- Disney World said on Friday that guests vaccinated with COVID-19 still had to wear a mask.
- Some fans seemed surprised that the Florida resort had to clarify the mask rule.
- The policy is in line with the CDC, which says masks and gaps are still needed after the vaccine.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, updated its mask policy on Friday to specify that people who received the COVID-19 vaccine still need to use it, Orlando Sentinel reported.
The Disney World website presents the updated guidelines as follows: “Facial coverage is required for all visitors (over 2 years old) and cast members, including those who received the COVID-19 vaccine.”
“Please bring your own face protection and wear it all the time, except for dinner or swimming,” says the website. “You can remove the cover from your face while actively eating or drinking, but you should be standing still and maintaining proper physical distance.”
Disney World visitors wear masks in front of the park’s castle on the first day of reopening, after a nearly four-month closure.
Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The theme park requirement is in line with the guidance of the Disease Control and Prevention Center, which states that people who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, whether from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, still need to avoid close contact with other people and wear a mask.
The CDC says the vaccine helps protect the patient from contracting COVID-19, but it is still unclear whether the vaccination will protect people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to others.
Read More: What the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for the future of travel
Disney World fans shared mixed reactions to the park’s updated mask policy
In reaction to the Twitter update, some Disney World fans seemed surprised that the clarification about wearing the resort’s mask had to be done first.
—Ash (@_ohsnapitzash_) January 28, 2021
—Nick Miller (@ n1ck_miller) January 28, 2021
But other Disney fans said they feel the resort has made the “right decision” by appearing to ensure its mask policy is crystal clear.
—Buck9s (@ Buck9s) January 28, 2021
—Randy David Shinn Jr (@rjashinn) January 28, 2021
-Mateus! (@MattDotDisney) January 28, 2021
Disney World appears to have loosened some restrictions on COVID-19 since reopening in July 2020
After closing in March 2020, Disney World reopened in mid-July 2020. Some people criticized Disney’s decision to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, but hundreds of fans attended the resort’s reopening day, and attendees the park wearing masks have continued to visit ever since.
Visitors waiting to enter Walt Disney World in July 2020.
GREGG NEWTON / Gregg Newton / AFP via Getty Images
As Amanda Krause of Insider previously reported, in December 2020, photos from Disney-themed news outlets showed that some Disney World attractions seemed to no longer be spacing passengers in lines or at attractions. Insider’s Samantha Grindell also reported that Disney World in January brought back its park-hopping feature – which Scott Weisenberg, an infectious disease specialist, said could put visitors at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Disney World describes its COVID-19 safety precautions on its website and also lists the following disclaimer: “When visiting Walt Disney World Resort, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
For more information on what it’s like to visit Walt Disney World now, visit the park’s “Know Before You Go” page.
Walt Disney World Resort representatives did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Read More: Disney World is losing its magic and, as a longtime fan, I fear I will never return
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