Orange County Ending All Physical Distancing & Mask Mandates on June 5
Mayor Jerry Demings held his “State of the County” press conference during which he announced that Orange County will enter the third and final phase of the reopening plan for returning to normalcy, totally dropping face mask mandates, physical distancing, and all other protocol on Saturday, June 5, 2021. This paves the way for a similar end to health safety rules at Walt Disney World, which calls Orange County, Florida home.
Let’s start with a brief recap of Mayor Demings’ reopening plan. Orange County first announced this three phased plan to gradually lift all health safety measures just over a month ago. At that point, physical distancing was immediately reduced from 6 to 3 feet in all settings. Universal and Walt Disney World quickly followed suit and announced their own reductions to physical distancing.
Orange County then hit phase 2 in mid-May, which resulted in the outdoor face mask mandate being lifted. Within hours of that Friday afternoon press conference, both Universal and Walt Disney World followed suit, announcing that masks would be optional outdoors for guests starting the very next day. You can probably already see where we’re going with this…
Last Friday, heading into Memorial Day weekend, Universal Orlando effectively dropping its face mask rule. Universal announced that face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated guests, indoors or outdoors. Universal further stated that it would not require proof of vaccination, essentially ending enforcement of the face mask rule.
At that point, Orange County had not yet announced phase 3 of its reopening plan, so Universal’s announcement might’ve seemed premature. However, the county actually had already qualified for the third phase, but had chosen not to announce it–and actually cancelled its health briefing for the first time in 64 weeks.
Then on June 2, Mayor Jerry Demings held a press conference, which we assumed was to announce the final milestone in Orange County’s plan. However, he instead said that the county would qualify for phase 3 after the 14-day rolling positivity rate has been 5% or below for 14 consecutive days (so 14 days twice, for some reason).
That double 14 requirement was not previously contemplated by executive order or the reopening plan, but whatever. The positivity rate’s drop clearly outpaced vaccine uptake forecasts. It’s understandable that Orange County would inch the plan back a bit given that the county is lagging behind nationwide vaccination goals.
Moving forward to this morning’s “State of the County” event, Mayor Demings revealed that Orange County would enter the third and final phase of its reopening plan as of Saturday. This comes as 55% of Orange County’s population age 16 or older has received at least one dose and the county’s test positivity is 4.5% as of this week.
As a reminder, the third phase is reached when 70% of the population age 16 or older has received their first dose of the vaccine or Orange County’s 14-day rolling positivity rate is 5% or below. The third phase of this plan means that the face mask mandate is lifted indoors for everyone (without regard to vaccination status), physical distancing is dropped, and no other health safety rules remain in effect.
This comes at a time when Florida’s case numbers continue to fall. The state’s average daily case numbers have dropped 43% in the last two weeks, with 8 new cases per day for every 100,000 people. Deaths and hospitalizations are also down dramatically.
The story is similar throughout the United States, with every important metric at its lowest level since March of last year. While the pace of vaccinations has slowed in recent weeks, approximately 63% of adult Americans have received at least one shot.
The United States has set a goal of getting at least one shot into the arms of 70% of adults by July 4. At the nation’s current pace, that’ll be reached–but just barely. In addition to that, credible estimates from the CDC and other health agencies put those who have been infected at 30-40% of the population.
Between vaccinations and natural immunity, the United States is already in a solid position–hence the current decrease. By the start of July 2021, between 70% and 75% of the entire population–not just adults–will have some form and degree of immunity based on conservative math of the above numbers. It’s likely there will still be some localized flare ups this summer and winter in areas of the South and other pockets of the United States where vaccine numbers are lagging far behind, but that does not include Orange County.
With that said, as we’ve pointed out countless times now, Orange County’s rules are significant as they establish the earliest possible timeframe for Walt Disney World to relax or lift its own health safety protocol. This means Disney can now drop all health safety protocol, ending the indoor face mask rules as well as all physical distancing, which means attendance caps could also increase as of June 5, 2021.
