Beginning tomorrow, March 16, face coverings will be optional for fully vaccinated guests on the Disney Skyliner. Face coverings will also be optional for fully vaccinated Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Guests on the transport while traveling to and from the Halcyon starcruiser and Batuu.
At this time, face coverings remain required by all Guests (ages 2 and up) on monorails and Disney buses.
February 11, Disney held their first-quarter earnings report meetings. With the COVID-19 vaccination rolling out, one topic of discussion was if the mask requirements will continue at Walt Disney World. According to Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, we can expect to see the mask requirements last through 2021, but hopes masks won’t be needed by 2022.
As reported by OrlandoSentinel: As the COVID-19 vaccine is rolled out, Chapek said he envisions some form of social distancing and mask-wearing to remain in place for all of 2021. “That’s our expectation,” he said Thursday during a first-quarter earnings call that disclosed the parks and consumer products endured a $119 million operating income loss compared with a profit of $2.52 billion a year earlier.
What could be a “game changer” for Disney’s theme parks rebound was Thursday’s news that vaccines could potentially be available by April for anyone who wants them, Chapek said. “Will there be some overlap until we know that we have hit herd immunity? Sure there will,” Chapek said “Do we also believe that we’ll be in the same state of six-feet social distancing and mask-wearing in ‘22? Absolutely not.”
Via DisnDining.com
Walt Disney World has confirmed they will no longer be adding face masks digitally on ride photos to guests not wearing their mask properly over their nose and mouth when the photo is taken. Disney was testing this feature but has now confirmed they will no longer be digitally adding masks.
As shared by USAToday: Disney World will no longer be digitally adding face masks onto guests’ faces in ride photos, the company said. Park visitors who chose to not wear a mask while riding on attractions did not receive PhotoPass photos taken on the rides.
However, Walt Disney World News picked up on a private Dec. 6 Facebook group post noting that the theme park had begun digitally adding masks to riders’ faces after the fact. The digitally-added masks allowed for those in the photo properly wearing their face masks to get the photos.
Disney World says it will not be digitizing face masks over guests’ faces any longer. “In response to guest requests, we tested modifying some ride photos. We are no longer doing this and continue to expect guests to wear face coverings except when actively eating or drinking while stationary,” Disney said in a statement provided by spokesperson Jacquee Wahler.
We previously shared Florida’s Governor announced Florida is moving into “Phase 3” reopening. Under Phase 3, “Theme parks may return to normal operations with limited social distancing protocols”. Despite this new order, Disney has stated face covering are still required.
As shared by FOX35: Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Friday that Florida will be moving into Phase 3 of reopening. According to the governor’s ‘Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step’ plan, “theme parks may return to normal operations with limited social distancing protocols” in Phase 3.
Disney responded to FOX35 with the following statement:
“We received the Governor’s executive order and are evaluating it to determine what it may mean for our business. We are not making any immediate changes. As a reminder, face coverings are still required at Walt Disney World Resort.”
Face masks are the new norm at theme parks, and even the Most Magical Place on Earth is no exception to the rule, with guests required to keep their face masks on throughout their time in the Magic Kingdom—even for photographs. Earlier in the week, a new audio reminder informing guests that face masks must be worn during photos was heard. Now, Cast Members patrolling Cinderella Castle have been equipped with signage reminding guests to keep masks on for photos.
The sign is outlined in the familiar forest green being used on Health & Safety signage throughout the parks. It reads, “Wear a Face Covering While Taking Photos” with the icon of a camera and a person wearing a mask. Cast patrolling the castle hub area remind guests to adhere to the face mask requirements at all times, unless actively eating or drinking while stationary. Keeping face masks on for photographs, be it ones you take yourself or through a PhotoPass photographer, has been an established rule since the reopening of the parks.
You can hear the new face mask audio reminder in the video below:
This is one of the more recent efforts by Walt Disney World to ensure health and safety guidelines are being met throughout the parks. Other recent changes to the Magic Kingdom include new physical distancing barriers in the queue for “it’s a small world” and even preliminary distancing markers along the sidewalk of Main Street, U.S.A. for current cavalcades and eventually, parades.