Mask Requirements Even OUTSIDE with your family on the Beach

[CodyBoy]

No you do not have to wear masks in the car. It's just because that parking lot is part of the beach park and at the beach you have to wear a mask.

Ok good to know. Thanks

 

[rmoxgt]

With as strict as Hawaii has been with all this, its not surprising to me that masks are required while on the pool deck and not in the water. I'm actually a little surprised that WDW doesn't enforce mask wearing while sitting in pool loungers. Las Vegas enforces that and they were pretty lax in the beginning.

there was barely any mask enforcement in the pool areas at all. stepping outside the pool area is a different story, though, of course.

 

[makthompson]

I can not wait to go back to Aulani, however, I just do not feel it will be as fun. How can you social distance in a pool?

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I truly feel for the Hawaiian people who are trying to save their economy AND keep themselves and vulnerable family members safe. It cannot be easy living on the island right now, what with every visitor wanting to forego the public health rules.

 

[makthompson]

I truly feel for the Hawaiian people who are trying to save their economy AND keep themselves and vulnerable family members safe. It cannot be easy living on the island right now, what with every visitor wanting to forego the public health rules.

They shouldn't forgo the rules. I totally get the safety of others and wanting to stir up tourism. If they can't or won't follow the rules, then they shouldn't go.

 

[sparks&whimsy]

I truly feel for the Hawaiian people who are trying to save their economy AND keep themselves and vulnerable family members safe. It cannot be easy living on the island right now, what with every visitor wanting to forego the public health rules.

This is a very fine line right now. Before my son was born I worked in hospitality here in Hawaii and know many friends and former co-workers who are struggling right now. Aulani began it's first round of lay-off's last week and I have a feeling there may be more following. We want to reopen to visitors, but we need the visitors who are coming to please show us some aloha and follow all the rules that are in place. If you do that then you will be warmly welcomed back and experience the true hospitality that the islands have to offer.

 

[monsterkitty]

This is a very fine line right now. Before my son was born I worked in hospitality here in Hawaii and know many friends and former co-workers who are struggling right now. Aulani began it's first round of lay-off's last week and I have a feeling there may be more following. We want to reopen to visitors, but we need the visitors who are coming to please show us some aloha and follow all the rules that are in place. If you do that then you will be warmly welcomed back and experience the true hospitality that the islands have to offer.

We will hopefully be there in March. Both DH and I are sticklers for mask wearing and I have been known to use my teacher look towards that are not wearing masks correctly. We love Hawaii, the people, the culture, and history. We try and go every-other year. We hope that we can support your state by spending money would not normally spend on a vacation and respecting the island and the people.

 

[Lilsia]

I truly feel for the Hawaiian people who are trying to save their economy AND keep themselves and vulnerable family members safe. It cannot be easy living on the island right now, what with every visitor wanting to forego the public health rules.

That is such a blanket statement not based in any fact. So it's ONLY the "tourists" that are not following the rules? Please. Locals are being fined for not following the rules, and there are tourists that do what they are supposed to. Your statement is offensive and promotes the hate for those from the mainland.

 

[taaren]

Are there fewer doctors or hospital beds per capita in HI than other states? Honest question.

Someone gave you the stats on this, but from the perspective of a local ... we moved to my native island after my DS was born 14 years ago for about 5 years, DH works as a tech in hospitals. He walked into the (only) hospital on the island with his California certification and was hired on the spot because only one other person in his dept had the certification from any state to be doing the job (there were 8 techs I think at the time). His department always had to have at least two travelling pharmacists because there weren't enough that lived on the island that had the degrees/certifications. We were friends with the ever renewing rounds of travelling nurses and travelling doctors, because there simply aren't enough on the island. Several of my family members rent out the in-law unit on their property (usually a 1 or 2 bedroom cottage or attached studio unit) to travelling medical staff who come for 3-6 month stints because the medical facilities pay their rent as part of the package and its easier than finding new tenants all the time. There is not enough medical staff in good times, much less now. The situation is not dissimilar to rural parts of the mainland in terms of medical staff, except for the fact that it is crazy expensive to live there and the wages are about 60% of what one gets paid in California (the main reason we moved back to California with its comparatively cheap real estate).

 

[DRussell83]

That is such a blanket statement not based in any fact. So it's ONLY the "tourists" that are not following the rules? Please. Locals are being fined for not following the rules, and there are tourists that do what they are supposed to. Your statement is offensive and promotes the hate for those from the mainland.

Love everything about this reply. Thank you for stating it.

 

[monsterkitty]

Someone gave you the stats on this, but from the perspective of a local ... we moved to my native island after my DS was born 14 years ago for about 5 years, DH works as a tech in hospitals. He walked into the (only) hospital on the island with his California certification and was hired on the spot because only one other person in his dept had the certification from any state to be doing the job (there were 8 techs I think at the time). His department always had to have at least two travelling pharmacists because there weren't enough that lived on the island that had the degrees/certifications. We were friends with the ever renewing rounds of travelling nurses and travelling doctors, because there simply aren't enough on the island. Several of my family members rent out the in-law unit on their property (usually a 1 or 2 bedroom cottage or attached studio unit) to travelling medical staff who come for 3-6 month stints because the medical facilities pay their rent as part of the package and its easier than finding new tenants all the time. There is not enough medical staff in good times, much less now. The situation is not dissimilar to rural parts of the mainland in terms of medical staff, except for the fact that it is crazy expensive to live there and the wages are about 60% of what one gets paid in California (the main reason we moved back to California with its comparatively cheap real estate).