It’ll thus be interesting to see what, if anything, Walt Disney World does with Orange County lifting its indoor face mask mandate and other health rules. It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion at this point that Disney will be further relaxing its rules at some point this summer. (It’s worth noting that Walt Disney World already could’ve increased attendance to a greater degree than has occurred–they presumably have not due to a lack of staffing.)
Although unrelated to Orange County’s dropping of mask mandates, Walt Disney World changed its policy for Cast Members earlier this week. Cast Members who have outdoor roles and are able to maintain six feet or more of physical distancing from guests will no longer be required to wear face masks.
This includes many backstage positions, plus some on-stage ones including parking lot attendants, lifeguards, horticulturists, custodial, construction, maintenance, and some other Cast Members. However, they will still be required to have a face mask and put it on whenever they come into contact with guests or venture indoors. (Presumably, this same rule applies to all Cast Members when backstage, and not just those in the aforementioned ‘select positions.’)
Previously, my best guess as to when Walt Disney World would drop its been mask rules would’ve been “after Independence Day.” However, the return to normalcy in the United States has accelerated to a greater degree than I anticipated. At this point, it seems unlikely that Walt Disney World will hold out more than for a couple more weeks, rather than another full month.
With shifting consumer sentiment, comfort levels continuing to increase, and other businesses dropping their rules en masse, it’s unlikely Walt Disney World will maintain its current rules for several more months. It would amount to swimming upstream against the flow of health guidance, human behavior, and policies at other businesses. Over-burdened frontline Cast Members cannot be expected to indefinitely enforce health rules.
Even with Disney’s reputation for cautiousness and being a family-friendly brand, another big/final change before July 2021 now feels likely. Not only would enforcing rules in place nowhere else cause more friction between guests and Cast Members, but lifting the rule would free up workers at already short-staffed parks to be relocated to other positions. (That might seem trivial, but almost everything Disney is doing right now is dictated by staffing levels–from Park Pass distribution to restaurant capacity.)
On a related note, if you’re wondering how health safety protocol is actually going in the parks, check out our new Physical Distancing & Face Mask Rule Relaxation Report. This details our on-the-ground observations and photos from the last several days at Walt Disney World. The official rules are only one part of the equation–more important is guest behavior and adherence to those rules.
All things considered, our expectation is that Walt Disney World announces it’ll follow this new guidance from Orange County as soon as this afternoon or as late as the next 2-3 weeks. It wouldn’t surprise us if Disney departed from past precedent, and didn’t change its policies immediately.
In this scenario, holding out just a little longer might be a savvy move. That’s especially true if Disney wants to strike that delicate balance between those who are eager to ditch the masks and parents who are understandably apprehensive about their kids under age 12. As cases continue to fall (and community risk for the unvaccinated along with it), comfort levels will continue to increase.
Ultimately, that’s just our guess. As always, none of this should be construed to mean Walt Disney World will or won’t lift its indoor face mask and other health rules now that Orange County has done so. Simply put, this is what paves the way for Walt Disney World to follow suit as early as Saturday, which they have done fairly consistently in the past.
We strongly suspect Walt Disney World will follow the lead of Orange County–albeit perhaps with more delay this go-round. Regardless, another face mask change is inevitably on the horizon for Walt Disney World, likely in the next couple of weeks and almost certainly before Independence Day. (Unlike last time, we didn’t hear any rumors of one beforehand this time.) We will be closely monitoring DisneyWorld.com’s “Know Before You Go” page for rule changes throughout the day and will keep you posted! Whenever Walt Disney World does relax its face mask rule again, expect it to read similarly to Universal’s newly-modified policy.
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
Thoughts on physical distancing, face mask mandates, and other health safety protocol all ending in Orange County, Florida? Think Walt Disney World has more plans to return to normal? Are you hoping that Disney follows Orange County’s lead, or keeps its indoor mask rules in place longer? Please keep the comments civil. This is not the place for arguing about efficacy, politics, and so forth—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.
