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!
I am in Canada as well. Like Tom indicated – you cannot drive across the border – but you can fly to WDW if you are so inclined. You don’t have to quarantine when you get there, but have to quarantine for 2 weeks when you fly back.
This is all correct info. My daughter and grandson are US citizens living in Virginia. I am beyond ticked that I can fly there ( aboard a plane with who knows how many people), but I cannot drive; where I would come contact with NO ONE.
Makes no sense to me.
so wait you’re telling me you can fly to florida from CANADA without a quarantine but from new york we have to???
I can only speak to Canada travel…but that is correct. No quarantine from Canada. At this time from NY yes. Unless Florida Gov changes that, as Tom indicted.
I would suspect it’s because of the numbers. At least for Ontario. Our new cases are very low.
My family and I have had it and recovered, we tested positive with the Antibodies using the Roche test, the most accurate and have our lab test to verify. We were supposed to travel to Disney in late August ANOTHER reschedule of our original canceled trip from Easter time. Does anyone know if they make exceptions for people in our position?
This far, past infection and positive antibody tests DO NOT show immunity. We do not know if the antibody tests have anything to do with “neutralizing” antibodies. Also, antibodies have been shown to wane (even disappear) after a few months. As such, the so-called “immunity passports” have been quashed. Sorry! Please continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing. Thank you!
@Denise or Karen thank you for regurgitating everything that is hearsay. I never said we would not wear a mask or distance. Please don’t respond to my comments anymore.
Actually, I’m a trained (PhD) scientist, with 14+ years of NIH-funded research in immunology. And currently working as a healthcare provider, on the front lines (in NY) of this pandemic. I’ve witnessed, firsthand, the devastating toll, and so many lives lost. So I was most sincerely trying to help you to understand the science behind our current knowledge regarding these tests.
@Denise/Karen NIH 14+ years PhD scientist? trolling with condescending responses on a Disney Blog? Please troll elsewhere…. please don’t respond to my posts anymore. I thought that was clear but apparently you didn’t understand the first time so let’s try again…
Denise – thank you for reaching out and shining a light on facts people like me need to consider when it comes to the safety my family, at WDW or elsewhere. It’s also a helpful reminder to see fear react to knowledge.
I appreciate the work you’re doing for us. Be well.
I am a DVC member, and very sadly, just cancelled our annual trip to our home resort. Love this blog, and the wonderful photos and updates that Tom provides. Never been called a troll before, that’s for certain. My response was not meant to be condescending. Every day, while working in the hospital, I am obligated to educate folks about proper and consistent mask wearing and physical distancing. And to correct misinformation about the implications of past infection and/or positive antibody tests. Happy to provide my credentials, but I doubt you are interested in knowing that I am indeed genuine (whom I stated myself to be) and sincere. Stay safe and well!
Thank you Aaron! I really appreciated your kind comment. The harsh reaction to my attempts to help stung, a bit. You would think that I’d be acclimated by now. I guess I’m ever the sensitive and caring soul. Here’s to you and your family staying safe and well!
If you don’t want people responding to your comments, don’t post. You don’t get a pass on anything Docsmarmy.
Florida’s ban on travel from NY/ CT/ NJ is absurd at this point and should be removed immediately. Florida residents should inundate the governor’s office with demands for it’s expiration – this is a job killer / economic disaster for Florida. Masks, distancing and hygiene are what prevents spread of this virus and should be enforced. Playing politics with quarantines on states with far lower covid rates than Florida needs to stop.
obviously do not want to get anyone’s hopes up because this is hearsay but i read a post on facebook that someone said they called the florida department of health and they advised them that a list of states would be updated this weekend presumably for the 14 day quarantine. anyone hear anything about this? one would have to assume if they actually go through with this that the tri state would be taken off quarantine. but like i said don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up just passing the info along.
