Since Walt Disney World Resort has submitted a plan to let Guests start returning to the parks by July 11th, today, a new landing page appeared on their main website as a “know before you go” resource. This page goes over reservation systems, the safety measures that will take place in the park, and any other tips for returning to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
However, it seems Disney has made a small, yet significant adjustment to this page since it launched. Previously, it was required that anyone ages 3 and up had to wear face coverings.
Later this evening as we were rereading the page, we noticed that Disney has updated its policy, asking that any Guest ages 2 and up must now wear face coverings.
How do you feel about this updated policy? Leave us a comment below!
I’m curious if this is to deter people with small children. I’m trying to encourage my 3 almost 4 year old to wear one, and it’s a struggle. Not that she fights me on it, but trying to navigate how to keep it on when she is talking and her lack of real understanding makes it difficult. When she was 2 though, awe heck no. It’s not even worth it at that point. 2 year olds can be vicious.
It makes sense to require that everyone who can come down with the virus wear a mask to reduce the chance of them infecting others. The CDC says that very young children can be infected and may show mild or no symptoms.
And the CDC has been right so many times…..
Good luck keeping a mask on a two year old. I can’t even keep my kids socks on.
Not sure I could get my 5 year old to wear one. Not sure how anyone is getting a 2 year old to wear one.
No way my 1 year old will wear a mask during our trip that is currently scheduled for a month after her 2nd birthday. It is hard enough to get her to wear shoes or socks in the stroller. However, my whole family is trying to avoid Disney until the mask rule is repealed (and by whole family, I mean 2 households).
I brought my 4 year old to the grocery store for the first time in a while yesterday and he could barely keep it on and complained the entire 15 minutes we were inside. There’s no way to expect that of young children all day in the florida heat. Literally every announcement disney makes is making this while thing worse. First we were canceled for our May trip…understandable. We re-scheduled for end of September to take advantage of the free dining offer. Now the have stripped that and half of the rest of the experience. This might be fine for locals who can go whenever they want but we can only go once a year and cannot justify all the restrictions for the over $4,000.00 we pay for this trip. We will have to cancel and take advantage of the discount to re-schedule next year. We were planning on skipping next year due to crowds for the anniversary, but I’d rather deal with crowds for a regular experience than what they are offering at full price in September still. Sorry to complain, but this is my one week a year to get away from my very stressful job and recharge. And i am just so frustrated that it cannot happen. Coupled with the fact that this was going to be my niece’s first trip. She needs to get the full experience for that.
The mask wearing shouldn’t be required but optional as Disney parks
Sorry but I disagree. The point of wearing a mask is to protect others. It’s not right that someone infected with no symptoms can roam around Disney and potentially infect thousands.
but the WHO even said it is ineffective so your point is invalid.
Then dont go if you are worried
Everyone should not have to be punished or forced to wear a mask if others are in fear. If you are afraid of going out without a mask, then really, stay home. Don’t force your fears on others.
it can’t be optional. Nothing can be optional with humans, especially Americans, if you want it done. People always choose the easy way out, or path of least resistance. Unless you force people to do the hard things, the hard things don’t get done. Hardly anyone would “work” if not forced to earn income for living. People would just steal from the next rather than earning it if it weren’t for penalties and punishments. It is an inconvenience to wear masks; I live in one everyday, and an N95 no less as I am a health provider, and it is zero fun. But it has barely been over 2 months and people are acting like we have been subject to years of torture. Disney MUST do this. We are not done. I took an oath to first do no harm. I wish everyone had to take that same oath to be part of society.
Yet the WHO now tells us healthy people don’t need to wear masks unless we are caring for a sick person. But of course you as a healthcare worker are more knowledgable then all the scientists, virologists and epidemiologists and other healthcare workers who disagree with you. Thank goodness we don’t live in the communist world you seem to wish to prescribe to.
Well said!!
You are most likely one of the ones who feel they can do whatever they what because the money they are paying and the heck with everyone else! I raised 3 children and have been around my grandchildren and when asked to do something they do it are they can’t participate! Stop being a friend and be a responsible adult and role model for your family!
