Starting Wednesday, fully vaccinated Disney World guests no longer have to mask up while riding the Skyliner gondolas, according to the resort’s updated coronavirus guidelines.
Disney still requires all visitors ages 2 and older to wear masks on other enclosed forms of transportation, such as buses and the monorail. Unvaccinated visitors must wear masks on all transportation and while indoors across the resort.
Disney’s mask guidelines, which appear to have been updated Tuesday, further relax the face-covering rules for vaccinated guests that were last changed in February. Fully vaccinated guests have been able to go maskless at indoor areas of the resort since Feb. 17.
As of Wednesday, masks will also be optional for vaccinated guests aboard the vehicle that runs between the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel and the Galaxy’s Edge area of Hollywood Studios, according to the company.
Disney said the policy was changed as part of a “gradual and intentional approach” to updating its safety guidelines. A spokesperson declined to comment when asked when the rules might change for other forms of transportation.
The Skyliner gondolas, which opened to visitors on Sept. 29, 2019, carry up to 10 people per car between Epcot, Hollywood Studios and nearby resorts. Three sides of the gondola feature screened vents that passengers can open for extra airflow.
Coronavirus exposure is less likely in places with a steady flow of fresh, outdoor air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency still recommends people wear masks indoors in areas of high transmission. As of Tuesday, Orange County had low transmission of COVID-19, which makes masks optional under CDC guidelines.
