Face masks to be required indoors for all at Walt Disney World starting Friday
Following a recent uptick of Covid-19 cases in Orange Count Florida, Walt Disney World has updated their face mask requirements. They have announced all guests must wear masks at all indoor locations starting July 30.
UPDATE – 07/29/21: Last night, Disneyland Resort updated their face mask requirements for all guests; previously, fully-vaccinated guests were not required to wear masks at the park. Now, the rule is as follows:
All Guests (ages 2 and up) must wear face coverings when indoors, including on many attractions and in enclosed transportation vehicles, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings are optional in outdoor common areas for all Guests.
Universal Studios Hollywood also made the recent move to requiring face masks indoors regardless of vaccination status due to the return of a mask mandate for Los Angeles County, Calif.
Earlier today, Orange County Florida Mayor Jerry Demings declared a state of local emergency due to the surging COVID-19 cases, urging everyone to start wearing masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended that fully vaccinated Americans in parts of the country with “substantial or high transmission” of COVID-19 should return to wearing masks indoors. This has prompted Walt Disney World to change their rules for masks, which are currently for guests to only have to wear face coverings on Disney buses, monorail, and Skyliner. The new rule, which takes affect July 30, 2021 states:
Face coverings are required for all guests (ages 2 and up) while indoors and in Disney buses, monorail, and Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status. This includes upon entering and throughout all attractions. Face coverings remain optional for all guests in outdoor common areas.
Universal Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Legoland Florida have yet to update their face mask rules, but we expect they will follow suit. Kennedy Space Center updated their mask rule earlier today before Disney. Their rule states:
Due to the recent increase of COVID-19 cases and the Delta variant, we have updated our face mask policy. All guests, including those vaccinated against COVID-19, are required to wear face coverings in all indoor locations. This includes all attractions, attraction queues, show viewing areas, restaurant and buses. Guests who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are not required to wear face coverings outdoors.
SeaWorld Orlando shared this statement in regard to the recent mask recommendation from the CDC:
The safety of our guests, Ambassadors and animals in our care remains our top priority. Consistent with CDC guidance, we recommend that our guests wear face coverings while indoors.
What do you think of these new rules? Is it too little, too much or just right? Let us know in the comments below.
