FAQ & Guide to Face Masks at Disney World
This guide to face masks at Walt Disney World offers info & tips, recommendation for best masks, rules & policy changes, and answers to frequently asked questions on wearing masks at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, plus traveling to and within Florida. (Updated April 18, 2022.)
The question of “are face masks required at Walt Disney World?” has been a controversial topic among fans for months, since before the parks reopened or the rule was even announced. We are not here to relitigate the topic. If you want to argue about the mask policy, join a local debate club. If you want your voice to be heard about Disney’s rule in a meaningful way, contact Walt Disney World.
As of the latest rule change, Walt Disney World joins all other major theme parks in Central Florida as effectively eliminating their indoor face mask rules. Similarly, SeaWorld Orlando, Gatorland, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida all only “recommend” face masks rather than having actual rules–with only a few exceptions. There are a few places where you’ll still have to wear a face mask at Walt Disney World, as covered below.
April 18, 2022 Update: As of today, you’ll no longer have to wear a mask while flying to Central Florida. Earlier today, a federal judge in Florida vacated the federal mask mandate for airplanes and other forms of public transportation. The ruling found that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had overstepped its authority, failed to adequately explain its reasons for the mandate, and did not allow public comment in violation of federal procedures for issuing new rules.
As a result, the Transportation Security Administration will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time. CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.
Already, United, Delta, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines have announced that effective immediately, face masks are no longer required on their domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country’s mask requirements), or at U.S. airports. All other major airlines are expected to follow suit very quickly, as the “Airlines for America” industry group had lobbied on their behalf to end the mask mandate before it was previously extended.
It remains to be seen whether Walt Disney World will likewise drop its face mask requirement on buses and the monorail. Disney’s mask rule for those forms of transportation is predicated on the same CDC order, so it would stand to reason that Disney will follow the lead of the aforementioned airlines. However, it wouldn’t surprise us if Disney waits a little longer to see whether the Justice Department will appeal. Our expectation is that there won’t be an appeal, and Walt Disney World will lift the bus and monorail mask rule by the end of the week–but that’s just a guess.
Now let’s take a look at Walt Disney World’s rules concerning masks; here’s the official face covering policy from DisneyWorld.com:
Face coverings are optional for fully vaccinated Guests in both outdoor and indoor locations. We expect Guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including indoor attractions and theaters. Face coverings are still required by all Guests (ages 2 and up) on Disney buses and monorails.
All face coverings (whether disposable or reusable) should:
- Be made with at least 2 layers of breathable material
- Fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin
- Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- Be secured with ties or ear loops and allow the Guest to remain hands-free
Face coverings should not contain valves, mesh material or holes.
Costume masks are not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn, in alignment with existing rules.
Face coverings may have an integrated transparent plastic panel to aid in viewing the wearer’s mouth. These face coverings should:
- Be a fabric face covering featuring a solid plastic panel containing no openings that is attached to the fabric on all sides using tight knit stitching
- Meet all face covering requirements listed above
Here’s a chart to help understand where masks are and are not required at Walt Disney World for all guests:
Face masks are now optional for fully vaccinated guests on the Disney Skyliner and on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser transport from Halcyon and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Face masks are still required for all guests aboard Walt Disney World buses and the monorail.
Next, let’s address some of the more frequently asked questions about face masks at Walt Disney World…
Will Walt Disney World be asking guests their vaccine status?
No.
Why not?
For one thing, there’s past precedent–Walt Disney World didn’t make any distinction the last time mask rules were dropped. Also, it’s prohibited under Florida law and other businesses have lost high-profile legal battles with the state.
For another thing, virtually no business anywhere—even in other states without Florida’s laws—is differentiating between vaccinated and unvaccinated guests beyond the honor system policy, unless required by the state (and as mentioned above, Florida does the opposite).
