Disney World has made many updates to its mask requirements since reopening last summer.
Face Mask Signs
The parks have strictly upheld their face mask policies to promote safety for all guests and Cast Members in line with health guidelines. Masks must be worn at all times, with the exception of eating and drinking while stationary, swimming, or sitting in a mask relaxation station. Now, there’s been a change regarding when guests must wear face masks.
The newest change will affect how guests wear masks when dining at a Disney World restaurant.
Garden Grill
The new policy shared on Disney’s website states that when dining at a restaurant, guests must wear face coverings while standing, waiting, or sitting in dining locations. This means that the only time guests are permitted to remove masks is while they’re actively eating or drinking.
©Disney
Previously, guests were allowed to remove masks once seated at their tables. Now, according to the Disney World website, they must remain intact unless eating or drinking.
Plaza Restaurant
In our experience asking Cast Members about this policy in Disney World today, full roll-out of this policy hasn’t yet happened in all restaurants.
Chef Mickey’s
A few weeks ago, Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, shared that required masks and social distancing within the parks are expected through the end of this year.
Distancing Barriers
We’ll be sure to share any more updates regarding Disney World’s mask policies. Check back with us for more Disney news!
Mask Requirements for Water Parks in Disney World
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Have you dined at Disney World since it’s reopened? Tell us in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
The mask requirements in Disney are ridiculous, especially when outdoors. If people are that paranoid, they don’t need to be visiting an amusement park.
Well, just confirmed I won’t be going to eat at DS. I’m local but lost my business, probably forever.
I’m sorry but this is absolutely ridiculous…
You’ve got to be kidding. It’s almost like they’re trying to decrease demand for dining. This is insane.
That is the most ridiculous rule I’ve ever heard. What kind of vacation is that? It’s hard enough to breathe with a mask on as you walk around the parks all day so at least when you’re sitting at a table with people you’re comfortable with you should be able to eat, breathe, relax, and enjoy your meal. That makes me not even want to come and I have 2 trips planned later this year. Might need a néw vacation destination so I can be comfortable.
This is why I didn’t want to go to the Disney parks until they relax the Covid restrictions. It’s not about safety in my opinion. People are saying that even after we get the vaccine we have to use social distancing and the masks. I don’t want to feel like a science project on my Disney vacation.
I am not an anti-masker at all, but these restrictions seem a tad ridiculous and illogical. If these restrictions stay, why would anyone eat at a Disney restaurant? We are heading down in May and would definitely have made a different choice if we would have known these restrictions were in place. We will be eating after hours and offsite.
This is ridiculous, we were planning a 8 day trip this summer but with the heat and little kids… they’ve pushed this too far. We’re out!
Another way to kill the restaurant business in disney springs. As a local I do eat at the park restaurants. But CityWalk it will be from now on.
What if people are exempt from wearing a mask . Will they need to provide proof from a doctor ?
If so this is against the Equalty act 2010
I’m considering canceling my trip. I’m disgusted with this nonsense . Have they had incidences of covid we haven’t heard about? Are they just not saying? Or are they going to increase the percentage of people they will be allowing in the park? Or maybe it’s something else. Just stop enough is enough
Yes moderate it. I’m sure u won’t print it
Well, just order a drink unless they are stating you have to remove back and forth between sips.
Time for this to end! Boycott all food and drink purchases in the parks and they would charge it back in a week.
This is getting way out of hand. Do you have to touch your mask even more, after telling us not to touch our masks. Incredible!
Things are getting better. So many have recovered, vaccines have been given and we are just getting more strict. Not making future trips to DW look bright.
Mask wearing was very strict, which I don’t have a problem with and eating stationary wasn’t a hassle if the boys wanted snacks we probably were ready for a rest and we always found a table to eat at for our lunches. I think they are doing the very best they can with what they have to deal with we still had a very magical experience
Oh yeah and the mask chains were genius, many time we saw kids mask on the ground. Our kids never lost their mask and it Made it great for when you eat, didn’t have to lay your mask Down That was GREAT advice thank you
More reason to avoid Disney.
Not here for it. This does NOT make me want to spend my money at a Disney restaurant.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! 🙄 Cancelling my trip for September! You all have lost your minds.
You have to mask when seated at your table….. but you can walk around at the water park together without them unless in a designated area. We were huge Disney fans and masked up as required on our last trip, but the lunch breaks were a much needed break from the mask – All while seated together with our own family. The Disney double standards are becoming frustrating.
Why in the world do masks need to be on once seated at a table? This is totally unacceptable. I will not be dining on prompt until this changes. I spend over $15,000 for a family trip to be relaxed for our daily family meal
The last time I went to WDW Epcot during Thanksgiving, a friend & I went to take a break at one of the quick stations (sorry I forgot the name) and we took our masks off. Eventually a cast member who was cleaning up told us we had to put our masks back on unless actively eating or drinking. So definitely think it was happening in certain locations prior to this announcement. But totally makes sense.
