Disney Dropping Mask Rules for Cast Members
Walt Disney World and Disneyland continue to eliminate health safety protocol, with the latest face mask rule relaxations impacting fully vaccinated Cast Members. In this post, we’ll share details of the policy change and offer some quick commentary. (Updated June 26, 2021.)
By way of quick recap, Walt Disney World just ended its face mask rule for fully vaccinated guests indoors (no guests are required to wear masks outdoors). Disney also ended enforcement of that rule and physical distancing. In essence, there are no (health safety) rules–it’s the honor system.
Disneyland did the exact same thing, ripping off the bandaid all at once. In conjunction with California’s full reopening, Disneyland began allowing guests to “self-determine” physical distancing. Additionally, face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated guests both indoors and outdoors. Guests (ages 2 and up) who are not fully vaccinated must continue wearing face coverings indoors, except when dining…
Walt Disney World has already relaxed face mask rules in two ways the last couple of weeks. Last week, Disney dropped the face shield requirement of Cast Members in select roles who couldn’t physically distance from guests. Before that, Cast Members in outdoor roles who are able to maintain six feet or more of physical distancing from guests were no longer be required to wear face masks.
This covered mostly backstage positions, plus some on-stage ones including parking lot attendants, lifeguards, horticulturists, custodial, construction, maintenance, and some other Cast Members. That rule change applied regardless of vaccination status.
June 26, 2021 Update: Walt Disney World has once again relaxed its face mask rule for fully-vaccinated Cast Members, who are no longer required to wear a face masks in indoor locations, except for on enclosed transportation. (Last week, the rule was lifted for fully vaccinated Cast Members working in outdoor roles.)
This brings the rules for Cast Members completely in line with the rules for guests at Walt Disney World. As with guests, Cast Members in these positions may choose to voluntarily wear masks. Here’s a handy chart that summarizes where and who is required/expected to wear masks at Walt Disney World:
A week behind Walt Disney World, the California parks have now followed suit on the outdoor rule for fully vaccinated Cast Members.
Beginning today, fully vaccinated Cast Members at the Disneyland Resort are no longer required to wear face masks outdoors, and physical distancing guidelines among Cast Members are likewise dropped.
Unless something substantially changes, Disneyland is likely to follow suit on the indoor rule relatively soon. Last week, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board issued revised regulations ending most mask rules for fully vaccinated individuals. Governor Newsom then issued an executive order waiving the usual 10-day legal review, meaning the new rules took effect immediately.
Since Disneyland followed that California’s general public guidance and Walt Disney World is now changing its rules for Cast Members, it stands to reason Disneyland will do the same. If past trends are any indication, an announcement one week from today with the rule taking effect just in time for Independence Day weekend makes sense.
We’re sharing this news because it might be relevant and important to some of you, but each new rule change is becoming decreasingly significant. Accordingly, we are going to be “winding down” coverage of health safety protocol. (To be replaced by increased coverage of the top toilets in the Disney parks. We’ve been slacking on that critical content.)
For practical purposes, guests being allowed to go without face masks indoors was the last meaningful rule change. At that point, those who were on the fence about visiting–either because they didn’t want to visit with any face mask rule in place or didn’t want to visit without one–had their decision made for them.
In theory, some guests averse to the current trajectory of rule changes could justify proceeding with planned trips. They might reason that they can, again in theory, avoid contact with other guests outdoors, minimize time indoors and enclosed queues, and so forth.
In practice, none of that is particularly possible. Operationally, the parks are pretty much back to normal, albeit with reservations systems. Ostensibly, that means lower attendance and crowds, but not in ways guests will necessarily feel due to diminished efficiency. To the contrary, there’s congestion, cramped queues, and “please fill in all available space” has made a comeback.
Of course, there are always ways to mitigate risk, reduce exposure time, and try to physically distance to whatever degree possible. The problem lies with the “whatever degree possible” part of that, which is really not much anymore.
Guests had already informally relaxed physical distancing long before Disney officially changed its rules and crowds have been progressively increasing.
Ultimately, today’s rule change doesn’t really impact any of that by an appreciable degree. The “comfort calculus” on taking a trip might change a bit for some of you, but probably not many. The major rule changes have already occurred. What was or was not possible before remains more or less unchanged. Aside from entering queues, being served in restaurants, asking each Cast Member their favorite Country Bear, and completing transactions, there really aren’t many one-on-one interactions between guests and Cast Members–and none of those are prolonged.
For the most part, guests are in longer and closer contact with other guests while waiting in line for attractions and seated at indoor restaurants. From a perspective of objective transmission, the highest risk activity at Walt Disney World remains the same as it was one year ago: dining or drinking at an indoor restaurant or bar. The difference is that was and is optional, whereas everything else throughout the course of a day in the park is not.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on Walt Disney World relaxing face mask rules for Cast Members? Please keep the comments civil. This is not the place for politically-charged arguing or antagonism—all such comments will be deleted, irrespective of perspective. You are not going to change anyone’s mind via the comments section on this blog, nor are you going to change Disney’s rules or public policy. If you wish to contest this, rather than yelling into the internet abyss, have your voice heard in a meaningful way by contacting Disney or your local elected officials.
