to cool off, especially when hot, sweaty bodies were at least 6 feet away.

 

[disneygeek90]

Lines were almost non-existent.

It was easy to hop into indoor queues, dining, and stores to cool off, especially when hot, sweaty bodies were at least 6 feet away.

True but masks were still required all the time, including walking outside which is the hottest part when the sun is beating on you. Standing in AC with a mask on is less of a nuisance.

 

[disneygeek90]

Sun beating on me?

Take a closer look at the photo I posted. Where are most of the people in the foreground walking?

Pre COVID, shaded areas are crowded with people.

In the summer and fall of 2020, it was easy to find lots of uncrowded shaded areas.

View attachment 562465

We're splitting hairs here. Walking around outside in July 2020 with a mask was less comfortable than standing in covered AC queues wearing a mask in June 2021.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Just from a locals point of view - I live in a very highly Disney-oriented affluent area about 5 minutes from the parks. Disney's reluctance to remove the indoor mask requirement is absolutely driving business away from the parks until they do -- and with that, it means a lot of money normally spent at WDW is being spent at Universal and SeaWorld. Currently, my neighbors and clients are all talking about their trip to Universal the way they used to about Disney. With park reservations near impossible to get without planning a month out (nobody here does that), and with absolutely nobody wearing masks anymore indoors and outdoors for the past month, its going to become increasingly problematic for Disney if they don't remove the indoor mask requirement. At the current time, the money is going to Universal and SeaWorld. For my own stocks worth I'd rather they be going back to WDW and spending money there. At some point very soon, WDW is going to cave on this. Since it extends to Disney Springs, our local AMC, they are losing business as well since they require indoor masking "because they are on Disney property" and none of the other local cinemas require that if you are vaccinated. I tiptoed around it, but there were a whole bunch of livid locals yelling at the poor manager at AMC on Saturday morning about the mask rule, since they don't have to follow it anywhere else but AMC Disney Springs. It's a matter of time, and I am sure it will be sooner rather than later if they want to keep the local big bucks flowing in.

 

[HairyChest]

I'm curious how you know this?

Family. Friends. Coworkers. The news. Protests. Online discussions.
Theses are from my own observations and of those Ive talked to.