Disney World Quarantine Rules & Travel Guidance
Quarantine rules to Florida from many states apply to Walt Disney World visitors returning home. This covers travel restrictions, mandates & recommendations, international testing requirements, updates on numbers, and relaxation of rules for fully vaccinated people by the CDC. (Updated April 26, 2021.)
In addition to travel rules, this post has become our monthly status report for progress and setbacks by states and the U.S. as a whole. As always, we’ll begin with the above map, which has stalled in its improvements. In some states, new cases have plateaued and even increased in hot spots. The silver lining there is that hospitalizations and deaths continue to drop throughout the United States, and that trend will likely continue with older and higher risk populations vaccinated.
Speaking of which, more positive news: the vaccination rollout continues to accelerate. The United States has now administered more than 225 million doses, fully vaccinating over 92.9 million people or 29% of the total U.S. population (42% are at least partially vaccinated). The United States is now averaging 3 million vaccines per day in the last week. We’re among the best countries in the world for vaccine rollout, on par with the United Kingdom and well ahead of the rest of Europe and Asia.
The fruits of these improved numbers are starting to impact policy. After months of cautionary messaging that has been slow to evolve, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will release new recommendations this week. This is expected to include a lifting of outdoor face mask guidance.
Per multiple news outlets, President Biden will announce several changes on April 27, as part of remarks on the state of the pandemic. The will likely include more rule relaxations for fully vaccinated people, though the final language of the announcement is unclear, as is to whom the outdoor mask rules will apply.
This comes after prominent publications like Slate and The Atlantic proposed an end to outdoor mask mandates. Israel, which offers a potential preview into what the U.S. numbers will look like in another month if vaccination rates hold, lifted its outdoor mask mandate.
There has also been a growing chorus for ending outdoor mask rules among experts. Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC: “People could choose to wear a mask if they want to. I think there shouldn’t be requirements that they have to wear masks outdoors…We know activities outside are lower risk than things done indoors.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci essentially said the same thing on ABC with regard to outdoor mask rules: “The CDC is a science-based organization. They don’t want to make any guidelines unless they look at the data and the data backs it up. But when you look around at the common sense situation, obviously the risk is really very low, particularly if you’re vaccinated.”
As we reported last week, Orange County is weighing a timeline to phase out some restrictions, including face masks and physical distancing. New CDC guidance could preempt that, and be a potential game-changer for Walt Disney World. However, that’s likely only going to be the case if dropping masks outdoors encompasses both the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
If you’re wondering why Walt Disney World probably won’t change its mask rules if that relaxation applies only to the fully vaccinated, it comes down to logistics. Theme parks, airlines, hotels, and various other businesses cannot have two classes of people. That would be a nightmare scenario for enforcement, and overly burdensome to frontline Cast Members and other employees of the aforementioned businesses. As we’ve reported previously, vaccine passports could sidestep this issue, but will not be allowed in Florida.
Prior to this, the CDC released new travel guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. This is a big step that reflects a shift in messaging and better balance, which is necessary if the CDC wants its advice to remain relevant to real world behavior.
For domestic travel, people who are two weeks past their final shot (first dose of Johnson & Johnson; second dose of Moderna or Pfizer) do not need to get a test before or after trips and do not need to self-quarantine after travel. That means, for example, fully-vaccinated grandparents can fly to visit their grandchildren without testing or self-quarantining, provided they follow the other recommended public health measures, such as wearing masks on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation.
For international travel, the CDC guidance indicates that fully vaccinated people do not need to be tested before their trips unless it is required by the destination. When returning to the United States, fully vaccinated people should get tested and have a negative result before boarding an international flight back to the United States.
Of course, this international travel guidance is somewhat meaningless for most countries that have barred travel. However, that could change in the coming months. The U.S. Travel Association has pushed the government to lift travel restrictions on international visitors. As many of these are reciprocal in nature, this is first likely to occur with other countries–like the United Kingdom and Israel–that are also vaccinating at high rates. (Vaccine passports remain likely for international travel, with the European Union and many other countries working on implementing such systems.)
In tandem with this travel guidance, the CDC also stated that “if grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and her family, even if they have not been vaccinated so long as the daughter and her family are not at risk for severe disease.”