This in deed makes me happy that we aren’t required to wear face masks outside all day ,when my daughter asks grandpa and me to come with them for the fifty years anniversary that was the first thing I thought about .this news is great news we can only hope that those that aren’t wearing marks are vaccinated planning on enjoying this trip with grandchildren and adult kids it’s great they still enjoy vacationing together
For those of us vising with children, we’re desperately wondering when character meet and greets will resume.
We just returned from two weeks at Disney World. We were there when they relaxed the mask rules for vaccinated people indoors. I found only about 5% of people wore masks while waiting in indoor queues. Hardly anyone wore mask while at the Riviera inside. Including kids and adults. Realistically, one educated, is quite certain, that they are not all vaccinated. There’s just no way. It’s sad that people abuse the honor system. Resorts are packed fall and less experiences. Less magic from the cast members as well. Still had a good time, just glad to be out of there once they loosen the mask rules. FYI – husband and I are both fully vaccinated, daughter is in her teens and only had first dose of vaccine. And they are having you feeling all available space while waiting for lines in rides..
@MrNico and Ellen
I’ve always been prone to getting sick when I travel and started taking airborne (before and during travel) and vitamins (regularly) to minimize it a few years ago. They do help and I feel a lot healthier! But I still noticed an even bigger drop-off this year, with masking and extra hand sanitizer as part of my regime too. I don’t plan on masking outdoors, but for crowded spaces it’s been really helpful to me. I guess I made my own science to trust, hah.
@Cynthia
Thanks!
Anything on free dining?
My last post was in reply to Maggie. Went into the wrong place.
That is freakin awesome!!!
My concern is the little ones.
No protection. Not sure how they and their risk has been forgotten.
Buses no longer have signs requiring masks while on board. It’s getting better! Just left Disney Springs with no mask on our bus!
@Ellen, agreed. The products I mentioned have lots of C and zinc in them. They help for most easily-transmissible things, not just this newer flu!
@MrNico
Add to that, ensuring that one has adequate Vitamin D levels is one’s best defense against all manner of respiratory illness. That, along with Vitamin C and zinc, will give one the best chance of staying healthy. Why these well-known defenses were almost completely ignored for the last 15 months is a question that boggles my mind.
@Maggie, we noticed that one or more people were tending to get some illness at the end of longer trips, and started using Airborne and other products prior to our trip, trying not to use handrails, etc. That alone made a big difference. Upping Vit C intake and using Emergen-C Immune Support drink mixes before and during the trip seems to help. Nothing worse than getting sick when you still have a couple of long hard days in the parks!
I’ve always had a fondness for the toilet at UK, across from the R&C. With sponsorship from Bounty(?) they had excellent TP. Not the typical crap paper normally found in any commercial setting, but real, bonafide TP like the Queen herself might use. Proximity to the beer stand was a bonus, of course. Hit the loo, then get a fresh cold bevvie.
I need to update my Going Around the World, Bathrooms of Epcot map t-shirt with all the recent and ongoing construction. Need to do them for the other parks, but haven’t decided on base artwork. For Epcot I scanned original park maps and used the same style for a nostalgic feel. If you see a middle-aged guy stumbling around wearing a bright blue shirt with a map of Epcot, that’s probably me. Or my brother, or Dad or one of a select few who got the original shirts.
When will meet and greets at Disney World go back to normal?
Can not wait to hug Mickey and Minnie again.
Oh my word. Your statement about the top toilet coverage cracked me up! I agree. It’s time to give toilets their rightful attention! This is ridiculous to admit, but I’ve actually deliberately used bathrooms you’ve ranked, just to see how my ranking would compare.
@Mary B and Jess
I couldn’t agree more! I like masking up and sanitizing a lot more after seeing how much less frequently I caught a cold after traveling…as in not at all! And hearing ‘fill in all available space’ makes me want to buy some very spiky jackets to keep people from filling anywhere close to my space.
I was going to tease you for not having updated the “best bathrooms” list since there have been many park restroom additions… but then I saw that you indeed had updated the list! Bravo.
I’m really not looking forward to hearing, “Please fill in all available space” again. If they never went back to that mantra, I would have been pleased as punch.
Any idea if dining plan will return by November 2021
“we are going to be “winding down” coverage of health safety protocol.”
I’m thankful of that for your sanity. I can’t imagine it’s been an exhilarating (probably more exhausting) topic to cover for the past year. I hope you are enjoying your vacation.
I’ll be at Disneyland next weekend, so thanks for the update. But, as I haven’t had a cold or flu in a year for the first time in my memory, my mask is here to stay. I’ll relax that outdoors, but in queues, I’ll still be wearing my new best friend.