I have a good friend who is a doctor and is retiring soon. He will be doing a 6 month rotation from here in the summer/fall there in winter/spring. As it is now just him, he will be renting units on whatever island he is working on for those particular months. When his wife was alive, he did the exchange with other doctors. He lived in their house while the Hawaiian doctor stayed in his.

 

[montreid]

Bumping this as Aulani's been open for a bit and wondering how mask wearing is at:

1. Beach - while folk are sitting in their socially distanced beach chairs
2. Pool Deck - while basking in their chairs
3. Poolside - people sitting poolside -- masks or not -- and socially distancing or not?
4. Lazy River - presumed no masks -- but people maintaining 6'?

 

[DRussell83]

Bumping this as Aulani's been open for a bit and wondering how mask wearing is at:

1. Beach - while folk are sitting in their socially distanced beach chairs
2. Pool Deck - while basking in their chairs
3. Poolside - people sitting poolside -- masks or not -- and socially distancing or not?
4. Lazy River - presumed no masks -- but people maintaining 6'?

Just leaving today - we did not wear masks while sitting in the chairs - we were in front of ama ama though - very quiet (except weekend) we also did not at the beach nor the lazy river - we wore masks to and from the bathroom and getting food etc. lazy river was great most days on the more crowded days my husband and I just would go quickly by a big group if we felt uncomfortable- all in all we felt comfortable with our surroundings but again it was just me and my husband and we tried to move around to where there was less people (can’t wait till adult only pool is adult only!) hope that helps!

 

[corgi_monster]

Bumping this as Aulani's been open for a bit and wondering how mask wearing is at:

1. Beach - while folk are sitting in their socially distanced beach chairs
2. Pool Deck - while basking in their chairs
3. Poolside - people sitting poolside -- masks or not -- and socially distancing or not?
4. Lazy River - presumed no masks -- but people maintaining 6'?

We were there Nov 8-11 but live on Oahu.

Beach - No need to wear your mask on the beach or while sitting on beach chairs. The lagoon never gets so crowded that you cannot maintain a 6' distance. The only exception would be if if a cast member is taking your order or cleaning the chair next to you.

Pool Deck - When we were there Disney was enforcing the mask rules and everyone sitting on a lounger had to wear a mask unless they were eating/drinking. I put my ice cream down for less than a minute to reapply sunblock on my son and was told to immediately put my mask back on. We mostly sat near the toddler splash area, the main pool, and the grotto area.

Poolside - Didn't see anyone in the water or sitting in a hot tub wearing a mask. Social distancing wasn't the best, but I never felt uncomfortable.

Lazy River - No masks. The only time I felt uncomfortable was when a large family floated by. We just pulled off to the side and let them pass. People were generally maintaining 6' distance.

We'll be back at Aulani this weekend so I'll report back if anything has changed.

 

[corgi_monster]

Dec. 5 update - Here now and the mask situation is mostly the same. The only difference is that people aren’t wearing their mask while on pool chairs. I don’t see any staff patrolling and telling people to put their masks on either.

Crowds are very manageable and at the moment (4:45pm) there are available chairs. We couldn’t find an open chair at noon, though. There are a lot of locals here, but far less than what we saw in November. Based on our own experience and what I’ve heard from other friends who have been enjoying staycations, I don’t think you need to avoid the weekends anymore.

 

[cgattis]

Dec. 5 update - Here now and the mask situation is mostly the same. The only difference is that people aren’t wearing their mask while on pool chairs. I don’t see any staff patrolling and telling people to put their masks on either.

Crowds are very manageable and at the moment (4:45pm) there are available chairs. We couldn’t find an open chair at noon, though. There are a lot of locals here, but far less than what we saw in November. Based on our own experience and what I’ve heard from other friends who have been enjoying staycations, I don’t think you need to avoid the weekends anymore.

Totally OT, but what room number and category is this taken from? It looks like it’s about where we stayed but several floors higher. We were on 5 (which I loved) and it seemed like we were looking right at the top of the slide.

 

[corgi_monster]

Totally OT, but what room number and category is this taken from? It looks like it’s about where we stayed but several floors higher. We were on 5 (which I loved) and it seemed like we were looking right at the top of the slide.

We are in 1484 and loving it!

 

[cgattis]

We are in 1484 and loving it!

Whoa!! I don’t think I could handle the stairs to 14! But it is quite a fabulous view!! Is that also a “pool view” or do “they” know it’s an ocean view too?

 

[taaren]

Whoa!! I don’t think I could handle the stairs to 14! But it is quite a fabulous view!! Is that also a “pool view” or do “they” know it’s an ocean view too?

I think pool view rooms are 1st through 5th floor only.

 

[corgi_monster]

Luckily, we didn't have to take the stairs lol! Even though Aulani is allowing only one party per elevator, we never waited more than 2 minutes.

1484 is an ocean view studio in the DVC wing.