I just emailed him
mailto:[email protected]
Personally the only states I think we need to quarantine should be TX, CA or AZ. All other states should be putting a quarantine on Florida residents visiting considering how inept our Governor has been handling the situation here in Florida. I don’t think we need to quarantine the tri state area any longer unless they have an explosion of cases. My son and I are heading down this weekend for the opening. We are from Florida though (unfortunately) and will follow all stated guidelines
I’m in Canada, specifically one hour north of Toronto. Our Canadian and US borders are still closed but I noticed two of our major Canadian airlines are booking flights to Hawaii starting August. I’m thinking the travel restrictions may be lifted in August, but as you say, anything can change. Toronto has been hard hit but our country overall is doing well. I’m thinking no Disneyworld for me this year but maybe August 2021. I usually go every year. And I enjoy your posts.
I’m so sad about the political involvement tampering with my Disney vacation! I think the quarantine requirements and travel restrictions are completely political. My state is not required to quarantine in FL but my family would be required to complete a 14 day quarantine when we return home. I understand the northeast is trying to make some of it’s money back by forcing residents to vacation here but shame on them. I can’t leave the northeast and choose my own vacation spot but in 2 months they will be jamming innocent children back into classrooms not requiring masks or 6 feet of social distancing. Seems we are picking and choosing what works for us. I sadly rescheduled my Disney trip to 2021 and will be checking out the NJ shore this year.
So,
do they still have the quarantine rules in effect for travelers to Florida from NY/NJ/CT?
I was thinking of booking now that they opened up 2020 but not if I have to spend 14 days in quarantine and make a 1 week vacation a 3 week vacation.
I thought I read that the Tri State quarantines were ending around July 9th.
I understood the initial request for CT to quarantine. But now that our numbers hover around 1%. Telling us we can’t come to Florida without quarantining for 14 days seems like DeSantis is just trying to get back at us for out quarantine rules. I wish he could explain why California, Texas, Georgia and oher hot spot are welcome but we aren’t. It seems incredibly unconstitutional to me. If we can’t come, to be constitutional, Disney should stay closed because it isn’t fair to say that Just CT, NY and NJ can’t come.
Hi Shelley,
It is unconstitutional. But…I’m grateful no one is pursuing this in court.
Shelley…not quite sure what he’s thinking. He was the one that put the ban on us in the first place back in March because our area was doing so poorly, but now that their area is doing worse and the tri state put the ban on Florida he is keeping his ban on us as a form of payback? That’s only hurting his state as far as tourism dollars go, so yeah as much as it is upsetting that we can’t go right now, he is the one that looks like the fool. Especially since there is the reverse quarantine now which is going to limit the amount of people who can go to Florida anyway, it’s not like he’s going to lift the ban and Florida is going to be flooded with New Yorkers again. If it wasn’t for Disney or Universal, why would any sane New Yorker want to expose themselves to Florida at this time anyway?
Tom
Your photos are so wonderful. The theming of the Eastern Airlines poster with the travel update is smokin’. Fabulous. Thank you. Used to fly Eastern to Disney in the old days. Great memories Bet that I am not the only one who remembers this. Flight attendants would play games where the passengers could win prizes. Won a bottle of champagne on a long ago flight to see The Mouse House.
I loved that poster.
It’s funny, my first thought when I saw it was thatI still have the wings I got flying Eastern to Disney World in 1979. I was 5. I still remember wearing a dress(!) and our car overheating on the drive to the airport.
My daughter and I are going to Universal and Disney from July 21th to 29th. I live in NJ. She lives in PA. I left yesterday to come to NC. I’m going to hike for a week in the Boone area and head back up to PA to pick her up and go down to Florida.
I called the Florida governor’s office today to get some information on the order. They directed me to the Florida Health website stating that it had the most up to date information. I read the order and it states that anyone coming from NY, NJ. or CT must self-quarantine for 14 days. The order DOES NOT state that you need to quarantine if you arrive from “indirect travels” as stated in this blog. The order does not state “if you live” in these states. It says “direct all persons who enter the State of Florida from an area with substantial community spread.”
Just because I live someplace doesn’t mean I’m entering from an area with substantial community spread. I’m not in the state.
