Coronavirus has caused a multitude of changes throughout the world and continues to do so. Recently, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland were both forced to close due to rising coronavirus cases in their areas.

We’ve been constantly watching for further updates from California’s governor for regulations that may impact Disneyland Resort, and we’ve also been keeping an eye out for updates from Florida’s Governor DeSantis on any regulations that may impact Disney World. Today, Governor DeSantis held a press conference and we got a better idea of the state’s direction in terms of coronavirus restrictions and more as COVID-19 numbers increase across the nation.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Governor DeSantis held a press conference today, his first in weeks, discussing COVID-19 and future restrictions in Florida. During the conference, DeSantis noted that there would be “no lockdowns, no fines, no school closures. No one’s losing their job because of a government dictate. Nobody’s losing their livelihood or their business. That is totally off the table.”

DeSantis has previously waived all outstanding fines for face-covering orders and prevented local governments from imposing mask mandates. During today’s conference, DeSantis said he is “opposed to mandates” and doesn’t think they work.

Note that this does not change anything at Disney World. Masks are and continue to be required to be worn at all times (including when taking photos) in Disney World unless stationary and actively eating or drinking. Guests who do not properly wear their masks at Disney World will be asked to leave.

In terms of the future of coronavirus precautions in light of the positive vaccine news, DeSantis noted that some say social distancing should continue until 2022 even with the vaccine, but he said that is “totally overboard.” He did note, however, that people should be aware that some of the proposed vaccines will require a booster shot and so that’s just something to keep in mind.

During the conference, DeSantis’ main focus was on schools. He indicated that schools will remain open for in-person instruction, but Florida will continue to offer virtual choices for parents who prefer that.

DeSantis also discussed theme parks and gave them praise for the way in which they’ve handled the pandemic. According to USA Today, DeSantis noted, “Everyone now acknowledges that theme parks have not led to any type of major outbreaks.”

DeSantis said that Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal have all “done very well” in their efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Earlier this year, an official from Florida’s Department of Health did note that no coronavirus cases had been linked at that time to Orlando theme parks.

DeSantis also talked about how Florida’s regulations differ from the more restrictive rules in California.

Click here to read about the theme park reopening guidelines issued by the state of California.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, positive coronavirus cases in Florida have been trending higher, “with 54,246 new cases and 509 newly reported deaths Sunday to Sunday in state health department data.” Florida also reported “7,363 new positive cases of COVID-19 and 58 more resident deaths on Sunday, with total cases closing in on 1 million and the death toll nearing 19,000.”

With the closures of other Disney Parks around the world and the continued closure of Disneyland Resort in California, we are keeping an eye out for coronavirus news as it may impact your future Disney vacation and the Disney parks in general. We’ll continue to keep you updated as we learn more.

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Will you be visiting Disney World this year? Let us know in the comments.

The post Florida Governor Comments On Mask Mandates, Fines, Lockdowns, and More in the State first appeared on the disney food blog.