Disney Park Alters Unpopular Policy In a Sign of the Times

Recently, Disney has been easing up on what some now refer to as stone age policies for its Parks, Resorts, and Cruise Line. A couple of days ago, Disney Tips reported that the Disney Cruise Line was sending out questionnaires to Guests, inquiring about their opinions on vaccination requirements.

The bold move seemed to suggest that Disney was having second thoughts about their pandemic policies onboard. Many competitor cruise lines have lessened and even dropped their restrictions, causing Guests to choose them as an alternative.

Shortly after, in an update to the article, we reported that the Disney Cruise Line decided to relax testing requirements based on Guest vaccination status. Those who have been fully vaccinated no longer need pre-cruise COVID-19 testing.

Now, Tokyo Disney is following suit with Walt Disney World Resort which recently removed all signs of COVID from the Parks, easing up on their seemingly outdated policies. The official website announces an alteration to the formerly tight restrictions. Changes will be implemented in a few days, starting September 1.

Guests are required to wear masks in general, but in the past, face coverings were optional for children under two years old. Now, masks are optional for older children, as long as they haven’t entered elementary school yet.

Another change to the guidelines is that Guests can remove masks if they are outdoors and practice 2-meter social distancing. They can also be removed during photo shoots and activities that don’t involve conversation.

Previously, Guests had to wear face coverings at all times except when they were dining, or temperatures were high. Tokyo Disney does request that Guests wear masks indoors and outdoors in crowded areas, but ultimately, they seem to be leaving it to the Guest’s discretion.

Although the Japanese Theme Park still seems behind in COVID-19 guidelines compared to Disney’s US Theme Parks, the changes are a sign of the times. Although slow in its progression, Tokyo Disney’s pandemic updates put Japan’s Guests one step further away from the unwanted, unprecedented, global event.

It’s a controversial subject; so what do you think? Are you for or against easing COVID-19 restrictions among Disney’s various offerings?