Sign outside of Disney’s Animal Kingdom explaining yet another face coverings change Yes, in the name of this post I am talking about the face coverings policy. The latest information on the Walt Disney World website (as of July 27) reads as follows:
Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming. You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you should be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.
All face coverings (whether disposable or reusable) must:
- 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
At this time, based on guidance from health authorities, neck gaiters, open-chin triangle bandanas and face coverings containing valves, mesh material or holes of any kind are not acceptable face coverings.
Costume masks are also not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn, in alignment with our existing rules.
The use of face coverings is not a substitute for physical distancing.
The new part is:
…face coverings containing valves, mesh material or holes of any kind are not acceptable face coverings.
Universal Orlando Resort updated their face covering policy with similar guidelines a few days ago. You can read it in the company’s words here, scroll down to #4.
There are face masks with valves that also have filters. These help to prevent droplets from spreading when you exhale. The problem is, many of the face coverings with valves do not have a filter, or the wearer isn’t using one. These masks will give some protection to the wearer, but offer little to those around him or her. Disney does not have the time or manpower to inspect each mask with a valve right now. So, they made an across the board rule.
Believe it or not, there have been people wearing mesh masks or masks with holes. Technically they fit the old guidelines. I once saw a woman with a mask that was crocheted. There were holes as large as a quarter! If you don’t like this new rule, blame her, and people like her.
If guests don’t start paying more attention to the face covering rule, I have a feeling that it will be tightened even more. I was at Disney’s Animal Kingdom today, and I was shocked by how many people were not wearing them properly. They would fix them when near a Cast Member, and then pull them down to expose their noses again. They were also not wearing them in the parking lot, even though you’re supposed to anywhere on Walt Disney World property. There are a few exceptions, but walking in the parking lot isn’t one of them. While most of the rule-breakers did stay away from other people, there was one family in the park who didn’t. It was a family of five, and they blatantly ignored the rules because there were no Cast Members in the immediate vicinity.
No one likes wearing a face covering, but it is required if we want to go to Walt Disney World right now. This rule is not going to go away anytime soon. It’s not only Disney’s policy, it’s the law. Face coverings are mandated in both Orange and Osceola Counties. Coronavirus cases are through the roof in Florida, but Walt Disney World is currently a bit of a safe haven. We might not like face coverings and temperature screenings, but if these things can help to keep guests (including you and me) safe, then maybe they aren’t so bad after all.