Here is the updated Walt Disney World mask policy in its entirety:
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. You may temporarily remove your face covering while actively eating, drinking or taking an outdoor photo*, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing during this time. (*Beginning April 8)
This is a reasonable change. I hope people are respectful and don’t abuse the rule so that it can remain in effect. I agree the CMs don’t need to put up with any more crap.
I’m hoping this means they’ve had mostly good compliance with the guidelines so far so felt like they can loosen this one aspect without things getting out of control, as opposed to them throwing in the towel due to noncompliance?
Touring Plans has had people in the park almost daily since the post-pandemic reopening. They regularly take a sample of compliance by watching people for 1 hour and counting how many are wearing a mask. They have reported something like 97% compliance consistently, and the examples of non-compliance were principally people with chins or noses exposed, or temporarily removing their mask to take a sip of a drink in a way that was not condoned. The vast, vast majority of people are doing the right thing. It’s a small minority that cause trouble.
I would agree w/ this during the spring break times here; I’ve stated observing the best mask compliance in the parks since July w/ the exception of DS. Despite that man being arrested for refusing the temp screen the screeners are letting gaiters through and NO one is doing anything about all those free ranging in DS. I will always come back to how rule breakers make others feel, especially the CMs that have to deal w/ them. That’s all.
Thanks for mentioning this. Staying off property, we thought this the perfect opportunity to check out DS and have several meals planned there. I may need to rethink that. Or maybe @Jeff_AZ’s endless optimism is justified and things will look a lot better by June!
I would hold off to see how the numbers are. But given the difference in compliance between DS and the rest of WDW, it would be completely rational for someone who is extra cautious to avoid DS right now.
He is an eternal optimist DS has always been an exception. Go early, at opening. If you are doing an ADR in the evening go straight to the ADR, eat and leave. My DDs wanted to go last week and I warned them. We didn’t stay long. They said later that they thought I had been exaggerating but wanted to leave almost as soon as we got there. They felt very uncomfortable.
Are you saying I can’t skip my mask entirely if I’m filming myself on a GoPro while stationary on a skateboard towed around the parks by my masked DW?
I think this might just be an update that reflects something that was already happening, but is really hard to police. Like, most of the time if someone took their mask off to take a photo and a CM caught them, chances are good the photo was already taken and all they could do is tell them to put their mask back on. This just solidifies the idea of “do it quick, and put it back on right away.”
I can see this being a subtle psych play, too… if people think they’re getting away with one thing, they tend to be more likely to put other limits too, so maybe removing the little gateway rulebreaks might make people less likely to just jump right to brazen nakedface.
DS has always been an exception. Go early, at opening. If you are doing an ADR in the evening go straight to the ADR, eat and leave. My DDs wanted to go last week and I warned them. We didn’t stay long. They said later that they thought I had been exaggerating but wanted to leave almost as soon as we got there. They felt very uncomfortable.
