Could Mask Mandates be returning to Florida Theme Parks?

When the Florida Theme Parks reopened after being closed for months they required guests to wear face masks both indoors and outdoors as a way to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Slowly over time, they eased those Mask Mandates as positive COVID rates dropped below 5%. However, with the spread of a new Delta Variant making its way throughout the country, especially Florida where there has been a 70% increase in just the past month, could Mask Mandates be returning to Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World?

Recently Orange County Mayor Demmings is asking businesses to require masks indoors due to a rise in COVID cases. Local health officials and Governor Desantis are urging people to get vaccinated as the number of reported cases in Florida has nearly doubled, from 23,000 to 45,000.

Related – Disney World no longer requiring Face Masks outdoors

At a news conference on Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the spike in July was expected as the virus is following a seasonal pattern, and he stressed the importance of getting vaccinated.

“If you are vaccinated though, the number of people that end up hospitalized is almost zero, it’s incredibly, incredibly low, so I think there’s some misinformation out there where someone will say ‘oh these people were vaccinated then they tested positive,'” DeSantis said. “Understand, a positive test is not a clinical diagnosis of illness and so if you’re vaccinated and you test positive but you don’t get sick, well the name of the game is to keep people out of the hospital.”

With this spike in COVID Delta variant cases will this mean that Disney World and Universal Orlando could reinstate their mask mandates?

The Disney World website still requires face masks in many areas for Guests who are not fully vaccinated and optional for fully vaccinated Guests except on most transportation.

While face coverings are required for all Guests while in Disney buses, monorail and Disney Skyliner, they are now optional in most areas for Guests who are fully vaccinated. They do not require proof of vaccination, they expect Guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations and upon entering and throughout all attractions and transportation except ferry boats.

All face coverings (whether disposable or reusable) should:

• Be made with at least 2 layers of breathable material
• Fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin
• Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• Be secured with ties or ear loops and allow the Guest to remain hands-free

Face coverings should not contain valves, mesh material or holes.

Costume masks are not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn, in alignment with our existing rules.

Face coverings may have an integrated transparent plastic panel to aid in viewing the wearer’s mouth. These face coverings should:

• Be a fabric face covering featuring a solid plastic panel containing no openings that is attached to the fabric on all sides using tight knit stitching
• Meet all face covering requirements listed above

Fully Vaccinated Guests

Guests Who Are Not Fully Vaccinated

Please note, face coverings are not permitted while experiencing water slides or in the water.

Both Disney World and Universal Orlando follow CDC Guidelines on social distancing and face masks, and at this time the CDC has not made any updates to their suggested mask guidelines.

Just last week LA County changed Face Mask Guidelines stating that all guests vaccinated or not should wear Face coverings indoors. Only Universal Hollywood is in LA County as Disneyland is in Orange County, California. LA County is also seeing a huge spike in Covid-19 Delta Variant cases like Florida.

Given the rise in cases, it is safe to say we might see Face Masks returning to the Florida & California Theme Parks, if I had to guess Indoor Masks would be first and if the numbers do not stabilize then guests might be required to wear masks all the time like when the Theme Parks first reopened.

Keep in mind this is just speculation, we are closely monitoring the situation for the Florida Theme Parks, and if anything changes we will let you know here on Chip and Co.

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