Extrapolating from that quote, this could be a precursor to how the CDC will handle bigger picture guidance given that most kids likely will not be vaccinated in 2021. That’s very relevant to Walt Disney World’s rules given its core demographics. With all adults now eligible to be vaccinated and ample availability throughout most of the country, it’s entirely possible that things are closer to normal and public health measures can be further relaxed by Memorial Day.
We’re already seeing some states ditch their rules, and more will undoubtedly follow suit as the early-movers are “vindicated” by numbers that continue to decline. Based solely on seasonality, current trajectory, and vaccination rates, that seems likely. Moreover, public tolerance of face masks, especially once vaccines are widely available, is going to plummet.
Being fully vaccinated is effectively the end of this for most people, and they’ll want to behave accordingly. No matter how people might feel about masks right now, the vast majority won’t want to continue having to wear them long after they’ve been vaccinated, especially on vacation.
We’ve been predicting precisely this for months. (See When Will Walt Disney World Stop Requiring Face Masks? among many other posts.) Even late last year as the holiday surge started, we stressed that there was light at the end of the tunnel and numbers would start to come down as the season of family gatherings ended (contact tracing has shown over 70% of cases are a result of “living room spread“) and vaccines rolled out.
On the last earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently stated that Walt Disney World could have some level of physical distancing and mask-wearing for the remainder of 2021 but called vaccine availability a game-changer. Most other sites emphasized the “remainder of 2021” part of that, saying it meant face masks until 2022.
We disagreed, emphasizing the some level and game-changer parts. In parsing Chapek’s words, it appears to us that Disney is laying the groundwork for changing its approach to health safety protocol so rules can be relaxed on an earlier timeline. (Just reiterating all of that here to double-down on our past predictions, which have been criticized for being too bold and optimistic.)
Even with variants posing some cause for concern and making it premature to declare mission accomplished, our view is that “cautious optimism” is still the appropriate perspective. In Europe there has been a plateauing of numbers or even spikes in some countries, but the United States’ vaccine rollout has been markedly better. Again, we’re on par with the United Kingdom, which is still seeing cases and deaths drop despite their variant.
Obviously, things could still go wrong–as has happened several times throughout this–but hopefully the U.S. can outrun the variants with vaccinations. Anyway, let’s move along to the travel restrictions and quarantine recommendations & rules…
Domestic Travel Restrictions & Quarantine Rules
Now let’s turn to the state-by-state quarantine rules. For its part, Florida does not have any quarantine requirements, travel bans, or restrictions in place for those arriving from other states. Governor Ron DeStantis issued a series of executive orders rescinding all of those in fall of last year, and Florida Fully Reopened in September.
In short, there is no quarantine rule that will impact you going to Walt Disney World. However, returning from Walt Disney World is another story entirely. Many states have quarantine rules in effect for residents returning from Florida or visiting from out of state. Here’s a rundown of quarantine rules for various states and cities. (Note: the aforementioned CDC travel guidance for vaccinated people was just released on April 2, 2021 and many states haven’t yet had a chance to update their rules accordingly–within a few days, all will align with the CDC guidance.)
New York has announced that domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another U.S. State or U.S. Territory. It’s still recommended as an added precaution, and completing a health form is still necessary.
New Jersey has already shifted from a mandatory to a voluntary quarantine, as has Connecticut. This is significant, and the Tri-State Area is all lumped together up top, because this trio has had some of the more stringent rules in the contiguous United States.
California‘s travel advisory has been relaxed for the fully vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, avoid non-essential travel. If you must travel, get tested 1-3 days before travel and 3-5 days after travel. After travel, self-quarantine for 7 days, no matter what your test results were. If you didn’t get tested, self-quarantine for 10 days.
Maryland‘s emergency order to limit all travel to essential purposes only still appears to be in place. All Marylanders who do travel outside of Maryland or any individuals who do travel to Maryland must either obtain a negative test result or self-quarantine for 10 days upon return home.
Kentucky‘s travel advisory now discourages all out-of-state leisure travel until further notice. Those who do travel out-of-state for leisure travel are urged to voluntarily self-quarantine upon return to Kentucky or follow CDC guidance for alternate options to shorten the quarantine period.
