Will WDW lift mask mandate?

[DisneyElite4]

Pure speculation, as I have no idea what they will do, but I also have doubts the mask requirement will be dropped at Disney in the next six months, as much as I may want them to. I definitely think it’s a possibility, just not a huge one. I do think the other theme parks in the area will drop theirs first, and Disney will follow eventually, but my uneducated guess would be the fall at the earliest for Disney, but most likely Spring 2022.
With that said, what I do think could happen before they are lifted is less strict enforcement. So meaning that the rules are still the same, but maybe the signs are slowly removed, the loudspeaker announcements are played less and less, CMs slowly stop reminding people to pull their mask up or be stationary while eating, those types of things.

 

[whiporee]

I don’t see how it’s in Disney’s best interest to drop the mask mandate anytime soon (by soon I mean probably before 2022). They can easily increase capacity etc. and keep the mask mandate in place as a symbol that they’re doing some thing to keep guests and cast members safe.

My question with anything is- how does Disney benefit from this? If Disney is getting the attendance numbers they are with a mask mandate in place and why would they drop it prematurely and risk another closure? As I said before I could see them easily increasing capacity but keep the masks. Whether that makes the most sense is irrelevant; it’s about what helps their bottom line and still feels like they’re putting guest safety at the forefront.

I don't think they can get to full attendance with masks and enforced social distancing. I don't even think they can get to 50 percent when those thing are still in play. Attendance in the 60s and 70s requires tighter bus fits than they can do with distancing, and I don't think they can do distancing without masks or vis a versa.

I also think, for as much as we disparage them for being money-grubbing and such, they'd really like to get back to business as normal. I think they'd like to use their expensive fireworks and projection equipment again. I think they'd like to get back to FPs, and I think they'd like a reason to rehire much of their laid-off workforce. But they can't do that as long as there are any degree of mandated prohibition in place. So I think they are eager to get rid of these priohibtions as soon as they can.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I think we're quite a ways away from the point where the CDC no longer recommends wearing masks.

i agree. But the announcement is a step in the right direction.

 

[dreamer17555]

I don't think they can get to full attendance with masks and enforced social distancing. I don't even think they can get to 50 percent when those thing are still in play. Attendance in the 60s and 70s requires tighter bus fits than they can do with distancing, and I don't think they can do distancing without masks or vis a versa.

I also think, for as much as we disparage them for being money-grubbing and such, they'd really like to get back to business as normal. I think they'd like to use their expensive fireworks and projection equipment again. I think they'd like to get back to FPs, and I think they'd like a reason to rehire much of their laid-off workforce. But they can't do that as long as there are any degree of mandated prohibition in place. So I think they are eager to get rid of these priohibtions as soon as they can.

I was hoping somebody could tell me what the average attendance day for Disney was like pre-pandemic say at the end of February early March? Because besides spring break, holidays, etc. I didn’t think Disney was that far off the mark for actual attendance. Capacity is something else entirely but they normally don’t hit capacity.

Does anyone have that information?

I think they could absolutely loosen the distancing rules and keep the masks. Why can’t they? At the start of this they were limiting every other seat in some attractions or entire boats to yourself and they quickly figured out a way around that in a way that’s mostly theater and has nothing to do with the safety.

adding on- I think the idea of the Disney won’t say something like due to the drop in cases we are going to relax some of our socially distance lines and make it a little easier for people not to stand in the blazing sun but we still are requiring masks to keep guests safe seems absolutely logical and plausible to me. Some guests aren’t particularly adept at staying on their socially distance marker anyhow so this would get the lines out of the walkways- less heat exposure for some attractions and still has the perception of keeping guests safe (notice I said perception not necessarily reality like putting those plexiglass dividers everywhere that don’t do much).

Reducing socially distancing on the buses would be beneficial to Disney directly.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I don’t see how it’s in Disney’s best interest to drop the mask mandate anytime soon (by soon I mean probably before 2022). They can easily increase capacity etc. and keep the mask mandate in place as a symbol that they’re doing some thing to keep guests and cast members safe.

My question with anything is- how does Disney benefit from this? If Disney is getting the attendance numbers they are with a mask mandate in place and why would they drop it prematurely and risk another closure? As I said before I could see them easily increasing capacity but keep the masks. Whether that makes the most sense is irrelevant; it’s about what helps their bottom line and still feels like they’re putting guest safety at the forefront.

Disney could benefit by removing masks if a) more people came due to the mandate being lifted (with increased capacity of course) b) by removing the mandate their workers would be safer physically from confrontation, have less stress trying to enforce masks, more smiles and more enjoyable work experience. I imagine the stress of that is a big burden and once being vaccinated, or the general public who wants it is vaccinated, seems like too great of a stress without any justification, to continue.

 

[dreamer17555]

Disney could benefit by removing masks if a) more people came due to the mandate being lifted (with increased capacity of course) b) by removing the mandate their workers would be safer physically from confrontation, have less stress trying to enforce masks, more smiles and more enjoyable work experience.

