What to Know About COVID-19 Before Your Next Disney Trip

The situation with COVID-19 continues to change and develop. This post is no longer being updated. For the latest information about COVID-19, visit the website of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

Post last updated: May 28th, 2023

Many things have gone back to “normal” since the start of the situation with COVID-19.

We’ve seen travel restrictions change, mask requirements go away, and the Disney Parks have also brought back a ton of things that were previously on pause, like entertainment. But, COVID-19 cases still exist around the world, with different variants causing the majority of cases. Here’s the latest info.

State of Emergency

In May of 2023, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration ended, according to the CDC. You can see what that might mean for you with the CDC information below.

The CDC notes, “As a nation, we now find ourselves at a different point in the pandemic – with more tools and resources than ever before to better protect ourselves and our communities.”

COVID-19 Variants

According to a February 2023 article from the American Medical Association, as of early 2023, a subvariant of the COVID-19 Omicron variant — known as XBB 1.5 — is the “dominant strain in parts of the United States.”

The rise of this particular variant is the result of a “potent mix of mutations that make it easier to spread broadly, including among those who have been previously infected or vaccinated.” According to CDC data below, it appears to make up just over 50% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of late May 2023.

The AMA points out that the XBB family of variants typically contains “more mutations to evade immunity than other variants seen so far. The XBB.1.5 subvariant has a mutation that is believed to help the virus bind to cells, becoming more transmissible.”

The symptoms of XXB 1.5 are generally similar to those of the earlier Omicron subvariants. They can range from your typical cold symptoms (cough and congestion) to “shortness of breath and low oxygen levels that require emergency medical attention.”

The AMA points out that a temporary loss of taste or smell can still happen but it is less common with Omicron and its subvariants. Other symptoms that might be experienced include “fever, chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, sore throat, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.”

The CDC has a list of symptoms for COVID-19 in general on its website which is pictured below.

Though it depends, symptoms can last between 5 and 7 days. And the risk of “long COVID or post-COVID conditions remains.”

Here is a look at what the CDC says in terms of when to seek emergency medical attention for COVID-19.

Vaccines and Treatments

The AMA states that “Getting vaccinated and staying up to date on COVID-19 boosters remains the best form of protection from serious illness, hospitalization and death.” The updated COVID-19 bivalent booster “offers added protection against the variants that are currently circulating.”

They also point out that COVID-19 treatments (like oral antivirals) are still expected to be effective at treating infections caused by XBB 1.5.

In terms of protecting yourself, the AMA recommends:

Get vaccinated
Stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines
Assess your risk level
“If you will be around others in an indoor setting, consider wearing a mask” (specifically an N95 or KN95)
“And if you feel sick, stay home and get tested to determine the best course of action.”

The screenshot below details the CDC’s recommendations on staying up to date with vaccines as of May 28th, 2023. Note that this can change. Check the CDC website for updates.

In terms of traveling and preventing COVID-19, the CDC recommends the following:

Get up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling
Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas
Take other precautions if you were recently exposed to a person with COVID-19
Don’t travel while sick
Consider getting a COVID-19 test if you develop symptoms before, during, or after travel (or if you’ll be traveling to visit someone at higher risk of getting really sick from COVID-19, or if you were in a situation with a greater risk of exposure during travel)

U.S. Disney Parks and COVID-19

According to data from the New York Times (updated May 15th, 2023), daily COVID hospital admissions have gone down during a recent 14-day period.

So, how could all of this potentially impact your upcoming trips to Disney World? As of the latest updates to this post, there are no mask requirements in most places in the parks. In the past, we have seen one exception where guests have been required to wear a mask in First Aid centers under certain circumstances — check to see what the situation is like during your trip.

Other requirements have gone away as well, like social distancing, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t come back if things were to escalate. Disney can and has changed its health and safety policies several times throughout the global pandemic, so it’s important to pay attention to the current policies before your trip.

Both of the counties within which Disney World is located — Orange and Osceola Counties — are (as of the latest updates to this post) in the “low” category in terms of COVID-19 hospital admission level. In this category, the CDC recommends that individuals stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines, avoid contact with those who have confirmed (or suspected) COVID-19, and more (see the full list below).

If you’re planning on going on a Disney cruise any time soon, vaccine and testing rules have changed there. As of the latest updates to this post, Disney Cruise Line notes that for “sailings departing from the United States and Puerto Rico, Disney Cruise Line no longer requires Guests to be vaccinated and tested for COVID-19.”

But, they do “highly recommend that all Guests become fully vaccinated before sailing and encourage unvaccinated Guests to take a COVID-19 test 2 days prior to their cruise. Please be aware that health and safety measures may change at any time.”