Disneyland reinstitutes indoor face mask requirements for all guests as COVID resurges

Face masks will be required indoors at Disneyland Resort parks starting Friday regardless of vaccination status.

The rules apply to all guests ages 2 and up, according to a notice on the Disneyland Resort site. They will be enforced on most indoor attractions and all enclosed transportation.

The Anaheim, California, theme parks also strongly urge visitors to be fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test before arriving.

The resort had discarded face mask rules for vaccinated visitors at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, along with most social distancing rules, after fully reopening June 15.

Universal Studios Hollywood and Six Flags Magic Mountain already require face masks indoors, the Orange County Register reported.

The new rules are in keeping with revised U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on face masks as COVID-19 cases driven by the more contagious delta variant resurge across the nation.

The state of California also has urged people to resume wearing face masks indoors.

New COVID-19 cases have increased to roughly 7,400 a day in the past week in the state, about eight times the rate from four weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Most new cases across the nation involve people who are unvaccinated, experts say.

Reaction to the new rules was swift.

“If you’re unvaccinated and complaining about them… we are here because of you,” read one Twitter post on the new Disneyland rules. “Go get vaccinated so we can get rid of them.”

“Nor surprised, and totally on board with this,” read another Twitter post. “Man, we’ve gotta get Delta under control.”

But the change also had detractors.

“Guess I won’t be going to Disneyland any time soon,” read one critical Twitter post. “For those without the experience ... there’s nothing like walking about in the heat with a mask at a Disney park! It’s hell.”

“I was excited to go to Disneyland and not have to wear a mask but now we have to start wearing them again,” commented another person on Twitter.

This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 7:21 AM with the headline "Disneyland reinstitutes indoor face mask requirements for all guests as COVID resurges."