I know I might get hear for this and thats fine. Just will prove people love to hate. The wearing of masks outdoors is important to the user..I get that but being a family of 3 where 3 of us had covid and are still effected by its after effects some of the responses here are really selfish. We all want things to be normal but I don’t what to see my daughter go back into the hospital due to neurological effect from her past covid diagnosis. Those of you posting false info about masks and social distancing being ineffective should be ashamed. If you don’t have kids or had someone who lost anyone from covid then consider yourself lucky. Even those of us who had it and were lucky enough not to go on a ventilator it still was the worst 10 days to 3 week of our lives. We have as much right as anyone else to go including those who are immune compromised and cannot get the shot but are big Disney fans. I honestly hope the indoor restrictions remain for a bit longer along with the certain rides like Skyliner as they are once again mixing families and you only have the other people word that they are safe…and we know how trustworthy the human race is…NOT. Also the spreading of Info such as unproven term ” Natural Immunity “…though that maybe a possiblity according to the drs i know including mine yesterday, there is no proof yet this is happening. What they do know is they do not have enough data on this virus and that what so keep saying about a ” Natural Immunity ” is just either someone who has not gotten sick yet or has been very very lucky. And for this reason i will be leaving this blog. Yes I know no one cares and that does not bother me but the hate coming out of some of these responses towards others her who post ….well just sounds like more politics and unfortunately the owners of this blog have been peddling some of these false naritives. And there are plenty of other places to get info that is more accurate like Disneys blog. We may not all agree but i wish you all to stay safe
It’s about time! Drop it all! For those with small children who say they are worried, don’t. Unless your child has some major condition with a compromised immune system, they aren’t in any danger.
My contacts in the College Program show that they are ramping back up fast, with people already moving. I have a friend who got hired as an attractions CM and has moved from CA to Orlando. She’s already training. This all looks great for zooming right up to max capacity, but there will be some hiccups with the loss of so many experienced CMs.
It’s great news that numbers are continuing to drop in Orange County and the vaccination rate is continuing to rise too. However, as a parent of kids who are under 12, the choice of Universal and Disney to discontinue to masks and social distancing definitely creates a fair bit of anxiety. A return to standing in a packed queue indoors with a large majority of unmasked people while my kids and I (in solidarity, even while I’m vaccinated) wear masks sounds a bit trying. It would be great if Disney would consider keeping mask mandates in place for indoor queues if there is no more social distancing. Or if Disney can’t do that, then at least bring back FastPasses. That should only be a click of a button for their IT team, right? 😉
So nice not wearing masks at Disney. I was there last week and it was wonderful. I also stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando and there were no masks worn there for anyone inside or out. It was just up to the person if they wanted to wear them. I did not see masks on anyone in the hotel or at any of the restaurants I dined at. There is no distinction between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. All are free to do what they want.
It was great being in EPCOT recently without wearing a mask outdoors. Previously, with the outdoor mask rule in effect, a cast member ran after me as I forgot to put my mask on after eating a bite at a kiosk.
Exciting news. Big Disney fan since MK opened, but was silently dreading the mask ordeal. Optimism returns for a magical long summer vacation
My family and another family are planning a trip mid to late Aug. I’m wondering if some of the things that had been suspended (the parades, character interactions, and the fireworks) will be restored.
Also, with this, I’m assuming the crowds will increase. We were hoping that by mid Aug (trip is starting Aug 14th) that many would be back in school. What kind of effect do you think this will have? I did read your blog on best times to go in 2021-22, but was hoping the larger crowds would have died down a bit by Aug.
Thanks for all your info! Appreciate it!
It seems that how large the crowds get this summer will be dictated by how quickly Disney can hire and train more Cast Members. They already could increase capacity to a greater degree than they have, but have opted against doing so. Presumably due to staffing.
With all of that said, I still expect things to have died down by mid-August and into September.