Responsible adults realize in this case that nobody really has a clue and the people deciding for us are not considering the health ramifications of young children not being exposed to every day bacterias and viruses and the impact on the immune system. As soon as an ineffective vaccine is created, this hoopla will go away, and sadly yes, people will still die of Covid-19, just like they do the flu, but suddenly nobody will care about it anymore.
I don’t know how I will get my 2 year old to wear a mask. It’s actually funny. So I guess I’ll start working on her wearing one now 😂
2 and under aren’t required to wear one 😊
The rules say “under 2” are not required. Which means 2 year olds and up have to wear it.
This sucks so much. I’ve been on board with every other update they’ve made, despite it all being upsetting. This is so frustrating though because our March trip with our two year old was cancelled and we had to move it to July before he turns 3 and costs a million dollars to bring. I was ok with bringing a 2 year old in the heat of summer since the policy was kids 3 and up wear masks. This really sucks and might be a dealbreaker sadly.
Just wait until sadly a young child suffocates while sleeping in their stroller from having a mask on. This is a dangerous practice for a society that is not used to masking their children in 100 degree heat.
They might as well just keep it closed if it is not safe without masks.
they should get sued for this stupid policy. Someone will make out well.
Well this will be a nightmare. Two year olds won’t handle that well. 4 and 5 year olds struggle. Add in high heat and humidity. Weeeeeeeee
Wearing masks is so stupid to do
Face coverings should be optional, or it should be mandatory face shields, as they are actually effective. Not the petri dish cloth masks. Not sure why it took idiots until 2020 to figure out how or why you need to wash your hands…… but be clean, or stay home. YOU being responsible for YOUR hygiene means I can safely enjoy myself, and stay disease free, as I always am!
I posted the question on our local facebook page (North Port Neighbors) regarding whether people would go to Disney if they had to wear a mask all day….it was a resounding “No”. Way too hot to wear one all day in the heat and humidity of Florida…one person said “not even if everything was free and I was the only one there” that should tell ya something right there…
Locals who aren’t incurring travel expense I can see, but anybody planning a large family vacation in the middle of July, especially with young children is absolutely crazy to spend their hard earned dollars to go with all these restrictions in place, but most especially the mask. We live in a hot state and go every summer for our vacation, but there is no way I would bring a young child and force a mask on them all day when nobody knows what the ramification of that action may be for said child, including possible suffocation in a stroller from it. Terrifying to me, that we have all these health recommendations to avoid SIDS etc. and suffocation to toddlers and now we are going to allow young children to be falling asleep in strollers with a cloths tied over their faces.
Hear, hear. They should just keep it closed if it is not safe without masks.
So glad we cancelled our August trip and got a full refund.
How do I feel? I don’t. We are not planning on going back until things return to normal. Half the experience, twice the headache for the same price does not make sense to me. If things don’t ever return to normal, we probably won’t return. Pretty simple.
A 2yr old in a face mask, are these people making policy ever raised kid, hell some time its hard to get them to keep Pants, Shirt, Socks, ect. on, But a face mask.
Good luck keeping a mask on a child during the heat here🤦🏻♀️ Bad enough adults are forced to do it. It is not healthy.
Wondering how k the world it will be possible to keep a mask on my 2 year old.
I’m not thrilled about the rule in the first place – we’ve got a 3 year old who has a hard time wearing a mask, and I’m hoping we can get her used to it before our trip in September. She hasn’t had much practice because we’ve tried to not take her out in public too much. Regardless of that, I think the change is good and it seems like Disney is putting a lot of thought and effort into how to open safely.
As a parent of 4, there is no way to keep a mask on a 2 or 3 year old, esp during an Orlando summer. I’m 39 and I have trouble following the face mask protocol.
It is way too hard to keep a mask on a 2 year old. I don’t see how parents are going to be able to keep their 2 year olds in a mask all day.
