Ok so does that mean that once the food is there the masks can be removed or if you put your fork down for a break or are done sipping your drink the mask has to put back on?
This seems like an odd time to make this change, a year into the pandemic and during a time of a precipitous drop in cases … but that said, this is the way I have always eaten at restaurants during the pandemic. I try to keep my mask on as much as possible before the food arrives and after I’m done eating. It’s a little annoying that they seem to be implying you put it on between courses, however.
I think this is in response to increased spread if the more virulent strains. They spread easier, so the masks are more important than ever.
I’d have a water bottle with me and be “actively drinking it” the whole time I’m seated. Solved.
Guess I’ll find out how strict they are with it next week.
Please report back and let us know. Curious how this plays out. I dont mind wearing a mask while waiting for food and putting it back on when finished. However, to put in on while taking a break or in between sips once they come your table may get a little annoying.
This mask policy and a ninety minute limit in restaurants was put inside place a while back in MA.
Don’t worry, I’ll be testing the servers 
Reading through the comments in the bottom of the article…
I’m not sure if they’re implying that or not. I don’t see how they would enforce this consistently unless the server stands there staring at you through the whole meal.
I think it is odd as well, especially at this point in the pandemic. This would have made more sense last December. I usually take my mask off when my drink arrives. At that point, it would be annoying and counterproductive to take it on and off.
I agree. Although I think most people don’t really stop eating during a meal, except perhaps the meal and dessert, so maybe for that short time they might want you to put the mask back on. But I don’t really think this, in practice, is a big deal.
You’re probably right, but I’m more irked about the principle of ceding yet more ground when I don’t believe it makes one iota of difference if distancing is already being done. Unless they use this to justify doing less distancing and cramming more people in?
Hmmm, that is a good point. Maybe ADR’s have all the sudden become available. 
I was just in Chat and one of the guesses is that they are going to increase the capacity at the restaurants.
Disney restaurants aren’t at 50% yet right? Around here a lot of restaurants are at 50%. I don’t feel crammed in at all when we go around here.
We don’t take our masks off until we have our food and put them back on when finished eating. We still sit and visit after eating. And this is for outdoor dinning. We have only done indoor ADR 2x. We see lots sit and remove their mask 
immediately like it’s a relaxation location. We keep ours on as much as possible to protect ourselves from others. If they are changing the rule I’m sure they will be asking more to leave.
This is our plan as well, if we decide to go on our trip.
Definitely a response to people pushing the envelope.
Jerks are why we can’t have nice things.
If people can’t use their brains WDW will spell it out for them.
Then honestly? Don’t go 
Their house. Their rules.
My hero! I had to tell someone to use the ground markers. I’m afraid I wasn’t nice about it either. Immediately held out my cane and said, “If I can touch you with my cane you’re too close!”