New restaurant mask rule

[Chi84]

Servers work on tips. They need to enforce rules in a positive way but need to keep the guests happy too. Unhappy guests leave poor tips.

That's true. No server is going to come to the table and tell people to put their masks back on until they get a glass of water. Wouldn't make any sense.

 

[JohnD]

Even if the requirement is "first food or beverage" instead of just being seated at a table, the time between being seated and getting a glass of water (especially in Florida) is likely a matter of minutes. How much of a difference do you believe that actually makes, especially if you're not interacting with anyone? From the reports I've been seeing, at least at table service restaurants, people are taking off masks when they are seated and the servers are all fine with it. At one point, the rule in my state was that you had to put on a mask whenever interacting with servers even if you had food and drinks on the table. Disney is not requiring this.

Like all rule changes at Disney, I suspect this one was adopted to address a specific problem, and I don't think the problem was having people go without a mask for the couple of minutes between being seated and getting water. More likely they are thinking of people waiting in line or sitting somewhere waiting to be seated.

Look. Let’s be honest. Like you really protect yourself against COVID as you enter then you’re magically okay while your mask is removed during mealtime. Then okay again as you put on the mask to leave.

The point is, WDW went out of their way to modify a rule. If they don’t enforce it, what’s the point?

 

[JohnD]

Servers work on tips. They need to enforce rules in a positive way but need to keep the guests happy too. Unhappy guests leave poor tips.

As you’re seated the CM can just say, “We have modified our rules slightly. Please keep your mask on until your drinks / bread service/ etc. arrive.” They can be very pleasant saying that. For goodness sake, you’re wearing a mask everywhere else. It’s not like a guest won’t understand.

Last week, i had a CM enforce a rule on me in Epcot. I finished a drink while stationary then continued on my way. A CM noticed I wasn’t wear my mask. I forgot and thanked her. Now in this instance there was no tip. But if the motivation is tip over safety without enforcing rules then you have a serious problem.

 

[Lilofan]

As you’re seated the CM can just say, “We have modified our rules slightly. Please keep your mask on until your drinks / bread service/ etc. arrive.” They can be very pleasant saying that. For goodness sake, you’re wearing a mask everywhere else. It’s not like a guest won’t understand.

That's a good approach. Hopefully all the guests don't get abusive to the cast just doing their job but that's wishful thinking.

 

[Chi84]

As you’re seated the CM can just say, “We have modified our rules slightly. Please keep your mask on until your drinks / bread service/ etc. arrive.” They can be very pleasant saying that. For goodness sake, you’re wearing a mask everywhere else. It’s not like a guest won’t understand.

Last week, i had a CM enforce a rule on me in Epcot. I finished a drink while stationary then continued on my way. A CM noticed I wasn’t wear my mask. I forgot and thanked her. Now in this instance there was no tip. But if the motivation is tip over safety without enforcing rules then you have a serious problem.

But you’re assuming that’s the rule. I’ll be there in a few weeks and will gladly ask for the restaurant’s interpretation and report back.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We went to Yak and Yeti yesterday and I honestly forgot about this new rule and no one said anything. I think they’re trying to prevent people from hanging out for long periods of time after their meal is over, but I didn’t notice any differences in operation with any tables or cast members.

I didn’t expect them to enforce the rules...but they should.

Things are going to get tense on this front in wdw over the next couple of weeks. Politics at play.

Do you know this or is this your interpretation of the rule? Have you been to WDW and observed how the rule is being enforced? I'm asking because we're going in a few months and there's a great deal of room for interpretation.

They publish “the rules” I believe on their website. The practical realities down always line up. It’s a bad idea to loosen up and let things “slide” as it currently stands. But I expect more of adults with access to cash...I’m a “stickler”

 

[John park hopper]

So-- I've had my 2 Pfizer shots and a card to prove I have been vaccinated does Disney still require those with full vaccination to wear a mask?

 

[Tuvalu]

So-- I've had my 2 Pfizer shots and a card to prove I have been vaccinated does Disney still require those with full vaccination to wear a mask?

Yes. The mandatory mask rule applies to everyone regardless of vaccination or immunity (from having had COVID-19) until Disney decides to remove it.

 

[larryz]

Someone posted in another thread that vaccinated people should wear masks even if they don't know whether they're doing any good as a way of signaling to others that they care about them.

