Vaccinated visitors to Disney's US parks can ditch face masks

Fully vaccinated visitors to Walt Disney Co's US theme parks will not be required to wear face masks in most areas starting on Tuesday, the company said, as the country's COVID-19 cases continue to decline.

The new policy applies to guests at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

Disney will not require proof of immunization, the company said in a blog post. But it said it expects people who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing masks at indoor locations, except when dining.

Masks will be required for all guests on transportation, including buses, monorails and the Disney Skyliner gondolas.

Physical distancing will no longer be required at Disneyland as California has dropped that mandate for theme parks.

At Walt Disney World, some experiences and entertainment might still operate with limited capacity, the company said.

"We’re not quite ready to bring back everything yet, but we are optimistic and look forward to the day when Disney pals and princesses are able to hug once again," the company said.