It’s simply not worth the hassle and headache. It would be asking a lot of Cast Members at a time when there’s already a labor shortage and frontline employees everywhere are at about their wits’ end. This is why the new rule is, essentially, “there is no rule.” (Outside of enclosed transportation, where there remains a face mask rule for all guests. You should expect that to be actively enforced.)
If my kids are under age 5, and thus cannot possibly be vaccinated, will they be required to wear masks?
Again, this is effectively the end of enforcement of rules by Walt Disney World.
Even though it can reasonably be deduced that a small child under 5 years old is unvaccinated, Disney will not be policing whether they wear masks in light of the above. Instead, all unvaccinated guests will be “expected” to wear masks. Likewise, I am expected to eat vegetables when I prepare dinner for myself, but you can guess how that goes when I’m left unsupervised.
Why are there still mask rules on transportation?
As best we can tell, that one is outside Walt Disney World’s control. (Honestly, I’m not sure how they’re lifting the rule on the Skyliner and Galactic Starcruiser transport–but this is a confusing of rules and regulations, so there’s probably some ‘exception’ I’ve missed.)
According to the US Department of Transportation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Order requiring the wearing of masks by travelers on conveyances when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel. The Order defines “conveyance” as including “aircraft, train, road vehicle (including rideshares), vessel…or other means of transport, including military transport.”
At present, it appears that this is set to expire on May 3, 2022. It could be extended, as that has already occurred several times in the past. (We didn’t dig too deeply on this one, so take this explanation with a grain of salt.)
This makes me feel uncomfortable to visit Walt Disney World, any risk mitigation advice?
The highest-risk activity at Walt Disney World since reopening has been dining indoors. That has remained true without regard for any past or present rule changes. The easiest way to reduce your actual risk is by eating outside. See our List of the Best Outdoor Dining at Walt Disney World for recommendations. If you’re comfortable with indoor restaurants, mask rules shouldn’t really change the equation much for you.
For those who are still concerned about face masks, the silver lining is that One-Way Masking Works. High quality masks are now widely available, so your safety is no longer dependent upon what others are doing–your health is in your own hands.
If anything, wearing a properly-fitted N95 or KN95 mask offers greater individual protection than you and others around you wearing cloth masks. A growing number of experts have said cloth masks are inadequate to protect from Omicron and other more highly-transmissible variants. At this point, the onus is on the individual to properly protect themselves, if they so desire.
(Here’s one high-quality mask we recommend. We don’t use it anymore, viewing higher quality masks as superfluous for two relatively young and healthy adults who are fully vaccinated and boosted, but they’re a good option if your personal profile or risk tolerances differ from ours.)
What’s the best mask for Walt Disney World?
We have bought many masks. The best option for personal protection that we’ve used is the Powecom KN95 Face Mask. (That one is often sold out, in which case we recommend this Powecom FFP2 Face Mask.)
After doing some research, I opted for the Powecom masks due to their high performance and scratch-off anti-counterfeit label on the package that provides codes to verify authenticity on the company website. Additionally, they’re comfortable, offer a snug fit, and are relatively inexpensive by high quality face mask standards.
Any other face mask recommendations?
My other favorite option is from Suay LA. These are still a great, breathable option, especially for hot weather when the KN95 mask might be more uncomfortable. These are constructed from medical grade non-woven polypropylene surgical wrap and have a nosepiece. They should offer a degree of protection to the wearer. Both of us prefer the small. It’s a snugger and cleaner fit, especially above the nose and under the chin.
Do many guests wear face masks?
In outdoor common areas, we’d estimate that roughly 20% of all guests are wearing masks as of March 2022. We’ve noticed that this number fluctuates depending upon local case numbers. It was higher in August, significantly lower in June-July, and lower now once again.
During our time at Walt Disney World over the course of the last week, we didn’t observe any discernible differences among the parks. Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios are all more or less the same.
Is the face mask rule being actively enforced on transportation?
That’s hit or miss.
You should absolutely bring a face mask with you to Walt Disney World if you’re relying on enclosed Disney transportation, but don’t be surprised if you see other guests not wearing masks. If that’s a concern, we’d recommend renting a car.
