How bad are masks in July?

[disneygirlsng]

How long was your visit? We plan to go for 3 weeks and the idea of wearing a mask for that length of time does not fill me with joy

It was 10 days. Length of time wouldn't make a difference to me, but I wear a mask all day every day anyway and have never been bothered by it.

 

[verleniahall]

The masks in the parks aren't that bad - i think its worse where I work (School) becuase they have the heat on full blast currently and no way to turn it off or down

 

[yulilin3]

It's all speculation at this point i would plan on having to wear a mask. It's not bad as long as you prepare for it

 

[Victoria3]

How long was your visit? We plan to go for 3 weeks and the idea of wearing a mask for that length of time does not fill me with joy

I wear a mask all the time in my daily life. Doesn't bother me to wear it. We're still in a pandemic.

I'd advise not going if the thought of your trip doesn't bring you joy.

 

[Moliphino]

Not an issue whatsoever for me in August. Didn't even realize it was on after about 30 minutes to an hour each morning. It was hot, but the mask didn't make me feel any hotter.

I agree with this. We were there in Sept/Oct, but had some days with a real feel temp over 100. The mask really didn't make me any more uncomfortable than I would have been without it in that heat.

The only annoying thing was fogging up my sunglasses for a few minutes every time I left air conditioning. Once the glasses warmed up it wasn't a problem.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Curious what kind of mask you were wearing. I sweat a TON, like shirt soaked through in anything over 80 degrees within an hour, sweaty. And I never had to change my mask due to sweat in August. No breaks each day other than meals. No issues at all, didn't even notice I had it on.

Vera Bradley and also tried the Disney ones and the paper ones.. The kind doesn't realy matter it was miserable.

 

[yulilin3]

Vera Bradley and also tried the Disney ones and the paper ones.. The kind doesn't realy matter it was miserable.

For you. I know it's redundant to say but most people didn't have a huge issue with them in the summer

 

[marikujawa]

For you. I know it's redundant to say but most people didn't have a huge issue with them in the summer

It's probably best to just speak to one's own experience. Referring to "most people" is likely an overstatement or what you want to believe is true.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I’m kind of frustrated right now. We have a December trip booked, but may have to cancel. Next option is July. They have some great rates for the week after the 4th of July. Then I forgot about masks! I’m not sure we can do masks in the heat.
What was your experience with wearing a mask in the summer heat?

I wore a mask to "test" things last summer in 90+ heat. It sucked. I am shocked people are saying they couldn't tell the difference, but no one would make that up so maybe I am just overly sensitive. It wouldn't be much of an option for anyone who doesn't live in hot climates, or if the trip won't allow time for it. But I always think if people can they should try it out first. I have heard lots of reports of people not being able to handle it.

 

[eleven24]

I’m kind of frustrated right now. We have a December trip booked, but may have to cancel. Next option is July. They have some great rates for the week after the 4th of July. Then I forgot about masks! I’m not sure we can do masks in the heat.
What was your experience with wearing a mask in the summer heat?

We typically go in July because of work/school schedules. It is the hottest month of the year in Florida, but we've become experts in planning around the heat. Cooling towels, ADR's for lunch, not dinner during the hottest part of the day. Jumping in the shops to cool off, or grabbing a drink and sitting down to cool off at less traveled places like ABC Commissary.

Having just returned home (Jan 9th) I can say that almost all of those options to manage the heat have been removed. Shops, such as the Emporium, require waiting to get in. Dining like ABC Commissary, Cosmic Rays, etc that use mobile ordering - you cannot get in until your order is ready.

I don't want to discourage you from a July trip, but having just been there and being one that always goes in July I know that throwing a mask on in addition to the heat while removing many of the ways my family and I manage the heat.... we wouldn't go. Is it doable, sure. Just come up with a game plan - even if it means going back to the resort more than usual to cool off and/or just take the mask break.

 

[GeneralTso]

I truly believe masks will continue to be required through 2021. Vaccines are not rolling out as quickly as hoped and even with a vaccine, you will still need to wear a mask.

For me, you could not pay me to wear a mask in a Florida theme park during the summer. No way. It's gross enough with no mask! Again.....for me! There are thousands who have no problem with it. Good for them, have a great time.

