Mask mandate doubled down--keep them on while dining?

[MickeyWaffles]

My problem with this is, I don’t gobble down my food at home. Nor do I want my entree plopped on the table until i am finished with my appetizer. If I am paying over $100 PP to dine in a signature restaurant with wine service, I am surely not going to rush a three course meal and be out the door in 30 minutes to satisfy their metrics.

This is so dramatic. Who said anything about a 30 minute 3 course meal? Or metrics?

My point is that people probably sit around long after their meal without masks on. Or rip them off the second they are seated. Take all the time to eat that you want. Enjoy your food. Relax. Take the time you need. But if you’re not eating or drinking, just mask up. This isn’t that hard people.

 

[TheBacklot]

Blows my mind how many grown adults have such an issue with wearing a piece of fabric across their mouth when they're not eating.

 

[frakers]

This is already the rule at Downtown Disney in Anaheim. You must keep your mask on until food/drink arrive and put it on after you’re done eating and drinking (in case you end up sitting around for 30 minutes just hanging out and chatting.)

There is precedent for this rule already on Disney property in California. This is the rule there. They don’t have to mask between bites. That’s completely made up.

Anaheim is in California where Disneyland is closed. Disneyworld is in Florida, where it is open. Florida has no mask mandate. Yes, individual establishments can set their own guidelines but for Disney to go backwards when the numbers are coming down and vaccines are in place is very, well, Californian.
The point being, Florida restaurants do ask that you where a mask when you enter and then you can remove after you sit and you can keep it off untill you leave or of you head to the restroom. But again, that is an establishment policy, not a state.

 

[emilymad]

Anyone think this is the first step to moving the tables closer than 6’? Dining was a mess this week and most places we ate did not have tables 6’ apart.
In some parks it was impossible to find a place to be stationary to eat or drink something. Your only chance at sitting down was if you had an ADR. We really felt like finding food was an issue for us. A very weird thing to have to worry about on vacation.
Hopefully they will start opening more restaurants and increasing dining availability.

 

[keishashadow]

Take all the time to eat that you want. Enjoy your food. Relax. Take the time you need.

You must be dining in different TS venues than we do as a large % of the time, service is definitely rushed vs that in the real world.

If (and I don’t see it happening) they would try to mandate that people remask during courses it would naturally speed up the dining process. Disney is all about metrics as to running cost effectively.

BTW, I’m all about (double) masking up. It’d didn’t keep us away from enjoying a fall trip to WDW, SW & U, wherein we chose to dine alfresco or takeout. Did cancel our Xmas holiday trip as our personal comfort level indicated. my family still went, to each their own.

I’m getting my 2nd covid shot today...heading down to the world on Wednesday . Have several ADRs on the books, will be interesting to see how it goes.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Florida has no mask mandate. Yes, individual establishments can set their own guidelines but for Disney to go backwards when the numbers are coming down and vaccines are in place is very, well, Californian.

Oh, and by the way. Get your facts straight. Orange County, FL (you know, where much of WDW is located) does have a mask mandate.

Osceola County does too.

 

[dez1978]

Really? What state do you live in?

Missouri there has never been a statewide mask mandate here Now lots of counties or city’s implemented one but most of those have expired near me.

 

[pavicich]

It will help turn tables a little bit quicker. I totally agree with a post above on people sitting super long after eating. With the limited capacity already its very tough on servers when people stop adding to the bill but sit for long periods of time after they have had plates cleared.

 

[dez1978]

Oh, and by the way. Get your facts straight. Orange County, FL (you know, where much of WDW is located) does have a mask mandate.

Osceola County does too.

I mean if you are going to be rude, at least be aware that you are in fact validating her point. The state of Florida does NOT have a mask mandate. Individual counties or businesses may.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Easy way to not have to deal with all this would be to not go when these are the rules. If you want a nice comfy meal take it back to your room or find a nice spot of grass outside a resort. For every person who is respectful there are 5 more who are not. This rule is for the nots. And now the cms can say something.

Taking the time to enjoy a $200+ meal is disrespectful now? That’s ridiculous

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I mean if you are going to be rude, at least be aware that you are in fact validating her point. The state of Florida does NOT have a mask mandate. Individual counties or businesses may.

Florida’s lack of a state mandate has exactly nothing to do with this thread. Disney has rules, at their theme parks, located in Osceola/Orange Counties where there happen to be mandates. Disney would have those rules regardless.