Minnesota highly discourages out of state travel for non-essential purposes. Incoming visitors and Minnesotans who travel out-of-state are asked to stay home and quarantine for 14 days. Consistent with CDC guidance, a shortened quarantine period may be possible.
Rhode Island‘s rule is that those arriving will need to quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. Quarantines can be shortened with post-arrival testing. Those who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine if asymptomatic.
Both Maine and Massachusetts have nearly identical rules in place, right down to the exception for fully vaccinated individuals.
Pennsylvania has rescinded its quarantine rules. Now, travelers are simply advised to practice appropriate public health measures to slow the spread.
New Mexico also rescinded its mandatory quarantine rule. Visitors from anywhere outside of the state will instead by strongly advised to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.
Vermont no longer requires quarantine for those who are fully vaccinated (it has been 14 days since your final vaccine dose). Anyone else traveling to Vermont must quarantine for 10 days.
New Hampshire requires a 10-day quarantine upon arrival, except for fully vaccinated people. If you have not had any symptoms, you have the option to get a PCR test and end your quarantine with a negative test result. You must continue to monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days.
Kansas no longer has a quarantine requirement for Florida. However, it does have one for mass gatherings of more than 500 where you did not socially distance and wear a mask. Walt Disney World has such rules, so this arguably does not apply.
Both Alaska and Hawaii have very similar mandatory 10-day traveler quarantine and passenger verification process for anyone traveling to those states. This has nothing to do with Florida, specifically.
Out-of-state travelers have the option to get tested via a trusted travel provider prior to their arrival, and show proof of a negative result, to avoid the quarantine.
Washington DC requires anyone engaging in non-essential travel to or from Florida and other states to self-quarantine for 14 days when they come to the District.
Same deal with Chicago’s Emergency Travel Order, which directs travelers entering or returning to Chicago from Florida and other surging states to self-quarantine for a 10-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state.
If your state has a test-out option, there are numerous diagnostic testing sites within a short drive of Walt Disney World. The closest is unquestionably the Disney Maingate Complex, which is near Animal Kingdom (and actually on-property). The Florida Division of Emergency Management operates this walk-up testing site daily from 8 am to 5 pm, and appointments are not required at this location.
The Disney Maingate Complex offers rapid testing, with results available in about 15 minutes. We’ve used this site and have had great experiences–never a wait, quick & easy, and friendly staff. Highly recommended!
Two alternatives with less convenient locations are the no-contact rapid tests at Walgreens or CVS. Walgreens has two locations: one in Kissimmee east of Disney’s Hollywood Studios (2274 Fortune Rd) or near Universal Orlando (5280 S John Young Pkwy).
CVS has two Orlando locations (13454 South Orange Blossom Trail & 7001 Old Winter Garden Road). Both have eligibility and appointment requirements right now, but are in the process of scaling up testing so it should become easier in the next month or two.
(If your state or city has a Florida quarantine order or advisory, we’d greatly appreciate it if you’d leave a comment letting us know. There is no nationwide database with this information, and searching state-by-state is a tough task. Thanks!)
International Travel
The CDC is expanding the requirement for a negative test to all international air passengers entering the United States. A test will be required before departure to the United States, and that will be combined with the CDC recommendations to get tested again 3-5 days after arrival and quarantine for 7 days post-travel.
The new administration issued an executive order reaffirming this rule, which is now in effect. It also requested that these policies be reviewed by the State Department, Homeland Security, Transportation Department, HHS, FAA, TSA, and CDC leadership.
Canada and the United States issued a mutual ban on non-essential travel across the land border last spring, and have extended that order each month since. People driving into Canada must provide proof of a negative PCR test taken in the United States within 72 hours or proof of a positive test result between 14 and 90 days before arrival, which is long enough for the illness to have passed, but not so long that immunity might have waned.
Travelers arriving at Canada’s land border points will also be required to take tests upon arrival. That is also the date that air travelers will be forced into a mandatory three-day hotel quarantine at their own expense and required to take multiple tests.
United Kingdom citizens are currently barred from entering the United States, with some exceptions–including those with close family members in the US, and certain other limited categories of visas holders such as diplomats. The limited categories of people who are allowed entry to the US must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.
