Walt Disney World reopened with new health and safety guidelines in light of the global health crisis.

Some of the guidelines are encouraged, but wearing a proper face covering is a required mandate. Guests are asked to wear masks unless they are actively eating or drinking while remaining stationary or in a Relaxation Station. We’ve shared OODLES of tips with you over the past few months but we’re back with tips we HAVEN’T told you a billion times!

Make Sure Your Mask Fits COMFORTABLY On Your Face — And You Can Talk Easily!

There is nothing more uncomfortable than wearing a mask that doesn’t fit. If your mask is too tight, it will put tension on your head and ears. This may result in headaches and more discomfort. If it’s too loose, it will slip down your nose all day, which can get pretty annoying. BUT, what about how your mask actually lays on your face?

Don’t like the sensation of your mask against your mouth while you talk? You can add a mask insert to keep the fabric slightly away from the area around your mouth. These are thin plastic shells that sit between your mask and your face that make a small pocket of space near your mouth. This makes it WAY easier to talk (that means less muffled talking and everyone saying “Wha did you say?!”) and if you’re sensitive to the fabric rubbing on your mouth, this helps alleviate that as well.

Find out which masks are the most comfortable for your trip to Disney World!

Buy a Mask Chain

This was one of our biggest lightbulb moments when we realized how useful these guys are! Mask chains can help your mask stay attached without falling on the ground. You simply attach them to your ear loops behind your head (think along the lines of those chains people add to some reading glasses so they can keep them around their neck when not in use). A mask chain will make your life at Disney SO much easier. You can easily slip off your mask while you’re sitting down to eat. It can hang around your neck so you can quickly put it back on when you need to.

You also don’t have to worry about where to stuff it when you’re removing it to eat or at a Relaxation Station. Putting your mask in your pocket or on a table isn’t super sanitary and you might lose it that way. Added bonus? Mask chains are great for kids! You won’t have to worry about your little one fussing with it and having it fall off somewhere during the day. After discovering mask chains, we use them ALL. THE. TIME. These are SO handy and, for us personally, downright essential!

Learn more about helping your kids wear a mask in the parks here!

Bring Something to Store Your Masks

If you ARE removing your mask when eating, you should have something to keep your masks safe and clean when not in use. They will get dirty and (if your bag is anything like ours) GROSS sitting at the bottom of your park bag. You’ll risk the chance of something leaking onto them or getting them wet if it rains on your bag! If you’re like us, rummaging through a park bag or pocket can mean you accidentally drop your masks as well!

A Ziploc bag, glasses case, or cosmetic bag can help keep your mask safe and sanitary. Even better, have two reusable zipper pouches so you can differentiate clean and used masks throughout the day! We created some handy dandy storage pouches that can help you out in fun Disney-themed prints too! Especially if you have a large family, this makes mealtime much easier to stuff all your masks in your zipper pouch and when the meal is over you can easily dispense out your family’s masks.

Find DFB’s Mask Storage Pouches right here!

Watch Your Step!

You have to be mindful that masks can actually throw off your depth perception somewhat. It can be harder to see the ground in front of you and it’s easier to trip over objects below you. Disney World is full of objects just waiting to be tripped over…even without masks. The deep, inset trolley tracks on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom are just begging to be tripped on every day. There are also decorations, posts, plants, and not to mention little ones running around at your feet!

Take your time making your way through crowded areas and be aware of your surroundings! Especially if you’re sensitive to having something covering your face or the sensation of the mask over your nose in your eye line, try to be vigilant as you navigate the parks. Disney World is far more hectic than the real world. It’s easy to be distracted by a character, show, or statue then accidentally trip over a curb! Take this as an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the parks at an even pace.

Face ID Doesn’t Work on Your Phone

You may have already noticed that Face ID…doesn’t work on phones when wearing a mask. This can get really old when you’re inside Disney World and CONSTANTLY feeling like you’re pulling out your phone. Disney is now very reliant on cashless payments park-wide. That means you’ll be constantly opening your phone to use the My Disney Experience app for dining, checking wait times, and looking up park maps even more than you might have prior. You might need to change some settings on your phone to make things easier and so you’re not pulling down your mask to unlock your phone.

We suggest creating an easy to remember passcode for your lock screen and perhaps using a password manager app like LastPass to help whenever you need to manually log into My Disney Experience. Apps like this can generate and save passwords for you so you don’t have to remember them. If you’re comfortable with it, you can also completely disable your passcode on iPhones under settings. This means simply swiping up will unlock your device. All of these tips will save you loads of time when your phone isn’t recognizing your face or you can’t remember your password.