I don’t think Disney is anywhere close to having the staff for a full capacity park. I keep thinking of just how many cast members have been laid off and not recalled and also about the Disney College program which Disney was leaning really heavily into for staffing and how they haven’t revived that. I really don’t think the attendance at the parks is the issue as much as getting those hotels open and operating so the Disney can once again turn a profit there. I actually think with the shorter hours and the attendance being pretty close to what an average attendance was while keeping less entertainment cast members working is probably helping Disney’s bottom line right now. I’m sure they’re going to want to open things back up but it’s not going to be fulltilt and increasing capacity, minimizing socially distance line seems like the first step with masks being the last.

Also if they reduce some of the social distancing in the gift shops and can get rid of those lines that would be a smart move. It’s hard to impulse buy when you have to wait to even shop.

 

[b2k1121]

There is another facet that isn’t being discussed....cast members. Many of them want to stop wearing them too especially as more and more get vaccinated. It’s reasonable that by fall all cast members can be vaccinated if they choose if not sooner. A lot of these rules are about keeping their employees safe. It’s pretty proven now that it’s gonna be very hard to ever trace an outbreak back to the theme park.

There very well could be a push to reduce masks to at least indoors and in line by vaccinated cast members.

I'd be willing to bet my entire life savings that there are more cast members that prefer all guests are masked than there are cast members that want to stop wearing masks themselves.

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry . The CDC dose not mandate anything.

Right, CDC issues guidelines based on science. Some businesses like WDW follow them. Some politicians follow them and some ignore them.

 

[TDSAXX]

I'd be willing to bet my entire life savings that there are more cast members that prefer all guests are masked than there are cast members that want to stop wearing masks themselves.

That may change once CM’s are vaccinated.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Despite people swearing up and down masks are keeping them and so many others away from WDW (some going on to eventually plan and take masked trips lol), I really think it’s a combination of pandemic related concerns and some of the major missing WDW things like nighttime entertainment keeping people who would otherwise like to go away. And when talking about this, I want to point out that I’m not speaking of theme park attendance but of people coming for full blown onsite resort WDW vacations.

If they do not remove the mask mandate for the foreseeable future, I don’t think that stops them from drawing vacationers in. People love Disney and vacations more than they hate masks.

 

[AvidDisReader]

The CDC is strictly a Scientific entity stating what in their analysis is best to combat and eradicate COVID. The original reasons for the shut downs/mask requirements were to pause the outbreak until there were enough hospital beds, ventilators, and vaccines. So what the CDC states is not what the politicians promised. It has become a bait and switch in that even though we have meet all the original requirments to loosen COVID restrictions, we are now being told we have to follow all CDC recommendations. I am tired to politicians continuing to move the goal posts.

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

I can see Disney dropping the requirement for masks outdoors sometime this summer. If Universal drops their requirement, I bet Disney follows suit within a week.

 

[dreamer17555]

I foresee more issues if masks are required only indoors vs policing it all the time. Get to the indoor part of the line only to realize little Sally dropped her mask back in that mass of people between Peter Pan and Small World. Defining indoors vs outdoor could be interesting too. Is under an awning indoors or not?

 

[b2k1121]

The CDC is strictly a Scientific entity stating what in their analysis is best to combat and eradicate COVID. The original reasons for the shut downs/mask requirements were to pause the outbreak until there were enough hospital beds, ventilators, and vaccines. So what the CDC states is not what the politicians promised. It has become a bait and switch in that even though we have meet all the original requirments to loosen COVID restrictions, we are now being told we have to follow all CDC recommendations. I am tired to politicians continuing to move the goal posts.

I don't recall anyone saying 'wear a mask for two weeks and you'll never have to wear one again'. No one ever said mask requirements were part of the initial push to flatten the curve. The push was for more extreme lock downs for a period of weeks to flatten the curve then we could start opening things up with less extreme measures like distancing and masks. No one ever promised after a few weeks that everything would go back to normal.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I foresee more issues if masks are required only indoors vs policing it all the time. Get to the indoor part of the line only to realize little Sally dropped her mask back in that mass of people between Peter Pan and Small World. Defining indoors vs outdoor could be interesting too. Is under an awning indoors or not?

Seems too much work with little benefit on their end. Do they really need to throw a bone to those who don’t like the masks when they’re largely coming anyways? Also gives them less leeway for gathering outdoors for things like shows and choke points in the parks.

I think they go all at once when they go.

 

[b2k1121]

I foresee more issues if masks are required only indoors vs policing it all the time. Get to the indoor part of the line only to realize little Sally dropped her mask back in that mass of people between Peter Pan and Small World. Defining indoors vs outdoor could be interesting too. Is under an awning indoors or not?

Yep, this is why they had to change the current eating/drinking policy to include being stationary. Predictably, people tried to take advantage of that and just carry a drink with them all day. Has to be all or nothing.

 

[NorthernCalMom]

They are saying now with the rollout of the J&J vaccine, everyone should be able to be vaccinated by end of May.

Actually, they’re saying that they expect there WILL BE ENOUGH VACCINE AVAILABLE for every US American who wants to get vaccinated—however, issues of distribution and of getting those shots into the respective arms in order to actually getting all those people vaccinated may take more time than that.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Once CDC drops it so will Disney. And their announcement today is a positive. But I think you’ll still see people in masks voluntarily.

I’m just hoping they are gone by November 2022.

The masks or the people voluntarily wearing them?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The masks or the people voluntarily wearing them?

Just mask mandates. Lol.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Make it optional if someone wants to wear 4 more power to them