Previously, were some flickers of hope about a New York to London “air bridge” that would restore flight routes between those two cities without a quarantine, thanks to rapid testing. We would caution against too much hope about this–there had been rumors of a travel bridge between the UK and US, but those have been quiet for months.
The same proclamation that bans travel to the United States from the United Kingdom and Ireland also applies to the European Schengen area. That means no one will be completing any Chateau to Castle challenges anytime soon.
This ban includes Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
It is presently unclear when and how this travel ban will be lifted–it could occur on a country-by-country basis, or a blanket proclamation. At this point, it is not expected to occur until Summer 2021 at the earliest.
In addition to United States-issued travel bans regarding arrival, Australians are restricted from traveling overseas. Exceptions exist for New Zealand and other countries that have the pandemic under control; the United States is not one such exception.
With vaccine distribution likely to take several months, there are concerns that these non-essential travel bans could last until 2022 if nations don’t come up with ways for people to safely cross borders. One such possibility is a rapid polymerase chain reaction test prior to travel. Airport testing is a viable option with results possible within 10 minutes, but the degree to which such a system could scale is debatable. (Although lack of demand for international travel may render that concern a moot point.)
In summary, a variety of international travel bans remain in place–by both the United States and other countries–that will make visiting Walt Disney World a non-starter for at least the next few months, if not the remainder of the year. Past estimates have pegged international tourists as accounting for 18-22% of all guests to Walt Disney World, so this could be a big blow for park attendance.
With regard to domestic travel restrictions, visitors from all 50 states are now welcomed to Walt Disney World without restriction upon arrival. When returning home, it’s a different story, as over one-dozen states have mandatory quarantine requirements or recommendations. Unfortunately, after some of these were rescinded, we’re now likely to see more quarantine rules reinstated or implemented due to Florida’s upward trends. If you have a 2021 trip to Walt Disney World and are visiting from out of state, plan accordingly, as a quarantine could be required when you return home.
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
Are you located in a state that has quarantines on travelers from Florida? How far into 2021 do you expect the travel restrictions to be extended? Do you have plans to visit Walt Disney World this spring or summer? If you’re an international reader, what’s your expectation regarding travel between your country and the United States? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
The NJ guidelines you listed aren’t quite accurate. It was always a voluntary requirement to quarantine after travel, but compliance was/is expected. The ramifications of this are that schools and workplaces tend to follow the state guidelines, and therefore require quarantine. NJ did reduce the quarantine requirement back in December from 14 to 7 days if you negative on the 4th day post travel, but that’s been the only change. Ironic that we still have a quarantine guideline because NJ is literally the worst state in the country in terms of daily Covid numbers.
‘NJ did reduce the quarantine requirement back in December from 14 to 7 days if you negative on the 4th day post travel’
Haha, this is the kind of thing we can expect from govt rules. If they think a negative test is good, why would I consider an additional 3 days of quarantine unless it was an excuse to work from home? Typical of this new “let’s follow the science, as long as it supports our agenda” blah, blah, blah.
Great info as always. I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you haven’t already shared it and I missed it, about if you think disney will require being vaccinated to enter or start using the vaccine passports. This is important as a DVC owner and AP holder to decide if we will continue to be a part of the disney family… what are your thoughts and opinion on this Tom?
” I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you haven’t already shared it and I missed it, about if you think disney will require being vaccinated to enter or start using the vaccine passports.”
I think it’s highly unlikely. The idea never gained much traction even from the companies that initially expressed support (and Disney was not one of those) and there was fairly strong backlash by the general public. If it were going to happen, we already would’ve heard about it by now.
It sounds like the European Union will likely use vaccine passports, but even there, it’ll only be optional and a negative PCR test will be an alternative.
We were just at Disney World and cast members told us that masks will be in place until the end of 2021. When I asked why, they said people might not get vaccinated.
I think it must depend who you talk to. I spoke to a cast member last week who said masks would be done by mid summer. I don’t think anyone really knows.
Even Disney’s CEO doesn’t know when mask rules will end, so frontline Cast Members certainly do not know.
Once again Tom has the drop the mike moment.
I would add that it changes from day to day hour to hour but I’m sure the CM’s, best to their knowledge, were being sincere and honest at that particular moment in time.