Actively eating or drinking……………. To me, my opinion, my intrepretation is: You go into a restaurant with a mask on and keep your mask on until water is brought to the table. After water is brouhgt you are actively drinking. Is the VERY different part the two minutes it takes for wait staff to bring your water between sit down and mask take off??
Just keep going the wrong way, dont you Disney.
the happiest place on earth aint so ☻ ☺ happy
Lol will not b going here for a long time til the mask requirement is gone completely. Sorry I dont spend tons of money to b uncomfortable and miserable. I’ll spend money elsewhere.
So it sounds like you basically can only take the mask off between bites and sips? This is with things getting better too. I guess I am staying away for sure for probably all of 2021 unfortunately. Hopefully that might change though.
The way I read this “New Rule” concerning the wearing of masks, it sounds like guests are expected to re-mask between every bite of food or sip of their drink — is that the way this “new rule” is being enforced? The “actively eating or drinking” portion of the “new rule” is confusing since I noticed back in January that most people kept their masks on until their food/drink actually arrived, & didn’t remove them just because that sat down & ordered. I think some clarification of this “new rule” is in order!!!
In fairness: that is what I am already doing now. And if I see my server coming towards my table, I put down my fork and pick up my mask so that they will be protected during our interaction.
With the increase in cases in Florida….and the fear that spring breakers will bring a new surge, I am hoping there are managers in every restaurant enforcing this policy. It isn’t the servers who should have e to deal with these anti maskers…and there are far too many based on their comments on another Disney blog.My husband is dead…I don’t want to be next.
We are going to be at Disney next week. It looks as though we will be doing most of our dining outside the park. This new rule is lunacy
There is simply no logic to explain this ridiculous decision. Plus, we aren’t discussing any ordinary restaurants, these are VERY expensive compared to the norm. In many cases guests already paid a park ticket on top of that just to be treated like an irresponsible virus grenade! So much for “customer service”:(
Oh well, the loop hole has been plugged
Absolutely absurd! We won’t be visiting anytime soon.
Very disappointed in the lack of enforcement of policies in the parks! We r here as we r AP and they r set to expire 4/20. Staff is apathetic and so not enforce mask rules. Pinch points r crazy with no masks and no space. Brown Derby told us when we sat you can take your masks off here. I am an RN and wear a mask as a sign of respect for servers. The apathy is awful. Glad this will be put last trip for awhile!!!!! We will see if they enforce this new mask mandate as we r here thru 3/8. Left AK today due to overcrowding and poor enforcement. Very disappointed! Shane in Disney!.
This is really stupid!! Just stupid!!
The guidelines they had in place already were working just fine! There have been no mass break outs of the virus traced back to WDW since it opened eight months ago! If it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it!
Gary says
February 24, 2021 at 2:37 pm
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hmmm Kim and Holly you’re absolutely correct the science is not there .As I said in a previous comment which was still under moderation I do not know if it got printed there’s two ways out of this get the vaccination or herd immunity . Dr. Falsey is wrong according to my doctor the cure of wearing the mask are worse than the disease itself I will not go back down there until masks are gone so Disney and the government are really going to make me cancel my vacation four times in a row wow it’s all about the power sorry to interject politics into this but this is what it is all about I am still in shock that we’re still doing this and dealing with this sorry to be so abrasiveBut the truth hurts doesn’t it. Lots of people are scared of future reactions to the vaccines. And people should be worried about the long-term effects of wearing these mask so I guess I have to make my reservations for 2023 now unbelievable
This is ridiculous.
If you would post my past comments I have a lot to say on this issue thank you Sarah
This is getting out of control now. Look, a lot of folks are scared of the Virus, I get it, but a trip to WDW is NOT a life and death requirement. If you really are THAT scared of the virus, if you are in truly vulnerable population (risk factors, elderly) then maybe you should just stay home? I think for those who choose the risk, and especially those who have gotten their vaccination or are at a young age it should be THEIR decision. This is getting really overblown now.
That is so ridiculous!!
So ridiculous.
Does this updated mask policy apply when dining at restaurants with outdoor seating?
Please define, “ actively eating or drinking.”
Does this mean that we can remove our masks once our drinks & food are delivered to our table?
I am not going. This is ludicrous. I want to enjoy the parks and with national numbers dropping fast why is the more strict mask requirements. We have been actively planing on hosting my extended family, 13 or 15 people. I guess I am not welcome if Disney is trying to open California and using Florida as a test bed for mask policies. I am not happy. Planning the trip is half the fun. I am stopping for now and see how things go.
Quite a bummer. The cast members in the restaurants will take on too much now. They must mask up their entire shift, deal with all the verbal abuse from angry guests, and now politely asking guests to leave to keep the tables turning over. Many will eat slow and sip on multiple refills to squeeze more time spent without a mask at the table. Time limits on your restaurant meal could be next if this gets out of hand. 🙁. Cast members put up with the worst situations to make your day magical and somehow smile the entire time. Hang in there cast members! Without you, no magic!