Today, another change to the Walt Disney World face mask policy went into effect. As of today, face masks are optional when visiting outdoor attractions or while in outdoor queues.
Face mask requirements were initially relaxed in May to become optional in outdoor walking areas, then in mid-June to become optional in most other outdoor areas of the resort. Now, guests waiting in outdoor queues, sitting in outdoor theatres and on outdoor attractions may choose to go maskless.
This freedom is being exercised in the Magic Kingdom today at outdoor attractions like The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Guests on-ride and in the queue have chosen to go maskless, as seen here. Some other guests still opt for the mask. It is no longer required outdoors, but many still choose to wear them all the time.
As seen here on Jungle Cruise, a fair mix of masked guests and unmasked guests make up the boat heading down the rivers of the world.
Outdoor Cast Members at the boathouse are also no longer required to wear masks.
The Indian elephants, being outdoor Cast Members, are likewise not required to wear masks.
Despite the face mask policy change, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is still driving infections. Central Florida is now the global epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, recording among the highest case rates in the world and experiencing record hospitalization rates surpassing those seen by New York City in the early stages of the pandemic in March 2020.
Will you be going maskless on outdoor attractions? Let us know in the comments below.
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Love it!!! Keep moving towards normality!
I will definitely be going maskless outdoors. Hopefully, this all lets up by the 50th
You guys should update this with a list of rides that are allowing guests to go mask free.
I could see things like JC and Kilimanjaro Safaris being mask free while rides like BTMRR, Splash Mountain, and Expedition Everest still require them, since they spend more time inside. There’s a lot of curiosity though so you’d probably help a lot of people out by doing that. I’m surprised Disney didn’t think about doing that.
I quit my job as a cast member/bus driver at Disney World after they relaxed all the restrictions. I have yet to visit since. Florida department of tourism needs a new slogan: “come to Florida, take covid home, spread the pain”. I wish Disney would mandate vaccines to visit the property. Until this is over, I won’t be going back. And I don’t think this will help the situation.
Good for you will. We agree. These people would risk life and limb to ride a pin attraction for the 80th time. Disgusting.
Let me send you some bubble wrap so you can wrap yourself in it
The fact that people are praising going backwards on mask restrictions is disheartening. Being packed in like sardines, shoulder to shoulder, with everyone isn’t going to help with stopping this. Just hope you and your loved ones don’t get sick due to your ignorance, and that there are no long term complications. But then again, how else will you learn?
It is there decision. If you don’t feel safe don’t go. Show me proof a mask from your pocket prevents covid.
We were just planning another trip when masks were relaxed and then stopped when they went back to them inside and on rides. Think we’ll wait till they get rolled back to completely optional before we go back. If the vaccines are as great as advertised, it should not matter about masks. Vaccinated safe and unvaccinated taking their own chances. But too many vaccinated are still acting scared to death about unvaccinated. This does not make sense if vaccine is effective.
The vaccine doesn’t work that way. Vaccinated can and do still get COVID. The only difference is, in vaccinated people, the virus is attacked when moving to the lungs, and not through the nose and throat, where the virus is going to be contracted. So while I may be experiencing a “sinus infection”, you may be dying on a respirator because of your ignorance and inability to actually learn about the complications of this pandemic.
We re re planned our trip when the masks got lowered but now we might re unplan for the fourth time. I wonder the oppression you feel when being forced to wear a mask is the same oppression you feel when you are in a communist country?