NEWS: Disney World Counties Placed in HIGH COVID-19 Risk Category

To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit.

If you’re heading to Disney World and wondering just what the COVID-19 situation is like in Orlando right now, we’ve got an update.

We’ve shared updates over the past several weeks and months when it comes to COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida, the potential for a COVID-19 summer surge, and the latest on the BA.2.12.1 variant. But now we’ve got another update specific to the areas within which Disney World is located.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently classifies communities into certain COVID-19 Community Levels depending on a variety of factors.

Specifically, the CDC looks at new COVID-19 admissions within the last 7 days, the percentage of inpatient beds occupied by those with COVID-19, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in the past 7 days.

Depending on what the numbers add up to, a community may be classified in the “low,” “medium,” or “high” level. Different mask recommendations and other advice applies depending on the community level a particular county is in.

For quite some time, both Osceola and Orange Counties, which are the 2 counties in Orlando within which Disney World is located, had been in the “low” category. Then, that changed and the counties were placed in the “medium” category.

Now the situation has changed again.

As of the CDC’s latest updates, both Orange County, Florida…

…and Osceola County, Florida now fall within the “high” Community Level.

When a county is in the “high” category, the CDC recommends that all individuals (regardless of vaccination status) wear a mask indoors when in public places. Additionally, the CDC recommends that individuals stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and potentially take further precautions if the person is at high risk for severe illness.

The CDC also recommends that people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 wear a mask.

On the CDC website, you can take a look at the daily number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of late, case numbers have been increasing in Orange County, Florida.

As of this moment, Disney World has not changed or updated their face mask policy. Masks continue to be optional for all guests in both indoor and outdoor locations at Disney World, including on Disney transportation.

Disney does, however, recommend that guests who are not fully vaccinated continue wearing masks in indoor locations.

Thus far Disney has not made any announcement or indication that it would change its face mask policy in light of the change in COVID-19 community level, though we have seen Disney change its face mask policy several times in the past.

For now, know that masks are not required to be worn in Disney World, but the wearing of masks indoors in public would be recommended by the CDC in both Orange and Osceola Counties (where Disney World is located).

If you’re planning a trip to Disney World and trying to get the latest COVID-19 updates, we’re constantly on the lookout for news. We’ve shared a look at all of the travel restrictions associated with the Omicron variant, as well as details about Omicron and Disney World.

We’ve also taken a full look at the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, as well as the increasing BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant, and what those could mean for your upcoming trip. You can click our links above to read more, or click here to see our page full of COVID-19 updates.

We’ll continue to update you on the latest so you can plan for your upcoming trip.

Click here to see what travel destinations have been added to the COVID-19 “high risk” category by the CDC