Disney World, Disneyland Will Require All Guests Wear Masks Indoors Regardless of Vaccination Status

Disney World

Disney World

Olga Thompson/Walt Disney World Resort via Getty Images

Disney World and Disneyland on Friday will both reinstate an indoor mask mandate following the Centers for Disease Control’s latest guidance.

Starting July 30, the Florida and California theme parks will require all guests ages 2 and older wear face masks indoors, including on indoor rides, regardless of their vaccination status. Masks will also be required while riding Disney buses and shuttles, the monorail, and the Disney Skyliner.

Masks must have at least two layers, fully covering a person’s nose, mouth, and under the chin. They must not include any valves, mesh, or holes.

Face coverings will remain optional for all park-goers outdoors.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people wear masks indoors “in areas with substantial and high transmission,” which includes the counties both parks are located in. The recommendation comes amid a surge of coronavirus cases around the country, largely attributed to the highly contagious delta variant.

The new Disney policy reverses a decision last month to ease mask rules in the park for fully vaccinated guests. The park never ceased requiring masks while riding Disney transportation.

The parks aren’t alone in bringing back a mask mandate: Los Angeles and the state of Nevada have reinstated them as well.

Disney World first re-opened in July 2020 with masks required. Disneyland only re-opened in April, limited to California residents initially, before reservations were expanded to out-of-state visitors in June.

While masks will now be required, both parks have exciting plans coming up. At Disneyland, character dining has just returned, while Disney World has big celebrations planned for its 50th anniversary later this year, including giving away free trips to the park.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel Leisure. When she’s not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.

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