They are now implementing the same mask rule they already have in place on Disney property in Anaheim.

What’s happening with masks overall for the state Florida is not relevant to this conversation and will turn this thread in a direction no one wants it to go.

This is about Disney policy.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I have always kept my mask on until food arrives and will even put it back on before speaking if a server comes to the table while I'm eating unmasked. Seems respectful. Sad it has to be spelled out.

 

[Meglen]

Taking the time to enjoy a $200+ meal is disrespectful now? That’s ridiculous

No where close to what I meant. Wanting to enjoy a meal is one thing (never said you were the disrespectful category) but I can see many staying for well past a comfortable time frame.

 

[lilypgirl]

The funny thing is this hasn't been the policy up until now when cases are dropping dramatically and many in the medical field are indicating we are well on our way to herd immunity so it makes you wonder. Is Disney simply just virtue signaling with this, wanting to up the restaurant capacity, or trying to get people in and out? I am going with all three because it is not a safety issue since they are changing it almost a year after reopening and I have not heard of the bodies of Disney restaurant workers piling up in the utilidors because people sat at a table with out a mask.

 

[DisneyJade]

I am grateful for this thread (um... before it derailed completely), because when I saw this news, I did interpret it to mean constant on/off of mask during a TS meal. Not between bites, that's silly—but between courses, perhaps. Now, I *think* I understand it to mean, simply, do not take your mask off until food or drinks have arrived at the table, and put it back on when food has been cleared at the very end. Disney would be wise to clarify this language in the policy, as it is clearly too open to interpretation if it's causing confusion for a lot of people.

Also, I *really* hope my current interpretation is correct. If I have to put masks back on my kids in between garlic bread/spaghetti/chocolate cupcake, the inside of that mask is going to be DISGUSTING. Haha!

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I don't get how this will work or what the criteria are. It's hard enough to get a chunk of people to follow the current guidelines. How long can I go between bites or sips before I'm no longer "actively eating or drinking"?

I just wonder if they're planning to seat more people and are using this policy change (?) to justify doing so.

Where on earth are you getting between bites? This is so overblown and misinformation abounds. There is nowhere that says you need to wear a mask between bites.

I have no issues with keeping masks on while ordering and until the meal arrives and if lingering after the table is cleared.

But I do think Disney failed in making the policy clear. The use of the phrase "actively eating or drinking" will surely lead some to interpret that actively eating means only while you are literally in the process of chewing rather than for the duration of your meal.

It will be interesting to see reports back from recent experiences and if there is consistency among CMs about the definition of actively eating/drinking.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Has anyone seen anything about Universal changing their dining policy?

 

[quandrea]

It amazed me how many grown adults have a problem with other adults disagreeing with their opinions or the main stream narrative.

I wore a mask at Disney. I did NOT like it, but I did. In the heat, you can't breath with these things covering both nose and mouth.

However, Masks are useless. If the mask works, then the server is protected with his/her mask. The server always stood 2-3 feet away anyway. Also, I like to hold a conversation with my wife and family while waiting for our food. Outside of having a hard time breathing in these things, I can barely understand conversation through these damn things.

I am also so sick and tire of... "don't like it, stay home." How about this, If your scared of catching the China Virus, the Flu (where has that gone?), or any other virus, why don't YOU stay home where you will be safe, and let me live and enjoy life without having fear pushed upon me over a virus with a 99.7% recovery rate.

You would think that over a year into this some science education would have sunk in. The server’s mask is for YOUR benefit. Your mask protects the server by keeping your droplets contained. Please try to respect the people who assume risk so that you can have a holiday

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

The masks in restaurants clarification doesn’t seem like that big a deal; having to wear a mask provided that no food or drink is in front of you only means wearing a mask until the drinks arrive.

Therein lies the problem though. Disney did not clarify that masks are required "provided no food or drink is in front of you." The new policy says while "actively" eating or drinking and that phrase is subject to interpretation.

Just because food or drink is in front of you, some will still try to nitpick that you're not necessarily eating or drinking it at that moment.

 

[laurenfratt]

I’d also like to mention that disney hasn’t made this a hot news topic. Disney bloggers did that. If disney “changed” the mask rules so dramatically they would have posted it about it themselves so it was clear. It was disney bloggers who saw the new terminology vs what it said originally and made the drama. I’m sure disney had to change the wording so they aren’t held liable or something.