Are Masks Still A Thing In Park? - FEBRUARY 2023

[Sparrow'sLady]

I AM NOT SEEKING A DEBATE OR OPINIONS ON EFFICACY. PLEASE DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A DEBATE THREAD. PLEASE.


I am traveling with a large group and although some of them do not wear masks at home they are asking if they should mask up in the parks. Two of them are 75 and have been pretty scared the last 3 years. They went to Vegas and Branson last year and wore masks, but I believe it was required in Vegas. One of them is not sure if she should because of the FL heat and she does not want to feel like everybody is "looking at her", so she asked me to post on her behalf. Are people still wearing masks or has that pretty much gone away?

Also, she is asking is Disney still selling masks in gift shops?

I suggested she needs to do what she feels comfortable with; this is a personal choice. When we fly she is wearing a mask, gloves and face shield. For some reason she is only self-counscious about this topic in the parks.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

I will not know until next week. I have a friend who was there in January and he said that there are not as many but some people do still wear them. I am not sure about selling them.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I would say about 1% or less of people are still wearing masks in the parks. I don't believe they are selling masks in the parks anymore and even if they were, the cloth masks they were selling are not nearly as effective as an N95 mask in terms of protection.

With that said, I've worn a mask in the parks (mainly on the busses and monorails) and no one has ever said anything to me about it. Do whatever you are most comfortable with. I would definitely recommend bringing your own hand sanitizer and to wash your hands frequently.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I can't answer if they're still selling them. But we were there twice in the last 2 months. We still have family back home to take care of, so we take personal precautions and have masks with us at Disney. We wear them in crowded places, especially indoors. The amount of mask wearing, though, is very, very low. That's why we have them - our choice. Not one person questioned us about wearing them - personal choice for personal reasons.

 

[PrincessV]

I’m high-risk and do continue to wear a KN95 mask anywhere I’m in close quarters with others. At WDW that’s all public indoor spaces and anywhere outdoors that I feel a need to (crowded queues, for instance.) I am very much in the minority at any given time, but I can assure you WDW is the ONE place in my life where I don’t get negative comments or weird looks. I’m not bothered by masking in the heat, but I do bring a couple extras with me each day: it feels good to swap out after a few hours of sweating, and it’s good to have a backup if a mask’s elastic breaks.

If it helps, I’m in the parks often as a semi-local and have not been infected yet. The mask is one part of my safety protocol: I also don’t eat at indoor restaurants, and I never eat/touch my face/etc. without washing my hands.

 

[mistysue]

Last May it was maybe 10-15%. At the end of January we only had one night in MK, but masks were unusual. If she feels all that is needed on a flight, she may be more comfortable with a mask at interior locations where there is lower airflow.

 

[PrincessV]

Oh, as for the selling part - I feel pretty sure I still saw some in the vending machine outside the TTC restrooms next to the ferry dock last month, but that was the only place I’ve seen them. But as noted above, they were fabric masks that offer little protection compared to KN95s or N95s. And they’re pricey compared to what can be had in bulk.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

When we were there in December, I'd guess maybe 5-10% of people were wearing them? I don't think anyone will look twice if a 75yo is wearing a mask at the parks. I feel like it's similar at the grocery store, where you may see more older people wearing masks still.

 

[dina444444]

The parks aren’t selling masks anymore. Also, given the updated data around masks I likely wouldn’t wear the cloth ones they had been selling. I wear the FLTR general use masks that Costco sells or a KF94 as I still mask indoors about 98% of the time and did on my last WDW visit in January. You’ll see a handful of other guests wearing masks, but are more likely to see cast members wearing them.

 

[Beer Me]

Hardly anyone does but you won’t (or at least shouldn’t) feel like a weirdo if you do. I always had one with me for our trip a couple of week ago and wore it in crowded indoor queues or whenever I felt like it.

 

[rdaky]

There are still people wearing them. There are still some cast members wearing them, too. It's definitely a minority. But I don't think most people even seem to notice or pay attention to who is wearing one. I've never seen anyone mention it as an issue or have any comments about it. It seems just as matter of fact as someone wearing or not wearing glasses, from what I have observed. Not a big deal.

 

[DeeBee3]

Sounds like it's completely up to your traveling companions and she should just do what she wants. From the description, it sounds like she already says yes to masks. She should do what she wants and not worry about others. That's not the point.

 

[JodyK]

Without Disney selling them at gift shops, if you needed to get some while there you could get them delivered from any of the delivery services, amazon, walmart, target, shipt etc

 

[thanxfornoticin]

They'll definitely see more masking at the airports and on the planes than they will at Disney, but there are people out there still doing it. A recommendation that they might already know, and we use a lot, is a lanyard to hold the mask - simple on and off with the mask, when needed, especially during the hot days. Again, personal choice.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Without Disney selling them at gift shops, if you needed to get some while there you could get them delivered from any of the delivery services, amazon, walmart, target, shipt etc

Agreed - and the N95s/KN95s are quite inexpensive now......

 

[Miffy]

There is zero stigma to wearing or not wearing a mask. Tell your friend that it's okay to wear a mask where they feel comfortable wearing one. Other people do, too, just not as many as, say, in 2020 right after the parks reopened.

I still mask indoors (except when I'm eating), in all transportation, and outdoors if there's a big crowd.

Except for a rideshare driver from the airport 2 years ago, no one has ever said anything to me about it. And, frankly, I wouldn't care if they did.

Meanwhile, tell your friend to bring their own masks with them. They don't take up much room in luggage and I seriously doubt there are decent masks for sale anywhere in the parks.

Also, even though there used to be hand sanitizer dispensers at the exit of many (all?) rides, there are now practically none. Or maybe none at all at this point. I haven't been since December. Bring hand sanitizer with you as well.

Please tell your friend not to be influenced by what others may or may not be doing and that no one will care or comment on what they are doing.

 

[dina444444]

Also, even though there used to be hand sanitizer dispensers at the exit of many (all?) rides, there are now practically none. Or maybe none at all at this point. I haven't been since December. Bring hand sanitizer with you as well.

Theres basically none and they are also rarely filled, this is the case over at UOR as well. It’s my one gripe with WDW, at DLR they installed permanent Purell hand sanitizer dispensers all over the parks and they keep them filled. You can walk more than 30-40 yards without seeing a dispenser.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

A few months back I saw masks still on sale in some places at WDW, but not prominently displayed. They were somewhat off in a corner so to speak. Also, as others have said they were cloth, and didn't look all that great quality to me.

The hand sanitizer stations are gone.

It would probably be best to bring a supply if your party plans to wear masks/use hand sanitizer. Even if you aren't sure, being prepared sounds like it might be the best approach.

It might also be helpful to bring some rapid tests in case anyone starts having symptoms.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I AM NOT SEEKING A DEBATE OR OPINIONS ON EFFICACY. PLEASE DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A DEBATE THREAD. PLEASE.

When we fly she is wearing a mask, gloves and face shield. For some reason she is only self-counscious about this topic in the parks.

This I have not seen for some time.

A more subtle option, perhaps, that I have seen is people (recently) wear is 2 masks with glasses. Mind, I am not in saying what she should wear.

Many places sell clear lens glasses that are not vision correcting, but just for fashion or filtering blue light. They are inexpensive and readily available.

Double masking is invisible if the top mask is bigger than the under-mask.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Thank you for all of the helpful responses. I am going to share with her/the rest of them this weekend.