A lot has changed in a short amount of time regarding the pandemic and Disney.
Hollywood Studios Face Masks Sign
While many restaurants and rides are reopening, masks are now back to being required for everyone at indoor locations in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland after the CDC changed mask guidelines. And now, Disney just announced that they will be requiring all employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
According to CNN’s Frank Pallotta, Disney will be requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees to get fully vaccinated.
Cast Member
Disney’s full statement reportedly says in part that, “Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 days from today to complete their protocols.”
Face Masks on Dumbo
As for employees still working from home, they will, “need to provide verification of vaccination prior to their return, with certain limited exceptions.”
Main Street U.S.A.
Disney also said they have begun conversations with the unions about bargaining agreements in regards to vaccines. On July 30th, the Workers United Local 50 shared that they “will begin conversations with Disney regarding mandatory vaccination of Union members in the coming weeks.” They plan to continue sharing updates as the situation develops.
Masks are back inside stores
All new hires “will be required to be fully vaccinated before beginning employment.”
Face mask sign
Disney ended by saying, “Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees.”
Hollywood Studios
You can read Disney’s full statement below:
“At the Walt Disney Company, the safety and well-being of our employees during the pandemic has been and continues to be a top priority. Toward that end, and based on the latest recommendations of scientists, health officials and our own medical professional that the COVID-19 vaccine provides the best protection against severe infection, we are requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites to be fully vaccinated. Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 days from today to complete their protocols and any employees still working from home will need to provide verification of vaccination prior to their return, with certain limited exceptions. We have also begun conversations around this topic with the unions representing our employees under collective bargaining agreements. In addition, all new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated before beginning employment. Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees”
Mask sign in Disney World
We’ll keep you updated on any further developments.
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I’m vaccinated because I CHOSE to get vaccinated. What’s next ? Will we have to give up our first born to enter a store ?!!!!! This is beyond crazy !!!!!
You may not agree with me, but I officially will no longer support the Disney company in any way. That includes canceling Disney +, canceling my upcoming trip, and not buying a single piece of Disney merchandise for as long as I live! Mandates are authoritarian, full stop!
That’s all fine and good, but then don’t make the vaccinated wear masks then! That’s not following the science! The science says that fully vaccinated people, in very RARE cases, can spread the virus. That, lady and gentleman, is science.
Sounds like someone could make a case for discrimination. I think this will happen soon.
I think Disney should also require all park visitors to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative CoVID19 test within 48 hours. In light of the Fla Governor being such a jerk about requiring mask mandates, private companies need to take charge
Since Disney has once again changed their mind and are requiring that masks be worn inside, can I get my money back. We have a big trip planned for November with two twins that are two Year old. I am not sure if they will leave the face masks on or not and I am spending a great deal to come to Disney. Please let me know. We had looked so forward to this vacation because it’s been so long with this Covid to go anywhere.We have once again been let down. Thank you for your consideration
It’s horrible that these cast members are being forced to choose. This is so sad.
Too bad stating that I am allergic to the serum and the risks of getting the shot outweigh the benefits — would most likely not keep me from being terminated from a Disney job. Oh well, I ‘ll just keep visiting the parks with my family and wear the mask that has very little effect. All this will eventually be over °o°
Thatxs discrimmantion!
This is truly the best course of action with respect to protecting cast members and guests.
Disney will be requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees to get fully vaccinated
What about people who already recovered from Covid, even asymptomatic cases, and have antibodies, is getting the vaccine a wise choice, since the CDC wont answer this question. Many in the media say if you already had it, you don’t need the Jab! Are allowances being made for this???
Patricia, you can reach out to Disney directly. I believe you can cancel trips for a full refund as long as you do so at least 30 days in advance of your arrival.
To those that say don’t make the vaccinated wear mask and that that’s Science. Where did you learn science as it is relayed to the Covid D variant. It is highly transmissable by vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
So sad to see that a company thinks they have the right to override a person’s right by mandating a vaccination, where they pride themselves so much by saying, be who you want to be, don’t let others tell you!
@RobinF Disney can’t ask for proof of vaccination from guests. The governor has banned that.
@Jeffrey Part of requiring everyone to wear is a mask is because you can’t tell who is or isn’t vaccinated. Disney isn’t allowed to ask for vaccination status from guests.
Seriously making me reconsider a move to Orlando since a big part of it is the parks… ugh.
It’s difficult to understand the thinking behind most of the comments above. The only way to protect anyone from this vicious Pandemic is to take advantage of the vaccination, this wonderful lifeline developed by brilliant teams of researchers which is saving millions of lives. We would have gone the same way as the Spanish flu in 1918 without the vaccine and yet still so many people are bolshi beyond belief at anyone daring to suggest they should take advantage of this, immediately feeling all our rights are being removed. Why isn’t everyone without exception just so grateful at having this protection and grasping the vaccination with both hands (and arms).