Furthermore, I think people would have a serious constitutional case against the state if they were to arrest you or deny you access when a neighboring state if much worse off.
yes i live in new york and if i wanted to drive to philadelphia and fly to orlando i would have no problems and in fact i wouldn’t even need to quarantine on the way back. now, i am fully prepared to quarantine for 2 weeks when i get home that was never the issue, it would suck but i’d have just spent a week in universal so i would be cool with it. but the going to florida is annoying, my airport is 20 minutes from my house i don’t want to drive 2 1/2 hours to fly another 2 1/2 hours, that’s just silly. And yes if i didn’t have a family and kids to worry about, i would probably just go down there and roll the dice, i just can’t take the small 5% chance that i am the one who gets checked up on and ruin this vacation for my kids.
just another reason this is so silly because people are doing it anyway and all you’re doing is stopping a very small amount of people trying to do the right thing from coming down and having a well earned vacation
MA has only lifted their 14 day quarantine to several northeast states. This is MA most recent information: (If I read this right you would have to quarantine 14 days if coming from Florida)
“All travelers arriving to Massachusetts — including Massachusetts residents returning home — are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, except that, beginning July 1, 2020, travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey arriving in Massachusetts are exempt from this directive and need not self-quarantine for 14 days. In addition, workers designated by the federal government as essential critical infrastructure workers are exempt from the directive to self-quarantine for 14 days if traveling to Massachusetts for work purposes. All persons are instructed not to travel to Massachusetts if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19”
We are planning on going to Disney World the last week in Decembèr, but if the Covid-19 numbers are bad then, will we be able to get a refund or credit for the tickets?
Sorry but this is confusing. I live in MA which is doing very well with Covid the last several weeks. We are scheduled to fly to Orlando in Aug but are flying out of Hartford CT airport because it’s only 90 minutes away and price was very reasonable. Does this mean we wouldn’t be allowed in to Disney without quarantining for 14 days even though we would drive directly from our home in MA to the Hartford airport?
Replying to MJ
Actually you are wrong-you probably don’t understand bc you are from CT (very geographically small compared to NY and by the way 4 hours from where I live in NY and more than that from Rochester) but most of New York State is NOT defined as tri-state area. Those of us who live many hours from NYC, LI, and Westchester never ever use that term to define where we live. We are usually careful to say we live in NY STATE bc so many in this country think all of NY is tri-state/city area. In fact Tom is correct. Rochester residents are in the Rochester metro area…not Canada.
Liz,
Wow. I do understand NY State’s structure– I’ve lived in NYC, the Hudson Valley, NY, and Upstate NY…. well over 4 hours from NYC. However, I’m aware some upstate NY residents don’t like the association with NYC, and some don’t use “Upstate” either.
My point was she’s closer to Canada than NYC (that’s just geography), so I get why she’s annoyed having a lower infection rate and being restricted nonetheless. I wish her and all those participating in this discussion trying to help one another good health.
Good night!
Does anyone know how they are enforcing the quarantine? And how is Disney being informed? It sounds like a lot of hot air from Desantis.
Many hotels are refusing to book reservations from the Tri-state area and/or cancelling existing res. Also, they can monitor your comings and goings with your room key. It’s frustrating because people can travel from hotspot states and that’s okay with Desantis. I hope Floridians remember all this when he’s up for re-election. I hope to be one by 2021 myself.
Its really a silly move considering the rate of infection is significantly greater in Florida than it is in the Tri-State area at this point. It comes off as petty considering the state of affairs in Florida
I would like to know where you got your numbers from. According to Johns Hopkins, the percent of positive results in FL is .0923 while in NY it is .0927. Yes that is really close, but still NY has a higher rate of positive results. Now on the death front, it’s no competition. FL has 17.7 deaths per 100,000 people, while NY has 164.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
Please let me know how FL has a higher rate in anything, than NY.
Sorry forgot my footnote.
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/states-comparison
@sml
Filter the numbers for the past month only and let us know how that changes things.
