Disney World clarifies visitors can’t walk around with no mask while eating or drinking
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Disney World has issued a “clarification” of its coronavirus visitor requirements to require guests be stationary when eating or drinking.
When the park reopened July 11, 2020, the company required face masks on all guests, among other precautions, except when they were eating or drinking.
However, some visitors quickly found a workaround (whether by accident or on purpose) to that rule — they would walk around the park with a food or beverage item in hand and be exempt from wearing a mask then under at least some interpretations of the rules.
Some reports even claimed that visitors were spotted carrying around a single drink that they would occasionally sip from — something that’s not uncommon during a hot Florida summer — and therefore not have to have a face covering on.
Disney World, meanwhile, issued clarification July 20, 2020, that guests must remain “stationary” whenever eating or drinking.
“You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you should be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing,” is the exact way the updated rule is worded.
Based on this new rule, it sounds as though it would technically be permissible, however, to carry around a beverage or food item and stop at almost any place in the park (including perhaps in the middle of a thoroughfare) that has enough space for social distancing, remove your mask, take a bite or sip, put the mask back on and continue walking.