Too bad we are within our 30 days and can’t get a refund. We booked specifically after masks weren’t required in the parks. We’re suppose to be looking forward to our Disney trip, not dreading it. As for those poor cast members…requiring the vac should be illegal. What happened to “My Body My Choice”?
A lot of comments are making this political and/or all about themselves. The truth is that there is an employee shortage, Disney is getting ready for a HUGE 50th anniversary uptick in visitors. They can’t risk continually cycling through cast members being quarantined due to exposure to a known positive. They have to ensure they have enough staff to safely meet the needs of the expected crowds in the coming months. If staff are vaccinated, and they come in contact with a positive case, they don’t have to quarantine unless they would become symptomatic, BUT if they aren’t vaccinated and come in contact with a known positive, its an automatic 5 days off before they can be tested, then 1-2 days to get the results. Disney also has LOTS of kids 12 and under visiting, and they can’t be vaccinated. Would be a PR nightmare to have a large outbreak of sick kids traced back to a Disney cast member.
We’re going to Disney in October. I’m disappointed the mask mandate is back, but understand the need considering the spread of the Delta variant. Glad to see Disney is requiring cast members to be vaccinated. Anyone in public-facing jobs should be required to get it unless they have a valid medical/religious reason. I wish Disney…and other travel/resort/hospitality companies would require proof of vaccine from guests before entering, but it seems that’s unlikely. It’s encouraging to see vaccination rates beginning to trend back up, so hopefully we can get through the worst of this latest surge sooner rather than later.
This is discrimination. I don’t know who they think they are to make people chose between their jobs or their medical freedom. I hope they get sued. I also hope they do not think they can request this of the people who visit their resort.
Our country has been requiring proof of vaccination for a whole list of viruses/diseases for school enrollment, college, certain occupations, etc. for decades. Is that discrimination? The latest hubbub over vaccination mandates doesn’t make a lot of sense in light of that fact. COVID is a highly contagious, potentially deadly virus, and we have an effective vaccine that could end this whole thing now. I’m fine if you choose not to get that vaccine, but think it’s pretty reckless of large companies to NOT put in requirements that make ALL of us a whole lot safer. Especially young children (of which I have two), who currently aren’t able to be vaccinated.
It’s not about whether the vaccine is good or not – it’s about the fact that it hasn’t been around long enough for anyone, INCLUDING the experts, to know what, if any, long term side effects there could be, so a truly informed consent and/or choice cannot be made. Just look how many medications have class action suits pending because they found out after years on the market that there are deadly long term side effects. Something tells me that Disney (and other private companies) are NOT going to be willing to compensate former employees 10 years from now if the vaccine is found to have harmful long term effects and they forced cast members to get vaccinated or be fired. Guests can’t be forced to prove vaccine status and there are alot more guests then cast members so what are they really preventing? It’s also about FREEDOM (remember that?) to decide for ourselves what medical treatment we want to receive. Flu vaccines are not mandated, and up to 60,000 people in the U.S. die each year from it – and there has been large scale availability to flu vaccines since 1945, so in the 76 years since flu vaccines first became available, a minimum of 1,520,000 (at 20,000/yr) and a maximum of 4,560,000 (at 60,000/yr) people have died in the U.S. from the flu. And (flu) unvaccinated people are not prevented from working or traveling – they don’t even have to wear a mask! I just think that those who want the vaccine should get it, and those who would like to see a longer track record for the vaccines before they decide should have the freedom to make that choice.
I got sent home from the Disney college program back in 2020 and was accepted again for this semester but because I am making my own healthcare choices, I am being discriminated against and cannot go. It is breaking my heart so much. I can’t believe this is where we are.
I cannot believe the controversy over the vaccine in the US. We all are vaccinated to go to school it is standard practice & keeps everyone safe. Are the unvaccinated aware that many people have immune disorders such as my son who has muscular dystrophy, and has been triple vaccinated but no guarantee he would not get Covid, due to all of the people who refuse to get vaccinated. If not for yourselves how about doing something unselfish for humanity, for others. We have not been to Disney since the pandemic started. Disney World has always been our favorite place to go. Disney properties are the most accessible places on earth , which is another reason because our son is in a wheelchair. We cannot take a chance with only half of Americans vaccinated. So again do it for others and for the children who cannot yet get vaccinated, & lets start to live again. PLEASE
Those of you complaining about the requirement: guess what? Vaccinations have been required before–newborns get vaccinated, schools require vaccinations–it’s not anything new. This is about everyone’s health and safety. Those of you saying this is discrimination: that’s laughable and quite frankly a disheartening comparison considering discrimination is typically based on biological characteristics that we can’t choose. Not seeing how health and safety and biological characteristics are the same thing.
I am disappointed in Disney. I do not believe anyone should make the Covid vaccine mandatory. Not everyone can take it and some people do not want to take it.
Margaret, Disney’s vaccination policy includes a medical exemption with supporting information from a doctor. It also includes a religious exemption, although the company does some due diligence to verify that. But just because someone doesn’t want to take it? Nope.