As Tom points out it’s not worth asking.
I don’t think it’s very fair that only California residents can go to Disneyland on reopening day. People who are out of state have also been waiting to go back to Disneyland for quite a very long time.
Well, life just ain’t fair. A lot of people don’t seem to grasp that concept. Just look to DC for a perfect example. As for Disneyland, as soon as we find out how they are ‘confirming’ what makes you a ‘local’, we will know what to do to ensure we fit that classification for any trip to L.A.
Tom, great job, as usual, in providing useful, factual data. I’ve been skimming over these types of posts all year, knowing that I was not going to be back in WDW until vaccines had been widely distributed. The last year has had a way of changing expectations, though, and I now find that my kids and I are scheduled to drive a terminally ill relative from Long Island down to her second home in the Florida Keys at the end of March. I’m being incredibly careful and detailed about stops on the way down, but couldn’t resist booking a night in a Ft. Wilderness cabin, in the hopes we can find an isolated spot to watch the Electrical Water Pageant and feel a little bit of magic. I’ve also booked a couple of night layover, for just me and my kids, on the way home, at Coronado Springs. I’m on the fence about actually visiting a park, but the Disney fanatic in me couldn’t resist booking park reservations for DHS. (My kids haven’t seen Galaxy’s Edge). My mom’s 9-days on a ventilator in March 2020 kicked off the pandemic in a very scary way, and my family has been incredibly cautious ever since. We haven’t left our home, other than for school and essential needs, and this trip feels like a very big step. I have a million questions about visiting durng Covid, but this one most closely relates to this post: Does anyone have a recommendation for a Covid test location near WDW? In order to comply with the test-out option in New York, we’ll need to be tested before we hit the road for home. My kids are excited about experiencing any kind of variety in Florida, but are still anxious to be allowed back at school in NY as early as possible. Thanks!
In a post on this blog somewhere I believe Tom said the Main Gate Complex at WDW has rapid COVID-19 testing.
Hi, It’s hard to tell someone else not to be afraid because we all have our own risk levels. I’m from NY. I went to WDW for two weeks last Aug with my wife. NY had gone from being the hotspot and FL was the new hotspot. We packed the car with food/drink and only stopped for gas/nature calls. We wore gloves on those stops. Normally we’d do this in two days w/ a stop over at a hotel or friends. We slept in the car. We are 69 and that was not pleasant but felt safe. We were there for two weeks. I went back for 9 days in the beginning of Dec for a planned trip where I treated one of our children’s family. Then we went back from Christmas Eve till Jan 2. All three drives were done same as the first. Rarely left the Disney bubble. One time was to go to the free covid testing site on Disney property. The testing area is located at the backstage Maingate Complex. The address is 3010 Maingate Lane Kissimmee, Florida 34747. The wait can take 45 to 90 minutes. It goes quite fast though.
I found Disney to be extremely safe. Safest place I’ve been to in the last year. In my community I go somewhere almost every day. Target, Shoprite, Lowe’s, Home Depot , Walmart, Church, doctor’s, dentist, barber’s, bank ATM, mechanics, DMV etc. My wife teaches in school. We both do a lot of volunteer work, especially with our Ecumenical Food Pantry which takes us to a number of places. I mention this because as safe as all those places are DISNEY tops them by leaps and bounds.
A lot of your safety anywhere you go is in your hands. For example on line you can stay back 6 feet but will sometimes have to politely ask people behind you to stay back. Some places like Beaches and Cream we asked to eat outside. Assess the situation, ask for a table further away if you feel too close. Cast members are great and bend over backwards to help.
Wear two masks if that makes you feel better. I did the time I went to the DMV. You can wear a face mask and also a face shield so your eyes are covered and have an added layer. I’ve not done that but many of the CM’s at Disney do this.
By March there will be a even more people (hopefully you too) that have gotten the vaccine. I hope this information helps. I’m not saying go or not go. Since you have to drive to FL I’d be much more concerned about any other place you’re trip takes you. Way more than DISNEY WORLD.
PS: You may want to rethink the Fort Wilderness Cabin.