I am in no way an anti-masker. I'm the opposite. I wear a mask everywhere now. I'm also someone who avoids Disney during the summer months because the heat and humidity is so awful it makes the experience awful. Zero magic. When I'm there in non-summer months, we walk around and remark how awesome it is to NOT be there in the summer.

No one can convince me it's "not so bad" because I know it's worse than I could imagine. Period. I won't drop a dime on a vacation in these circumstances.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

Hubby & I went to Universal for a week's vacation in August 2020. Had a great time & no problems with wearing the masks at all. I'm used to it as I wear one all day every day at work but he doesn't (retired & mostly at home) & did fine, no griping or issues at all. We wore the blue surgical ones - my cloth ones that I wear at work felt a bit too "heavy" outdoors all day in the humidity.

I will note that we are Florida residents, though, but I think most folks will be surprised thst it's really not so bad as they imagine. There's so many pleasant distractions which I think helps a lot .

 

[Lumpy1106]

Went in August during record heat - the mask was not the problem - those we adapted to pretty easily and honestly, we had not grown used to wearing them at home in CA at that point (we have now - didn't seem like such a big deal after visiting WDW FWIW). 2 things did matter that are not discussed as much as the masks;

1. Limited seating. You don't think about it, but there really aren't that many places to sit in the shade outside of places to eat. Even the "relaxation station" in Galaxy's Edge is in direct sunlight. Even when you do find a place to sit, you have to social distance, so say places like the shady rocks next to the Treehouse sit 1, maybe 2 families, where before you could have sat 4 families.
2. OK, so this is the masks, but when you are wearing them you cannot tell the emotions from the people you are with. When one in your group inevitably melts down, you cannot see it coming. Communication is SO key!

 

[VandVsmama]

Following along because we're going to WDW in early June for a week. We went to WDW at that same time of year in 2018 and I've never sweated so much in my entire life. LOL. We're from AZ, but trust me when I say this...FL heat is totally different! Of course, I HOPE that masks won't be required come June, but I'm going into this trip EXPECTING to have to wear them still. My plan on how to cope will involve:

• ADRs at mid-day every day
• afternoon breaks at the hotel to unwind & swim
• 1 cooling towel per person
• 1 of those expensive WDW battery-operated fans per person (they worked way better than the battery fans we'd brought from home)
• 1 folding fan per person
• take frequent breaks at the locations where you can take your mask off (cooling stations? I can't remember what they're called)
• go in EXPECTING that we won't be touring commando style this time
• EXPECT to have a slower, more leisurely trip
• maybe do ADRs for dinner as well

Edited to add:
- bring extra masks each day
- force everybody to drink water a lot more than they usually do

 

[Shellyred8]

I’m kind of frustrated right now. We have a December trip booked, but may have to cancel. Next option is July. They have some great rates for the week after the 4th of July. Then I forgot about masks! I’m not sure we can do masks in the heat.
What was your experience with wearing a mask in the summer heat?

We were there in August and I'm not gonna lie, it got old fast. It was the humidity that did it in for me. When you breathe out moisture, it just stayed in your mask because the air was too humid for it to evaporate. We took extra masks with to switch out during the day, which helped. But just re-breathing so much of your own exhaled air was uncomfortable after a while.

 

[maryj11]

Following along because we're going to WDW in early June for a week. We went to WDW at that same time of year in 2018 and I've never sweated so much in my entire life. LOL. We're from AZ, but trust me when I say this...FL heat is totally different! Of course, I HOPE that masks won't be required come June, but I'm going into this trip EXPECTING to have to wear them still. My plan on how to cope will involve:

• ADRs at mid-day every day
• afternoon breaks at the hotel to unwind & swim
• 1 cooling towel per person
• 1 of those expensive WDW battery-operated fans per person (they worked way better than the battery fans we'd brought from home)
• 1 folding fan per person
• take frequent breaks at the locations where you can take your mask off (cooling stations? I can't remember what they're called)
• go in EXPECTING that we won't be touring commando style this time
• EXPECT to have a slower, more leisurely trip
• maybe do ADRs for dinner as well

Edited to add:
- bring extra masks each day
- force everybody to drink water a lot more than they usually do

Yes we usually go in summer. We usually have water and misting fans and sweat a lot! I will plan on making 2 air conditioned meals a day. Maybe do an indoor quick service for lunch then a table service for dinner.