Are face masks be required on boats, ferries, and other watercraft?
No.
What are the face mask rule at the water parks?
Same as above, with one notable exception.
Face coverings are *not* permitted while experiencing water slides or in the water.
Does Walt Disney World sell masks?
Yes. Numerous stores around the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs sell a range of character designs and Disney patterns. These are now on clearance, and prices should continue to drop.
For now, there are still vending machines outside of each park that sell generic ones for $2 each.
Are the masks sold by Disney any good?
They’re actually not half bad. Still not our favorite option, but if you want something reasonably comfortable and cute, they’re a decent choice.
Plus, the Baby Yoda mask is the official “basic millennial” accessory, following the storied legacy of the blue Monsters U hat and Spirit Jersey. If you don’t Instagram yourself wearing a Baby Yoda mask, gazing off into space, and standing in front of a colored wall, did you really even visit Walt Disney World?! 😉
Any other mask-related accessories that are worth carrying?
Essentially anything that will help cool you down. Another absolutely necessary accessory is the Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad. We’ve been praising these things for years, as they’re basically some sort of mix of science, technology, and magic. Great for keeping cool–but staying dry.
Another must-have accessory is the Life Straw Go Filter Water Bottle. Drinking fountain water at Walt Disney World is sourced directly from the swamp, and is actually 3% alligator urine. This bottle filters out the pee, and it’s BPA-free! It also uses a 2-stage activated carbon filter to reduce odor and chlorine, leaving zero aftertaste! (If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, Brita Filter Water Bottles are great, too.)
Another accessory we recommend is this USB-powered travel fan. It’s small, lightweight, and can plug into your external battery charger. This is one of the main recommendations in our Unique Disney Packing List, which is where you can find our all-purpose top picks for things to pack for a trip to Walt Disney World.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you have any questions this FAQ failed to answer? If you’ve visited the parks since Walt Disney World reopened, what was your experience wearing masks? Do you think there’s anything else guests should know before visiting in during this ‘temporary abnormal’ time? Keep the comments civil, as this is not the place for politically-charged arguing, antagonism, personal attacks, or debating the efficacy of NPIs. We will be heavy-handed in deleting comments that cross the line, even if it’s only a single sentence. 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 shout your opinions into the internet abyss, that’s why Facebook was invented.
I’ll be at the cabins at Fort Wilderness in early May with my family. Sad to hear that masks are required while walking through the loops, but while riding golf carts? Seriously? With my driving, no one will want to be within 60 feet, let alone 6! How strictly is the mask rule enforced outside? Would one get away with walking back from the pool, soaking wet, with no mask?
I don’t have enough experience at Fort Wilderness since reopening to comment intelligently on this one. Hopefully someone who has done a recent stay there will chime in. Totally agree with you, though!
We decided while we were at WDW it was kind of nice having a mask and sunglasses on for pictures. You don’t have to smile, if your eyes are shut nobody knows, if you make a weird expression nobody knows, if you have food on your face or in your teeth nobody knows, etc. 🙂
Maybe the next step will be only masks required indoor and on rides just like Legoland . That would make a more enjoyable experience , especially during the summer .
I can’t begin to fathom anyone refusing to visit Disney until they do away with a face mask requirement. You folks are going to have little to choose from. No NFL, no NBA, no MLB, no Coke, no Delta, no Hollywood, no to half of the music out there. I’m a member of both hospice and oncology teams. I saw what Covid did first hand, as did the families and friends of 570,000 people that have passed from it. This is about caring for our fellow human beings. Glad that Disney has been strict about this. Sad to see so many others not giving a darn.
GREAT NEWS!!!!
This is exactly what we talked about. The first thing would be, lower face masks for photos and photo pass (I’m 100% positive that will take place April 8th). Next to come is the 3 feet distance. Already implemented in schools as recommended by the CDC this could change for adults once herd immunity is reached or when 50% are vaccinated.