I am stunned by all these whiny people saying their two-year-old “won’t” do something or they “can’t” make their child behave properly. It’s called being a parent. This is so absurd. If your child is removing clothing consistently, you need to not go out in public until you have learned to be a parent and taught your child to behave appropriately. It is sickening to see all these so-called parents being afraid of their children and demanding a company alter their public health policies because they are incapable of effectively controlling their child’s behavior. Your failings as a parent doesn’t give you the right to skirt the rules or put others’ health at risk. And, yes, your precious little Timmy or Susie absolutely could be a carrier of COVID-19 without showing any symptoms. Unless every single person in your entire family has been living in a bubble and not had any contact with the outside world, including receiving packages, since the beginning of March, you all have the potential of carrying the disease and spreading it to other people. Children are contracting it without having to have close contact with anyone. Masks are proven by scientists and health experts to be critically important to stop the spread of the virus. It is not to protect you, so it should not be your choice. You don’t get to hold the decision about other people’s health and safety in your hands. If it was just about protecting you, then sure, throw a temper-tantrum and stomp your feet about having to wear it. At least then your toddler’s behavior would make sense. But since the policy is designed to protect everyone by stopping those who are wearing the mask from inadvertently spreading the virus, you do not get a say in it. Either accept the limitations and follow them, or don’t go to the park. There are plenty of people perfectly willing to do what is right and follow the rules in order to enjoy Disney. The company will not be hurt because of these policies and you “rising up” will do nothing but make you look like a fool.
It’s natural born instinct to not want something over your face, or when your breathing feels impacted, to want to try and remove it. Comparing wearing clothing that children begin at birth to do to suddenly expecting a two year old to not try and remove a mask that covers their nose and mouth shows your lack of understanding and empathy towards young children. As well the Who has come out and said that masks on healthy people unless caring for sick people is unnecessary. You can see that not all scientists, doctors, epidemiologists or virologists agree . I wore a mask for 15 minutes yesterday inside the air-conditioned Lowes. The entire time I felt conscious of my breathing, most likely because I’m not used to it. If a two year old suffocates in their stroller from a mask in the 100 degree Florida heat, then maybe you’ll have more understanding why young children should never have anything tied over their nose and mouth.
dumb post of the day here “Vanessa”
Our family loves the water parks. Have there been any exceptions granted to the masks requirement at the water parks? Seems like they would but I haven’t had time to research it in detail.
We’re scheduled to leave in less than 30 days for our DVC resort vaca. I have a 16 year old special needs son (down syndrome + autism). He doesn’t tolerate anything on his head/face (glasses, hats, etc.). There is NO WAY he’ll keep a mask on. The airline has an exception policy for special needs, apparently Disney (mostly outside Disney) does not. I am so upset about everything the last couple days. We were really hoping to keep this reservation, just to get away, it’s been tough on my kids the last 10 weeks! But without knowing what will be open at the resorts and outside of the parks, and trying to keep a mask on my son, it’s all just seeming hopeless. We also spend everything Thanksgiving at WDW and now that’s a concern as well. This all just sucks.
I feel you, I have a sensory sensitive 10 year old that has a hard enough time wearing clothes, a mask isn’t happening. I wish they would make it optional like LEGOland. We are suppose to leave in 45 days but we’re unsure if we will keep the reservation.
We need to start putting data on the dangers of masks in Florida dn heat and humidity. It is not good! germs, bacteria and breathing your own hot carbon dioxide IS BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS now add new developing fragile lungs! shame on you Disney. Where is you doctor Hymel now? Come on folks this is not making for a happy re-opening.
We have tried keeping a mask on our two-year old. We have had one broken and one lost. We aren’t suppose to go till October so we shall see. I could see require it when they are not in a stroller but if they are confining to a stroller or napping in a stroller, they should not have to have it on.
Take this for what it is worth….the WHO has stated the following:
The World Health Organization is recommending healthy people, including those who don’t exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, only wear masks when taking care of someone infected with the contagion…
“If you do not have any respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough or runny nose, you do not need to wear a mask,” Dr. April Baller, a public health specialist for the WHO. “Masks should only be used by healthcare workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms of fever and cough.”
From NBC News: “…the science behind whether masks can prevent a person from catching the coronavirus hasn’t changed (a mask does not help a healthy person avoid infection)…”
A. Fauci says they don’t help and then says they might….then says they do….
Inconsistency tells me….its unnecessary to wear them. Science does not back it up. So is this Subjugation or Science that is driving this mask looniness? Wear if it makes you feel better but why do I have to wear one because of someone else’s fears. As an AP, I purchased my pass with the understanding that you could not force me to do something that is unconstitutional. Time to end this requirement period.
