Disney fans who are currently planning a Hawaiian getaway to Disney Aulani Resort and Spa and many Hawaiian travelers and residents are in for a treat. We have just learned that Hawaii is yet another state that has lifted a pandemic restriction.
Credit: Jenny Patterson at ITM
Big Changes in Oahu
Whether travelers and residents of Hawaii are vaccinated or not, it is now official that outdoor mask mandates have now been removed according to an announcement made by Hawaii Governor David Ige, as he shares “The success of our vaccine program and the cooperation of our residents across the state, have brought us to this point”
Now visitors can enjoy Waikiki beaches, hiking the Diamond Head Crater and the gorgeous salty air of the Hawaiian Island, Oahu, and home of Disney’s Aulani Resort mask-free.
“It’s the news we have been waiting for out here in Hawaii,” Stacy Small, the Maui-based founder and CEO of Elite Travel International, told Travel + Leisure. Several of her clients live in states that have already lifted mask mandates, she said, hinting that changes to the state’s pre-arrival COVID-19 testing protocols may also be in the works.
All visitors to Hawaii, including those who have been vaccinated, are currently required to test negative for COVID-19 prior to arrival or face a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
Credit: Disney
Visiting Aulani soon, here’s what you need to know
Inside the Magic’s Senior Editor, Rebekah Winters Barton recently stayed at Aulani before the mask mandate announcement and stated they enforced masks outdoors and social distancing while visiting Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie.
Credit: ITM Rebekah B.
If you are planning a vacation to Aulani please remember to update the requirements beforehand on Hawaii’s Tourism website and on the official Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa website as it states,
There are specific instructions and requirements for all visitors to Hawaii, which may include mandated quarantine or pre-travel testing. View information about these requirements on the Hawaii Tourism Authority website. State requirements are subject to change. Please continue to stay updated on the latest travel alerts leading up to your planned stay. View important details.
Credit: Jenny Patterson at ITM
Face coverings are required for anyone (ages 2 and up) who enters Aulani property, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming. You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.
Aulani has not officially updated the website of this new mandate change and all the Hawaiian state still requires masks indoors. Also to note, Hawaii is recommending that the state continues to wear masks outdoors while in larger groups, but to try to keep groups limited to 10 people or fewer.
Will you visit Hawaii now that outdoor mask mandates have been lifted? Let us know in the comments below!