by Beth Keating
News
DisneyBizJournal.com
July 29, 2021
Like the rest of the world at large, Disney has been experiencing the forward-and-back dance that has become life in a COVID-19 world.
Starting tomorrow (Friday, July 30, 2021), Disney World in Florida will be bringing back the use of masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, as COVID numbers surge nationwide with the proliferation of the Delta variant. Masks will be required while “entering and throughout all attractions.” Face coverings are still optional outside, and guests younger than 2 will not be required to wear a mask.
Prior to Friday, vaccinated guests on Disney World property were only required to wear masks while on resort transportation such as buses, the Skyliner, and monorails. Unvaccinated guests were required to wear masks upon entering and throughout all attractions, on transportation, and at all indoor locations, including restaurants, except when actively eating or drinking.
The CDC’s latest recommendations on mask-wearing urges fully vaccinated people to wear masks while indoors in areas of high COVID-19 transmission. (Orange County, Florida, where much of Disney World is located, is considered an area of high transmission, and has re-entered a state of emergency.)
On the West Coast, in California, Disney says, “Beginning July 30, face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) in all indoor locations, regardless of vaccination status. This includes upon entering and throughout many attractions and in enclosed transportation vehicles, including shuttles and buses. Face coverings remain optional for Guests in outdoor common areas.”
The U.S. parks are not the only locations experiencing COVID-19 changes in recent days. Disneyland Paris is now requiring proof of a COVID vaccine in the form of a Health Pass, or a negative COVID test before guests can enter the park. The U.S. parks do not require vaccine proof. Additionally, all guests ages six and older are required to wear masks at the Paris park, except when actively eating or drinking.
Stay tuned to Disney World’s “Know Before You Go” page as conditions continue to develop, and for specifics on the types of masks acceptable in the parks.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
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