It is private property. If you do not like the rules then stay home. This is also not an “essential” location to your survival. Follow the rules or don’t go. Do not forget…you might not want to wear the mask but neither do the cast members. They are working for their livelihood. Think of them if you aren’t thinking of you or your family. Deal with it.
Exactly think about the poor Cast Members being forced to wear masks, if they want to make a living, because some people will still visit despite the policy and enable Disney to continue to force the Cast Members to have to wear them despite no real evidence to suggest it makes any difference and recommendations against the practice from the WHO and many other health experts.
I agree. People shouldn’t go. Maybe then they will rescind the ridiculous mask policy.
except for that in your bubble world brian mask are actually not essential says everyone…
The whole mask policy is ridiculous. The number of cases are so low now that it is simply unnecessary to require masks for any guests. Disney is fulfilling the media’s desire to terrify the American people. All parks should be open TODAY. There should be NO international guests allowed until a vaccine is available. It’s a tourist attraction, COME AT YOUR OWN RISK. If you really feel the need to wear a mask, you probably shouldn’t be in such a crowded area in the first place.
The masks need to be ditched. Having to wear one all day at a park is inconvenient and unrealistic and is going to hurt more people than it helps. I can’t stand the thought of going to any theme park being required to wear a mask. I had to cancel my vacation in April and have made a personal decision not to wear one until this stupid mask restriction is lifted and I’m sick of waiting. People should be able to decide for themselves whether they wear a mask or not. It shouldn’t ever be forced on them😡
Not happy at all with the mask requirements. It should be voluntary for those who are worried about the virus! Won’t be going to the parks.
Wearing a mask for a short trip in the store is one thing. Wearing a mask for hours , especially in Florida heat, is unhealthy and ridiculous. There is absolutely no scientific proof behind this requirement. And people slide them down, touch their faces, touch surfaces, then touch the mask and put it back on. So what are you doing? Strapping a Petri dish over your nose. Nope! We are pass holders but will cancel if this continues.
This. Is it possible that any bacteria or other fungi etc. that gets onto the mask is then being repeatedly breathed in all day long? I will wear a mask to the store for short periods of time, but I would not want to strap a mask to my face and wear it all day long just to go to an amusement park. While, I feel for the staff that have to do this to make a living, that doesn’t mean I’ll support the forced practice with my dollars.
Gonna be fun watching my daughter trying to keep my 3 year old granddaughter in a mask. Hopefully someone will see sense before October
If you disagree then common sense might just be to then stay home. Why support their forced practice if you don’t think it makes sense. If we all comply with their demands then they continue to enforce them not only on you, but on their employees.
Yeah. My 2 year old isn’t going to wear a face mask. I guess we won’t be going.
I’m 22 years old. I’m a annual pass holder and I hate wearing mask. It’s so hot when I’m at Disney springs. When I wear it for too long I start getting shortness of breath. I don’t got time to be passing out. Like every time I take it down to breath in oxygen and not CO2. It feels like like everyone is giving me a funny look.
A two year old wearing a mask. Hahaha that is the most funny thing I’ve heard in my entire life.
Wearing mask isn’t good for your health anyway because all you’re breathing is in CO2 and you can get sick from that.
If you feel like disney has compromised your safety by their mask requirement.. I would call your lawyer, they should be choming at the bit….
This for their safety and the employees in WDW. Families with younger kids need to prepare the little ones for this before coming too.
Safey according to which experts? Lots of experts, including the WHO, disagree with the practice for healthy people except when caring for sick people.
Am 52 and don’t want to wear a mask in the Florida heat and humidity Can’t imagine trying to keep a mask on a two year old have a trip planned for end of August but will b canceling with all the restrictions to spend that kind of money just doesn’t make sense if isn’t not the full experience am use to I will wait until it is the experience that I have known before the world of coronavirus I know Disney is trying to keep people safe and I understand that but I also hope that someone from Disney reads the comments because it should b important to them
I’m a Floridian who has stayed at Disney over 30 times and taken five Disney cruises. We also have reservations this coming November. Will not go if wearing a mask is mandatory. Maybe it’s time to vacation elsewhere.