Hooray! I think Disney will follow suit for sure before July 4th- just my opinion. Makes me a lot happier about our end of August trip, especially as the heat and humidity continue to eeek up. I think they will also do it soon because as people get used to being able to go other places without it, cast members would have to devote a lot more time to reminding people to continue doing at Disney. If others feel more comfortable wearing their masks still, then by all means please do what makes you most comfortable. This is has been an emotional roller coaster of a year for everyone. My mom is fully vaccinated but chooses to sit fully masked at a table in a restaurant right now. My dad and I are comfortable with taking it off. Whatever anyone chooses is fine.
Has WDW already lifted crowd capacity restrictions? Are the various resorts that are seemingly sold out actually “full” or should we expect to see rooms opening up as health restrictions are eased?
The prospective big change, in terms of real effects, are not masks…. it’s removal of social distancing.
While a lot of social distancing has been eliminated already, WDW is still practicing 6′ in restaurants, greatly restricting the capacity of each restaurant.
There really isn’t any reason to continue restaurant distancing. This change could significantly increase dining capacity, even without opening additional restaurants.
Assuming they have the staffing to handle it..
“Assuming they have the staffing to handle it.”
They don’t. After doing a few meals and spending significant time at Walt Disney World this week, I’m convinced they didn’t relax physical distancing in restaurants because it wouldn’t change anything.
I’m sure there are some exceptions to that, but from what we’ve seen, it’s fairly widespread.
I’m a big advocate for mask wearing but I feel okay at this point dropping the mandate. I can still wear mine if I feel uncomfortable but it has felt great being maskless in most places the last couple weeks. I also recognize that being from the northeast and being in healthcare inherently makes me a little more hesitant so have to recognize a lot of people are more ready to lose the mask and that it’s okay. It has been the toughest year of my life and I’m so excited to be planning a 2022 trip! A split stay between Poly and Beach club should be pretty epic for the kids…Now we just need Fantasmic, fireworks, and some form of fast passes back!
I think it makes sense that Disney will be cautious. I am vaccinated and we plan to be there in September. We are still a bit leery about not wearing it but to each his own. If you feel comfortable wearing it, then that’s fine. Only thing I am hoping for is the park hopper to come back to normal.
Separate topic Tom. Any idea when (if) they’ll return to allowing dining reservations to be made 180 days out?
As a parent of children under 12 that are not vaccinated and who plans to go to Disney in July still worries me.
I’m heading to Disney now and was really
getting excited for a minute. I feel if you want to wear a mask then wear one but people who are vaccinated and don’t want to shouldn’t have to be forced to but that’s the rules. And if people are nervous about other people not wearing one then I feel they should wait till they feel comfortable to book a vacation. Just my opinion.
We are planning a mid October trip and live seeing all the mask restrictions being dropped! Hoping more restaurants and resorts like POR will open! Right now we are staying at Coronado Springs, but we are hoping POR will open so we can stay there.
I am Fully vaccinated. I was gonna wear a Mask if required. I am going in September. Hopefully Disney will make announcement about Dining and Characters meet n greets. My son really like those as a Baby
Thank you Tom for the update, I love reading your blog everyday! I’m so looking forward to Disney returning to normal. My hope is for more of Disney’s shows returning and that they would have the Candlelight Processional this year when we come for our visit in December.
As a DVC member I’m appalled how Disney did away with free transportation from airport to resort and back the 1st of the year.there’s no magic hours anymore that everybody look forward to.Then during COVID and now even though you buy a park ticket with hopper after you make a reservation there’s no guarantees that you can get in that park because of the number of people. That’s great being safe but then why charge people full price hopper when there’s no guarantees you can go to another park after your original reservation.I know COVID caused a lot f Financial down falls but it seems Disney took advantage of it cutting services they had not temporarily but permanently.
Yippee! However, if people want to wear masks, I totally support them. Vaccinated people make a difference for everyone.
Absolutely agree.
Everyone is at a different point right now in terms of personal comfort level. Others continuing to wear masks doesn’t hurt me in any way, and I’m cognizant of the fact that it’s been a tough, traumatic year and everyone will recover from that at their own pace.