The Reality of Disney World's New Face Mask Policy

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Disney World recently announced a change to its face mask policy inside the parks. Vaccinated guests no longer have to wear face masks indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated guests are still expected to wear masks indoors. All guests must wear masks on buses, monorails and the Skyliner. This change goes into effect on June 15, 2021.

This policy mirrors the policies already in place at Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. It follows CDC guidance on mask wearing for vaccinated people. It also makes sense, given the heat and humidity in Florida during the summer.

What the Policy Means in Practice

The reality is that almost all guests will be ditching the masks completely. Yes, even unvaccinated people. Yes, even kids under 12 who obviously are unvaccinated since they aren’t old enough to be eligible for the vaccine. How do I know this?

My family’s first day at Universal a few weeks ago was the first day of Universal’s new mask policy for vaccinated guests. During our visit, I’d say 95% of people were not wearing masks, even indoors. Kids under 12 were not wearing masks (except for my daughter, who really wanted to wear one). Obviously, 95% of the country is not vaccinated.

Also, while social distancing is “encouraged” at the parks, the reality is that it is almost impossible in most situations.

I’m not saying that I disagree with the mask policies at any of the parks. But, if you are nervous about being around unmasked people who aren’t vaccinated or you have a vulnerable unvaccinated family member, you should definitely avoid the theme parks in Orlando.