Disney isn’t making these rules to deter people from going. They understand it’s going to be hot and muggy in the middle of summer. They’re doing it for people’s health and safety. Children are just as susceptible to this illness as adults are, though are far more likely to recover from it. If you out your child doesn’t want to wear a facemask, don’t go. It’s a perfectly simple solution. People should be happy they’re even opening up at all. Shanghai Disney has similar rules and people over there are complying with the new rules. Remeber, the cast members have to wear them too and many won’t have the option to go inside from the heart like a person who is visiting will.
Disney is doing it to cover their butts. Lots of experts disagree with the practice including the WHO, who says the only time healthy people should wear a mask is in healthcare settings or when caring for a sick person.
and if you cared about the cast members, you’d realize that this forced practice is not a good thing to support for them. The whole mindset of masks protecting the other person is brainwashing at its finest. Yes, guilt the population to wear masks by claiming those who don’t, do not care about anybody else, meanwhile the experts can’t even agree on the policy. Kind of like when they used to give antibiotics to everybody with a runny nose. We all have seen how that turned out. Now we’ll hamper our immune response by never being exposed to viruses or bacteria in public.
Well said…
I am wondering if Disney is trying to discourage visitors from their parks. I totally understand all the workers and cast wearing masks. I think they are going to have a lot of heat related issues with guest wearing masks in this southern heat. This would not be a fun trip at all. With the cost of tickets I have no desire to take my grandchildren or myself to Disney with these restrictions.
I have a trip booked for Oct 4th. I will canceling if we have to wear a mask and things are closed. I will not be spending money for a partial Disney experience. My dining reservations were canceled and I’m not pleased about that either.
I think they’ve lowered the age to try to put people off going with under 3’s – purely because under 3s go free, yet would be taking up numbers of their “capacity allowance” either way it has made us question whether or not we want to go in January
Hopefully disney will get sued for their insane child PPE requirement after kids cant breathe and are dehydrated. Nothing like wearing a mask for a Covid virus that has a .0001 % chance of infecting you. SMART….
I went to the passholder preview day at Animal Kingdom on July 9 with my young 5yo (turned 5 in June) and he hard time wearing his mask for such a long period of time correctly. We were there from about 9:30am until 3:00pm. After the first 2 hours he kept pulling his mask below his nose and we were constantly reminded to fix his mask by cast members. They were kind about it, but serious and I understand why.
Considering you have to wear the mask outside walking, in the bathroom, during rides, waiting in lines, etc…this makes it very hard for little kids I don’t care how good they are about masks. There are “relaxation zones” or whatever, but once my son took his mask off completely for our late lunch, he was ready to get out of the park and keep his mask off. I made us stay to go on Pandora again…he reached 44″ in April!
I asked a cast member about bringing my 2yo, and she said she would be under the same rules but they would be more forgiving if she were in a stroller with a visible drink/snack. My 2yo loves to run and explore at Disney so this wouldn’t work for our family. Again I understand the rules, but I also noticed that there were VERY few kids in the park and most were elementary aged.
Note: I didn’t mind wearing the mask all day. It got uncomfortable because sweat was dripping into it. It was, however, very annoying to wear them on the rides as I couldn’t hear if my son was excited or scared or upset. (This was a big deal on Everest and Pandora since it was his first time.)
Also there are no character greetings, shows (the birds show was still on though…no Nemo or Lion King) dinosaur play ground, dino fair games or laser light show. You can do everything in Animal Kingdom in about 3 hours or less if the capacity they set for the preview is the same for the reopening.
I will be hard pressed to renew our passes since instead of making memories with our kids, it will end up that we are just yelling at them to wear their masks. Plus the new registration system makes last minute drives to Disney a thing of the past. (We live in Orlando so we notoriously made last minute plans to go whenever the lines seemed short or even just for dinner on date nights without the kids.)
Please don’t read this as an attack on Disney, it’s not. Just my perspective on what Disney is now. A place thats fun and great for elementary+ aged kids and adults. But it’s not the magical place it was before COVID.