Honest Review: Wearing a Face Mask at Magic Kingdom

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Face Masks at Magic Kingdom Review

Credit: ITM Reporter TJ Muscaro

Disney World requires all Guests visiting the Park to wear a face mask (read more about the requirement here). Therefore it is time to talk about face masks and what it’s like to wear them for almost your Disney day. Does wearing a face mask while visiting a Disney Park remove the magic?

This issue is as plain as the nose used to be on your face, and one several of our readers have asked us about. So I thought it prudent to share how I felt having to wear it all while at Magic Kingdom for the Annual Passholder preview.

Wearing a face mask at Magic Kingdom or anywhere on Walt Disney World Property is not bad. It does not inhibit or limit your Disney experience at all. You will get used to it, and if you leave it alone long enough, you will forget it is there. It does put one at ease, and, weirdly, you can use the situation to enhance your experience in the post-closure Magic Kingdom.

Here’s how:

  1. Buy a cloth Disney mask. If you have to wear a show, and if you have to make sure your kids wear masks, it might as well be Disney-themed. Just like wearing a Disney shirt and your favorite pair of ears, a Disney mask helps you and your party stay in a Disney mood. Besides, who doesn’t want another excuse to buy more merch?

Related: Disney World Enforces Mask Policy, Family Turned Away at Gate

Socially-distanced Selfie with Stitch in my Disney mask
Credit: ITM reporter TJ Muscaro

2. Block out time out of your day to stop at Silly Pete’s Sideshow in Storybook Circus, New Fantasyland. This is one of three mask-free “relaxation zones” established throughout the theme park, but it is by far the best. It has the most space and it is air-conditioned. Seriously, the mask mandate got Disney to essentially create a pseudo-lounge Guests can use to cool off and relax. And, yes, all kinds of drinks and snacks are allowed inside.

Inside Silly Pete's Sideshow
Credit: ITM Reporter TJ Muscaro

3. Keep your mask on during the rides. This one is a necessity rather than an option, especially if it has a photo op like Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. Disney World will not give you the pictures if you or anybody in your party are not wearing your face mask.

Me on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Credit: ITM Reporter TJ Muscaro

But there are also two things to keep in mind when heading out to the Magic Kingdom or any of the Walt Disney World theme parks:

  1. Central Florida is HOT and HUMID, so it can be tough to breathe, even without a face mask. Stay calm, hydrated, and relaxed. Do not overexert yourself while wearing a mask. I walked a little over 6 miles throughout my day at the Magic Kingdom, and I got to a certain point where I had to seek refuge in a relaxation zone because I overexerted myself. The weather is just the nature of the beast. But it is important to remember, especially when you have to wear a mask that makes you breathe more hot carbon dioxide than you would otherwise.
  2. Masks muffle your voice, so you will need to speak up. Cast Members are also speaking a bit louder than usual and using hand signals to reiterate the row number they are directing you toward. This is only awkward while riding Jungle Cruise in Adventureland, and the masks hide your smiles and muddle your giggles, leaving your poor skipper with nothing to feed off of.

Related: How To Wear a Face Mask at Walt Disney World: 5 Tips

But here’s the best part about wearing a mask at Disney World: everybody else is wearing masks, too. When I visited Magic Kingdom last week, Guests were highly compliant with wearing the face masks properly and social distancing, which created an atmosphere of reassurance. I felt safe. Yes, the mask started to get uncomfortable in the afternoon, but I felt safe, especially when you factor in the social distancing and the plethora of hand sanitizer stations.

Standing in the Park with my Mickey Mouse-themed mask on, taking pictures in front of Cinderella Castle, I also felt as if I was a part of history in a rather frivolous way. There will come a day when the pre-pandemic normalcy returns to the Walt Disney World Resort and when people will look back and remember the days when we all had to wear masks. When that day comes, you will get to say you were one of those Disney fans wearing a mask and will have pictures and a mask to prove it.

Related: Disney Fans Take to Social Media to Voice Opinions on Face Mask Requirements

You can also look at it as part of the price to pay for a fraction of a typical Disney crowd and minimal wait times.

Cinderella Castle/Founders Statue PhotoPass Op
Credit: ITM Reporter TJ Muscaro

Long story short, wearing a face mask is worth it to be able to go back to Walt Disney World. Learn more about the changes to Disney Parks with these other Honest Reviews.

Honest Review: Social Distancing on Magic Kingdom Attractions

Honest Review: How Disney World Can Feel More ‘Normal’

Honest Review: Modified Character Interactions at Magic Kingdom

Honest Review: Social Distancing in Disney Springs

Honest Review: What Can Disney Learn From Universal’s Reopening Mistakes?

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this review do not necessarily reflect those of Inside the Magic overall.

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