Couldn't I just wear one of these?

 

[disneygeek90]

I would put that more on the CMs to enforce the rule than the guests. The new rule was just released. An average guest would have no way of knowing the difference without the CMs telling the guests as they sit down at their table.

This. They never mentioned this rule to us once either at check in or once we were seated/sat down. I read the rule in passing a week ago and thought nothing of it again. It's also out of line with the restaurants in the area, so it's not very intuitive after the status quo for the past year.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Interesting that now the CDC is saying masking has made little or no difference to COVID.

Just curious where you saw this. Their official website is still promoting masking as a way to slow the spread. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html

 

[TokyoMiki]

i want to dine in peace and enjoy my very expensive meal without yet another unneeded reference of where we are at this hour.

 

[Chi84]

This. They never mentioned this rule to us once either at check in or once we were seated/sat down. I read the rule in passing a week ago and thought nothing of it again. It's also out of line with the restaurants in the area, so it's not very intuitive after the status quo for the past year.

My thought is that they never mentioned it because it was adopted to solve a particular problem and you weren't posing that problem.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Just curious where you saw this. Their official website is still promoting masking as a way to slow the spread. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html

Study published recently by the CDC says that mask mandates reduce cases by between 0.7% and 2.8% after 100 days.

They're standing by their guidance that masking helps, but their own data say "barely, if at all."

 

[donsullivan]

if said to me then 0 tip

So you are choosing to penalize the server because they are doing their jobs and communicating the safety rules you agreed to when you walked through the entrance? If you feel the need to treat people in that way, maybe it might be best for you to delay your next visit to Walt Disney World to a time when you are comfortable complying with the rules.

 

[DisNerd86]

i want to dine in peace and enjoy my very expensive meal without yet another unneeded reference of where we are at this hour.

Then maybe dine on an expensive meal in a restaurant that doesn't have these rules? You're opinion of what is needed or unneeded has nothing to do with servers doing their jobs. The lack of compassion for the service industry for the last year from people on all sides of the spectrum has been pretty stunning.

 

[donsullivan]

sorry but im paying their salaries, indirectly of course, so my opinion counts. customer service even at this hour counts

as a payer i have an opinion

And when you stepped through the entrance you agreed to follow their safety rules. If you don’t like them (and that is within your rights) then you have the choice not to visit. But visiting and then mistreating cast members because you do not like the rules is not okay.

There is too much of that already happening.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-prem-disney-masks-covid-arrests-20210304-olv75latw5hnpkf7a6ccp3nila-story.html

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think this whole debate illustrates that Disney is doing a disservice to their cast and guests by publishing such an ambiguous policy. They should put up a clear Q&A with things like "Am I required to wear a mask while waiting in line at a QS restaurant?" (yes) and "Am I required to wear a mask in between my appetizer and main course at a table service restaurant?" (no).

They tried to write a single policy that applies to dining experiences as diverse as Oga's Cantina, Backlot Express, Joffrey's coffee stand, and Hollywood Brown Derby.

 

[Chi84]

Like it or not, Disney has always given CMs a great deal of discretion in enforcing policies based on whether or not the guest is posing a problem. If they are allowing people to eat indoors with social distancing, it's not going to make any real difference if the guest keeps the mask on one or two minutes longer. I suspect the change in language was not made to address this non-issue, and that's why no servers are "enforcing" it. It may be that people who were sitting or standing in waiting or lobby areas were removing their masks, or that people were taking breaks at tables in quick service locations without actually dining there.

 

[donsullivan]

I think this whole debate illustrates that Disney is doing a disservice to their cast and guests by publishing such an ambiguous policy. They should put up a clear Q&A with things like "Am I required to wear a mask while waiting in line at a QS restaurant?" (yes) and "Am I required to wear a mask in between my appetizer and main course at a table service restaurant?" (no).

They tried to write a single policy that applies to dining experiences as diverse as Oga's Cantina, Backlot Express, Joffrey's coffee stand, and Hollywood Brown Derby.

The challenge to that approach is that the more precisely worded things are, the easier it is for a guest to say “well they didn’t say I couldn’t do that!” if it is not specifically on the list. This has been the issue from the start which has resulted in the ever evolving guidance.