After three trips and some 40 days of photos in masks it will be great to get back to photos without them. I really don’t mind wearing the mask in line or on rides. For me, taking photos with masks on, was the worst aspect of wearing them.
DOWN WITH MASKS!!! For photos. YAY!
Thanks Tom. Yours is the best blog and I have no reason to blow smoke here. Yeah I had to reread some of this stuff but that’s there for others who may not have seen this column before. And it serves as an important reminder of what is still required.
YET it also had the latest big news and it wasn’t difficult to find. I found it easily and very quickly. It’s not like you buried it way down.
TIP for fellow readers. In UPDATES by anyone look for parenthesis, italics, caps, bold and most assuredly #1 ***** (asterisks)!!!!
Totally agree with your first paragraph. I think reduced distancing will be next, and at that point, the markers will go away since that distance is more or less natural–they’ll just have signage and reminders.
As for the update, I often preface the updated portion of a post with [DATE UPDATE:] in bold, which makes it easy to find while scrolling. I didn’t do that here because the April 8 date is listed repeatedly in all of the relevant sections, which makes it easy to find with control+F. I debated doing a separate post about just this news, but whenever there’s a post about masks, tons of other questions…like those answered here…come up in the comments. So this approach saves me some work.
This mask insanity has got to end! Even the CDC’s study shows mask do not prevent the spread of a virus. Look at the data and ‘follow the science’ from states with or without mask requirements. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE! I am a DVC owner and I will sell my points before I will ever cross the threshold of a Disney property with a mask on my face. Not hat anybody at Disney really cares.
Do you know or did you see the Shema 97 mask being approved or worn at the parks?
I hope the next step is to allow guests to not wear masks outdoors, at least in the resorts while walking, jogging, etc. It’s completely absurd to require them for everything! At Fort Wilderness, one has to be masked while riding a bike, hiking the nature trail, or even riding in a golf cart. Initially, it was everywhere except inside one’s camper, vehicle, or cabin.
I get that Disney is trying to err on the side of safety, but they’ve clearly gone way into ridiculous territory with some of their rules – including requiring masks for photos but not while eating and drinking. At least they have finally gone back towards being somewhat more reasonable. But they have gone way far beyond any recommendations from the CDC and the WHO, and in contravention of known science and research.
True story – a friend and I snapped a selfie while sipping on our drinks at Food and Wine, and sure enough, a CM scolded us, “Masks must be worn while taking pictures!” while we literally were drinking our drinks!
My kids and I just returned from a few days in WDW – our first visit during the “temporary abnormal.” I was far more annoyed by the mask than my kids, as I work from home and they have been back at school, fully masked, for months. Even so, I found I got used to it pretty quickly. We saw tons of people being reprimanded for taking their masks down for photos, (including the lady in front of us in the Smuggler’s Run queue, who felt it necessary to take an unmasked selfie on every “please wait here” floor strip through the 70 minute wait). We purchased our photopass photos and embraced the idea that we’d affefctionately look back on all our fully masked pictures from this trip as “that crazy time we went to Disney World in the middle of a pandemic.” We already have the “remember the time you sprained your ankle and all the pictures have a wheelchair in them” and the “remember the time we didn’t pack appropriately for the weather and we’re all in $75 Mickey sweatshirts” photo albums, so it’s kind of nice that this one will stand out…
“I was far more annoyed by the mask than my kids, as I work from home and they have been back at school, fully masked, for months.”
Well that’s quite the plot twist, but actually makes complete sense!
Totally agree with the rest. I’m very much “over” mask photos at this point (after getting dozens) but I’m glad we have them. Down the road, they will be some of our few fond memories of an otherwise miserable year.
This is amazing news!! One step closer to masks being optional and our trip being a for sure thing!! I don’t think I have it in me to cancel again 🙁
I just hope they don’t wait until after winter to relax the mask policy rules because they want to see if the transmission rate goes up during the winter months and they also don’t want to relax the rules prematurely and then need to bring mask back again later.
