Joey Badass calls out Disney World after park refuses to let his autistic cousin enter without mask
Disney has not issued a statement addressing the incident.
Disney World is supposed to be the most magical place on earth and where dreams come true. However, a recent visit to the theme park turned into a nightmare for Joey Bada$$ when a member of his family was turned away at the entrance.
The “Devastated” rapper took to Instagram Saturday (March 20) to share a one minute video of the incident that occurred as he and his family tried to enter the park. Within the clip, Joey addresses a security guard and two vacation planners by their titles and their names before asking them how they feel about turning away an autistic child. When they don’t respond, Joey says to Cameron, who apparently has an autistic brother, “maybe one day when you have kids, you’ll understand.”
Joey’s lengthy caption provided even more details on the matter. “Never coming back to Disney again,” he wrote. “Here’s Luis, Cameron, and Kaitlyn and they just turned away an autistic child at Disney World because he didn’t want to wear his mask. The child thinks the mask is suffocating, the child also has no idea why it is even a requirement. Not to mention that, kids under 2, doesn’t have to wear a mask. These guys have completely ruined my family’s trip. We came out here 30+ for my daughters bday and they turned my lil cousin away, can’t even enjoy this experience anymore.”
It’s unclear exactly how old Joey’s cousin is, but Walt Disney World Resort’s official guidelines pertaining to masks states, “Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming. You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.”
Disney reopened the park in July 2020 with a number of safety measures and guidelines for its staff and visitors. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lifted all statewide COVID-19 restrictions on businesses in September 2020, there are city and county mandates still in place. Orange County, which includes the city of Orlando where Disney World is based, still requires its residents and businesses to adhere to the facial covering policy.
Disney has not issued a statement addressing the incident. But it’s evident, the company has lost a customer, since Joey — who was recently nominated for an Academy Award — will not be coming back ever again.