I recently read a very positive article about Disney and covid but…
This is from an article published Jan 20th:
“According to Bloomberg, the cabins are being used as a place to let people stay who actually test positive for COVID-19 while at the resort. It’s the perfect location. The cabins create more distance between guests than any hotel room would, and they don’t share ventilation systems, so people can truly be isolated while they wait out the virus.”
You can check out the whole article at
https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2561678/heres-what-happens-if-you-have-covid-at-disney-world
Thanks, all, for the intel on the Maingate testing location! I’m not thrilled to hear about the Cabins at FW being used as a quarantine location! I have been to FW for HDDR a few times, but I’ve never stayed in or visited the Cabins area. Does anyone know how far apart the Cabins are spaced? I don’t want to expose my very vulnerable aunt to positive Covid cases, but if the cabins are widely spaced, I’m thinking it might still be safer than a hotel room that is sandwiched between two other hotel rooms. We are traveling with a small dog, so our on-property options are limited.
YMMV, but I would not hesitate to stay at the Fort Wilderness Cabins right now. Definitely better than a hotel room with interior halls from my perspective.
The cabins are spaced about the same as homes in an average suburban housing development. Transmission from one to another is virtually inconceivable given what we know about ventilation and indoor v. outdoor risks.
(Otherwise, I agree with Mickey1928’s prior feedback!)
Thinking about the points Tom makes he’s right. No hallways, excellent spacing PLUS I’ve seen DIsney’s cleaning up close when we stayed at the Treehouse in Dec. They clean above and beyond. Also we went to Fort Wilderness for lunch at P & J’s Southern takeout (excellent fried chicken and my wife the semi-vegan enjoyed her meal too). Ate outside, walked around, viewed the new Tri-Circle-D Ranch. Lots of space , very clean and no crowds. You can take a boat ride from there to Magic Kingdom then take a spin on the monorail before grabbing the friendship boat back.
Thanks for the intel, guys! Very helpful!
We just got back from two weeks in WDW. We stayed at AKL and Riviera. Both of those hotels were wonderful. Masking was happening in all areas of the resort, except the pools. The parks felt very safe, and we only saw a small handful of people who weren’t wearing masks appropriately. I will say that this is the very first time that none of us has gotten sick at WDW, so masks and cleaning seem to be working well. I say, go enjoy some magic!
Orlando International Airport now has some testing available (you can check the airport’s website for appointments), but only 5 days a week, and seemingly not certified yet by Hawai’i. We’re supposed to get direct flights to Honolulu in March, so I assume testing will be available for those passengers.
Maine, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and to some extent Utah have done well at containing the virus. I suppose they aren’t especially comparable to Florida, but it’s perhaps no accident that Seattle was among the first cities to be affected, and took immediate action. The IHME at the University of Washington is showing some cautious optimism about the epidemic, and their US briefing shows that other modelers are mostly sharing in that optimism. I’m worried that our governor is not saying much about masking or other preventive measures for the months ahead, until vaccine coverage is truly widespread (late summer?)
Kansas: Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where you did not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
Hi Tom, all these rules sound scary. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll make sure every single rule disappears before I ever head back to Disney (or anywhere else) again.
Unfortunately, Florida is a beachhead for the invasion of the B.1.1.7 mutant virus. This mutant is much (30%?) easier to transmit than the classic COVID-19, and epidemiologists expect it to be the dominant strain in the US in mid to late March. In other countries where B.1.1.7 has become dominant, it has produced a sharp surge in cases. The UK, Ireland, and Portugal have all had to close schools and impose tight social restrictions.
Thx for the info. Your info confirms what I found. My state (CO) doesn’t have travel restrictions. I haven’t traveled at all during the pandemic and have tried very hard to follow all guidelines, but I am in major need of a mental reboot so have decided to go to WDW in a month w/my hubby. Planning to double mask during travel and I was indeed getting worried about travel restrictions. My biggest concern is now the airports/airplanes, not WDW.
Are there any updates or guidelines for travellers who have received the vaccine?
I’ll also be interested in the results of current studies to determine whether those who have received both doses of the vaccine can still spread the disease to others. If the answer turns out to be NO, will WDW drop the mask requirement for those of us who can prove vaccination status? (Maybe give us a wristband like the ones we get for the Halloween and Christmas parties, indicating to staff/guests that we’re fully vaccinated and not a threat being maskless?) I’m about to receive my 2nd dose and Moderna says full immunity is reached about 14 days after the 2nd shot. So by mid-February, I will be very anxious to resume a normal life.
