Disney World will still require masks for vaccinated guests, and some fans are surprised that had to be said

Posted on : 01/31/2021
Disney World will still require masks for vaccinated guests, and some fans are surprised that had to be said
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  • Disney World on Friday stated that COVID-19-vaccinated guests are still required to wear a mask.
  • Some fans seemed surprised that the Florida resort had to clarify the mask-wearing rule.
  • The policy is in line with the CDC, which says masks and distancing are still needed post-vaccine.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, on Friday updated its mask policy to specify that people who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine are still required to wear them, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Disney World’s website states the updated guidance as follows: “Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

“Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming,” the website reads. “You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.”

The theme park’s requirement is in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, which states that people who have gotten two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, whether from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, still need to avoid close contact with others and wear a mask.

The CDC says the vaccine helps protect the patient from getting COVID-19, but it is not yet clear whether vaccination will protect people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people. 

Read more: What the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for the future of travel

Disney World fans shared mixed reactions to the park’s updated mask policy

In reactions to the update on Twitter, some Disney World fans seemed surprised that the resort’s mask-wearing clarification had to be made in the first place.

But other Disney fans said they feel the resort made the “right call” by appearing to ensure its mask-wearing policy is crystal-clear.

Disney World has appeared to loosen some COVID-19 restrictions since reopening in July 2020 

After closing in March 2020, Disney World reopened in mid-July 2020. Some people criticized Disney’s decision to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, but hundreds of fans attended the resort’s reopening day, and mask-wearing parkgoers have continued to visit since then.

As Insider’s Amanda Krause previously reported, in December 2020, pictures from Disney-themed news outlets showed that some attractions at Disney World seemed to be no longer spacing out riders in lines or on attractions. Insider’s Samantha Grindell also reported Disney World in January brought back its park-hopping feature – which Dr. Scott Weisenberg, an infectious disease expert, said could put visitors at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Disney World outlines its COVID-19 safety precautions on its website and also lists the following disclaimer: “By visiting Walt Disney World Resort you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.

For more information on what visiting Walt Disney World is like right now, visit the park’s “Know Before You Go” page.

Representatives for Walt Disney World Resort did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

Read more: Disney World is losing its magic, and as a lifelong fan I worry it will never come back

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