Be Aware of Some Unique Side Effects

You may end up developing a very mild sore throat after wearing a mask all day. Don’t fret! It happens to some people after wearing a mask for a long period of time. It’s very common for Disney guests to go home and feel a little bit of soreness and fatigue. The Cleveland Health Clinic claims that you may be getting a sore throat after wearing a mask because you’re straining your voice throughout the day. Mask-wearers have to speak louder and enunciate to have others understand what they are saying.

Wash your masks so you’re not breathing in any additional debris and always be sure to wash your hands before handling your masks as well. Be sure to stay super hydrated throughout the day too. Drinking water will help reduce your sore throat and keep your energy up.

It should also be noted that face coverings might give you a case of “mascne,” which means you break out after wearing a mask for so long. Rinse your face throughout the day (we recommend keeping some portable face wipes with you!) to reduce the build-up of sweat or have multiple masks to change throughout the day as a way of “freshening up.” Be sure to wash your face with a mild cleanser once you take off your mask in your room as well each evening!

See how Disney World’s face mask requirements have changed over the past few months and what to expect now!

What would a mask tip post be without some tried and true favorites? If you’re new to the Disney World mask game or simply looking for a refresher, here’s some advice you need to know!

Yes, It Gets Hot!

Many guests wonder how hot it gets while wearing a face covering in Disney World. The majority of the year is VERY toasty in Florida. Combine the heat with humidity and it can feel insufferable for some people WITHOUT a mask, but strap some fabric over their mouths and it’s not any better. A few ways to beat the heat is by carrying a fan, drinking plenty of water, and taking plenty of breaks. Locate the Relaxation Stations when you enter a park so you head there quickly when it gets too hot.

We also suggest becoming accustomed to a mask by wearing it for prolonged periods at home. Put on your mask and go for a long walk (or jog!) around your neighborhood. Wear it to the gym and hop on a treadmill. Go for a bike ride. You want to stress-test your masks (and yourself) for being in uncomfortable situations for prolonged periods of time. You’ll most likely get used to wearing it after a while. If things get too insufferable in the parks, head back to your resort for a break and some much-needed air conditioning.

Find out what it’s like to wear a mask all day at a theme park!

Bring an Extra Mask or Two

We see a lot of abandoned masks in lines, restrooms, rides, and restaurants. You may drop your mask on the ground and need a clean one. Or, it might rain unexpectedly and you’re left with a soaking wet face covering (the CDC advises you change your mask if it becomes wet). You’re bound to lose a mask amid all the excitement and commotion of experiencing a Disney World trip! You should pack at least two masks in your park bag, just in case you lose one. It’s also advisable to bring several reusable masks if you run out of clean masks. 

Disney sells masks at most gift shops in the parks if you’re looking to buy extras. (We also sell a bunch of cute masks too!) Just be aware that the masks in the park might be more expensive than the masks you’d find at home. They also sell reusable masks for situations like this. Plus, every Disney World resort has a laundry room onsite so you can wash your dirty masks throughout your trip or you can opt to wash your masks in your hotel room sink (just remember to pack a small amount of detergent!).

Check out the entire Disney Food Blog mask collection available online here!

Fogging Up Your Glasses

Masks tend to cycle your warm breath upwards towards your nose. This will cause glasses and sunglasses to fog up fairly often. The effect is two-fold at Disney World. You’re often transferring from blazing heat to freezing air conditioning. Glasses and sunglasses tend to fog up much more given your breath and temperature changes. 

The constant fog can get irritating and you might have trouble seeing. Consider buying a small bottle of defogger spray for your glasses and sunglasses. Also, make sure the bottle is portable enough so you can stash it in your carry-on and easily care it around with you in the parks.

Hang Onto Your Hats and Glasses…and Masks!

Disney guests are required to wear a mask on all rides…including high-speed roller coasters and water rides. We’ve seen many masks fly off of guests where they drift into the coaster abyss below. It can feel a little panicky coming off a coaster and realizing your mask has flown off somewhere during your ride.

This is where all of our tips come into play! Make your mask fits properly, buy a mask chain for extra security, and bring an extra mask if all else fails! If for some reason, you’re particularly attached to a certain mask and don’t want to lose it, maybe it’s best to save it for when you’re not being tossed around in the dark on Space Mountain!

See what it’s like to experience a Disney World attraction with the new health guidelines!

Arriving prepared will certainly help ease some discomfort on your Disney World trip. It may not be the same experience as you had prior to the new mandates, but you can prime yourself for the changes ahead of time. Bringing extra masks, wearing a comfortable mask, and being conscious of subtle side effects will certainly help make your experience better!

Click here to learn everything you need to know about wearing a mask at Disney World! 

Are you venturing to Disney World soon? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Tips You HAVEN’T Heard 1000 Times For Wearing a Face Mask in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.