As I think Tom, others and I have said, that’s doubtful. Disney will wait to drop the mask requirement until they feel enough people have been vaccinated effectively to induce herd immunity and make any attempted lawsuits claiming they contracted the virus on Disney property laughable. They are not going to put cast members in the situation of arguing constantly with guests about their fake vaccination record being good enough, etc.
Replying to Jay D:
Getting both vaccination shots will not make you immune to the virus – it will lessen the effects if you should get it (think if it like the flu shot, if that helps).
I believe the recommendation is to continue masking and adhering to precautions until a large majority of the population is inoculated.
Does anyone have contacts or know what to do if you get Covid-19 while in the WDW area? I am trying to figure out what to do now that I have it.
Oh man, I’m sorry to hear that. Hope it’s a mild case. Can’t give advice on local matters like that though. I’d maybe call your normal doctor and ask their advice.
There are several location right there at disney that offer help you can call disney they actually are not running thw location but provided the health dept with areas to care and test for covid. I know there is one at one of the gates. Just call disney guest services they can help. Hope you get well soon. God Bless
Thanks Mrnico and Deborah. I am having moderate fever and cough (and more). I’ve been in touch with Disney, and I can tell you it’s very, very confusing. They’ve set aside an area for guests to recover, yes. And, I’ve received messages from the front desk to contact them because my rates will go up (they even asked me to come to the front desk… they clearly don’t know what is going on with me even though I am in that area).
Also, just so everyone is 100% clear, when I informed Disney I had Covid-19, they informed me that I had to leave the hotel and preferably within the hour. At that moment my fever was starting to progress into 102 and I was feeling it. I packed because I had to. They gave me an hour to find other accommodations. But, I couldn’t find anywhere to go (you can’t check into a hotel with C-19). I can’t get onto a plane. And, my rates here are about to go up because I’m past my previously planned check-out date.
It’s stressful. I’ll be honest; its also scary. I’m actually scared. I just hope I can get better and leave immediately. I am contemplating even driving home (very, very far away) over a few days because this is unnerving.
I have family friends that work at TWDC in California and they are stunned. They asked me if they can start a social media campaign. I asked them not to unless they get even more aggressive in moving me out (by pricing me out). If I didn’t have the cough, I think I’d already try to get on the road and get to California.
Please consider double masking (which is what I was doing except in the gym at my resort where I wore a single mask, but anti-maskers came in and refused to wear a mask so I left… a couple days later I have C-19). Wear a mask.
You can stay in a hotel just probably not a Disney hotel and you can probably get a good rate too.
it’s not uncommon because we have so many mostly empty hotels in Florida for people to recover in hotel rooms as to not get their family sick. Check on Priceline or Hilton and see if you can find a cheap rate for a couple days. Sorry this happened the anti maskers are out in force in Florida.
So you are sick and Disney is kicking you out for getting sick, and they give you one hour to do it. You wore double mask and still caught it. Thanks for sharing the info.
Are you lying about getting kicked out of your Disney hotel because you have covid? This article online says that Disney moves covid people to a Fort Wilderness cabin and let them recover there. https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2561678/heres-what-happens-if-you-have-covid-at-disney-world
That makes a lot more sense than make sick people move out in one hour and not care that they have no place to go.
Or has Disney stopped being nice and started kicking people out?
Probably not of much help, but the Florida Department of Health in Orange County (i.e. Orlando) has a COVID-19 call center 1-866-799-6121. They have undoubtedly responded to infected visitors and may have some suggestions.
Sorry to hear this but whomever stated fkorida is infamous for lack of mask, it is absolutely not true we have had the same rules in place as any other state. We all wear mask for everyone’s safety. I live here and have yet to encounter any area that is not informing the mask laws as well as temp checks. You can’t go anywhere they do not enforce the mask. So please don’t feel fret about coming back to Florida we floridians have your back.
Great job again, Tom. No shortage of work went into this and I appreciate the time and effort as well as your solid reporting. Just can’t wait to be able to come down again from Canada I’ll be there (on-site in the “bubble”) for a month straight haha!