I would highly recommend the Jaanuu masks. Sold by medical scrub company. They are light weight. Breathable. I don’t have issues with moisture. It stays put on my face and nose no matter how much I’m talking. I still get pain behind my ears, but that’s after wearing the mask for a couple of hours. Many mask cause pain after 30 minutes. I do use the mask extenders if I need to wear a mask for long stretches.
Tom, I read the other day that Orange County is planning to lift its mask mandate when vaccinations hit 50%, likely in July. Do you think WDW is waiting for the county mandate to lift before lifting theirs? I know the county mandates in FL are not really enforceable, but it occurred to me that maybe WDW will take the lifting of the county mandate as the green light to lift theirs. Just wondering what your thoughts are ? Thanks!
I listened to that press conference, and unless I’m mistaken, Mayor Demings said June (not July).
As for your question, Walt Disney World could use that as the timing and justification for removing their mask rule, but I’m skeptical. (I could totally see Universal doing it.) I think Disney will wait a bit longer, possibly for something from the CDC.
Thank you so much for for the update on masks. Does this new rule include both personal photos and the PhotoPass spots? We were holding off on purchasing that for our upcoming trip because we didn’t feel it was worth it with all masked pictures.
There isn’t official confirmation about PhotoPass yet, but I’d put the chances of maskless photos being allowed in those locations at 95% or higher. PhotoPass makes Disney money and not changing the rule for those spots would be a fatal blow to sales of that.
I was there last week and highly recommend the Airism masks at Uniqlo. There is a shop in Disney Springs. They are 3 layer and breathable.
That was probably the worst blog I’ve read from you in a long time. it was the exact same blog you’ve written every time about the face-masks, the only change is you could take your mask for a photo outdoor it could’ve easily just been written instead of reading six paragraphs to get to that. Absolute waste of time reading this!
Tom, thank you for all of the updates and new park itineraries. Your blog is the most helpful resource when planning our trips to Disney World. We will be visiting the parks in May specifically because of Disney’s excellent mask policy. I am happy to spend money and support cast members in a safe environment where my family is safe. Of course I am over masks, will very much miss my son’s interactions with characters and the fireworks, but after coming this far I’m not throwing in the towel until more of the population is immunized. Disney’s policies are actually allowing us to take a vacation with much less stress.
You’re welcome–thanks for the kind words!
my biggest concern would be people trying to exploit a loophole in the new mask changes. like the “i’m going to pretend to be eating/drinking all day to get around the masks”, i fear this will bring the “i’m recording for my instagram all day” people wishing to ditch the masks. specific points of no masks for photos would probably be a safer plan, strictly speaking for the safety and wellbeing of the CMs who have to enforce the policy. specific points you can remove the mask for a photo, cool. easy to enforce once you leave the spot. allowing maskless outdoor photos anywhere? this invites people who “forget” to put them back on or try claiming they are taking an infinite selfie. yes, i yearn for normal, i just think baby steps is best and while this is absolutely a baby step, it’s one that could quickly spiral out of control if not contained a bit.
People who want to break the rules will find an excuse to break the rules. We’ve already seen that, and Disney has done a great (IMO) job of addressing that.
I think the greater risk is Disney being absolutely unyielding and maintaining policies that have no impact on safety or transmission–but lead to lower guest satisfaction, are a huge burden for Cast Members to enforce, and ultimately lead to burn-out/turnover.
Common sense starting to creep its way in…
Is this the “game changer” from Chapek? I wish you could show proof of antibodies or vaccines and get a wristband.
It’s still over kill outdoors.
I do like how it weeds out guests who don’t want to follow the rules so that’s made trips nicer.
“Is this the “game changer” from Chapek?”
No, this is pre-game changer, which makes the news all the more welcome.
I agree that masks are overkill outdoors. It was understandable when the parks opened, but we now know so much more about the nature of transmission, and how incredibly unlikely it is outside. I suspect masks being optional outdoors is the next way the rule will be relaxed.