Disney World will allow vaccinated guests the option to go maskless

Face coverings will still need to be worn on buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner at the Florida theme park

Face masks will be optional for visitors to Disney World who are vaccinated, although some areas will still require masks, such as on buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner. AP

Walt Disney World in Florida, US, is making it easier to see smiles again, but guests still can’t hug the characters.

Starting from Tuesday, face masks will be optional for visitors to the theme park resort who are vaccinated, though Disney workers won’t require proof of vaccination, the company said on its website.

Visitors who aren’t fully vaccinated will still need to wear face masks indoors and on all rides and attractions. Because vaccines aren’t yet available for children under age 12, they, too, will have to mask up.

All visitors, whether vaccinated or not, will still be required to wear face coverings on buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner, the resort’s aerial gondola, according to the latest guidelines.

The decision on masks is Disney World's latest tweak to the virus-related safety rules it created when the coronavirus pandemic was declared in March 2020. Disney World closed for two months last year at the start of the outbreak and reopened last summer with strict safety guidelines that involved masking, social distancing and crowd limits.

Last month, Disney officials started allowing visitors to go without masks outdoors. Officials said they expect to ease up on physical distancing guidelines in the near future.

“It’s important to remember that some experiences and entertainment may still be operating with limited capacity or may remain temporarily unavailable,” the company said on its website.

“We’re not quite ready to bring back everything yet, but we are optimistic and look forward to the day when Disney pals and princesses are able to hug once again.”