Why is SC marked dark red?
Most likely just because the map hasn’t been updated.
The CDC did NOT reduce it’s recommended quarantine. They still recommend 14 days. They say your local health department may offer guidance to reduce that but the CDC itself still recommends 14 days of quarantine. Straight from their website:
“CDC continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus. CDC will continue to evaluate new information and update recommendations as needed. See Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing for guidance on options to reduce quarantine.”
Here’s the ‘see’ link referenced in your quote: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html
Once again TOM is correct.
I find him to be one of those rare people who does not allow his personal politics or that which would improve his personal fortune, to cloud his judgement, color his viewpoint or slip into his writing.
Looks like I will be using this more often than not.
Cases and hospitalizations are not “plummeting in every state.” And the more infectious, somewhat more lethal strains are rapidly becoming prevalent.
In which states are either increasing?
Tom is correct. 7 day average of new infections has dropped dramatically in the last week nationally and hospitalizations are down.
They (Fauci and also the CDC) believe the vaccine works against the UK and South African strains. If you look up US Vaccination Rate , there is a Bloomberg website that updates daily. US is now up to about 1 million vaccinations per day and that rate keeps increasing. Most states are around 6% , some much higher in percentage of people vaccinated.
Mike, what are you basing that statement on? And what are we talking about, a 0.008% lethality versus 0.007735619% or something? The time for fearmongering is past. Let’s focus on trying to reduce transmission through personal responsibility, and vaccinating folks to help build the herd immunity. This virus, just like other common ones, will continue to mutate forever now, or until viable hosts are extinct. With its origins and the research, it’s at least easier to fine tune a vaccine if needed to combat future strains.
Once again TOM is correct.
I find him to be one of those rare people who does not allow his personal politics or that which would improve his personal fortune, to cloud his judgement, color his viewpoint or slip into his writing.
Looks like I will be using this more often than not.
Nothing was mentioned about travelling if you have received the Covid vaccinations?
Anything on this?
Saw that the CDC said a negative test will be required coming into these USA, and vaccination records do not negate that requirement. Dumb.
You can still transmit the virus if you have had the vaccine.
I assume that’ll change once vaccinations reach a critical mass, especially if health passports end up being widely adopted. (I suspect they will, but who knows.)
Currently, Which are the quaratine requierement in Disney World parks if you arrive from Argentina?
Why is Michigan orange on the map?
“Florida’s approach has largely been vindicated, as states with stricter measures also saw similar spikes.”
No, sorry — it really hasn’t. All this shows is that family spread around holidays is very hard to stop because you can’t enforce that. That’s literally all you can conclude from that data. That says nothing of general precautions and what policy options work.
Please try not to spread misinformation in a pandemic. Thanks.
Except it’s not “misinformation”. It’s data. FL saw no more of an increase (actually lesser of one) than many of the states with strict lock down policies in place. You can’t stop the spread of a virus. Temporarily slow down? Maybe, but the key word there is temporarily. Lock downs don’t work. Well, except at crippling the economy. At that they are very effective.
Jeff, it doesn’t matter how clearly you lay it out in simple math and scientific evidence. Some folks are just going to keep parroting the same old stuff.
Jeff, You are 100 percent absolutely correct! Thank goodness for a voice reason.
Once again TOM is correct.
I find him to be one of those rare people who does not allow his personal politics or that which would improve his personal fortune, to cloud his judgement, color his viewpoint or slip into his writing.
Except for his astute affinity for that awesome show in Frontierland which is sadly currently closed…I mean, who actually trusts anyone who doesn’t like the bears? That’s like people who claim to not like bacon or cheese…
DL, the time for fearmongering is past. Let’s focus on trying to reduce transmission through personal responsibility, and vaccinating folks to help build the herd immunity. This virus, just like other common ones, will continue to mutate forever now, or until viable hosts are extinct. With its origins and the research, it’s at least easier to fine tune a vaccine if needed to combat future strains.
Hear!! Hear!!!
I make all my decisions based on Country Bears, bacon and cheese.
Mickey1928, I am still seriously bummed about not being able to get the chocolate-covered bacon at the Poly! It’s just wrong!
Tom – all I can say is Wow. Thank you for the effort of pulling all this information together.