Hi SML, As I replied to a different comment, single, point-in-time data comparisons do not provide any meaningful information regarding the trajectory of infection rates, especially given the ~14-day lag for incubation. We are looking at the overall curve, over time. That is why using the 14 day rolling new infection rates (along with hospitalizations and deaths) have (or should) be used to determine when/how to “re-open” etc. check out this article: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/16/816707182/map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-in-the-u-s
Tom, Can anyone please clarify the definition of “Tri-State area?” I’ve googled it and most sources describe it as the areas around NYC. We live in Rochester, NY, so I’m curious if we are lumped into that NY, NJ, and Conn. area or not. I’ve looked at the orders for both Disney and the State of Florida and nothing seems clear. We have a trip scheduled for Sept. 1st and now the new order for the two week maditory quarantine goes through Sept. 5th now. The covid cases in our area have dropped dramically. Can anyone give us some clarification on this? Thanks, and I love your blog!
It is the entire states of NY, NJ and CT.
For the purposes of this order, it is all of those states–not just the New York City metro area.
It’s unnecessarily confusing as the order uses the Tri-State Area term, but it then erroneously defines that as those entire states.
The FL order defines tri-state as CT, NJ, and NY.
Tom,
That’s the correct term. Tri-state means all 3 states. It’s used a lot up here.
Julie,
Likely, the definitions you’re finding saying NYC Metro wrote the definition that way because the 3 states surround the NYCM. I get your point though, Rochester is probably more closely the Canada Metro Area! I feel your pain. We’re in the tri-state too and unless FL’s Gov and NY’s Gov make up in the next week, I’ve got to cancel our trip. (I’m in CT, but our Gov just does whatever Cuomo does!)
Thank you all for the replies. I’m an essential worker and have been looking forward to this trip all year, esp now. I guess we have some decisions to make 🙁
Help. We are going to Disney world July 15. And we love in NJ. We have been staying in Pennsylvania for the last three weeks. Can we still go to Florida we are flying in from Philadelphia. We would be staying at disney world for a week and then returning to Philadelphia and the NJ.
You will be fine. I live in CT and was staying in another state for the past few weeks before traveling to FL, and had no issue checking in at the resort. I even drove and had to show ID at the gate. I was prepared to prove i had not been in CT the past two weeks, but was never even asked.
Welp, D’Amaro and Valhe have cast the molds of their reputations and legacies. It’s just a matter time until we hear what sound those bells make.
I’ll just go ahead and start writing a Wikipedia page for it.
How come people coming from Texas, Arizona and California is not subject to 14 day quarantine?
right now those states have the highest rate of infection than the tri state region. This is pure political!!! The Governor of Florida has ruin Disney travels for hundreds of visitors coming from the Tri state region since they have the lowest infection rates and yet allowing visitors in from other states with spikes in coronavirus without restriction. This makes no sense from a safety point, it is discriminatory.
Does anyone know if the DVC hotels are actually enforcing this and denying entry to tri state area visitors/members? Other than the magical express how would the hotel know if someone quarantined at a relatives house for 14 days before arriving at the dvc resort? This makes no sense as the rest of the country spikes up and the tri state is actual stable and the lowest know. I watched a YouTuber fly from LAX to Orlando yesterday and he is walking freely around disney springs the same day after coming from a Hotspot state. How does this make sense?
NJ, NY & CT have much higher fatality rate, that is probably the reason.
Replying to WJ…not true…NY is a BIG STATE and the mortality (and infection) rate in many counties has ALWAYS been lower than Fl’s..even more so now…to ever have said the WHOLE state of NY is banned shows a lack of understanding of geography and demographics…but don’t worry our governor doesn’t grasp the demographics of his own state either -banning people to and from a whole state makes no sense-NO ONE should be saying that as we are ONE country!
I have been to Disney with my family on numerous occasions I get wanting to go. But isn’t there any other place you can vacation to and get away for a bit and reschedule to Disney when It’s more appropriate?
here’s the thing. I believe in the safety procedures that Disney and universal are implementing, and coupled with the low crowd sizes, this may be the BEST time to go. it is frustrating that they are open yet 3 states are being in effect prohibited from going. it’s silly at best and discriminatory.
It’s not inappropriate to go to Disney right now.
Mary Kate, with mask wearing, sickness potential, no parades, no fire works, no character greetings, hours reduced, ride limitations and the aggravation and stress of trying to get answers from Disney and for the same high price as I paid before the COVID situation, to me it is not appropriate to go now.