Earlier today, in the Q2 earnings call for The Walt Disney Company, CEO Bob Chapek hinted at an impending reduction or elimination of the current face mask requirements. Today’s announcement by the CDC that fully vaccinated people can be maskless outdoors and in non-crowded indoor locations was “very big news for us,” Chapek said.
This evening, Chapek specifically hinted at a change occurring this summer. “There will be a lot more comfortable people this summer in Orlando,” he told CNBC in a televised interview.
This statement doesn’t give an exact timeframe for the reduction or removal of the mask policy, but with summer approaching rapidly, we can expect to hear more from Disney soon. The current policy requires face coverings for all guests age 2 and up regardless of vaccination status. Guests may remove face coverings only when actively eating, drinking, swimming, or taking an outdoor photo as long as appropriate physical distancing is maintained.
Walt Disney World has already begun to alter their COVID-19 policies. Temperature checks will be removed by May 16th and physical distancing measures will be reduced or removed in select locations in the upcoming weeks.
