Disney World in Florida CHANGES its face mask policy and makes coverings optional for guests in outdoor lines and attractions

Walt Disney World in Florida has updated its face mask policy to allow guests the option not to wear one while in outdoor lines, outdoor theatres and outdoor attractions - just weeks after saying they must be worn in those areas. 

But they will still be required for visitors ages two and up at all indoor locations, such as restaurants, theaters and transportation with the exception of ferry boats.

Face coverings will remain optional in outdoor common areas. 

Disney revealed this month that it has put some cast members on mask lookout to make sure guests wear masks when they're supposed to.

By law the park has the right to deny services to anyone not willing to comply.

The indoor mask mandate was not put in place by a state or the federal government, but by Disney as a private business.

Last month, Disney officials said the company will be requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. who work on site to be fully vaccinated. 

Visitors at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida can now forgo wearing masks while outdoors

Florida has set a new record for weekly infections for the third consecutive week as the state's health department recorded 151,415 new COVID-19 cases over the past week

The park had previously closed due to the pandemic on March, 15 2020, and reopened July 11, 2020 in a phased reopening from coronavirus disease restrictions. 

The mask change at Disney World came da

Florida has set a new record for weekly infections for the third consecutive week as the state's health department recorded 151,415 new COVID-19 cases over the past week- a 12 percent increase in the last seven days- for an average of 21,630 cases each day. 

The state also recorded an additional 1,071 deaths, a daily average of 153, in the health department's weekly report. 

This brings the statewide total to 2,877,214 cases and 40,766 deaths. 

These growing numbers come as the state set a record for COVID hospitalizations  as it contends with a massive surge as the Indian 'Delta' variant dominates this new Covid wave.

According to data from the Department of Health and Human Services , nearly 15,800 patients in Florida are hospitalized with the virus and more than 30 percent of all patients in Florida hospitals are sick with Covid as are over 50 percent of patients in intensive care units.

The state's positivity rate is at 19.3 percent, slightly up from 19.2 percent the week before, and a total of 384,328 new doses of vaccine have been administered in the last week, down from 434,172 doses the week before, the weekly report said.  

Florida no longer reports daily COVID-19 cases, instead publicly revealing weekly counts every Friday.

Dr. Marc Napp, the chief medical officer of the Memorial Healthcare System said: 'The numbers of patients are unprecedented and that's in black and white. We have more patients in our hospital now than ever before.'  

Orange County, where Walt Disney World is located, is the fourth worst county for cases in Florida, behind only Miami-Dade, Broward and Hillsborough counties. 

The department also reports Florida's inpatient beds are at 83 percent occupancy. 

And while the national average for occupied ICU beds stands at just 19 percent, in Florida that figure is nearly 44 percent, according to NPR.

Disney World guests wear face masks and Disney-themed clothing while Walt Disney World conducts a phased reopening from coronavirus disease restrictions on July 11, 2020

Meanwhile, Florida Republican governor Rob DeSantis has been vocal about his decision not to implement statewide mask or vaccine requirements, even as school starts in the state next week.

In July DeSantis issued an executive order to protect 'parents freedom to choose' whether or not their children had to wear mask in schools. 

The order noted that 'children are at 'low risk of contracting a serious illness due to COVID-19' and said that 'forcing' children to wear masks could 'inhibit breathing, and adversely affect communications in the classroom and student performance,' among other things. 

DeSantis has described CDC recommendations to wear face masks as 'the most significant threat to freedom in my lifetime,' and even accused the health agencies of 'medical authoritarianism.' 

On Tuesday, President Biden said in a statement at the White House that 'some governors aren't willing to do the right thing to beat this pandemic.

'Just two states, Florida and Texas, account for one-third of all new COVID-19 cases in the entire country. Just two states,' he said.

'I say to these governors, please help. But if you are not going to help, at least get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives', Biden added. 

While guests at Walt Disney World now have the option to forgo wearing a face covering outside, visitors must still wear them while indoors. 

'It's definitely not going to impact my vacation in a negative way. Not at all. I'm going to do the right thing,' said one vacationer at Disney World earlier this month.

'Put your mask on and enjoy your life,' another added.