Hi, Richard! Thanks for bringing your question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
Like you, I am also the parent of a child who has special needs. My son has autism, and one of the reasons why we return to
Walt Disney World Resort yEAR after yEAR is that they always go above and beyond to make the magic accessible to everyone.
Recently, Walt Disney World Resort announced its
plans for reopening. When Walt Disney World Resort begins welcoming Guests back to a world of magic, all Guests ages 2 and up will be required to wear
face coverings at all times, except for when dining or swimming. Richard, I called and spoke with a Cast Member in
Disability Services about your question. I was told that in an effort to protect the health and safety of all Guests and Cast Members, unfortunately, no exceptions will be made to the rule about face masks.
I know we have been practicing wearing a face mask with my son so that he can become accustomed to this new normal. He is doing quite well with wearing his mask when we need to go out in public, but I realize that all children with special needs are different. Some kiddos may be unable to get used to a face covering. While I was told that Guests with disabilities will still be required to wear face masks, you are welcome to contact Disability Services to further discuss this issue with them. Their phone number and email address can be found using the "Disability Services" link in the paragraph above.
Richard, I encourage you to keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog and the
operational updates page on the Walt Disney World website for all of the latest announcements about the reopening process. I hope that everything will work out for you and that your family will be able to experience a magical Walt Disney World Resort vacation! Please reach out to us if you have any additional questions.
See ya real soon!
Samantha