 

[OhStuffandFluff]

Went in August during record heat - the mask was not the problem - those we adapted to pretty easily and honestly, we had not grown used to wearing them at home in CA at that point (we have now - didn't seem like such a big deal after visiting WDW FWIW). 2 things did matter that are not discussed as much as the masks;

1. Limited seating. You don't think about it, but there really aren't that many places to sit in the shade outside of places to eat. Even the "relaxation station" in Galaxy's Edge is in direct sunlight. Even when you do find a place to sit, you have to social distance, so say places like the shady rocks next to the Treehouse sit 1, maybe 2 families, where before you could have sat 4 families.
2. OK, so this is the masks, but when you are wearing them you cannot tell the emotions from the people you are with. When one in your group inevitably melts down, you cannot see it coming. Communication is SO key!

Even if masks will still be required in July, I wonder if more restaurants and stores will be open by then to help accommodate the need for more spaces for people to rest and get out of the heat. I your point about limited seating would be important to address for me and my family also, with or without masks on during the summer heat.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Even if masks will still be required in July, I wonder if more restaurants and stores will be open by then to help accommodate the need for more spaces for people to rest and get out of the heat. I your point about limited seating would be important to address for me and my family also, with or without masks on during the summer heat.

Don't get me wrong - it's doable, you just need to be creative. Some of my favorite spots I'll share;

• Exit to TSMM - you don't have to go in the building, just outside is great. The doors are open, you get a nice blast of AC and it is shaded. Only a thing for the PM distribution now, but this is where we hung out when we got our ROTG BG.
• SW:GE entry arch behind the Muppets theater - this is a large open space and yes, it does have AC - WAY better than the official relaxation station in SW:GE (which is surface-of-the-sun hot with almost no airflow despite being outdoors).
• The seating area across from where you get Dole Whip in AK (by Festival of the Lion King - show currently CLOSED). It's under cover and has ceiling fans - you don't need to mobile order and seating was plentiful.
• AK gets a bad reputation for being hot but there are SO MANY little hidden away, shaded outdoor spaces in this park! The wilderness trails, Almost all of the area by Rifikis, the path behind the tree (exit to T2BAB) - the list goes on. You just need to SLOW DOWN and go where everyone else is not.
• Tom Sawyer's Island in MK - though I think the caves are closed (?)
• EPCOT and MK are actually the hardest places to find shade, but remember the shows without live CM's are open, just limited to 25% seating capacity. These are still great places to chill out. No food or drink here though and no, you can't take off the mask in the shows.

Remember you need to be actively eating or drinking and be stationary to take off the mask - easily enough done. These are great spots even if you don't take off the mask though.

 

[Moliphino]

I truly believe masks will continue to be required through 2021. Vaccines are not rolling out as quickly as hoped and even with a vaccine, you will still need to wear a mask.

For me, you could not pay me to wear a mask in a Florida theme park during the summer. No way. It's gross enough with no mask! Again.....for me! There are thousands who have no problem with it. Good for them, have a great time.

I am in no way an anti-masker. I'm the opposite. I wear a mask everywhere now. I'm also someone who avoids Disney during the summer months because the heat and humidity is so awful it makes the experience awful. Zero magic. When I'm there in non-summer months, we walk around and remark how awesome it is to NOT be there in the summer.

No one can convince me it's "not so bad" because I know it's worse than I could imagine. Period. I won't drop a dime on a vacation in these circumstances.

Oh the heat was miserable, for sure. The mask just didn't make it significantly more miserable than it would have been without one. The MMRR queue in midday full sun was like being in hell.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Oh the heat was miserable, for sure. The mask just didn't make it significantly more miserable than it would have been without one. The MMRR queue in midday full sun was like being in hell.

Worst heat I experienced was standing in what I call the "idiot line" to talk to a CM @ the DHS director's statue to resolve a ROTR BG issue (my bad). Direct sunlight and it only moved one group at a time. TIP: the little umbrella you are carrying for the PM thunder storms works great for emergency shade.